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Prepared by Jolanta Maria Eriksson Source www.abcteach.com
Jolanta Eriksson, Kinnarpsskolan, Kinnarp – www.lektion.se
1
Reading Comprehension: Jack and the Giant Pepper (middle school)
Name: _____________________________________________________
Jack and the Giant Pepper
Once there was a boy named Jack. He lived in the forest with his mother and their pet
panda bear, Archibald. They were happy, but they were very poor. One day, Mom said,
"Dearest Jack, our cash flow is seriously plugged. You'll have to sell Archibald at the
market. Buy food and seeds. This is all we have, so don't buy any nonsense!"
Jack liked his panda, but he was nearly starved. So he hiked with Archibald
through the forest to the market. Suddenly, a little purple man in a shiny silver tweed
suit jumped onto the path. His face was a wrinkly old potato, but his eyes were sharp
and bright as knifepoints. "Gushing grape juice!" he croaked. "That's the finest panda in
the county! How'd you like to trade it for something magical?" Magical. Jack's scalp
tingled. "Actually, I'm shopping for food and seeds." "Seeds! How about a real seed?"
The man opened his fist, and on his palm a seed sparkled like a ruby. "This seed'll grow
into the biggest pepper in the world." "A giant pepper plant!" Jack said. "I could climb up
the vine to the cloud lands where the giant lives! I could steal his treasures and never
work again! Wow! It's a deal, grape man!" Jack traded the panda and ran home with the
magic seed. "One seed?" Mom said. "What are we supposed to eat while it grows?"
"Oops," Jack said. As usual, his belly chose the wrong moment to growl. "Now we really
will starve," Mom said. There was nothing to do but plant the seed. The next morning, the
magic plant had already grown! But it wasn’t a giant vine, it was a giant pepper. The
plant was normal. The pepper was the size of a house. "Oh, that's great," Jack said. "I
can’t climb a big pepper to the giant." "Sell it," Mom said. "It won't fetch as much as the
panda, but anything's better than three months of pepper casserole. I trust you know what
to buy this time, son." So Jack rolled the pepper to market. It was ridiculously heavy, and
of course he had to roll it up a big hill. Suddenly, up came the old man. He was riding
Archibald. "That pepper for sale?" asked the man. "Not to you," Jack said. "Not even for a
magic toothbrush?" The old man smiled. His teeth shone like the moon. "How would you
Prepared by Jolanta Maria Eriksson Source www.abcteach.com
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2
like to never brush your teeth again?" Jack hesitated. He did hate brushing his teeth. Then
he said, "Sorry, I have this thing about getting humiliated twice by the same purple guy."
The man's dark eyes narrowed and gleamed. "Young man, I want that pepper." "Don't we
all," Jack said. He put his shoulder to the massive pepper. "Give it here!" the man
screamed. He leapt from the panda, his fingers gnarled claws tearing at Jack. Jack dodged.
The man crashed into the pepper and it rolled away with him down the hill. So Jack rode
the panda home. He'd never thought to ride him before. "Not another panda!" Mom said.
But Jack explained everything. "Well, I'm happy to see Archibald," Mom said, "but we
still need cash. You'll have to sell him. Again." "I've been thinking," Jack said. "It’s not
everyone that has a riding panda. Why don't we give lessons?" And so they did. All the
neighbouring villagers cheerfully shelled out big bucks to learn how to ride a panda. From
then on, Jack had plenty of money. And he never saw the purple old man again.
Exercise A: Detail Check
Before we get into the Deeper Meanings of our tale, let's do a little detail hunting to make
sure everyone's awake. Your answers don't have to be in complete sentences.
1. How long did it take the magic pepper to grow?
_____________________________________________________________________
2. The magic seed sparkled like which gem?
_____________________________________________________________________
3. Describe the old man's appearance.
_____________________________________________________________________
4. What did Jack's mother want him to buy?
_____________________________________________________________________
5. How much time goes by from the first thing Mom says to the last thing Jack says? Give
your answer in time units (e.g., days).
_____________________________________________________________________
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3
6. What problem did Mom point out with Jack's plan to buy the magic seed, grow a huge
plant, and climb it to raid the giant's house?
_____________________________________________________________________
7. Did Mom instantly recognize Archibald when Jack brought him back? Explain how
you know.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
8. How did the old man exit Jack's life?
_____________________________________________________________________
Exercise B: Rousing Understanding
Okay, good, we're awake. Now let's look at the story on a slightly more meaningful level.
(We’re not at the Deeper Meanings stage yet.)
1. Metaphor. A metaphor is a comparison that doesn't bother with "like" or "as". If you
say, "That guy's a werewolf," we presume you're being metaphorical and you mean "he's
vicious" (rather than "he's a superhuman monster"). Each word below appears in the story
as a metaphor. Write what the metaphor refers to, then explain how the ideas of the
metaphor connect.
a. potato ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
b. claws ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
2. Simile. A simile is a comparison that does use "like" or "as". "Red as a rose", "in like a
lion", and "fat as a," er, "corporate bonus" are all similes. Write three similes from the
story.
_____________________________________________________________________
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_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
3. Why doesn't Jack trade in the pepper for the magic toothbrush?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
4. Why could you think that Jack's mother plans ahead?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Exercise C: Imagine
For these questions, the only rule is that you have to use complete sentences. You can
finish a question on the back of the page if you need the space.
1. Who would you rather spend the afternoon with, Jack or Mom? Explain.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
2. What if you needed someone to care for your pet for two weeks? Who would you
rather leave it with, Jack or Mom? Explain.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
3. Make up a quick story for what happened to the old man when the pepper finally
stopped rolling.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
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5
_____________________________________________________________________
4. Imagine that Jack's fairy godmother appears and offers him a magic pennyseed that will
grow into a magnificent tree that will never stop sprouting nickels, dimes, and DVD
players. In exchange, Jack must give up Archibald. What does Jack answer?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Exercise D: Deeper Meanings
At last, we're ready to tackle the Great Truths enshrined in this profound tale. Again,
please use complete sentences and feel free to use the back of the page. Explain each
answer with at least one example from the story unless otherwise noted.
1. Do you think Jack and his mother really were happy together?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
2. Stories often (or always, depending on your definition) have a central conflict. For
instance, you could sum up the conflict of that ingenious classic, The Three Little Pigs, as:
"Three pigs crave safety, but a wolf threatens to eat them." How might you sum up the
conflict of this story, Jack and the Giant Pepper? (no example needed)
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
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6
3. Heroes often have a main defect they struggle with throughout the story. What is Jack's
main defect, and does he beat it?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
4. What do you think is the theme (Deep Meaning) of this story?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
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7
Jack and the Giant Pepper (middle school) Answer Key:
Exercise A
1. one night
2. ruby
3. a little purple man in a shiny silver tweed suit
4. food and seeds
5. 2 days
6. They had nothing to eat while the plant grew.
7. No, because she said, "Not another panda!"
8. He rolled away in the giant pepper.
Exercise B
1. a. old man's face. Both old potatoes and his face are wrinkled. ["His face was a wrinkly
old potato..."]
b. the man’s hands. Both animals and the old man have sharp and dangerous fingers
2. his eyes were sharp and bright as knifepoints a seed sparkled like a ruby pepper was as
big as a house
3. He doesn't want to be fooled again. Or He's determined to buy food and seeds. Or any
other sensible answer.
