READING COMPREHENSION
BAHAN AJAR
Dr. Ida Ayu Made Puspani, M.Hum
Putu Ayu Asty Senja Pratiwi, S.S,M.Hum
ENGLISH DEPARTEMENT, FACULTY OF LETTERS
UDAYANA UNIVERSITY
FOREWORD
This text book is compiled in order to meet the recent need to enhance
the education quality in tertiary education (University) based on the
KBK
(Competence Based Knowledge). The Reading and Comprehension text
book is aim at reading proficiency specifically to obtain the time speed
reading and reading for understanding for the first year students at Faculty of
Letters Udayana State University Denpasar Bali Indonesia.
The materials are compiled from several references to meet the
purpose of comprehending and the time speed of reading of various types of
texts.
Critics and insights are welcome for the improvement of the text
book.
Denpasar, August 15, 2013
The writer
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FOREWORD……….
2
TAB
LE OF CONTENTS……….
3
LESSON 1
………..
4
LESSON 2
………...
7
LESSON 3
………..1
3
LESSON 4
………..
22
LESSON 5
………..2
9
LESSON 6
………..3
6
L
ESSON 7 ………4
4
LESSON 8
………..4
9
LESSON 9
………. 5
4
LESSON 10………..
62
LESSON 11………
....69
LE
SSON 12 ………
75
LESSON 13………..75
LESSON 1
TEXT 1
FOOD PRESERVATION
There are man y wa ys to pres erve food. The y all do much the sam e thing. The y m ake it diffi cult for yeasts and bact eri a t o grow. And it i s thes e organism s that caus e food t o spoil.
One wa y t o pres erve f ood is b y dr ying. Most organism s need wat er to live. Dr yi ng takes the wat er out of food.
Food Preservation
Pickli ng is done b y s oaking food in vi negar. Vi negar is t oo acid for most organisms .
Canning was fi rst done t o preserve food for Napo1eon‟s arm y and nav y. Duri ng canning, contai ners are fill ed wit h food and s ealed. The y are heat ed to hi gh tem perat ures th at kill organisms. The cont ai ners must then be kept seal ed until t he food is t o be eat en.
Peopl e are ver y cl ever. The y are al wa ys finding better wa ys t o keep thei r food good to eat.
Choos e on e of the C orrect Answers B el ow!
1. All pres erving m ethods do much the sam e thing: t he y a. compress food i nt o sm all cont ainers
b. m ake it di fficultl y get at food
2. The arti cl e s a ys that foods s poil because of the growth of li ving organi sms such as :
a. yeas ts b. bact eri a
c. fungus d. Both a and b
3. Dr yi ng prevents the growth of organi sms b y causi ng food t o a. los e m ost of its wat er
b. becom e hard and t ast el ess c. become sm all er and li ghter d. None out the above
4. The arti cl e sa ys t hat pickling is done b y s oaking food in
a. wine b. oi l
c. sal t wat er d. vi negar
5. Canning was fi rst done to provide food for
a. Napoleon‟s arm y and nav y
b. pi oneers on the American fronti er c. C hristopher Co1umbus‟s crew i n 1492 d. The st or y does not sa y.
6. During canning, cont ainers are fil led with food, s eal ed, and then a. covered wit h col d wat er
b. heat ed t o hi gh tem peratures c. stored i n a dark pl ace
d. l abel ed to s how their cont ents
7. The arti cl e sa ys t hat canni ng pres erves food wel l onl y i f a. cont ainers are kept seal ed
TEXT 2
The S tory of Gordian Kn ot
In the m arket place of ancient Gordi um, the capit al of P hr ygia, there st ood a wagon. It was t ied to its yoke b y a strange knot.
The person, w ho untied this knot, som eone s ai d, would bri ng the kingdom of Phr ygi a t o an end. And he would com e t o rul e Asi a.
Man y peopl e had tri ed t o unti e the knot . But none had s ucceeded. Then one da y Al exander the Great came t o Gordi um. He also t ried to unit e the knot . But s oon he became i mpati ent . Drawing his s word, he cut through the knot wi t h one blow.
Alexander Cutting the Gordian
The predi cti on cam e true. Al exander t he Great did dest ro y the kingdom and conquer Asia. And the words “cutting the Gordian knot” have come to mean s olving a hard probl em in a new and s urprising wa y.
Choos e on e of the C orrect Answers B el ow
1. Gordium was the capital of ancient
a. Greece b. Phr ygia
c. R om e d. Asi a Mi nor
2. The wagon in Gordi um stood i n the
c. mai n st reet d. town square 3. The st range knot ti ed the wagon to i ts
a. wheels b. post
c. yoke d. s eat
4. Someone pr edi ct ed t hat the person who untied the knot woul d a. leave P hr ygi a A b. becom e t he ki ng
c. conquer Asi a d. becom e weal th y
5. When Alexander the Great couldn‟t untie the knot, he
a. cut the knot b. became impati ent
c. drew hi s s word d. All of the above
6. The stor y s a ys that Alexander the Great made the predi ction com e t rue b y
a. destro yi ng P hr ygi a
b. conquering Greece and Ro m e c. rul ing Europe
d. None of the above
7. The term “cutting the Gordian knot” has come t o m ean
a. cutting to the heart of a m att er b. finding a new sol ution t o a probl em c. cutting off ti es wit h som eone
LESSON 2
TEXT 1
REFRIGERATION AND ICE
In the earl y 1900s there were no refri gerators -onl y iceboxes. In thos e da ys i ceboxes were s quare cabinets wit h t wo com partment s. The upper one was for ice. The lower one was for food. Bel ow the icebox was a m et al t ra y t o catch wat er as the i ce m elt ed.
Ice was delivered in huge bl ocks to hom es s everal tim es a week. It was brought b y an i ceman wit h a hors e and cart. He ha d a l arge pair of tongs t o pi ck up t he block and swi ng it around to his back. Then he carri ed it to the i cebox.
Iceboxes were not as cold as refri gerators are now. Food didn‟t keep as well . There were al wa ys long debat es at the di nner tabl e about whether the butt er had turned bad or the milk had gone sour.
Choos e on e of the C orrect Answers B el ow !
1. The arti cl e sa ys t hat iceboxes were in us e in t he
a earl y 1800s b. l at e 18005
c. earl y 19005 d. l at e 1900s
2. Iceboxes were
a. met al boxes b. s quare cabi net s
c. large t ubs d. bl ocks of i ce
3. The upper compartm ent of an i cebox hel d
a. a block of i ce b. butt er and m ilk
c. wood d. food
4. The lower compartm ent of an i cebox hel d
a. a block of i ce b. food
c. wood d. wat er
b. in the l ower com part ment c. below the i cebox
d. on top of the i cebox 6. Ice was del ivered to hom es
a. several ti mes a week b. b y an icem an
c. in a can
d. All of the above
7. One di fference bet ween i ceboxes and modern refri gerators i s that a. iceboxes were col der than refri gerat ors
b. i ceboxes kept food from spoiling l onger than refri gerators c. milk turned sour l ess often i n i ceboxes
d. None of the above
TEXT 2
Footsteps in the Snow
By Ronald Rood
1
Somebody was following me. I was certain of it. I could hear soft footsteps behind me.
