English Reading Comprehension For Grade 5 Children

• Passage-1: My Nephew
• Passage-2: Bu-cola
• Passage-3: Yusri and Yusra
• Passage-4: Mother
• Passage-5: Pangolins
• Passage-6: Earthquakes
• Passage-7: When Your Time Comes
• Passage-8: Collecting Fossils
• Passage-9: The Bicycle
• Passage-10: The Egg and the Bottle
• Passage-11: Sasha’s Night Alone
• Passage-12: About The Cat
• Passage-13: Isle Of Jormuguar
• Passage-14: Shoes: Taking One Step at A Time

Passage 14 - Shoes: Taking One Step at A Time

1. Shoes – we wear them nearly every day. Yet we hardly think about them because they are such an ordinary part of our lives. It has not been so always. The ancient Greeks and Persians made and wore sandals, but actually went barefoot most of the time. These people lived in regions where the weather was temperate, and shoes were not needed to keep their feet warm. Shoes are believed to have been worn mainly by royalty, who could afford to employ tailors and shoemakers.

2. As shoes became more common in ancient Egypt, the first ones were simple sandals created mainly to protect the feet from rough surfaces. Among the ancient Greeks, sandals were woven by tying small pieces of wood together with dried grass. Machines to assist shoemakers were not used until the rolling machines was invented in 1845. Because shoes could be made faster and more cheaply, people who had never owned shoes could now afford to buy and wear them. Thus, shoes became one more item that became democratized after mechanization.

3. In Europe and North America during the seventeenth century, in many large cities, dirt roads were common, and people had to walk along muddy path ways and across streams. By the eighteenth century, however, more city streets were paved with cobble stones, and it was easier to keep shoes clean. The first American shoes were the original ‘sneakers’, a word that was used because the rubber sole made the shoe very quiet, unlike most leather shoes, which often squeaked when people walked.

4. Nowadays, shoes come in a wide variety of materials, shapes, colours and sizes. There are people who wear shoes that match their outfit. Of course, only the very rich can afford to do that. Shoes are now a fashion statement. Then there are shoes that are tailor-made for a purpose such as to be worn during a game like basketball or football. Examples are shoes manufactured by Nike and Adidas. These types of shoes are very often endorsed by sports stars. Running shoes are also very popular.

5. Undoubtedly, shoes will further evolve and become much more than just protection for our feet. As the standard of living of people around the world become higher, and these is more disposable income, shoes are turning into a symbol of one’s status in society. This trend is seen even now. The rich and the famous of the world wear very expensive, branded shoes. The simple sandals that we wear at home to sophisticated shoes worn in board rooms, shoes have come a long way.

From paragraph 1
1. Why did the ancient Greeks and Persians go barefoot most of the time?
2. Were shoes only for the privileged in the past? Why?

From paragraph 2
3. Why was it possible for people to own shoes after 1845?
4. ‘Thus, shoes became one more item that became democratized after mechanization.’
Write down what the writer means by the words that are italicized above, using your own words.

From paragraph 3
5. Why was it easier to keep shoes clean in the 18th century?
6. Why were the first American shoes called ‘sneakers’? Answer completely.

From paragraphs 4 and 5
7. Write down three ways in which shoes are used.

Answer Scheme

• Ancient Greeks and Persians lived in regions where the weather was temperate, and shoes were not needed to kept their feet warm.
• Yes. This is because only the royalty could afford to employ tailors and shoemakers.
• Rolling machines were invented in 1845 and so shoes could be made faster and more cheaply. Therefore, people who had never owned shoes could now afford to buy and wear them.
• The writer means that a lot of people in society began to wear shoes because they could be manufactured in large numbers using machines.
• By the eighteenth century, more city streets were paved with cobble stones, so it was easier to keep shoes clean.
• The word ‘sneakers’ comes from the word ‘sneak’ which means move quietly. The first American shoes were called ‘sneakers’, because the rubber sole made the shoe very quiet.
• 1) Shoes are a fashion statement,
  2) Shoes are tailor-made for a purpose such as to be worn during a game.
  3) Shoes are a symbol of one’s status in society.