What is the difference between an alligator and a crocodile? That’s kind of a trick question. “Crocodile” is a common name for an order, or large group, of animals called crocodilians. Alligators, caimans, and gavials are all crocodilians—but so are crocodiles.

When you play with friends, who gets to choose the game? Do you all decide together? Do each of you play a part in the decision? If so, you and your friends are a democracy.
Usually, when we speak of a democracy, we mean a country. In a democratic country, the people choose how they will be governed. Most of the time, they do this by electing leaders who run the government.

They called him “the man with a million stories.” People flocked to Marco Polo’s home to hear him tell exciting tales about his travels in distant lands.
Marco Polo won fame for his journeys across Asia. He wrote a book about his travels that became one of the most famous travel guides in history.

Ice cream is a frozen treat that comes in hundreds of flavors. What’s your favorite flavor? Is it vanilla? That’s the most popular flavor by far. Chocolate ranks second in popularity.
Ice cream is especially popular in the United States. In fact, Americans eat more ice cream than people in any other country.

You know what kind of weather to expect at each time of year, at least for the place where you live. That's because you're familiar with the climate—the typical range of weather for a region. Did you know that Earth's climate hasn't always stayed the same? Every once...

A cat lies on your lap, purring contentedly. Suddenly it snaps to attention. Its whiskers twitch. Its ears stand up. It launches itself at the windowsill. It makes a strange sound and bats at the window. It’s after a squirrel on the back fence.That’s a cat for you. Cats outnumber dogs as the favorite pet of Americans. The cat is also a skillful predator. It’s designed by nature for hunting mice and other small animals.

Crusades
The city of Jerusalem is a holy place to three religions: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Many important events in the history of these religions took place in Jerusalem and the surrounding Holy Land. Between the year 1096 and the late 1200s, Christians fought a series of wars against Muslims—followers of Islam. These wars were called the Crusades. The Crusades were fought for control of the Holy Land.

Who was the youngest man ever elected to be president of the United States? The answer is John F. Kennedy, the nation’s 35th president. Kennedy won the presidency at the age of 43.
Kennedy was the first American president born in the 20th century. He was also the first president of the Catholic faith. But Kennedy’s time as the nation’s leader was cut short. He was assassinated during his third year as president.

She was a simple peasant girl who couldn’t read or write. Yet Joan of Arc united France and helped free her country from English rule. Today, she is remembered as one of the greatest heroines in history.