The Echoing Green

Name: Class:

Explainer: Animals’ Role in Human Disease Wildlife, livestock, and pets are the source of most germs that can sicken people. By Amanda Leigh Mascarelli 2013

While we may not readily think of our pets or farm animals as being dangerous, animals play a signi9cant role in human disease. In this informational text, Amanda Leigh Mascarelli discusses how humans are impacted by animals infected with a virus or bacteria. As you read, take notes on how scientists prevent viruses from spreading further after an outbreak is identi9ed.

[1] Nearly 75 percent of new, or emerging, infectious diseases in people were Hrst spread by animals. Indeed, half of all germs known to cause human disease come from other animals. Some sources were birds, bats and other types of wildlife. Livestock1 and pet animals have spread many other diseases. Scientists refer to the infections that people pick up from animals as being zoonotic (ZOO-oh-NOT-ik).

The germs and other infectious agents that cause these diseases are known as pathogens. Most are 2 microbes such as viruses or bacteria; others "IAEA Trains Veterinary Scientists (05510242)" by IAEA Imagebank include fungi — even teeny-tiny worms and ticks. is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

In zoonotic diseases, animals serve as a pathogen’s host.3 Over time, some long-term hosts no longer become sickened. When a virus commonly lives inside an animal without harming it, that host is now called a reservoir. For instance, birds — especially ducks — have evolved into a natural reservoir for Iu viruses.

Pathogens move among hosts continuously, explains Jonathan Epstein. A veterinary epidemiologist, he’s a scientist who studies the spread of disease in animals. (He works at EcoHealth Alliance in New York City.) Many pathogens will encounter a human host. If that person’s immune system had never yet encountered the microbe, it will have built up no immunity to Hght the germ. That lucky pathogen can now survive and spread to others.

[5] Understanding how pathogens spread between species can help scientists not only combat current disease outbreaks, but also prevent or lessen future ones.

For instance, Epstein specializes in viruses whose reservoir is bats. He has been on the trail of numerous viruses that have spilled over into people from these mammals. Among them: Nipah.

1. farm animals 2. Microbes, also known as microorganisms, are too small to be seen by the unaided eye. 3. a plant or animal on or in which another organism lives 1 This viral disease started in Southeast Asia during the late 1990s. Workers at a massive pig farm began noticing troubling symptoms. Their pigs came down with a loud, barking cough and behaved strangely. They twitched and developed muscle spasms.4 Some pigs died. Tragically, farm workers also started getting sick. In severe cases, people entered a coma and died.

No virus can survive long outside a living organism. So Epstein teamed up with other experts to hunt the reservoir animal that had allowed Nipah to enter pigs.

It turned out to be a bat species. It normally stays away from people, living in the nearby rainforest. But when farmers planted an orchard of mango trees close to their pigpens, bats came by to dine on the juicy fruit. Those bats shed germy saliva, urine, and feces onto the pigpens below them.

[10] From 1998 to 1999, Nipah sickened more than 250 people. More than four out of every 10 of these people died. One million pigs were killed and disposed of to stop the disease’s spread.

It is important not to blame wildlife for diseases, says Kristine Smith, a wildlife veterinarian who works for EcoHealth Alliance. Instead, she argues, people must become aware of the risks of being in close proximity5 to animals and adjust their behavior accordingly.

From Science News for Students, 2013. © Society for Science & the Public. Reprinted with permission.

This article is intended only for single-classroom use by teachers. For rights to republish Science News for Students articles in assessments, course packs or textbooks, visit: https://societyforscience.org/permission-republish

4. a sudden and uncontrollable muscle movement 5. nearness in space to something 2 Text-Dependent Questions

Directions: For the following questions, choose the best answer or respond in complete sentences.

1. PART A: Which statement identiHes the central idea of the text? A. It is safer to avoid all contact with animals than to risk contracting a virus. B. Animals help the humans they come into contact with build an immunity to diseases. C. Diseases that seriously harm animals have little to no eJect on humans. D. Humans can contract dangerous diseases after coming into contact with infected animals.

2. PART B: Which quote from the text best supports the answer to Part A? A. “Some sources were birds, bats, and other types of wildlife. Livestock and pet animals have spread many other diseases.” (Paragraph 1) B. “In zoonotic diseases, animals serve as a pathogen’s host. Over time, some long- term hosts no longer become sickened.” (Paragraph 3) C. “Some pigs died. Tragically, farm workers also started getting sick. In severe cases, people entered a coma and died.” (Paragraph 7) D. “It is important not to blame wildlife for diseases, says Kristine Smith, a wildlife veterinarian who works for EcoHealth Alliance.” (Paragraph 11)

3. How does paragraph 11 contribute to the development of ideas in the text? A. It advises readers on what to do with their knowledge about infected animals. B. It discourages readers from coming in contact with certain animals. C. It puts the blame on humans for contracting diseases from infected animals. D. It tells readers what they should do if they contract a disease from an infected animal.

