preface - al mawakeb...

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The famous saying “practice makes perfect” really holds true for anyone who wants to become a confident learner. The more practice you get with concepts being taught in school, the more success you are likely to find. The resources, practice and activities found in the fifth workbook of reading and writing skills are geared towards teaching you how to become an independent reader who reads to fulfill a specific purpose and to become a strong writer who can create clear and well-organized and grammatically correct paragraphs. This workbook will help you:

Take the essential unit of good writing, the paragraph, and learn it in its many forms

Practice reading and answering questions Understand the rules, processes, and elements that govern the English

language Practice grammar and mechanics in writing

In this workbook, you will find:

A table of objectives listing what you will learn in every lesson Grammar practice Paragraph writing lessons and drills Reading comprehension passages and questions

Preface

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Table of Contents Preface ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 3

Unit 1: Grammar ............................................................................................................................................................................. 7

Lesson 1: Exclamatory Sentences ................................................................................................................................ 8

Lesson 2: Interrogative Sentences ............................................................................................................................ 10

Lesson 3: Imperative Sentences ................................................................................................................................. 11

Lesson 4: Nouns ................................................................................................................................................................ 13

Lesson 5: Plural Nouns ................................................................................................................................................... 16

Lesson 6: Pronouns .......................................................................................................................................................... 20

Lesson 7: Pronoun Agreement ................................................................................................................................... 25

Lesson 8: Verbs .................................................................................................................................................................. 27

Lesson 9: Verb Tenses .................................................................................................................................................... 30

Lesson 10: Subject and Verb Agreement................................................................................................................ 39

Lesson 11: Adjectives...................................................................................................................................................... 42

Lesson 12: Adverbs .......................................................................................................................................................... 47

Lesson 13: Prepositions ................................................................................................................................................. 50

Lesson 14: Coordinating Conjunctions ................................................................................................................... 52

Unit 2: Reading Comprehension ........................................................................................................................................... 55

Lesson 1: Finding the Main Idea ................................................................................................................................ 56

Lesson 2: Making Inferences ....................................................................................................................................... 58

Lesson 3: Using Context Clues .................................................................................................................................... 60

Lesson 4: Following Directions .................................................................................................................................. 67

Lesson 5: Understanding Schedules ......................................................................................................................... 71

Lesson 6: Understanding Maps .................................................................................................................................. 73

Paired Passages 1 ............................................................................................................................................................. 75

Paired Passages 2 ............................................................................................................................................................. 80

Reading Test 1 .................................................................................................................................................................... 84

Reading Test 2 .................................................................................................................................................................... 89

Reading Test 3 .................................................................................................................................................................... 93

Reading Test 4 .................................................................................................................................................................... 97

Reading Test 5 .................................................................................................................................................................. 102

Reading Test 6 .................................................................................................................................................................. 106

Reading Test 7 .................................................................................................................................................................. 111

Reading Test 8 .................................................................................................................................................................. 114

Reading Test 9 .................................................................................................................................................................. 117

Unit 3: Writing ............................................................................................................................................................................ 123

Lesson 1: Understanding Plot ................................................................................................................................... 124

Lesson 2: Developing Characters ............................................................................................................................ 135

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Lesson 3: How-To Paragraph .................................................................................................................................... 144

Lesson 4: Friendly Letters .......................................................................................................................................... 151

Lesson 5: Understanding Persuasion .................................................................................................................... 159

Lesson 6: Understanding Comparison and Contrast ...................................................................................... 169

Lesson 7: Cause and Effect ......................................................................................................................................... 180

Lesson 8: Literary Language ...................................................................................................................................... 186

Glossary .............................................................................................................................................................................. 192

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Unit 1: Grammar

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Lesson 1: Exclamatory Sentences

Exclamatory Sentences Exclamatory sentences show strong emotions. They end with an exclamation point. Examples: A snake bit me! Your room is a mess!

There’s a horse in the classroom!

Exercises 1-6: Study the following situations. Write exclamatory sentences to describe what you would say. Don’t forget the exclamation point! 1. You’re making cookies. You forget to use a hot-pad, and you reach

into the oven and grab the cookie sheet with your bare hand. ________________________________________________________________________________

WHAT WILL I LEARN? I will learn that exclamatory sentences show strong

emotions. I will learn how to write exclamatory sentences that

begin with capital letters and end with exclamation points (!).

I will learn how to use interjections in exclamatory sentences.

Unit 1 – Lesson 1

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2. You’ve just purchased a lottery ticket. You scratch off the numbers, look on the television, and find out you’re a winner. ________________________________________________________________________________

3. You’ve got five minutes to get to school. Suddenly, you run over glass, and your bike gets a flat tire. ________________________________________________________________________________

4. Your mother takes you out shopping for your birthday. You get home to a dark house. Suddenly, the lights go on, and all your friends shout, “Happy Birthday!” ________________________________________________________________________________

5. You’ve just cleaned your room and taken out the trash. You’re ready to go outside and play when your mom asks you to clean out the refrigerator. ________________________________________________________________________________

6. You’re eating a triple-dip ice cream cone. Suddenly, one scoop falls in your lap, and the other falls on your dog’s head. What do you say? ________________________________________________________________________________

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Lesson 2: Interrogative Sentences

Interrogative Sentences Interrogative sentences ask a question. They end with a question mark. Examples: How many ounces are in a quart?

Who was the first president of the United States? Where is the city of Paris?

Journalists often use the following question-words when conducting interviews: • Who? • What? • Where? • When? • Why? • How? Exercise 1: Pretend you are interviewing a parent, brother, or sister for a newspaper article about him or her. Write 10 questions you would like to ask this person.

Exercise 2: Now, ask this person your questions. Write a descriptive paragraph about him or her, incorporating the answers to your questions. Read your paragraph aloud to your family.

WHAT WILL I LEARN? I will learn that interrogative sentences ask questions. I will learn how to write interrogative sentences that

begin with capital letters and end with question marks (?).

I will learn how to use different kinds of question words to conduct an interview.

Unit 1 – Lesson 2

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Lesson 3: Imperative Sentences

Imperative Sentences Imperative sentences give orders or directions. They end with a period or an exclamation point, depending on the tone of the command. Examples: Be quiet and listen!

First, write your name on your paper. Exercises 1-9: Pretend you are the teacher for a day. Study the following situations below, and write imperative sentences to correspond with each situation. 1. The children are standing on their desks and throwing paper

airplanes.

________________________________________________________________________________

2. Jenney is blowing bubbles with her gum.

________________________________________________________________________________

3. You want the class to take a spelling test.

________________________________________________________________________________

WHAT WILL I LEARN? I will learn that imperative sentences give orders and

directions or make requests. I will learn how to write imperative sentences that

begin with capital letters and end with exclamation points (!) or periods (.).

Unit 1 – Lesson 3

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4. Jeremy keeps getting up to sharpen his pencil.

________________________________________________________________________________

5. Michael has brought a cat into the classroom.

________________________________________________________________________________

6. It’s time for silent reading.

________________________________________________________________________________

7. Casey and Tara are talking while you’re trying to speak to the class.

________________________________________________________________________________

8. Kathy can’t stop sneezing.

________________________________________________________________________________

9. The bell rings to go home.

________________________________________________________________________________

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Lesson 4: Nouns

Nouns There are two types of nouns: • Common nouns describe a person, place, or thing. They are not capitalized. Examples: The boy combed his hair. (person)

The city gets cold in the winter. (place) The cartoon is funny. (thing)

• Proper nouns describe a specific person, place, or thing and are capitalized. Examples: Johnny Smith combed his hair. (person)

New York City gets cold in the winter. (place) The Simpsons is funny. (thing)

WHAT WILL I LEARN? I will learn that nouns are words that refer to people,

places, animals, things or ideas. I will learn how to use common and proper nouns. I will learn that proper nouns are always capitalized.

Unit 1 – Lesson 4

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Exercises 1-5: Change the common nouns below into proper nouns by rewriting each sentence.

1. The movie had me on the edge of my seat.

____________________________________________________________________________

2. That baseball team lost every game this season.

____________________________________________________________________________

3. The woman ate a hot fudge sundae.

____________________________________________________________________________

4. That country is a beautiful place to visit.

____________________________________________________________________________

5. The song makes me want to dance.

___________________________________________________________________________

Exercises 6-10: Now, change the underlined proper nouns into common nouns. Rewrite each sentence.

6. Felix likes to play checkers.

____________________________________________________________________________

7. Broadway Market offers free samples of cheese on Fridays.

___________________________________________________________________________

8. My brother watches Sesame Street in the afternoon.

__________________________________________________________________________

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9. Aunt Sally ran a marathon last summer.

____________________________________________________________________________

10. Mom and I drank Coca-Cola at the ball game.

____________________________________________________________________________

Exercise 11: Circle capitalization mistakes. Then rewrite the passage correctly. mike takes home a runaway Dog. It seems to marty as though the dog

has been mistreated by his Owner, justin trent. mr. trent has the

reputation of being mean and nasty. mr. and mrs. preston, Mike’s

Parents, know that their son has grown fond of the dog, whom he has

named rex. mike takes the dog to the Animal Doctor, doc murphy. justin

trent is angry when he finds out that the Dog has been injured. mr.

preston says that his son will pay for the Animal Doctor.

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

________________________________________________

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Lesson 5: Plural Nouns

Plural Nouns

A plural noun indicates more than one person, place, or thing. • To form the plural of most nouns, simply add an s. Examples: The bears ate the picnic lunch.

Those lawyers work long hours. Here are some other rules for forming plural nouns: • To form the plural of nouns ending in s, sh, ch, x, and sometimes o, add -es. Examples: All of the fifth-grade classes can go home early. (class ➞

classes) The genie granted her three wishes. (wish ➞ wishes)

I grew four inches last year. (inch ➞ inches)

We moved those heavy boxes upstairs. (box ➞ boxes) We bought some organic potatoes and tomatoes from the market. (potato ➞ potatoes) (tomato ➞ tomatoes) People who live close to volcanoes must be very careful. (volcano ➞ volcanoes)

WHAT WILL I LEARN? I will learn how to change nouns from singular to plural. I will learn that plural nouns refer to more than one.

Unit 1 – Lesson 5

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Words like piano, video and radio end with -s only. • To form the plural of nouns ending in the consonant y, change the y to i and add es. Examples: They visited four cities in Europe this summer. (city ➞ cities)

Those ladies collected food for hungry children. (lady ➞ ladies)

• To form the plural of nouns ending with a vowel + y, add an s. Examples: There was a crowd around the monkeys at the zoo. (monkey ➞

monkeys) In college, you will write many essays. (essay ➞ essays)

Exercise 1: Write the plural form beside the singular nouns below.

Singular Plural Singular Plural

cow candle baby party match dress fox lily turkey cry wish city alligator crutch key soda lunch dish

Here are a few more rules for making singular nouns plural: • Add an s to most nouns ending in f. Examples: The chiefs met for a conference. (chief ➞ chiefs)

The news briefs were short but interesting. (brief ➞ briefs) • In some cases, change the f or fe to v and add -es.

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Examples: Many of the wives went shopping. (wife ➞ wives)

Wolves have migrated back to Oregon recently. (wolf ➞ wolves)

• In most compound words, make the main word plural. Examples: The fathers-in-law sat on the right side of the aisle.

Those passers-by didn’t see the raccoon in the tree. • Some nouns change their spelling when they become plural. Examples: child to children, goose to geese, man to men, tooth to teeth,

mouse to mice • Some nouns have the same form whether they are singular or plural. Examples: deer, series, sheep, species, fish, rice, corn, dirt, cotton Exercise 2: Write the plural form beside the singular nouns below.

Singular Plural Singular Plural belief chief

goose commander-in- chief

sister-in-law leaf wolf dirt man thief sheep father-in-law passer-by ox foot deer piano radio stereo kangaroo banjo video hero echo

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Exercises 3-14: Rewrite each error. Correct the plural forms.

3. ________________________ Dad and I walked across wide stretchs of

land.

4. ________________________ We hiked over tall hills and down into rocky

ditchies.

5. ________________________ We listened for the soundes that rattlers

make.

6. ________________________ There are many different kindes of

rattlesnakes.

7. ________________________ Rattlers can be different sizes, from 20 to 48

inchies.

8. ________________________ Rattlesnakes have live babys instead of laying

eggs.

9. ________________________ Any rattlers nearby could feel vibrationes as

we walked.

10. ________________________ We knew that they would rather strike

rabbites than people.

11. ________________________ People are enemys of rattlers, though, so we

were careful.

12. ________________________ We saw one long snake with diamond-

shaped blotchies on its skin.

13. ________________________ More snakes could have been hidden in the

grassies.

14. ________________________ We heard a hawk’s crys as we walked back

to our car.

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Lesson 6: Pronouns

Pronouns

A pronoun is a word used in the place of a noun or another pronoun. Examples: I, me, my, we, us, our, ours (first-person)

you, your, yours (second-person) he, him, his, she, hers, it, they, them, their, theirs, its (third-person)

Use pronouns to avoid repetition in your writing. ◆ Repetitious sentence: Mrs. Catchatori gave Mrs. Catchatori’s car to Mrs. Catchatori’s husband, Mr. Catchatori. Mr. Catchatori loved the car. ◆ Revised sentence with pronouns: Mrs. Catchatori gave her car to her husband. He loved it. Subject Pronouns

Singular Plural I We You You he, she, it They

WHAT WILL I LEARN? I will learn that pronouns are used to replace nouns. I will learn that pronouns avoid repetition. I will learn how to use different kinds of nouns

correctly.

Unit 1 – Lesson 6

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Object Pronouns Singular Plural

Me Us You You him, her, it Them Possessive Pronouns: Used to show ownership or relationship

Singular Plural my, mine our, ours your, yours your, yours her, hers, his, its their, theirs Reflexive Pronouns

Singular Plural Myself Ourselves Yourself Yourselves himself, herself, itself Themselves

Exercises 1-9: Fill in the blanks with an appropriate possessive pronoun.

1. Monkeys take good care of _______________ young.

2. Is _______________ baby sister awake?

3. _______________ ears are bombarded by all sorts of noises all day.

4. What are _______________ views on using animals in scientific

experiments?

5. Your dog is bigger than _______________.

6. Our car is older than _______________.

7. The woodpecker uses _______________ sharp beak like a chisel.

8. Today’s weather is depressing me with _______________ gray sky and

cold winds.

9. If you can guess the winning number, the prize is _______________.

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Exercises 10-14: Underline the correct pronoun to complete each sentence.

10. The emperor (him, himself) was a vain man.

11. Two tailors told (themselves, theirselves) that they could fool the

emperor.

12. They said that the emperor’s robe would make (itself, it) visible

only to the smartest people.

13. None of us wanted to prove (us, ourselves) foolish by saying we

couldn’t see it.

14. Finally, a little boy laughed and shouted, “The emperor should

look at (him, himself). He isn’t wearing anything at all!”

Exercise 15: Read the following passage. Circle all of the incorrect possessive pronouns. Then rewrite the correction above each word.

In mine hometown, the most dangerous storms are tornadoes. In

fact, a town near my was destroyed twice by tornadoes. Ours cousins

live in that town. Many people lost possessions, and some lost theirs

homes. Ours cousins’ home wasn’t destroyed although theirs yard was

in bad shape. My cousin said that hers house is more vulnerable to

tornadoes than hers neighbor’s house because hers house is more

exposed than his’. It sits on top of a hill, and its’ big windows face toward

the southwest. I’m glad ours house is in a well-protected area and that

we have several battery-powered radios for emergencies.

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Exercise 16: Read the story below. Cross out repetitious nouns when needed, and write the appropriate pronouns above them.

The Tamale Party

Juan wanted to teach Juan’s friends how to make tamales. He called up

Joe, Katie, and Frieda and asked Joe, Katie, and Frieda to come to Juan’s

house. Joe, Katie, and Frieda arrived at Juan’s house on Friday afternoon,

and Joe, Katie, and Frieda were so excited! First, Juan showed Juan’s

friends how to soak cornhusks. Then, Juan smeared masa on one husk

while Joe, Katie, and Frieda watched. Finally, Juan placed a spoonful of

meat that Juan had cooked in the center of the masa and rolled the

cornhusk up into a tamale. Juan’s friends were so impressed with Juan.

They each took turns making a tamale. At first, Joe’s, Katie’s, and Frieda’s

tamales were messy, but with practice, Joe’s, Katie’s, and Frieda’s

tamales grew neater. Juan and Juan’s friends waited and waited for the

tamales to be finished. When the tamales were finished cooking, the

tamales smelled so good. Juan, Joe, Katie, and Frieda ate three tamales

each.

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Exercises 17-26: Rewrite each sentence. Use possessive pronouns, homophones, and contractions correctly.

17. _____________________ The trickster tricks some people on there way

to the market.

18. _____________________ He stands their next to the log bridge and

shakes it.

19. _____________________ There likely to be frightened by the shaky log.

20. _____________________ They will think that their going to fall into the

river.

21. _____________________ They could lose there merchandise or even

drown.

22. _____________________ “Put some of you’re baskets down before you

cross,” the trickster says.

23. _____________________ He tells the others to leave some of there food

before crossing the log.

24. _____________________ As they go to the market, there easily tricked.

25. _____________________ However, on they’re way home, they see

nothing wrong with the bridge.

26. _____________________ They decide that there going to trick the

trickster.

