418 Comprehension Reader’s and Writer’s Notebook Unit 6

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Draw Conclusions

• Whenyoudraw a conclusion,youformareasonableopinionaboutsomethingyouhaveread.

• Evaluatewhetheryourconclusionsarevalid.Askyourself:Dothefactsanddetailsinthetextsupportmyconclusion?Ismyconclusionvalid,basedonlogicalthinkingandcommonsense?

Directions Read the following passage. Then complete the diagram below.

The Aztecs had many laws that covered issues from stealing to gambling to

taxes. Laws even regulated the kinds of clothing Aztecs could wear. For example, nobles could wear clothes decorated in many colors, but commoners had to wear plain clothes. All laws were enforced by judges and police.

The punishment for many crimes, even lesser crimes, was death. For example, wearing the wrong type of

clothing could lead to punishment of death. Anyone who broke laws protecting forests and crops could be killed as well. The laws applied to everyone—nobles, commoners, and slaves. However, since nobles were expected to behave better, they were punished more harshly for committing crimes. For example, while a commoner might have his head shaved for committing a crime, a nobleman might be put to death for the same crime.

Conclusion

5.

Fact or Detail

2.

Fact or Detail

3.

Fact or Detail

1.

Fact or Detail

4.

Home Activity Yourchildmadeaconclusionaboutanonfictionpassageandsupporteditwithdetails.Workwithyourchildtodrawconclusionsaboutinformationinthesportspagesofthenewspaper.Challengeyourchildtosupporthisorherconclusionswithspecificdetails.

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Reader’s and Writer’s Notebook Unit 6 Writing News Article 419

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Writing • News Article

Key Features of a News Article

• reportsinformationaboutanevent,idea,orperson

• tellswho,what,where,when,why

• includesdirectquotations

• includesinterestinginformationtocaptureareader’sattention

A Concerned Resident

Jeepers, Creepers! Slow Down for Peepers! This was the message on several signs that appeared along Pond Road on the afternoon of March 21. After some investigating, this reporter found out that the signs had been made by 12-year-old town resident, Jessie Bond.

A Lesson About Peepers

In an interview, Jessie explained that on the first rainy nights of spring, tiny frogs, called spring peepers, head for swamps and ponds to breed. She explained that over a few nights in March, hundreds of

these pale green thumb-sized frogs climb down trees in the woods along Pond Road and attempt to cross the busy the street. Their goal is to reach water where they can mate and lay eggs.

A Success Story

Jessie said, “Last year I noticed that many of the peepers were killed by cars speeding by. I thought I’d give the peepers a little help. So far, most people have slowed down a lot. I think my signs are working.” When asked why she wanted to help the peepers, Jessie said the peepers were cute, and she likes them because they eat mosquitoes!

1. Reread the selection. Why do peepers climb down trees and try to cross the street?

2. Jessie is quoted as saying that her signs are working. Underline the fact that supports that statement.

Jeepers, Peepers!

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VocabularyDirections Choose the word from the box that best matches each definition below. Write the word on the line.

1. things that are for the good of someone or something

2. enemies who enter with force or attack

3. people from another country

4. fellow workers or soldiers

5. to make rich or richer

Directions Choose the word from the box that best completes the crossword puzzle below. Write the word in the puzzle.

Across

6. partners

7. advantages

Down

8. people who go in with force

9. a series of military operations in a war

10. to make richer

Write a LetterOn a separate sheet of paper, write a letter to a soldier. Be sure to ask questions you’d like the soldier to answer. Use as many vocabulary words as you can.

Home Activity Your child identified and used vocabulary words from The Aztec News. Together read a story or nonfiction article. Have him or her point out unfamiliar words. Work together to try to figure out the meaning of each word by using other words that appear near it.

420 Vocabulary Reader’s and Writer’s Notebook Unit 6

Check the Words You Know

benefitscampaignscomradesenrichforeignersinvaders

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The Aztec News

Reader’s and Writer’s Notebook Unit 6 Conventions Quotations and Quotation Marks 421

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Home Activity Your child learned about quotations and quotation marks. Have your child explain the difference between a direct quotation and an indirect quotation.

Quotations and Quotation Marks

A direct quotation gives a speaker’s exact words. Begin each quotation with a capital letter and enclose it in quotation marks. Use commas to set off words that introduce, interrupt, or follow a direct quotation. Place the end punctuation or the comma that ends the quotation inside the quotation marks. “I am preparing food for the festival,” she said. “What kind of food?” I asked.

Do not begin the second part of an interrupted quotation with a capital letter. Set off the interrupting phrase with commas. “Remember,” said Mother, “don’t be late.”

If the interrupted quotation is two complete sentences, use a period and a capital letter. “Please make tortillas,” I begged. “They taste great!”

An indirect quotation is a quotation that is reworded instead of being quoted directly. It does not need quotation marks. Father said he would sing at the festival.