2
I glanced round at the dark, silent forest. The lights of our house were some distance away. There was no nearer human dwelling. The snow round me, falling in huge sticky flakes, dulled every sound. Trees were bowed with its weight. Bushes and evergreens, covered with snow, had strange shapes. They were silent, watchful.
3
4
It was just after I could see our house lights that I got the feeling I was not alone. It took a while for me to become aware of them. But then I heard them plainly—footsteps behind me.
5
It was some other traveler, I told my self. Was it someone who lived near me? I stopped to wait for the stranger.
6
When I stopped, however, the foot-steps stopped too. There was no sound in the dark. Well, perhaps the stranger didn‟t wish to walk with me. I turned towards home again. The foot-steps were almost exactly in time with mine, but a fraction of a second later-pad, thump, pad, thump, pad, thump. They neither came closer nor dropped farther back. They just kept pace with me. I went a short distance. Then I stopped, one foot raised in the air. Sure enough, I had stopped so suddenly that the creature had been caught off guard. It hadn‟t stopped as quickly as I. There was one more foot-steps — thump!
7
An odd feeling came over me. Who or what was behind me? What did it want? 8
Then I heard a voice-my own. “Hello!” I cried. “Who‟s there?” 9
No reply.
10“Hello?” I called again. Still no answer. This was no firned from the forest.
Should I go back and try to see who it was? Or should I walk on towards our kitchen light winking far down the road?
11
The kitchen light won out. If the stranger kept following, maybe I could at least see a silhouette when we got near the light.
12
Then, from an evergreen covered with snow, came the answer to it all. A branch dropped its heavy load of snow to the ground. It hit the slush beneath with a thump! There was the clue to my invisible stranger.
13
As I had been walking, each foot with each step had picked up a load of sticky snow. The snow clung to my boot a moment. Then it had dropped off as my foot went forwards for another step. My silent companion had just been clumps of snow. They fell in perfect time with my stride.
14
A. Write the letter of the best answer for each question.
1. What is the problem that the storyteller faces in this story? a. He wants to discover who is following him.
b. He wants to reach home before the stranger overtakes him. c. He wants to find his way home through a snowstorm. 2. How is the problem solved?
a. He discovers that no one is following him. b. He meets the person who is following him.
c. The person who is following him gets away unsee n.
3. What really caused the sound of “footsteps” behind the storyteller?
a. Clumps of snow falling from trees.
b. Clumps of snow falling from his own boots. c. Echoes of his own footsteps in the forest. 4. What is the mood of the story?
a. Humorous. b. Cheerful. c. Mysterious.
5. Suppose the story had taken place in a busy setting in which there were many lighted houses. How might this have affected the mood of the story?
a. It might have seemed more frightening and mysterious. b. It might have seemed less frightening and mysterious. c. Neither a nor b.
6. How did the storyteller probably feel at the end of the story? a. Angry
Word Study (synonyms)
B Large cats have big paws.
Words that have the same or almost the same meaning are called synonyms.
Large is a synonym of big. In each row of words below, there is one word that
means the same as the word or words in heavy type. Write that word.
11 search for seek loose
12 real true false
13 silent noisy still
14 slender slim heavy
15 follow lead chase
16 swift slow quick
17 yell shout whisper
18 ruin build wreck
C Writers sometimes use words in special ways known as figures of speech. A
simile is a figure of speech that makes a comparison, using the word as or like.
For example:
Glen is as strong as an ox. Glen is like an ox.
Such comparisons help you understand that Glen is very strong, since oxen are known for their strength. Similes are imaginative (and sometimes exaggerated) forms of description. Read the sentences below and write the word that completes each simile best.
19 Lana is standing still. A statue stands still. Lana is standing like a___. 20 Her suitcase is light. A feather is light. Her suitcase is as__ as a feather.
21 Lou‟s shouts were annoying. A howling cat is annoying. Lou‟s shouts were as ___ as a howling cat.
22 Rana is tall. A tree is tall. Rana is as tall as a___.
23 Her touch is gentle. A summer shower is gentle. Her touch is as___ as a summer shower.
LESSON 3
THE STORY OF SATURDAY AND SATURN
Long ago, in the da ys of the Rom an Em pire, peopl e us ed t o beli eve in a god of farmi ng nam ed S aturn. The Romans beli eved that Saturn coul d make the weather good or bad. The y thought t hat he decided how m uch rai n would fall.
Before a Roman farmer would pl ant his fi elds , he woul d tr y to get Saturn to give him good weather. The farmer bel ieved that if he kil led an anim al for S aturn t hat would m ake t he god happ y. Then S atu rn would make s ure that t he weather was good.
The Romans not onl y nam ed a planet after Saturn, but they also nam ed a da y of the week after him . The y call ed thi s da y Satu rn di es . These are Latin words that mean “day of Saturn.” In Engl ish thes e words became Sat urda y.
After you have read the ab ove text, ch oos e th e correct an swer for th e
following s tatement
1. The Rom ans beli eve in the God of farmi ng
2. Satu rn was beli eve t o be a. a wis e god
b. m ani pul ator of the pl anets c. the weather controller d. weather forecast
3. Before R om an farm ers plant ed t heir fi elds, the y a. tri ed to make Sat urn happ y
b. ki lled an anim al
c. as ked S aturn for good weat her d. All of the above
4. The Rom ans nam e after Saturn? a. Neither a nor b
b. A pl anet c. Both a and b d. A da y of the week
5. The Lati n words S at u rn di es mean a. da y of S at urn
b. death of S aturn
c. Saturn‟s week
d. None of the above
6. In English Sat u rn di es becam e t he word
a. S at an b. S aturda y
c. sat in d. S atu rn
7. The Rom ans beli eved in the god S atu rn because a. then crops grew well
b. it rained frequentl y
TEXT 2
The Amazing Journey of Phileas Fogg
1In 1872, Mr.Phileas Fogg walked his usual five hundred and seventy-six steps to the Reform Club of London. There he enjoyed his usual dinner, played his usual card game, and then entered into a most unusual conversation about a bank robbery that had recently taken place. The police had announced that the robber was a well-dressed gentleman, and the club members were discussing the crime. Some thought that the police would have a difficult time apprehending the criminal, since he could hide anywhere in the world.
2
Fogg, however, disagreed. He pointed out that the world was getting smaller, since new railways had now made it possible to go around the world in eighty days. Fogg's companions believed that eighty days was possible in theory, but not in fact, since shipwrecks, storms, accidents, and other unexpected difficulties would most certainly interfere with such a tight schedule.
3
But Fogg persisted, and finally said, “I will bet twenty thousand pounds that l can make the tour of the world in eighty days or less.” After some discussion, the other club members accepted the wager.
4
5
Detective Ex thought it was not only peculiar, but also suspicious. Convinced that Fogg was actually the bank robber fleeing capture, Fix pursued him around the globe.