4. She wanted seeds to grow food for later.
Exercise C
All answers vary.
Exercise D
1. Answers vary.
2. Answers vary, but we suggest, "Jack will soon starve, but an old man tries to trick him
out of his one chance to get money."
3. Answers vary. Some students may think his main defect is wanting to use magic to
solve his problems, and he beats this by rejecting the magic toothbrush. Others (probably
fewer) may think he wants an easy way out of hard work, and it's not entirely clear he
conquers this tendency by deciding to teach panda riding for a living.
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4. Answers vary.
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Reading Comprehension
Name ____________________________________________ Date ____________
A BAD DAY AT MAGIC LAND
Many people like to go to amusement parks to have fun, but I don’t! Last year, a group of
my friends decided to spend the whole day at Magic Land, an amusement park in my city.
I thought I would have a very good time, but I was wrong. I had the worst time ever.
We went on too many roller coasters. At first, they were all very exciting and I screamed
until my lungs hurt on all of them. My friends wanted to ride more of them, and so for
three hours we didn’t stop to rest. We went on the Head Knocker, the Crazy Coaster, and
the Monster Masher before I started feeling really sick. I finally threw up on the Tooth
Rattler roller coaster. I was very embarrassed. That was when my friends decided that we
needed a lunch break if they wanted me to survive the whole day. My stomach was still
feeling awful, but they insisted that I needed to eat if I was going to have enough energy
for the rest of the day. When I went to one of the food stands, however, I saw that the
prices were outrageous. I spent six dollars on a large order of fries. I picked up the
saltshaker, and to my surprise the top fell off, spilling a pile of salt on my food. My fries
were ruined!
By now I was really upset and my face was red, so my friends suggested we go on a water
ride so I could cool down. I thought it was a good idea, but when we rode it, I forgot to
take my glasses off. At one point, they fell off and into the water. I watched helplessly as
they sank to the bottom while we kept rushing forward in our raft. I had to go through the
rest of the day practically blind. I have decided that I will never go to Magic Land again,
even if someone offered me a million dollars to do it!
Answer the following questions about “A Bad Day at Magic Land”
1. Which roller coaster did the narrator and her friends not go on?
a) Head Knocker
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b) Monster Masher
c) Tooth Rattler
d) Thunder Thrill
2. True or False: The narrator ordered many different foods.
a) True
b) False
3. The narrator and her friends rode roller coasters for ________ hours before she started
feeling sick.
a) two
b) four
c) three
d) five
4. What happened to the narrator’s glasses?
a) they broke into pieces
b) they were stolen by bullies
c) they got lost in a store
d) they fell into water
5. The narrator’s friends made her eat lunch because
a) they wanted her to have enough energy for the whole day
b) she said she was hungry
c) she forgot to eat breakfast
d) she was not going to eat dinner
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Answers to“A Bad Day at Magic Land”
1. d
2. b
3. c
4. d
5. a
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NAME______________________________ DATE___________________
THE PIANIST
My name is Mia Lynne Lindstrom. I am a pianist. I began studying the piano when I was
three years old. I am ten years old now. I play the piano in the junior orchestra at the
community college. We give a concert twice a year. I am always practicing new music for
the next concert. During the school year, I take four piano lessons every week from my
piano teacher, Mrs. Taylor. Mrs. Taylor teaches piano lessons at the college. In the
summer, I take two lessons every week. I practice playing the piano about ten hours every
week. I practice very hard because I want to learn everything about playing the piano. The
piano is a very interesting instrument to play. I like reading the notes, moving my fingers
on the keys, and hearing the beautiful music. It is sometimes difficult, but I always
practice until I can play the music perfectly. I am not sure what I want to be when I grow
up. I do know that playing the piano will always be a major part of my life. It is very
special to me.
ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.
1. Where does Mia take her piano lessons every week?
a. at her elementary school
b. at home
c. at the community college
d. none of these
2. How long has Mia been taking piano lessons?
a. five years
b. ten years
c. eight years
d. seven years
3. How many hours a week does Mia practice the piano?
a. two hours
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b. five hours
c. ten hours
d. twelve hours
4. Mia practices the piano because ______.
a. her parents require her to practice
b. Mia wants to learn everything about the piano
c. Mrs. Taylor requires her to practice
d. she wants to be a piano teacher one day
5. The music Mia practices for the orchestra concerts____.
a. is probably difficult
b. is very easy to learn
c. is not interesting to Mia
d. is boring
6. Mia feels that the piano _____________.
a. is an interesting instrument to play
b. will always be a part of her life
c. requires hours of regular practice
d. all of the above
ANSWERS TO THE PIANIST
1. c
2. d
3. c
4. b
5. a
6. d
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Comprehension and Understanding: The Travelers
Name _________________________________________ Date ____________________
The Travelers
The travelers, real travelers, came in late summer to hawk their wares. They wore exotic
wrap dresses with bright colors that caught the sun and held it. They wore fabrics of deep
red, green, orange, and other colors that blended together and became one enchanting
color of magic. The travelers were enchanted, we were sure. They were evanescent, like
the summer, arriving and departing like a gust of wind. They had large caravans with
pots, pans, tapestries, scarves, linens, cloths, perfumes, and exotic blends of meats and
spices. The children ran wild, their skin darker than ours, their bare feet toughened from
the sun and earth. Their hair was dark and scattered, and they were tough. These children
could survive on just a scrap of life, and we knew it. We played marbles with them, cross-
legged on the hot pavement. They always won. In the distance, we could hear the calls:
“A dollar, a dollar, just a dollar. Bracelets, bangles, baubles, beads. A dollar, a dollar, just
a dollar.” Sometimes we played dress-up, wrapping the scarves around our heads and
waists, wobbling down the streets in satin heels. We were women of the world, going to
market in strange cities, selecting goods for the trip home to London or Paris or even
India. The women gave us scraps of cloth and jewelry for sewing. We held the stones to
the light and caught the reflections of ourselves in ruby and emerald, the same, but
somehow changed. We always expected the travelers to come in late July, and they
always did, in rickety caravans draped with shimmering textures of other lands and lives
we would never know. “Stay away from the travelers,” the women of our town warned.
“They’re not like us.” “They’re not our kind.” “Nothing but trouble if you ask me.” The
travelers were different, but they never gave us any trouble. They stayed up late, when the
fevered earth began to cool, and they played banjos and guitars, the tunes wafting through
open windows with the smell of lilacs and red wine. We dreamed of hopping onto the
caravan one night and leaving for another world under the stars, but we saw our parents,
heard the soft chirruping of crickets in the garden, and knew we couldn’t leave. The
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travelers did leave, though. One summer the caravan never came. No rough talking little
vagabond children, no tapestries, no reds, oranges, and greens woven into magic. No
banjos or dancing or hawking: “A dollar, a dollar, just a dollar.” No transients were
allowed, they said. Instead, the streets were quiet, the pavement hot and bare. We all wore
the same skirts, dresses, and shoes. We lived in the same row houses and everyone knew
everyone in town. The sad-faced McCoy sisters went to church but liked their gin on the
sly. Old Mr. Cory was rumored to have $5,000 dollars stashed under his mattress, and in
the summer, there was nothing to talk about but the heat. Even the air stood still. We
stopped dreaming. Was it better this way? My sisters and I had to wonder.