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Lesson 7: Pronoun Agreement

Pronoun Agreement

Pronouns must agree with their antecedents—the words to which they refer. Example: Cathy will borrow a flashlight, which she needs to go spelunking. The antecedent is Cathy. The pronoun is she. Therefore, she refers to Cathy. Pronouns must match their antecedents in the following ways: • Number—My fish and my turtle both love their snack of mealworms. (antecedent) (pronoun) • Person—If anyone wants cake, he or she had better come to the cafeteria now. (antecedent) (pronoun) • Gender—Martin gave his calculator to his mother. (antecedent) (pronoun)

WHAT WILL I LEARN? I will learn that pronouns must agree with the words

they refer to (antecedents).

Unit 1 – Lesson 7

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Exercises 1-10: Look at the sentences below. Fill in the correct pronoun that agrees with the underlined antecedent.

1. Each police officer should wear _____________ badge to the dinner.

2. Lisa wants to donate _____________ old clothes to the homeless.

3. Mom and Dad can’t wait to see the photos from

_____________vacation.

4. Everybody needs to take out _____________ pencil and get to work!

5. The eagle and her babies shared _____________ nest with an owl.

6. Jimmy and _____________grandfather love to surf.

7. Maya and Julia look forward to _____________ weekend.

8. Every actor must pay for _____________ own makeup and costume.

9. Robert carried _____________ baby sister on his back.

10. The ducks swam happily in _____________pond.

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Lesson 8: Verbs

Verbs

Verbs are words that name an action or describe a state of being. There are three basic types of verbs: ◆ Action verbs show what someone or something does; they often show some kind of action. Examples: Molly laughed at the comedian.

The truck rolled downhill. The girl smelled the flower. The chef tasted the soup.

◆ Linking verbs help the words at the end of a sentence describe the subject. Examples: Aunt Suzie is my mother’s cousin.

The clown was happy all the time. The flower smells wonderful. The soup tastes delicious.

WHAT WILL I LEARN? I will learn that verbs name an action or describe a state

of being. I will learn how to use action verbs, linking verbs,

helping and main verbs in my writing.

Unit 1 – Lesson 8

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◆ Helping verbs are added to another verb to make the meaning clearer. Examples: They will run at lunchtime.

She could play the piano tonight.

Meet the Helpers!

am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been, do, does, did, has, have, had, shall,

will, can, must, may, might, could, would, should Some helpers show the following:

Possibility: I may go. He might come.

Ability: Bees can produce honey. They could ride their bikes.

Obligation: You must stay indoors. She should save her money.

Exercises 1-5: Complete the sentences by using the verb “to be.”

1. The three bears ____________ characters in a fairy tale.

2. I ____________ only joking!

3. She ____________ ten-years-old today.

4. Last year, they ____________ too young to go by themselves.

5. It ____________ too cold to go for a swim today.

Exercises 6-10: Complete the sentences by adding helping verbs.

6. Our family __________ flying to Canada this week.

7. You __________ come with us to the basketball game.

8. Jane __________ waiting for her plane yesterday.

9. We __________ go to the movies this afternoon.

10. The kids __________ having a good time at the party.

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Exercises 11-20: Complete the sentences by adding action verbs.

11. My cell phone ___________________ in my bag.

12. I ___________________ down the old pear tree.

13. Celia ___________________ off to school.

14. Megan ___________________ a necklace beneath the couch.

15. The child ___________________ loudly.

16. Mother ___________________ the oranges into the bowl.

17. She ___________________ her bicycle on the sidewalk.

18. Please ___________________ me where Karim is hiding.

19. Alvin’s basketball ___________________ off the fence,

20. Adam ___________________ a glass of milk for his brother.

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Lesson 9: Verb Tenses

Verb Tenses

Verbs have tenses. The tenses tell time and also can indicate continuation or completion. The three basic forms for every verb are the present tense, past tense, and future tense. (a) Present tense indicates a certain action is going on now or that a certain state of condition is occurring in the present time.

I walk a mile every day. We walk a mile every day. You walk with your friend. You walk to the store. He/she/it walks alone. They walk everywhere.

(b) Past tense indicates the action occurred yesterday or in some past time.

I walked a mile. We walked a mile. You walked with your friend. You walked to the store. He/she/it walked alone. They walked everywhere.

(c) Future tense indicates a certain action that has not happened yet but will happen soon. Add the word ‘will’ to the main verb to form the future tense.

I will play football tomorrow.

WHAT WILL I LEARN? I will learn how to use the present tense to talk about the

present or now. I will learn how to use the past tense to talk about

previous or past events (or things that happened before). I will learn how to use the future tense to talk about things

that will happen later in time.

Unit 1 – Lesson 9

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*An infinitive is the simple verb form. Example: play, swim, eat, take How to write verbs in the FUTURE tense: The infinitive with the helpers shall or will Example: He will play football. He shall play football.

They will play football. They shall play football.

May and might indicate a possible future Example: He may play football. He might play football.

They may play football. They might play football. Future tense can be shown in other ways. Example: I am going to play football. I am about to play football.

(d) Past participle is a verb form that is used with have, has, or had to form the perfect tenses. It is always combined with an auxiliary (helper) to make a verb phrase. The following is the present perfect tense of the verb to walk.

I have walked a mile. We have walked a mile. You have walked with me. You have walked daily. He/she/it has walked alone. They have walked home.

Sometimes, other words in the sentence can give clues as to which tense the verb should be in. Words such as yesterday, last month, and previously show that the action occurred in the past. Verbs in the same sentence often share the same tense.

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Verb Tense

Tenses allow speakers and writers to express exactly what they want to say. Tenses also show when things happen.

Present Tense Verbs

Tense Number 1st Person 2nd Person 3rd Person Simple Present

Singular I eat fish. You eat fish. He/She/It eats fish. Plural We eat fish. You eat fish. They eat fish.

Present Continuous

Singular I am eating fish.

You are eating fish.

He/She/It is eating fish.

Plural We are eating fish.

You are eating fish.

They are eating fish.

Present Perfect

Singular I have eaten fish.

You have eaten fish.

He/She/It has eaten fish.

Plural We have eaten fish.

You have eaten fish.

They have eaten fish.

Past Tense Verbs

Tense Number 1st Person 2nd Person 3rd Person

Simple Past

Singular I ate fish. You ate fish. He/She/It ate fish. Plural We ate fish. You ate fish. They ate fish.

Past Continuo

us

Singular I was eating fish.

You were eating fish.

He/She/It was eating fish.

Plural We were eating fish.

You were eating fish.

They were eating fish.

Past Perfect

Singular I had eaten fish. You had eaten fish.

He/She/It had eaten fish.

Plural We had eaten fish.

You had eaten fish.

They had eaten fish.

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Future Tense Verbs

Tense Number 1st Person 2nd Person 3rd Person Simple Future

Singular I will eat fish. You will eat fish. He/She/It will eat fish. Plural We will eat

fish. You will eat fish. They will eat fish.

Future Continuous

Singular I will be eating fish.

You will be eating fish.

He/She/It will be eating fish.

Plural We will be eating fish.

You will be eating fish.

They will be eating fish.

Future Perfect

Singular I will have eaten fish.

You will have eaten fish.

He/She/It will have eaten fish.

Plural We will have eaten fish.

You will have eaten fish.

They will have eaten fish.

Irregular Verbs

Verb Past Past Participle

be was, were been

become became become

begin began begun

blow blew blown

break broke broken

bring brought brought

build built built

buy bought bought

catch caught caught

choose chose chosen

come came come

cut cut cut

do did done

drink drank drunk

drive drove driven

eat ate eaten

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fall fell fallen

feel felt felt

fight fought fought

find found found

fly flew flown

forget forgot forgotten

give gave given

go went gone

grow grew grown

have had had

hear heard heard

hide hid hidden

hold held held

hurt hurt hurt

keep kept kept

know knew known

leave left left

let let let

lose lost lost

make made made

meet met met

pay paid paid

read read read

ride rode ridden

ring rang rung

run ran run

say said said

see saw seen

sell sold sold

send sent sent

shake shook shaken

sing sang sung

sink sank sunk

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sit sat sat

sleep slept slept

speak spoke spoken

spend spent spent

stand stood stood

swim swam swum

take took taken

teach taught taught

tear tore torn

tell told told

think thought thought

throw threw thrown

understand understood understood

wake woke woken

wear wore worn

win won won

write wrote written

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Exercises 1-3: Write sentences to say what you usually do. 1. ____________________________________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________________________________________

Exercises 4-6: Write sentences to say what you did.

4. Yesterday:

________________________________________________________________________________

5. Last summer:

_______________________________________________________________________________

6. When you were in 4th grade:

________________________________________________________________________________

Exercises 7-10: Write sentences to say what you think you will be doing:

7. Tomorrow:

________________________________________________________________________________

8. Next month:

_______________________________________________________________________________

9. When you grow up:

________________________________________________________________________________

10. In the summer:

________________________________________________________________________________

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Exercises 11-16: Circle the letter of the choice that corrects each

numbered sentence. If there is no error in the sentence, circle c for correct.

11. Last night, Eva attend the play with Kevin. a. Last night, Eva attends the play with Kevin. b. Last night, Eva attended the play with Kevin. c. correct

12. Tomorrow she will attend the ballet with her father. a. Tomorrow she attended the ballet with her father. b. Tomorrow she attend the ballet with her father. c. correct

13. Eva laugh at the play’s silly plot. a. Eva laughed at the play’s silly plot. b. Eva laughing at the play’s silly plot. c. correct

14. Yesterday Eva’s parents watch the same play. a. Yesterday Eva’s parents watches the same play. b. Yesterday Eva’s parents watched the same play. c. correct

15. By the end of the play, everyone guess who had committed the

crime. a. By the end of the play, everyone guessed who had committed the

crime. b. By the end of the play, everyone guessing who had committed the

crime. c. correct

16. Eva write a review of the play in her notebook. a. Eva writes a review of the play in her notebook. b. Eva wrote a review of the play in her notebook. c. correct

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Exercise 17: Rewrite the character sketch below. Be sure to correct

any mistakes in the use of irregular verbs.

Margaret

Margaret getted up early this morning. She bringed her camera to

the pond. She taked a picture of a fish as it swimmed away. She

photographd geese as they fly south for the winter. Soon she had taken

dozens of pictures. Ever since she was a little girl, Margaret had known

she wantd to be a photographer. By the age of 15, she had won three

photography awards. Now 30 years old, she has written a guide for

beginning photographers. She has made photography her life’s work.

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Lesson 10: Subject and Verb Agreement

Subject and Verb Agreement

Subjects may be singular or plural. The verb form must agree with

the subject. Examples: Incorrect—Ivan are going to the store.

Correct—Ivan is going to the store. Incorrect—We was calling out the cat’s name. Correct—We were calling out the cat’s name.

A singular verb agrees with a singular subject. Example: A dog chews bones. A cat drinks milk. A plural verb agrees with a plural subject. Example: The dogs chew bones. The cats drink milk. Use the following steps to make sure your verb agrees with your

subject: 1. Find the subject of the sentence. 2. Decide whether the subject is singular or plural. 3. Select the appropriate verb form to match the subject.

WHAT WILL I LEARN? I will learn that subjects in sentences must agree with the

verbs in number.

Unit 1 – Lesson 10

40

Exercises 1-5: Change the sentences from singular to plural or from

plural to singular.

1. The boy wants to buy a new skateboard.

____________________________________________________________________________

2. Those two boys are competing in the race.

____________________________________________________________________________

3. The dogs growl when the mail carrier comes.

____________________________________________________________________________

4. The computer beeps when you turn it on.

____________________________________________________________________________

5. The tennis balls roll across the court.

____________________________________________________________________________

Exercises 6-15: Read each sentence. Choose the correct form of the verb.

6. Joe (want, wants) to learn about growing roses.

7. You (shop, shops) for new rose bushes each year in May.

8. Joe (know, knows) that taking care of roses is a lot of work.

9. His grandparents (tell, tells) Joe all about different kinds of roses.

10. I (give, gives) Joe a beautiful pink rose.

11. Joe (offer, offers) his grandfather a hand.

12. Joe (ask, asks) his grandfather a question.

13. Joe (buy, buys) his grandmother some roses.

14. The flowers (make, makes) the neighbor sneeze.

15. Joe’s grandfather (plant, plants) rose bushes every year.

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Exercise 16: Study the story below. Cross out inappropriate verb

forms and write the correct verb forms above them.

Mr. Fisher and his students is studying ecology. First, they learned that

they should never throws our trash into the river. Birds and fish can gets

strangled in plastic six-pack rings. They can also chokes on little things.

Each student had a chance to looks into a bird’s nest to see the tiny eggs

inside. Mr. Fisher explained that bugs eats the poison farmers put on

their plants. Then birds gobbles up the bugs and gets poisoned, too.

Sometimes, their eggshells is so thin that their babies don’t hatch. The

students learns a lot that day about how to care for the Earth. When Sara

went home, she tells her parents that they need to build a birdhouse.

“We already recycles,” her father said. “Now, we should plants a garden.”

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Lesson 11: Adjectives

Adjectives

Adjectives are words that describe either nouns or pronouns. They answer the questions: What kind? How many? Which one? How much? Examples: She wore a ring. (What kind?)

She wore a silver ring in her nose. We served dinner to people. (How many?) We served dinner to forty people. Thomas gave a dollar to the man. (Which one?) Thomas gave a dollar to the homeless man. I need to buy sugar. (How much?) I need to buy three pounds of sugar.

WHAT WILL I LEARN? I will learn that an adjective is a word that describes a

noun. I will learn that an adjective can come before or after the

noun it is describing. I will learn how to compare using adjectives. I will learn when to use –er, -est, more and most.


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There are three types of adjectives: ★ Common adjectives describe nouns or pronouns. Example: He is a handsome boy. ★ Proper adjectives are formed from proper nouns. Example: My uncle loves to eat Italian food. ★ Compound adjectives are made up of more than one word. Examples: My brother is in his teenage years.

Exercises 1-7: Rewrite each sentence, adding the correct article a

or an.

1. Wissam jumped over garbage can to escape.

2. When I was in school, I read book about crops.

3. There was garden in his backyard.

4. The piece of fruit did not taste or look like apple.

5. The robe gave me opportunity to have more pockets.

6. They played game that used parts of the plant.

7. My parents went on tour of Europe.

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Comparing with Adjectives Add -er to most short adjectives to compare two people, places, or

things.

Add -est to most short adjectives to compare more than two people,

places, or things.

For adjectives ending in e, drop the e before adding -er or -est.

For adjectives ending in a consonant and y, change the y to I before

adding -er or –est.

For one-syllable adjectives that have a single vowel before the final

consonant, double the final consonant before adding -er or -est.

In general, for adjectives of three or more syllables, use more and

most to compare people, places, and things.

Use more to compare two people, places, or things.

Use most to compare more than two.

When you use more and most, do not use the ending -er or -est.

In comparisons, the adjective good has an irregular form.

Better and best are the irregular forms of good.

Use better to compare two people, places, or things.

Use best to compare more than two.

In comparisons, the adjective bad has an irregular form. Worse and

worst are the irregular forms of bad.

Use worse to compare two people, places, or things.

Use worst to compare more than two.

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Exercise 8: Read the paragraphs. Then rewrite each paragraph, correcting any mistakes. Be sure that –er, -est, more, most, good and bad are used correctly and that all adjectives are spelled correctly.

Welcome to the Columbus History Museum! We have made a few

changes. First, we have a large exhibit about Lewis and Clark than we

did before. Now we have a room with a map from 1804. It is the old map

in the museum. Also, the lights are bright than before. People say that it

is easiest to read signs now.

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

When Grandfather was young, he thought that the clouds were most

beautifulest in the hills. Being outside was always more pleasanter than

being in school. Grandfather was the happier when he could stay

outside.

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

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Creating a code is very more difficult, but it is even most difficulter to

break a code. In the past, breaking a code was one of the more crucial

skills of all. Sometimes governments didn’t realize that a code had been

broken, and they continued to send their most secretest messages in

that code.

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

Once, far beneath the sailboats that fl oat on the sea, lived the most best

swimmer in the ocean. He could swim faster than the fastest dolphin,

and no fish was gooder at diving deep, deep down. This fi ne swimmer

was also the biggest creature in all the sea, and he scared away the baby

fish. The worstest thing about his size was that the other ocean

creatures called him a sea monster, and no one wanted to be his friend.

He thought there was nothing worser than being so big.

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

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Lesson 12: Adverbs

Adverbs Adverbs are words that describe verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. They answer the questions: When? Where? To what extent? How? Examples: My best friend moved. (When?)

My best friend moved first. The sock fell. (Where?) The sock fell behind my dresser. Maribelle sang. (How?) Maribelle sang badly. The caterpillar ate the leaf. (To what extent?) The caterpillar completely ate the leaf.

Most adverbs are formed by adding ly to an adjective.

Adjectives Adverbs Soft Softly Sad Sadly Beautiful Beautifully Quick Quickly Other adverbs do not end in ly. Examples: already – now – almost - often – yesterday - far - soon

WHAT WILL I LEARN? I will learn that an adverb is a word that describes an

action word. I will learn that an adverb can describe when an action

happens. I will learn that an adverb can describe where an action

happens.


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Exercises 1-4: Rewrite the following sentences, adding adverbs to answer the questions below.

