All Printables for
April 20, 2015
other unusual laws
For use with “Is That Really a Law?”
A look at other unusual laws still on the books in the U.S. and around the world,
with analysis questions
interview with a Rwandan genocide survivor
For use with “From Rwanda to Harvard”
An excerpt of Upfront’s interview with genocide survivor Jacqueline Murekatete,
with analysis questions
ARTICLE QUIZZES
Multiple-choice and constructed-response questions to assess comprehension
• The Sharing Economy
• The Crisis in Venezuela
• When Africa Broke Free
CORE SKILLS PAGES
• Up Close
Close-reading discussion questions about the article “The Sharing Economy”
• What’s the Big Idea?
Organize the article’s central ideas and key supporting details. For use with the article
“The Crisis in Venezuela.”
• U.N. Declaration on Colonialism
Primary Source: An excerpt from a 1960 United Nations document on colonialism,
with analysis questions
• Debating Does the U.S. Need Tougher Gun-Control Laws?
Analyze authors’ claims in the debate.
• Word Watch
Determine word meanings through context. For use with the articles “The Sharing Economy”
and “When Africa Broke Free.”
• Core Ideas
Common Core skills pages to use with any Upfront article
GRAPH
Former Colonies at 55
Graph spotlighting the current Human Development Index (HDI) for selected African nations that
won independence in 1960 compared with the U.S. and world average HDI, with analysis questions
CARTOON ANALYSIS
A political cartoon comparing ridesharing companies with traditional transportation options, with
analysis questions
PHOTO ANALYSIS
upfrontmagazine.com
A 2010 photo of an Al Shabab military exercise in Somalia, with analysis questions
For use with “Is That Really a Law?” on p. 12 of the magazine
Other Unusual Laws
Stop Swearing! Massachusetts
W
hat the heck? In 2012, residents of Middleborough,
Massachusetts, voted to ban swearing in public. The town of
23,000 people approved a proposal from the police chief to impose a
$20 fine on anyone caught using profanity. Middleborough officials said
the ban was not intended to censor private conversations but to crack
down on loud swearing by teens in downtown areas and parks. However,
critics of the ban said it violated people’s right to free speech under the
First Amendment. The Attorney General of Massachusetts sided with
the critics. She reviewed the swearing ban after it passed, and though
her office didn’t throw out the law, she said that enforcing it would
violate the Constitution.
Middleborough officials
have been pretty quiet
about the matter ever
since. It seems the town
swore off its swearing ban
before it really began.
# % *@ ! !
You Can’t Play Pinball!
South Carolina
S
tep away from the pinball machine—if
you’re in South Carolina, that is. It is
illegal for kids 17 and younger to play the
old-fashioned arcade game in this state.
Why? When pinball was invented in the
1930s, it was considered a game of chance,
so it was viewed as gambling. That’s
because players had no way to control the
ball, other than by hitting or bumping the
machines. Pinball was banned in many
states across the country. To save the game, manufacturers
began building pinball machines with “flippers” in the late
1940s. The flippers—which are now on every machine—gave
players more control, allowing them to hit the ball to keep it
in play. This helped pinball to be viewed as a game of skill,
not luck. Most pinball bans were lifted by the 1970s, but the
law is still on the books in South Carolina.
Don’t Wear High Heels! Greece
Put Away the Pennies! Canada
on’t pack high heels for your next vacation to Greece.
The European country recently banned people from
wearing the shoes to historic monuments. This includes
the Acropolis, an ancient citadel in Athens made up of
buildings and temples, such as the Parthenon. Greek
officials say the shoes damage the monuments. Some high
heels can create more pressure per square inch than a
6,000-pound elephant, archaeologists say. That pressure
erodes marble floors and chips away at foundations,
accelerating the decay of already-fragile sites. For example,
the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, a theater and part of the
Acropolis dating back to the second century b.c., began to
crack a few years ago because of heavy foot traffic. Officials
hope that the high heels ban will help preserve Greece’s
historic sites for future generations of sightseers—as long as
they’re wearing sensible footwear.