Vocabulary from “The Travelers”
1. The narrator uses the phrase “to hawk their wares.” What does this mean? Use the
context to help you decide. Write down your answer.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. Define “exotic.”
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
What does “evanescent” mean? Look at the words following “evanescent” to help you.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. What are the “baubles” referred to in the first paragraph? Write down a guess based on
the other items listed, and then check your guess with a dictionary.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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4. In the second paragraph, the narrator uses the word “wafting.” Use context clues to
determine its meaning. Write down your guess.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
5. In the last paragraph, the author refers to “vagabond” children. What does this mean?
Draw a picture representing the meaning of the word.
Questions from “The Travelers”
First, discuss how authors sometimes directly state things. For example, the adults in
the story have definite words to say about the travelers: “They’re not like us…They’re not
our kind.”
Sometimes, authors give readers clues and expect their readers to use the clues to
infer, or figure out something. For example, the travelers are off during the summer, and
the narrator is playing marbles with the travelers, sitting cross-legged on the pavement.
This would suggest the narrator is a child, since children are usually off during the
summer and would sit on hot pavement playing marbles. Also, adults are referred to as
“the adults,” as if adults are separate.
Directions: Pick any two questions and write a thoughtful, well-reasoned paragraph
about them. We’ll pass around the paragraph you would like to share, a classmate
will read it silently, make comments or suggestions, and then we’ll all discuss our
responses.
1. The author never states how old she is or her gender. If you had to guess, how old do
you think the author was when the travelers came? How do you know?
2. Do you think the author is a child or an adult now? Please support your answer with
evidence from the story.
3. How did the author feel about the travelers? How do you know?
4. What time period do you think the author is writing about? 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s,
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17
or modern day? Even though the author never states the time period directly, what are
some clues?
5. What would you think about these kinds of travelers in your community? Are we better
off as communities to have people more like us or people of all different kinds? Please
support your answer.
6. If you had to describe the narrator, how would you describe her? For example, is she
tough and active, or is she more thoughtful? Why? What clues does the author give you?
7. How would you describe the travelers? What are the advantages of their lifestyle? The
disadvantages?
8. When the travelers come, they come in the summer and seem magical to the narrator.
When they don’t come one summer, the magic disappears. Compare this to the beginning
and ending of childhood. In what ways do you think children know more than adults?
Why might adults be more cautious?
9. The adults almost seem afraid of the travelers. Why might they be afraid?
Additional Independent Writing Assignments
1. Write about a time when a person or an experience greatly influenced your life. How
did it influence your life?
2. Write about someone you dislike and why. Are you a little bit afraid of the person?
How do you think this makes you dislike the person?
3. Do you think getting to know someone better whom you dislike might change your
opinion of that person? Why or why not?
4. Write about what has made you who you are today.
5. How do you think the narrator might have changed if she had run off with the
travelers?
Would they have accepted her? Why or why not?
6. Describe a magical time or experience in your life.
7. Write a description of an event so that the reader will feel as if he/she is really there. Be
sure to include touch, taste, sound, sight, and smell.
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8. Write about someone or something that changed you and made you different from who
you would have been. For example, do you think the travelers changed the narrator’s life?
How would her life have been different if the travelers had never come?
Follow-Up Assignments:
Choose One
1. Correspond with an on-line pen pal in another country. Ask about local customs and
traditions. How are people in your country viewed? How is this different from the way
things really are? How do you view your pen pal’s country? Write this down. Compare
your view at the beginning to your view after you have been corresponding for several
weeks.
2. Ask your grandparents or an older person what they think of young people today. Are
their views accurate? Write down what you think of older people. Visit a nursing home
or a senior center. Are your views different after you have more experience with these
people?
Vocabulary from “The Travelers”
1. to sell their goods
2. Strange, unusual, foreign
3. transitory, fleeting.
4. trinkets.
5. the aroma of something carried aloft.
6. beggars, tramps.
Questions from “The Travelers”
1. Please see above. The author sees the travelers as magical, and she plays marbles.
Usually elementary-age children play marbles. Maybe six, seven, or eight years old.
2. She’s an adult now. She’s looking back on her experiences. The narrative is written in
the past tense, and the travelers left.
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3. She had mixed feelings. She saw them as magical and refers to them as “enchanted.”
She states in the last paragraph that she’s not sure that things were better when the
travelers left. Nevertheless, she refers to the children as “wild,” “vagabond,” and “tough,”
suggesting the children intimidated her despite her awe of the travelers.
4. Early 1950s. Clues include the roving caravan, people calling out low prices for goods
in neighborhoods, open windows though it is very hot, suggesting no air-conditioning for
the whole neighborhood. People still knew everybody in the neighborhood, suggesting a
time before 1960 when people were becoming more mobile.
5. This is a question with no right or wrong answer. A thoughtful, well-reasoned response
is expected.
6. She’s observant, since she pays much attention to colors, people, smells, and what
people have to say. She’s thoughtful. She seems to be taking everything in and thinking
about it.
She’s imaginative. She imagines going away with the travelers and pretends she’s a
traveler. She’s sheltered, since she thinks of London and Paris as strange lands. She’s a
little afraid, or timid, thinking of the children as “wild” and as “vagabonds,” but she’s
curious too. She does approach the travelers.
7. The travelers are independent and live a nomadic lifestyle, going from place to place.
This is an advantage, because they are not obligated to anyone and can do as they please.
It’s a disadvantage, because they have no roots or connections with other people. They
might feel lonely. The women seem kind, giving the neighborhood children cloth and
beads for sewing.
8. The travelers’ stay is short and magical. Childhood is short and is often viewed as a
magical time of life. In the beginning, the narrator dreams of travel and of visiting
different places like Paris, London, or India. In the end, she stops dreaming and seems
almost resigned to her way of life, resigned to the idea that adulthood will hold no magic,
that it’s not a time of dreams. Perhaps the adults have given her this belief by not
tolerating the different, or the magical. It is implied that the travelers were driven out of
town. In some ways, children know more than adults in that they see people as people.
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They are more accepting. Adults might be more cautious, because they know more about
the world and about bad things that can happen. They are trying to protect their children,
but in protecting them, they sometimes suppress the magical.
9. The travelers are different. They’re loud; they don’t stay in one place, they’re not
known, and they don’t fit into the community. The adults might be afraid because of their
lack of experience with other ways of life.
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Reading Comprehension- History – Alexander the Great
Name ____________________________________________ Date
_______________________
PERSIAN WARRIORS DEFEATED
Questions to ask before reading the story:
• What is a counter offensive move? How is it different from a defensive move?