1. Susan and Michelle danced. (When?)

____________________________________________________________________________

2. The balloon flew. (Where?)

____________________________________________________________________________

3. Sparky, Julie’s dog, barked. (How?)

____________________________________________________________________________

4. I understood the instructions. (To what extent?)

____________________________________________________________________________

Exercises 5-13: Add adverbs to the sentences below to correspond with the question after each sentence.

5. Matthew studied __________________ for the test. (How?)

6. Mrs. Sawyer left for Europe__________________. (When?)

7. Move __________________ to the front of the line. (Where?)

8. We woke up __________________ and walked the dog. (When?)

9. She ran __________________ the hill. (How?)

10. We are __________________ finished with our homework. (To what

extent?)

11. Go __________________ to the basement and find the flashlight. (How?)

12. I like to read my library books __________________. (When?)

13. They played football __________________. (To what extent?)

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Exercise 14: Read the letter below. Rewrite the letter correctly on the lines provided. Dear Mom and Dad,

I know you think that I’m messy, but I clean more carefullier than

Mother Nature does. There are dirt and rocks everywhere in the woods!

Since we’ve been at the campsite, we’ve been eating most poorly than

we do at home. You cook much more expert than Uncle Curtis does. Of

all the campers, it’s the mosquitoes who seem to be eating happiliest. I

hope we come home more sooner rather than late.

Your son,

Teddy

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

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Lesson 13: Prepositions

14.

Prepositions

Prepositions are words that link a noun or pronoun following it to another word in the sentence. Here is a list of some of the most common prepositions:

above – across – after – around – at – behind – between – beneath – during – from – in – inside – into – outside – on – out – over – through – under - up

Exercises 1-9: Now, add prepositions to complete the following sentences.

1. To get to the fort, you must crawl _____________ a fence.

2. Then you have to climb _____________ a hill.

3. _____________ the cow pasture, you’ll see a yellow mailbox.

4. Walk _____________ you spot a tree marked with an X.

5. _____________ the tree, you’ll find a wooden crate.

6. Climb _____________ top of the crate and grab the lowest tree branch.

WHAT WILL I LEARN? I will learn that prepositions are words that show the

relationship of a noun or pronoun to another word in the sentence.


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7. Once you’re _____________ the tree, you’re almost there.

8. Look up, and you’ll see the fort _____________you.

9. Pull yourself _____________ to the front door.

Exercise 10: In a creative and interesting paragraph, describe how to get from your house to your school. Use as many prepositions as you can in your 10- to 12-sentence description. After you are finished with your paragraph, circle the prepositions. How many did you use?

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Lesson 14: Coordinating Conjunctions

Coordinating Conjunctions A coordinating conjunction links two sentences together. When joining two sentences, put a comma before the coordinating conjunction. Examples: I like coffee, but my mother doesn’t allow me to drink it.

Jack is sick, so he can’t go to the football game. She’s excited, for tomorrow is her birthday.

Here are the seven coordinating conjunctions:

For and nor but or yet so When grouped like this, they form a mnemonic device (a teaching tool used to remember them) called fanboys. A mnemonic often uses the first letter of each word in a list to form a new word that is easy to remember. Exercises 1-6: Use one of the “fanboys” to rewrite each pair of sentences to make one sentence. Don’t forget the comma.

1. My sister will call this afternoon. I won’t be home.

____________________________________________________________________________

2. The leaves on the ground are yellow. Some of them are red.

____________________________________________________________________________

WHAT WILL I LEARN? I will learn that coordinating conjunctions link two or

more words, phrases or sentences together.


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3. Cindy’s cat sleeps on her sweaters. Her clothes are covered with

fur. ________________________________________________________________________

4. Will you go to the party? Will you go to the movie?

____________________________________________________________________________

5. It is January. It is sunny and warm outside.

____________________________________________________________________________

6. She did not hear the doorbell. She did not hear the phone.

____________________________________________________________________________

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Unit 2: Reading Comprehension

56

Lesson 1: Finding the Main Idea

Made For Australia

by Judith Kendra Solar Energy

The sun’s energy is very useful. It will never run out, and it is free. In some ways Australia is lucky because it receives more of the sun’s rays than almost any other country in the world. Therefore, as the costs of fuels like oil and gas rise, it makes sense to use the sun’s rays as much as possible. Now Australia uses solar energy to heat homes, provide hot water, and to work pumps and other things.

WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA? You may have already read a passage in which you practiced finding facts. Now, let’s read to try finding the main idea. The main idea is often the same as the topic sentence. It is the most important piece of information for the reader. All other sentences in the paragraph add to the meaning of the topic sentence. They are often called supporting details. The topic sentence is often the first sentence, but it can come in the middle of the paragraph or at the end. You will be asked to search for answers to questions that help you understand the story. The topic sentence, if it is quite long, may sometimes contain more information than just the main idea.

Unit 2 – Lesson 1

57

Solar heating works by putting collectors, which are sometimes called solar cells, on the roof or walls of a house. These collectors catch the sun and convert its energy into heat. In the remote parts of Australia, electricity can cost far more than it does in the cities. About six percent of Australian homes have solar water heaters at the moment, but this number is rising.

The biggest factory in the world for making solar water heaters is in Western Australia. Recently, a highly efficient silicon solar cell was developed at the University of New South Wales. Also, in 1977, scientists at the Australian National University in Canberra made the world’s first system for storing large amounts of solar energy. Exercises 1-7: Answer the following questions.

1. Which paragraph tells the reader about the importance of solar power? ___________________________

2. Match the paragraph number with its main idea.

_____Paragraph 1 development of solar power cell

_____Paragraph 2 importance of solar power for Australia

_____Paragraph 3 how solar heating works

3. Which of these would be another good title for this passage? a. Western Australian Factories Power for the Future b. University Scientists c. The Sun Always Shines

4. Which paragraph tells the reader about scientific research in

Australia? a. Paragraph 1 b. Paragraph 2 c. Paragraph 3

5. Paragraph 3 is mainly about the size of factories. True / False

6. According to the passage, the cost of oil and gas will rise. True / False

7. Electricity costs more in the __________________ than the city.

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Lesson 2: Making Inferences

The Incredible Experience

of Megan Kingsley

by Pamela O’Connor

Megan was tied hand and foot, unable to move. Rocks were being thrown at her. She couldn’t see where the rocks were coming from. They just came from nowhere, mostly hitting her legs. A stray stone landed on her arm. She tried to scream, but no sound would come out.

At last they stopped and she thought her tormentors had gone away.

Megan woke, spluttering and shivering as the cold water ran over her face and down her neck and back.

Patrick rolled over laughing hysterically as she sat up, wiping the water out of her eyes.

“Patrick Kingsley, I hate you!” she screamed. “Why do you always have to be so horrible!”

“You wouldn’t wake up.” Patrick squatted a safe distance away, still chuckling. “And I thought you might be dead, so I threw some pebbles on your legs. When that didn’t work, I thought the cold water might do the trick.”

WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA? Making an inference is a thinking or reasoning skill. The reader is often only given a limited amount of information and makes inferences from the information given. Readers also use their general knowledge when making inferences.

Unit 2 – Lesson 2

59

“Where is Aurora?” Megan felt stiff and cold. “I don’t know,” replied Patrick. “Were you out there all night?” He

laid some sticks and got a fire going. “I must have been. Last thing I remember I was lying here talking

to Aurora.” And then she had a dream. Didn’t she? It had seemed so real.

Exercises 1-5: Answer the following questions.

1. The author, Pamela O’Connor, wants the reader to think something dreadful is happening to Megan. What is really happening? ____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

2. Draw a checkmark next to the inferences that you can make from

Patrick lighting a fire. ______The night had been cold.

______Patrick and Megan are on vacation.

______Patrick is about to cook breakfast.

______Megan needs to dry off after getting wet.

3. Megan’s dream seems very realistic because Patrick was ________.

a. throwing pebbles at her b. screaming at her c. being horrible d. chuckling to himself

4. Once she had awakened, Megan was sure she had been dreaming.

True / False

5. Patrick and Megan had been awake since Aurora had left. True / False

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Lesson 3: Using Context Clues

WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA? You may have already read stories in which you practiced finding facts or finding the main idea. Now let’s try using context clues. Sometimes, when we read, we are not always told all the information directly. Often we can figure out what is happening, how people feel, or where the action is, using information in the writing. The context adds to the meaning. It can also give clues to the meaning of new words. Read this short passage. Michelle heard the news. It was not what she wanted to hear. Her shoulders dropped, and she looked at her feet. From the words, we can tell at least two things: the news was bad (it was not what she wanted to hear), and Michelle was upset (her shoulders dropped/she looked at her feet). We get the information from the context in which it appears. We use context clues.

Unit 2 – Lesson 3

61

That Proverbial Cat

by Elizabeth Best

Curiosity, goes the saying, killed the cat.

“I wonder,” thought Darin, “If curiosity could kill ours.”

He looked at Tiger, his own beloved cat, lying placidly on the carpet, half asleep, and to all outward appearances, most incurious. But appearances aren’t everything.

“I simply must find out,” Darin thought. “And if he is curious, I’ll have to protect him in some way. I wouldn’t like Tiger to get killed.” So Darin lay down on the carpet a little distance away from Tiger and, like a true expert in these matters, he pretended to be asleep, while at the same time he watched the cat closely. He did not want Tiger to become suspicious and consequently not act his own true self.

He did not have long to wait. Tiger eyed Darin sleepily for a few moments and then (in true cat form), his curiosity getting the better of him, he stood up, arching his back in a beautiful stretch.

“Aha!” thought Darin. “He’s moving.”

But to his great disgust, in another moment, he realized the cat’s curiosity was only aroused by seeing his master lying on the carpet with his eyes shut and, once having investigated this occurrence, the animal curled up again in the curve between Darin’s knees and stomach and went back to sleep.

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1. The cat woke up because __________. a. Darin made a lot of noise b. it needed to arch its back c. it became curious about Darin d. Darin made it a new sleeping place

2. The cat’s reaction to Darin lying on the floor was __________

a. expected b. unexpected

3. The word “form” could best be replaced with __________.

a. style b. shape c. belief d. control.

4. The word “consequently” most likely means __________ a. as a result b. later c. expectedly

5. If the cat was lying “placidly,” it was lying peacefully.

True / False

6. List two things Darin did that, he thought, made him seem like an expert. a) _________________________________________________________________________ b) _________________________________________________________________________

7. When people say “curiosity killed the cat,” they mean people

should not __________ a. get involved in matters that don’t concern them b. expect cats to sleep all the time. c. disturb cats when they are sleeping. d. give children reasons to be curious.

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Exercises 8-34: More Context Clues Practice

8. There was crazy pandemonium as people were trying to leave the rock concert. In this sentence, the word pandemonium means

craziness or chaos silence

order peace

9. An emollient was used to soothe the burns on the firefighter's arm. The special lotion was known for its healing properties. In this sentence, the word emollient means

residue irritant

salve sediment

10. When we received the sad news, we cried for a long time. The catharsis was a good release for our sorrow. In this sentence, the word catharsis means

purging addition

surcharge extra

11. The magnanimous crowd stood up for what they believed, but the others were too afraid. In this sentence, the word magnanimous means

brief instant

identical heroic

12. Using certain body language is illicit in some countries, but allowed in others. In this sentence, the word illicit means

forbidden dumb

cool awkward

13. Mom and Dad used fans to ventilate the attic. In this sentence, the word ventilate means

close create an air flow

paint tighten

14. No repairs were needed for the old car because it was in impeccable condition. In this sentence, the word impeccable means

perfect horrible

imperfect bad

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15. Some people feel perplexed by brain teasers, while others figure them out quickly. In this sentence, the word perplexed means

at ease relaxed

calm troubled or confused

16. When the sun set, the bright day turned into a caliginous rainy night. In this sentence, the word caliginous means

bright dark or gloomy

clear happy

17. Tina was hired surreptitiously, just as Dennis got his job secretly. In this sentence, the word surreptitiously means

easily seen not secret

out in the open secretly

18. Some people are reticent, while others talk about their feelings freely. In this sentence, the word reticent means

talkative open

secretive

19. The pile of work before Grant was insurmountable because there wasn't enough time to get it all done. In this sentence, the word insurmountable means

peaceful easy

can't be overcome super

20. There were many diminutive items in the dollhouse including tiny chairs, petite beds, and little pictures. In this sentence, the word diminutive means

large huge

small average

21. Kara was an astute learner and did very well her music theory classes. Her sister, Mary, found music theory difficult and felt foolish being in the class. In this sentence, the word astute means

unwise foolish

dull sharp

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22. Debilitating illnesses include Lou Gehrig's disease, Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis. In this sentence, the word debilitating means

improving energizing

weakening strengthening

23. Improving on the assembly line, Henry Ford was able to manufacture his automobiles efficiently. He predominated in the industry for many years. In this sentence, the word predominated means

fell behind followed

led charted

24. The light from the flashlight was seen through translucent objects, such as tracing paper and liquid in a glass, but it was not completely clear. In this sentence, the word translucent means

see through dark

solid thick

25. The professor was a favorite among the students at the college. His sagacity was helpful to them as they pursued their degrees. The professor was known to use his experience, insight, and common sense to help students pursue their education. In this sentence, the word sagacity means

silliness negligence

wisdom thoughtlessness

26. A melancholy sadness fell over the crowd after hearing the shocking news. In this sentence, the word melancholy means

quiet depressed or sad

calm good

27. The Amish are very humble people, unlike the uppity people in the surrounding communities. In this sentence, the word uppity means

stuck-up reformed

spiteful relieved

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28. During the emergency, Don was so upset he was inarticulate, but Cathy remained clear enough to tell us what had happened. In this sentence, the word inarticulate means

easy to understand clear

unclear easily comprehended

29. There was pandemonium when the teacher walked out of the door just as there was confusion when the lunch monitor left the cafeteria. In this sentence, the word pandemonium means

peace calmness

serenity confusion

30. The servant burnished the silver vase, rubbing hard to bring back the shine. In this sentence, the word burnished means

muted pounded

polished clouded

31. After Julius Caesar was assassinated, a triumvirate ruled Rome. The three men in charge were Octavian, Mark Antony, and Marcus Lepidus. It was felt that this was best for Rome because the people did not want a dictator or emperor. In this sentence, the word triumvirate means

a group of two president

a group of three king

32. The worshippers congregated, or gathered, for the church service. In this sentence, the word congregated means

left dispersed

gathered went away

33. Famous conquistadors include Cortes, who conquered Aztec Mexico and Pizarro, who conquered Inca Peru. In this sentence, the word conquistadors means

conquerors victims

losers geographers

34. Confections, such as cake, candy, and sweets, should be eaten sparingly. In this sentence, the word confections means

vegetable fruits

sweet foods meats

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Lesson 4: Following Directions

WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA? If we want to know how to do something, we have to follow directions. You may have books at home that tell you how to do things. They might tell how to make paper planes or how to bake a cake. You will find many books and magazines that give directions in your school library—how to play a sport, how to do magic tricks, how to knit, how to do science experiments, how to recycle trash, and so on. Some directions are simple. A sign on a railway station tells the passengers how to get a ticket from a ticket machine. We call each part of the directions steps. Some directions are quite complex. The directions for playing some computer games have many steps. People follow directions, or instructions, nearly every day of their lives.

Unit 2 – Lesson 4

68

What’s Cooking?

A Children’s Guide to Food From Other Lands

by Kerri Bingle, David Bowden, and Jenny Dibley

Tzatziki This is a dip eaten by Greek people before a meal. In Greece, tzatziki is usually eaten with bread. People often eat tzatziki with pita bread (commonly known as Lebanese bread) or raw vegetables, such as carrots and celery. Serves: A taste for each member of the class Ingredients 2 cucumbers pepper to taste 1 ½ cups of Greek-style or plain yogurt juice of half a lemon 2 large cloves of garlic, crushed pinch of paprika Directions 1. Peel the skin from the cucumbers. 2. Grate the cucumbers thinly. 3. Mix the yogurt, cucumbers, crushed garlic, pepper, and a small amount of lemon juice. 4. Place the mixture in the refrigerator. 5. When you are ready to serve the food, sprinkle some paprika on the top.

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1. Write short answers for questions 1 through 4. a. How many steps are there in making tzatziki?

__________________________________________________________

b. How many different ingredients do you need to make tzatziki? __________________________________________________________

c. What is another name for pita bread? __________________________________________________________

d. What is the main vegetable used to make tzatziki?

__________________________________________________________

2. This recipe makes enough tzatziki for (two / a few / many) people to taste. (Circle one word.)

3. Tzatziki is eaten by dipping __________________________ in it.

4. This is a recipe for (an appetizer / a main meal / a dessert).

(Circle one answer.)

5. Number the boxes 1 to 4 to show the order of steps you would follow to make tzatziki.

_____ Cool the mixture in a fridge.

_____ Mix the cucumbers with the yogurt and spices.

_____ Peel the cucumbers.

_____ Grate the cucumbers.

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6. Which of these would be a good concluding statement?

a. Make some more if you like it. b. Keep a good supply of cucumbers. c. Now you have a great party starter!

7. What is your favourite recipe? In your notebook, use the same strategy to write down your own recipe or a favourite recipe you like to eat. Write down the ingredients and the directions. Don’t forget to mention how many people it serves.

71

Lesson 5: Understanding Schedules

Train Schedule Route S12 – Night Rider

Schedule for Monday through Saturday

TRAIN FROM

P.M. P.M. P.M. TRAIN FROM

P.M. P.M. A.M.

