Developed in Consultation
with Louisiana Educators
Table
of
Contents
$IBQUFS 3FBEJOH$PNQSFIFOTJPO
#FODINBSLT(-&T
-FTTPO
3PPUTBOE8PSE1BSUT &-".
-FTTPO
%FOPUBUJPOBOE$POOPUBUJPO &-".
-FTTPO
3FBEJOH4USBUFHJFT &-".
-FTTPO
.BJO*EFB &-".
-FTTPO
4FRVFODF &-".
-FTTPO
$PNQBSFBOE$POUSBTU &-".
-FTTPO
$BVTFBOE&GGFDU &-".
-FTTPO
1SPCMFNBOE4PMVUJPO &-".
-FTTPO
'BDUBOE0QJOJPO &-".
-FTTPO 4VNNBSJ[JOHBOE1BSBQISBTJOH &-".
-FTTPO .BLF1SFEJDUJPOT &-".
-FTTPO .BLF*OGFSFODFT &-".&-".&-".
-FTTPO %SBX$PODMVTJPOT &-".&-".&-".
-FTTPO *OEVDUJPOBOE%FEVDUJPO &-".
✔1SPHSFTT$IFDL ✔1SPHSFTT$IFDL $IBQUFS -JUFSBSZ&MFNFOUT
-FTTPO $IBSBDUFS &-".
-FTTPO 4FUUJOH &-".
-FTTPO 1MPU &-".
-FTTPO 5IFNF &-".&-".
-FTTPO "VUIPST1VSQPTFBOE7JFXQPJOU &-".
-FTTPO (FOSFT &-".&-".
-FTTPO 'MBTICBDLBOE'PSFTIBEPXJOH &-".&-".&-".
-FTTPO 4ZNCPMJTN &-".&-".&-".
-FTTPO )ZQFSCPMF &-".&-".&-".
-FTTPO 8PSE$IPJDF &-".&-".&-".
-FTTPO 5FYU'FBUVSFT &-".
-FTTPO 3FTPVSDFT &-".&-".
✔1SPHSFTT$IFDL ✔1SPHSFTT$IFDL 218LA_ELA_G8_SE.indd 4
5/1/2010 12:48:16 AM
$IBQUFS 4QFMMJOHBOE(SBNNBS
#FODINBSLT(-&T
-FTTPO 4QFMMJOH &-".
-FTTPO InfiOJUJWFT1BSUJDJQMFTBOE(FSVOET &-".
-FTTPO .PEJGZJOH1ISBTFTBOE$MBVTFT &-".
-FTTPO 5ZQFTPG4FOUFODFT &-".
-FTTPO $PNQBSBUJWFBOE4VQFSMBUJWF"EKFDUJWFT &-".
-FTTPO "EWFSCT &-".
-FTTPO 1VODUVBUJPOBOE$BQJUBMJ[BUJPO &-".
✔1SPHSFTT$IFDL ✔1SPHSFTT$IFDL $IBQUFS 8SJUJOH
-FTTPO 8SJUFGPS7BSJPVT1VSQPTFT &-".&-".
&-".
-FTTPO 1SFXSJUJOH &-".
-FTTPO 5PQJD4FOUFODFTBOE5SBOTJUJPOT &-".
-FTTPO 6TJOH4PVSDFT &-".&-".
&-".
-FTTPO 3FWJTJOHBOE1SPPGSFBEJOH &-".&-".
✔1SPHSFTT$IFDL ✔1SPHSFTT$IFDL 1SPHSFTT5FTU (MPTTBSZ 218LA_ELA_G8_SE.indd 5
5/1/2010 12:48:16 AM
$IBQUFSr-FTTPO
Roots and Word Parts
A root is the main part of a word. It is a clue to the word’s meaning. For example,
the root BVE means “hear” or “listen,” EFOU means “tooth,” and BDJE means
“bitter” or “sour.” A base word is a word that has meaning all by itself. An affix is
a group of letters added to a root or base word to change its meaning. A prefix is
added to the beginning of a root or base word to change its meaning. The prefix
NJT- means “bad” or “wrong”; SF- means “again”; JO-, JN-, and JM- mean “not.”
4FNJ- means “half” or “partly”; and QPTU- means “after,” as in QPTUQBJE. A suffix
is added to the end of a root or base word. The suffix -TIJQmeans “quality or
state,” as in GSJFOETIJQ;JTU means “one who”; MFTT means “without”; MZ means
“in a certain way”; and FO means “made of” or “make,” as in XPPEFO and
CSJHIUFO
Think about roots and affixes.
Underline the root in the following words.
dentist
dental
denture
Circle the words that use prefixes.
really
invisible
misread
imagine
anti-aging
mister
Circle the words that use suffixes.
worthless
wooden
artist
jelly
sudden
distantly
Read the story. Then complete the activity.
.BLFBDIFDL✓
OFYUUPUIFDPSSFDUBOTXFS
1PTUTFBTPO means
$IBNQJPOTIJQ has
without a season. _
after the season. _
a bad season. _
a prefix. _
a suffix. _
a prefix and a suffix. _
Which word has a prefix?
basketball _
semifinals _
dropped _
%VQMJDBUJOHBOZQBSUPGUIJTCPPLJTQSPIJCJUFECZMBX
The Tigers were playing in the semifinals of the city basketball tournament. It was the first
time that the school team had made it to the postseason. If they won, they would play in the
championship game. The Tigers were down by one point with three seconds to go. Then, Doug
threw the ball from center court. It dropped into the net. The Tigers won!
$IBQUFS r3FBEJOH$PNQSFIFOTJPO
218LA_ELA_G8_SE.indd 6
5/1/2010 12:48:16 AM
Read the passage.