• What is the meaning of the statement “The surest defense is a strong offense”?
• What does it mean to “snatch victory from the jaws of defeat”?
Alexander the Great stood with his army on the western shore of the Tigris River. He and
his men had marched north from Tyre, crossing acres and acres of blackened land. Darius
III had had his “Immortals” burn to the ground the long wheat grass that had been
growing there. He had hoped to slow the advance of Alexander and his mighty fighting
force. Darius’ strategy had done little to delay the progress of the Greek forces. They
prepared now to ford the Tigris, and to continue onward toward the village of Mosul.
They knew that Darius III and the Persian warriors were camped nearby on the plain of
Gaugamela. They remained unaware of Darius’ newest tactic. When Alexander and his
men reached the plain of Gaugamela, they found that the ground had been made level.
The Persian chariots stood in formation, ready to attack across that flat surface. Darius
expected his scythed chariots to propel themselves forcefully into the Greek forces, with
their curved blades ripping at the flesh of both horses and men. The chariots began their
rapid drive toward the army of Alexander the Great. The Greek general, having made a
quick assessment of the situation, ordered the ranks of the Greek fighters to split apart.
This maneuver left the Persians moving forward, without having anyone to mow down.
Because they traveled at great speed, the Persians could not get turned around. Caught
between enemy lines, many Persian chariot drivers fell victim to the spears and arrows of
their Greek opponents. Still, Darius was not ready to surrender. He spotted places where
his men could outflank the Greeks, sneaking around behind the enemy ranks. Some
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enemy units met the fate that Darius had intended, that of being run over by the Persian
chariots. None of this, however, seemed to faze Alexander the Great. The Greek general
ordered the Companions, the cavalry, to form a wedge. The point of the wedge charged
directly at Darius. The Persian King fled, leading to a collapse of whatever resistance he
had managed to muster. Alexander the Great again emerged as the victor. Alexander’s
first impulse was to direct his men on a chase after the fleeing Darius. He chose, instead,
to go south to Babylon, where he allowed his men to have one month of rest. From there
Alexander headed his army east, toward the treasures that lay in central Persia.
************************************************************************
******
assessment-act of estimating the worth
or quality or likelihood of something
faze- to disconcert, to fluster
ford- to cross a body of water by
wading, riding or driving through
formation-a particular arrangement or
order
impulse-a sudden inclination to act,
without thought for consequences
muster-to cause to assemble; to
summon
ranks-lines of people or things
Review Questions
1. Where did Alexander the Great and Darius III have their second meeting?
____________
________________________________________________________________________
2. What pointed object did the flanks of the Greek Companions resemble when they
charged at the Persians? ____________________________________________________
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________________________________________________________________________
3. Who won the battle on the plain of Gaugamela?
_________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
4. Darius III hoped to beat Alexander by using scythed
_____________________________.
5. After defeating Darius III, Alexander the Great took his men to Babylon, where they
rested for their journey to central ____________________________________________.
6. In order to have their second meeting with Darius III, Alexander and his men crossed
the _________River.
7. Did Darius give up when he found his chariots surrounded?
_______________________
________________________________________________________________________
8. What do you think? Was Alexander a better general than Darius? Why or why not? ___
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Multiple Choice:
1. Alexander the Great marched northeast from Tyre, taking his men to:
a. the Euphrates River
b. the Tigris River
c. central Persia
d. a charred plain
2. Which of the following tactics did Darius III not use?
a. burning wheat grass above Tyre
b. having scythed chariots
c. outflanking the Greeks on the
Gaugamela plain
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d. none of the above
3. Which of the following helped to insure the victory of Alexander the Great?
a. having scythed chariots
b. having the Greek warriors part ranks
c. formation of a wedge
d. b and c
Matching
Tigris River site of second meeting between Alexander and Darius
Plain of Gaugamela where Alexander the Great headed after he had defeated Darius III
Central Persia crossed by Alexander and his men
PERSEPOLIS GOES UP IN FLAMES
Questions to ask before reading the story:
• Have you ever been to an art museum? Did it have any statues or stone engravings?
• Do you know anyone who has lost property or possessions due to a fire?
• If someone does something that harms you, should you seek revenge?
Alexander the Great had placed himself before the relief at Persepolis, the richest city in
all Persia. He had just come through rooms in which beautiful tapestries covered the
walls. Earlier he had seen, in one of the several palatial residences, caskets made from
Lebanon cedar, their wooden sides engraved, and decorated with gold and silver. He had
admired the high ceilings, supported by fluted columns that held aloft carvings of bulls
and griffins. Now he carefully studied the figures that had been chiselled into the outer
stone walls. The dress on some of the figures represented the attire in lands that
Alexander had already claimed for himself. The costumes on yet other carved figures
represented people in lands that were still part of the vast Persian Empire. These were
lands that Alexander planned to conquer. The people shown taking tributes to the Persian
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King were people whom Alexander intended to subjugate. Alexander the Great was eager
to move on to these distant lands, but his colleagues, who had downed large amounts of
wine, stumbled around in a drunken stupor. Their inebriated minds stirred up within them
a desire for revenge. They wanted to make the Persians pay for the damage a former
Persian king, Xerxes, had done after invading Athens, more than 150 years earlier.
Goaded by these drunken men and beguiled by members of his harem, Alexander the
Great ordered the burning of Persepolis. Men and women, holding aloft flaming torches,
raced up and down the terraces of Persepolis. Flames ignited the wooden beams of the
palaces once built by Xerxes. Looters fought off the heat of the inferno in order to drag
out gold vessels, and to tear silver rings from heavy draperies. When the fires had died
out, all that remained were the tall stone columns and the exquisite stone carvings on the
outer walls. Alexander the Great had left, for discovery by future visitors, the Persian
soldiers who were untouched by the leaping flames. These “Immortals” still march today
in precise formation across the chiselled stone remains of Persepolis.
************************************************************************
beguiled-tricked
chiseled-cut and shaped into wood or stone
exquisite-having special beauty
fluted-having ornamental grooves
goaded-stimulated to activity
griffin- a mythological creature with the head of an eagle and wings on a lion’s body.
inferno- a place resembling hell; somewhere intensely hot, a raging fire
relief-a method of carving or molding in which the design projects from the surface.
Review Questions
1. What Persian city did Alexander the Great set afire?
_____________________________
2. What Persian king had set Athens afire?
_______________________________________
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3. Why did Alexander the Great put a torch to Persepolis?