ave you ever been stuck in line behind someone who’s paying for
a can of soda with all pennies? You don’t have to worry about
that in Canada. According to Canada’s Currency Act of 1985, it’s illegal
to use more than 25 pennies to pay for something. Merchants can
refuse to accept payment from anyone who tries. In fact, the penny
may be Canada’s least favorite coin. Although pennies are still legal to
use—up to 25 at a time, of course—the Royal Canadian Mint stopped
distributing the one-cent coins in 2013, primarily because they cost
more to produce than they’re worth. Now, when businesses collect
pennies from customers, they return them to financial institutions to
be melted down. The penny law isn’t the only Canadian coin cap on the
books. You can’t use only nickels to pay for something that costs more
than $5; and 25 loonies (one-dollar coins, nicknamed after the loon, a
bird common to Canada that appears on the coin) is the max for any
one purchase.
D
Questions
1.Why is it illegal for kids 17 and younger to play
pinball in South Carolina?
2.Do you think the ban on swearing in public in
Middleborough, Massachusetts, violates the First
Amendment right to free speech? Why or why not?
Upfront • upfrontmagazine.com
H
3.Why does Greece ban high heels at historic sites?
Do you think the law makes sense? Explain.
4.Why does the text say that pennies may be
“Canada’s least favorite coin”?
5.Which of these laws surprises you the most? Why?
a p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 1 5 • pa g e 1 o f 1
Ralf Kraft/Hemera/Getty Images
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These unusual laws are still on the books in the U.S. and around the world
Interview With a
Rwandan Genocide Survivor
Jacqueline Murekatete was 9 years old in April 1994, when the Rwandan genocide began. A Tutsi, she was the
sole survivor in her immediate family. Jacqueline now lives in New York City, where she works tirelessly to raise
awareness of genocide and to encourage young people to fight hate and racism. She shared her story with Upfront.
Murekatete speaks at the
U.N. on the 10th anniversary of
the Rwandan genocide
The Genocide Begins
hundreds of Tutsi—men, women, and children—had found
Jacqueline went to school in her maternal grandmother’s
refuge there. Within a few days our Hutu neighbors started
village, a few hours away from her parents’ village. When
coming in mobs with machetes, singing, “All Tutsis deserve
the genocide began on April 6, 1994, she had just returned
to die! All Tutsis are cockroaches!”
there after spring break.
This is the kind of hate speech and dehumanization that
was going on every day on the national radio. Every day,
When the killings began in my grandmother’s village, my
the Hutu-led government officials would come on the radio
grandmother and I and some of my other relatives decided
and they would say, “Tutsis are cockroaches!” and, “All
to run away to a county office. We thought maybe we’d
Hutus everywhere, you have to do your duty, and you have
find protection there, or people thought at least they could
to kill your Tutsi neighbors.”
defend themselves there. When we got to the county office,
U p f r o nt • w w w. u p f r o ntma g a z i n e . c o m
[So the mobs] would come, they would kill indiscriminately
a p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 1 5 • pa g e 1 o f 3
Eskinder Debebe/UN Photo
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For use with “From Rwanda to Harvard” on p. 14 of the magazine
Interview With a Rwandan Genocide Survivor (continued)
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men, women, and children, and then the [Tutsi] men would do
And initially, the orphanage was a haven for us from
their best to protect us. It became clear that we were not going
the killers. But as the genocide continued, the priests
to be protected there. We were going to die. So some people
began to be threatened. Hutu mobs would come inside the
started leaving the county office to find other places to hide.
orphanage, and they would tell them that they were going
to kill every Tutsi child. The priests would beg, they would
Hidden by a Hutu
bribe them. Initially, they would give money, and then later
One of Jacqueline’s uncles paid a Hutu man to hide her, her
on, once the money ran out, they started giving the killers
grandmother, and her cousin.
food—the food that they had originally used to feed us.