4. What is the relationship between studying animal diseases and protecting humans? A. By studying animals, scientists can learn about the sources of certain diseases and prevent them from spreading further. B. By studying animals, scientists can determine which species humans are no longer allowed to come in contact with. C. By studying animals, scientists can cure the infected animals so that they no longer spread diseases to humans. D. By studying animals, scientists can learn how they develop their immunity to certain viruses and apply it to humans.

3 5. How does the author’s discussion of the shared virus between the pigs and the bats help us understand animals’ role in human disease?

4 Discussion Questions

Directions: Brainstorm your answers to the following questions in the space provided. Be prepared to share your original ideas in a class discussion.

1. Do you or someone you know have a pet? Have you ever worried about coming in contact with germs from them? What do you do to limit the risk of contracting anything dangerous from pets or other animals?

2. In the context of the text, how can contact with animals negatively impact humans? In what ways does contact or working with animals beneHt humans?

3. In the text, the author emphasizes the importance of studying animal diseases to help humans. What are some other examples in which scientists have to study something harmful to better protect people from it?

5 April Fool's Day

April Fool's Day

"Ah, ha! Gotcha!" People say, whenever April Rolls around. A ritual of trickery. It's always the same. We say, "Look!" when nothing's there. Everyone 5

Forgets for a second that today is not like Other days. It seems that no One tells the truth today. Do you Like to play tricks? So do I. 10

Don't look now. There's A hairy spider on your head. Ah, ha! Made You look!

Please, don't get mad. I'm Only kidding around. Nothing serious. 15 Eek! Why did you say there was a spider on Me?

ReadWorks.org Copyright © 2007 Weekly Reader Corporation. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Weekly Reader is a registered trademark of Weekly Reader Corporation. April Fool's Day - Comprehension Questions

Name: ______Date: ______1. On April Fool's Day, the poet likes all of the following EXCEPT

A. playing tricks B. kidding around C. being tricked D. the ritual of trickery

2. Read this stanza from the poem:

Don't look now. There's

A hairy spider on your head. Ah, ha! Made

You look!

What is the purpose of this stanza?

A. It explains how someone might enjoy getting tricked. B. It describes a spider landing on the author's head. C. It is an example of an April Fool's Day trick. D. It shows how much the author dislikes spiders.

3. Which of the following conclusions about the poet is supported by the poem?

A. The poet wishes that every day were April Fool's Day. B. The poet is trying to put an end to April Fool's Day. C. The poet thinks April Fool's Day is very childish. D. The poet likes to celebrate April Fool's Day.

People say, whenever April

Rolls around. A ritual of trickery.

Based on the text, the word trickery means

A. friendship B. happiness C. honesty D. deceit

5. The primary purpose of this poem is to describe

A. the kinds of people that enjoy playing April Fool's Day tricks B. why April Fool's Day has such ridiculous rituals C. the ways that people can mislead and trick others D. how the poet feels about April Fool's Day

6. How did the poet react when a trick was played on her?

7. Whom is the poet speaking to in the poem? How do you know? Cite evidence from the text to support your answer.

ReadWorks.org · © 2020 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights reserved. April Fool's Day - Comprehension Questions 8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes the sentence.

According to the poet, ______people play tricks on April Fool's Day, they are just kidding around.

A. after B. when C. as D. since

The Echoing Green by William Blake

The sun does arise, And make happy the skies; The merry bells ring To welcome the Spring; The skylark and thrush, 5 The birds of the bush, Sing louder around To the bells' cheerful sound; While our sports shall be seen On the echoing Green. 10

Old John, with white hair, Does laugh away care, Sitting under the oak, Among the old folk. They laugh at our play, 15 And soon they all say, "Such, such were the joys When we all--girls and boys-- In our youth-time were seen On the echoing Green." 20

Till the little ones, weary, No more can be merry: The sun does descend, And our sports have an end. Round the laps of their mothers 25 Many sisters and brothers, Like birds in their nest, Are ready for rest, And sport no more seen On the darkening green. 30

ReadWorks.org The Echoing Green - Comprehension Questions

Name: ______Date: ______1. What arises at the beginning of the poem and descends at the end?

A. the sun B. a bell C. a bird D. an oak tree

2. What is the setting of this poem?

A. the nest of a bird B. a bush where birds live C. the echoing Green D. the home of Old John

Old John, with white hair,

Does laugh away care,

Sitting under the oak,

Among the old folk.

They laugh at our play,

And soon they all say,

"Such, such were the joys

When we all--girls and boys--

In our youth-time were seen

On the echoing Green."

What can you infer from this stanza about Old John?

A. Old John spends most of his time worrying. B. Old John used to play on the echoing Green. C. Old John likes being an old man more than he liked being a boy. D. Old John does not get along well with the other old folk.

4. Who or what are "the little ones" in line 21?

A. young birds B. boys and girls C. mothers D. old folk

A. the disappointments of old age B. the importance of hard work C. the power of dreams D. the joy of playing outdoors

6. What is the effect of using personification in lines 2 and 4?

A. Personification suggests that nature can be dangerous. B. Personification contrasts birds with human beings. C. Personification explains the difference between skylarks and thrushes. D. Personification creates a mood of happiness.

