Summer Reading Assignment
St. Joan of Arc
2016
th
Welcome to 7 grade Honors English/Literature
Your fist assignment will be to complete a summer novel reading The Cay by Theodore Taylor
along with Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt. In addition to reading the novels, you will be
responsible for completing the following assignments. You will also be tested on the novels the
first week that school resumes.
Your assignment includes ALL of the following
Assignment 1

Complete a Vocabulary Reference Guide, which includes at least 5 words that you do
not know from each chapter. Write the vocabulary word, the chapter and page number
where you found the word. You will then write a dictionary definition for each vocabulary
entry along with an original sentence that illustrates your ability to use the word properly.
Each sentence must be a minimum of eight (8) words

example : if the word is ravenous, your sentence can not be: He is ravenous. This
does not illustrate that you know what the word means. A more appropriate sentence
would be: After not eating for three days, the dog was ravenous and attacked the
food greedily.
Assignment 2

Complete all of the attached chapter questions.

All of the answers must be in complete sentences and grammatically correct with no
misspelled words. All answers must be in a complete sentence and fully answer the
question that is asked.

Format:

The assignments must be typed.

A typed assignment must be in an easily read 12-point font.

Staple your work together with a typed cover sheet as the first page. Place your name,
the title of the course, the name of the novel and author, and the date on the cover
sheet.

