7th Grade Edition SCHOOL BOARD OF BREVARD COUNTY Educational Services Facility 2700 Judge Fran Jamieson Way Viera, Florida 32940-6699 SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS Robert Jordan, Chairman Janice Kershaw, Vice Chairman Dr. Barbara A. Murray Larry Hughes Amy Kneessy SUPERINTENDENT Dr. Richard A. DiPatri Division of Curriculum and Instruction Associate Superintendent Brenda Blackburn Office of Secondary Programs Dr. Walter Christy, Director Office of Elementary Programs Lynn Spadaccini, Director Write Starts Vocabulary Quick Writes Conventions Writing Skills Coordinator: Marjorie Bloom Secondary Writing Resource Teacher Writers and Editors: Julie Coleman Cocoa Beach Jr. Sr. High School Joan Commons Kennedy Middle School Joanne Steady Melbourne High School Donnice Stephenson Bayside High School Valerie Williams Bayside High School Layout and Design: Christine Ward Cover Design/Formatting: Cheryl Wratchford INTRODUCTION Several Brevard educators envisioned a book of quick daily exercises to help students develop writing proficiency. Both students and teachers often become skittish about writing, especially if high expectations and consequences are attached. We fear writing because we are not sure we have anything valuable to say, feel we can’t eloquently express our thoughts on paper, or we worry that criticism about our writing will quell our pens forever. These Write Start assignments are designed to motivate students and teachers to write quickly and perhaps outrun their fears. As students compose their writing, we hope that the very surprise of creating phrases, sentences, and paragraphs on a variety of topics will give them confidence and build fluency. We know that some days both students and teachers will amaze themselves with delightful discovery and insight, and other days they struggle. Writing is like that. We hope teachers will often write with students, exploring their ideas and revising their own work. Through practicing multiple writing skills, topics, and purposes ourselves, we develop the capacity to understand the struggle that students face when writing. Writing is a powerful skill that leads to more engagement in every other aspect of language arts. We hope that the daily habit of writing on a variety of topics will sharpen writing pleasure, instill confidence, and help educators and students alike to see the connection between vocabulary, grammar, reading, and thinking. THE DESIGN Each Quick Write will give students fuller understanding of the vocabulary words and provide a fresh writing topic. Following the Quick Write, a Writing Skill will provide focus for that day’s assignment. It is important to read both the Quick Write and Writing Skill before students begin to write. This will ensure that students understand the scope of the exercise. It may be necessary to give students more background knowledge on the vocabulary word by asking what they already know about the word and sharing examples of how the word is commonly used. The Conventions will help students with revising writing. As quick grammar reinforcement activities, they also serve as practice for the multiple-choice portion of the FCAT Writing+ test. The page numbers at the bottom coordinate with similar instruction and practice in the Language Network textbook. Each of the daily activities should require no more than 10 to 15 minutes of class time. The lessons may be done in one day or divided and administered over two or three days, depending on the amount of time needed to assure students understand the concepts. Teachers will practice conventions or writing skills based upon their classes’ needs. Flexibility is key. TYPES OF WRITING Expository writing informs, clarifies, explains, defines, or instructs by giving information, explaining why or how, clarifying a process, or defining a concept. Well-written exposition has a clear central focus developed through a carefully crafted presentation of facts, examples, or definitions that enhance the reader’s understanding. The facts, examples, and definitions are objective and not dependent on emotion – although the writing may be lively, engaging, and reflective of the writer’s commitment to the topic. Narrative writing recounts a personal or fictional experience, telling a story based upon a real or imagined event. In a well-written narration, a writer uses insight, creativity, drama, suspense, humor, or fantasy to create a central theme or impression. The details work together to develop an identifiable story line. Narratives are usually arranged in chronological order, but they may also contain flashbacks, interruptions that take the story back to an earlier time. Persuasive writing convinces, prevails upon, wins over, or hooks the reader to believe or do something. In a well-written persuasion, a writer takes a position for or against an issue, using statistics, analogies, irony, antithesis, specific examples, and expert evidence to create a convincing line of argument that will move a reader to action. Descriptive writing sketches a portrait of a person, place, or thing by using concrete and specific details that appeal to one or more of the senses. Process writing develops patterns in time order, usually chronologically. These patterns either describe processes or explain how to perform processes with fluid, directional, or step-by-step instructions. OTHER TYPES OF WRITING INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: advertisements autobiographies book reviews diaries fairy tales instructions letters plays radio scripts TV scripts advice columns awards captions editorials fiction interviews movie reviews poetry research papers allegories ballads cartoons essays folk tales jokes myths puzzles resumes anecdotes biographies comic strips fables greeting cards journals newspaper articles quizzes speeches HOW TO USE THIS BOOK Teachers might use some of the following suggestions to vary the ideas to enhance classroom writing instruction. 1. Make an overhead of the daily sheet or write the activities on the board, and use all activities as a “bell ringer.” 