They started giving it to these people who were coming
The Hutu man hid us for about a week. One morning,
to take our lives, in order to hopefully save us for another
we heard loud banging on the door and Hutu screaming,
day, for another night.
“You have cockroaches inside your house! We’re gonna
find them, and we’re gonna kill them.” And within a
So it is in those circumstances that I and a number of
other children survived the genocide.
few minutes, we heard this group of men, armed with
machetes. And at that point, we thought, this is it, we’re
The Fate of Jacqueline’s Family
going to die. And whenever I speak about my experience,
The genocide lasted more than three months. During this
I always say I have no logical explanation as to how we
time, Jacqueline had no news of her family, but she prayed
survived that particular attack on our lives.
constantly that they were safe in hiding. When the
But for one reason or another, after a lot
of begging and pleading by the man who
was hiding us, the Hutus decided to leave.
But they told him, “You have to kick these
cockroaches out of your house. Otherwise
we’re going to come back, and next time we
won’t spare them.”
genocide ended, she was reunited with the
‘At that point,
we thought,
this is it, we’re
going to die.’
uncle who had saved her. He told her that
her parents, six brothers and sisters, both
grandmothers, and many aunts, uncles, and
cousins had been murdered.
The first time I learned about this, I refused
to believe it. For a long time, I used to say
Survival in an Orphanage
that it was a cruel joke. I used to go to bed praying that
Afraid for his life, the Hutu man told Jacqueline’s
the next morning when I woke up, somebody would tell
grandmother about an orphanage run by Italian priests
me the whole entire period had been a nightmare. But at
that was taking in Tutsi children. But Tutsi adults, whose
some point, we who had survived had to acknowledge that
presence increased the risk of attack by Hutus, could not
this was not a nightmare that we were ever going to wake
stay there. Jacqueline’s grandmother accepted the Hutu
up from. This was a reality that this government and our
man’s offer to take the children there. She promised she
own neighbors had taken part in—murdering [about] a
would come for them in a few days—but that was the last
million people. And not because of anything they had done,
time Jacqueline saw her grandmother.
but simply because of who they were, because of their
ethnicity, something that we did not have a choice in being.
At the orphanage, there were children whose arms had
been cut off, who were coming in bleeding from their
From Silence to Activism
legs and heads because they had been macheted. And
In 1995, at the age of 10, Jacqueline moved to the U.S. to
there were children who came in very much traumatized
live with an uncle who had settled there before the genocide.
because they had witnessed their parents being killed in
Traumatized, she did not speak about her experiences
front of them.
for years. When she was a sophomore in high school,
U p f r o nt • w w w. u p f r o ntma g a z i n e . c o m
a p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 1 5 • pa g e 2 o f 3
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Interview With a Rwandan Genocide Survivor (continued)
her teacher invited a Holocaust survivor named David
Our goal was always the same. And that was to raise
Gewirtzman to speak to the class. This marked a turning
awareness, not only about what happened to us—
point in Jacqueline’s life.
myself in 1994 and him during the Holocaust—but
to talk about hate, to talk about racism, to talk about
I remember that David talked about one day being a happy
discrimination, to talk about anti-Semitism, things that
child going to school, collecting stamps.
And he talked about how all his rights and
the rights of other Jewish people in Poland
were taken away slowly. And about being
sent to a [Nazi] concentration camp and
all the persecution and the loss that he had
suffered. In addition to being one of the
students who was obviously very saddened
ultimately reaped genocide or enabled
‘This is not
history—
genocide is not
history, the
Holocaust is
not history.’
and who cried as David was telling his story,
genocide to happen. And these are things that
are happening even now, as we speak. And
we were helping young people, in particular,
realize that this is not history—genocide is
not history, the Holocaust is not history. This
is something that is a major threat in this
day and age. And unless we do something
about it, and we are educated about it and
I also began to see some similarities between what had
we understand it and we participate in its prevention, it’s
happened to him and what happened to me. Although
going to continue to happen.
he was many, many years older than me and had lived
in Poland, on a different continent, we had something in
Today, Jacqueline carries on the work that she and David
common. And that was that both of us were children one
began together. In 2014, she founded the Genocide Survivors
day and our lives were dramatically changed, not because
Foundation, a nonprofit committed to preventing genocide
of anything that we had done, but simply because of who
and helping survivors of mass atrocities.
we were.