6
Fogg and his servant reached India without incident and boarded the newly completed trans-Indian rail-road. There they encountered Sir Francis Cromarty and the first of many troubles. With no warning, the conductor suddenly announced that all passengers had to leave the train.
7“
Do we stop here?” asked Sir Francis. 8“
Certainly, since the railway isn‟t finished,” said the conductor. “There are still miles to be laid between here and the point where the line begins again.”
9“
But the newspapers announced the opening of the completed railway.” 10“The newspapers were wrong,” replied the conductor,”
and you will have to provide your own transportation between here and Ailahabad.”
11
Sir Francis and Possepartout were furious, but Fogg was unperturbed. “I knew some obstacle or other would arise on my route, so nothing is lost. We shall hire a vehicle.”
12
But no vehicle could be found. 13“I shall go afoot,” sa
id Phileas Fogg. 14
Possepartout hesitated a moment and finally said, “Sir, l think I have found a way to travel. There is an elephant that belongs to an Indian who lives but a hundred steps from here.”
15“Let's go and see it,” replied Fogg.
16
The three companions soon discovered the beast in the back yard of a small hut. It had been hand-reared by its owner and was very gentle. Fogg tried to rent the animal for ten pounds an hour, a generous sum, but his offer was refused, as were offers for twenty pounds, and even forty.
17
Without getting at all distressed, Fogg then proposed simply to buy the animal, offering o thousand pounds for it. This, too, was refused.
18
at stake, and that the elephant was worth any price to him. Therefore, he would pay twenty times its value if necessary.
19
Next he offered twelve hundred pounds, then fifteen hundred, eighteen hundred, two thousand pounds Passepartout, usually so ruddy, was fairly white with suspense.
20
At two thousand pounds, the Indian yielded, and Fogg paid him with some bank notes from his bag. Then Fogg offered to carry Sir Francis to Allahabad, since one traveller more was not likely to tire the gigantic elephant. They purchased provisions nearby, and Sir Francis, Fogg, Passepartout, and a guide climbed up. The guide perched on the elephant‟s neck, and at nine o'clock they set out from the village, the animal marching off through the dense forest by the shortest route.
21
While in India, Fogg and Passepartout saved the life of a young Indian widow named Aouda. They offered to accompany her to Hong Kong, where she hoped to join a cousin. On arriving in Hong Kong, however, Aouda learned that her cousin had recently made an immense fortune and had moved to Europe. Wondering what to do, Aouda sought Fogg`s advice, and he counseled her to continue on to Europe with him and
Passepartout. 22
Aouda agreed and the trio then continued their race against time. They were detained by storms, broken railroad tracks, Sioux attacks, and missed connections. They traveled by ice boat by cargo ship, and on the seventy-ninth day by mail train.
23They all got onto the train, which was just ready to start, at halt-past one, and by dawn they were in Dublin, where they embarked on a steamer.
24Phileas Fogg disembarked at the Liverpool harbor at twenty minutes before twelve, December twenty-first. He was only six hours distant from London, and he wasn't due there until quarter before nine.
25But at this moment, Fix came up, put his hand upon. Mr. Fogg's shoulder and, showing his warrant, said, “Are you really Phileas Fogg?"
26“I am.”
27“Then l arrest you in the Queen's name”
bet. (He did.) The book was made into a play, which caused quite a sensation at the time. One reason was that the play used spectacular effects, including snakes, a live elephant, and a giani map on which Fogg's position was shown.
29But there were other reasons for the story success it was written by Jules Verne, who was already famous for his earlier books, including Five Weeks in a Balloon, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea. All of these books told of journeys taken against great odds, and all had been popular.
30This story was less fantastic than the others, and it excited strong feelings because people argued about whether or not Fogg had been right. Could the world of 1873 really be circled in only days? A few years before, this would certainly have been impossible, but new railroads now crossed both India and America.
31Many people, including a 22-year~old American reporter named Nellie Bly, tried to duplicate Fogg's feat. In 1889 she visited Jules Verne, who wished her luck and said he doubted she could circle the globe so quickly. But Nellie Bly succeeded, completing the trip in just 72 days.
After you have read the above text how well you comprehend the text.
A. Choose one of the phrases to complete the sentence!
1. Phileas Fogg made a bet that he could circle the globe in eighty days because he
a liked attention-getting Stunts b was confident that he was right c acted rashly if anyone doubted him
2. Detective Fix suspected Fogg was the bank robber because Fogg a left London very suddenly
b looked like the robber c had a criminal record
3. Sir Francis and Passepartout were furious about having to leave the train because they
b feared it would cost them precious time c did not want to travel by elephant
4. Fogg paid two thousand pounds for the elephant because ` a he felt sorry for its poor owner
b he knew it was worth twice that c it was worth almost any price to him
5. From what you have read, you can tell that Phileas Fogg was a man who a was easily upset by small matters
b was determined to succeed c had a passion for travel
6. By arresting Fogg when he did, Fix
a nearly prevented Fogg from reaching London in time to win his bet b made sure that Fogg would be in ail over Christmas
c made sure that Fogg was not armed
7. From the kinds of books that Jules Verne wrote, you can conclude that he liked
a going on long ocean voyages b writing about unusual journeys c living in comfort and ease
8. From the arguments over Verne's book, you can conclude that many people were interested in discussing
a the increasing speed of travel b how travel books were written c how railroads operated in India
9. When' Fogg said that the world was getting smaller, he a was showing oft his knowledge of geography
b did not exped to be believed
Learn about Words
B. A word may have more than one meaning.
Look at each number in parentheses. Find the paragraph in the story with the some number. See how the word in heavy type below is used in the paragraph. Decide whether it has meaning a, b, or c. Write a, b, or c.
10 apprehending (1) a catching; arresting b understanding c foreseeing 11 fortune (21)
a fate; destiny
b large sum of money c luck
Word Study
C counter + act = counteract (act against)
non + fiction = nonfiction (not fiction)
A prefix is a syllable that can be added to the beginning of a word to form a
ward with a different meaning. The prefix counter often means "against" or
"opposing," The prefix non often means "not." Read the definitions below. Add a prefix to each word in heavy type to make a word with the stated meaning.
Write the new word.
12 working against being productive: ____ productive 13 not likely to cause an allergic reaction: ____ allergic
14 propaganda directed against enemy propaganda: ____ propaganda 15 not a resident: ____ resident
16 an opposing point of view: ____view 17 a trend opposing another trend: ____trend 18 not living: ____living
D . I’ve been feeling weak this week.
Words that have the same sound but different spellings and meanings are sometimes called homonyms. For example: weak and week. Each sentence below contains a pair of homonyms in parentheses. Write the word that makes sense in the sentence.
20 (Ring, Wring) the bell before you go in.
21 A huge grey (hair, hare) leaped out into the clearing. 22 We had (foul, fowl) weather all weekend.
LESSON 4
TEXT 1
COCONUT TREE
The coconut t ree is often call ed t he tree o f li fe. It not onl y provides mat eri al to build a hous e, but from it you can m ake food and dri nk, clot hing, m edi ci ne, dyes , s oaps, fuel s, and furniture.