7. Whom does "our" refer to in line 15?

A. the old folks sitting together under an oak tree B. the people who ring merry bells to welcome the spring C. the boys and girls playing on the echoing Green D. the mothers around whose laps many sisters and brothers gather

8. What "shall be seen" on the echoing Green?

ReadWorks.org · © 2020 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights reserved. The Echoing Green - Comprehension Questions 9. Define the word "sports" as it is used in the poem. Support your definition with evidence from the text.

10. What is the echoing Green? Be sure to explain what the echoing Green actually is, not what takes place there. Support your answer with evidence from the poem.

Growing Up By Gary Soto 1990

Gary Soto is an American poet, novelist, and memoirist. In this short story, a teenage girl decides not to go on vacation with her family. As you read, take notes on Maria’s emotions throughout the story.

[1] Now that Maria was a tenth-grader, she felt she was too grown-up to have to go on family vacation. Last year, the family had driven three hundred miles to see their uncle in West Covina. There was nothing to do. The days were hot, with a yellow sky thick with smog they could feel on their Mngertips. They played cards and watched game shows on television. After the Mrst four days of doing nothing while the grown-ups sat around talking, the kids Mnally got to go to Disneyland.

Disneyland stood tall with castles and bright Nags. "Vocho 1" by Sara Garnica is licensed under CC0 The Matterhorn had wild dips and curves that took your breath away if you closed your eyes and screamed. The Pirates of the Caribbean didn’t scare anyone but was fun anyway, and so were the teacups, and It’s a Small World. The parents spoiled the kids, giving each of them Mve dollars to spend on trinkets.1 Maria’s younger sister, Irma, bought a Pinocchio coloring book and a candy bracelet. Her brothers, Rudy and John, spent their money on candy that made their teeth blue.

Maria saved her money. She knew everything was overpriced, like the Mickey Mouse balloons you could get for a fraction of the price in Fresno. Of course, the balloon at Hanoian’s supermarket didn’t have a Mickey Mouse Face, but it would bounce and Noat and eventually pop like any other balloon.

Maria folded her Mve dollars, tucked it in her red purse, and went on rides until she got sick. After that, she sat on a bench, jealously watching other teenage girls who seemed much better dressed than she was. She felt stricken by poverty.2 All the screaming kids in nice clothes probably came from homes with swimming pools in their backyards, she thought. Yes, her father was a foreman3 at a paper mill, and yes, she had a Dough-boy swimming pool4 in her backyard, but still, things were not the same. She had felt poor, and her sundress, which seemed snappy in Fresno, was out of style at Disneyland, where every other kid was wearing Esprit shirts and Guess jeans.

1. a small toy 2. Poverty (noun): the state of being extremely poor 3. a worker who supervises others 4. a brand of above-ground pools 1 [5] This year Maria’s family planned to visit an uncle in San Jose. Her father promised to take them to Great America,5 but she knew that the grown-ups would sit around talking for days before they remembered the kids and Mnally got up and did something. They would have to wait until the last day before they could go to Great America. It wasn’t worth the boredom.

“Dad, I’m not going this year,” Maria said to her father. He sat at the table with the newspaper in front of him.

“What do you mean?” he asked, slowly looking up. He thought a moment and said, “When I was a kid we didn’t have money for vacations. I would have been happy to go with my father.”

“I know, I know. You’ve said that a hundred times,” she snapped.

“What did you say?” he asked, pushing his newspaper aside.

[10] Everything went quiet. Maria could hear the hum of the refrigerator and her brothers out in the front yard arguing over a popsicle stick, and her mother in the backyard watering the strip of grass that ran along the patio.

Her father’s eyes locked on her with a dark stare. Maria had seen that stare before. She pleaded in a soft daughterly voice, “We never do anything. It’s boring. Don’t you understand?”

“No, I don’t understand. I work all year, and if I want to go on a vacation, then I go. And my family goes too.” He took a swallow of ice water, and glared.

“You have it so easy,” he continued. “In Chihuahua, my town, we worked hard. You worked, even los chavalos!6 And you showed respect to your parents, something you haven’t learned.”

Here it comes, Maria thought, stories about his childhood in Mexico. She wanted to stuP her ears with wads of newspaper to keep from hearing him. She could recite his stories word-for-word. She couldn’t wait until she was in college and away from them.

[15] “Do you know my father worked in the mines? That he nearly lost his life? And today his lungs are bad.” He pounded his chest with hard, dirt-creased knuckles.

Maria pushed back her hair and looked out the window at her brothers running around in the front yard. She couldn’t stand it anymore. She got up and walked away, and when he yelled for her to come back, she ignored him. She locked herself in her bedroom and tried to read Seventeen, thought she could hear her father complaining to her mother, who had come in when she had heard the yelling.

“Habla con tu mocosa,”7 she heard him say.

