Old Temples and Tall Towers


Ren tied his red sneakers tightly. Today was a special adventure day with Grandpa in Tokyo.
First, they walked to the ancient Senso-ji Temple. A giant red paper lantern hung high in the wooden gate. The bright red color glowed in the morning sun.
The temple was very old and peaceful. Ren smelled sweet incense smoke floating in the air. People gently waved the gray smoke over their heads for good luck.
"This temple has stood here for hundreds of years," Grandpa whispered. Ren touched the smooth wooden pillars. He felt like a time traveler visiting the past.
Next, Grandpa pointed across the blue river. "Now let us travel to the future!" Grandpa said.
They walked toward the giant Tokyo Skytree. The silver tower reached high above the clouds. It was made of strong steel and shiny glass.
They stepped inside a super fast elevator. Whoosh! The doors closed, and the elevator zoomed straight up.
At the top, Ren looked out the huge glass windows. The city stretched out as far as he could see. The cars below looked like tiny colorful bugs.
Ren could even spot the red roof of the old temple far below. He smiled and held Grandpa's warm hand.
"Tokyo has old treasures and new wonders all in one day," Ren said. It was a magical day he would always remember.
- ancient:
- Very old; from a long time ago.
- lantern:
- A light inside a cover that can be hung up.
- peaceful:
- Quiet, calm, and without worry.
- incense:
- A stick or spice that makes a sweet smell when burned.
- pillars:
- Tall, strong posts used to hold up a building.
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Main Idea
Identify the central idea and explain how important details develop it.
Context Clues
Use clues in the passage to work out what words mean. A separate printable Vocabulary worksheet is also available.
Summarize
Select, organize, and restate the most important information without adding opinion.
Purpose
Analyze what the author aims to do and how choices serve audience and purpose.
Structure
Analyze how sections and organizational choices build the text's ideas or effects.
Writing Prompts
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Who went on an adventure together in Tokyo?
- 2What hung high in the wooden gate of Senso-ji Temple?
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About this short story passage for Lower Elementary
âOld Temples and Tall Towersâ is a short story reading passage about Tokyo Exploration, written for Lower Elementary. It takes about 2 minutes to read (225 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.