A coconut t ree is different fro m m ost other trees. It has no true bark; its sap ris es t hrough t he whole t runk. Whil e most trees bear fruit just once a year, the coconut tree al wa ys has crops at twel ve stages , from opening flower t o ripe nut.
A coconut tree‟s life is like that of a hum an. It mat ures at thi rt een; it produces unt il about sixt y; it di es at ei ght y or ninet y.
Coconut t rees requi re t ropical sunshi ne and lots of wat er. The Philippi nes export t he most coconuts -t wo a year for ever y man, wom an, and child on earth.
After you have read the ab ove text, ch oos e th e correct an swer for th e
following s tatement .
1. The s ap of the coconut t ree ris es through its
a. bark b. l eaves
2. The coconut t ree al wa ys has crops at
a. 10 st ages b. 12 st ages
c. 14 st ages d. 16 st ages
3. The coconut t ree is often call ed t he a. tree of li fe
b. t ree of happiness c. tree of ri ches d. t ree of pl ent y
4. A coconut t ree is mature b y t he age of
a. 7 b. 9
c. 11 d. 13
5. Coconut trees require a. tropi cal sunshi ne b. s and y soil
c. sal t wat ers
d. The arti cl e does not s a y.
6. A coconut t ree wil l produce until about age
a. 60 b. 70
c. 80 d. 9 0
7. The nation t hat exports t he most coconuts is
a. Indi a b. the United St at es
TEXT 2
The Adventure of the Countess Jeanne
1
John Froissart was a French poet and historian who lived during the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453) between France and England. His famous chronicles are one of the best accounts we have of life in feudal times. The story of Jeanne de Montfort, like all Froissarts chronicles, was based on his own observations and on conversations with witnesses of the events.
2
I hope that some day you will come to know the fair duchy of Brittany, a land of proud, sturdy people, of sunny streams and smiling villages on the one hand, and on the other of battlefields and fortified towns.
3
When the old Duke John of Brittany died, the question arose as to who should succeed to the throne of the duchy. The king of France strongly supported his nephew, Charles of Blois, who had married the old
duke's niece. But on the other hand Count John of Montfort, half-brother of the old duke, laid his claim, backed by his proud wife, Countess Jeanne. And where else should Count John look for support but across the Channel to the ancient foe of the king of France, the king of England?
4
5I will not weary you with all the struggle so for as John of Montfort is concerned. He was captured in Nantes by a great French army and carried oft captive to Paris.
6When this happened, the Countess Jeanne immediately set about rallying her friends and all the soldiers she could muster, saying, “I have money enough to pay all the soldiers and captains I need.” She set out for
all her fortresses in Brittany, making the same plea, putting spirit into her followers, and paying them liberally into the bargain. Then she settled down for the winter in Hennebon, a fortress near the coast, so that she could keep in touch with her ally the king of England across the water.
7With the coming of spring, the armies stirred again and Charles of Blois came into Brittany with a great host, intent on subduing the duchy. Countess Jeanne, immediately she knew of the invasion of Charles of Blois, sent one of her knights to England to beg the assistance of King Edward. He was very ready to give it, so he sent Sir Walter Manny with six thousand archers, but they ran into heavy gales and were at sea nearly six weeks before they could land in France.
8Things had not begun well for my lady Jeanne. Sir Walter Manny hovered on the high seas, so near and yet so for, and moreover, Charles of Blois was sweeping triumphantly on to Hennebon, resolved to capture the
countess and bring the whole war to a quick end.
9Inside Hennebon there was a great bustle. The alarm bell was rung and every man was ordered to arm and prepare for the defense of the town.
10Countess Jeanne was everywhere at once. She put on armor, mounted a great warhorse, and rode from street to street, cheering the citizens on to battle. Under her orders, the girls and womenfolk cut their gowns short, loaded themselves with stones from the streets, and staggered with them to the walls in order to hurl them down upon the attackers.
armor, and called for her great horse again. She summoned three hundred mounted men and rode with them to one of the town gates that was free from attack.
They flung it open, and, at the head of her three hundred, she dashed straight for the deserted enemy camp. They slashed the tent ropes, demolished the fine lodgings of Charles of Blois, and set fire to the whole
encampment. Then, seeing her return to Hennebon cut off, she rallied her forces, skirted the town, and rode hard for the port of Brest some seventy miles away.
12
Those inside the town, not knowing what had become of their valiant countess, were desperately worried for five days. Then at sunrise the watchers saw my lady Montfort come riding rapidly around the edge of the French army with five hundred men behind her. With a great wave of cheering and a blare of trumpets, the defenders threw open the gates. The astonished French, who thought they had seen the last of this unusual captain, watched helplessly. By the time they had recovered their wits, the gates were slammed and barred again.
13
The French army tried one more fierce assault on the town, and, with a dozen large siege engines, kept up a bombardment of stones day and night. indeed, they made such good progress with their ceaseless battering that the courage of some of the defenders began to falter, and a group of them talked of surrender on condition that they might keep their goods.
14
That did not suit the lionhearted Countess Jeanne. She begged the Breton lords not to give up, but counsels against her were strong and made so deep an impression on the chief citizens that they were on the point of yielding up the town.
15
Then came the final surprise of this surprising tale. 16
My lady Montfort, sick at heart, climbed a stair in the castle of Hennebon, and, with little spirit left, stared out to sea. She could scarcely believe her eyes. For she saw a distant crowd of sail standing in the harbor. Her joyful cries brought the townsfolk running. They crowded the
ramparts and saw for themselves the host of ships, great and small, making for hard-pressed Hennebon.
17
18
That is really the end of the story. If I wished, I could dwell on the reception the countess gave to Sir Walter Manny when he landed with all his captains and broke the siege engines into pieces. For good measure, before the laggard French host was properly astir, they set fire to the camp again!
19
The Countess Jeanne came down from the castle with a blithesome heart, and in her excitement she kissed Sir Walter Manny and his companions two or three times, one after the other. It must have been a formidable experience!
A. Write the letter of the best answer for each question.
1 Who are the conflicting parties in this story? a France and England
b Charles of Blois and Count John of Montfort c Both a and b
2 What is the cause of the conflict in this story?
a The king of England wanted to rule most of Europe.
b Both Charles of Blois and Count John of Montfort wanted to rule the same duchy. c Countess Jeanne wanted to become queen of England.
3 Why didn't Count John of Montfort play an important part in solving the conflict? a He was a poor soldier in bottle.
b He became seriously ill at the start of the war. c He was captured early in the war.
4 Which of the following incidents was most important in settling the conflict? a Charles of Blois invaded Brittany with a large army
b Sir Walter Manny landed with his archers.
c Countess Jeanne burned the deserted enemy camp. 5 Which words describe Countess Jeanne best?
The following sentences describe events in the story. Put the events in the right order by lettering each one a, b, c, or d.
6 Sir Walter Manny was delayed at sea. 7 Duke John of Brittany died.
8 The defenders of Hennebon talked of surrender. 9 Charles of Blois invaded Brittany with his army.
B. Learn about Words
A word may have more than one meaning.