Town Hall 7:30 9:30 11:30 East Hills 8:10 10:10 12:10 Central 7:40 9:40 Ravesby 8:20 10:20 Newtown 7:50 9:50 11:45 Bankstown 8:35 10:35 12:45 Lakemba 8:25 10:25 Lakemba 8:50 10:50 Bankstown 8:40 81040 12:25

A.M Newtown 9:25 11:25 1:25

Ravesby 8:55 10:55 Central 9:35 11:35 East Hills 9:05 11:05 12:45

A.M Town Hall 9:45 11:45 1:45

Bus and train schedules often require that you can read tables. You may have to read across the table as well as up and down the table.

WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA? I will learn how to read a schedule and answer questions.

I will learn that schedules play an important part in our lives. We have schedules for each day at school. We have schedules for sports days and swim meets. The program for the school concert is a schedule. Some of us use schedules for bus or train travel. Without schedules, we could be late for school or work. We could miss out on things we want to do.

I will learn that schedules help us to keep our lives in order.

Unit 2 – Lesson 5

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Exercises 1-12: Write short answers.

1. How many Night Rider trips are there from Town Hall to East

Hills? ________________

2. At what time does the 8:10 P.M. East Hills train arrive at Central?

________________

3. This is a schedule for every day except ________________.

4. How many Town Hall trains leave before midnight but arrive at

East Hills after midnight? ________________

5. What East Hills train should you catch if you have to get to Central

by 11 P.M.? ________________

6. How long does the 9:30 Town Hall train take to get to Lakemba?

Minutes ________________

7. The train that leaves Bankstown at 8:35 P.M. gets to Newtown at

________________.

8. The longest part of the journey is between ________________and

________________.

9. The last train from East Hills does not stop at Central.

True / False

10. The 11:30 P.M. Town Hall train stops at Bankstown.

True / False

11. If you catch the 8:10 train from East Hills to Bankstown, the first

return train you can catch leaves at ________________.

12. How many Night Rider trains stop at Central? ________________

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Lesson 6: Understanding Maps

Greece

by Kerri Bingle, David Bowden, and Jenny Dibley

WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA? We usually think of atlases when we think of maps. But maps can be found in many other places. Most people who live in big cities use a street guide. People who do a lot of travelling might use a road map. People interested in the universe might use a star map. When studying maps, we are usually interested in distance, direction, and location.

Unit 2 – Lesson 6

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Exercises 1-6: Write short answers.

1. If you were in Athens, Greece, which direction would you go to get to:

a. Bulgaria? _______________________

b. Libya? _______________________

c. Romania? _______________________

d. Turkey? _______________________

e. Italy? _______________________

f. Tunisia? _______________________

2. Which country is west of Hungary? _______________________

3. Which countries separate Greece and the USSR in this map?

_____________________________________________________________

4. Which sea would you have to cross to get from Athens to Egypt? _______________________

5. The trip from Athens to Egypt is about _______________ km.

6. Bulgaria shares a border with Hungary. True / False

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Paired Passages 1

Nonfiction:

Adrift at Sea

Steven Callahan was in his life raft. His boat had sunk on February

4, 1982. Now he was adrift at sea. He was all alone somewhere in the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean. Without a radio and only a few supplies, his only goal was to stay alive.

Wham! Something crashed into the tiny raft, hurling it across the water. It was a huge shark! Although Steven was terrified, he took instant action. He knew that the shark could easily destroy the life raft. His life depended on his ability to scare it away. Steven stabbed at the shark with his spear gun. The shark was too big and tough to hurt, but Steven was able to annoy it enough that it swam away.

When Steven was able to spear a fish, he would gobble down the eyes and organs. These parts provided moisture and important vitamins. Steven had to eat the fish raw, but food was food. Once, when a bird landed on Steven’s raft, Steven grabbed it and ate it raw, too.

WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA? I will learn how to read a fiction passage and a nonfiction

passage. I will learn how to find similarities and differences in ideas

and information.

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On April 21, 1982, three fishermen saw some birds out over the water. Thinking the birds were feasting on fish, they headed their boat in the birds’ direction. As they got close, they thought they saw a tiny barrel bobbing in the water. It wasn’t a barrel—it was Steven! After 76 days at sea and drifting a total of 2,071 miles (3,333 km), Steven was rescued.

Fiction:

Captain’s Log

May 27, 2008 A huge wave hit my boat Solo Explorer yesterday, swamping it with water. I barely had time to inflate my life raft before it sank. Now I’m nothing but a tiny speck in a vast expanse of water. I have few emergency supplies, but at least I have a solar still. If I can keep my solar still working, I can change salt water to fresh water and prevent dehydration. June 15, 2008 All emergency food supplies are gone, but I did spear a triggerfish that came to eat the barnacles that now cover the bottom of my raft. The flesh was bitter, but I swear it was the sweetest thing I’ve ever eaten! I

77

ate the moist organs first to help prevent dehydration. I cut what I couldn’t eat into strips and hung them out to dry. June 21, 2008 I’m so weak that yesterday I ripped a hole in my raft with my spear gun when I was wrestling with a fish. I’ve tried several patches, but nothing is working. I’m hip deep in water. June 26, 2008 It took me five days to devise a successful patch made up of a bent fork, part of a shirt, and some rope. I have to add air to inflate the raft every 12 hours, but I can live with that! July 5, 2008 Rescued by a fishing boat! I said “Thanks!” to the fishermen, but they said, “No thanks!” to my dried triggerfish.

Show What You Know Exercises 1-9: The following are questions based on the passages “Adrift at Sea” and “Captain’s Log.” If needed, you may look back at the passages to answer the questions.

1. About how long was Steven adrift?_________________. a. one-and-a-half months b. two-and-a-half months c. three-and-a-half months d. four-and-a-half months

2. When one is dehydrated, __________________.

a. one does not have enough food b. one does not have enough water c. one does not have a solar still d. one does not have emergency supplies

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3. What do both stories have in common?______________. a. They are both about sharks. b. They are both about bitter fish. c. They are both about being adrift. d. They are both about a captain's log.

4. Most likely, Steven had _____________________

a. a big flag b. a tiny barrel c. a small stove d. a solar still

5. Most likely, the shark that crashed into Steven’s raft came because

it wanted ___________________. a. to eat barnacles b. to eat dried triggerfish c. to eat birds that landed on the raft d. to eat fish that were eating barnacles

6. Describe the action Steven took when he saw the following:

Shark Fish bird

7. Write in the date when the event occurred in “Captain's Log.”

a. made a patch with a fork ______________________

b. rescued by fishing boat ________________________

c. cut triggerfish into strips ______________________

d. ripped hole in the raft ________________________

e. Solo Explorer swamped with water ________________

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8. Write a sentence that tells what each story is about. “Adrift at Sea”

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

“Captain’s Log” ____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

9. In your notebook, write one or two entries in a captain’s log. In

your entry, write where you are, the name of your ship (which should be capitalized and underlined), adventures that happen to you, and what you use and do to survive.

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Paired Passages 2

Nonfiction:

The See-Through Frog

Would you like it if your skin were transparent? If your skin were transparent, you could see through it. You could see your internal organs, like your heart, lungs, and kidneys, as well as your veins and arteries.

Humans are not transparent, but there are real-life frogs that are. Some of the frogs live high in the treetops of Central and South American rainforests. Other transparent frogs come from Japan. These frogs were developed by scientists. They were bred for their light-colored skin. The frog’s skin is so light that one can see through it, and the frog’s organs, veins, and arteries are completely visible.

Scientists bred these frogs for a reason. Before, scientists had to dissect, or cut open, a frog when they wanted to look at its internal workings. Scientists could learn about frogs from dissecting them, but the information they gathered was only a moment in time. It was like a snapshot. It did not show them a process.

WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA? I will learn how to read a fiction passage and a nonfiction

passage. I will learn how to find similarities and differences in ideas

and information.

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By using transparent frogs, scientists can watch over time how organs develop. They can study the effect of toxins and tumors on organ development. A toxin is a poison. A tumor is a growth of extra tissue on some part of the body.

Transparent frogs cannot be exposed to direct light. Their skin is too light-colored to protect their internal workings from the sun. Trees protect rainforest frogs from the direct sunlight. In the lab, scientists are careful to only use dull light.

Fiction: The Footprints

One morning Susannah said, “Please set an extra bowl, Mom. My

invisible friend Elizabeth is coming for breakfast.” Susannah’s mother tried not to smile as she set the extra bowl.

“Good morning, Elizabeth,” she said as she poured a little bit of cereal into the bowl. Susannah’s mother poured some cereal into her daughter’s bowl, and then she walked over to the counter to pour herself a cup of coffee. When she turned around, she saw that the extra bowl was empty.

“Elizabeth was hungry,” she said smiling. “Does she want some more?”

“No,” Susannah answered, “but she wants to know if she can have your old boots.”

Looking puzzled, Susannah’s mother asked, “What old boots?” “The ones you lost in the woods last summer,” replied Susannah. “Oh,” said Susannah’s mother. “Of course she can have them.” Just then Susannah’s mother heard the door open. “That’s strange,” she said. “The door must not have been latched

properly.” “It’s just Elizabeth leaving,” said Susannah. “Mom, she’s awfully

glad you let her have the boots. Her feet get real cold when she has to walk barefoot in the snow.”

Susannah’s mother laughed as she went to shut the door. As she shut the door, she noticed fresh boot tracks going down the steps and across the yard towards the woods. She also noticed a different set of footprints coming the other way. The footprints were beginning to fill with snow, but they looked very much like the tracks of a barefoot child.

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Show What You Know Exercises 1-8: The following are questions based on the passages “The See-Through Frog” and “The Footprints.” If needed, you may look back at the passages to answer the questions.

1. Which is not an organ?__________.

a. lung b. vein c. heart d. kidney

2. What did Susannah’s mother think when she heard the door

open?_________. a. that Elizabeth was leaving b. that the snow would blow in c. that it had not been latched properly d. that Susannah’s friend was getting her boots

3. What did you read about in both stories?_________.

a. something transparent b. something that cannot be real c. something with invisible organs d. something that has been developed

4. Most likely, the development of see-through frogs might mean

________________. a. fewer frogs are dissected b. fewer scientists study toxins c. fewer frogs will develop tumors d. fewer scientists will go to rain forests

5. A fiction story is not real. One can tell that the story “The

Footprints” is fiction because ________________. a. skin can never be transparent b. a transparent person would not leave footprints c. there cannot be a completely transparent person d. scientists have not yet bred transparent arteries

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6. On the longer line, write down who said what in the story. Then, list in order when it was said. Put “1” by what was said first. Put “5” by what was said last.

_____ “What old boots?” _____________

_____ “It’s just Elizabeth leaving.” _____________

_____ “The door must not have been latched properly.” _____________

_____ “Please set an extra bowl.” _____________

_____ “Of course she can have them.” _____________

7. Write a sentence that tells what each story is about. “The See-Through Frog” ____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

“The Footprints” ____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

8. What if direct sunlight could instantly harm you? Or, what if you

were completely transparent? Explain how your life might change. Write your answer in your notebook.

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Reading Test 1

Read the passage.

Did you know that some people don't do their reading assignments? It's shocking, but it's true. Some students don't even read short texts that they are assigned in class. There are many reasons for this. They may be distracted or bored. They may be unwilling to focus. They may be unconfident readers. Whatever the reason, it has to stop today. Here's why.

Reading stimulates your mind. It is like a workout for your brain. When people get old, their muscles begin to deteriorate. They get weaker and their strength leaves them. Exercise can prevent this loss. The same thing happens to people's brains when they get older. Brain power and speed decline with age. Reading strengthens your brain and prevents these declines.

You can benefit from reading in the near-term too. Reading provides knowledge. Knowledge is power. Therefore, reading can make you a more powerful person. You can learn to do new things by reading. Do you want to make video games? Do you want to design clothing? Reading can teach you all this and more. But you have to get good at reading, and the only way to get good at something is to practice.

Read everything that you can at school, regardless of whether you find it interesting. Reading expands your vocabulary. Even a "boring" text can teach you new words. Having a larger vocabulary will help you better express yourself. You will be able to speak, write, and think more intelligently. What's boring about that?

Do not just discount a text because it is unfamiliar to you. Each time you read, you are exposed to new ideas and perspectives. Reading can change the way that you understand the world. It can give you a broader perspective on things. It can make you worldlier. You can learn how people live in far away places. You can learn about cultures different from your own.

Reading is good for your state of mind. It has a calming effect. It can lower your stress levels and help you relax. You can escape from

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your troubles for a moment when you read, and it's a positive escape. The benefits of reading far outweigh those of acting like a doofus. So do yourself a favor: the next time you get a reading assignment, take as much as you can from it. Squeeze it for every drop of knowledge that it contains. Then move on to the next one. Exercises 1-10: Circle the correct answer.

1. Which best expresses the main idea of the second paragraph?

a. Reading is exciting.

b. Reading strengthens your mind.

c. Age affects the body in many ways.

d. Working out keeps your body in shape.

2. Why does the author think that you should read books that are

boring?

a. You will eventually grow to love them if you read them enough.

b. You will get better grades in reading class.

c. You will make your teacher very happy.

d. You will learn new words.

3. Which best expresses the main idea of the third paragraph?

a. Reading can benefit you.

b. You can learn to program video games or design clothing by

reading.

c. You can learn amazing things and become a better person by

reading.

d. Knowledge is power.

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4. Which is not a reason given by the author why students fail to complete reading assignments?

a. Students may be bored.

b. Students may be distracted.

c. Students may be unwilling to focus.

d. Students may be tired.

5. Which best expresses the author's main purpose in writing this

text?

a. He is trying to persuade students to do their reading work.

b. He is teaching people how to become better readers.

c. He is explaining why people don't do their reading work.

d. He is entertaining readers with facts about the mind and body.

6. Which best describes the author's tone in the first three

sentences?

a. Surprised

b. Sarcastic

c. Informative

d. annoyed

7. Which of the following is not one of the author's main points?

a. Reading broadens your perspective and makes you a better person.

b. Reading is a relaxing activity with positive mental side effects. c. Reading helps you perform on tests and get into selective

schools. d. Reading keeps your mind in shape and prevents losses due to

age.

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8. Which is not one of the author's arguments in the fifth paragraph?

a. Reading gives you a broader perspective on the world.

b. Reading changes the way that you understand the world.

c. Reading helps prepare you for your job in the real world.

d. Reading teaches you about distant lands and cultures.

9. Why does the author believe that reading is good for your mind

state?

a. It has a calming effect.

b. It can lower your stress levels.

c. It can help you relax.

d. All of these

10. Which title best expresses the main idea of this text?

a. Reading: Good for the Mind in Many Ways

b. Reading: The Key to a Successful Academic Future

c. Reading: Improve Your Vocabulary While Being Entertained

d. Reading: The Best Way to Improve Your Writing Skills

Exercises 11-13: Answer the questions. Write complete sentences.

11. Does the author argue his point well? Analyze one of his arguments and explain whether or not it is an effective argument. ____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

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____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

12. Why does the author believe that reading boring or unfamiliar

books can be helpful for readers? Use the text in your response.

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

13. Why does the author describe reading as a "positive escape"? In

what ways is reading positive? Use evidence from the text to

support your response.

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

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Reading Test 2

Read the passage.

Televisions show sounds and pictures. They get data from cables, discs, or over-the-air signals. They turn this data into sounds and images. People watch news and shows on them. You probably call them TVs.

John Baird made the first TV in 1925. It had one color. It could only show 30 lines. This was just enough room for a face. It didn't work well, but it was a start.

The first TV station was set up in 1928. It was in New York. Few people had TVs. The broadcasts were not meant to be watched. They showed a Felix the Cat doll for two hours a day. The doll spun around on a record player. They were experimenting. It took many years to get it right.

By the end of the 1930s, TVs were working well. America got its first taste at the 1939 World's Fair. This was one of the biggest events ever. There were 200 small, black and white TVs set up around the fair. The U.S. President gave a speech over the TVs. The TVs were only five inches big but the people loved it.

They wanted TVs. But World War II was going on during this time. Factories were busy making guns and bombs. When the war was over, TV spread across the country.

By 1948 there were 4 big TV networks in America. They aired their shows from 8 to 11 each night. Local shows were aired at other times. Most of the time, nothing was shown at all. TV was not "always on" like it is now.

Color TVs came out in 1953. They cost too much money for most. Also, shows were aired in black and white. By 1965, color TVs were cheaper. TV stations started airing shows in color. People had to switch if they wanted to see the shows.

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Now most TVs are high-def. This means that they have many lines on them. This makes the image clear. TVs have come a long way since Baird's 30 line set. High-def TVs have 1080 lines. There are state of the art sets called 4K TVs. These TVs have 3,840 lines. Some people watch TV in 3D. I wonder what they will come up with next. Smell-o-vision anyone? Exercises 1-10: Circle the correct answer.

1. When did color TVs come out?

a. 1925

b. 1953

c. 1939

d. 1965

2. Which was not true about the first TV?

a. It could only show one color.

b. It only had 30 lines.

c. It did not have sound.

d. It did not work well.

3. When did networks start showing programs in color?

a. 1948

b. 1953

c. 1965

d. 1939

4. Why did the first TV station only show Felix the Cat for two hours

a day?

a. They were running tests.

b. Felix the Cat was really popular.

c. Felix the Cat had been a big radio star.

d. Felix the Cat was the only show that they had.

