Table of Contents
Unit 1: Basic Comprehension ........................................................................................ 9
Lesson 1: Vocabulary ...................................................................................... 10
TEKS: 1, 1.2(A), 1.2(B), 2(C), 2(D), 1.2(E), Fig.19(A–C)
Lesson 2: Main Idea, Theme, and Genre .................................................. 29
TEKS: 2.3(A), 2.3(B), 2.3(C), Fig.19(A–C)
Unit 2: Reading Literature and Nonfiction ............................................................ 47
Lesson 3: Poetry ................................................................................................ 48
TEKS: 2.4(A), 2.8(A), Fig.19(A–C), 2.Fig.19(D), 2.Fig.19(E)
Lesson 4: Drama ............................................................................................... 60
TEKS: 2.5(A), Fig.19(A–C), 2.Fig.19(D), 2.Fig.19(E)
Lesson 5: Fiction ............................................................................................... 72
Duplicating any part of this book is prohibited by law.
TEKS: 2.6(A), 2.6(B), 2.6(C), 2.13(A), 2.13(C), Fig.19(A–C), 2.Fig.19(D),
2.Fig.19(E)
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Table of Contents
Lesson 6: Nonfiction........................................................................................ 96
TEKS: 1.7(A), 1.9(A), 3.10(A), 3.10(B), 3.10(C), 3.10(D),
3.13(A), 13(B), 3.13(C), 3.13(D), Fig.19(A–C)
Lesson 7: Making Connections ................................................................ 112
TEKS: 3.10(C), 3.10(D), Fig.19(A–C), 2.Fig.19(D), 2.Fig.19(E), 3.Fig.19(D),
3.Fig.19(E)
Lesson 8: Persuasive Texts.......................................................................... 125
TEKS: 3.10(A), 3.10(B), 3.11(A), 3.11(B), Fig.19(A–C),
3.Fig.19(D), 3.Fig.19(E)
Lesson 9: Comparing Selections.............................................................. 142
TEKS: 3.10(D), Fig.19(A–C), 3.Fig.19(D), 3.Fig.19(E), 1.Fig.19(F)
Lesson 10: Procedural Texts....................................................................... 154
TEKS: 12(A), 3.12(B), Fig.19(A–C)
Duplicating any part of this book is prohibited by law.
To the Teacher:
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) are
listed for each lesson in the table of contents
and for each page above the dotted line
that run across the tops of the pages in the
workbook (see the example at right).
Standards: A1, B2, C3
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Lesson
1
TEKS: 1, 1.2(B), Fig.19(A–C)
Vocabulary
The bee’s knees. The cat’s pajamas. The most. Groovy. Fly. All that.
What do these phrases have in common? If you just look at the words as they are listed
here, it might not seem as though they have any connection at all. In fact, some of
these phrases might seem completely meaningless. The bee’s knees? Do bees even
have knees?
But imagine reading a story in which one of the characters says, “That jazz band is great!
They’re the bee’s knees!” By seeing the phrase used with other words, you probably
can tell that saying that something is the bee’s knees basically means that it is great or
impressive in some way. In fact, all the words and phrases listed at the beginning of this
lesson have been used to mean “great” at different times and in different places.
Understanding new vocabulary is a lot like figuring out the meanings of unfamiliar
slang. If you know how to keep up with the latest slang, you’re well on your way to
figuring out new words in a reading selection.
You can learn the meaning of the latest slang by listening to the way people use
certain words in conversation. You can also learn the meanings of unfamiliar words
by paying attention to how they are used in writing. This skill is called using context. In
the case of new slang or vocabulary, context is created by the words used along with
the unfamiliar word or phrase.