5. an amusement park 6. Spanish for “the kids” 7. Spanish for “talk to your brat” 2 She heard the refrigerator door open. He was probably getting a beer, a “cold one,” as he would say. She Nipped through the pages of her magazine and stopped at a Levi’s ad of a girl about her age walking between two happy-looking guys on a beach. She wished she were that girl, that she had another life. She turned the page and thought, I bet you he gets drunk and drives crazy tomorrow.

Maria’s mother was putting away a pitcher of Kool-Aid the boys had left out. She looked at her husband, who was fumbling with a wadded-up napkin. His eyes were dark, and his thoughts were on Mexico, where a father was respected and his word, right or wrong, was Mnal. “Rafael, she’s growing up; she’s a teenager. She talks like that, but she still loves you.”

[20] “Sure, and that’s how she shows her love, by talking back to her father.” He rubbed the back of his neck and turned his head, trying to make the stiPness go away. He knew it was true, but he was the man of the house and no daughter of his was going to tell him what to do.

Instead, it was his wife, Eva, who told him what to do. “Let the girl stay. She’s big now. She don’t want to go on rides no more. She can stay with her nina.”8

The father drank his beer and argued, but eventually agreed to let his daughter stay.

The family rose just after six the next day and was ready to go by seven-thirty. Maria stayed in her room. She wanted to apologize to her father but couldn’t. She knew that if she said, “Dad, I’m sorry,” she would break into tears. Her father wanted to come into her room and say, “We’ll do something really special this vacation. Come with us, honey.” But it was hard for him to show his emotions around his children, especially when he tried to make up to them.

The mother kissed Maria. “Maria, I want you to clean the house and then walk over to your nina’s. I want no monkey business while we’re gone, do you hear me?”

[25] “Si, Mama.”

“Here’s the key. You water the plants inside and turn on the sprinkler every couple of days.” She handed Maria the key and hugged her. “You be good. Now, come say goodbye to your father.”

Reluctantly, she walked out in her robe to the front yard and, looking down at the ground, said goodbye to the garden hose at his feet.

After they left, Maria lounged in her pajamas listening to the radio and thumbing through magazines. Then she got up, Mxed herself a bowl of Cocoa PuPs, and watched “American Bandstand.” Her dream was to dance on the show, to look at the camera, smile and let everyone in Fresno see that she could have a good time, too.

But an ill feeling stirred inside her. She felt awful about arguing with her father. She felt bad for her mother and two brothers, who would have to spend the next three hours in the car with him. Maybe he would do something crazy, like crash the car on purpose to get back at her, or fall asleep and run the car into an irrigation ditch. And it would be her fault.

8. godmother 3 [30] She turned the radio to a news station. She listened for half an hour, but most of the news was about warships in the Persian Gulf and a tornado in Texas. There was no mention of her family.

Maria began to calm down because, after all, her father was really nice beneath his gruPness. She dressed slowly, made some swishes with the broom in the kitchen, and let the hose run in a Nower bed while she painted her toenails with her mother’s polish. Afterward, she called her friend Becky to tell her that her parents had let her stay home, that she was free — for Mve days at least.

“Great,” Becky said. “I wish my mom and dad would go away and let me stay by myself.”

“No, I have to stay with my godmother.” She made a mental note to give her nina a call. “Becky, let’s go to the mall and check out the boys.”

“All right.”

[35] “I’ll be over pretty soon.”

Maria called her nina, who said it was OK for her to go shopping, but to be at her house for dinnertime by six. After hanging up, Maria took oP her jeans and T-Shirt, and changed into a dress. She went through her mother’s closet to borrow a pair of shoes and drenched her wrists in Charlie perfume. She put on coral-pink lipstick and smudge of blue eye shadow. She felt beautiful, although a little self- conscious. She took oP some of the lipstick and ran water over her wrists to dilute9 the fragrance.

While she walked the four blocks to Becky’s house, she beamed happiness until she passed a man who was on his knees pulling weeds from his Nower bed. At his side, a radio was reporting a traOc accident. A big rid had overturned after hitting a car near Salinas, twenty miles from San Jose.

A wave of fear ran through her. Maybe it was them. Her smile disappeared, and her shoulders slouched. No, it couldn’t be, she thought. Salinas is not that close to San Jose. Then again, maybe her father wanted to travel through Salinas because it was a pretty valley with wide plains and oak trees, and horses and cows that stared as you passed them in your speeding car. But maybe it did happen; maybe they had gotten in an awful wreck.

By the time she got to Becky’s house, she was riddled10 with guilt, since it was she who would have disturbed her father and made him crash.

[40] “Hi,” she said to Becky, trying to look cheerful.

“You look terriMc, Maria,” Becky said. “Mom, look at Maria. Come inside for a bit.”

Maria blushed when Becky’s mother said she looked gorgeous. She didn’t know what to do except stare at the carpet and say, “Thank you, Mrs. Ledesma.”

9. Dilute (verb): to make something thinner or weaker by adding water 10. Riddle (verb): to Mll with something undesirable or unpleasant 4 Becky’s mother gave them a ride to the mall, but they’d have to take a bus back. The girls Mrst went to Macy’s, where they hunted for a sweater, something Nashy but not too Nashy. Then they left to have a Coke and sit by the fountain under an artiMcial tree. They watched people walk by, especially the boys, who they agreed, were dumb but cute nevertheless.