Look at each number in parentheses. Find the paragraph in the story with the same number. See how the word in heavy type is used in the paragraph. Decide whether it has meaning a, b, or c. Write a, b, or c.
10 accounts (I)
a statements telling about events
b statements of money received or spent c records of business dealings
11 spring (7) a elastic device
LESSON 5
TEXT 1
History of Cars
Cars in their earl y da ys w ere built one at a time. It took a long tim e to build a car. That made cars ver y expensive. Ver y few peopl e could afford to bu y them.
Henr y Ford sol ved t he pr o bl em. He deci ded t o m ake a great number of car parts at once. The parts , when done, were pl aced a l ong a line cal led an ass embl y line. The bare fram e of a car was moved along t he line. The first worker that the fram e reached put on the first part , the s econd worker put on the second part, and so on until at the and of the line the car was finis hed.
Picture of Ford Company
Becaus e the cars were built qui ckl y, they cost l ess to m ake. More peopl e coul d afford cars , and more peopl e bought t hem.
After you have read the ab ove text, ch oos e th e correct an swer for th e
following s tatement
1. Before as sembl y lines were us ed, C ars were bui lt a. one at a t ime b. t wo at a tim e c. four at a tim e d. ei ght at a ti me
b. C ars were ver y expensive.
c. Not ver y m an y peopl e k new how to dri ve. d. M an y peopl e were afrai d of cars .
3. The person who developed t he ass embl y li ne to m ake cars was a. Thomas Edison
b. Henr y Ford c. Eli Whitne y d. David Bui ck
4. A car i s st art ed on an ass embl y line as a. not hing at all
b. an alm ost -compl et ed car c. a bare fram e
d. a ha1f -fi nis hed m odel 5. On an ass embl y line
a. cars are moved past workers b. work ers are m oved past cars
c. workers and cars are moved past each other d. workers and cars s ta y in one pl ace
6. Becaus e cars on an assem bl y line were built qui ckl y, the y a. fell apart s ooner
b. cost l ess to m ake c. us ed more fuel
d. ran faster, wi th l ess nois e 7. When cans were cheaper, t he y
a. were bought b y m ore peopl e b. caus ed more accidents
TEXT 2
How the Greeks Lived
By Hendrik Willem van Loon
1
About the year 500 B.C people in most countries were ruled by cruel kings and dictators. But the people who lived in the little city-state of Athens in what is now Greece developed the world's first democratic society where people could live in freedom and equality and make their own laws. The society was for from. Only the freemen in Athens had all the rights of citizens. Still, it was the best attempt at democratic living that had been made up to that lime. In the selection below, Athenian life is described.
2
Democracy in Greece was only for one group of citizens the free people. Every Greek city was composed of free citizens, a large number of slaves, and a sprinkling of foreigners.
3
At rare intervals (usually during a war when men were needed for the army) the Greeks were willing to give the rights of citizenship to the foreigners, or “barbarians” as they were called. But this was an exception, because in general citizenship was a matter of birth. You were on Athenian because your father and young and father had been Athenian before you. No matter how talented you were and no matter how rich, if you were born of non-Athenian parents you remained a "foreigner" all your life.
4
The classes of society were also very rigid among those born in Athens. The freeborn citizens were hereditary masters and all the slaves were hereditary servants. Everyone knew his or her place in this society and people did not move from one class to another.
5The Greek city, therefore, was run by and tor the tree citizens, and this would not have been possible without the large number of slaves who performed all those jobs that we spend most of our time and energy doing if we wish to make a living.
6
7It is true that the position of those slaves who did the farming was a very unpleasant one. But the average freeman who had come down in the world and now had to hire himself out as a farmhand led just as miserable a life. In the cities many of the slaves lived better than, many of the free. For the Greeks, who loved moderation in all things, did not like to treat their slaves after the fashion that later was so common in Rome. (In Rome a slave had as few rights as a machine in a modern factory and could be thrown to the wild animals upon the smallest excuse.)
8The Greeks thought of slavery as a necessary institution without which no city could become the home of a truly civilized people. The slaves took care of those duties that today are performed by business and professional people. The free people meanwhile went to public meetings to vote and discuss questions of war and peace. Or they visited the theater to see the latest play or hear a discussion of the playwright Euripides, who had dared to express certain doubts about the omnipotence (unlimited power) of the great god Zeus.
9The Greeks, who understood the value of leisure, had reduced household duties to the minimum by living in extremely simple surroundings. To begin with, their homes were very plain. Even the rich spent their lives in simple stucco buildings.
10A Greek house was built round an open courtyard. At the front was a hall with a door that led into the street, but no windows. The rooms for preparing toad, sleeping, and living were built round the sides and back of the courtyard, in which there were a small fountain or a statue and a few plants to make it look bright.
11Many of the family activities took place in this courtyard unless, of course, it was too cold or was raining. In one comer of the courtyard the cook, who was a slave, prepared the meal while in another corner the teacher, who was also a slave, taught the children their alpha beta gammas (alphabet) and the multiplication tables.
12
13
In the little office just off the courtyard the master would inspect the accounts brought to him by the manager of his farm, who was of course a slave.
14
When dinner was ready, the family dined together, but the meal was o very simple one and did not take much time. The Greeks seem to have regarded eating as something that had to be done and not as a pastime to
kill boring hours by eating all that one could hold. 15
The Greeks ate bread and cheese and a little meat with some green vegetables. They drank water only when nothing else was available, because they did not think it was very healthy. They loved to visit one another during mealtimes. But one of the main reasons was to talk. The Greeks loved talking and discussing every subject under the sun. They often talked about the gods, about friendship and how one could decide between what was a “good” deed and what was a “bad” deed.
16
The same moderation they showed in food, the Greeks showed in clothes. They liked to be clean and well-groomed. The men had their hair and beards neatly cut and kept their bodies strong and well. Both the men and women wore long robes that were brown or, for formal occasions, bleached white. The women would sometimes wear ornaments when at home, but the Greeks thought it vulgar to display their wealth in public.
The story of Greek life is a story of both moderation and simplicity. Our material possessions such as houses, furniture, books, and cars take up a great deal of the owner's time and attention. They have to be polished, brushed, painted, mended, and guarded. The Greeks would probably feel that we are not so much the owners of property as slaves to our possessions.
A. Below are some statements about how your life might have been had you lived in
Ancient Athens. If a statement seems likely (or in agreement with the story),
write Yes. It a statement seems unlikely, write No.
1 You were born outside of Athens. Now you leave your parents and move to Athens. You will become a citizen of this city-state.
2 You are a citizen of Athens. Your children will choose whether to become freemen or slaves.
3 You are a slave in Athens. Your children will be slaves also.
4 You are a slave in Athens. The jobs you perform will probably not be very important.
5 You are one at the average citizens of Athens. You probably value simplicity.
6 Your job is to design a house for a citizen of Athens. Your plans will probably include a courtyard.
7 You are a woman and a citizen of Athens. You lead an active public life. 8 You are a citizen of Athens. You probably eat moderately and dress simply.
