Read real documents

Each passage is written in the shape of something you will read this year. The long words are marked; open one below the passage to see how it breaks down. Use Reading Access (Aa) to have any passage read aloud.

Driver’s handbook

Merging onto the freeway

Before you merge, signal early and check your mirror. On the freeway, match the speed of the traffic around you. Never stop on the roadway to wait for a gap. On an interstate, stay in the right lane unless you are passing. A learner’s permit lets you drive only with a licensed adult beside you.

signal

sig·nal — sig: closed · nal: closed

freeway

free·way — free: vowel team · way: vowel team

roadway

road·way — road: vowel team · way: vowel team

interstate

inter + state — inter = between → between states

permit

per·mit — per: r-controlled · mit: closed

Pay stub

Reading your first pay stub

Gross pay is what you earned before anything is taken out. Withholding is the tax your employer keeps back and sends to the government. Most of your pay is taxable, but some benefits are not. If a number looks wrong, report the mistake to your manager right away — your employment records should match what you were paid.

withholding

with + hold + ing — with = back / away · ing = doing → holding back (tax kept out of your pay)

taxable

tax + able — able = can be → can be taxed

mistake

mis·take — mis: closed · take: silent-e (vowel–consonant–e)

employment

employ + ment — ment = the act or result of → the state of being employed

Apartment lease

The deposit clause

The tenant pays a deposit before moving in. The deposit is nonrefundable if the tenant leaves before the lease ends. Any disagreement about damage must be put in writing, and the landlord must complete the inspection within ten days. Either side may dispute the result.

nonrefundable

non + re + fund + able — non = not · re = again / back · able = can be → the money can’t be given back

disagreement

dis + agree + ment — dis = not / opposite of · ment = the act or result of → the result of not agreeing

complete

com·plete — com: closed · plete: silent-e (vowel–consonant–e)

dispute

dis·pute — dis: closed · pute: silent-e (vowel–consonant–e)

Voter guide

A ballot measure explained

This measure asks voters whether the city should fund renewable power for public buildings. A yes vote approves the plan; a no vote rejects it. Read each ballot question carefully: a measure can be misleading if you read only its title. The council cannot veto a measure that voters approve.

renewable

re + new + able — re = again / back · able = can be → can be made new again

ballot

bal·lot — bal: closed · lot: closed

misleading

mis + lead + ing — mis = wrongly · ing = doing → leading someone the wrong way

title

ti·tle — ti: open · tle: consonant + le

veto

ve·to — ve: open · to: open