___________________________
________________________________________________________________________
4. The Persians brought cedar from _____________________ to Persepolis.
5. The Persians decorated the tall columns of Persepolis with bulls and
________________.
6. The burning of Persepolis was intended as revenge for the burning of ____________.
7. Is the griffin a creature from Greek mythology? ________
8. What do you think? Are the ruins of Persepolis something you would like to see? ____
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Multiple Choice:
1. Which of the following did Alexander the Great not find at Persepolis?
a) tapestries hanging on walls c) relief showing Persians on march
b) fluted columns d) none of the above
2. Which of the following did Alexander’s men take from Persepolis?
a) gold vessels c) a and b
b) silver rings d) none of the above
3. Alexander the Great set fire to Persepolis because Xerxes put a torch to:
a) Athens c) Rome
b) Alexandria d) Tyre
Matching
1. Persepolis
torched by Xerxes
torched by Alexander the Great
2. Athens
in central Persia
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in Greece
Answers to review questions for “Persian Warriors…”
1. on the plain of Gaugamela
2. a wedge
3. Alexander the Great
4. Chariots
5. Persia
6. Tigris
7. No
8. Answers will vary
Multiple choice:
1. b
2. d
3. d
Matching
Aexander crossed the Tigris.
Alexander met Darius III on the plain of Gaugamela.
After winning the battle with Darius, Alexander went to central Persia.
Answers to questions for “Persepolis…”
1. Persepolis
2. Xerxes
3. His colleagues wanted to get revenge.
4. Lebanon
5. Griffins
6. Athens
7. no
8. answers will vary
Multiple choices:
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1) d
2) c
3) a
Matching:
Persepolis was in central Persia. It was set afire by Alexander the Great.
Athens was in Greece. It was set afire by Xerxes.
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EASTER
Easter is a Christian holiday. It celebrates the Resurrection, or return to life, of Jesus
Christ. Easter is celebrated on the Sunday after the fourth full moon following Christmas,
which is also the first full moon after the vernal equinox. Easter is the end of a season in
the church called Lent. Lent is the season after Carnival. During Lent, it is a tradition to
give up eating meat and other animal fats. The word carnival comes from this tradition
(carne = meat). Mardi Gras means “Fat Tuesday” and is the last day of Carnival. The
Lenten season begins with Ash Wednesday. On Ash Wednesday, many Christians
(especially Catholics) go to church. The priest rubs ashes on their foreheads in the shape
of a cross. Lent is a time to be penitent, or sorry for bad things in the past. This penitence
starts on Ash Wednesday, and the ashes are a sign of it. Although not many people today
give up all meat and animal products, people do often try to give up a vice, or bad habit,
for Lent. They might try to be kinder to strangers, or stop biting their nails. Lent lasts
forty days (the Sundays of Lent are not counted). The Sunday before Easter is Palm
Sunday. According to the Gospels, the books of the Bible that tell the story of Christ and
his teaching, Jesus Christ went to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Many people were very
happy to see him and laid palm fronds at his feet. Jesus Christ had told people that he was
the son of God, but some of them didn’t believe him, and some even felt that his ideas
were dangerous. Thus, while many people were happy to see his arrival in Jerusalem,
others were not pleased and wanted him arrested. The Thursday after Palm Sunday (Holy
Thursday), Jesus and his disciples, or followers, ate supper together. This is called the
Last Supper. Jesus declared that one of his disciples would betray him. His disciple
Judas told the King’s soldiers where to find Jesus Christ, and he was put into jail. Pontius
Pilate, who was the King’s official, arrested Christ. Christ was teased and beaten. He was
crucified, or killed on a cross, the next day, on a hill called Calvary (the hill is also called
Golgotha). The day of the crucifixion is now observed as Good Friday. After Jesus
Christ died, his followers were very sad about his death, and some of them went to the
place where he had been buried to mourn him. When they got there, he was not in the
tomb. According to the Gospels, Christ had risen from the dead three days after he was
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buried. He then ascended, or rose, into heaven, to be with God, his father. Christians
believe that Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world through his crucifixion, and that his
resurrection proves that he was the son of God. This resurrection is celebrated on Easter.
PUT IN ORDER, ACCORDING TO THE ARTICLE
Ash Wednesday _______
Christmas _______
Easter Sunday _______
Good Friday _______
Last Supper _______
Lent _______
Mardi Gras _______
Palm Sunday _______
MARK THE STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE ACCORDING TO THE
ARTICLE. IF THE STATEMENT IS FALSE, WRITE THE CORRECTION
UNDER THE STATEMENT.
1. Easter is a Christian holiday.
_______________________________________________________________
2. Easter primarily celebrates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ.
_______________________________________________________________
3. The Lenten season is one of celebration, with dances and parades.
_______________________________________________________________
4. It’s called Palm Sunday because the people climbed palm trees.
_______________________________________________________________
5. Jesus Christ was killed by being put on a cross.
_______________________________________________________________
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COMPLETE THE SENTENCES USING VOCABULARY WORDS FROM
THE TEXT
1. My only ________________ is talking on the phone too long.
2. The criminal was truly ________________ for what he had done.
3. Gandhi taught nonviolent resistance. Martin Luther King, Jr. believed his ideas, and
was one of his many ________________
4. People all over the world ________________ the deaths of the earthquake victims.
5. I asked you to keep a secret, but you didn’t. You ________________ me.
6. His proposal was rejected, but after some time, he decided to try again. He made some
changes, and the ________________ version of his proposal was accepted.
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ANSWERS:
ORDER:
1. Christmas
2. Mardi Gras
3. Ash Wednesday
4. Lent
5. Palm Sunday
6. Last Supper
7. Good Friday
8. Easter Sunday
TRUE/ FALSE:
1. True
2. False: Easter primarily celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
3. False: The Lenten season is one of penitence.
4. False: It’s called Palm Sunday because the people laid palm fronds at his feet.
5. True
VOCABULARY:
1. vice
2. penitent
3. disciples
4. mourned
5. betrayed
6. resurrected
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MOTHER’S DAY
A special day for the celebration of mothers can be traced to the times of ancient Greece
when tribute was paid to Rhea, the mother of many of the Greek gods.
Early Christians also paid tribute to Mary, the mother of God, during Lent. This tribute
evolved into “Mothering Sunday” in England. “Mothering Sunday” is a celebration of all
mothers, and is observed on the fourth Sunday of Lent. In 1872, in America, Julia Ward
Howe, the author of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic", suggested the idea of Mother's
Day. However, Anna Jarvis is credited with creating Mother's Day in 1905. Anna Jarvis
campaigned for Mother’s Day as a tribute to her mother, who had tried to establish
Mother's Friendship Day to help heal the scars of the Civil War in America. In 1910,
West Virginia became the first state to adopt a formal holiday to recognize mothers. A
year later, nearly every state officially marked the day of celebration. In 1914, President
Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Mother's Day as a national holiday, to be held on the
second Sunday of May. Today, Mother's Day is celebrated in many countries throughout
the world, although the celebrations do not fall on the same day in every country.
Mother’s Day is celebrated in various ways, depending on the country, the family, and the
mother. Many families honour mothers by dining out, giving flowers, sending cards,
giving gifts, and visits. Additionally, Mother’s Day is reported to be one of the busiest
days of the year for telephone calls. Mother's Day should be every day. Mothers nurture
us, teach us, protect us, and make us feel special. Mothers are the people in our lives who
are most responsible for the way we grow and mature.