9 You are a wealthy citizen of Athens. Your wealth is shown by your many possessions.
B. A word may have more than one meaning.
Look at each number in parentheses. Find the paragraph in the story with the
same number. See how the word in heavy type below is used in the paragraph.
Decide whether it has meaning a, b, or c. Write a, b, or c.
10. classes (4)
a instructional sessions b groups of students c social ranks or divisions 11. office (13)
a room where one works b duty of one's position
C Here are some more common prepositions: before, after, over, under, about, and
like. Each sentence below contains two words in bold type. If the two words are
prepositions, write Prep. It they are not prepositions, write No.
12 She sat under a tree in the garden. 13 The baby played with her toys.
14 We went into the house by the back door. 15 We waited at the entrance to the theater. 16 I bought you a new table.
17 Don't crinkle that paper.
LESSON 6
TEXT 1
THE ORIGIN OF POTTERY FACTORY
There are m an y wa ys to m ake pott er y. One m et hod is to shape wet cl a y with t he fingers-forming it int o the desi red s hape. Aft er the potter y has dried s om ewhat , it is “fired,” or baked in a n oven cal led a kiln.
In “slab building,” flat slabs of cla y are rol led out li ke pi e dough. Shaped pi eces are cut out and j oined to form t he desi red pott ery pi ece.
In “coil building,” cla y i s roll ed i nto long ropes, or coils. Then t he coil s are l aid on t o p of each other. Aft er the pott er y pi ece is structured, the coils are carefull y smoothed.
Pottery factory in early days
Many modern potters use a potter‟s wheel , whi ch is a round
plat form t hat turns As the pl at form s pins, the pott er s hapes a piece of cla y b y hand, worki ng it upwards to form it.
1. One m ethod of maki ng pott er y is to a. chis el the desi red shape out of s tone
b. pat mounds of moi st s and wit h t he pal m of the hand c. shape wet cla y wit h the fingers
d. pour li quid l ead into a res haped m old
2. Aft er a pott er y pi ece has dri ed enough t o be handl ed, it is
a. fi red b. s pra yed
3. A kil n i s a
a. tool us ed to shape cl a y b. sl ab of cl a y
c. titl e gi ven t o experienced pott ers d. t ype of oven
4. The sl ab bui lding m ethod of m aking pott er y us es cl a y that is a. rol led out li ke pi e dough
b. whipped up li ke cake mix c. rol led into bal ls
d. s haped li ke bri cks
5. In the coil buildi ng m ethod of m aki ng pott er y, t he potter y is struct ured b y
a. la yi ng cla y coils one on top of the other b. pl acing st ri ngs of cl a y end to end
c. coiling sl abs of cl a y around a mold d. None of the above
6. The st or y s a ys that man y modem potte rs a. prefer the coil bui lding of pott er y b. wear s peci al gloves as the y work c. use a potter‟s wheel
d. Both b and c
7. A potter‟s wheel is
a. an instrument us ed in decorati ng pott er y pieces
b. a dial on the kiln t hat cont rols the heat inside t he kil n c. a round pl at form t hat turns for shapi ng pott er y
TEXT 2
Two Friends Face Danger Together
Drawn from the novel Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson
1
Robert Louis Stevenson was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in l85Q As an adult he traveled extensively, seeking warmer climates to aid his poor health, but he returned to Scotland several limes, where he wrote his
most famous novels, Treasure Island and Kidnapped. In Kidnapped, the hero, David Balfour, tells of his experiences as an orphaned teenager whose journeys take him over the high seas and through wild mountainous
regions of the Scottish Highlands, Along the way, David finds adventure, disaster and lasting friendship. Here is a small portion of his story.
2
Early one morning in 1751, when I was seventeen years old, I left my childhood village of Essendean. My parents had both died, but my father had left me a letter of introduction to his brother, Ebenezer Balfour,
who lived in the old family estate near the city of Edinburgh. I had never met my uncle, and felt somewhat uneasy about approaching him. However, my father‟s dying request had been that I return to the Balfour family estate to seek my rightful inheritance.
3
When l arrived in the late evening and knocked at my uncle's door, he finally responded by throwing open a window, pointing a loaded blunderbuss at me, and snarling, “Who are ye?” I identified myself and he
let me in, saying coldly, “Go into the kitchen and touch nothing.” 4
He was filthily clothed, cantankerous, and selfish, and he seemed suspicious of me and angered by my father‟s letter. Furthermore, the “great” house, though certainly immense, was overrun by vermin and in horrible decay.
5A few days later, we travelled to the city because my uncle had business with the captain of a ship bound for America. We were also to meet with Mr. Rankeillor, the family lawyer, about my inheritance.
7When I awoke, the ship was far at sea, and I then understood that I had been kidnapped! To protect his claim on the family estate, my cruel uncle had paid Captain Hoseason to take me to America and sell me into slavery.
8My despair deepened as I witnessed the horrors on the ship. One of the officers beat the cabin boy so severely that the unfortunate boy died and-to my terror-l became his replacement. Then one night in a blinding fog, we collided with a smaller ship, killing all but one man on it.
9Despite his close brush with death, the survivor seemed incredibly calm. He identified himself as Alan Breck. He was clearly a Scottish Highlander, yet he wore the silver-buttoned blue uniform of a French soldier. Confidently, he declared himself a Scottish rebel who opposed the British king. He admitted he was en route to France, where the leader of the Scottish rebels was in hiding.
10I respected Alan for his bravery, although his boastful manner was occasionally ridiculous and annoying. He asked Captain Hoseason to take him to a nearby harbor, and from a thick money belt he offered several
Guineas as payment. Hoseason eyed the money belt and agreed, then left the cabin hurriedly.
11Later I overheard the captain and officers discussing a treacherous plot to murder Alan and steal his money. I hurried back to the cabin to warn him, although I knew his chances to escape were few because he would have to defend himself against fifteen seamen-all alone.
12But he didn't stand alone, as it turned out, because as soon as I had warned him, he asked, “Will ye stand with me?” Realizing that this man was more friend than adversary, I agreed.
14
It began suddenly, with a rush of feet, a shout from Alan, and a clash of metal as he slashed about him with his cutlass. Then, outside the cabin, five seamen stormed toward my window. Blindly, I fired two pistols into their midst, and one fell while the rest dispersed in panic. Next, I heard someone drop softly onto the cabin roof.
15
A knot of men rushed against Alan; at the same moment, the glass of the skylight was dashed into a thousand pieces and a man landed on the Floor. I clapped a pistol against his back but was unable to fire. He was
an enemy, but a man just the same, and I could not kill him. He whipped around and grabbed me; I shrieked and shot him to save my own life. Then I grabbed my cutlass and lunged forward to help Alan, but he ran upon the throng before him and drove them out, his cutlass flashing like quicksilver. They turned and ran, falling against one another in their haste.
16“
David,” Alan exclaimed, 'I love you like a brother. And oh,” he cried in o kind of ecstasy, “am I not a bonny fighter?” Then he broke into a victorious Garlic song. Dazed and sickened, I could scarcely breathe, and the nightmare of having killed a man made me sob like a child.
