Masteri ng the Standards

CHAPTER 1
Plot
You gain strength, courage, and confdence by every experience in
which you really stop to look fear in the face. Eleanor Roosevelt
What Do You Think? How might confronting a difcult
situation help you become a stronger
person?
Literary Skills Focus What Is Plot? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Reading Skills Focus How Do I Explain Past, Present,
and Future Actions? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Mona Gardner Reading Model Te Dinner Party . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SHORT STORY 8
Literary Selections
Rudyard Kipling Rikki-tikki-tavi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SHORT STORY 12
George G. Toudouze Tree Skeleton Key. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SHORT STORY 32
Rene Saldaa, Jr. Te Dive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SHORT STORY 50
Rod Serling Te Monsters Are Due on Maple Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TELEPLAY 64
Comparing Texts
Plot in Science Fiction Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Edward D. Hoch Zoo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SHORT STORY 91
Shinichi Hoshi Hey, Come On Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SHORT STORY 97

California Standards
Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development
1.3 Clarify word meanings through the use of defnition, example, restatement, or contrast.
Reading Comprehension (Focus on Informational Materials)
Gr 6 rev 2.4 Clarify an understanding of texts by creating outlines, logical notes, summaries, or reports.
Literary Response and Analysis
3.2 Identify events that advance the plot and determine how each event explains past or present action(s) or
foreshadows future action(s).
Writing Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics)
2.5 Write summaries of reading materials:
a. Include the main ideas and most signifcant details.
b. Use the students own words, except for quotations.
c. Refect underlying meaning, not just the superfcial details.
A4 Contents
The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street act 2.............TELEPLAY
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Informational Text Focus
Note Taking, Outlining, and Summarizing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
World Almanac Empress Teodora . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAGAZINE ARTICLE 105
World Almanac Te Hippodrome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAGAZINE ARTICLE 110
Writing Workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SUMMARY 114
Preparing for Timed Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Listening and Speaking Workshop. . . . . PRESENTING A SUMMARY 124
Standards Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Literary Skills Review
Laura Ingalls Wilder from On the Banks of Plum Creek . . . . . . . . SHORT STORY 126
Informational Skills Review
Joan Burditt Mirror, Mirror on the Wall,
Do I See Myself As Others Do? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ARTICLE 128
Vocabulary Skills Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Writing Skills Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Read On: For Independent Reading. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Contents A5
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Masteri ng the Standards
CHAPTER 2
Character
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who matter
dont mind and those who mind dont matter.
Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel)
What Do You Think? How do other people help you discover
something within yourself?
Literary Skills Focus What Is Characterization? . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Reading Skills Focus How Do I Analyze
Characterization?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Gary Paulsen Reading Model Girls from How Angel Peterson
Got His Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SHORT STORY 140
Literary Selections
Gary Soto Seventh Grade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SHORT STORY 146
D. H. Figueredo Tat October . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SHORT STORY 158
Toni Cade Bambara Te War of the Wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SHORT STORY 170