Read the following selection. It will help you understand the tips in this lesson.
from
The Fall’s Ploughing
Day after day, through the month of September and deep into October,
Lincoln followed his team in the field, turning over two acres of stubble each
day. At last it began to grow cold, so cold that in the early morning he was
obliged to put one hand in his pocket to keep it warm, while holding the
plough with the other. His hands grew red and chapped and sore by reason of
the constant keen nipping of the air. His heart was sometimes very bitter and
rebellious, because of the relentless drag of his daily toil. It seemed that the
stubbleland miraculously restored itself each night. His father did not intend
to be cruel, but he was himself a hard-working man, an early riser, and a swift
workman, and it seemed a natural and necessary thing to have his sons work.
He himself had been bound out at nine years of age, and had never known a
week’s release from toil.
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Duplicating any part of this book is prohibited by law.
by Hamlin Garland
Unit 1 Basic Comprehension
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TEKS: 1, 1.2(B), Fig.19(A–C)
As it grew colder morning by morning, Lincoln observed that the ground
broke into little flakes before the standing coulter.1 This gave him joy, for soon
it would be frozen too hard to plough. At last there came a morning, when by
striking his heel upon the ground, he convinced his father that it was too hard
to break, and he was allowed to remain in the house. These were beautiful
hours of respite. He had time to play about the barn or to read. He usually
read, devouring anything he could lay his hands upon, newspapers, whether
old or new, or pasted on the wall or piled up in the garret.2 His mother
declared he would stand on his head to read a paper pasted on the wall.
Books were scarce, but he borrowed remorselessly and so read Franklin’s
Autobiography, Life of P. T. Barnum, Scott’s Ivanhoe, and The Female Spy.
But unfortunately the sun came out warm and bright, after those frosty
nights, the ground softened up, and his father’s imperious voice rang out, “Come,
Lincoln, time to hitch up,” and once more the boy returned to the toil of the field.
But at last there came a day when Lincoln shouted with joy as he
stepped out of the house. The ground was frozen hard and rung under the
feet of the horses like iron, and the bitter wind, raw and gusty, swept out of
the northwest, with spiteful spitting of snowflakes. Winter had come, and
ploughing was over at last. The plough was brought in, cleaned and greased
to prevent its rusting, and upturned in the tool-shed, and Lincoln began to
look forward to the opening day of school.
1
coulter: the cutting part of the plow
2
garret: a room or unfinished part of a house just below the roof; an attic
1. Look for other words in the selection that have a similar
meaning to the unknown word.
Duplicating any part of this book is prohibited by law.
Words you already know may give you clues to the words you don’t know. Reread the
following lines from the selection.
His father did not intend to be cruel, but he was himself a hard-working man,
an early riser, and a swift workman, and it seemed a natural and necessary thing
to have his sons work. He himself had been bound out at nine years of age, and
he had never known a week’s release from toil.
1. Underline any words in the selection that have meanings similar to toil.
2. What does the word toil mean in the selection?
A. vacation
B. par enting
C. hard work
D. rest and relief
Lesson 1 V ocabulary
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TEKS: 1, 1.2(B), Fig.19(A–C)
2. Look for words that have the opposite meaning of the
unknown word.
Sometimes, the context will include a word or phrase that has the opposite meaning
of the unknown word. If you know the opposite of the unknown word, you can
probably figure out the meaning of the unknown word. Take a look at the following
example:
Not all commercial Web sites are untrustworthy. Indeed, many commercial
sites are reputable sources of information on the topics they discuss.
3. Circle a word in the example above that means the opposite of reputable.
4. In the context of the example above, the word reputable most likely means
A. useful .
B. r eliable.
C. suspicious .
D. c omplicated.
3. Plug in the answer choices to see which one makes the most
sense in the sentence.
When you are faced with a vocabulary question, the easiest way to choose an answer
is often to see which choice works best in the selection. Plug in the answer choices to
see which word best fits in the sentence. Take a look at the following example:
At last it began to grow cold, so cold that in the early morning he was
obliged to put one hand in his pocket to keep it warm, while holding the
plough with the other.
A. t old.
B. fo rced.
C. asked .
D. honor ed.
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Duplicating any part of this book is prohibited by law.
5. In this sentence, the word obliged means
Unit 1 Basic Comprehension
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TEKS: 1, 1.2(B), Fig.19(A–C)
Substitute each answer choice for the word obliged and read the sentence to yourself.