2. Students may write the vocabulary words, definitions, sentences, and all other written responses on their own paper or in a spiral notebook. The papers or notebooks can be handed in once a week to be checked for completion. 3. Simply walk around the room to check for completion as students are working. 4. Break the day’s activities in half, and use them over a two-day period. For example, instruct students to write the vocabulary word, definition, and sentence on their paper and complete the “Quick Write” and “Writing Skill” the first day. On the following day, “Conventions” along with Language Network practice could be accomplished. This will depend on the complexity of the skills in any given lesson. 5. Choose to reorder the activities. For example, you may find it easier for students to do the “Writing Skill” before they complete the “Quick Write” rather than after, depending on whether or not the Writing Skill is designed to be incorporated into the Quick Write. 6. Shorten a “Quick Write” from a full paragraph to just a few well- written sentences. 7. Choose to omit a section of the activities if students are proficient in it. 8. Encourage students to share bits and pieces of their writing orally. 9. Instruct students to complete an activity in groups or work on one together as a class. 10. Decide to use these activities for one or two weeks and/or alternate them with other “bell ringer” activities. 11. Run off an occasional copy of a day’s activities to send home with students for homework. 12. Assign no grade to the activities other than a participation grade, or create a quiz every week or so, to determine whether students really understand the material and are learning the skills. TROUBLE SHOOTING SUPPOSE A STUDENT HAS TROUBLE WRITING • Instruct the student to “free write” by just writing anything, including, “I’m having trouble writing” until some ideas kick in. • Suggest the student brainstorm a list of all the things he might write about. • Ask students to share some ideas about possible approaches before they get started writing. SUPPOSE STUDENTS HAVE TROUBLE WRITING IN THE TIME FRAME • If students had trouble getting started and are then “on a roll,” allow a student to finish the thought or sentence but give a minute or two as a deadline. • Ask them to set their papers aside until there is a break in the lesson. • Have students complete their work for homework. • Assure them that everyone draws a blank at times, but “timed- writing” or “writing on demand” plays an important part in standardized testing and in life and career. Touch breezy bumpy cracked dewy dimpled dusty flimsy furry fuzzy glassy gooey greasy gritty grooved hairy hard jagged lightweight liquid melted metallic moist nubby oily padded plush pointed powdery prickly rigid rough sandy scratchy sharp silky sleek slick slimy slippery smooth spongy sticky velvety wet wiry Sight black and white bright brilliant cloudy colored crystal clear curved dark dull faded flapping flashing floating foggy hazy huge large light luminous misty mottled murky opaque pointed psychedelic robust rotund round shaded shadowy speckled spotted square stained straight striped swaying swirling textured translucent transparent twisted Smell acrid antiseptic bitter burnt buttery charred cheesy chocolaty clean dank decayed dusty earthy floral flowery fresh fruity grassy leathery lemony medicinal mildewy musty new old peppery pungent putrid rank rotten sharp smoky smoky sour spicy spoiled strong sweet vinegary woodsy Taste acidic bitter bubbly burnt buttery cheesy chocolaty delectable delicious dry fishy fresh garlicky gingery juicy lemony moldy nutty oily oniony peppery rancid salty smoky sour spicy spoiled stale sugary sweet sweet & sour tangy tart vinegary Sound banging bawling baying bellowing blasting bleating booming cackling chanting cheering chugging clanging clicking clinking cracking crashing dripping growling harmonious honking howling humming jabbering jangling jingling loud melodic meowing moaning muted pealing plopping popping roaring rumbling screeching slurping snapping sniffling soft splashing stammering tapping wailing whispering whistling whizzing woofing yowling Sensory Words accepted accomplished acknowledged affirmed appreciated approved attractive beautiful befriended bliss bright calm capable caring cheerful cherished clever comfortable complemented confident courteous creative delectable delighted delirious dynamic ecstatic empowered encouraged enthusiastic excellent exceptional excited exhilarated exonerated exuberant exulted fabulous fantastic focused free friendly generous glad good great happy helpful honored hopeful imaginative important impressed included incredible independent joyful jubilant kind likes lovable loved loyal magnificent marvelous masterful needed noticed obedient outstanding overjoyed patient peaceful perfect phenomenal pleased powerful praised precious prepared protected proud purposeful ready recognized relaxed relieved remarkable respected responsible revered rewarded safe satisfied secure sensational smiling smitten special strong superb supported sympathetic talented terrific thrilled thriving treasured tremendous trusted understood unique uplifted useful validated valued wanted warm-hearted wonderful worthy zany zealous aghast agitated aloof ambivalent angry anxious ashamed bedraggled befuddled belligerent bereft betrayed bewildered bitter blah blamed blasé blue bored bother chastised confused contrary crazy criticized crush dejected depressed detest discarded discouraged discriminated disgusted distant distrustful dumb embarrassed excluded fate fearful forced frustrated grouchy guilty heated heartbroken helpless hesitant hopeless hostile humiliated idiotic ignored impetuously implicated indifferent insane insecure insulted interrupted irritated jilted judged laughed at left-out lonely lost mad melancholy mocked moronic nervous ornery out-of-control out-of-step overlooked overwhelmed patronized perplexed picked on pouty puny put down rage rebellious rejected reviled revolted ridiculed rotten sad scared shattered sick slighted spoiled spooky strange stressed stubborn stupid tempermental trapped tumultuous ugly unappreciated unhappy uninformed unloved unprepared unruly upset