California Standards
Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development
1.2 Use knowledge of Greek, Latin, and Anglo-Saxon roots and afxes to understand content-area vocabulary.
Reading Comprehension (Focus on Informational Materials)
2.1 Understand and analyze the diferences in structure and purpose between various categories of
informational materials (e.g., textbooks, newspapers, instructional manuals, signs).
Literary Response and Analysis
3.3 Analyze characterization as delineated through a characters thoughts, words, speech patterns, and actions;
the narrators description; and the thoughts, words, and actions of other characters.
Writing Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics)
2.1 Write fctional or autobiographical narratives:
a. Develop a standard plot line (having a beginning, confict, rising action, climax, and denouement) and
point of view.
b. Develop complex major and minor characters and a defnite setting.
c. Use a range of appropriate strategies (e.g., dialogue; suspense; naming of specifc narrative action,
including movement, gestures, and expressions).
A6 Contents
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Comparing Texts
Comparing Characters and Character Traits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Ernest Hemingway A Days Wait . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SHORT STORY 185
Sherwood Anderson Stolen Day. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SHORT STORY 192
Informational Text Focus
Structure and Purpose of Informational Materials . . . . . . . . . . 200
Jessica Cohn Flea Patrol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NEWSPAPER ARTICLE 201
Holt Social Studies Te Black Death from World History:
Medieval to Early Modern Times . . . . . . . . . . . . HISTORY TEXTBOOK 205
Stopping Plague in Its Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . INSTRUCTIONAL MANUAL 211
Signs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PUBLIC DOCUMENTS 217
Writing Workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL NARRATIVE 220
Preparing for Timed Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Listening and Speaking Workshop
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PRESENTING AN AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL NARRATIVE 230
Standards Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Jamaica Kincaid Literary Skills Review from Te Red Girl . . . . . SHORT STORY 232
Informational Skills Review Textbook,
Newspaper Article, Instructional Manual . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Vocabulary Skills Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Writing Skills Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Read On: For Independent Reading. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Contents A7
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Masteri ng the Standards
CHAPTER 3
Teme
If you live in my heart, you live rent free. Irish Proverb
What Do You Think? What makes us care about certain
people? Why do we connect with some
people and not with others?
Literary Skills Focus What Is Teme?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Reading Skills Focus How Do I Identify
and Analyze Teme?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
O. Henry Reading Model Hearts and Hands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . SHORT STORY 246
Literary Selections
Alfred Noyes Te Highwayman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . POEM 252
T. Ernesto Bethancourt User Friendly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SHORT STORY 264
Edgar Allan Poe Annabel Lee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . POEM 280
Roger Lancelyn Green Echo and Narcissus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MYTH 286
Bill Cosby Te Only Girl in the World for Me. . . . . . . . . PERSONAL NARRATIVE 296

California Standards
Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development
1.1 Identify idioms, analogies, metaphors, and similes in prose and poetry.
Reading Comprehension (Focus on Informational Materials)
2.4 Identify and trace the development of an authors argument, point of view, or perspective in text.
Literary Response and Analysis
3.4 Identify and analyze recurring themes across works (e.g., the value of bravery, loyalty, and friendship; the
efects of loneliness).
Writing Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics)
2.2 Write responses to literature:
a. Develop interpretations exhibiting careful reading, understanding, and insight.
b. Organize interpretations around several clear ideas, premises, or images from the literary work.
c. Justify interpretations through sustained use of examples and textual evidence.
A8 Contents
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Comparing Texts
Comparing Temes Across Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Naomi Shahib Nye Hum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SHORT STORY 307
Borden Deal Antaeus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SHORT STORY 324
Informational Text Focus
Tracing an Authors Argument or Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Jonah Goldberg Canines to the Rescue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ARTICLE 337
George Graham Vest Tribute to the Dog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SPEECH 344
Writing Workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RESPONSE TO LITERATURE 348
Preparing for Timed Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
Listening and Speaking Workshop
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PRESENTING A RESPONSE TO LITERATURE 358
Standards Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360
Literary Skills Review
Gwendolyn Brooks Home from Maud Martha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SHORT STORY 360
Pat Mora Gold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . POEM 362
Informational Skills Review
Cara Buckley A Man Down, a Train Arriving, and
a Stranger Makes a Choice . . . . . . . . . . NEWSPAPER ARTICLE 364
Vocabulary Skills Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366
Writing Skills Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
Read On: For Independent Reading. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368
Contents A9
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Masteri ng the Standards
CHAPTER 4
Point of View
You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control
your attitude toward what happens to you. Brian Tracy
What Do You Think? How do our attitudes infuence the
changes and challenges we face
in life?
Literary Skills Focus What Is Point of View? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372
Reading Skills Focus How Can I Contrast Points of View
to Analyze Narrative Texts? . . . . . . . . . 374
Shaquille ONeal Reading Model A Good Reason
to Look Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PERSONAL NARRATIVE 376
Literary Selections
O. Henry Afer Twenty Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SHORT STORY 380
A. B. Guthrie Bargain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SHORT STORY 390
Julia Alvarez Names/Nombres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PERSONAL NARRATIVE 408
Milton Meltzer Elizabeth I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BIOGRAPHY 420
Ernesto Galarza from Barrio Boy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AUTOBIOGRAPHY 436

