First Sentence

"Most people like to experiment—to try something which they have never tried before—and see what happens. Scientists do a great deal of experimenting. They experiment to find the right answers to questions and to find ways of making new things. When scientists do an experiment, they look, listen, read and make records. They are almost sure to plan an experiment if an experiment is the best way to find an answer to a question or to something which they wish to know. Experiments are important but scientists also use other ways of getting accurate information. They may watch growing plants or animals for a period of time and make careful records of what happens. They may collect and look at things. They may listen to different sounds. They read what other people have written about the subject that interests them. Scientists may use several ways to find answers to their many questions. When a scientist does an experiment, there are certain things which he is almost sure to do. He first decides what his question is—what it is that he wants to find out. Then he decides upon a plan for doing the experiment and gathers the materials which he will need. As he thinks about the experiment, he will most likely form an opinion about what will happen. Then he will do the experiment. He will watch everything that happens and, if it is necessary, he will make a record of it. He will note whether his opinion was correct or not. He may need to repeat the experiment several times before he can be sure of the answer to his question."