You may not have heard of Thomas Nast, but you probably know his work. Nast was born
in Germany in 1840. His family moved to the United States when he was six. By the time he was
fifteen, Nast was working as a cartoonist. He used his drawings to point out the illegal activities
of politicians to his audience. He chose the donkey and elephant to stand for the Democrat and
Republican parties. He also created the image of Santa Claus many people know today—a chubby,
bearded man in a red suit.
'JSTUSFBEUIFRVFTUJPOBOEBMMUIFQPTTJCMFBOTXFST/FYUSFBEXIBU
$PBDITBZT5IFODJSDMFUIFMFUUFSJOGSPOUPGUIFCFTUBOTXFS
Which word has a root that means “hear”
or “listen”?
" familiar
# audience
$ fifteen
% chubby
The prefix JM- helps the reader know that
JMMFHBM MOST LIKELY means
" not legal.
# partly legal.
$ in a legal way.
I check each answer choice against the SPPUT
I know. I also think about what the word
means in the passage. The root of answer " is
probably related to families, so I can cross it
out. Answer $ is a number, so it is not correct.
Finally, I cross out answer % because I do not
recognize a root in the word that might be
related to hearing or listening.
I check each answer choice against the
prefixes I know. The prefi Y for QBSUMZ is TFNJ,
so I cross out answer #. Answer $ would only
be right if the suffi
Y MZ were added to the CBTF
XPSE. Answer % is wrong because the suffi
Y FO
would have to be added to the base word.
% to make legal.
In which word does oJTU mean the same as
it does in DBSUPPOJTU?
" waist
%VQMJDBUJOHBOZQBSUPGUIJTCPPLJTQSPIJCJUFECZMBX
# twist
$ resist
% violinist
I know that the suffi
Y JTU means “one who.”
I cross out answer " because a XBJTU is not a
person, and XB is not a SPPUorCBTFXPSE.
I eliminate answer # for the same reason. The
letters UX do not form a root or base word,
and UXJTU is not a person. The word SFTJTU is
an action, so answer $ is wrong.
218LA_ELA_G8_SE.indd 7
5/1/2010 12:48:17 AM
Read the passage. Think about roots, basewords, and affixes. Then go to Stop and
Think and follow the directions.
The Perfect Role
Circle the word BDJEMZ in
the first sentence. What
does the base word
mean? Underline the
word that tells you.
Draw a wavy line under
the word SFWJFXJOH.
Think of three words that
use the prefix SF- in the
same way.
Draw two lines under the
word NJTVOEFSTUPPE.
Use the prefix to figure
out its meaning.
Draw a box around the
suffix in the word MFTTFO.
How does the suffix
help you understand the
meaning of the word?
Make a check mark
next to each word in the
passage that uses the
suffix that means “in a
certain way.”
%VQMJDBUJOHBOZQBSUPGUIJTCPPLJTQSPIJCJUFECZMBX
Cristina frowned acidly as Monique calmly said her lines onstage.
It was the last day of rehearsal for the school play and Cristina was
nervous. But Monique was as cool as a spring shower. She was not
insecure at all.
As Cristina stood offstage, waiting for the cue to make her
entrance, she glanced at Mr. Nguyen. Six weeks ago at auditions, five
girls had tried out for the part of Minnie Dawkins. It was the lead
role in the play. Cristina had prepared for the audition so well that
she was sure she would get the part. But after reviewing his notes and
asking Cristina and Monique to read their lines again, Mr. Nguyen
had given the part to Monique. For a few seconds, Cristina was
certain she had misunderstood. But Monique’s scream of delight had
revealed the truth.
Cristina had landed the part of Jessica, Minnie’s friend. Her
mother had told her that this was a good role, too. But it did not
lessen her disappointment. During rehearsals, Cristina had found it
nearly impossible to hide her bitterness. But she had done her best
playing Jessica.
Cristina stopped daydreaming when Monique said, “Oh, look,
here’s Jessica. Let’s see what she thinks.” That was her cue. Cristina
put on a smile and walked onstage. She read her lines, giggling the
way that Mr. Nguyen had told her to. At the end of the scene,
he clapped.
“That was wonderful, girls. Cristina, you ARE Jessica. That’s
why I gave you that role. You do it perfectly.”
Cristina was happily surprised. She didn’t feel badly anymore
about not getting the part of Minnie. In fact, she felt pretty good
about it.
4UPQBOE5IJOL
$IBQUFS r3FBEJOH$PNQSFIFOTJPO
218LA_ELA_G8_SE.indd 8
5/1/2010 12:48:17 AM
-FTTPO3PPUTBOE8PSE1BSUT
1SBDUJDF
5JQT 1. Read the question. 2. Read ALL the answers. 3. Pick the answer you think is correct.
"OTXFSFBDIRVFTUJPOBCPVU5IF1FSGFDU3PMF$JSDMFUIFMFUUFSJOGSPOUPGUIFDPSSFDUBOTXFS
The root word BDJE helps the reader know
that Cristina spoke
" cheerfully.
In which word does JN- mean the same as
it does in JNQPTTJCMF?
" imitate
# with bitterness.
#impatient
$ calmly.
$improve
% with excitement.
% important
In which word does SF mean the same as
it does in SFWJFXJOH?
" relief
#result
$repaint
% reveal
Knowing the prefix NJT- helps the
reader know that NJTVOEFSTUPPE
MOST LIKELY means
" understood wrongly.
# understood clearly.
$ understood again.
% in an understanding way.
The suffix FO helps the reader understand
that MFTTFO MOST LIKELY means
" not less.
# to make less.
$ one who is less.
% the quality of less.
%VQMJDBUJOHBOZQBSUPGUIJTCPPLJTQSPIJCJUFECZMBX
218LA_ELA_G8_SE.indd 9
5/1/2010 12:48:17 AM