Answer each of the following questions about Mother’s Day:
1. Who was the mother of the many gods in ancient Greece?
a. Anna
b. Julia Ward Howe
c. Virginia
d. Rhea
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2. When is Mother’s Day celebrated in the United States?
a. 5th Sunday in March
b. third Sunday in June
c. first of July
d. second Sunday in May
3. Who is responsible for making Mother’s Day a national U.S. holiday?
a. President Lincoln
b. Anna Jarvis
c. Julia Ward Howe
d. President Wilson
4. Which of the following is NOT true?
a. Mother’s Day is celebrated on the same day all over the world.
b. Mothers play a special part in our lives.
c. England celebrates Mothering Sunday
5. What is the purpose of this writing?
a. to entertain
b. to persuade
c. to inform
d. none of these
6. Anna Jarvis lived in ________.
a. England
b. Philadelphia
c. Greece
d. Florida
7. Mothers are honoured by their families on Mother’s Day by ___.
a. dining out
b. cards
c. flowers
d. all of these
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Reading Comprehension/Animals
Name: __________________________________ Date: ______________________
Poisonous Spiders!
Over 35,000 different species of spiders live almost everywhere in the world. The only
places you can’t find spiders are on the tops of mountains, in the ocean and at the poles.
Spiders are carnivorous. That means that they eat only meat. They eat insects and
sometimes other spiders. Some spiders eat other animals such as small fish, lizards, frogs,
baby birds and mice. Most spiders use poison to kill or paralyze their prey. All spiders
have poison, and to a small insect all spiders are very dangerous, but only a few spiders
have poison strong enough to hurt people. Spiders that bite and cause pain to humans are
called medically significant spiders. This means that they have enough venom (poison) to
cause a serious bite that will need to be looked at by a doctor. Some of the poisonous
spiders found in North America include the black widow, the brown recluse, the hobo
spider, and the yellow sac spider. There are about 6 different species of black widow
spiders. Three of these species are found in the warm southern United States. Black
widow spiders build webs, and they live wherever they can build one. They rarely live in
houses and other buildings, but if the weather gets very cold, they can move inside. Black
widow spiders eat insects, and stay in their webs to catch them. Only the female black
widow spider is dangerous. She is considered to be the most venomous spider in the
United States! Females are shiny black, with a red hourglass shaped mark on the bottom
of their abdomens. Although they are dangerous, black widow spiders are not usually
deadly because they only inject a very small amount of poison. The brown recluse spider
(often called a violin spider because of the marking on its back) lives mainly in the
Midwestern United States. The brown recluse spider also spins webs, and can be found in
dark, undisturbed areas. Unlike the black widow, the brown recluse leaves its web at night
and goes in search of insects to eat. Both the male and female brown recluse spiders are
poisonous. The brown recluse spider is also not usually deadly. In fact, fatal bites almost
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never occur. However, the bite of a brown recluse spider is very painful and takes a long
time to heal because the poison damages the cells near the bite. The hobo spider is not
native to the United States. It was originally introduced from Europe, and now lives in the
northwestern United States and into southern British Columbia in Canada. Like the black
widow and the brown recluse spiders, the hobo spider also builds webs, but its webs are
funnel webs and almost never above the ground. Female hobo spiders never leave their
webs, and so the male spiders must search for them. Because of this, most bites from
hobo spiders come from males. Hobo spider bites aren’t deadly, but they are painful.
The yellow sac spider is commonly found in homes and gardens throughout the United
States. The sac spider also makes a type of web; it makes a sac out of silk. The spider sits
in this sac when it is not out hunting. Sac spider bites are the least medically significant.
This means that out of the black widow, brown recluse, hobo spider and sac spider, the
sac spider’s bite causes the least amount of damage. Although these four spiders are
poisonous to people, they don’t attack humans. Spiders are more scared of people that we
are of them! Spiders only bite if they are trapped close to the skin, or cannot escape. If
you do get bitten by a spider, clean the bite and then go to see a doctor.
Answer the following questions about poisonous spiders.
1. Are all spiders poisonous?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
2. What does ‘medically significant’ mean?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
3. What are four medically significant spiders that live in the United States?
a) _________________________________
b) _________________________________
c) _________________________________
d) _________________________________
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4. Which one of the four spiders is not native to North America? Where does it originally
come from?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
5. Which of the poisonous spiders are you most likely to see? Why?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
6. Are bites from the black widow spider fatal (deadly)?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
7. When are you most likely to get bitten by the brown recluse spider? (When is the
brown recluse spider active?)
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
8. Which spider is the most poisonous spider in the United States? Which of the medically
significant spiders is the least poisonous?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
9. Why do spiders bite people?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
10. If you get bitten by a spider, what should you do?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
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Answers to poisonous spiders.
1. All spiders have poison, but not all spiders are dangerous to humans.
2. Medically significant means that if a spider bites a person it will result in a serious bite
that will need to be looked at by a doctor.
3. a) Black widow spider
b) Brown recluse spider
c) Hobo spider
d) Yellow sac spider
4. The hobo spider is not native to the United States. It originally came from Europe.
5. You are most likely to see the yellow sac spider as it is common in homes and gardens
throughout the United States.
6. Bites from the black widow spider are rarely fatal because she injects only a little bit of
poison.
7. You are most likely to get bitten by the brown recluse spider at night when it is out
hunting.
8. The black widow spider is the most poisonous spider and the yellow sac spider is the
least poisonous of the medically significant spiders.
9. Spiders bite people if they are trapped next to a person’s skin, or cannot escape.
10. If you are bitten by a spider you should clean the bite and then go to see a doctor.
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Reading Comprehension- History: Sutter’s Mill
GOLD FOUND IN CALIFORNIA
Questions to ask before reading the story:
1) If you won the California lottery, what would you do with the winnings?
2) How well can you keep a secret?
3) If you found a gold-colored rock, how would you test it to see if it is gold?
Every morning, James Marshall, who lived and built saw mills in the Mexican territory
known as California, walked along the millrace and studied the wheel of the sawmill he
had constructed. He wanted to be able to tell the mill’s owner, John Sutter, when the
water in the race was deep and swift enough to turn the mill’s wheel. On the morning of
January 24, 1848, Marshall noticed something unusual in one of the deep pools along the
bank. Under the clear water lay a yellow lump: a gold-colored, chewed-up piece of rock,
sitting on top of a smooth and flat rock. He reached into the cold water and snatched up
the strange rock. Then he stood by the bank, pondering what his next step should be.