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5. Which of these events slowed the spread of TVs?

a. The World's Fair of 1939

b. The Civil War

c. The election of the U.S. President.

d. World War II

6. What is the author's main purpose in writing this?

a. He is trying to explain how a TV works.

b. He is telling readers how TVs became popular.

c. He is describing the history of the TV.

d. He is trying to get people to watch more TV.

7. Why did many families switch to color TVs in 1965?

a. Color TVs cost a lot of money.

b. Many shows were only shown in color.

c. Color TVs came out in 1965.

d. World War II ended and troops returned home.

8. Why was 1939 an important year for TV?

a. Many Americans were introduced to TV.

b. The first color TV was released.

c. The first TV station began broadcasting.

d. John Baird created the first TV.

9. How many lines does a 4K TV have?

a. 30

b. 1,080

c. 4,000

d. 3,840

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10. Which happened first?

a. The 1939 World's Fair

b. The release of high-def TVs

c. The end of World War II

d. The release of color TVs


11. Why would watching TV have been boring in 1928?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

12. Why would it have been a bad idea to buy a color TV when they

first were released?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

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Reading Test 3

Read the passage.

Adult or Puppy

Many people who would like to have a dog as a pet get a puppy. There are many reasons why people get puppies. After all, puppies are cute, friendly, and playful. But even though puppies make good pets, there are good reasons why you should consider getting an adult dog instead.

When you get a puppy, you have to teach it how to behave. You have to make sure that the puppy is housebroken so that it does not go to the bathroom inside the house. You have to teach the puppy not to jump up on your guests or chew on your shoes. You have to train the puppy to walk on a leash. This is a lot of work.

On the other hand, when you get an adult dog, there is a good chance that it will already know how to do all of the previously mentioned things. Many adult dogs have already been housebroken. Many adult dogs will not jump on or chew things that you do not want them to jump on or chew. Many adult dogs will be able to walk on a leash without pulling you to the other side of the street.

Puppies also have a lot of energy and want to play all of the time. This can be fun, but you might not want to play as much as your puppy does. Puppies will not always sleep through the night or let you relax as you watch television.

On the other hand, most adult dogs will wait on you to play. What is more, they will sleep when you are sleeping and are happy to watch television on the couch right beside you.

There is one last reason why you should get an adult dog instead of a puppy. When most people go to the pound to get a dog, they get a puppy. This means that many adult dogs spend a lot of time in the pound, and some never find good homes. So if you are looking to have a dog as a pet, you should think about getting an adult dog. They are good pets who need good homes.

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Exercises 1-8: Circle the correct answer.

1. Which of the following statements best describes the author's

opinion of puppies?

a. They are undesirable pets because they take too much work to

own. b. They are cute and friendly but take a lot of work to own. c. They are not as cute as adult dogs but are still nice to own. d. They are not as playful as adult dogs but are still nice to own.

2. The main purpose of paragraph 2 is to explain how puppies

___________.

a. are very immature b. do not make good pets

c. can be very destructive d. are a lot of work

3. In paragraph 3, we learn that "Many adult dogs have already been housebroken." As used in paragraph 3, which is the best example of a dog that is housebroken?

a. Spot goes outside to go to the bathroom. b. Rex always breaks things inside the house. c. Rover never jumps on guests. d. Muffin chews on her owner’s shoes.

4. According to the passage, why are adult dogs easier to take care of

than puppies?

I. Puppies need to learn how to walk nicely on a leash. II. Adult dogs have less energy than puppies do.

III. It is harder for adult dogs to find a home than it is for puppies.

a. I only b. I and II only

c. II and III only d. I, II, and III

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5. Based on information in the passage, which of the following statements is FALSE?

a. Puppies have a lot of energy. b. Puppies need a lot of attention. c. Adult dogs do not like to play. d. Adult dogs do not eat very much.

6. The author begins paragraphs 3 and 5 with the phrase, "On the

other hand." This phrase is used to ___________.

a. highlight an example b. contrast previous information c. contradict a later statement d. support the upcoming paragraph

7. In the final paragraph, the author says, "...many adult dogs spend a

lot of time in the pound, and some never find good homes." Based on what you have read in the passage, why is this most likely the case?

a. People see adult dogs as unhappy and dangerous, while they

see puppies as cute and friendly. b. People understand that most adult dogs still need to a lot of

training before they understand how to behave properly. c. People think that puppies are cute and playful and do not

always think about how much work it will take to train them. d. People do not want to get a dog that does not have much time

left to live.

8. Based on information in the passage, it can be understood that someone who owns a puppy must be ___________.

a. strict b. serious

c. careful d. responsible

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Exercise 9: Guess the meaning of the word from the passage.

9. consider: _________________________________________________________________

Exercises 10 - 11: Answer the questions. Write complete sentences.

10. The author of this passage describes many reasons why adult dogs

make better pets than puppies. In your own words, summarize the author’s main arguments below.

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

11. Which of the author’s arguments do you think is the strongest?

Which do you think is the weakest? Why? ____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

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Reading Test 4

Read the passage.

Anti-Bacterial Soap

We all know that it is good to wash your hands with soap and water. Washing your hands removes germs, which helps to stop the spread of diseases. Many people today use antibacterial soap because they think that it will work better to kill these germs. Antibacterial soaps have special chemicals that kill germs (also called bacteria). But is antibacterial soap really better at keeping you healthy than regular soap?

Soap works by trapping the dirt and germs on your hand into tiny beads of water. When you rinse your hands off, you also rinse off the dirt and germs. Regular soap works perfectly well at getting rid of germs.

Most antibacterial soaps have a special chemical called triclosan. Triclosan kills many different kinds of germs. People who use antibacterial soap with triclosan in it think that they are keeping their hands cleaner. However, scientists say that in order for triclosan to work properly, it has to stay on your hands for at least two full minutes. Most people spend less than thirty seconds washing their hands. This means that the triclosan in the soap does not actually have enough time to work.

Not only do antibacterial soaps not work, they may also be causing problems. Some bacteria are good. For example, there are bacteria in your gut that help you digest food. There are other good bacteria in your body that fight against the bad germs that can make you sick. Antibacterial soap kills the good bacteria as well as the bad bacteria. This is not good for your body.

Another problem is that bacteria can become resistant to antibacterial soaps. Not all bacteria die when you use antibacterial soap. The ones that are still alive are resistant, meaning that the triclosan cannot kill them. These resistant bacteria go on to make new bacteria. These new bacteria are also resistant. As this goes on, more and more bacteria become resistant to triclosan. When bacteria become resistant

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to triclosan, they are very hard to kill. It is hard for doctors to treat people who are sick with these resistant bacteria.

So the next time you are shopping, do not buy antibacterial soap. Regular soap and hot water are perfectly effective at getting germs off your hands. Because regular soap works so well, there is no reason to use antibacterial soap. Antibacterial soap causes more harm than good. Exercises 1-6: Circle the correct answer.

1. According to the passage, tricolsan __________________.

a. is a kind of bacteria that has become resistant b. lives in your gut and helps you digest food c. kills germs d. is found in regular soap

2. The author argues that antibacterial soaps are not as good as

regular soaps because they __________________.

I. kill good bacteria II. can make it harder to kill some bad bacteria

III. cost more than regular soap

a. I only b. I and II only c. II and III only d. I, II, and III

3. The information in the passage leads us to believe that most

people __________________.

a. think that regular soap works better than antibacterial soap b. get sick because of resistant bacteria c. do not wash their hands as often as they should d. do not spend a very long time washing their hands

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4. Imagine that there is a new drug called FluNoMore that can kill the germ that causes the flu. Scientists learn that some flu germs are resistant to FluNoMore. Based on the way it is explained in the passage, these resistant germs __________________.

a. cannot be killed by FluNoMore b. live in your gut and help you to digest food c. will kill the good bacteria in your body that fight off the flu d. will be killed more easily by FluNoMore

5. As used in the final paragraph, the word effective most nearly

belongs to which of the following word groups?

a. clean, neat, tidy b. brave, heroic, fearless c. useful, helpful, successful d. quick, speedy, fast

6. The author’s main purpose in writing this passage is to

__________________.

a. tell readers about the dangers of resistant bacteria b. explain how antibacterial soap is different from regular soap c. show readers why regular soap is not as good at killing germs

as antibacterial soap d. convince people to stop using antibacterial soap

Exercise 7: Guess the meaning of the word from the passage.

7. resistant: ________________________________________________________________

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8. Imagine you are at the store with your mother or father, and you notice that he or she has put antibacterial soap in your shopping cart. How would you react, having read this passage? Would you tell him or her what you have learned? Would you say nothing? Explain.

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

9. What do you think would happen if most harmful bacteria became

resistant to antibacterial products and medicines? How would doctors treat diseases? Why? ____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

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10. Who do you think wrote this passage? What are his or her

qualifications? Why was it important to him or her to write this passage? Explain your inferences. ____________________________________________________________________________

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Reading Test 5

Read the passage.

Bullied

Bryan is having a hard time at school. He doesn't like going there anymore. That's because he is tired of being bullied. Some of the bigger boys at school are mean to him. They push him to the ground. They hide his books. They call him names. They are bullies. When things get really bad, Bryan tells his mother he is sick.

"You should stay home and rest," Mom says. "You'll feel better tomorrow." Then Bryan gets to stay home. He reads books. He watches television. He eats what he wants. He is not scared. He doesn't like lying to his mom, but he thinks this is better than going to school. He'll do almost anything to avoid getting bullied.

There is someone who knows about Bryan's problem. "You should tell someone you are getting bullied at school," says Bryan’s best friend, Link. But Bryan is scared. He doesn't want to tell an adult.

"That will make things worse, Link," says Bryan. "You don’t go to my school. You have no idea how mean these guys can be."

"You can’t keep missing school," says Link. "Your grades will fall. You will be in trouble at home. And besides, you don't want to be stuck in the seventh grade forever, do you?" Link knows that Bryan does not want to hear this. It hurts to tell him. But Link also knows that sometimes the truth hurts. It is better to tell Bryan the truth than to be dishonest with him.

Bryan thinks. After a while, he concludes that Link is probably right. He will tell his mother about the bullies when she gets home from work tonight.

Bryan will see what happens.

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Exercises 1-9: Circle the correct answer.

1. How might Bryan feel when the kids at school are mean to him?

I. angry II. scared

III. strong



2. Using the passage as a guide, we can understand that Bryan is in

the ___________.

a. fourth grade b. sixth grade

c. seventh grade d. tenth grade

3. According to the passage, what do the mean kids do to Bryan?

I. call him names

II. steal his money III. hide his backpack



4. Why doesn’t Bryan tell his mother about his problem?

a. She will know that Bryan was lying about being sick. b. The bullying may get worse if Bryan tells an adult. c. She might talk to the teachers at the school. d. She will make Bryan go to school every day.

5. Which of these activities does Bryan do when he stays home from school?

a. does his homework b. plays video games

c. gets scared d. reads books

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6. Who tells Bryan that he should tell someone about being bullied?

a. Link b. Bryan’s mom

c. the school counselor d. the school principal

7. What will happen if Bryan keeps missing school?

a. He will get into a fight with his mom. b. His grades will fall. c. Link will stop being his friend. d. The bullies will come to his house.

8. An adjective is a word that describes a person, place, or thing. Which of these adjectives accurately describe(s) Link?

I. shy

II. caring III. helpful



9. As used near the end of the passage, which of these words means the opposite of dishonest?

a. nervous b. serious

c. confident d. truthful


10. If you were Bryan, what would you do about being bullied? Would you make the same choices he did? Would you do something entirely different? Why or why not? Explain your reasoning below. ____________________________________________________________________________

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11. Near the end of the paragraph, Link tells Bryan what he thinks he

should do, even though it was a little bit uncomfortable. As Link knows, “sometimes the truth hurts.” Can you think of a time you had to tell someone a hurtful truth? What did you say? How did you say it? What was the result? ____________________________________________________________________________

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Reading Test 6

Read the passage.

Do Fish Sleep?

It is fairly easy to tell whether a person is sleeping. Does he have his eyes closed? Is she lying down? If the answer to either of those questions is “no,” you can be fairly sure that the person is not sleeping. But what about fish? Fish do not have eyelids. Fish do not lie down. How can you tell whether a fish is sleeping?

One way you can tell if an animal is sleeping is by studying its brain waves. When human beings or other mammals fall asleep, the pattern of their brain waves changes. However, mammals have different brains than fish. Humans and other mammals have complex brains. A fish’s brain is much less complex than a mammal’s brain. Because fish have simple brains, they do not have the same types of brain waves as mammals. A fish’s brain waves do not change when the fish is asleep. This means that we cannot tell if a fish is sleeping by looking at its brain waves. This also means that fish do not really sleep in the same way that people and other animals do.

Although fish may not sleep like people, they do rest. One way to tell if a fish is resting is to watch what it is doing. Most fish will slow down when they are resting. Some fish move toward the bottom of the water. Some float near the top of the water. Some even hide in seaweed or patches of coral to rest. If you have ever had a pet fish, you might have noticed that it will rest near the bottom of the tank for a few hours every night. When the fish rests, it makes very small movements with its fins to keep itself in one place. By staying in one place, the fish is able to rest even though it does not look like it is actually asleep.

While you can tell some fish are resting because they stay in one place, other fish never seem to stop moving. Some sharks, for example, need to keep swimming in order to keep oxygen flowing into their gills. Because sharks always need to keep moving, they do not ever seem to sleep. Although sharks are always swimming, they may still be resting. The organ that helps the sharks to swim is located in their spinal cord,

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not their brain. This means that the sharks might actually be sleeping, in a way—their brains may be resting even though their bodies are still moving.

Another way to tell that a fish is resting is to watch how it reacts to things that happen to it. When a fish is resting, it will respond much more slowly. In 2007, a group of scientists studied the sleeping habits of zebrafish. They gave the zebrafish mild electric shocks when they were fully awake and while they were resting. They discovered that the fully awake zebrafish reacted much more quickly to the shocks than the resting fish. If you have a pet fish at home, you can try a similar experiment. Try giving your fish some food when it is resting. It should take much longer for the fish to notice that there is food in its tank than it does when the fish is fully awake.

Sleeping allows the body to regain energy and keeps the brain healthy and working properly. Although not every living creature sleeps the way human beings do, most need to have some sort of rest. Fish may not look like they are sleeping, but they do have their own ways of getting some rest. Exercises 1-5: Circle the correct answer.

1. As used in paragraph 2, what is the relationship between the words simple and complex?

a. complex is the superlative of simple—this means that

something complex is very simple b. simple is the superlative of complex—this means that

something simple is very complex c. they are synonyms—they have the same meaning d. they are antonyms—they have the opposite meaning

2. According to the passage, some sharks never stop moving because

they ___________.

a. do not need to sleep b. can only take in oxygen when they are swimming c. do not use their brains to swim; they use their spinal cords

instead d. are always hunting for food

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3. Based on the information presented in the passage, why can it be hard to tell when fish are sleeping?

I. fish do not close their eyes

II. a fish’s brain waves are the same whether they are asleep or awake

III. fish do not stay in one place

a. I and II only b. II and III only

c. I and III only d. I, II, and III

4. The main purpose of paragraph 5 is to ___________.

a. describe a scientific experiment that shows why fish do not

sleep the same way that humans do b. show readers feeding a fish is better than giving it electric

shocks c. explain one way of knowing whether a fish is resting or not d. prove to readers that they can do scientific experiments at

home

5. Imagine that the author wanted to include this piece of information in the passage: “When the parrotfish is ready to rest, it will make itself a ‘sleeping bag’ out of mucus that protects it from predators.” Into which paragraph would this information fit best?

a. paragraph 2 b. paragraph 3

c. paragraph 4 d. paragraph 5

Exercises 6-7: Guess the meaning of the words from the passage.

6. reacts: ___________________________________________________________________

7. similar: ___________________________________________________________________

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8. Based on the information in the passage, explain in your own words how to tell if a fish is resting. What are some of the main signs? ____________________________________________________________________________

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9. The author of the passage explains one way readers can test the

resting behavior of fish at home. Can you think of another way you could examine a fish’s resting behavior? Explain what you could do with your own pet fish. ____________________________________________________________________________

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10. How would your life be different if you were never able to sleep? Would this be enjoyable? Why or why not? ____________________________________________________________________________

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Reading Test 7

Read the passage.

Movie Theatre Meeting

Alan stood outside the movie theater and looked at his watch. It was 6:50 p.m. The movie was going to start in 10 minutes, but Alan’s friend, Benny, was nowhere to be found.

Alan looked around for his friend. He did not want to miss a minute of the show, including the previews. He also wanted to buy popcorn, soda, and candy before the movie started. That was why he told Benny to meet him at 6:45. But it was quickly approaching show time, and Alan was still alone.

Benny did live across town, Alan reasoned. It would take Benny longer than Alan to get to there, since Alan lived just around the corner from theater. But still, that means Benny just should have left earlier than I did, Alan thought. He was very frustrated.

Suddenly, Alan heard a voice shouting his name. He turned around and saw Benny waving at him. Alan looked at his watch again.

“Oh, good, Benny, there are still a few minutes left before the movie starts,” he said. “Let’s go buy tickets and snacks.”

“Sounds great,” Benny replied. They went inside the theater and asked for two tickets.