They went to The Gap, where they tried on some skirts, and ventured into The Limited, where they walked up and down the aisles breathing in the rich smells of 100-percent wool and silk. They were about to leave, when Maria heard once again on someone’s portable radio that a family had been killed in an auto accident near Salinas. Maria stopped smiling for a moment as she pictured her family’s overturned Malibu station wagon.

[45] Becky sensed that something was wrong and asked, “How come you’re so quiet?”

Maria forced a smile. “Oh, nothing, I was just thinking.”

“‘bout what?”

Maria thought quickly. “Oh, I think I left the water on at home.” This could have been true. Maria remembered pulling the hose from the Nower bed, but couldn’t remember if she had turned the water oP.

Afterward they rode the bus home with nothing to show for their three hours of shopping except a small bag of See’s candies. But it had been a good day. Two boys had followed them, joking and Nirting, and they had Nirted back. The girls gave them made-up telephone numbers, then turned away and laughed into their hands.

[50] “They’re fools,” Becky said, “but cute.”

Maria left Becky when they got oP the bus, and started oP to her nina’s house. Then she remembered that the garden hose might still be running at home. She hurried home, clip-clopping clumsily in her mother’s shoes.

The garden hose was rolled neatly against the trellis.11 Maria decided to check the mail and went inside. When she pushed open the door, the living room gave oP a quietness she had never heard before. Usually the TV was on, her younger brothers and sister were playing, and her mother could be heard in the kitchen. When the telephone rang, Maria jumped. She kicked oP her shoes, ran to the phone, and picked up the receiver only to hear a distant clicking sound.

“Hello, hello?” Maria’s heart began to thump. Her mind went wild with possibilities. An accident, she thought, they’re in an accident, and it’s all my fault. “Who is it? Dad? Mom?”

She hung up and looked around the room. The clock on the television set glowed 5:15. She gathered the mail, changed into jeans, and left for her nina’s house with a shopping bag containing her nightie12 and a toothbrush.

[55] Her nina was happy to see her. She took Maria’s head in her hands and gave it a loud kiss.

11. a framework of wood or metal for trees or climbing plants 12. pajamas 5 “Dinner is almost ready,” she said, gently pulling her inside.

“Oh, good. Becky and I only had popcorn for lunch.”

They had a quiet evening together. After dinner, they sat on the porch watching the stars. Maria wanted to ask her nina if she had heard from her parents. She wanted to know if the police had called to report that they had gotten into an accident. But she just sat on the porch swing, letting anxiety eat a hole in her soul.

The family was gone for four days. Maria prayed for them, prayed that she would not wake up to a phone call saying that their car had been found in a ditch. She made a list of the ways she could be nicer to them: doing the dishes without being asked, watering the lawn, hugging her father after work, and playing with her youngest brother, even if it bored her to tears.

[60] At night Maria worried herself sick listening to the radio for news of an accident. She thought of her uncle Shorty and how he fell asleep and crashed his car in the small town of Medota. He lived conMned to a motorized wheelchair and was scarred with burns on the left side of his face.

“Oh, please, don’t let anything like that happen to them,” she prayed.

In the morning she could barely look at the newspaper. She feared that if she unfolded it, the front page would feature a story about a family from Fresno who had Nown oP the roller coaster at Great America. Or that a shark had attacked them as they bobbed happily among the white-tipped waves. Something awful is going happen, she said to herself as she poured Rice Krispies into a bowl.

But nothing happened. Her family returned home, dark from lying on the beach and full of great stories about the Santa Cruz boardwalk and Great America and an Egyptian Museum. They had done more this year than in all their previous vacations.

“Oh, we had fun,” her mother said, pounding sand from her shoes before entering the house.

[65] Her father gave her a tight hug as her brothers ran by, dark from hours of swimming.

Maria stared at the Noor, miPed.13 How dare they have so much fun? While she worried herself sick about them, they had splashed in the waves, stayed at Great America until nightfall, and eaten at all kinds of restaurants. They even went shopping for fall school clothes.

Feeling resentful14 as Johnny described a ride that dropped straight down and threw your stomach into your mouth, Maria turned away and went oP to her bedroom, where she kicked oP her shoes and thumbed through an old Seventeen. Her family was alive and as obnoxious as ever. She took back all her promises. From now on she would keep to herself and ignore them. When they asked, “Maria, would you help me?” she would pretend not to hear and walk away.

13. annoyed 14. Resentful (adjective): feeling or expressing bitterness or irritation 6 “They’re heartless,” she muttered. “Here I am worrying about them, and there they are having fun.” She thought of the rides they had gone on, the hours of body surMng, the handsome boys she didn’t get to see, the restaurants, and the museum. Her eyes Mlled with tears. For the Mrst time in years, she hugged a doll, the one her grandmother Lupe had stitched together from rags to old clothes.