David and Jacqueline connected through a thank-you note
Interview conducted by Veronica Majerol and edited and
that Jacqueline wrote. David drew Jacqueline into his work
condensed by Kaaren Sorensen. To read the full interview,
raising awareness about the Holocaust and the present-day
go to scholastic.com/holocaustteacher
threat of genocide. Until David’s death in 2012, they spoke
together in schools, churches, and synagogues all over the
U.S. and in Europe.
Questions
1.How was Jacqueline able to survive the Rwandan
genocide?
4.What does Jacqueline mean when she says that
“genocide is not history”?
2.Why do you think she didn’t speak about her
experience for years?
5.What does this interview with Jacqueline add to
Justus Uwayesu’s story in the Upfront article?
3.How did meeting a Holocaust survivor help
Jacqueline cope with her own past?
U p f r o nt • w w w. u p f r o ntma g a z i n e . c o m
a p r i l 2 0 , 2 0 1 5 • pa g e 3 o f 3
QUIZ
For use with “The Sharing Economy” on p. 8 of the magazine
The Sharing Economy
Choose the best answer for each of the following questions.
4.According to the text, one way that ridesharing and
business in the “sharing economy”?
homesharing businesses differ from traditional taxis
and hotels is that
a
two retailers splitting a large space to save on rent
b
a commuter using an online app to purchase a ride
a
they are against the law in most places.
from a stranger
b
they are largely unregulated.
c
a couple renting out their camping equipment
c
they operate only in big cities.
d
a traveler paying to stay in a family’s spare bedroom
d
none of the above
5.
The sharing economy is expected to lead
while on vacation
2.The rise of the sharing economy coincided with
to a decline in ____ jobs.
a
the growth of America’s suburbs in the 1950s.
a
technology
b
the first Earth Day in 1970.
b
health-care
c
the economic crisis of 2007-08.
c
manufacturing
d
the loosening of federal laws regulating
d
all types of
6.
Which statement best describes the effect the
peer-to-peer apps.
3.For consumers, the sharing economy typically
means
sharing economy may have on the environment?
a
It will lead to a decline in energy usage.
b
It will contribute to habitat loss for some key
a
a decreased supply of goods and services.
b
lower prices for goods and services.
c
greater consumer protections.
c
It will exacerbate climate change.
d
all of the above
d
It will stunt efforts to reduce municipal waste.
endangered species.
in-depth questions
7.Why is New York City a particularly contentious battleground for ridesharing and homesharing?
8.Overall, do you think the sharing economy will have a positive or negative effect on quality of life? Explain.
8 •
Upfront • upfrontmagazine.com
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1.Which of these is NOT an example of a peer-to-peer
QUIZ
For use with “The Crisis in Venezuela” on p. 16 of the magazine
The Crisis in Venezuela
Choose the best answer for each of the following questions.
1.Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has blamed
4.How has President Maduro responded to
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his nation’s economic woes on
anti-government protests?
a
Iran.
a
He has loosened price controls and created jobs.
b
Mexico.
b
He is working to revitalize the nation’s central bank
c
the United States.
d
Argentina.
and court system.
c
He has jailed protesters and shut down news
organizations that don't support his policies.
2.In recent years, Venezuela’s economy has largely
d
none of the above
5.
Which of these is NOT mentioned in the article
been kept afloat by
a
international aid.
b
the tourism industry.
c
textile manufacturing.
a
violent crime
d
oil exports.
b
crude oil prices
c
inflation
d
discontent
3.Government-imposed price controls for some goods
as currently being on the rise in Venezuela?
in Venezuela have resulted in
a
increased opportunities and profits for importers.
b
shortages of basic products.
c
declining prices for black-market goods.
d
the world's lowest inflation rate.
