Working Together for Cleaner Air
On a busy city street, a bus stops beside a row of trees while people walk and bike nearby. Farther down the street, a faint haze hangs above the traffic. The air may look empty, but it can carry tiny particles and gases that affect everyone who breathes it.
Each year on September 7, the International Day of Clean Air for blue skies draws attention to this problem and the actions communities can take. The observance was established by the United Nations. Its message is that cleaner air matters for people’s health and for the environment.
What makes air polluted?
Air pollution occurs when harmful substances enter the air. Some come from natural sources, such as smoke from wildfires and dust blown by wind. Others come from human activities. Burning fuel in cars, power plants, and factories can release gases and tiny particles. Burning trash can also send harmful smoke into the air.
Some particles are so small that people can breathe them deep into their lungs. Polluted air can irritate the eyes and make breathing difficult. It can be especially harmful to children, older adults, and people who already have breathing problems. Air pollution can also damage plants and affect the places where animals live.
- particles:
- Very small pieces of matter.
- irritate:
- To make a part of the body sore or uncomfortable.
- react:
- To undergo a change when substances interact.
- stratosphere:
- A layer of the atmosphere high above Earth's surface.
- enforce:
- To make sure a rule or law is obeyed.
- exhaust:
- Gases released by an engine.
- cooperation:
- People or groups working together toward a goal.
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.
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.
Vocabulary
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Writing Prompts
Use the passage as a springboard for short written responses, from personal reflection to evidence-based arguments.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1What is the main idea of the article, and what are two ways communities can act on it?
- 2How can air pollution from both natural sources and human activities enter the air?
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About this explanatory article passage for Upper Elementary
“Working Together for Cleaner Air” is a explanatory article reading passage about Air pollution, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 3 minutes to read (523 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.