The Port City and the Fast Submarine
Portsmouth is an old city in New Hampshire. It sits right by the water.
A long time ago, people built many wooden ships here. It was a busy port for big boats.
The city has a special history with the sea. Many sailors lived in Portsmouth.
They used the deep river to travel out into the ocean. Ships brought goods in and out of the city.
Today, you can see a real submarine in Portsmouth. It is named the USS Albacore.
This submarine was built to go very fast under the water. It had a round shape like a teardrop or a fish.
The USS Albacore does not sail in the ocean anymore. It sits in a park on dry land.
People can walk inside the submarine today. Visitors can see where the crew slept and worked. It is a neat piece of history!
- port:
- A place by the water where ships can load or unload.
- sailors:
- People who work on ships or boats.
- submarine:
- A vessel that can travel underwater.
- teardrop:
- A round shape on one end that narrows at the other, like a drop of water.
- crew:
- A group of people working together on a ship or submarine.
One passage, many ways to practice
Reading-skill questions, word work and writing prompts — all built from this text.
Main Idea
Identify the central idea and explain how important details develop it.
Summarize
Select, organize, and restate the most important information without adding opinion.
Vocabulary
Practice words from the passage with a printable worksheet.
Writing Prompts
Use the passage as a springboard for short written responses, from personal reflection to evidence-based arguments.
Fix the Sentence
Practice editing sentences drawn from this passage with a printable worksheet.
Ready to use this passage in class?
Start free with the Mixed worksheet and 3 PDF downloads each week. Focused skill sets depend on plan.
Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Where is the city of Portsmouth located?
- 2What kind of ships did people build in Portsmouth a long time ago?
Where this passage belongs
You Might Also Like
About this report passage for Lower Elementary
“The Port City and the Fast Submarine” is a report reading passage about Portsmouth and the USS Albacore, written for Lower Elementary. It takes about 1 minute to read (144 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.