6.The U.S. has taken a hard line in Venezuela by
a
freezing the assets of some Venezuelan officials.
b
ceasing all trade.
c
sending shipments of medical supplies and food.
d
none of the above
in-depth questions
7.
How have relations between Venezuela and the United States changed in recent decades?
8. W
hat are some indications that Venezuela's economy is “in crisis”? What do you think it will take
to fix the situation?
A p r il 20, 20 1 5 • u p f r o n t m aga z ine .co m • 9
QUIZ
For use with “When Africa Broke Free” on p. 18 of the magazine
When Africa Broke Free
Choose the best answer for each of the following questions.
4.As African countries began to gain their
70 percent of the continent’s population—
independence, a main concern of the United States
won independence in
was that
a
1910.
a
American lands would be colonized next.
b
1945.
b
European powers would go to war to regain
c
1956.
d
1960.
their colonies.
2.According to the text, European colonial powers used
their African colonies mainly to
c
Communism might take root in Africa.
d
groups like Boko Haram would threaten the continent.
5.Which country won independence in 1956 and has
been wracked by decades of civil war?
a
house their fast-growing populations.
b
generate raw materials and crops.
a
Sudan
c
set up manufacturing and industrial centers.
b
South Africa
d
improve Africans' everyday lives.
c
Cameroon
d
Kenya
3.The first Europeans in Africa were
6.Which statement best describes Africa’s economy?
a
Portuguese traders in the 15th century.
b
British diamond miners in the 15th century.
a
It is locked in recession and includes no middle class.
c
slave traders in the 16th century.
b
It is completely agricultural, with few technological
d
none of the above
advances.
c
It’s growing faster than the global average.
d
none of the above
in-depth questions
7.What factors do you think helped African nations win their independence?
8.Why do you think Kweku Mandela (a grandson of Nelson Mandela) and others see the need to promote a positive
image of Africa? How might they do this?
10 •
Upfront • upfrontmagazine.com
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1.Seventeen African countries—accounting for
Name Class Up Close
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The Sharing Economy
Read the article (on pages 8-11) closely, then answer each question below. Write at least two
to five sentences for each response, using evidence from the text to support your answers.
Use a separate sheet of paper if you need more space.
1. D
escribe the author’s purpose in the first two paragraphs of the article.
2. Analyze the reasons the “sharing economy” is taking off now, according to the author.
3. The
author writes that “whether the sharing economy is a bane or a blessing really depends who
you ask.” What evidence does the author include to support this claim?
4.Using evidence from the article, analyze the risks that consumers take when they participate in
the sharing economy. Would you be willing to take these risks?
5. Why does the author predict that the sharing economy could benefit the environment?
6. Read the “What’s Mine Is Yours (for a price)” sidebar that appears with the article (p. 9 of the
magazine). Which of these peer-to-peer businesses do you think have the greatest potential? Explain
why, using evidence from the article and your own ideas.
Upfront • upfrontmagazine.com
april 20, 2015
Analyze Cause & Effect
For use with “The Crisis in Venezuela” on p. 16 of the magazine
What’s the Big Idea?
After reading “The Crisis in Venezuela,” use the graphic organizer below to record the article’s central
ideas and key supporting details. Use the topics in the column on the left as a guide.
State the central idea
related to this topic
CITE KEY SUPPORTING DETAILS
Economy
Unrest
Government
response
to unrest
Relationship
with the U.S.
SYNTHESIZE: Based on your notes above, write a brief summary of the article on a separate piece of paper. Then list five
questions you still have about the situation in Venezuela and do research to find the answers.
12 •
Upfront • upfrontmagazine.com
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TOPIC
For use with “When Africa Broke Free” on p. 18 of the magazine
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pairing primary & secondary sources
U.N. Declaration on Colonialism
At the end of World War II, a third of the world’s population lived in territories that were not self-governing,
including most of Africa. That would soon change. Colonized peoples agitated for self-determination, and the newly
formed United Nations championed their cause. By 1960, dozens of former colonies had achieved autonomy. In
December of that year, the U.N. drafted a challenge to the remaining colonial powers to bring colonialism to an end.