California Standards
Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development
1.1 Identify idioms, analogies, metaphors, and similes in prose and poetry.
1.3 Clarify word meanings through the use of defnition, example, restatement, or contrast.
Reading Comprehension (Focus on Informational Materials)
2.3 Analyze text that uses the cause-and-efect organizational pattern.
Literary Response and Analysis
3.5 Contrast points of view (e.g., frst and third person, limited and omniscient, subjective and objective) in
narrative text and explain how they afect the overall theme of the work.
Writing Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics)
2.4 Write persuasive compositions:
a. State a clear position or perspective in support of a proposition or proposal.
b. Describe the points in support of the proposition, employing well-articulated evidence.
c. Anticipate and address reader concerns and counterarguments.
A10 Contents
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Comparing Texts
Comparing Versions of the Cinderella Story. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 446
Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm Aschenputtel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GERMAN FOLK TALE 447
Ai-Ling Louie Yeh-Shen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHINESE FOLK TALE 458
Sara Henderson Hay Interview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . POEM 464
Informational Text Focus
Cause-and-Efect Organizational Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 468
World Almanac Tilting at Windmills: Te Search for
Alternative Energy Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAGAZINE ARTICLE 469
World Almanac Saving the Earth: Teens Fish
for Answers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NEWSPAPER ARTICLE 474
Writing Workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PERSUASIVE ESSAY 478
Preparing for Timed Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 487
Listening and Speaking Workshop
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PRESENTING A PERSUASIVE SPEECH 488
Standards Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 490
Literary Skills Review
Te News of King Midas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PASSAGES 490
Informational Skills Review
Larry Luxner Mongoose on the Loose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAGAZINE ARTICLE 492
Vocabulary Skills Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 494
Writing Skills Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 495
Read On: For Independent Reading. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 496
Contents A11
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Masteri ng the Standards
CHAPTER 5
Forms of Prose and Poetry
Every one of us gets through the tough times because somebody
is there, standing in the gap to close it for us. Oprah Winfrey
What Do You Think? How do you manage through
tough times?
Literary Skills Focus What Are the Forms of Prose? . . . . . . . 500
Reading Skills Focus How Do I Analyze Prose? . . . . . . . . . . . 502
Amy Tan Reading Model Fish Cheeks . . . . . . . . . . . . . PERSONAL NARRATIVE 504
Literary Selections
Piri Thomas Amigo Brothers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SHORT STORY 508
Maijue Xiong An Unforgettable Journey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AUTOBIOGRAPHY 524
Mildred D. Taylor Song of the Trees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NOVELLA 536
Clifton Davis A Mason-Dixon Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PERSONAL NARRATIVE 556
Literary Skills Focus What Are the Forms and
Characteristics of Poetry? . . . . . . . . . . . 568
Literary Skills Focus What Are the Sounds of Poetry? . . . . . 570
Reading Skills Focus How Do I Read
and Analyze Poetry? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 572
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Reading Model Te Village Blacksmith. . . . . . . . . . . . . . POEM 574