“Something’s wrong with me,” she cried softly. She turned on her radio and heard about a single- engine plane that had crashed in Cupertino, a city not far from San Jose. She thought of the plane and the people inside, how the pilot’s family would suPer.

[70] She hugged her doll. Something was happening to her, and it might be that she was growing up. When the news ended, and a song started playing, she got up and washed her face without looking in the mirror.

That night the family went out for Chinese food. Although her brothers fooled around, cracked jokes, and spilled a soda, she was happy. She ate a lot, and when her fortune cookie said, “You are mature and sensible,” she had to agree. And her father and mother did too. The family drove home singing the words to “La Bamba” along with the car radio.

7 Text-Dependent Questions

Directions: For the following questions, choose the best answer or respond in complete sentences.

1. PART A: Which statement best expresses a theme of the short story? A. Being a teenager can be a diOcult and confusing time. B. Family vacations are a good way to keep family members close. C. The world encourages kids to grow up too quickly. D. Most teenagers aren’t ready for the independence they are given.

2. PART B: Which detail from the text best supports the answer to Part A? A. "She felt stricken by poverty. All the screaming kids in nice clothes probably came from homes with swimming pools in their backyards, she thought." (Paragraph 4) B. "‘I work all year, and if I want to go on a vacation, then I go. And my family goes too.’ He took a swallow of ice water, and glared." (Paragraph 12) C. “‘Let the girl stay. She’s big now. She don’t want to go on rides no more. She can stay with her nina.’” (Paragraph 21) D. "Her eyes Mlled with tears. For the Mrst time in years, she hugged a doll, the one her grandmother Lupe had stitched together from rags to old clothes." (Paragraph 68)

3. Which option describes the main purpose of paragraphs 14-16 in the story? A. They suggest that Maria and her father have never had a good relationship. B. They suggest that Maria gets her short temper from her father. C. They show how Maria and her father struggle to understand each other’s experiences. D. They show how Maria is a spoiled child who has never had to listen to her parents.

4. How does Maria’s attitude towards her family change throughout the text? A. Maria’s attitude swings between feeling loved by her family to feeling unappreciated. B. Maria’s attitude shifts from worrying about her family to being incredibly angry with them. C. Maria remains angry with her family from when they leave for vacation until they return. D. Maria feels guilty throughout the text, for being mean to her family and not going on vacation with them.

8 5. How does Maria’s changing attitude emphasize the theme of the short story? Use details from the text to support your answer.

9 Discussion Questions

Directions: Brainstorm your answers to the following questions in the space provided. Be prepared to share your original ideas in a class discussion.

1. In the short story, Maria gets upset when her family returns and says to herself, “something’s wrong with me.” Why do you think Maria experiences such intense emotions? Have you ever felt like this? How does Maria recover from her bad mood? What can you do if you feel like this?

2. In the short story, Maria is allowed to stay home from the family’s vacation. Have you been given or wish you’ve been given more independence or responsibilities as you’ve grown up? If so, describe them.

3. In the short story, Maria has an argument with her father. Do you think it’s common to disagree with your parents as you get older? Why or why not? Have you ever disagreed with your family? How did you resolve the argument?

10 Peer Pressure Power

Peer Pressure Power by Lynn Brunelle

Going along with the crowd doesn't have to be a risky move.

Ever done something you didn't want to do, just to fit in? Or just because your friends wanted you to? That's peer pressure. And just about everyone feels it at one time or another.

Peers are people your age, such as your friends, who have experiences similar to yours. Your peers influence your decisions and behavior every day, and they can push you to make bad choices, even dangerous ones. But is peer pressure always bad?

Positive Spin on Peer Pressure

"Peer pressure can sometimes be a good thing," says Ian Brennan, cocreator and one of the writers of the TV show Glee. That show dealt with the issue of peer pressure all the time, through the experiences of musical kids in a not-so-popular high school chorus. "Friends can give you the courage to try something you normally wouldn't, like a new sport or auditioning for the school play," Brennan points out.

Nicole S., 16, of Edmore, N.D., used to be afraid of singing in front of people. One time, her friends convinced her to sing karaoke with them. She ended up having fun! "Now I will sing anywhere, even with people present. Positive peer pressure helped me face my fear," she says.

Pressure's On!

You are surrounded by your peers all the time, and you learn a lot-both good and bad-by just being around them. You might admire a star athlete. Maybe you notice the popular kids at school and look up to them. Those aren't necessarily bad things. The popular group could be really nice; the athlete, a hard worker. Being inspired and influenced by different peer groups could help you in the long run.

The people around you can also be negative influences, however. Maybe a star teammate tells you never to pass the ball to a certain player, or a popular student cheats on tests or sends mean texts. Should you try to be like them to fit in?

Peer Pressure Is a Fact of Life

"It's not a matter of if peer pressure is going to happen," says Lee Erickson, coordinator for the Northern Lights Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) group in North Dakota. "It's a matter of when."

"The main thing is not to compromise who you are," Erickson continues. "The kind of coolness and popularity you think you may get by joining the crowd and doing risky stuff is temporary. Your character is with you for the rest of your life."

Nicole agrees. "My motto is be who you are, not who others want you to be," she says.