used useless vexed vulnerable weak weary worn-out worried Emotion Words Vibrant Color Words Positive Emotions Negative Emotions RED cherry lobster crimson watermelon brick candy apple YELLOW lemon goldenrod mustard egg yolk school bus fluorescent WHITE snow alabaster vanilla eggshell ivory pearl GREEN olive forest khaki emerald lime pistachio ORANGE pumpkin marigolds sunset fluorescent burnt sienna caution BLACK ebony jet black charcoal raven midnight pitch-black BROWN leather chocolate mahogany chestnut coffee camel BLUE robin’s egg powder royal navy denim sapphire PURPLE lavender orchid periwinkle grape eggplant plum SUPER COLOR WORDS blacklight bronze café-au-lait calico camouflage chocolate chip confetti copper Day-Glo diamond ebony emerald glitter glow-in-the-dark gold hologram iridescent ivory mahogany mirror mocha mother-of-pearl multi neopolitan opal peaches ‘n cream peppermint plaid platinum polka dot rainbow ruby sapphire silver stained glass steel stripe tapestry topaz tortoise transparent tutti-frutti translucent A abusive accepting acerbic admiring affectionate afraid allusive angry anxious apologetic apprehensive approving ardent audacious awestruck B benevolent biting bitter boring brisk bristling brusque C calm candid casual cavalier censorious childish cold complementary condescending confident confused contemptuous controlled conversational critical cutting cynical D defamatory denunciatory detached didactic disdainful disparaging disrespectful doubtful dramatic dreamy dry E elaborate enthusiastic eulogistic exhilarated F facetious fanciful fearful flippant forceful frightening frivolous G giddy grim H happy harsh haughty hollow horrific humorous hypercritical I impassioned indifferent indignant ironic irrelevant J joyful L laudatory lighthearted loving M malevolent melancholy mistrustful mocking mysterious N neutral nostalgic O objective offhanded P peaceful personal pessimistic pitiful plainspoken playful poignant pragmatic proud provocative Q questioning R reasonable reproachful respectful restrained rueful S sad sarcastic sardonic satirical seductive sentimental serious severe sharp shocking silly somber straightforward strident subdued subjective sweet sympathetic T thoughtful threatening tired trenchant U uncertain understated upset urgent V vexed vibrant W whimsical withering wry Z zealous Additional Tone Words Tone Words 7 th Grade Standards Sheet As of August, 2007, the following Language Arts standards apply to the vocabulary, activities, and skills found in this document. Vocabulary Development Standard: The student uses multiple strategies to develop grade appropriate vocabulary. The student will: LA.7.1.6.1 – use new vocabulary that is introduced and taught directly; LA.7.1.6.3 – use context clues to determine meanings of unfamiliar words; LA.7.1.6.5 – relate new vocabulary to familiar words; LA.7.1.6.6 – distinguish denotative and connotative meanings of words; and LA.7.1.6.9 – determine the correct meaning of words with multiple meanings in context. Prewriting Standard: The student will use prewriting strategies to generate ideas and formulate a plan. The student will prewrite by: LA.7.3.1.1 – generating ideas from multiple sources based upon teacher-directed topics and personal interests; LA.7.3.1.2 – making a plan for writing that addresses purpose, audience, a controlling idea, logical sequence, and time frame for completion; and LA.7.3.1.3 – using organizational strategies and tools to develop a personal organizational style. Drafting Standard: The student will write a draft appropriate to the topic, audience, and purpose. The student will draft writing by: LA.7.3.2.1 – developing main ideas from the pre-writing plan using primary and secondary sources appropriate to the purpose and audience, elaborating on organized information using descriptive language, supporting details, and word choices appropriate to the selected tone and mood; and LA.7.3.2.2 – organizing information into logical sequence and combining or deleting sentences to enhance clarity. Revising Standard: The student will revise and refine the draft for clarity and effectiveness. The student will revise by: LA.7.3.3.1 – evaluating the draft for development of ideas and content, logical organization, voice, point of view, word choice, and sentence variation; LA.7.3.3.2 – creating clarity and logic by rearranging words, sentences, and paragraphs and developing relationships among ideas; and LA.7.3.3.3 – creating precision and interest by using a variety of sentence structures, creative language devices, and modifying word choices using resources and reference materials. Creative Writing Application Standard: The student develops and demonstrates creative writing. The student will: LA.7.4.1.1 – write narrative accounts with an engaging plot and that use a range of appropriate strategies and specific narrative actions and include effectively developed and complex characters, a clearly described setting, figurative language, and descriptive words or phrases to enhance style and tone; and LA.7.4.1.2 – write in a variety of expressive forms that according to the type of writing employed, incorporate figurative language, rhythm, dialogue, characterization, plot, and appropriate format. Informative Writing Application Standard: The student will develop and demonstrate writing that provides information related to real world tasks. The student will: LA.7.4.2.1 – write in a variety of informational/expository forms; LA.7.4.2.2 – record information related to a topic, including visual aids to organize and record information, as appropriate, and attribute sources of information; and LA.7.4.2.4 – write a variety of informal communications and formal communications that follow a format and that have a clearly stated purpose and that include the date, proper salutation, body, closing and signature. Persuasive Writing Application Standard: The student develops and demonstrates persuasive writing that is used for the purpose of influencing the reader. The student will write persuasive text that: LA.7.4.3.1 – establish and develop a controlling idea and supporting arguments for the validity of the proposed idea with