Read this excerpt from that U.N. document, along with the Upfront article about Africa. Then answer the questions.
U.N. Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples
T
he General Assembly,
Mindful of the determination proclaimed by the peoples
of the world in the Charter of the United Nations to reaffirm
faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and
worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and
women and of nations large and small and to promote social
progress and better standards of life in larger freedoms,
Conscious of the need for the creation of conditions of
stability and well-being and peaceful and friendly relations
based on respect for the principles of equal rights and
self-determination of all peoples, and of universal respect
for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental
freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex,
language or religion,
Recognizing the passionate yearning for freedom in all
dependent peoples and the decisive role of such peoples in
the attainment of their independence,
Aware of the increasing conflicts resulting from the denial
of or impediments in the way of the freedom of such peoples,
which constitute a serious threat to world peace,
Considering the important role of the United Nations
in assisting the movement for independence in Trust and
Non-Self-Governing Territories,
Recognizing that the peoples of the world ardently
desire the end of colonialism in all its manifestations,
Convinced that the continued existence of colonialism
prevents the development of international economic
co-operation, impedes the social, cultural and economic
development of dependent peoples and militates against
the United Nations ideal of universal peace,
Affirming that peoples may, for their own ends, freely
dispose of their natural wealth and resources without
prejudice to any obligations arising out of international
economic co-operation, based upon the principle of mutual
benefit, and international law,
Believing that the process of liberation is irresistible
and irreversible and that, in order to avoid serious crises,
an end must be put to colonialism and all practices of
segregation and discrimination associated therewith,
Welcoming the emergence in recent years of a large
number of dependent territories into freedom and
independence, and recognizing the increasingly powerful
trends towards freedom in such territories which have not
yet attained independence,
Convinced that all peoples have an inalienable right to
complete freedom, the exercise of their sovereignty and the
integrity of their national territory,
Solemnly proclaims the necessity of bringing to a speedy
and unconditional end colonialism in all its forms and
manifestations. . . .
Questions
1. For what audience is the declaration written?
4. How would you describe the tone of the declaration?
2.What are some of the grounds on which the
5.The writers state that colonialism “impedes the
United Nations calls for an end to colonialism?
3. What do you think the writers of the declaration mean
when they note that the “process of liberation is
irresistible and irreversible”? Do you agree? Explain.
U p f r o nt • u p f r o nt m a g a z in e . c o m
social, cultural and economic development of
dependent peoples.” Based on the Upfront article,
why might this be so? Do you think the end of
colonialism in Africa resolved this problem? Explain.
a p ri l , 2 0 , 2 0 1 5 • pa g e 1 o f 1
Name Class Analyze Authors’ Claims
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Read “Does the U.S. Need Tougher Gun-Control Laws?” on p. 22, then follow the directions below
to analyze each author’s claims.
Author: Ladd Everitt
Author: Erich Pratt
Coalition to Stop Gun Violence
Gun Owners of America
Author’s main claim or argument in the debate:
Author’s main claim or argument in the debate:
Reason 1: Name one reason the author gives for his claim.
Reason 1: Name one reason the author gives for his claim.
List any evidence the author gives to support Reason 1.
List any evidence the author gives to support Reason 1.
Reason 2: Name another reason the author presents.
Reason 2: Name another reason the author presents.
List evidence the author gives to support Reason 2.
List evidence the author gives to support Reason 2.
Reason 3: Name a third reason the author presents.
Reason 3: Name a third reason the author presents.
List evidence the author gives to support Reason 3.
List evidence the author gives to support Reason 3.
What persuasive devices does the author use?
What persuasive devices does the author use?
