Most Dangerous Game Unit

“The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell

Name______Date______Writing About the Big Question

The Big Question: Is conflict necessary?

Big Question Vocabulary amicably antagonize appreciate argument articulate compete competition controversy cooperate differences equity grievance issue mediate survival war battle A. Use one or more words from the list above to complete each sentence. There may be more than one right answer. 1. When Kim and her parents came to an agreement about her curfew, they resolved the conflict______. 2. After Joe and Mark talked about a pressing political______, they realized they had big______of opinions. 3. Todd and Jose built a model volcano to______in the science fair.

B. Follow the directions in responding to each of the items below.

4. Write two sentences describing a grievance you have had. Use at least two of the Big Question vocabulary words and circle them.

5. Write two sentences explaining how you dealt with the grievance. Use at least two of the Big Question vocabulary words and circle them.

C. Complete the sentence below. Then, write a short paragraph in which you connect this experience to the big question. 6. To succeed in a fight for survival, a person needs to . . .

Grade 9, Unit 2 1 Integrated Language Skills: Grammar

Regular Verbs A verb has four principal parts: the present, the present participle, the past, and the past participle. Most verbs in English are regular. Regular verbs form the past and the past participle by adding -ed or -d to the present form. The past and past participle of regular verbs have the same form. In the following chart of principal parts, has is in parentheses in front of the past participle to remind you that this verb form is a past participle only if it is used with a helping verb. Notice that the final consonant is sometimes doubled to form the present participle (tapping) as well as the past and the past participle (tapped). Notice also that the final e may be dropped in forming the present participle (wiping). Principal Parts of Regular Verbs Present Present Participle Past Past Participle play (is) playing played (has) played tap (is) tapping tapped (has) tapped wipe (is) wiping wiped (has) wiped

A. PRACTICE: Write the answer(s) to each of the following questions on the lines provided. 1. Give the four principal parts of the following verbs: walk, hunt, place, rip:

2. What do you add to form the past tense of regular verbs?

B. Writing Application: Read the following sentences and notice the verb in italics. If the verb is used correctly, write Correct in the space provided. If the verb is not used correctly, rewrite the sentence using the correct form of the verb. 3. In Paterson, New Jersey, Elena lived in El Building with her family.

4. After school started, Elena looking for Eugene in all her classes.

5. Mr. DePalma has ask us to line up in front of him.

6. Rainsford was exhausted when he arrive on the island.

Integrated Language Skills: Grammar Grade 9, Unit 2 2 Irregular Verbs Unlike regular verbs, the past tense and past participle of irregular verbs are not formed by adding -ed or -d to the present form. Instead, the past tense and past participle are formed in various ways. In some verbs, there is a change of vowels or consonants within the word. Other verbs change both vowels and consonants. Sometimes, the past and the past participle of an irregular verb are identical. In some irregular verbs, though, the past and the past participle have different forms. Study the forms of the irregular verbs shown in the following chart. Principal Parts of Irregular Verbs Present Present Participle Past Past Participle run (is) running ran (has) run catch (is) catching caught (has) caught sit (is) sitting sat (has) sat fall (is) falling fell (has) fallen take (is) taking took (has) taken

A. PRACTICE: On the line provided, write the correct form of the verb in parentheses. 1. Jim did not know that Della had (selled, sold) her hair.

2. If you had met Ulrich in the forest, would you have (ran, run) away?

3. The feud between Ulrich’s and Georg’s families (began, begun) long ago with a land dispute.

B. Writing Application: Read the following sentences and notice the verbs in italics. If the verb is used correctly, write Correct in the space provided. If the verb is not used correctly, rewrite the sentence using the correct form. 4. Although Saki wrote history, novels, and political satire, he is knowed especially for his short stories.

5. Born in Burma as H. H. Munro, he was bringed up in England by two aunts.

6. As a foreign correspondent, he spended time in Poland, Russia, and Paris.

Grade 9, Unit 2 3 Integrating Grammar Skills: Revising Inconsistent Verb Tenses

Revising Inconsistent Verb Tenses The different forms that verbs take to show time are called tenses. When you are writing, do not change tense without a logical reason. Study the following examples. Incorrect: I liked the music but I hate the lyrics. Correct: I liked the music but I hated the lyrics. Incorrect: I had walked to school, but I had returned home on the bus. Correct: I had walked to school, but I returned home on the bus. Use the perfect tenses to clarify a sequence of actions within the past, present, or future. Unclear: By the time I finished my homework, the TV show ended. Clear: By the time I finished my homework, the TV show had ended. Unclear: By tomorrow, I walked to school every day this week. Clear: By tomorrow, I will have walked to school every day this week. Identifying Correct Verb Tense A. DIRECTIONS: Circle the verb in parentheses that best completes each sentence. 1. By the time the train (reached, had reached) the station, over fifty people had crowded onto the platform. 2. Once the passengers (climb, climbed) on board, the conductor collects their tickets. 3. Tomorrow, I (will leave, leave) the house earlier and will take an earlier train.