California Standards
Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development
1.3 Clarify word meanings through the use of defnition, example, restatement, or contrast.
Literary Response and Analysis
3.1 Articulate the expressed purposes and characteristics of diferent forms of prose (e.g., short story, novel,
novella, essay).
Writing Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics)
2.1 Write fctional or autobiographical narratives:
a. Develop a standard plot line (having a beginning, confict, rising action, climax, and denouement) and
point of view.
b. Develop complex major and minor characters and a defnite setting.
c. Use a range of appropriate strategies (e.g., dialogue; suspense; naming of specifc narrative action,
including movement, gestures, and expressions).
A12 Contents
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Literary Selections
Forms and Characteristics of Poetry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 578
Emily Dickinson Im Nobody! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . POEM 579
Langston Hughes Madam and the Rent Man . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . POEM 583
Langston Hughes Harlem Night Song . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . POEM 586
Langston Hughes Winter Moon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . POEM 587
Li-Young Lee I Ask My Mother to Sing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . POEM 589
Gary Soto Ode to Family Photographs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . POEM 592
Sounds of Poetry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 594
Lewis Carroll Father William . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . POEM 595
Shel Silverstein Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not
Take the Garbage Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . POEM 600
Robert Frost Te Runaway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . POEM 603
Donald Hall Names of Horses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . POEM 607
Comparing Texts
Author Study: Sandra Cisneros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 612
Marit Haahr An Interview with Sandra Cisneros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . INTERVIEW 613
Sandra Cisneros Salvador Late or Early. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SHORT STORY 616
Sandra Cisneros Chanclas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SHORT STORY 620
Sandra Cisneros Abuelito Who . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . POEM 623
Sandra Cisneros Te Place Where Dreams Come From . . . . . PERSONAL NARRATIVE 624
Writing Workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FICTIONAL NARRATIVE 628
Preparing for Timed Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 637
Listening and Speaking Workshop
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PRESENTING A FICTIONAL NARRATIVE 638
Standards Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 640
Literary Skills Review
A Prose Reading List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LIST 640
Vocabulary Skills Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 642
Writing Skills Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 643
Read On: For Independent Reading. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 644
Contents A13
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Masteri ng the Standards
CHAPTER 6
Reading for Life
There is an art of reading, as well as an art of thinking, and
an art of writing. Benjamin Disraeli
What Do You Think? How can reading help you to make
decisions or solve problems?
Informational Text Focus What Is Reading for Life? . . . . . . 648
Reading Skills Focus How Do I Locate Information in
Documents?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 650
Reading Model So You Want to Start a Club . . .
Tips from the Association of
School Clubs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NEWSLETTER/FLIER 652
Public Documents
Casting Call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ANNOUNCEMENT 656
Hollywood Beat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . INTERNET ARTICLE 660
Application for Permission to Work in the
Entertainment Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . APPLICATION 661
Workplace Documents
Letter from a Casting Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BUSINESS LETTER 664
Talent Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WORKPLACE INSTRUCTIONS 667
E-mail Memo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JOB MEMORANDUM 668
E-mail Directory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JOB RESOURCES 668

California Standards
Reading Comprehension (Focus on Informational Materials)
2.2 Locate information by using a variety of consumer, workplace, and public documents.
2.5 Understand and explain the use of a simple mechanical device by following technical directions.
Writing Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics)
2.4 Write persuasive compositions:
a. State a clear position or perspective in support of a proposition or proposal.
b. Describe the points in support of the proposition, employing well-articulated evidence.
c. Anticipate and address reader concerns and counterarguments.
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Consumer Documents
BART System Map. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TRANSIT MAP 670
BARTs Bicycle Rules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WEB PAGE 674
BART Ticket Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WEB PAGE 675
BART Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WEB PAGE 676
Technical Directions
How to Change a Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MANUAL 678
Writing Workshop
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATION: PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT 684
Listening and Speaking Workshop
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ANALYZING ELECTRONIC JOURNALISM 692
Standards Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 694
Informational Skills Review
World Almanac Workplace, Public,
Consumer Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DOCUMENTS 694
Read On: For Independent Reading. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 696
Contents A15
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Masteri ng the Standards
CHAPTER 7
Expository Critique
Readers are plentiful; thinkers are rare. Harriet Martineau
What Do You Think? How do you decide whether to
believe what you read?
Informational Text Focus How Do I Know If I Can
Trust the Information
in a Text? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 700
Reading Skills Focus What Skills Can Help Me Critique
Expository Texts? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 702
World Almanac Reading Model Music Makers . . . . . . . . . . . . NEWSPAPER ARTICLE 704