___ Appeals to emotions
___ Appeals to emotions
___ Uses data or scholarly research
___ Uses data or scholarly research
___ Tells why the other side’s argument is weak
___ Tells why the other side’s argument is weak
___ Other: ___ Other: Evaluate: Which author do you think makes his case more effectively? Do you spot any weaknesses—like a bias or missing
information—in either argument? Explain on a separate sheet of paper.
Up f r o n t • u p f r o n t m a g a z i n e . c o m
apr i l 2 0 , 2 0 1 5
Name
Class
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Determine Word Meaning
Word Watch
Use context clues to figure out the meanings of unfamiliar words as you read the article, and jot down
your inferred meanings. After reading the article, use a dictionary to check meanings and write those
down too. Note each word’s part of speech and origin, if available.
WORD:
Page:
Part of speech:
Page:
Part of speech:
Page:
Part of speech:
Page:
Part of speech:
Inferred meaning:
Dictionary definition:
Word origin or root:
WORD:
Inferred meaning:
Dictionary definition:
Word origin or root:
WORD:
Inferred meaning:
Dictionary definition:
Word origin or root:
WORD:
Inferred meaning:
Dictionary definition:
Word origin or root:
UPFRONT • UPFRONTMAGAZINE.COM
PA G E 1 O F 2
Name
Class
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Word Watch (continued)
WORD:
Page:
Part of speech:
Page:
Part of speech:
Page:
Part of speech:
Page:
Part of speech:
Inferred meaning:
Dictionary definition:
Word origin or root:
WORD:
Inferred meaning:
Dictionary definition:
Word origin or root:
WORD:
Inferred meaning:
Dictionary definition:
Word origin or root:
WORD:
Inferred meaning:
Dictionary definition:
Word origin or root:
UPFRONT • UPFRONTMAGAZINE.COM
PA G E 2 O F 2
CORE IDEAS
Common Core skills pages to use with any Upfront article
Dear Teachers,
The Common Core State Standards require high school students to analyze “informational texts,” like Upfront.
Students must be able to identify central ideas, determine the figurative, connotative, and technical meanings
of unfamiliar words and phrases, understand and evaluate an author’s point of view, and compare accounts
of the same topic in a variety of formats or media.
To help you satisfy the Common Core, we’re pleased to offer the following reproducible.
“Core Ideas” can be used with any article in the magazine: You may choose to assign a specific article
or let students pick one.
Because the Common Core calls on students to analyze and compare topics from different
points of view, we suggest using “Core Ideas” with articles that feature sidebars, timelines,
historical-document excerpts, and/or infographics. You might also want to use “Core Ideas”
with supplementary online content, such as videos, slideshows, or audio interviews available
at upfrontmagazine.com.
“Core Ideas” addresses these Reading Standards for Informational Literacy:
1. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of the text.
2. Determine and analyze the central ideas of a text; provide an objective summary.
4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text.
6. Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text.
7. Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different media or formats.
“Core Ideas” addresses these Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies:
1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.
2. Determine the central ideas of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary.
4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text.
7. Compare the point of view of two or more authors on the same or similar topics.
9. Compare and contrast treatments of the same topic in several sources.
We hope this material challenges your students and assists you in meeting your curriculum goals
throughout the year.
Best Regards,
Ian Zack
Executive Editor, The New York Times Upfront
UPFRONTMAGAZINE.COM
PRINT THIS OUT
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CORE IDEAS
Article title and page number: ___________________________________________________________________
Answer the following questions.
1. Share the central ideas and key details of the article in a brief summary.
2. How is this issue or event relevant today? Is it particularly relevant to young people?
Cite evidence from the article to support your response.
UPFRONT • UPFRONTMAGAZINE.COM
PA G E 1 O F 2
CORE IDEAS (continued)
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3. Identify two words or phrases in the text that are unfamiliar to you. Write the meaning of each
and cite any context clues from the text that help you determine their meanings.
4. Describe the author’s point of view and/or purpose in writing this article.
Cite evidence from the text.
5. Consider an accompanying element that supports the main text, such as a graph, timeline,
separate article, or video. (Videos and other digital content are available at upfrontmagazine.com.)
