Bear Encounter

This passage describes a boy's encounter with a bear while on a hike.

Lexile Level: 1040L

Categories: Animals & Nature Adventure

After nearly two hours of uphill hiking, Jason topped the last peak of his hike. The rest of the walk to camp would be a downhill stroll. As Jason removed the pack from his back to take a short break, he heard the rustling of leaves farther down the trail, and within seconds, he discovered he had company. A large black bear emerged from behind an old oak and stopped less than fifty feet away. Jason and the bear locked eyes. He had always assumed he would be quite scared in this type of situation, but Jason had a feeling that the bear meant him no harm. To show the bear he wasn't a threat, Jason squatted down next to his pack. As he did so, the bear turned sideways, gave Jason one last look, and then turned and left in the direction from which it had come.