A. so cold that . . . he was told to put one hand in his pocket to keep
it warm . . .
B. so cold that . . . he was forced to put one hand in his pocket to keep
it warm . . .
C. so cold that . . . he was asked to put one hand in his pocket to keep
it warm . . .
D. so cold that . . . he was honored to put one hand in his pocket to keep
it warm . . .
Which choices can you easily eliminate? Which word seems to fit best in the context
of the paragraph?
Now try this method with a word from “The Fall’s Ploughing”:
. . . his father’s imperious voice rang out, “Come, Lincoln, time to hitch up.”
6. In this sentence, the word imperious means
A. sof t.
B. hesitant.
C. sad .
D. c ommanding.
4. Look for hints the author gives about the meaning of the word.
Sometimes an author helps you with difficult vocabulary by providing definitions right
in the text or in footnotes, or by restating the idea in different ways. Footnotes give
definitions to two words from “The Fall’s Ploughing”: coulter and garret.
Duplicating any part of this book is prohibited by law.
7. A coulter is part of a
A. r oom.
B. plo w.
C. field .
D. horse .
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TEKS: 1, 1.2(B), 2(C), 1.2(E), Fig.19(A–C)
5. Don’t be fooled by multiple-meaning words.
Multiple-meaning words are words that have more than one meaning. When
answering a question about a multiple-meaning word, go back to the selection and
see how the word is used in context. If you don’t go back, you may be tempted to
choose the most common definition of the word—which may not be the best answer.
8. Read the following dictionary entry for the word drag.
drag n 1 a slow, deliberate motion 2 a motion pulling against something
3 a burden that creates much hardship 4 a device used to pull something along
the ground
Which definition matches the meaning of the word drag as it is used in the first
paragraph of the selection on page 10?
A.
B.
C.
D.
definition 1
definition 2
definition 3
definition 4
Many words have both a denotative meaning and a connotative meaning. The
denotative meaning is its basic, agreed-upon definition. The connotative meaning
is an extra meaning or sense the word has when used in certain ways. For example,
you might hear someone say, “That car is an antique.” Is the car just very old, or is it old
and valuable? You’ll need to look at the context to figure out the exact meaning.
6. Analogies show relationships between words.
An analogy is a comparison that shows relationships between words. Here’s an
example of an analogy:
This analogy tells about several relationships. It tells about the relationship between
words and a book: a book is made up of words. The analogy tells about the
relationship between notes and a song: a song is made up of words. Finally, the
analogy also tells about the relationship between these two relationships: the
relationship between words and a book is like the relationship between notes and
a song. Here’s another way to state the analogy:
Words make up a book, just as notes make up a song.
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Words are to a book as notes are to a song.
Unit 1 Basic Comprehension
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TEKS: 1, 1.2(B), 2(C), Fig.19(A–C)
You may be asked to complete an analogy. To complete an analogy, figure out the
relationships between the words that are given. Then find a word that works with
these relationships. Here’s an example:
Hands are to arms as _________ are to legs.
9. What is the relationship between hands and arms?
10. What has a relationship to legs that is similar to the relationship between hands
and arms?
Write the complete analogy:
Try another example.
11. Which word completes the analogy?
Lid is to box as _________ is to bottle.
Duplicating any part of this book is prohibited by law.
A. r ecycling
B. water
C. glass
D. cap
The author of a reading selection may use an analogy to show you the meaning of a
word that may be unfamiliar. If you know how to complete an analogy, you should be
able to figure out the meaning of the new word. Take a look at the following example:
Earth has many layers. We can compare those layers to the parts of a fruit
like a peach or plum. The inner core of Earth is like the hard pit of the fruit,
and the lithosphere is like the outer skin of fruit. Between the lithosphere and
the inner core, there are many other layers, too . . .
12. Based on the analogy used in this example, what do you think the lithosphere
of Earth is?
Lesson 1 V ocabulary
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