Peer pressure is powerful, but the ability to choose is yours. If a situation feels wrong, there's a good chance it is wrong. Think about what's best for you-and what you'll say or do-before you're in a sticky situation. "No one has tried to get me to smoke or drink yet, but I know there will come a time," says Schuyler W., 13, of Seattle. "The thing is, I know I don't want to do it, so when it does happen, I'm just going to stick up for myself and say no."

Make pacts with your friends to stay away from risky situations together and to support one another when the going gets tough. Talk with your parents about ways they can "bail you out" if you need to save face with your peers. (For instance, if someone asks you to hang out after school and you think there might be drinking or drugs around, you can tell them your parents need you to come home right away.)

Should You or Shouldn't You?

Standing up for yourself and saying no isn't always easy. But you might give voice to a bunch of peers that feel the same way you do. It can take just one person to speak out and change a situation. According to Erickson, "People will respect you for standing up for yourself-even if it doesn't seem like it right away."

"If friends try to get you to do something that you know in your heart feels wrong," says Glee's Brennan, "tell them exactly how you feel. And if they're not cool about it, find new friends."

That can be hard to do, but sometimes it's necessary. "If your so-called friends are trying to get you to do negative things, do you really think they're the best of friends?" asks Nicole. "To me, real friends accept you for who you are [and] what you believe in, and respect your decisions."

Bad News and Good News

"Negative peer pressure gets ahold of us kids really easily," says Nicole. "Because our friends ReadWorks.org Copyright © 2009 Weekly Reader Corporation. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Weekly Reader is a registered trademark of Weekly Reader Corporation. Peer Pressure Power do it, we're told something's 'cool' or we're pressured to try something 'just one time' because it won't hurt."

Some kids decide to go with the flow regardless of what they know is right. They tell themselves that being popular or being liked is more important than their own sense of self. It doesn't make sense, but that's the problem with peer pressure. You can lose yourself. But you can also find yourself, as Schuyler did when he was asked to go camping last year. He really didn't want to go.

"Sometimes your friends get you to do stuff you don't want to do, and it turns out great," he says. "I didn't want to go camping, but my friends really wanted me to go. Finally, I gave in, and I'm so glad I did. The trip was awesome! We did a lot of fun stuff I would never have done on my own."

The good news is peer pressure isn't always something to fear. Your decisions are yours to make. Take the time to make them wisely.

Power Up

Resisting negative peer pressure is a challenge, but it is definitely possible. Here are a few tips for navigating all kinds of pressure-filled situations:

· Find real friends who accept the real you. Knowing whom to listen to and whom to avoid is the key to steering clear of negative peer pressure. · Know what to say. "Just say doing that stuff really isn't your thing," says Elli L., 15, of North Dakota. "You can also blame your parents-it works wonders." · Be confident. Stick up for yourself. People will respect you for it. · Think about it. Keep in mind that just one destructive decision can change your whole life, says Nicole S., 16, also of North Dakota. Think: How might this one moment affect how you see yourself?

Getting Real With SADD

Looking to join other kids who want to make smart decisions and avoid negative peer pressure? Check out Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD). It's a national group, based in middle schools and high schools, that works to save lives by spreading the word about the dangers of risky behaviors such as drinking, using tobacco, bullying, and driving distractedly (including driving while using a cell phone).

SADD is a great resource for kids who are feeling pressured. "It is comforting to know that there are so many people supporting each other," says Elli L., a SADD member in North Dakota. "We all kind of hold each other up."

Courtesy Of Northern Lights Sadd

Teens from around the U.S. went to Washington, D.C., for a SADD conference.

"SADD does a lot of awareness projects," adds fellow member Nicole S. Groups organize awareness days; dances; bowling, pizza and roller-skating events; and more. "We get the word out, but we have fun doing it," says Nicole.

Young people take the lead in SADD groups. "The kids are in charge," says regional director Lee Erickson. He works with more than 200 chapters of SADD in South Dakota, North Dakota, and Minnesota. "Our job as adults is to listen, provide support, [and] offer tools and motivation, not to tell them what to do. They can figure that stuff out on their own."

SADD has chapters all across the country. To find one in your area or to learn more, visit www.sadd.org.

ReadWorks.org Copyright © 2009 Weekly Reader Corporation. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Weekly Reader is a registered trademark of Weekly Reader Corporation. Peer Pressure Power - Comprehension Questions

Name: ______Date: ______1. What is peer pressure?

A. the admiration that some people have for a star athlete or popular students at school B. the confidence that some students show when they refuse to do something they dislike C. the feeling that you need to do something because people similar to you are doing it D. the fear of getting up in front of a large group of people to sing, dance, or act

2. What is the passage trying to persuade readers to do?

A. The passage is trying to persuade readers to sing karaoke and go camping. B. The passage is trying to persuade readers to resist negative peer pressure. C. The passage is trying to persuade readers to get into arguments with their friends. D. The passage is trying to persuade readers to spend more time studying than playing sports.

3. Peer pressure can be a good thing.

What evidence from the passage supports this statement?