How does the second source contribute to your understanding of the topic?
Compare and contrast the main text and accompanying element.
UPFRONT • UPFRONTMAGAZINE.COM
PA G E 2 O F 2
graph
For use with “When Africa Broke Free” on p. 18 of the magazine
Former Colonies at 55
This graph shows the current HDI
for selected African nations that gained
independence in 1960. It also includes
the U.S. and world average HDI.
F
ifty-five years ago, 17 African
nations gained independence
from European colonial rule in
a single year (see article, p. 18).
NIGER
determined to build stable,
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
prosperous societies across the
CHAD
continent. But colonialism left a
deep footprint. In the decades since
with social, economic, and political
issues that have held them back.
CÔTE D’IVOIRE
MAURITANIA
MADAGASCAR
One measure of how they’re doing
CAMEROON
today is the Human Development
Index (HDI), a number from 0 to 1,
GABON
calculated by the United Nations
WORLD AVERAGE
based on life expectancy, education
UNITED STATES
rates, and per capita gross domestic
product (GDP). The higher the
0.0
0.1
0.2
number, the better the rating.
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1.0
Source: Human Development Report 2014
(United Nations Development Program)
1960, these nations have struggled
COUNTRY
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At the time African leaders were
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX
analyze the graph
1. A
ccording to the
2. W
hat percentage
3. W
hich of these
4.
Which two
5. C
ameroon and
graph, the world
of the African
African nations
African nations
Chad have similar
average HDI is
nations listed on
has an HDI that’s
listed on the
life expectancies
about ___.
the graph have an
about half that
graph have about
and per capita
HDI below the
of the U.S.?
the same HDI?
GDPs. Chad’s
a 0.64
world average?
b 0.70
education rates
a Gabon
a Niger & Central
are likely ___
c 0.87
a 60 percent
b Côte d’Ivoire
d 0.91
b 75 percent
c Niger
b Gabon & Chad
c 90 percent
d Central African
c Niger & Cameroon
a the same as
d Cameroon &
b lower than
d 100 percent
Republic
African Republic
Gabon
Cameroon’s.
c a bit higher than
d much higher than
discussion questions
1. In what ways do you think the legacy of colonial rule might have affected life expectancy, education, and economic
health in these African countries?
2. D
o you think the three factors that make up the HDI are connected in any way? Explain.
3. B
efore the Human Development Index was created in 1990, statisticians relied exclusively on per capita gross
domestic product to rank nations’ standards of living. Why do you think the United Nations came up with the HDI
as an alternative? Is it more effective than per capita GDP in measuring a nation’s overall well-being? Explain.
A p r il 20, 20 1 5 • u p f r o nt m aga z in e .co m • 1 1
cartoon analysis
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For use with “The Sharing Economy” on p. 8 of the magazine
Nate Beeler • CagleCartoons.com
analyze the political cartoon
1. How do conditions in the “Competition” lane differ from those in the other two lanes?
2. How have these conditions affected the Uber and Lyft cars?
3. What do you think the cartoonist is saying about the way some cities and states have responded
to ridesharing companies?
4. What’s your view? Do you think some places have put unfair restrictions on companies like Uber?
5. Do you think ridesharing is the wave of the future? Explain.
Upfront • upfrontmagazine.com
a p r il 20, 2 0 1 5
photo analysis
For use with “When Africa Broke Free” on p. 18 of the magazine
analyze the photo
(See p. 20 in magazine.)
1. W
hat details do you notice in this 2010 photo of an Al Shabab military exercise in Somalia?
2. What words would you use to describe the image? Why?
3. Do you think Africa’s colonial history contributed to the rise of extremist groups like Al Shabab? Explain.
Farah Abdi Warsameh/AP Images
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When Africa Broke Free
Essay
Should the U.S. intervene in Africa to try to curb extremist groups like this one? Why or why not?
Upfront • upfrontmagazine.com
a p r il 20, 2 0 1 5