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Groundhog Day
 Phil's Big Day

Phil's Big Day

A Short Reader

Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 4 to 6
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   4.11

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    legend, especially, public, celebration, year, early, during, tradition, group, each, groundhog, true, tune, care, event, another
     content words:    Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney Phil, If Phil, Inner Circle

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Phil's Big Day
By Jody Williams 		  
1     Groundhog Day falls on February 2 each year. A celebration is held in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The fun takes place at Gobbler's Knob. The day is full of music and food. It begins before the sun rises. The big event of the day involves a groundhog. Spectators watch as Punxsutawney Phil the groundhog comes out of his den. Legend says that if Phil sees his shadow, the U.S. will have six more weeks of winter. If Phil does not see his shadow, the U.S. will have an early spring.
 
2     This tradition began in 1887. Early settlers in Pennsylvania began the legend. Many people take the tradition seriously. Some do not. The legend says that there is only one Phil. That would mean that the groundhog is over one hundred twenty years old. The legend says that each summer the groundhog is given a sip of groundhog punch. This makes sure that he lives forever. An average groundhog usually lives no more than ten years.

Paragraphs 3 to 4:
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