A. Some young people decide to go with the flow regardless of what they know is right and lose their sense of self. B. SADD is a student group that works to save lives by spreading the word about the dangers of risky behaviors. C. People's peers often influence their decisions and can push them to make bad choices, even dangerous ones. D. Schuyler W. did not want to go camping, but his friends convinced him to, and he had a great time.

A. Someone might give in to peer pressure from friends because he or she is worried about losing those friends by saying no. B. Someone might give in to peer pressure from friends because he or she is a member of Students Against Destructive Decisions. C. Someone might give in to peer pressure from friends because he or she is a star athlete and does not care what others think. D. Someone might give in to peer pressure from friends because he or she is very confident and has a strong sense of self.

5. What is this passage mostly about?

A. a national group that helps kids deal with peer pressure B. peer pressure and how to handle it C. the fear of singing in front of people D. ways that your parents can "bail you out"

6. Read the following sentences: "The people around you can also be negative influences, however. Maybe a star teammate tells you never to pass the ball to a certain player, or a popular student cheats on tests or sends mean texts."

What does the word negative mean above?

A. short B. tall C. bad D. good

7. Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below.

Peer pressure can be a bad thing; ______, it can also be a good thing.

A. in particular B. on the other hand C. as an illustration D. as a result

9. Name two tips given in the passage for dealing with peer pressure.

10. Choose an example of negative peer pressure mentioned in the passage. Then explain how some of the tips listed in the passage could be used to deal with that particular situation.

Title of Poem: ______Author: ______

Follow the step-by-step directions below. After you complete each step, check the item off the list.

1. ______Read the poem. Underline any words you do not know. Look them up in the dictionary and write a synonym or definition above the word(s).

2. ______Read the poem a second time. Add line reference numbers and stanza numbers. Then underline the last word in each line to identify the rhyme scheme. (New sound, new letter)

3. ______Read the poem a third time. In the space below, ask three questions you have about the poem. The questions should reflect deep thinking beyond the text!

4. ______Read the poem a fourth time. In the space below, make three inferences about the poem. (Hint…if you’re having trouble, answer the questions above!)

5. ______Read the poem a fifth time. Choose your favorite descriptive line from the poem. Copy the quote on the line below. Use quotation marks and provide a line reference number. Then, draw a detailed picture of what you visualize in the space below. Be sure to take your time and use colored pencils.

Quote: ______

6.______What is the mood of the poem? Use your mood handout to help you. Quote evidence from the text and identify line reference numbers to support your answer. ______7. ______Who is the speaker of the poem? (Hint…it’s not the author) ______8. ______Identify two examples of figurative language in the poem. Record them in the chart below. Quote from the Text Type of Figurative Language Meaning

Spring

Bending with the wind the small tree shows its strength and agrees to compromise. The bitten half moon rests in a dark blue blanket 5 and waits for morning. The frozen earth cracks Like a beast that is yawning and awakens to spring. A chipmunk ran quickly 10 across the rain-slicked boulder and slid into grass.

ReadWorks.org Copyright © 2007 Weekly Reader Corporation. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Weekly Reader is a registered trademark of Weekly Reader Corporation. Spring - Comprehension Questions

Name: ______Date: ______1. According to the first stanza of the poem, the tree did all of the following EXCEPT

A. lose a branch B. show its strength C. agree to compromise D. bend with the wind

2. Read this stanza from the poem:

A chipmunk ran quickly across the rain-slicked boulder and slid into grass

Which of the following describes the relationship between these lines?

A. The lines show a cause and an effect. B. The lines compare the chipmunk to the boulder. C. The lines contrast two different events. D. The lines show both sides of an argument.

3. To what does the author compare the frozen earth?

A. to a beast B. to a yawn C. to a crack D. to the spring

Bending with the wind the small tree shows its strength and agrees to compromise.

Based on the text, the word compromise means

A. to fake an illness B. to settle a dispute C. to awaken quietly D. to move gracefully

5. The primary purpose of this poem is to describe

A. how a chipmunk moves B. the season of spring C. the phases of the moon D. the motion of the wind

6. What phase of the moon is described in the poem?

8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes the sentence.

A small tree bends with the wind, ______it does not break.

A. or B. unless C. yet D. until

Attached you will find articles, stories, and poems to work on over the next two weeks. Each text has both multiple choice and short answer questions. The poems require an analysis as well. There are six texts in all: 3 poems, 1 fictional short story and 2 informational texts. ****My suggestion would be to complete 3 each week. **** In addition to the assigned texts, you should read for a minimum of 30 minutes from a book of your choice each day. You will need to pick at least 3 prompts from either grid to respond to each week, for a minimum of 6 prompts. You will respond to these prompts in your reader’s notebook. Please include the prompt and the date for each entry. You have all worked so hard this year and I am so proud of you! Let’s keep our momentum going and continue to challenge ourselves to become critical thinkers and readers. Please check your CPS email daily, as I will be communicating often with updates and check-ins. If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to reach out. Stay healthy!

Sincerely, Ms. Bramley [email protected]