17
That night and the following day, Alan and I took turns guarding the cabin door, and eventually struck a truce with Captain Hoseason, who promised us safe passage back to Scotland.
18
But the next night, as we approached the coast, the ship struck a reef and began to sink. I toppled from the deck into the sea. Shrieking men thrashed about in the water, while others remained doomed below decks I grabbed onto some floating debris and struggled through the sea toward the shadowy coast. When at last the water became shallow, I waded ashore. I cannot tell if I was more exhausted or more grateful. But I knew that I was alone in a desolate place, and I feared that Alan had drowned.
19
How Well Did You Read?
A. Write the letter of the best answer for each question.
1 How did David feel about going to meet his uncle for the first time? a Pleased and happy to be going
b Terrified
c Uneasy; unsure what to expect
2 How did he feel when he actually did meet his uncle? a Full of warm family feeling
b Disappointed and disgusted c Frightened and on guard
3 What was his attitude when he learned he had been kidnapped? a He had a cheerful wait-and-see attitude.
b He felt frightened and nearly hopeless. c He was confident and certain of rescue.
B. David and his new friend Alan Breck were different in many ways. If a statement
describes David write D. If a statement describes Alan, write A lf a statement
describes them both, write B.
4 He was confident and unafraid. 5 He was calm in the face of death.
6 He felt there was no hope of winning against the captain‟s men. 7 He was boastful and pleased with himself.
8 Killing a man upset him greatly. 9 He was a good friend to his friend.
Learn about Words
Vocabulary
C You can often tell the meaning of a word by reading the words around it.
Look at each number in parentheses. Find the paragraph in the story with the
2 ill-natured; inclined to argue (4)
3 small, destructive creatures such as lice or rats (4) 4 opponent; enemy (12)
5 short, curved sword (13) 6 brawl; noisy struggle (13) 7 scattered; moved apart (14) 8 wreckage; broken remains (18)
Word Study
D act + or = actor (one who acts)
adapt + ation = adaptation (result of adapting)
Many nouns end in or and ation. Often or means “one and ation means “result of.” Read the definitions below and then choose or or ation to complete the word in heavy Write the completed word. (Sometimes you may need to drop
the last letter of a word before adding the ending.)
1 one who prospects: prospect_____ 2 one who edits: edit_____
3 result of imagining: imagine_____ 4 result of examining: examine_____ 5 result of admiring: admire_____ 6 one who narrates: narrate_____ 7 one who educates: educate_____ 8 one who operates: operate_____
D. There is an incomplete word in each passage below. Choose the suffix or or
ation to complete the word in a way that makes sense. Write or or ation.
1 As a result of Rob's crime, the police officer read him a declar _____ of his rights.
2 When l visited Gloria, I was her only visit_____ 3 Arthur sails a sailboat. He is a sail_____
4 As a result of the examin_____, I didn‟t get the job.
6 Anita protects her younger brother. Anita is her brother's protect protect_____. 7 Because Peter won the race, we had a celebr_____
8 Joan is the person who inspects the store. Joan is the store inspect_____.
Use Your Imagination
LESSON 7
Fishing All Day
Nikki loved nothing more than fishing in the river on a sunny day. He loved to watch the bright blue water. He loved the cool riverbank. But most of all he loved to take his aunt a big basket of fine fresh fish. He did it every day. Nikki's mother had died years ago.
One day in the beginning of summer, Nikki became friends with Simon Smulin. Mr. and Mrs. Smulin had rented a big house near the river. Simon was a rich merchant from Moscow. He and his wife had everything they wanted except children. As the warm summer days passed, they liked Nikki more and more.
Every day Simon and his wife went down to the river to fish. They fished on
the same riverbank with their young friend. They ate and talked and watched Nikki with amazement. Every day Nikki went home with a basket of fish. “What a nice young boy!” Simon said to his wife.
”Look how clever he is at catching fish,” she agreed.
“Hecould do other things if he wanted,” Simon said. ”He is the kind of boy who could do lots of things well.”
”Yes, the boy is very clever,” said Mrs. Smulin. “A joy!” her husband exclaimed.
By the time summer drew to a close Simon Smulin and his wife liked Nikki very much. When they were about to leave for Moscow, Simon spoke to Nikki.
“My young friend, the summer is over. We must go home. As you know, we have no children. We would like to take you with us. We want you to live at our home.”
“Don‟t worry! We‟ll fix that,” said Simon. “Well, I would like to visit Moscow,” Nikki said.
“Oh, no,” exclaimed Simon. “We don‟t want you to just visit. We want you to live with us all the time.”
“But what would I do?” asked Nikki. “You would go to school,” said Simon. “And a very good school!” his wife added.
“And then what?” asked Nikki.
“Well-“ Simon stopped and thought. “Then I would give you a job in my business.”
“And what would I do there?” Nikki asked.
“Why, you would start at the bottom, my boy, lust as I did!” Simon said.
“You‟d learn everything there is to learn. You‟d work in every part of the business. You‟d work your way slowly to the top. You‟d learn about selling and keeping records. Finally you would become the big manager.”
“And then?”
“Well,” said Simon, “when I die, you would have everything. You would have the whole business! You would have my house, my paintings, and all I own.”
“And then what?” asked Nikki.
”Why you would be one of the richest men in Moscow!” Simon said. “You could do anything in the world! Ali would be yours! You could even fish all
day if you wished.”
Nikki put another worm on his hook. He looked at the beautiful quiet river. ”I‟m doing that right now!” he said.
How Well Did You Read?
A. Write the letter of the phrase that completes each sentence best!
1. What Nikki loved most about fishing was a. baiting his hook
2. The Smulins grew to like Nikki and thought that a. he was clever
b. he wanted their help
c. he was unhappy with his aunt
3. Mr. and Mrs. Smulin seemed to think that Nikki‟s aunt
a. could come to Moscow with Nikki b. would die soon
c. would not mind losing Nikki 4. Mr. Smulin seemed to think that
a. working in his business was important b. selling and keeping records was useless . c. Nikki would get to the top in just a few weeks 5. Nikki seemed to realize that
a. he must get married one day b. he must get into business one day
c. he was already living just the way he wanted to 6. Nikki seemed to realize that
a. Mr. Smulin was lying to him b. he couldn‟t fish in Moscow c. money isn‟t everything
Learn about Words
Vocabulary
B. You can often tell the meaning of a word by reading the words around it
Look at each number in parentheses. Find the paragraph in the story with the
same number. Then find the word that fits the given meaning. Write the word.
1. person who buys and sells goods (2) 2. great surprise; wonder (3)
3. place of work (18)
C. One good way to learn words is to use them.
Look at each number in parentheses. Find the paragraph in the story with the
same number. Then find the best word to fill the blank. Write the word.