Directions Write I if the sentence is punctuated or capitalized incorrectly. Write C if the sentence is correct.

1. Do you live in a royal palace?” the boy asked.

2. “No, she replied. “I live in a whitewashed cottage.”

3. The street vendor yelled, “Buy a tortilla pancake!”

4. “The pochtecas” Grandfather said, “Are merchants who may also be spies.”

5. “Spies!” I exclaimed. “Is it dangerous?”

Directions Add quotation marks to each sentence as needed.

6. Take these cocoa beans to the market, Mother advised. Don’t stop along the way!

7. What an adventure! declared the boy.

8. Look out your window at night, Mother said. You may see a pochteca leaving the city.

9. Are they richer than the nobles? I asked.

10. Tonight we celebrate my birthday, Sheri said. Are you coming to my party?

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422 Spelling Word Endings -ice, -ise, -ize Reader’s and Writer’s Notebook Unit 6

Home Activity Your child wrote words ending in -ice, -ise, and -ize. Ask your child to pick a list word and define it.

The Aztec News

Word Endings -ice, -ise, -ize

Synonyms Write a list word that has the same meaning as each word or phrase below.

1. to use the voice

2. to make up

3. to lessen

4. business

5. to oversee

6. beginner

7. to put in order

8. to work out

9. to become aware

10. fairness

Words in Context Write a list word to finish each sentence.

11. My brother and I reached a ___ about using the computer.

12. When I grow up I want to live in a tropical ___.

13. Blaming others for your mistakes is a form of ___.

14. I ___ with your unhappy situation.

15. Sometimes you can help others by making a small ___.

16. Parents try to ___ their children.

17. You looked so different that I did not ___ you.

18. The waiters at that restaurant provide good ___.

19. If you want to sell something, it is good to ___ it.

20. I often ___ the words to my favorite songs.

1. ___________________

2. ___________________

3. ___________________

4. ___________________

5. ___________________

6. ___________________

7. ___________________

8. ___________________

9. ___________________

10. ___________________

11. ___________________

12. ___________________

13. ___________________

14. ___________________

15. ___________________

16. ___________________

17. ___________________

18. ___________________

19. ___________________

20. ___________________

Spelling Wordsmemorize advertise service realize justiceexercise recognize organize civilize apprenticesupervise sacrifice sympathize enterprise minimizecowardice improvise paradise vocalize compromise

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Name The Aztec News

Reader’s and Writer’s Notebook Unit 6 Writing 423

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Home Activity Your child identified and used a dictionary or glossary to identify the uses of multiple-meaning words in a passage. Read a magazine or newspaper article with your child. Work together to identify multiple-meaning words and use a glossary or dictionary to determine their meanings.

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424 Vocabulary Reader’s and Writer’s Notebook Unit 6

Vocabulary • Multiple-Meaning Words

• Dictionaries and glossaries provide alphabetical lists of words and their meanings.

• Whilereading,youmaycomeacrossmultiple-meaningwords.Ifthishappens,youcanuseadictionary or glossary to find which meaning of the word is used.

Directions Read the following passage about Tula and the Aztec empire. Look for multiple-meaning words as you read. Use a glossary or dictionary to answer the questions below.

Tula was a young assistant to an Aztec warrior, and he and his comrades

from school had been on many military campaigns. The Aztecs were often at war with other tribes. Conquering more lands would enrich the Aztec empire with more farmland. In addition, Tula knew that there were other benefits of war, such as the

protection of trade, taking of prisoners, and gaining more goods and taxes from the people they ruled. In 1519, Tula and the rest of the Aztec army were surprised and confused by foreign invaders on horseback who spread disease across the land. “I have never seen such animals—they scare me,” said Tula.

1. What is the meaning of comrades in this passage? Write two other meanings of the word.

2. What is the meaning of campaigns in this passage? What is another meaning of the word?

3. Which definition of enrich makes sense in this passage?

4. In this passage, what is the meaning of benefits?

5. Choose one of the multiple-meaning words from questions 1-4. Write a sentence using the word in a different way from the way it is used in the passage.

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Online Newspapers

• Online newspapers are divided into sections, like print newspapers. They present the same type of information, but it is accessed differently.

• Findingthemajorstoriesofthedayinanonlinenewspaperisfairlyeasy,butfindingotherinformation is more indirect. It is necessary to click on links to move from section to section.

• Onlinenewspapersusuallychargetodownloadinformationthatismorethanafewdaysold.

Directions Use this online newspaper index to answer the questions below.

Metropolitan Times-Herald Online

News/Home Page

Weather/Traffic

Local news

Nation/World news

Election 2012

Special reports

Business/Tech

Leisure/Travel

Sports

Today’s Paper

Columnists

Editorials and opinion

Special sections

In the community

Obituaries

Corrections

Classified

Findajob

Findacar

Findrealestate

Rent an apartment

Findamortgage

Personals

Place an ad

Shopping

Sales & deals – new

See newspaper ads

Yellowpages

Grocery coupons

Using Our Site

Registration

Contact us

1. What are the main sections of the index? Under which heading would you find most news stories?

2. Which link would you use to find out about stock market news?

3. Which link would you use to find out about hockey scores?

4. How would you find today’s editorials?

5. What types of links are featured in this index?

Reader’s and Writer’s Notebook Unit 6 Research and Study Skills 425

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Online NewspapersDirections Use this online newspaper home page to answer the questions.