California Standards
Reading Comprehension (Focus on Informational Materials)
2.6 Assess the adequacy, accuracy, and appropriateness of the authors evidence to support claims and
assertions, noting instances of bias and stereotyping.
Writing Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics)
2.3 Write research reports:
a. Pose relevant and tightly drawn questions about the topic.
b. Convey clear and accurate perspectives on the subject.
c. Include evidence compiled through the formal research process (e.g., use of a card catalog, Readers Guide
to Periodical Literature, a computer catalog, magazines, newspapers, dictionaries).
d. Document reference sources by means of footnotes and a bibliography.
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Readi ng Wri ti ng Li steni ng Speaki ng
Informational Selections
World Almanac Borders of Baseball: U.S. and Cuban Play. . . . . MAGAZINE ARTICLE 710
World Almanac Hungry Here? For Millions of Americans,
the Answer Is Yes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NEWSPAPER ARTICLE 716
World Almanac Virtual Sticks and Stones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NEWSPAPER ARTICLE 722
World Almanac Debate on Bullying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NEWSPAPER EDITORIALS 728
World Almanac Sound Of to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WEB SITE 732
Writing Workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RESEARCH REPORT 736
Listening and Speaking Workshop
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PRESENTING A RESEARCH REPORT 746
Standards Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 748
Informational Skills Review
Ritu Upadhyay Can We Rescue the Reefs? . . . . . . . . . . . . MAGAZINE ARTICLE 748
Letter to the Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LETTER 748
Vocabulary Skills Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 750
Writing Skills Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 751
Read On: For Independent Reading. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 752
Contents A17
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Masteri ng the Standards
CHAPTER 8
Literary Criticism:
Analyzing Responses
to Literature
The hero is one who kindles a great light in the world,
who sets up blazing torches in the darks streets of life for
men to see by. Felix Adler
What Do You Think? What truths about life can we learn
from tales about great heroes?
Literary Skills Focus What Is Literary Criticism?. . . . . . . . . . . 756
Reading Skills Focus How Do I Analyze
Literary Criticism? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 758
Walter de la Mare Reading Model Te Listeners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . POEM 760
Reading Model A Critical Response
to Te Listeners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ESSAY 763
Literary Selections
Hudson Talbott King Arthur: Te Sword in the Stone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LEGEND 766
Tree Responses to Literature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ESSAYS 786
Jane Yolen Merlin and the Dragons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LEGEND 794
Betsy Hearne Sir Gawain and the Loathly Lady . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LEGEND 810

California Standards
Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development
1.2 Use knowledge of Greek, Latin, and Anglo-Saxon roots and afxes to understand content-area vocabulary.
Literary Response and Analysis
3.6 Analyze a range of responses to a literary work and determine the extent to which the literary elements in
the work shaped those responses.
Writing Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics)
2.2 Write responses to literature:
a. Develop interpretations exhibiting careful reading, understanding, and insight.
b. Organize interpretations around several clear ideas, premises, or images from the literary work.
c. Justify interpretations through sustained use of examples and textual evidence.
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Readi ng Wri ti ng Li steni ng Speaki ng
Writing Workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RESPONSE TO LITERATURE 824
Preparing for Timed Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 833
Listening and Speaking Workshop
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PRESENTING A RESPONSE TO LITERATURE 834
Standards Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 836
Literary Skills Review
Temes in Arthurian Legends / Women
Characters in the King Arthur Stories. . . . . . . . . ESSAYS 836
Vocabulary Skills Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 838
Writing Skills Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 839
Read On: For Independent Reading. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 840
RESOURCES
Reading Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 844
Handbook of Literary Terms . . . . . 860
Handbook of Reading and
Informational Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . 871
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 886
Spanish Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 891
Academic Vocabulary Glossary
in English and Spanish . . . . . . . . . . 895
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . 898
Picture Credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 902
Index of Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 905
Index of Authors and Titles . . . . . . 914
Contents A19
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