Nonfiction · Level 1 · 138 words

Rest Your Eyes

Original passage © Studio AM, written for Fluency.

Many people now spend hours looking at a screen. After a long day of it, the eyes can feel dry, tired, and sore. This happens partly because we blink less when we stare at a screen. We also hold our eyes at one short distance for too long.

There is a simple way to help, sometimes called the 20-20-20 rule. Every twenty minutes, look at something far away, about twenty feet, for twenty seconds. This lets the eye relax and change its focus. Blinking on purpose also helps, since it wets the eye again.

It helps to sit a little farther from the screen and to keep the room softly lit, not too bright or too dark. Your eyes were made to look near and far all day. A few short breaks give them the change they need.

Comprehension questions

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4 questions
1. What is the main idea of the passage?

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A. Simple habits can rest tired eyes after long screen use
The passage explains why screens tire the eyes and gives simple habits to help.

2. What does the 20-20-20 rule tell you to do every twenty minutes?

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B. Look at something far away for twenty seconds
The rule is: every twenty minutes, look far away, about twenty feet, for twenty seconds.

3. Why do the eyes feel dry after staring at a screen?

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B. Because we blink less when we stare
The text ties dry eyes to the fact that "we blink less when we stare at a screen."

4. In this passage, "focus" most nearly means

Show answer for question 4

B. how the eye sets itself to see clearly at a distance
The eye must "change its focus" from near to far, so focus is how it sets itself to see clearly.

Source: Written for Fluency. Original passage © Studio AM, written for Fluency.