detailed evidence; and LA.7.4.3.2 – includes persuasive techniques. Editing for Language Conventions Standard: The student will edit and correct the draft for standard language conventions. The student edits writing for grammar and language conventions, including the correct use of: LA.7.3.4.1 – spelling and spelling rules and using a dictionary, thesaurus, or other resources as necessary; LA.7.3.4.2 – capitalization, including regional names, historical events, and documents; LA.7.3.4.3 – punctuation of sentence structures, including participles and participial phrases, colon in introductory lists and to punctuate business letter salutations, semicolon in compound sentences, dash for additional emphasis or information, and apostrophes for plural possessives; LA.7.3.4.4 – the eight parts of speech, regular and irregular verbs, and pronoun agreement; and LA.7.3.4.5 – consistency in verb tense in simple, compound, and complex sentences. Outside Resources Sunshine State Standards: flstandards.org Vocabulary/definitions: dictionary.com satvocab.com English teaching resources: teachit.co.uk General source for all writing questions: owl.english.perdue.edu Additional writing topics: thewritesource.com Grammar resources: grammar.ccc.comnet.edu/grammar/ thebeehive.org (Learn Grammar) englishplus.com/grammar (Grammar Slammer – English Grammar Resource) dailygrammar.com chompchomp.com funbrain.com (Grammar Gorillas – middle school) International Reading Association: ira.org National Council Teachers of English: ncte.org Florida Council Teachers of English: fcte.org The Alan Review: scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/ALAN/alan-review.html Poets: poets.org Poetry 180: loc.gov/poetry/180 Poetry Alive: poetryalive.com Sonnet Central: sonnets.org Poetry Slam: poetryslam.com English Companion: englishcompanion.com Web English Teacher: webenglishteacher.com DOE FCAT Publications: fcat.fldoe.org/fcatpub2.asp Writing Possibilities for Students: teenink.com merlynspen.org scholastic.com/artandwritingawards/index.htm vsarts.org/x1548.xml pp. 126-128, 602 #1 assuage: verb. to make milder or less severe; to appease; to soothe; to calm To assuage the pain from her broken arm, Cathy took the prescribed medication. Quick Write: You are in summer camp miles away from home. Your parents really miss you. Write a postcard to assuage their concerns and to assure them that you are having a great time. Elaborate with detail about your favorite camp activity. Writing Skill: Be sure to include onomatopoeia (sound word) in your postcard. Examples: snap, sizzle, bam, whoosh, hum, slurp, crackle, pop, swish, whiz. Conventions: On your own paper, rewrite the sentence below, inserting the information from sentences A, B, and C before the underlined nouns. My sister plays softball at Crane Field with her friends. A. My sister is athletic. B. Crane Field is picturesque. C. Her friends live in the neighborhood. A B C pp. 140-141, 149, 604, 639 #2 listless: adjective. lacking energy, spirit, or enthusiasm. Karen slumped listlessly onto the couch, completely exhausted. Quick Write: On a hot, sultry July day in Florida, the puppy, listless with fatigue from chasing the family cat, crawled under the front porch for a quiet nap. He had no idea the trouble that would meet him there.... Create the rest of the story. Writing Skill: Strong verbs add information and clarity to sentences creating vivid pictures. Underline the verbs in your Quick Write, and replace at least three of them with strong action verbs such as: drained, dreaded, groaned, lumbered, meandered, sassed, snooped, steamed, throttled, thundered, twisted, withered, wrangled, whined, yelped. Conventions: On your paper, write the correct adverb or adjective modifiers from the following sentences. A. The teacher spoke (quiet, quietly) to the new student. B. The student (quick, quickly) completed the reading assignment. C. Did you do (well, good) on your spelling test? pp. 638-641 #3 pragmatic: adjective. of or relating to a practical point of view or practical considerations; dealing with facts or actual occurrences Mr. Owens has a pragmatic approach to teaching his laboratory experiments. Quick Write: Since Mr. Owens is the head of the science department, he sends a weekly memorandum to science teachers. Write a memorandum listing five pragmatic laboratory safety rules for teachers to post in their classrooms. Writing Skill: List the five rules in your Quick Write and label them in order of importance using the following degree transitions: most important less important equally important most significant mainly strongest weakest best Conventions: On your paper, write the sentences below using the correct homonyms. Homonyms are words that sound alike, but are spelled differently and have different meanings. A. Our nation’s (capital, capitol, Capitol) is in Washington, D.C. B. Saving energy is a (capital, capitol, Capitol) idea. C. Is Springfield the (capital, capitol, Capitol) of Illinois? D. Do you like strawberry shortcake for (desert, dessert)? E. Have you ever visited the (desert, dessert) in Arizona? pp. 258-261, 619 #4 balk: verb. to stop short and refuse to continue; to prevent noun. an obstacle; a restriction The parents balked at purchasing their teenager a cell phone. (v.) Exceeding the number of cell phone minutes was a balk. (n.) Quick Write: Your parents balked at increasing your allowance because they feel you need to earn your own spending money. Write a paragraph to convince them that you deserve more allowance from them. Identify and explain one specific reason why they should raise your allowance. Elaborate with detail. Writing Skill: Include persuasive dialogue in your writing. Be sure to punctuate the dialogue correctly. Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the following sentences using correct punctuation. A. Do you think the storm will cause a rain delay inquired Mike. B. Do you think, inquired Mike, the storm will cause a rain delay C. Mike inquired Do you think the storm will cause a rain delay pp. 340-343 #5 treacherous: adjective. marked by hidden dangers, hazards, or perils In Pirates of the Caribbean, Jack Sparrow encounters the treacherous Davy Jones. Quick Write: Describe a treacherous character from a book you have read or a movie you have seen. Include the physical features of the character, the words, and actions of the character. Writing Skill: Include several descriptive words such as: perilous hazardous terrifying revolting impetuous insane rebellious wailing Conventions: On your paper, write the sentence that is not related to the purpose or unity of the paragraph. The last days of summer mean fun and excitement for all school-age children. Joey decided to make the most of his vacation by learning how to scuba dive. His parents purchased all the necessary equipment for him and offered to pay for his diving lessons. Eagerly, Joey participated in his scuba diving lessons. Mr. Cabot, his instructor, owned a fancy speed boat. At the end of his lessons, Joey earned his diving certificate. His parents beamed in approval. pp. 102-104, 599 #6 defer: verb. to postpone; to put off; to delay Because of the approaching hurricane, the family deferred their vacation plans. Quick Write: Create a news bulletin informing the public of hurricane warnings and telling them to take necessary precautions. Remind the public not to defer taking immediate action. Writing Skill: Create a catchy title for your news bulletin so that the reader will immediately take notice. Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the following sentences to place the italicized verbs in the past tense. Then rewrite them to place the verbs in the future tense. A. James drinks Gatorade after every football game. B. Bella brings cookies to math class every day. C. The moose begins his day by drinking from the cold lake. pp. 253-255, 618 #7 belittle: verb. to think or speak of as small or unimportant; to disparage Patty belittled Mary because she did not own a cell phone or a designer purse. Quick Write: Shana, a new student, does not wear the expensive brand-name clothing that most of her classmates wear. Several girls belittle her for the way she dresses. Assume the role of an advice columnist, and offer three suggestions to help Shana respond to the girls who belittle her. Writing Skill: In your suggestions include strong verbs. Examples: approach, collaborate, cooperate, decide, initiate, mediate, plan, reconcile, select, solve, support, accomplish. Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the following sentences inserting commas in the correct places. A. Josie my new friend is from California. B. No I will not be able to attend the meeting on Friday morning. C. Charlie will you help me do the yard work? pp. 402-403 #8 disdain: verb. to treat with a lack of respect; to dislike; to despise; to reject scornfully noun. pride; insolence The school resource officer, Sergeant Wilson, disdains Charlie’s actions of vandalizing the media center. (v.) The students viewed Charlie’s act with disdain. (n.) Quick Write: From the point of view of Officer Wilson, write a one-page police report documenting Charlie’s disdainful actions of vandalizing the media center. Suggest a fair punishment for Charlie’s crime, taking into consideration that this is the first time Charlie has been in trouble at the school. Writing Skill: Include in the one-page report facts such as student(s) involved, witnesses, time, place, offense committed, degree of vandalism, and suggested punishment. Conventions: On your paper, change the nonstandard words and e-mail slang listed below to standard English terms. ain’t a lot snuck wanna must of brang lemme r u setted oughta bff 2 pp. 126-128, 167, 602 #9 gallant: adjective. showy in appearance or dress; spirited and courageous noun. a hero or a dashing gentleman King Arthur’s gallant knights saved the distressed damsel from the dangerous dragon. (adj.) The gallant rescued the imprisoned princess. (n.) Quick Write: A gallant person is courageous in words and actions. Write a paragraph describing a character in a story or a person you know who is gallant. Describe two examples of the character’s gallant words or actions. Writing Skill: Strengthen your writing by using at least five descriptive adjectives such as: courageous chivalrous stately impressive brave noble tenacious heroic spirited famous Conventions: Rewrite the following sentences on your own paper, correcting the misplaced modifiers. A. Untended and overgrown since last summer, Julie helped Mary in the garden. B. Ashley won the jumping contest with her brother’s horse, wearing riding gear. C. At the age of four, my mother took me to my first circus. D. Being a teenager, my father did not understand my problems. pp. 186-188, 609 #10 placate: verb. to soothe; to appease; to pacify The tired mother tried to placate her screaming baby with a bottle of warm milk. Quick Write: You have received an emergency phone call from your neighbor who needs you to baby-sit for her two-year-old daughter, Emily, who is quite spoiled and used to getting her own way. Think of the challenges you will encounter. Make a list of activities you could do to placate Emily. Writing Skill: In your Quick Write, incorporate at least three of your previous vocabulary words, and highlight them. Conventions: On your paper, write the following sentences, and then underline and label their dependent clauses. A. A university is a college where many subjects are studied. B. Help came at a time when Shelly needed it the most. C. Hurricanes are tropical cyclones that have wind speeds of up to 150 mph. D. Jason likes to walk on trails where he can see wildlife. pp. 76-78, 595 #11 aghast: adjective. stricken with horror; appalled Tiffany was aghast at the sight of the burning building. Quick Write: Think about a time when you or someone you know were aghast after witnessing an accident, a natural disaster, a fire, or some other shocking event. Write a letter to a friend, describing the event in a “showing” paragraph. Be sure to include sensory images and details. Writing Skill: Elaborate by adding sound and color words such as: snap, crackle, pop, splash, swish, clank, honk, screech, slurp, howl, crimson red, emerald green, pumpkin orange, snow white, lemon yellow, azure blue, chestnut brown, or