67. Go Fly a Kite By B. Holditch

1 Kite flying is great fun, and it’s easy. So grab your kite and join the fun. The sky is big enough for EVERYONE!

2 The first thing you need for flying a kite is the right kind of day. You need a day with a steady breeze and no rain. Kites fly best in a breeze that moves five to twelve miles per hour. You can tell that the breeze is around five miles per hour when the tree branches are nodding gently. On a great flying day, the wind is about eight miles per hour. Then you can see flags flying straight on their flagpoles. If the wind is over twenty-five miles per hour, forget it! It’s much too brisk for you to control your kite then.3 Now that you have checked the wind speed, you need to pick a kite. Fliers carry different types of kites for different winds. Kite fliers enjoy the different experiences each type offers. Deltas, Diamonds, and Dragon kites fly well in light to medium (approximately 6-15 mph) winds while Box kites and stickless Parafoil kites fly better when the winds get a little stronger (approximately 8-25 mph).4 Next you have to pick the right place. It should be away from trees, electric wires, traffic or buildings. An open place near a lake or stream is good. There you will get wind off the water in puffs. You may need these puffs if there is just a slight breeze. One of the best places to fly a kite is on the beach. There are always updrafts of air at the open space of a beach, and your kite should soar with no trouble there.5 Now you need to get the kite off the ground. A two-person launch is the best method. Figure out which way the wind is blowing. Have a friend stand facing the wind, holding the kite. Unwind about one hundred yards of line. Stand one hundred yards away, facing your friend with your back to the wind. Pull the string until it’s taut. Then signal your friend to let the kite go. If the day has the right amount of wind, the kite should rise by itself.6 As you let out more line, your kite goes higher. If it seems to rise too slowly or if it gets up to a certain height and then seems to be “stuck,” lightly tug the line. Up it should go!7 You will need a reel on which to wind the towline because a plain ball of string is too clumsy for quick handling. You don’t have to have a fancy reel, a tin can will do.8 If your kite is flat, it will need a tail to hold it upright. The idea is to steady the kite, not weight it. The best tails are light ones that are made from streamers of cloth or paper tied onto a piece of string at even spaces. Small paper cups evenly spaced on string or yarn make a fine tail, too.9 Start out with a tail that is three feet long with a streamer every ten inches and one on the end. Once the kite is in the air, you can tell how much tail is needed. If the kite rises slowly, it means it’s too heavy. You will need to cut off some of the tail. If the kite flutters and flits from side to side, the tail may need to be longer.10 These are the basic rules. The kite is aloft at last. Now you can try tugging on the string to make your kite circle and dive.

A kite with the right tail, a sky, and a good firm breezeAnd acres of ground away from electric wires, buildings, and trees.And a friend with one hundred yards of clean, strong string--O boy, O boy! I call this the perfect hobby for spring!

Many wonderful people just like you, enjoy the pleasures and fellowship to be found at the end of a kite line. Sharing seems to make the fun even greater. See you in the sky!

1. The message conveyed by the photograph is that--a it is hard to launch a kite alone.b. children can not fly a kite by themselves.c. an open place is best for flying a kite.d. all kites must have a ten foot long tail to stay in the air properly.

2. Read the following sentences from paragraph 10.

The author created this poem to illustrate her—a. ignorance of kite flying.b. stubbornness when it comes to selecting a kite to fly at Zilker Park.c. excitement and knowledge of kite flying.d. uncertainly about flying a kite.

3. What is the main idea of paragraph 9?a. The right length of tail can be determined by observing the flight of the kite.b. A tail that is too long may cause a kite to rise slowly.c. If the tail is too short, a kite may flit from side to side.d. All kites do not need a tail.

4. What is one message the author conveys in this article?a. Kite flying is difficult for most everyone.b. Kite flying is easy if you follow the steps in the process.c. Kite flying is not for everyone.d. Kite flying is not all that much fun.

5. In paragraph 5, what does the word taut mean?a. knottedb. loosec. frayedd. tight

6. The organization of paragraphs 2 through 9 contribute to the author’s main idea by—a. comparing the advantages of kite flying to another sport.b. explaining the steps needed to fly a kite.c. presenting all the problems faced by a kite flier.d. describing the effects of kite flying.

7. What is a good summary of this passage?

a. Follow a few simple rules to get your kite up and flying. You need to pick the perfect windy day, find a kite you like, pick a safe spot and launch the kite. It is best to launch a kite with a friend. Some kites need tails to help with flight.

b. A good wind speed for kites is about eight miles per hour. If the wind speed is over twenty-five miles per hour, you might as well forget flying your kite. If the wind is too strong, your kite will be torn apart. If the wind is too gentle, you won’t be able to get the kite into the air.

c. Pick the right kind of day and place to fly your kite. Nothing else matters. Then go out and put that kite in the air and watch it soar. You will be so proud of yourself and so will others.

d. There is the proper way to do everything. If you follow the steps, everything will work out just the way you planned. If you don’t follow the proper steps, you will not be happy with the results. A friend can be helpful at times also.

Holditch 2014-2015