A copy of the parent letter signed by you and your parent/guardian with the date it was
signed should be the last page of the assignment
Dear Parent or Guardian,
Your child has met the qualifications to participate in Honors English/Literature 20162017 school year. This will prepare your child to take English I in the 8th grade. The philosophy
of placing English I in the eighth grade is to allow students to complete the high school English
requirements by the eleventh grade and have the opportunity to earn college credits in their
senior year. Being enrolled in an honor’s class is a privilege, and students should be
encouraged to hold themselves to a higher standard in academics as well as behavior.
A prerequisite for this course is the completion of a summer reading assignments for the
novels, The Cay by Theodore Taylor along with Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt. In addition to
reading the novels, the student will complete a vocabulary notebook and complete chapter
assignments. The assignments are due on the first day of school. The students will also be
tested on the novel within the first two weeks of school. Anyone who fails to turn this in on time
will lose a letter grade each day that it is late. Anyone who does not turn it in will receive a 0,
and I will request they be removed from honors.
Please encourage your child to complete this
in a timely manner and not wait until the last minute to throw it all together. Anyone who
plagiarizes will receive the discipline set up in the student handbook. Please sign and date
below and have your child do the same.
__________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature
____________________________
Student Signature
I hope you have a safe and happy summer, and I look forward to teaching your child in the next
coming school year.
God Bless,
Angelle DeLaneuville
J.M.J.D
NAME_____________________
ST. JOAN OF ARC
DELANEUVILLE
DATE__________
As part of your summer assignment, you will complete the following 7th grade Language Arts
IXL assignments. You must complete a minimum of 20 problems with a smart score of no lower
than 70 on each one. If this is not completed by the start of school, you will have to come in at
recess to complete each of the ones that were not done to the above specifications. Keep this
sheet as a checklist as you complete the lessons. Have your parents sign it before you turn it in
on the first day of school.
Ixl Lesson
Date completed
HH1
HH2
LL1
LL2
MM1
MM2
RR1
RR3
RR4
RR5
LOG ON FOR IXL
www.ixl.com/signin/sjavikings
Smart Score
Check completed
The Cay Vocabulary List
Chapter 1-2 Vocabulary
refinery (10)
veerboats (12) *
production (14)
aviation (14)
schooner (20)
quivered (22)
disheartened (23)
boarded (25)
Chapter 3-4 vocabulary
shuddering (28)
steward )29)
sextant (29) *
alabaster (31)
aircraft (42)
Chapter 5-6 vocabulary
drone (48)
harassment (54)
tide (54)
Chapter 7-8 vocabulary
langosta (58) *
discouraged (58)
navigation (61)
reef (65)
native (62)
Chapter 9-10 vocabulary
reeve (71)
catchment (73)
trough (73)
mocki jumbi (75) *
pompano (76) *
rancid (77)
Chapter 11-12 vocabulary
submerged (80)
independent (81)
conniving (83)
salvaged (83)
malaria (88)
Chapter 13-15 vocabulary
sensation (93)
lurking (94)
crevices (94)
hurricane (102)
sparingly (103)
unbearable (104)
rustling (106)
burrowed (108)
bound (111)
Chapter 16-17 vocabulary
groped (113)
eulogy
debris (114)
accomplished (117)
courage (121)
earnest (122)
flailing (123)
Chapter 18-19 vocabulary
lapping (125)
drone (125)
series (128)
cellophane (129)
sulphur (129)
flared (130)
thrashing (133)
badgering (134)
priority (134)
charter (137)
* definition can be found in the book on the page listed
Across Five Aprils
Chapter 1
1. Why do you think that in the 1800s a woman’s beauty was
short-lived?
2. Describe what Ellen’s life had been like for the past 30 years.
3. How had Destiny marked Jethro? What made him so special?
4. What did Irene Hunt mean when she wrote, "Adults were usually
troubled"?
5. Who was Shadrach Yale?
6. What forms of communication did they have in those days?
7. What was Jethro and Mother most afraid of?
8. What does this idiom mean: "…the pot can’t call the kettle black"?
9. What were the circumstances of Jethro’s sister Mary’s death?
Answer the following questions in paragraph form.(3 to 5 sentences)
10. What does Ellen mean when she says this about Pres. Lincoln:
"He’s like a man standin’ where two roads meet…and
one road is as dark and fearsome as the other; there
ain’t a choice between the two, and yet a choice has
to be made."
Chapter 2
1. What news did Wilse bring?
2. What position do the Creightons and Wilse take in the North/
South struggle? Why?
3. What did the Southerners want?
4. What were the Creightons’ feelings about slavery? Cousin Wilse?
5. What did Bill think the real reason for the current conflict was
outside of slavery?
6. John and Bill were very close brothers but there is a hint or
foreshadowing that this relationship could change. What is it?
7. What news did Shadrach bring back?
8. After hearing the news, what announcement did Eb Carron make?
9. How did Wilse Graham describe Abe Lincoln in this war?
10. What roles did Congress and Lincoln have regarding the war at
that time?
Answer the following questions in paragraph form.
11. What did Matt Creighton mean in the following passage:
"Human nature ain’t any better one side of a political line than on the other- we all know that- but
human nature, the all-over picture of it, is better than it was a thousand- five hundred- even a hundred
years ago. There is an awakenin’ inside us of human decency and responsibility. If I didn’t believe
that, I wouldn’t grieve fer the children I’ve buried; I wouldn’t look for’ard to the manhood of this
youngest one."
Chapter 3
1. Bill finally revealed how he felt about the war to Jethro. What
did he say?
2. What was upsetting Bill the most?
3. What caused Bill to leave home and what were his plans?
Answer the following questions in paragraph form
4. Prediction: What do you think will happen to Bill? What will John do?
Chapter 4
1. What news came from Tom?
2. What was customary for teachers to do in those days that we do
not do today?
3. What happened at Fort Henry?
4. Why wouldn’t Pa let Jenny marry Shad?
5. What did Jethro and Shad talk about when Jethro spent the
evening at Shad’s home?
6. Why did so many people dislike Mr. Lincoln according to Shad?
7. What is an abolitionist?
8. Shad said to Jethro: "…that it took far more courage for Bill to do what he did than it does for
John and me to carry out our plans next week." Why did it take more courage?
Rewrite the letter that Tom wrote to the family on page 49. Use appropriate grammar, spelling,
and punctuation.
Chapter 5
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Why was Mother so sick?
What errand was Jethro sent on?
What happened at the general store?
What "fine treat" did Jethro experience?
Describe what happened to Jethro when he got to the Burdow’s
place?
6. Why did Dave protect Jethro?
Answer the following questions in paragraph form Prediction: How do you think Matt Creighton
will react to Jethro’s experience with Wortman?
Chapter 6
1. What happened to Matt Creighton the next day after Jethro told
him about Wortman?
2. How had life changed for Jethro?
3. What did Ellen mean when she said: "You’re not to fret, Matt; we
mustn’t give trouble shape before it throws its shadder."
4. What advise did Nancy give Jethro?
5. Why did the neighbors each take turns watching Matt Creighton’s
home?
6. What happened to Shep and why?
7. What happened to the barn and the well?
Answer the following questions in paragraph form Prediction: Who do you think caused this
destruction and why?
Chapter 7
1. Why did men from all over the county come help Matt that spring?
2. What news did Dan Lawrence bring?
3. Describe the incident of Sam Gardiner, the owner of the general
store.
4. What happened to Guy’s reputation after the incident?
5. What was the problem with the generals?
Answer the following questions in paragraph form Prediction: What news will be next about John,
Eb, or Shad?
Chapter 8
1.
2.
3.
4.
What latest triumph for the Confederates occurred?
How did Dave Burdow help Jethro’s family again?
What did Shad say Gen. McClellan lacked as a leader?
Why were the soldiers losing faith in their leaders?
Answer the following questions in paragraph form Prediction: With conditions like these that
soldiers had to endure, what do you suppose would happen?
Chapter 9
1.
2.
3.
4.
Describe what deserters did to survive.
Describe Hig Phillips and why was he disliked?
How did the murder of Hig Phillips affect the Creightons?
What was the purpose of the Union soldiers visit at the
Creightons’ home?
5. Describe the man that was hiding in the bushes one day while
Jethro was plowing the fields.
6. Why did the visitor come?
7. What did the visitor want to do?
8. What thoughts went through Jethro’s mind in deciding if he should help or not?
9. What plan did Jethro come up with to help this visitor?
10. What decree did Mr. Lincoln declare for April 1?
Answer the following questions in paragraph form Will the visitor return to where he came from?
Why or why not?
Chapter 10
1. In reading Shadrach’s letter, how do you think he felt would
happen in the future?
2. Why didn’t President Lincoln remove General Grant?
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Which battle seemed to be the turning point in the war and why?
What happened to Shad at Gettysburg?
Why did Jethro refuse to go to school?
What did Ross Milton do to help Jenny and Shad?
What did Matt Creighton finally agree to do?
Why do you think Jenny kept Jethro’s letter all the years of her
life?
Rewrite Jenny’s letter on page 157-158 using appropriate grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Chapter 11
1.
2.
3.
4.
What information about the war did John reveal in his letter?
Explain the criticism of President Lincoln and how did Jethro feel about it?
When and where did Grant and Lee finally do battle?
How did Shadrach feel about General McClellan’s nomination for
President?
5. What news did Sherman telegraph the President ?
6. What did John say about the battle between Hood and Thomas?
Answer the following questions in paragraph form Prediction: Will Bill make it home and will his
family accept him?
Chapter 12
1. Describe Bill Sherman’s march.
2. What warning did Ross Milton give to Jethro when peace came?
3. What did Milton say President Lincoln must do in his next four
years in office?
4. Why wasn’t Milton excited about the 13th Amendment to abolish
slavery?
5. When and where did the war end?
6. After the night of celebration, what terrible news did Nancy give
Jethro?
7. While Jethro was grieving, who surprised him and what news did
he receive?
8. Write Eb’s letter to Jethro as he would have written it