“That’ll be 12 dollars, please,” said the ticket seller. Alan reached in his pockets, but they were empty. “Oh no!” he

exclaimed. “What’s wrong?” asked Benny. “I forgot my money at home! You’ll have to wait for me while I run

home and get it,” Alan said. “No, don’t do that,” Benny said. “Then we’ll be late for the movie. Here, I have enough money for tickets and snacks. You can pay me back later.”

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Benny paid for the tickets and bought the snacks, and the boys found seats for the movie. As the lights went down, Alan leaned over to whisper to Benny.

“I feel bad,” he said. “I was angry that you might make us late for the movie, but then I almost made us late for the movie. Thank you for buying my ticket and the snacks.”

“Don’t feel bad,” Benny replied. “I told you I would be here at 6:45, and I showed up a few minutes late. Next week you can buy the tickets and snacks, and I promise I will be here on time!”

“Sounds like a plan!” Alan said. Exercises 1-6: Circle the correct answer.

1. Why was Alan standing outside the movie theater?

a. He was trying to decide which movie to see. b. He left his money at home. c. He was waiting for his friend Benny to arrive. d. He wanted to see what time the movie started.

2. Using the information in the passage as a guide, we can

understand that the movie started at ___________.

a. 6:45 b. 6:50 c. 7:00 d. 7:10

3. In paragraph 3, the author writes that Alan "was very frustrated."

As used in paragraph 3, which of these people might also be frustrated?

a. Aaron, who studied really hard and got an A on his science

quiz. b. Ellen, who couldn’t see her favorite singer because he cancelled

his concert. c. Elizabeth, who likes to do chores while watching television

shows. d. Trey, who thought his friends forgot his birthday, but came

home to a surprise party.

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4. Based on information in the passage, how much would one ticket to the movie cost?

a. $6 b. $7

c. $10 d. $12

5. Which of these words best describes how Alan felt at the end of

the passage?

a. angry b. tired

c. impatient d. sorry

6. According to Benny, whose fault was it that their meeting did not

go as planned?

a. Alan’s b. Benny’s c. both Alan’s and Benny’s

d. neither Alan’s nor Benny’s


7. Preview: _________________________________________________________________

8. approaching: ____________________________________________________________

Exercise 9: Answer the question. Write complete sentences.

Who do you think made the biggest mistake: Alan or Benny? Why? ____________________________________________________________________________

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Reading Test 8

Read the passage.

Who is There?

The sky is dark. The moon is bright. It sits high in the sky. Amar studies it from the riverside. Then he resumes filling his wooden bucket with water. He takes a drink. Then he fills it some more. There are no stars out tonight. But the moonlight is enough for him to see. He takes one more drink from the bucket and climbs up the steep river bank.

Amar finds the dirt path and starts the long walk back to his house. He feels the tree roots and stones beneath his feet. He wears sandals, but they are tattered and worn. Their soles are thin. Their straps are hanging on by a thread. People tell him to get them fixed, but he likes them the way they are. He likes to feel the earth beneath him with every step.

Amar continues to walk. He knows the way very well, but things look different at night. He starts to feel a little scared.

"I am alone in the dark, but I cannot be scared," he thinks. "I must deliver the water to my sister, who is sick and thirsty."

Amar continues to walk. But then he stops. Something is in the path ahead. "Who is there?" he calls out. He is scared. "Ahmed," answers a voice. "Ahmed?" says Amar. He thinks about this name. He remembers

that Ahmed is the village farmer. He is a warm-hearted man. One time he gave Amar a fresh turnip to cook. He is not scared anymore. He passes Ahmed and continues his way down the path.

Suddenly, Amar stops. Something is in the path ahead. "Who is there?" he calls out. He is scared.

"Singah," answers a voice. "Singah?" says Amar. He thinks about this name. He remembers

that Singah is the village tailor. He is a kind man. One time he gave Amar a new shirt to wear. He is not scared anymore. He passes Singah and

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continues down the path. But then he stops. Something is in the path ahead.

"Who is there?" he calls out. He is scared. "Nobody," answers a voice. "Nobody?" says Amar. He stops to think. "That is a strange name,"

he says. "I do not know anyone of that name." Amar is scared, yet he continues his way down the path. He passes Nobody, who is actually just an old man smoking a pipe.

Finally, Amar arrives back at his house. His sister watches him enter from the bedroom window. His mother takes the water from him and fills a cup and gives it to his sister.

"Thank you," says Amar's mother. "You are a good boy." Exercises 1-6: Circle the correct answer.

1. This passage is mostly about ___________.

a. a boy who overcomes his fear b. a family who struggles with sickness c. an old man who smokes a pipe d. a village full of interesting people

2. What is Amar doing at the beginning of this passage?

a. walking to his house b. trying to find the path c. looking at the moon d. taking care of his sister

3. As used in paragraph 2, what is the opposite of tattered?

a. new b. strong c. extensive d. thick

4. According to the story, Singah is the village ___________.

a. farmer b. merchant c. fisherman d. tailor

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5. Which word best describes Amar?

a. fearless b. strong

c. intelligent d. brave

6. At the end of the passage, Amar's mother tells Amar that he is "a

good boy." She most likely says this because ___________.

a. he does not ask for new sandals b. he brings his sister some water c. he is not afraid of the dark d. he knows many people in the village


7. resumes: _________________________________________________________________

8. warm-hearted: __________________________________________________________

Exercise 9: Answer the questions. Write complete sentences.

9. Have you ever done anything like Amar before? What happened? If not, do you think you could if you needed to? Why or why not?

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Reading Test 9

Read the passage.

Imagine that you're a fly. You're just zipping around the sky, looking for a place to rest, when you see nice pink leaf. That looks like a nice place to land. You think to yourself in your fly head. As you rest your feet on the leaf, you notice something strange. This leaf is hairy. You begin to make your move, but you trigger the plant's reflex. Snap! In one-tenth of a second, you are caught in the Venus flytrap. You will be digested in five to twelve days. Welcome to the world of carnivorous plants!

There are over a quarter of a millions plant species. Only 600 or so are carnivorous. We call them this because they attract, trap, and eat bugs. Like other plants, they get energy from the sun. But unlike other plants, they get their nutrients from their prey. Carnivorous plants live in bogs and places where the soil lacks nutrients. Most plants get nutrients from the soil. Carnivorous plants have turned to other sources.

The snap of the Venus flytrap is not the only way that plants eat bugs. Pitcher plants trick their prey into landing on them. They offer nectar bribes to the foolish insects that would take them. True to their name, pitcher plants have deep chambers. Their landing surface is slippery. They have inward pointing hairs, making it hard to escape. The fly lands on the pitcher plant to eat, but slips into a pit filled with digestive fluids and is eaten.

Then there're sundews. We call them sundews because they sparkle in the sun as if covered in morning dew. Of course, that sparkle is from something much more treacherous. It is a sweet goo called mucilage that bugs can't resist. Sundews create mucilage to attract bugs. As they fly in to eat, bugs become trapped in the very object of their desire. They soon exhaust themselves by trying to escape the mucilage. Or the sundew's tentacles, which respond to prey by curling around them, smother them. Bugs usually die in about 15 minutes. Then the plant dissolves its prey in enzymes and absorbs the nutrients.

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Have you ever walked into trouble and found that you couldn't get out? So has every insect that has ever wandered into a corkscrew plant. Bugs love to investigate plants for nectar and food. Corkscrew plants have inviting stems. Curved hairs line the inside of these stems. These hairs allow insects to go up the stems, but not back. Going forward leads a chamber filled with digestive fluid, the plant's stomach. Bugs who wander into the corkscrew plant find that they are unable to escape. They must march to their own demise.

And then there are the bladderworts. They're about as nice as they sound. They live in water and float near the surface. Their traps are like small bladders hidden beneath the water. Only their flowers are visible from the surface. When bugs swim into the trigger hairs, the plant reacts. A trapdoor in the bladder opens up. The bladder sucks up the prey and the water surrounding it. A tenth of a second later, the bladder shuts again. The plant has trapped the prey. It releases digestive fluids. The prey will be digested within hours.

Carnivorous plants might sound tough, but they are difficult to keep at home. They are built to survive in places that other plants cannot. This specialization comes at a cost. They have a hard time adapting to other environments. Their strengths become weaknesses in rich soil. They depend on the harsh yet delicate environments in which they thrive. They are not so hardy after all. Still, there's something to be said about the power of life when one finds a plant that can survive in barren soil. Exercises 1-10: Circle the correct answer.

1. Which statement would the author most likely agree with?

a. There are too many species of carnivorous plants. b. There are too few plant species in the world. c. Only a small number of plants are carnivorous. d. A majority of plants are carnivorous.

2. Which plant traps bugs in its stem and forces them to walk

forward?

a. Corkscrew plants b. Sundews

c. Bladderworts d. Pitcher plants

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3. Which of the following statements is false?

a. Carnivorous plants get their energy from eating bugs. b. Carnivorous plants do not get nutrients from the soil. c. Carnivorous plants get their energy from the sun. d. Carnivorous plants get their nutrients from eating bugs.

4. Which event happens last when a sundew eats a meal?

a. The sundew creates mucilage. b. The sundew's tentacles curl in response to the prey. c. The bug is attracted to the mucilage. d. The sundew releases enzymes.

5. Which best expresses the main idea of the third paragraph?

a. There are more types of carnivorous plants than the Venus fly

trap. b. The pitcher plant tricks bugs into falling into its stomach. c. The Venus flytrap kills its prey in a various ways. d. Some plants attract bugs by offering them nectar.

6. Which best defines the word treacherous as it is used in the fourth

paragraph?

a. Something that provides nutrients. b. Something that is very bright. c. Something that tastes delicious. d. Something that has a hidden danger.

7. Which best describes the overall text structure of the second

paragraph?

a. Chronological order b. Compare and contrast c. Sequential order d. Spatial

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8. Which statement would the author most likely disagree with?

a. Carnivorous plants cannot thrive in rich soil. b. Bladderworts react quickly when their trigger hairs are

bumped. c. Carnivorous plants are tough and can live in any environment. d. Bladderworts hide their traps just below the surface of the

water.

9. Which best expresses the main idea of the last paragraph?

a. Carnivorous plants are not hard to take care of because they feed themselves.

b. Carnivorous plants are delicate because they need certain conditions to survive.

c. Carnivorous plants are difficult to keep at home, but you should keep trying.

d. Carnivorous plants are inspirational and they are interesting to watch and own.

10. Which title best expresses the author's main purpose in writing

this text?

a. Watch Out! How To Avoid Being Eaten by Carnivorous Plants b. At Risk: How You Can Help to Preserve Carnivorous Plants c. Venus Flytrap: Nature's Most Beautiful and Dangerous Plant d. Fatal Flowers: Plants That Kill Insects

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11. In what ways are carnivorous plants stronger and more resilient than other plants? In what ways are they weaker? Answer both parts of the question and support your answer with quotes from the text. Explain what your quotes show. ____________________________________________________________________________

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12. Compare and contrast two types of plants described in this passage. How are they similar? How are they different? Refer to the text in your answer and explain your arguments completely. ____________________________________________________________________________

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13. Carnivorous plants have some unique and amazing characteristics. What do these characteristics suggest about life and the world that we live in? In other words, what can carnivorous plants teach us about the world? Make a point and support it with an example from the text. Explain what your support shows. ____________________________________________________________________________

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Unit 3: Writing

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Lesson 1: Understanding Plot

The Reading Assignment: Understanding Plot

One Step at a Time

Samantha lived where it was flat. Very flat. Understand, she loved where she lived. She loved seeing the corn poking out of the ground in the spring, growing taller and taller as the days got longer and longer. She loved getting lost in the stalks as the corn grew taller than she. Then, as the air chilled, everything turned brown and was cut down, and she loved being able to see for miles and miles.

Samantha dreamed of mountains, though. She dreamed of climbing high above the corn and high into the clouds.

Samantha was born into a family with five children. Saul, Ceil, Sammy, and Candice were all older than she was. Saul was the first born. Ceil was the first to talk. Sammy was the first to get on a sports

WHAT WILL I LEARN? I will learn to identify the five parts of a story’s plot:

Introduction or basic situation, rising action or conflict, climax, falling action and resolution or conclusion.

I will learn to write a story with the five parts of a story’s plot.

I will learn to add details to a story as a revision strategy. I will learn to use capital letters and end marks correctly.

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team, and Candice was the first to play an instrument well. Samantha always felt like she was the last.

Every year she would ask her dad if he would take her to the mountains. Every year he gave the same reply: “Not this year, Samantha. You are still too young.” But this year, Samantha was determined. She wanted to go to the mountains. She wanted to be the first in her family to climb to the top of a mountain.

This year, she was not going to ask her father if she was ready, she was going to prove to her father that she was ready. So, she worked alongside her father all day in the fields all summer long. As long as he was at work, she was at work.

One day, her father turned to her and said, “Samantha, I think you are ready. This year, we will go to the mountains. We’ll see how far you get.”

The oldest male in the family and the youngest female in the

family set off together to climb a mountain. As they climbed, they pointed out things to each other. They both saw a bear up in a tree for the first time. They both saw some young boys fly fishing by the stream for the first time. They both saw snow in the summer for the first time.

Samantha was starting to get tired. They had walked so far already. But her father said, “You can do it, Samantha. I know you can. Let’s rest and eat and then continue.”

After a bite and a rest, Samantha felt better, so they continued up. A few hours later, they reached the top. Samantha was used to seeing far when the ground was flat, but she had not known how far it was possible to see from the top of a mountain. She thought that perhaps she could see forever. It was spectacular.

Father and daughter climbed down the mountain together. Perhaps this was the first mountain that they had climbed together, but it would certainly not be the last.

Exercises 1-5: Read ”One Step at a Time” and answer the questions below.

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As you read the story, do the following:

1. Circle the introduction. The introduction tells who the story is about, and when and where the story takes place.

2. Put a question mark (?) near the rising action. The rising action is the growing problem in the story.

3. Put an exclamation mark (!) near the climax. At the climax, something happens to stop the problem from growing bigger.

4. Put a down arrow near the falling action. During the falling action, the problem begins to come to an end.

5. Draw a smiley face ( ) at the conclusion. Here, the problem ends.

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The Writing Assignment Exercises 6-8: Finish the story by adding the falling action and the conclusion. Begin by writing your name on the blank line.

A Not-So-Fun Park

by Jessica Kissel and ____________________________

Mark and Adam had been looking forward to this outing for weeks. They were going to an amusement park hours from home. They had been there years ago, but they were not tall enough then to ride any of the coasters. This year, they were tall enough—and they were ready to ride them!

Mark’s parents dropped them off at the park early in the morning and explained that they would pick up the two boys at the end of the day.

It was hot out, but Mark and Adam were too excited to mind the heat. They also did not mind the crowds in their excitement.

Suddenly, Adam turned to say something to Mark but could not find him anywhere. He looked around, called Mark’s name, and even stood on a high bench to look down into the crowds. They were separated and lost.

6. Now continue the story. Write more conflicts and complications and the climax of the story. What happened next? When and how do the two boys find each other?

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7. Write the falling action of the story. What happens next? What, if anything, do the boys do to try to fix their day? _______________________________________________________________________________________

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8. Write the conclusion of the story. How does the story end? _______________________________________________________________________________________

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5th Grade Writer’s Checklist: Revision

When you revise, you check the content of your work to make sure that

it is your STRONGEST writing.

Check each box when you can answer “yes” to the following statements

or questions.

For unchecked boxes, please see the suggestion sheet that follows.

5th Grade Writer’s Checklist: Revision Suggestions

Revision Area Suggestion Ideas/Context ❑ My topic is narrow, clear and

focused. ❑ You can tell I know a lot

about this topic. ❑ I have developed a clear

thesis statement.

❑ Zoom in. Add detail to clarify

ideas. Take away details that are unnecessary or confusing.

❑ Add more details. ❑ Look at the thesis statement to be

sure it is easy to understand.

Organization ❑ I have a clear Beginning (B),

Middle (M) and End (E).

❑ My reader can understand my writing.

❑ My writing is in a logical sequence.

❑ My paragraphs transition smoothly.

❑ Box your B, M and E. Add to each

as needed. ❑ Read it to a friend and answer

his/her questions in writing. ❑ Number events in the order they

happen. Cut it up and rearrange if necessary.

❑ Read aloud. Add transition words.

Voice ❑ My piece has a clear

audience. ❑ My writing sounds like me.

Answer: ❑ Who is your reader? Write to him. ❑ Who are you as a writer? Write

for you.

Word Choice ❑ My words create a vivid

image. ❑ My piece has interesting

vocabulary.

❑ Use a five senses chart. ❑ Use a thesaurus, dictionary or

adjective/adverb chart. Check readability level.

130

Sentence Fluency ❑ My piece has an engaging

lead. ❑ My conclusion is reflective.

❑ My sentences are varied in

length and structure

Ask yourself: ❑ Is the first sentence interesting?

Does it draw the reader in? If not, change it!

❑ Does my conclusion sum up my piece? Does it restate my topic sentence?

❑ Does each sentence begin differently? Do I use different types of sentences? You should have a variety of punctuation in your writing.

131

5th Grade Writer’s Checklist: Editing Suggestions

Editing Area Suggestion Capitals ❑ Does my sentence begin with

a capital letter? ❑ Do all proper nouns begin

with a capital letter?

❑ Reread your piece.

Capitalize any words that begin a sentence.

❑ Reread your pace. Capitalize any names of people, places or things.