ebony. Conventions: On your own paper, write the sentence that has the correct pronoun and antecedent usage, and explain why it is correct. A. Each firefighter knew the dangers of his/her job. B. Each firefighter knew the dangers of their job. pp. 186-188, 609 #12 succinct: adjective. expressed in few words; concise; short Ernest Hemingway is noted for his succinct style of writing. Quick Write: You are cleaning out your bedroom and would like to have a garage sale for items that you no longer use. Place a classified ad in the newspaper. Since the newspaper charges by the word, you want to write your ad succinctly. Be sure to include how, when, where, and why. Writing Skill: Listed below are four ideas that could be developed into paragraphs: A. narrative a story of your first five years B. explain the social class system of the 18 th century C. tell how hurricanes disrupt family lives D. describe the geographical areas of a theme park For letters A-D, write the best organizational pattern that should be used from the following types: cause and effect spatial order compare and contrast order of importance chronological order Conventions: On your paper, write either “dependent” or “independent” for each of the clauses below. A. Because she did not have any identification B. We spend the morning traveling C. After the heavy snow D. While the audience laughed E. We discussed the short story pp. 137-139, 604 #13 aspire: verb. to have ambition; to desire ardently The young teenager aspired to make a difference in the world by helping others. Quick Write: According to Thomas Armstrong, every student is a genius. Armstrong lists twelve qualities of genius: curiosity, playfulness, imagination, creativity, wonder, wisdom, inventiveness, vitality, sensitivity, flexibility, humor, and joy. Choose one quality you aspire to possess. Write a paragraph explaining how it will benefit you. Writing Skill: Use specific details and examples to show the reader why your choice is the most important quality to have. Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the sentences correcting comparative and superlative adverb forms. A. Do you make people laugh more harder than they have ever laughed? B. Among your friends are you the more daring? C. Do you jump your bike the higher? D. Jane trained for the competition hardest than her sister. E. Each event was staged most elaborately than the last. pp. 189, 204, 262 #14 entrepreneur: noun. one who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise With vision, dedication, and commitment, one can become an entrepreneur at any age. Quick Write: Thirteen-year-old Emily is a genius on the computer with photography. After the school newspaper featured an article about her, she received so many calls, she began her own business and became an entrepreneur. Pretend you have financial backing to develop your own business; think about what you would do and whom you would serve. Create a business card advertising your new business. Writing Skill: Include on your business card, five descriptive words that would entice others to use your services or products. Conventions: On your paper, join each pair of sentences with the words in the parentheses, and add a semicolon and comma to create a compound sentence. Example: Lance is an affectionate brother. He is a loyal friend. (moreover) Lance is an affectionate brother; moreover, he is a loyal friend. A. I got a job. I could afford a prom dress. (as a result) B. Don’t cook dinner. We’ll go out. (instead) C. Pick up some milk. We can’t eat cereal tomorrow. (otherwise) pp. 26-27, 298-299, 588 #15 contrite: adjective. feeling bad about wrongdoing; remorseful We could tell our golden retriever was contrite because he hung his head in shame when we saw the mess he made. Quick Write: Create a brief narrative about a dog that is left alone all day in the house. The dog becomes bored and begins looking for excitement. When a family member arrives home and sees the mess, the contrite dog slinks to the dining room and hides under the table. Describe the mess the dog has made and the reaction of the family member. Writing Skill: Use hyperbole and specific details to help the reader form a visual picture of the scene. Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the following paragraph to correct the rambling style. Combine ideas to avoid overusing and, but, and so. The afternoon was warm and humid and so we asked my big brother Joe to drive us to the beach and he was willing and so he backed his old junk heap out of the garage and we got into our bathing suits and piled into the “heap” and we started out on our great adventure. pp. 79-80, 89, 291, 596 #16 lurk: verb. to lie concealed, as in an ambush; to move furtively At the stroke of midnight, danger lurked in every corner. Quick Write: Describe a place where danger might lurk. Be sure to include the sights, sounds, and smells of the place. Writing Skill: Choose two simple sentences from your Quick Write, and expand them by adding adjectives, adverbs, prepositional phrases, or -ing words or phrases. Sample: Original sentence: The girl walked home. Elaborated: Trembling, the frightened ten-year-old slowly walked down the dark, isolated lane. Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the following sentences so that the pronoun reference is clear for the reader. A. After Stacey and her mother watched the chorus perform, they went out to dinner. B. Mike took off his dinner jacket, answered his phone, and then hung it up. C. When John first met Jason, he was thirteen years old. pp. 81-82, 596 #17 exasperate: verb. to irritate or provoke; to annoy greatly Because the newspaper reporter missed the deadline for his editorial, he exasperated his boss. Quick Writes: Choose one of the following situations in which a character becomes exasperated. Write from the first-person point of view in the format of a short scene for a play. Examples: getting lost the first day of school; forgetting your lunch money; being late for class and receiving a detention from the dean; missing the bus. Writing Skill: Be sure to include three adjectives with negative connotations in your response. Examples: foolish, unwise, idiotic, glum, panic-stricken, dejected, jittery, anxious, afraid, apprehensive. Conventions: On your paper, write the correct pronoun choice from the following sentences. A. Joe and (he, him) put new tires on the bicycle. B. Did you or (I, me) lock the front door before we left? C. The baseball sailed over Ricardo and (he, him). D. The teacher offered you and (I, me) an extra- credit assignment. pp. 58-64, 88, 291, 591, 592 #18 clandestine: adjective. done or kept in secrecy Sherlock Holmes always meets Dr. Watson in clandestine locations. Quick Write: Around the time of Erin’s birthday, several of her friends exhibited clandestine behavior. Write a narrative paragraph that explains how they managed to pull off their surprise. Writing Skill: The writer’s selection of words and details creates the mood which may be suspenseful, mysterious, fearful, comical, etc. Choose words that define the mood of your story. Examples are: playful, extravagant, fancy, suspenseful, fragrant. Conventions: On your own paper, write the correct pronoun from the following sentences. A. The members of the class attended (his or her, their) annual field trip to Sea World. B. The movie is about a boy (who, whom) wants to become a writer. C. Have you met the new manager (who, whom) Mr. White hired? D. Mr. Breen gave (her, she) a raise in pay. pp. 340-343, 351-353 #19 inquisitive: adjective. questioning; curious; prying Tom’s inquisitive nature made him a great listener. Quick Write: For a class assignment, Tom must interview a grandparent to learn more about the grandparent’s childhood. Create a list of seven interview questions that would satisfy Tom’s inquisitive nature. Writing Skill: In your Quick Write, include questions about some of the following topics: elementary school attended your best friend’s name favorite outdoor games a special memory a favorite television show a time when you received an award or honor sports played at school a time when you were embarrassed a favorite subject in school your favorite activity Conventions: The following numbered sentences are not in the correct order. On your paper, write the sentences in the correct order to make the paragraph more cohesive. Then there is the soft whir of my battery alarm on the bedside stand. In the early hours of the morning, the first sound I hear is my cat purring softly into my ear. After I get up, I tune into the sounds of my mother making breakfast. Next, I slowly stretch my body and think about the day ahead of me. When breakfast is ready, my mother calls my name. 1 2 3 4 5 pp. 230-241, 615-616 #20 eschew: verb. to avoid as wrong or distasteful; to abstain I wonder why so many children eschew vegetables like spinach. Quick Write: Make a list of five bad habits that most people eschew. Choose one and write a paragraph of advice to help people overcome this bad habit. Include specific steps that a person could follow to break the bad habit. Writing Skill: Organize your paragraph carefully, and close with a call to action in your conclusion. Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the following sentences, capitalizing all words that need it. A. the bradford shopping center is the largest in melville county. B. i noticed that gregorians, a restaurant on main street, served my english muffin with strawberry jam. pp. 258-261, 619 #21 stagnate: verb. to stand still; to become dull; to remain motionless Jerry’s mom claims, “Your mind is stagnating from watching too much television.” Quick Write: Jerry is allowed to have a television in his bedroom as long as he keeps up his grades. However, his grades are slowly deteriorating. His mother has threatened to take the television out of his bedroom because she believes his mind is stagnating. Create dialogue between Jerry and his mother from either Jerry’s or his mother’s point of view, defending or justifying his/her actions. Writing Skill: Include facts and reasons in the dialogue. Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the sentences below, correctly punctuating them. A. Let’s go to the lake this weekend replied Bob. B. How many of you read books over the summer? inquired Mrs. Veltz. C. If you could visit Europe, asked Sue, what country would you most like to see D. Tabitha said, tomorrow my cousins are going to visit us. pp. 134-136, 152-157, 298, 603, 606 #22 camaraderie: noun. comradeship; good fellowship A group of old friends get together to share memories and enjoy camaraderie. Quick Write: For your fourteenth birthday, you have decided to invite all of your friends, even those who have moved away, to spend a weekend at your house so you can enjoy their camaraderie. Your mother has agreed, but she wants an agenda of your activities. Design the agenda, giving details about how you will spend Saturday and Sunday with your friends. Writing Skill: Organize your agenda so that your mother fully understands the chronological details of your weekend. Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the following sentences so that they begin with a prepositional phrase or an adverb. A. He banged his fist on the table repeatedly. B. The game was tied in the last inning. C. She waited patiently for fifteen minutes despite the rain. pp. 211-212, 613 #23 divulge: verb. to make known; to reveal; to tell Matt regretted that he divulged a secret that a friend had told him in confidence. Quick Write: You have a private fault or habit, and you hope no one ever finds out. One night at a friend’s house someone divulges your secret. Write a diary entry about this experience telling how you reacted and how you felt. Writing Skill: Readers connect emotionally with characters because of words that pinpoint certain emotions and feelings. Include several strong verbs like the following: agitate, crush, humiliate, mope, plod, frustrate, reject, shatter, collapse, dread. Conventions: On your own paper, write the correct form of the verb from the sentences below: A. Mary and Billy (was, were) attending the track meet after school. B. Neither Mary nor Billy (was, were) able to find a seat on the visitor’s side. C. Either Mary’s parents or Billy (was, were) the first to congratulate