Reading Passage Practice #2

Remember your work habits

Amsterdam is the capital city of the Netherlands, a European country north of Belgium and west of Germany. It is a charming waterside city of crisscrossing canals and more than a thousand bridges. It grew out of a small thirteenth-century fishing village.

It's not surprising that one of Amsterdam's most famous foods is fish, especially raw herring. People buy herring from fish stands and top it with pickles or onions. Two other popular foods in Amsterdam are paper-thin Dutch pancakes and thick-cut Dutch fries. The fries are called frites. They are served in paper cones and topped with mayonnaise and ketchup.

With all that delicious food, it's a good thing that it's easy to get exercise in Amsterdam. Most people who live in the city ride bicycles to get around. There are almost one million bicycles in downtown Amsterdam. That is more than enough for everyone living in Amsterdam to have one. Residents ride bikes to work and just about everywhere else in the city. And there are plenty of interesting places to go. There is the Van Gogh Museum, which has the world's largest collection of paintings by the great Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh. Another famous museum to visit is the canal-side home where young Anne Frank and her family were hidden away in an attic during World War II. Anne wrote a famous diary during the two years she spent there in hiding.

With so much to see and do, Amsterdam is a popular place to visit. Amsterdam is also known for being laid-back and accepting of everyone's differences. In fact, people from about 180 countries have made their homes in Amsterdam.

Based on the text, where is Amsterdam located?

Amsterdam is the capital city of the Netherlands, a European country north of Belgium and west of Germany. It is a charming waterside city of crisscrossing canals and more than a thousand bridges. It grew out of a small thirteenth-century fishing village.

It's not surprising that one of Amsterdam's most famous foods is fish, especially raw herring. People buy herring from fish stands and top it with pickles or onions. Two other popular foods in Amsterdam are paper-thin Dutch pancakes and thick-cut Dutch fries. The fries are called frites. They are served in paper cones and topped with mayonnaise and ketchup.

With all that delicious food, it's a good thing that it's easy to get exercise in Amsterdam. Most people who live in the city ride bicycles to get around. There are almost one million bicycles in downtown Amsterdam. That is more than enough for everyone living in Amsterdam to have one. Residents ride bikes to work and just about everywhere else in the city. And there are plenty of interesting places to go. There is the Van Gogh Museum, which has the world's largest collection of paintings by the great Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh. Another famous museum to visit is the canal-side home where young Anne Frank and her family were hidden away in an attic during World War II. Anne wrote a famous diary during the two years she spent there in hiding.

With so much to see and do, Amsterdam is a popular place to visit. Amsterdam is also known for being laid-back and accepting of everyone's differences. In fact, people from about 180 countries have made their homes in Amsterdam.

Based on clues in the text, what is the most likely reason why fish is a popular dish in Amsterdam?