Organization ❑ Are all of the words in the

correct order? ❑ When I read my sentence

aloud, does it sound right? ❑ I have indented each

paragraph. ❑ I have checked my work for

run-ons and fragments. ❑ My work is neat and legible.

❑ Read each sentence aloud to

be sure it makes sense. If not, rearrange the words or rewrite it.

❑ Mark your paragraphs with the paragraph symbol. ¶

❑ Be sure that your sentences are like Goldilocks: not too long, not too short, but just right!

❑ Write or type NEATLY so that anyone can read your lovely work!

Punctuation ❑ Do my sentences end

correctly? ( . ! ?) ❑ When I pause, do I use the

correct mark? ( , “ ” : ; )

❑ Reread to add any

punctuation needed.

Spelling ❑ Are all of my priority words

in standard spelling? ❑ Are all other words in

standard spelling?

❑ Check your priority word list. ❑ Use the dictionary or spell

check.

132

Writing Conference (with peer or teacher)

Title of piece: ____________________________________

Conference Comments:

My favorite part of your piece was ___________________________________________

because _________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

The part(s) of you story that I feel need(s) more work is

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

because:

❑ It needs more detail.

❑ It is confusing/doesn’t make sense.

❑ It could use better/different vocabulary words.

❑ It is note interesting to read.

❑ It doesn’t have a beginning, middle, and/or end (circle all that

apply).

❑ Other.

Author’s signature: ____________________________________________________________

Conference Partner’s/Teacher’s Signature: _________________________________

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Rubrics for Narrative Writing

Ideas

4 The writing focuses on one experience. Interesting, descriptive details

bring the experience to life for the reader.

3 The writing focuses on one experience. More details are needed to bring the experience to life for the reader. 2 The writing introduces one experience. Details may be too general to bring the experience to life for the reader. 1 The experience is not clear. Details are weak and unrelated. Organization

4 The events are organized into a clear beginning, middle, and end.

The sequence of events is easy to follow.

3 One or two events may be out of order. Most of the story is easy to follow. 2 Several events appear to be out of order. Part of the story is hard to follow. 1 Events are out of order. The end may be incomplete or missing. Voice

4 Characters and events are presented in clear details and in a very rich

and authentic way.

3 Characters and events are presented in some details and in a

mostly clear and authentic way.

2 Characters and events are presented with few details.

1 Characters and events are not presented with details and are unauthentic.

https://www.google.ae/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=0ahUKEwjexsLXprHWAhVNPFAKHXAgCpgQjRwIBw&url=https://www.pinterest.com/pin/120963939964111590/&psig=AFQjCNEbwLW1qFRatlzldiNpIvSRyelFqg&ust=1505912292481926

134

Word Choice

4 Vivid words, strong adjectives and adverbs, sensory details, and a

catchy dialogue describe a clear picture for the reader.

3 Most language is concrete and vivid. The description is clear most of the time. 2 Many words are vague or too general. They do not form a clear picture. 1 There are no descriptive words and no dialogue. The words are used incorrectly. The reader cannot form a picture. Sentence fluency

4 Sentences of different lengths and types make the writing easy and fun to read. 3 Most of the sentences are varied and the writing is easy to read. 2 Some sentences are the same length. The writing is choppy. 1 Sentences are too long, lack variety, or are incomplete. The writing is hard to follow.

Conventions

4 There are no errors in grammar, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. 3 There are few errors in grammar, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. 2 There are some errors in grammar, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. 1 High frequency words and grade-appropriate words are not spelled correctly. There are many grammar, capitalization, and punctuation errors.

https://www.google.ae/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjjpoCtwrDWAhWHKVAKHdYADc8QjRwIBw&url=http://cmswritingguide.blogspot.com/2012/02/sentence-fluency.html&psig=AFQjCNGMOsEqSondKDvqWHYur7z3cGOOng&ust=1505885341931753

https://www.google.ae/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiSrffxprHWAhWSL1AKHVApDOIQjRwIBw&url=http://www.smekenseducation.com/6-Traits-of-Writing.html&psig=AFQjCNEbwLW1qFRatlzldiNpIvSRyelFqg&ust=1505912292481926

135

Lesson 2: Developing Characters

The Reading Assignment: Developing Characters

The Night Owl

Helen Mack was a night owl. She liked to stay up while the moon shone in the sky. She did not usually go to bed until the early hours of the morning.

Some people made comments about her sleeping habits. Her brother called her Vampie— short for “vampire”—as a nickname, but even that did not bother her much. Helen was just being herself.

WHAT WILL I LEARN? I will learn the difference between major and minor

characters. I will learn to identify why and how characters change. I will learn to identify important actions of characters. I will learn to relate to characters personally. I will learn to write a fully developed character

description. I will learn to use imagery. I will learn to use commas when listing items in a series

or separating ideas. I will learn to add details to a story as a revision

strategy. I will learn to use capital letters and end marks

correctly.

Unit 3 – Lesson 2

136

She had short brown curls that clung tightly to her head on most days, but on really humid days, those curls seemed to grow to twice their size. Helen was one of the shorter students in her high-school class, and she was not particularly thin. But, she wasn’t overweight either. Helen cared about herself and her body, and she tried to exercise regularly. She had a good sense of humor and a great group of friends.

When it came to being productive, Helen learned that she got more done at night. That made it hard to wake up in the mornings, but she tried to nap for a few hours after school to make up for it.

At first, everyone gave her a hard time for her night habits. But soon, people grew to accept her ways. Her mother had long given up nagging her about going to bed at a “normal” time. Like all mothers, she worried about her daughter’s habits and how they would affect her daughter’s friendships and health. But she had decided to just observe her daughter for a while to see how her late-night stints affected her.

Her friends learned not to call after school while she napped. They respected the fact that she was a little bit different, and when they were up late working on an assignment or just having trouble sleeping, they always knew they could call her.

“What are you going to do?” her father asked her one day. “You can’t keep staying awake while the rest of the world is sleeping.”

Helen began to think about that. She realized that she liked the quietness and the darkness of the evening and early morning hours. Life seemed much slower during the dark than it did during the day. In fact, she thought she might have liked to live before electricity, when the darkness was lit only by the gentle glow of firelight.

So Helen decided that she would have to make life work for her during the night hours. And she knew just what she wanted to do: she decided that she was going to be a night nurse. She was so excited about her decision. She knew that this would be perfect for her. She would be able to help people and support herself—all during the night. She could not wait to start her training to be a nurse. She even decided to look into courses that she could take—at night, of course! Exercises 1-8: Read ”The Night Owl” and answer the questions below.

137

Answer the following questions:

1. Who is the main character in the story? _____________________________________________________________

2. How does the author describe the main character?

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

3. Which minor characters are described with little or no detail?

_____________________________________________________________

4. What do we know about one of the minor characters?

_____________________________________________________________

5. What important decision does Helen make in the story?

_____________________________________________________________

6. Do you think that Helen made a good or bad decision? Why?

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

7. Is Helen the kind of person you would like to know? Why or why not?

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

138

8. Tell why you are like or unlike one of the characters in the story.

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

The Writing Assignment Exercise 9: Create a fully-developed character that is the “opposite” of you. Then, write about a time when you and your character meet. Step One: Name Your Character ___________________________________________________________________________________ Step Two: Gathering Details Describe what your character looks like. (What does the “opposite” of you look like?) ___________________________________________________________________________________

Describe what your character sounds like. (What does the “opposite” of you sound like? How does this character talk? What other sounds can describe this character?) ______________________________ ______________________________

______________________________ ______________________________

______________________________ ______________________________

______________________________ ______________________________

139

Describe what your character is like. (What is the “opposite” of you like? What does this character like to do? What things are important to this character? What things are not important to this character?)

______________________________ ______________________________

______________________________ ______________________________

______________________________ ______________________________

______________________________ ______________________________

Describe your character’s life. (What kind of lifestyle is the opposite of yours? Where does your character live? How does your character live? What does your character do?) ______________________________ ______________________________

______________________________ ______________________________

______________________________ ______________________________

______________________________ ______________________________

______________________________ ______________________________

Step Three: The Meeting What happens when you meet the character you created? (How and where do you meet your character? Do you get along with your character? Why or why not? How does your meeting end?) Write down your character description and the story of your meeting in your notebook.

140





or questions.






thesis statement.


















for you.



vocabulary.



141









142






















punctuation needed.



standard spelling?


check.

143


Title of piece: ____________________________________



because _________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

because:






apply).

❑ Other.



144

Lesson 3: How-To Paragraph

The Reading Assignment: How-To Paragraph

A how-to paragraph gives directions that explain a method of making or doing something such as:

Cooking a meal

Playing a sport

Building a tree-house

Doing a science experiment

Planting a tree or flowers

WHAT WILL I LEARN? I will learn to write a how-to paragraph. I will learn to list material. I will learn to use time-order words. I will learn to add details to a paragraph as a revision


correctly.

Unit 3 – Lesson 3

145

Exercise 1: Read the following example of a short how-to essay:

A theme collage is a colorful way to express an idea. A collage is

group of pictures presented together. To make your collage, you will

need scissors, magazines, construction paper, and glue.

Now, pick a theme. Then select magazine pictures that go with

your theme. As soon as you find some pictures you like, cut them out.

Afterwards, arrange the pictures in a way until you are pleased with

your design. Finally, glue the pictures to the construction paper.

This collage can be an excellent decoration for your room. You can

also make a special holiday or birthday greeting by putting your theme

collage on a card.

Can you find the words that help you know how to do the collage in a certain order or sequence? Underline the words.

How to write a how-to paragraph or essay:

Begin by getting your audience’s (or reader’s’) attention and

telling what you are going to explain.

List all the materials that you need.

Tell the steps in an order that makes sense or order of importance.

Use transitions or sequence words such as first, next, after, then, and finally to show how ideas connect together and to show the correct order. Other sequence or transition words are:

while first meanwhile soon then after second today later next at third tomorrow now afterward before about when suddenly as soon as during until yesterday finally

146

The Writing Assignment: Exercise 2: Choose one of the titles below to write your own how-to paragraph or paragraphs or fill in one of the blanks below with your own title.

How to Camp Out How to Plan the Perfect Vacation How to Help the Environment How to Build a How to Change a How to Make a How to Improve a How to Find a How to Celebrate How to Choose a

147





or questions.






thesis statement.


















for you.



vocabulary.



148









149






















punctuation needed.



standard spelling?


check.

150


Title of piece: ____________________________________



because _________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

because:






apply).

❑ Other.



151

Lesson 4: Friendly Letters

The Reading Assignment: Friendly Letters

There are five parts of a personal letter. The main parts of a personal

letter are the heading, the greeting, the body, the closing, and the

signature.

1. The Heading. This includes the address, line by line, with the last line being the date. Skip a line after the heading.

2. The Greeting. The greeting always ends with a comma. The greeting may be formal, beginning with the word "dear" and using the person's given name or relationship, or it may be informal if appropriate.

→Formal: Dear Uncle Jim, Dear Mr. Wilkins,

→Informal: Hi Joe, Greetings, Hello Mira

WHAT WILL I LEARN? I will learn to write a friendly letter. I will learn to write the five basic parts of a letter:

heading, greeting, body, closing and signature. I will learn to add details to a paragraph as a revision


correctly.

Unit 3 – Lesson 4

152

(Occasionally very personal greetings may end with an exclamation point)

→ Hello Joe!

3. The Body. Also known as the main text includes the message you want to write. Normally in a friendly letter, the beginning of paragraphs is indented. If not indented, be sure to skip a space between paragraphs. Skip a line after the greeting and before the close.

4. The Closing. This short expression is always a few words on a single line. It ends in a comma. Skip one to three spaces for the signature line.

5. The Signature. Type or print your name.

153

912 Brenda Circle

Scottsdale, AZ 86501

January 2, 2010

Dear Grandma,

I am writing to thank you for sending me the birthday gift. It was very thoughtful of you.

I hope you know how much I love and appreciate you. You have always been so kind to me.

There are many reasons why I am glad you are my grandma. Here are just a few reasons. First, you are funny. You like to laugh and that makes me laugh too. Second, you are honest. You always tell the truth and expect me to do the same. Finally, you help me show respect for my parents. That means a lot to me.

Why don’t you join me for a movie on Saturday? I found one that is rated “G.”

Give me a call!

Love,

Cindy

Heading

Greeting

Body

Closing

Signature

154

The Writing Assignment:

___________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

______________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

____________

__________________________________

__________________________________

155





or questions.






thesis statement.


















for you.



vocabulary.



156









157






















punctuation needed.



standard spelling?


check.

158


Title of piece: ____________________________________



because _________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

because:






apply).

❑ Other.



159

Lesson 5: Understanding Persuasion

The Reading Assignment: Understanding Persuasion

1 School Lane Eduville, Indiana 00000

September 13, 2009 Dear Class, This year, we have many different units to study. Although there are some great movies that would fit into these units, I have decided that no movies will be shown in our classroom. I know that this will disappoint some of you. However, I have several reasons why I have decided not to show any movies.

WHAT WILL I LEARN? I will learn to define the word persuade. I will understand why readers should know when they

are reading something persuasive. I will learn to find and identify persuasive writing from

the world around me. I will learn to write persuasively. I will learn to write a persuasive letter to my teacher. I will learn to add details to a paragraph as a revision


correctly.

Unit 3 – Lesson 5

160

First of all, movies are very long. They take up a lot of class time. We could study the same information in other, faster ways instead. Secondly, it is hard to pick a movie that is acceptable to everyone. Parents, students, and other teachers often complain about movie choices. Different people have different opinions about what is okay to show in school. Thirdly, some students don’t feel like movies are part of a lesson. These students don’t behave during the movie showing. That makes it difficult for other students to follow the movie. Lastly, so many people watch movies. It would be almost impossible to show a movie that no one has seen before. Instead of showing movies in class, I can tell you about movies that I recommend. Then, students who are interested in watching the movies can watch them at home instead of in the classroom. You can clearly see why I have made the decision not to show movies in the classroom this year. Have I persuaded you to agree with my decision? Enjoy watching your movies on your sofas! Sincerely, Your Teacher P.S. Please write back.

Exercises 1-4: Read the persuasive letter below and answer the questions below.

1. What are some reasons that the letter gives for not wanting to

show movies in class? _______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

161

2. What is the purpose of the letter? How does the writer fulfil this purpose?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

3. What is the teacher going to do instead of showing movies in class? _______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

4. Do you agree with the teacher’s letter? Why or why not?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

162

The Writing Assignment Exercise 1: Write a persuasive letter to your teacher about why showing movies in class is a good idea. Think about what you want to write below and then write the letter.

Think and Write What are reasons that showing movies in class are a good idea? _______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Exercise 2: Use this chart during the revision stage of the writing process.

Why does your teacher feel that showing movies in class is not a

good idea?

What can you say to help your teacher feel better about each

concern?

163





or questions.






thesis statement.


















for you.



vocabulary.



164









165






















punctuation needed.



standard spelling?


check.

166


Title of piece: ____________________________________



because _________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

because:






apply).

❑ Other.



167

Rubric for Opinion Writing

Ideas

4 The writer’s opinion is clear. The opinion is supported by three convincing reasons and plenty of strong details. 3 The writer’s opinion is clear. Strong details are needed. 2 The writer provides a general opinion. Only one or two details are provided. 1 The writer’s opinion is not provided. The details are missing. Organization

4 The writing is organized logically. Transition words make the writing

easy to follow. 3 Few reasons are not organized in a clear way. The writer uses some transition words. 2 Several reasons are out of order. More or better transition words are needed. 1 There is no clear organization. Transition words are not used. Voice

4 The writer’s voice sounds sincere and has a serious tone that matches the writer’s purpose. It connects with the reader. 3 The writer has a voice, but it may not always sound sincere or connect with the reader. 2 The writer’s voice may be inappropriate for the purpose and audience. The reader is confused or distracted. 1 The voice is weak or absent. The writer does not sound sincere or connect with the reader.


168

Word Choice

4 Excellent word choice allows the reader to understand the writer’s reasons. 3 Most of the words help the reader understand the reasons. 2 The word choice is too general. The writer’s meaning is unclear. 1 The words do not express an opinion. Sentence Fluency

4 Sentences of different lengths and types make the writing easy and fun to read. 3 Most of the sentences are varied and the writing is easy to read. 2 Some sentences are the same length. The writing is choppy. 1 Sentences are too long, lack variety, or are incomplete. The writing is hard to follow. Conventions

4 There are no errors in grammar, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. 3 There are few errors in grammar, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. 2 There are some errors in grammar, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. 1 High frequency words and grade-appropriate words are not spelled correctly. There are many grammar, capitalization, and punctuation errors.



169

Lesson 6: Understanding Comparison and Contrast

The Reading Assignment: Understanding Comparison and Contrast

→ Comparing and contrasting is a process each of us performs

every day. Every time you have a choice about what to have for

breakfast, lunch, or dinner, you are comparing and contrasting.

Compare and Contrast Paragraph Tool Kit

1. Comparison and contrast are ways of looking at objects and thinking about how they are alike and different.

2. When you choose items to compare and contrast, make sure that you choose items that have similarities. You have to choose things that will make sense for comparison and contrast. For instance, it wouldn't make sense to compare a truck with crayons or crayons with a birdhouse. Be sure to compare things that belong together. Compare crayons to pencils or pens, or compare trucks and cars.

Unit 3 – Lesson 6

WHAT WILL I LEARN? I will learn to write a comparison and contrast essay. I will learn that to compare means to state the

similarities and to contrast means to state the differences.