Fixing Incorrect Verb Tense

B. DIRECTIONS: On the following lines, rewrite this paragraph to correct errors in verb tense. Last week, my cousin Lucille and I attended a concert. Lucille purchased the tickets months before. We will walk across the park and hop on a bus to the concert hall. By the time we had arrived, the music already started. Still, we both enjoyed the concert very much.

Vocabulary Builder Grade 9, Unit 2 4 Word List (textbook p. 212) bizarre futile grotesque indolently naive palpable scruples

A. DIRECTIONS: In each of the following items, think about the meaning of the italicized word, and then answer the question. 1. What is the danger if you approach a research paper assignment indolently?

2. How are you feeling if you have scruples about doing something?

3. How would you feel if you make a long and futile journey?

4. If the tension during the final two minutes of a game is palpable, do you think the spectators feel suspense or not? Explain.

5. What is another word that can be used to describe something that is grotesque?

6. Is it easy to fool someone who is naive? Explain.

7. If an event is bizarre, is it likely surprising? Explain.

B. WORD STUDY: The Latin suffix -esque means “in the style or manner of.” Use the context of the sentences and what you know about the Latin suffix -esque to explain your answer to each question. 8. Who directly influenced Romanesque architecture?

9. Is calling someone statuesque a compliment? Explain.

Literary Analysis: Conflict Conflict is a struggle between opposing forces. There are two types of conflict: internal and external. Grade 9, Unit 2 5  Internal conflict: a character struggles with his or her own opposing feelings, beliefs, needs, or desires.  External conflict: a character struggles against an outside force, such as another character, society, or nature. Conflict and the search for a solution are the mainspring of a story’s plot. The solution, which usually occurs near the end of a story, is called the resolution. In some stories, the conflict is not truly resolved. Instead, the main character experiences an epiphany, or sudden flash of insight. Although the conflict is not resolved, the character’s thoughts about it change. Answer the following questions in complete sentences. 1. How does Rainsford’s experience as a hunter facilitate his skill at making inferences? (page 218-19) ______

2. How do the details about Zaroff’s life support the inference that he feels neither guilt nor fear concerning hunting? (page 223) ______

3. Speculate: How might Rainsford’s experience on the island change him? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.

4. In what sense is conflict a “necessary” part of the hunting experience? Why does Zaroff consider it necessary to increase the conflict in his hunts?

5. In what ways does Zaroff antagonize Rainsford during the hunt?

6. Is the main conflict in this story primarily internal or external? Explain.

7. What are some examples from the story of Rainsford’s internal conflict?

Reading: Use Details to Make Inferences

Grade 9, Unit 2 6 An inference is a logical guess that you make based on details in a story. When you make inferences, you read between the lines to understand information that is not stated directly. To make inferences, ask yourself questions about the feelings and behavior of the characters. Here are some helpful questions to ask: • What does this detail show about a character’s motivation, or the reasons for his or her behavior? • What does this passage say about the character’s unspoken feelings and thoughts? Example from “The Most Dangerous Game”: Detail from the story: “I can’t believe you are serious, General Zaroff. This is a grisly joke.” Inference: Rainsford has just begun to realize that Zaroff hunts humans.

DIRECTIONS: Use the following chart to make inferences from the details listed. The first item has been done for you. My Inferences About Motivations/ Details in the Story Feelings A. Rainsford tells Whitney that there are Rainsford begins the story with a matter-of- only two classes of people: hunters and fact, almost hard-boiled attitude. huntees.

B. Rainsford asks Zaroff to excuse him for the night because he feels sick.

C. Zaroff tells Rainsford how upset he was at the death of his dog Lazarus.

D. Rainsford is able to rig up several ingenious traps, such as the Burmese tiger pit and a Malay mancatcher.

DIRECTIONS: Do you think “The Most Dangerous Game” has a serious theme, or message about human nature or behavior? Or, is it primarily a suspenseful adventure story intended to entertain readers rather than to make a point? Explain your answer with specific references to details in the story. Use a separate sheet of paper if necessary.

Grade 9, Unit 2 7