Was it really gold? James Marshall knew several tests for gold, but only one such test
could be conducted there by the riverbank. Marshall decided to perform this one simple
test. He laid the stone on a smooth rock, and then he picked up another rock that he felt
would make a good hammer. He hammered at the gold-colored lump. He noticed that it
did not break, but careful inspection showed that it had changed shape. He put the lump in
his pocket and took it to the mill. There the mill crew conducted another test. They placed
the lump on an anvil and beat it with a hammer. When the lump flattened but did not
become fragmented, the mill crew knew that the lump was not iron pyrite, also known as
fools’ gold. Three more tests were used in order to ascertain the exact composition of that
gold lump. The mill cook threw it into a kettle of lye, where it was boiled for a day. The
prolonged boiling did not change the lump’s color: it remained the color of gold. John
Sutter, the mill’s owner, was shown the lump on January 28, 1848, five days before his
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land became part of the United States. He performed two different tests on the gold
colored lump. After the first test, John Sutter observed that nitric acid did not damage the
lump’s appearance. Then he placed the lump on a scale. Its weight showed that it was
much denser than silver. John Sutter and James Marshall were then sure that they had in
their possession a gold nugget. They decided to keep the find a secret, and they told the
mill crew to keep quiet about the news. However, one mill hand wrote to his friends about
his own efforts at gold mining. A storeowner overheard another mill hand bragging about
a piece of gold he kept in a small buckskin bag. When a deliveryman got a look at a
handful of gold dust, shown to him by a small boy at the mill, the arrival of a California
Gold Rush was almost unavoidable. Its occurrence was made a certainty with the
publication of a San Francisco news headline reading “GOLD MINE FOUND.” Over
ninety percent of the people in San Francisco took off in the direction of Sutter’s Mill.
************************************************************************
ascertain-to find out or learn for a certainty
buckskin-made from the skin of a buck ( a male deer)
certainty-something that is fixed or settled
composition-manner of being composed, as to style or elements
denser- having its parts more massed or more crowded together; more compact
fragmented- broke into small detached fragments
millrace-the canal in which water goes to a mill wheel
pondering-weighing in the mind; deliberating
possession-act or state of being the owner or holder
Review questions
1. Where was Sutter’s Mill located?
____________________________________________
2. In what year was gold first found in the territories west of the United States?
__________
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3. In what city was the discovery of gold first made public?
_________________________
4. What is one test for gold that requires little extra equipment?
______________________
5. The first gold nugget found in California was lying in a
__________________________.
6. John Sutter tested the nugget with nitric _______________ and with a
______________.
7. A news headline in _________ ___________________ announced the discovery of
gold.
8. News of the discovery had leaked from comments made by the work crew at Sutter’s
________.
9. Gold is more dense than __________________.
10. What do you think? What changes took place in California after the discovery of gold
leaked out?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Multiple Choice:
1. Which of the following is a test for gold?
a) weigh object on a scale c)drop nitric acid on it
b) hit it with a hammer d) all of the above
2. Which of the following would not break apart if hit hard with a hammer?
a) Iron pyrite c) gold
b) glass d) fools’ gold
3. Which of the following did not help spread word of the discovery of gold?
a) letter to a friend c) secrets shared with a deliveryman
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b) bragging in a store d) none of the above
ANSWERS
1. California
2. 1848
3. San Francisco
4. hammering it
5. pool
6. acid, scale
7. San Francisco
8. Mill
9. silver
10. answers will vary
1. d
2. c
3. d
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Reading Comprehension- History- Science
Name _______________________________ Date _____________________
LEAP YEAR
As February 29, 2008 approaches, some people may notice something unusual about the
date. Last year, there was no February 29th. In fact, there has not been a February 29th
since 2004. Why does February 29th occur only once in four years? To understand this
confusing arrangement, it is necessary to understand the calendar that is currently used in
the United States. Nearly all modern societies use some kind of calendar to decide on the
dates and times of everything, from religious holidays to business meetings. The kind of
calendar used determines what makes up a week, a month, or a year. Some societies use
lunar calendars, which are based on the revolution of the moon around Earth, and others
use solar calendars, which are based on the revolution of Earth around the sun. The
United States, like much of the rest of the world, uses a solar calendar. The solar calendar
used by most of the world today is known as the Gregorian calendar. Named after Pope
Gregory XIII, who introduced it in 1582, this modern calendar is the end result of
hundreds of years of fine-tuning. It was developed from the Julian calendar, which was
created in 46 BC by Julius Caesar. The Julian calendar was also a solar calendar, based on
the time it takes for Earth to travel one complete loop around the sun. In Julius Caesar’s
time, although astronomers believed that the sun revolved around Earth, they still
managed to make fairly accurate measurements of the length of a complete cycle. A solar
year, they calculated, was about 365.25 days long. Julius Caesar, deciding that it would be
difficult to add ¼ of a day onto each year, ordered one extra day to be added every four
years to the month of February, creating what would be called “leap” years. This calendar
was used by the western world for over a thousand years. Unfortunately, there was a
problem with the Julian calendar. When Julius Caesar ordered a leap year every four
years, he was putting in too many extra days. A solar year is not 365.25 days long, but in
fact 365.24219 days. The difference between the actual length of the solar year and the
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44
approximated value is very small, but over several hundred years it began to add up. By
the 1500s, spring holidays were starting to happen in the summer. In 1582, Pope Gregory
XIII came up with an idea of how to fix the problem. He realized that there were too
many leap years in the Julian calendar, so he reorganized it into a more complicated
system. In the new calendar, there is still a leap year almost every four years, but there is
also a new rule. If the year ends in 00, it is only a leap year if the year’s number can be
divided by 400. For this reason, 1800 and 1900 were not leap years, but 2000 was. The
new calendar was so accurate that over the next several hundred years, it was adopted by
almost every country in the world. Over 400 years after its introduction, the Gregorian
calendar is currently in use world-wide.
Reading Comprehension- History- Science
ANSWER THE QUESTIONS ABOUT LEAP YEAR
1. Which is the name of the calendar currently used in the United States?
a. the Gregorian calendar
b. the Julian calendar
c. the Lunar calendar
d. the Pope’s calendar
2. How many days are there in a solar year?
a. 365
b. 365.25
c. 366
d. 365.24219
3. When were leap years first used?
a. 46 BC
b. 1592
c. 1700
d. 1582
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4. Which best describes the kind of calendar used today in the United States?
a. a solar calendar, based on the revolution of the moon around Earth
b. a lunar calendar, based on the revolution of the moon around Earth
c. a solar calendar, based on the revolution of Earth around the sun
d. a lunar calendar, based on the revolution of the moon around the
sun
5. By our modern calendar, which of the following years WILL be a leap year?
a. 2100
b. 2500
c. 2200
d. 2800
6. Which of the following best describes the reason for creating leap years?
a. The Earth revolves around the sun.
b. The solar year does not divide into an even number of days, and it would be difficult to
add ¼ of a day onto each year.
c. Astronomers calculated the approximate length of a solar year.
d. Pope Gregory XIII saw the problem with the Julian calendar.
7. Which statement best describes the problem with the Julian calendar?
a. Pope Gregory XIII did not like the Julian calendar.
b. The actual solar year was slightly shorter than the year calculated for the Julian
calendar, so there were too many leap years.
c. The actual solar year was slightly longer than the year calculated for the Julian
calendar, so there were not enough leap years.
d. The Julian calendar did not have leap years.
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ANSWERS TO LEAP YEAR
1. a
2. d
3. a
4. c
5. d
6. b
7. b
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Newspapers
Name __________________________________________
Date_________________________
What Is a Newspaper?