6. What are two of the day’s top stories? How would you get more complete information?

7. How would you find out about current movies?

8. Would this online newspaper be a good place to look for historical information on Iran? Why?

9. How would you find recent news photographs? an article from several weeks ago?

10. Where could you enter a key word to find out about a subject in the news?

Home Activity Your child learned about using online newspapers as resources. Look at an online newspaper together. Ask your child to locate different types of information that you specify.

426 Research and Study Skills Reader’s and Writer’s Notebook Unit 6

Top Stories

President Visits Monaco, Andorra

Senate Passes Labor Bill

Parade Will Go Forward, Say Organizers

Baseball Player Wins Award

more headlines…

Local | International | Sports | Entertainment | Business | Technology

Metropolitan Times-Herald Online

Search

Go!

Weather: Partly Cloudy

Photos in the News | Archives | Subscribe | Privacy Policy | Site Map

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The Aztec News

Reader’s and Writer’s Notebook Unit 6 Spelling Word Endings -ice, -ise, -ize 427

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Home Activity Your child identified misspelled words ending in -ice, -ise, and -ize. Ask your child to pick and spell two list words that have different pronunciations for -ice.

Word Endings -ice, -ise, -izeProofread a List Circle six misspelled words in the list below. Write them correctly. Find an incorrect verb form. Write the phrase correctly on the line.

Conservation

Measures that can be taken to minamize loss of resources

•sacrifisebytakeshortershowers

•organizeandsupervizeconservationgroups

•exercizecarewhenyourusingpesticidesandfertilizers

•realisethatyoucanmakeadifference

1. ________________ 2. _________________

3. ________________ 4. _________________

5. ________________ 6. _________________

7. ______________________________________________________

Proofread Words Circle the word that is spelled correctly. Write it on the line.

8. servise service

9. civilize civilise

10. simpathize sympathize

11. enterprise enterprize

12. voculize vocalize

13. cowardice cowardise

14. improvize improvise

15. paradise paredise

16. advertise advertize

Spelling Words

Frequently Misspelled

Words

Florida you’re

memorizeadvertiseservicerealizejusticeexerciserecognizeorganizecivilizeapprentice

supervisesacrificesympathizeenterpriseminimizecowardiceimproviseparadisevocalizecompromise

Spelling Words

8. _____________________

9. _____________________

10. _____________________

11. _____________________

12. _____________________

13. _____________________

14. _____________________

15. _____________________

16. _____________________

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428 Conventions Quotations and Quotation Marks Reader’s and Writer’s Notebook Unit 6

Quotations and Quotation Marks

Directions Read the passage. Then read each question. Circle the letter of the correct answer.

Pancakes for Mom(1) Henry had an “aha” moment when he realized, “Uh-oh, I forgot that today is

Mother’s Day!” (2) He hopped out of bed and pulled on his clothes. (3) “Dad, I want to make special pancakes for Mom this morning.” “What do I have to buy?” (4) Henry left for the supermarket with his shopping list. (5) He gathered the pancake mix and blueberries, but he couldn’t find the pancake syrup. (6) “I can help you, young man,” said a nearby stock clerk, look over there in aisle 2.” (7) Henry rushed home, and in twenty minutes the pancakes were ready. (8) “Happy Mother’s Day!” he said proudly as he knocked on his mother’s door. (9) “This is the best surprise I’ve gotten all day,” said Mom happily. (10) “These are amazing pancakes, and they wouldn’t be the same without syrup.”

1 What change, if any, should be made in sentence 1?

A Change “Uh-oh to Uh-oh

B Change Day!” to Day.

C Change realized, to realized

D Make no change

2 What change, if any, should be made in sentence 3?

A Change morning.” “What to morning. What

B Change morning.” “What to “morning. What

C Change morning.” to morning

D Make no change

3 What is the correct form of sentence 6?

A “I can help you, young man, said a nearby stock clerk, look over there in aisle 2.”

B “I can help you, young man,” said a nearby stock clerk. “Look over there in aisle 2.”

C “I can help you, young man,” said a nearby stock clerk, look over there in aisle 2.”

D I can help you, young man,” said a nearby stock clerk, look over there in aisle 2.

4 What change, if any, should be made in sentence 8?

A Change Day!” to Day!

B Change “Happy to Happy

C Change door. to door.”

D Make no change

The Aztec News

Home Activity Your child prepared for taking tests on quotations and quotation marks. Ask your child to listen to the conversation in your home and write with correct quotation marks three sentences that he or she heard.

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