6. Jim put the soap flakes in his market __ (1) 7. This car isn‟t ours; we __it. (2)
8. Are you _ enough to solve this problem? (4) 9. Fishing gave Nikki great __ (7)
10.“That man is a thief!” Robert__ (13)
Word Study
C. Where is Torn? Were you with him?
The letter w and the letter combination wh stand for two similar but different sounds. Each sentence below contains an incomplete Word. Add w or wh to complete the word, Write the entire word.
11. I bought a _ool dress. 12. We painted the house _,ite. 13. Please _istle for the dog. 14. Sally __aved to me as I left. 15. _ich road should I take?
16. It took me a __eek to finish reading my book. 17. My car has four __ee1s.
18. Donna‟s cat has long _iskers.
D. Cry happy
fly funny
In cry and fly, the y stands for the long isound you hear in time, in happy and funny, the y
vowel in the word (as in happy and funny), the y usually stands for the long e sound. Read the sentences below and notice the words in heavy type. If the y has the long i
sound, write I, if it has the long e sound, write E.
19. Your little brother will cry if you if don‟t play games with him. 20. Mary has long curly hair.
21. Tell Lucy to come home now. 22. This soup is too lumpy to eat 23. Help me dry the dishes.
24. I Wou1d like to try to ride that horse. 25. That fox has a bushy tail.
LESSON 8
The Mayor of Surprises
It was almost Christmas. The children of San Juan, Puerto Rico, were excited” Each year the mayor gave them a special treat at Christmas. What was she going to do this year? The children could not wait to find out.
For many years Felisa Rincon de Gautier had been the mayor of San Juan. She had worked hard to improve the city. It was now cleaner than it had been. There were more hospitals and schools. She had done all she could to help the poor. She helped them get better houses. She set up halls for child care. And each year at Christmas she gave a special treat to the youth of San Juan.
Mayor Felisa Rincon de Gautier
Sometimes the treat was a party. There are a lot of hotels in San Juan. Felisa asked them to help her. Each hotel gave a party for those who lived nearby. Even children from poor homes had a grand Christmas party to go to.
But this year, Felisa had planned a bigger surprise. Many people in Puerto Rico had never seen snow. The island is in the tropics. It is always warm there. Felisa wanted the children to see snow. She wanted them to play in it. But the nearest snow was in the United States. It would cost too much to send the children there.
Her friend said he would be glad to do it. He flew to the United States. Children there packed snow into huge bags. Then the bags were put on a plane.
On Christmas day the plane flew to San Juan, the mayor met the plane at the airport. She drove with the big bags of snow to a park in San Juan.
Thousands of children had come to the park some were with their parents.
The bags were opened. The snow poured out. Children screamed with joy. They clapped when the mayor slid down the first pile of snow in San Juan
In a short time the children had made a snowman It stood near a palm tree.
Snowballs flew across the park. The children rubbed snow on their faces. Some of them tasted it.
The snow dripped down their clothes. But no one cared. They shouted in Spanish, “Mm, mira. Look, look at what I've done.”
The snow didn't last long. The hot sun melted it. But the children will never forget their fun in the snow. And they will never forget the kindness of their
mayor.
Mayors in other cities heard about Felisa. She was invited to visit cities in
South America and the United States. Everyone wanted to know how she governed her people with such success. The people of San Juan said she governed with love. For twenty-two years she was the mayor of their city. She was the most famous woman in Puerto Rico.
How Well Did You Read?
A. Write T if the statement is true according to the story. Write F if the statement is false.
1. The writer‟s main purpose in this story is to describe what life is like in Puerto Rico.
2. Look at paragraph 2. The main purpose of that paragraph is to tell about the mayor‟s many achievements.
4. The mayor wanted the children to see snow. She solved this problem by having some snow flown in by plane.
5. Look at paragraphs 8, 9, and 10. The main purpose of those paragraphs is to show that the children were disappointed with their first snow.
6. Another title for this story might be “Snow in the Tropics.”
Learn about Words
Vocabulary
B.You can often tell the meaning of a word by reading the words around it
Look at each number in parentheses. Find the paragraph in the story with the
same number. Then find the word that fits the given meaning. Write the word.
1. main official of a city or town (2) 2. make better (2)
3. places where people rent rooms (3) 4. hottest part of the earth (4)
5. turned into a liquid (11)
C. One good way to learn words is to use them.
Look at each number in parentheses. Find the paragraph in the story with the
same number. Then End the best word to fill the blank. Write the word,
6. She was _ by the thought of going to a party. (1) 7. Having ice cream and cake is a nice _. (1)
8. He _ his clothes in a trunk. (6) 9. The audience _ their hands. (8) 10.The chocolate milk _ good. (9)
Word Study
D. Singular: one book, one mouse
Plural: two or more books, two or more mice
example, the plural of mouse is mice. There is one plural noun in heavy type in each
of the following sentences. If the plural is regular, write R. If it is irregular, write I.
11. Larry bought two bikes. 12. I ate carrots for dinner. 13. We have mice in the cellar. 14. Bring the tickets with you. 15. We saw many deer by the lake. 16. Bears sleep during the winter. 17. I herded the sheep into the pen. 18. Bob caught four trout today.
E. Bring me a book.
Take every picture with you.
The words a and every are usually followed by a noun (or a noun phrase).
For that reason, a and every are sometimes called noun markers. Some other common noun markers are: an, the, my, your, his, her, its, our, and their. For each sentence below, write the noun marker and the noun that follows it.
19.Button your overcoat! 20.I exercise every day. 21.Her dog barked at me.
22.Bring something for my rabbit. 23.Their house is on fire!
24.The horse is neighing. 25.I know your brother.
26.Please drive us to our farm.
F. I rose from my seat to pick a rose. The English language has some words that
Write Hom if the two words in heavy type have different meanings (if they are homographs). Write same if the two words are identical (not homo -graphs).
27.If the doorbell had rung, I would have answered it. She‟s standing on the
bottom rung of the ladder. 28.What kind of cake do you like?
Ruth is kind to her little brother.
29.We had to leave the room. Don‟t leave without me.
30.Please open the door for me. Don‟t open the window.
31.This hat is made of felt. I felt the rough cloth.
32.Don‟t move your hand. The car won't move.
33.Please row the boat to shore. I live in that row of houses.
Use Your Imagination
LESSON 9
TEXT 1
THE MANATEE
A manat ee is a strange -looking creature. Underwat er it looks like a huge gre y balloon. From tai l to nos e, i t i s thi rt y -six m et ers (t wel ve feet ) long. It has sm all flippers at t he front of its bod y and no hind l egs . Although it cannot exist out of the water, it needs ai r to breat he.
Manatees
In spit e of their great size, manat ees are gentl e. The y eat nothing but underwat er pl ant s. When fri ghtened, the y S peed awa y at twent y-four kilom et ers (fi ft een m iles ) an hour.
Although there once were thous ands of m anat ees, onl y some t wel ve hundred rem ain. And the y are threatened b y t he propell ers of power boats, b y vandal s who s hoot them for thrills , and b y hunt ers who kill them for thei r m eat. More and more, manatees are safe onl y in Evergl ades National Park in Florida.
1. Manat ees are found a. onl y in wat er b. onl y on lan