A newspaper is a publication that is issued daily or weekly and includes local and
international news stories, advertisements, announcements, opinions, cartoons, sports
news and television listings. It is an important method of letting the public know
everything that is happening in their local area and around the world. Even with the
advancements in computer technology, newspapers continue to be an important aspect of
everyday life. It is important to know the sections of the newspaper and what information
each one contains. The front page has the most important stories of the day. Each story
has its own "headline" and a "by-line" giving the name of the reporter who wrote the
story. Every newspaper story has to answer the following questions:
5Ws Who? - who is the story about?
What? - what is the story about?
Where? - where does the story take place?
When? - when does the story take place?
Why? - why is this happening? (This is not always possible to answer)
H How? - how this story happened.
Although every news story cannot fit into a formula, there is a certain structure that is
fairly common of all news stories.
1. The first paragraph gives the answers to the most important of the 5 W's and H. The
second paragraph tells the rest of the 5 Ws if they were not included in the lead.
2. The rest of the paragraphs elaborates on the information given in the opening and gives
more information and details.
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3. Background information is included if it is giving new information to a story that had
been printed previously in the newspaper. Sometimes it gives information which is
necessary to understand the story.
4. A quotation or a statement about the news story is often included in order to explain the
importance of the story.
5. Details are provided about the story and are organized into paragraphs. Each paragraph
provides one aspect of the story and the details are arranged in order of importance.
Answer each of the following questions:
1. Why are newspapers still important to people?
__________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. What sections are included in a newspaper?
____________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. What are the main questions a news story must answer?
__________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Read the following news story and answer the questions.
Nowhere to Go but Up
By Walt Walton
The Paper
Waters men's basketball coach Audrey Hatfield will have a good idea of what she is up
against this season after the first two road games that kick off the Tens' 2008-09 schedule
this weekend in Mars, Atlantis. Hatfield faces the daunting task of turning around a team
that has finished in last place for the past four seasons. Its best player is still struggling to
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make a comeback from knee surgery. The Tens take on the Venus Nines today in Mars
before heading to Jupiter to play the Rings on Sunday. The Nines began the season by
defeating the Moons 80 -68 last weekend. Although it is still early in the season, Hatfield
says the games are important because they are against two winning teams. "These games
will give us a good idea as to where we stand," said Hatfield. Playing two different teams
back-to-back also means a little more work for the coaches and players in regards to
preparation. "It's obviously tougher because you've got two sets of videotapes to watch
and two different teams to prepare for. You want to know what they do on offence and
you want the players to know. You want to be able to run what you expect to see from
them. The Nines, for example, play a complete half-court, man-to-man. The Rings are
going to press us, run some zone against us and some man," explained Hatfield.
As far as star forward Matty Molloy is concerned. Hatfield said the Mars native and
former scoring champ is going on the road, but he's not sure how many minutes he'll get.
"Right now, he's working on making the starting lineup," said Hatfield.
1. Who is this story about?
____________________________________________________
2. What is the story about?
____________________________________________________
3. Where does this story take place? ___________________________________________
4. When does this story take place?
_____________________________________________
5. Why is this story taking place? _____________________________________________
6. How did this story come about?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
7. What section of the newspaper would this story be found in?
______________________
8. Who do you think would be interested in reading this story? Why?
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________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
9. What background knowledge would the reader need to understand this story?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
The classified section of a newspaper is where ads are placed. People who want to apply
for a job, buy a house, or make any other similar transaction are very interested in this
section. Anyone who has articles to sell or a position they wish to advertise can purchase
space in this section. The cost of placing an ad in the newspaper is usually determined by
the number of words in the ad. Big companies can purchase whole pages or part of a page
for a price. This is one of the ways newspapers make money. Read the following ad and
explain what is being sold.
Fashionable Fabrics
555 -1555
Hairpin Drive, Mountainview
We are pleased to offer the best selection competitive pricing and a friendly and
knowledgeable staff. Offering great deals on quilting cottons, Christmas prints,
bridal fabrics, drapery upholstery, polar fleece, and cross stitch supplies. Check out
our weekly “in store” specials We ship anywhere by ground mail.
1. What is being sold?
_______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. Is there any information not included in this ad that you think should be there? What is
it?
________________________________________________________________________
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51
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. Suppose the cost of advertising in the newspaper was: $10.00 for the first 10 words and
9¢ a word for every word after, how much would it have cost to place this ad in the
newspaper? ______________________________________________________________
4. Write a newspaper ad in which you would like to sell: 10 novels at $2.00 each.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
5. At the rate given in #2, how much would it cost you to place your ad in the newspaper?
_____________________________________________________________
The following is an advertisement for a job placed in the newspaper. Read the ad and
answer the questions which follow:
Crane Supply
Warehouse Counter Sales Clerk
Applications are being accepted for the position of WAREHOUSE COUNTER SALES
CLERK with a national company specializing in the distribution of plumbing, heating,
and industrial products. The position is based in Hawaii and offers the successful
candidate a career environment with an established growth oriented company.
Applications are encouraged from high school and community college graduates with a
mechanical aptitude and/or tradespeople with 1-2 years experience in plumbing, heating,
or industrial work. A full benefits program is available. Only selected candidates will be
contacted.
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52
Submit resume in confidence to:
Box 100
c/o The Paper
200 Mountain Road
Wiltshire, CT.
00700
1. What position is being advertised?
________________________________________________________________________
2. What kind of work would be expected in this position?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. What qualifications would one need to apply for this position?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
4. Would you like to apply for this job? Why or why not?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
5. Why do you think the ad states "only candidates selected will be contacted"?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
6. Why do you think the address of the company is not given?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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53
7. Is there any information you feel is missing from this ad? What is it?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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54
Answers:
What Is a Newspaper?
1. They can get the local and international news as well as sports and TV listings without
having to connect to the Internet or watch commercials.
2. The newspaper includes local and international news, advertisements, announcements,
opinions, cartoons, sports news and television listings.
3. The main questions are Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How?
Nowhere to Go but Up
1. This story is about the Tens team, their coach and star player.
2. The story is about how the team has two tough games coming up.
3. This story takes place in a school gymnasium.
4. The story takes place this weekend.
5. The reporter wants the people to know that the team has a new coach and what she
plans to do.
6. The coach hopes to get the team to win more games.
7. It is from the sports section.
8. People who like basketball and those who are fans of the team would be interested.
9. People would have to know about the losses of the team, that the old coach was no
longer there and that the star player had knee surgery.
Ads
1. This ad is selling material which can be used to make quilts, clothes or any other crafts.
2. It doesn't give any idea of how much the material costs or any examples of their “in
store” specials.
3. $10.00 for the first 10 words and 9 cents a word for 33 words =$10.00 + 2.97 = $ 12.97
4. & 5. will vary
Crane Supply
1. The position being advertised is for a warehouse counter sales clerk.
2. The person would have to serve customers who come to the warehouse to pick up
supplies.
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3. The person has to have graduated from high school or community college. He/She also
has to know the different parts required for plumbing a heating repairs and installation.
4. Answers will vary.
5. This is to let people know that if they don't hear from the company they haven't been
selected.
6. This is to prevent people interested in the position from dropping by or phoning the
company to know if they have been selected.
7. The salary is not given nor a time frame for the selection process.
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