I will learn to use a Venn diagram. I will learn to add details to a paragraph as a revision


correctly.

170

3. Clue Words: As you read, look for clue words that can help you identify similarities and differences between two subjects. Below are just a few clue words; add to this list as you find more.

Compare Contrast Same Different Both But Alike On the other hand Similar Instead of Compare to Contrast to

4. Always ask yourself: What two things are being compared?

_______________________ and ______________________

171

Exercise 1: Read the following excerpt and complete the Venn

diagram.

Although both soccer and football are famous sports all around the world, when

you play the games, you realize that they can be quite different. It takes better

physical conditioning to be a soccer player than a football player. First, a

football player runs but is constantly stopping at the end of each play, whereas

a soccer player runs practically the entire time he is playing. Secondly, football

players must carry a great deal of weight on their bodies since they are

required to knock down their opponents. Soccer players must remain thin and

agile in order to move the ball down the field quickly. Finally, a soccer player

must be in peak condition since he plays several games a week, whereas a

football player usually plays only once a week. It is clear a soccer player

requires better conditioning.

172

Exercises 2-5: Answer the following questions about the paragraph you read. 2. Is this mainly a comparison or a contrast paragraph? Why?

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

3. What two things are being compared and contrasted?

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

4. What is the topic or the controlling idea?

____________________________________________________________________________

5. What are three supporting ideas for the topic?

a. _________________________________________________________________________

b. _________________________________________________________________________

c. _________________________________________________________________________

173

The Writing Assignment: Compare and Contrast

Compare and contrast two different items on a menu at a restaurant.

Draw a Venn Diagram in your notebook.

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

174





or questions.






thesis statement.


















for you.



vocabulary.



175









176






















punctuation needed.



standard spelling?


check.

177


Title of piece: ____________________________________



because _________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

because:






apply).

❑ Other.



178

Rubric for Compare and Contrast Writing

Ideas

4 Two topics of comparison are clear. Good examples clearly compare and contrast topics. 3 Two topics for comparison are present. The examples do not compare equally. 2 The topics are not stated clearly. Examples are missing. 1 The topics are not clear. Examples seem to be unrelated. Organization

4 The writing is organized by similarities and differences. A strong lead gets the reader’s attention. 3 Most of the time, similarities and differences are organized. The lead is not strong. 2 Similarities and differences are not clear and organized. The lead is weak or absent. 1 The writing is not organized. The writing is very difficult to understand. Voice 4 The writer’s voice sounds knowledgeable. It is clear that the writer wants to inform the reader. 3 The writer’s voice sounds knowledgeable and informative some of the time. 2 The writer’s voice is not strong and may not be appropriate. 1 The writer’s voice is weak or absent. The reader cannot tell what the writer knows.


179

Word Choice 4 Vocabulary is used correctly. It is clearly defined or explained. 3 Vocabulary is used correctly. Many words are not explained or they are not explained well. 2 Vocabulary is used incorrectly. Explanations are missing. 1 Vocabulary is not used. Sentence Fluency 4 Sentences vary in length and type. Effective transitions create a smooth flow. 3 Many sentences share the same length and type. More or better transitions would improve the flow. 2 Several sentences are incomplete. Transitions are confusing or incorrect. 1 Sentences are incomplete or incorrect. The writing is difficult to read. Conventions 4 The writing has no mistakes in spelling. Punctuation marks and capital letters are used correctly. 3 There are few mistakes in punctuation which do not affect the reader’s understanding. 2 Some high frequency words are misspelled and there are many errors in punctuation. 1 The writing has many mistakes in spelling and punctuation which makes it hard for the reader to understand the writing.



180

Lesson 7: Cause and Effect

The Writing Assignment: Cause and Effect

A cause is a person, event, condition, or reason that is responsible for an action or result. An effect is a result brought about by a cause.

Exercises 1-6: For each cause, write one effect. For each effect, write one cause.

1. Cause: ___________________________________________________________________

Effect: The children were noisy.

2. Cause: Sally did not practice every day. Effect: ____________________________________________________________________

3. Cause: ___________________________________________________________________

Effect: The building collapsed.

WHAT WILL I LEARN? I will learn to write a cause and effect paragraph. I will learn to add interest to writing by varying

sentence starters. I will learn to add details to a paragraph as a revision


correctly.

Unit 3 – Lesson 7

181

4. Cause: Everyone was tired and hungry after a long day. Effect: ____________________________________________________________________

5. Cause: ___________________________________________________________________ Effect: There was a lot of traffic. The police came quickly.

6. Cause: I stayed out in the sun for too long. Effect: ____________________________________________________________________

Exercises 7-9: Fill in a positive and negative effect for each cause.

7. Brad and Gina made a lot of money from the garage sale. Positive: ______________________________________________________________ Negative: _____________________________________________________________

8. In a few weeks, the snow will fall. Positive: _____________________________________________________________ Negative: _____________________________________________________________

9. All shopping malls are having many offers and sales.

Positive: ______________________________________________________________ Negative: _____________________________________________________________

182





or questions.






thesis statement.


















for you.



vocabulary.



183









184






















punctuation needed.



standard spelling?


check.

185


Title of piece: ____________________________________



because _________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

because:






apply).

❑ Other.



186

Lesson 8: Literary Language

The Reading Assignment: Literary Language

Common Tricks to Write Creatively Personification ✸ giving human characteristics to something that is not alive Write an example: ___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

Alliteration ✸ using the same consonant sounds several times Write an example: ___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

WHAT WILL I LEARN? I will learn to identify personification, alliteration,

onomatopoeia, simile, metaphor, imagery and hyperbole.

I will learn to write creatively using personification, alliteration, onomatopoeia, simile, metaphor, imagery and hyperbole.

I will learn to write in poetry or prose. I will learn how and when to break grammar rules,

especially when writing poetry.

Unit 3 – Lesson 8

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Onomatopoeia ✸ an imitation of a sound Write an example: ___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

Metaphor ✸ a comparison (Note: do not use the words “like” or “as”) Write an example: ___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

Simile ✸ a type of metaphor that uses the word “like” or “as” Write an example: ___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

Imagery ✸ words that tell what something looks like, smells like, feels like, sounds like, or tastes like. Write an example: ___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

Hyperbole ✸ an exaggeration Write an example: _______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

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Exercises 1-7: Read “A field of Ears” and answer the questions below.

A Field of Ears

Ears of corn?

But corn can’t hear!

Hear the sounds that are far and near!

I have ears to listen to sounds,

And on my head, they hold up crowns!

Tables have legs?

But they can’t dance!

Dance and run and tip-tap and prance!

I have legs that help me go,

And as they get longer, I seem to grow.

Potatoes with eyes?

But potatoes don’t see!

See the moonbeams dance with glee!

A clock with hands?

But clocks don’t clap!

Or pretend to be a bird and flap!

I have arms to help me eat

And scratch the itch upon on my feet!

Artichokes have hearts?

But they can’t love!

Love the world, what’s below and above!

My life-long drum lets me know

That many people love me so!

A nose that runs? That would be fun!

Running like me

Past a pink tulip and tree.

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Running up and running down

Running with two feet. I never slow down.

I like my legs, nose, eyes, and hand.

I think that they are really grand!

I also think I like my ear.

I do find it is rather dear!

I like my heart, that’s very true

It helps me know that I like you!

Give examples from “A Field of Ears” of the following:

1. Personification

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

2. Alliteration

____________________________________________________________________________

3. Onomatopoeia

____________________________________________________________________________

4. Simile

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

5. Imagery

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

6. Metaphor

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

7. Hyperbole

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

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The Writing Assignment Exercise 8: Write about an object of your choice, using creative tricks that authors use.

Gather Your Ideas

What is your object? _____________________________________________

Use Creative-Writing Tricks

Personification: Give your object some human traits. ___________________________________________________________________________________ Alliteration: Repeat a consonant sound when writing part of the description. __________________________________________________________________________________ Onomatopoeia: Have your object make a sound. ___________________________________________________________________________________ Simile: Compare your object to something else, using the word “like” or “as.” ___________________________________________________________________________________ Metaphor: Compare your object to something else by saying that your object is the other item. ___________________________________________________________________________________ Imagery (pick any three of the following): Describe what your objects looks like: ___________________________________________________________________________________ Describe sounds that your object can make: ___________________________________________________________________________________

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Describe what your object might smell like: ___________________________________________________________________________________ Describe what your object can taste like: ___________________________________________________________________________________ Describe what your object might feel like: ___________________________________________________________________________________ Hyperbole: Exaggerate something that your object can do. ___________________________________________________________________________________

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Glossary

-A-

Abbreviation: The shortened form of a word. A period is used

after most abbreviations.

Adjective: An adjective describes, or modifies, a noun or a

pronoun. Adjectives can tell what kind, how many, or which

one.

Adverb: A word that describes, or modifies, a verb, an adjective,

or another adverb

Antonym/ Opposite: A word opposite to another in meaning.

Apostrophe: A punctuation mark used to show possession or

to stand for the missing letter or letters in a contraction.

Articles: Articles are the adjectives a, an, and the. The definite

article, the, refers to a specific person, place, or thing. The

indefinite articles a and an refer to any person, place, or

thing. An is used before a word beginning with a vowel sound.

-B-

Book Review: A writer tells what a book is about without

telling the whole story.

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-C-

Clause: A group of words that has both a subject and a predicate.

Some clauses can stand alone as sentences, but some cannot.

Comma: A punctuation mark using to set off appositives,

introductory words and words of direct address, words in a

series, before a conjunction to separate clauses in compound

sentences, after a dependent clause at the beginning of a sentence

Comparing with Adjectives: Using adjectives to compare or

contrast people, places, or things by adding –er, -est, more or

most.

Comparing with Adverbs: Using adverbs to compare actions

by adding –er, -est, more or most.

Comparison and Contrast Essay/Paragraph: It shows how

two or more things are alike and how they are different.

Complete Predicate: All the words that tell what the subject of

the sentence is or does.

Complete Subject: All the words that tell who or what is doing

the action in the sentence.

Complex Sentence: A sentence made up of an independent

clause and at least one dependent clause

Compound-Complex Sentence: A sentence with at least two

independent clauses and at least one dependent clause. Put a

comma after the dependent clause if it begins a sentence. Put a

comma before the and, but, or or that connects two

independent clauses

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Compound Predicate: Two or more predicates that have the

same subject. They are joined by and, or, or but. Three or more

predicates need commas to separate them.

Compound Sentence: A sentence made up of two or more

independent clauses connected by a comma and the conjunction

and, or, or but

Compound Subject: Two or more subjects joined by and or or.

Compound subjects have the same predicate. Three or more

subjects are separated by commas.

Conjunction: A word that is used to join compound subjects,

compound predicates, or compound sentences. And, or, and but

are conjunctions.

Contractions: A shortened form of two words written as one

word in which an apostrophe takes the place of the missing

letter or letters. Often the word not is added to a helping verb to

form a contraction

-D-

Declarative Sentence: A sentence that tells something. It ends

with a period.

Dependent Clause: A group of words that has a subject and a

predicate but that cannot stand alone as a sentence. A

dependent clause does not express a complete thought.

Descriptive Essay/Paragraph: It creates a word picture. It

describes a place, a person, a place, an object, or an event. It

includes details that let the reader see, feel, hear, and

sometimes taste and smell what is being described.

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Dialogue: A conversation in which two or more speakers take

part. Quotation marks are used to show what each says.

Double Negative: Incorrect use of two negatives in a sentence.

Only one negative is used to express a negative meaning.

-E-

Exclamation Point: The end punctuation for an exclamatory

sentence (!).

Exclamatory Sentence: A sentence that expresses strong

feeling. An exclamatory sentence ends with an exclamation

point.

-F-

Folktale: A special story that was first told orally and has been

passed from one storyteller to another. In many folktales,

animals act like people.

-H-

How-to Essay/Paragraph: It gives directions or explains how

to do something. Steps are given in time order.

-I-

Imperative Sentence: A sentence that gives a command. An

imperative sentence usually begins with an action word and

ends with a period. The subject—you—is understood.

196

Independent Clause: A group of words that has a subject and a

predicate and can stand alone as a sentence because it expresses

a complete thought.

Informational Paragraph: It gives facts about one topic.

Interrogative Sentence: A sentence that asks a question. An

interrogative sentence ends with a question mark.

Irregular Plural: A plural noun that has a special spelling or is

spelled the same as the singular form.

-L-

Letter/ Friendly Letter: A person writes to someone he or she

knows. It has a heading, a greeting, a body, a closing, and a

signature.

-N-

Naming Part: The naming part of a sentence tells who or what

the sentence is about.

Negative: A word that means "no" (never, nobody, nothing

Noun: A word that names a person, a place, a thing, or an idea.

A noun can tell who or what.

Collective Noun: A noun that refers to a group of

individuals.

Common Noun: A word that names any person, place,

thing, or idea. A common noun begins with a lowercase

letter.

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Plural Noun: A noun that names more than one person,

place, thing, or idea. Add s or es to make most nouns

plural. If a word ends in a consonant and y, change the y to

i and add es.

Possessive Noun: A noun that shows ownership. An

apostrophe or an apostrophe and s are added to show

possession.

Plural Possessive Noun: A possessive noun that shows

ownership by more than one person or thing. The

placement of the apostrophe depends on the spelling of

the plural noun.

Proper Noun: A noun that tells the exact name of a

person, place, or thing. Words that name people, places,

titles, holidays, days of the week, and months of the year

are proper nouns. Proper nouns are always capitalized.

Singular Noun: A noun that names one person, place,

thing, or idea.

Singular Possessive Noun: A noun that tells what

someone or something owns or has. An apostrophe and s

are added to form the possessive.

-O-

Object of the Preposition: The noun or pronoun that follows

the preposition.

Opposite/ Antonym: A word opposite to another in meaning.

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-P-

Paragraph: A section of a piece of writing usually dealing with

a single idea or topic.

Period: Punctuation mark used after abbreviations or as an end

mark for declarative and imperative sentences (.).

Personal Narrative: A writer tells about an experience in his

or her life.

Persuasive Essay/Paragraph: A writer tells his or her opinion

about a topic. The writer tries to convince the audience to

agree with the opinion and to take action.

Predicate: The word or words that tell what the subject of the

sentence is or does.

Preposition: A word that shows how a noun or a pronoun is

related to another word in the sentence. (on, from, to, in, at,

above, under…)

Prepositional Phrase: A group of words made up of a

preposition, the object of the preposition, and all the words in

between

Pronoun: A word that takes the place of one or more nouns. (I,

me, he, she, it, they, him, her, them, we…) (see below)

Object Pronoun: A pronoun that follows an action verb or

a preposition. The object pronouns are me, you, him, her, it,

us, and them.

Possessive Pronoun: A pronoun that shows ownership,

taking the place of a possessive noun. Some possessive

pronouns come before nouns. Others stand alone. A

possessive pronoun never has an apostrophe.

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Subject Pronoun: A pronoun that takes the place of one or

more nouns in the subject of a sentence

Pronoun Antecedent: The noun or nouns that a pronoun

replaces. A pronoun should agree with its antecedent in gender

and number.

-Q-

Question Mark: The end mark of an interrogative sentence (?).

Quotation Marks: Punctuation marks that are used to show

direct quotations or to punctuate titles of short works, such as

stories, poems, and songs.

-R-

Research Report: A writer gathers facts from different

sources, takes notes, and makes an outline. The notes and

outline are used to write about a topic.

Rubric: A kind of checklist or chart.

Run-on Sentence: A faulty sentence made up of two or more

sentences that are joined only by a comma or by nothing at all.

-S-

Sentence: A group of words that forms a complete thought. A

sentence begins with a capital letter, ends with an end mark,

and has a subject and a predicate.

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Sentence Fragment: A group of words that lacks a subject or a

predicate or both

Simple Predicate: The main word or words in the complete

predicate of a sentence. The simple predicate is always a verb.

Simple Sentence: A sentence that expresses one complete

thought. A simple sentence contains only one independent

clause.

Simple Subject: The main word or words in the complete

subject of a sentence.

Story: A writer tells about one main idea. A story has a plot,

characters, and a setting. The plot has a beginning, a middle,

and an ending.

Subject: The person, place, thing, or idea that the sentence is

about.

Subject-Verb Agreement: Subjects and verbs must agree, or

match each other. If the subject of a present-tense verb is

singular, the verb must be singular. If the subject is plural, the

verb must be plural.

Summary: It is a brief statement or main points of something

you have read or seen.

Synonym: A word that has the same or almost the same

meaning as another word.

-V-

Verb: A word that tells what the subject of a sentence is or does.

(see below)

201

Action Verb: A verb that tells what the subject of a

sentence does, did, or will do.

Future Tense Verb: A verb that shows action that will

happen in the future. The future tense is formed with the

helping verb will.

Helping Verb: A verb that works with the main verb to tell

more about an action. The helping verb comes before the

main verb or verbs in a sentence.

Irregular Verb: A verb that does not end with ed in the

past tense.

Linking Verb: A verb that connects, or links, the subject of

a sentence to a word or words in the predicate.

Main Verb: The most important verb in the predicate. The

main verb tells what the action is.

Past Tense Verb: A verb that shows action that happened

in the past.

Present Tense Verb: A verb that tells about action that is

happening now or that happens over and over.

Regular Verb: A verb whose past-tense form ends with

ed.

preface - al mawakeb...

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