Under Attack!

Chris Estes, 12, of North Carolina knows all about the dangers of paintball guns. As a prank, a group of teens fired paintballs at Chris. A pellet nailed Chris in the face. It caused him to lose sight in one eye.

Stories like that are becoming more common. That's because the guns are being used more and more as weapons outside of paintball game fields.

A new study shows that the number of injuries from paintball has tripled in recent years. That could be because more people are playing the game. It might also be due to people using paintball guns as weapons.

Some people are shooting paintballs at cars and homes. Others are using paintball guns to fire at people and animals.

"We've had some people whose cars or [bodies] have been hit by paintballs," said the mayor of Lake Forest, Illinois. As a result, that town has joined a growing number of towns that have banned paintball guns.

Some paintball fans think the bans are unfair. "What they've done is penalize people who've done it responsibly," one person said.

What do you think? Should towns ban paintball guns? Read both sides of the debate. Then

ReadWorks.org Copyright © 2016 Weekly Reader Corporation. All rights reserved. Used by permission.Weekly Reader is a registered trademark of Weekly Reader Corporation. Under Attack! decide for yourself.

Yes! Paintball-Gun Bans Hit the Mark.

As their name suggests, paintball guns are guns. They should be handled with care. "I don't think people realize how dangerous they are," said the mother of a young boy hurt by a paintball. "Everybody's got them, and they're not using them as toys."

Paintball guns are intended to be used in places that are supervised. At paintball game centers, players must wear goggles and face masks for safety. Players also must follow strict rules.

On the streets, however, those safety measures don't apply. Many times, bullies use paintball guns to hurt people and to damage property.

To protect the public, towns have every right to ban paintball guns.

No! Banning Paintball Guns Is Off Target.

People should lighten up. They are picking on paintball because it's still a new sport many adults don't understand.

Allen Faircloth, of Black River Paintball in North Carolina, said, "Just like skateboarding or in- line skating, any time a kid fell and broke his arm, it cast a bad light on the sport."

"If you're playing [the game] the way it's meant to be played, it's not really dangerous," said Jeremy of North Carolina. "When somebody takes a baseball bat and bashes out a car window, you don't hear anybody saying 'Ban major-league baseball.'"

Towns should back off. Banning paintball guns solves nothing.

Name: ______Date: ______1. What caused Chris Estes to lose sight in one eye?

A. He was hit in the face with a baseball bat. B. He was hit in the face with a paintball pellet. C. He was hit in the face with a pair of goggles. D. He was hit in the face with a skateboard.

2. In the text, the author presents two different arguments about an issue. What issue are these arguments about?

A. the issue of following safety measures B. the issue of playing with toys C. the issue of banning Major League Baseball D. the issue of banning paintball guns

3. Read these sentences from the text:

"Some people are shooting paintballs at cars and homes. Others are using paintball guns to fire at people and animals."

Based on this evidence, what conclusion can be made?

A. Paintball is just as dangerous as skateboarding or in-line skating. B. Paintball pellets have little effect on cars and homes. C. Paintball guns are being used as weapons outside of paintball game fields. D. Paintball is a new sport many adults don't understand.

4. Who would most likely find the bans on paintball guns unfair?

A. people who have never used paintball guns B. people who have been injured by paintball guns C. people who have used paintball guns properly D. mayors who have banned paintball guns in their towns

5. What is the main idea of this text?

A. Some people are debating whether or not towns should ban paintball guns. B. More people are playing paintball today than ever before. C. The number of injuries from paintball has tripled. D. Paintball is a new sport that many adults do not understand.

6. Read these sentences from the text:

"As their names suggest, paintball guns are guns. They should be handled with care."

Why might the author have used the phrase "as their names suggest" here?

A. to emphasize something the reader might not notice B. to inform those readers who don't know the rules of paintball C. to highlight the correct spelling of the term "paintball guns" D. to demonstrate that not all paintball guns are guns

7. Read these sentences from the text:

"At paintball game centers, players must wear goggles and face masks for safety. On the streets, however, those safety measures don't apply."

What word or phrase could replace the word "however" without changing the meaning of the sentence?

A. therefore B. as a result C. though D. thus

8. At paintball game centers, what must players wear for safety?

9. Read this sentence from the text:

"When somebody takes a baseball bat and bashes out a car window, you don't hear anybody saying 'Ban Major League Baseball.'"

In this quote, Jeremy of North Carolina makes a comparison between baseball and paintball. What is this comparison suggesting about the game of paintball?

10. Make an argument for or against banning paintball guns.

Support your answer with evidence from the text.