the team. pp. 638-641 #24 disseminate: verb. to disperse throughout; to spread widely The class president disseminates information about school activities to the student body. Quick Write: Write an announcement for the school T.V. channel that disseminates information for the upcoming school dance. Writing Skill: Include and correctly punctuate the location, date, time, and price of tickets for the event. Conventions: On your paper, write the sentences below using the correct homonyms. Homonyms are words that sound alike, but are spelled differently and have different meanings. A. Would you like a (peace, piece) of chocolate cake? B. The fundraiser was for world (peace, piece). C. The (principal, principle) of the school gave a speech at the assembly. D. To be honest with others is a (principal, principle) that I live by. pp. 255, 618 #25 judicious: adjective. exercising sound judgment; discreet Because he drove while drunk, a local college student failed to use judicious behavior. Quick Write: As a part of his court sentence, the judge has ordered Frank to visit a local high school to warn teenagers against drinking and driving. Create a speech outline for Frank that emphasizes making judicious decisions. Writing Skill: Use the following graphic organizer to outline your speech. Conventions: On your own paper, combine the following sentences into one complete sentence using an appositive. Spike Lee has made many films about social issues. He is an African American director. Frank’s actions Consequences Message to audience Lesson learned pp. 102-104, 599 #26 elicit: verb. to draw out; to evoke I tried to think of a funny remark to elicit a response from my music teacher. Quick Write: You have a student in your fourth period class who likes to elicit a response from the teacher by doing annoying things. Describe one specific thing he or she does, and show your teacher’s response. Writing Skill: Include dialogue that helps the reader understand the tone of the teacher’s and student’s voices. Conventions: On your paper, write the irregular verb forms to make the following sentences correct. A. A hush fell over the audience when she (raised, rose) her baton to begin conducting. B. We (set, sat) down to play a game of Monopoly. C. The coach has already (chose, chosen) the first-string players. D. In the fourteenth century, pirates (sunk, sank) many ships. pp. 42-44, 589 #27 chasten: verb. to punish; to scold; to reprimand The teacher chastened the teen for her insensitive remarks to the new student. Quick Write: Karina’s parents chastened her for something her brother did. She decided to be quiet about it. Write a story that reveals the reasons for her remaining silent and not defending herself. Writing Skill: Use power verbs in your paragraph, such as advise, alert, answer, calculate, catch, challenge, deny, refute, solve, or rectify. Conventions: In each sentence, find the noun that should be possessive. On your paper, write the correct possessive forms for the nouns. A. For years scientists gave hurricanes women names. B. In 1978, however, scientists began giving hurricanes men names as well. C. For example, the hurricane that slammed into South Carolina coast in 1989 was called Hugo. D. This storms winds, waves, and rains caused widespread destruction. E. The destruction affected the islands tourist industry. pp. 330-331 #28 zealous: adjective. earnest; enthusiastic; ardent; devoted The zealous basketball team practiced five days a week. Quick Write: Write a television commercial that zealously supports an environmental concern. Writing Skill: Listed below are four ideas that could be developed into paragraphs: a narrative story of your first five years explain the social classes of the 18 th century how hurricanes disrupt family lives describe the geographical areas of a theme park Next to the idea, write the best organizational pattern that should be used: cause and effect spatial order compare and contrast classification order of importance chronological order Conventions: On your paper, combine and correctly punctuate each set of sentences using the conjunction given in parentheses. A. Are you going to the beach? Are you going to the movies? (or) B. Building an addition to the school will be disruptive. Everyone will suffer some inconvenience. (and) C. The school start time changed. Fewer students were late to school. (because) D. The weatherman warned that there would be a hard freeze tonight. We did not cover our outdoor plants. (although) pp. 63, 68-69, 592, 593 #29 banish: verb. to exile; to cast out; to expel Steven was banished from the school dance when he started a fight. Quick Write: Molly’s best friend talked her into leaving campus for lunch even though it was against school policy. Molly was so confident that she wouldn’t get caught, she made the mistake of walking past the principal’s office. The principal responded by banishing her from attending all school activities for the next two weeks. Write a first person account from either the principal’s or Molly’s point of view, justifying or defending his/her actions. Writing Skill: Incorporate into your first person account, at least three transition phrases that emphasize a point such as: as I observed as I have stated even more important is for this reason there is no doubt needless to say simply stated the truth is without a doubt Conventions: On your own paper, rewrite the following sentences using the correct pronoun. A. Jack reward hisself with a double cheeseburger and fries. B. Maggie bought theater tickets for Jonah and myself. C. The baseball team prides theirselves on winning the district title. pp. 102-104, 599 #30 formidable: adjective. inspiring fear, dread, or awe In Greek mythology, Hercules was given twelve formidable tasks. Quick Write: Pretend you are starring in a Survivor episode in which you receive the formidable challenge of bungee jumping for the first time, and you are terrified of heights. Devise a four-step plan to show how you are going to conquer your fear so that you can complete the challenge. Writing Skill: Use the following graphic organizer to help you plan your strategy. Conventions: On your paper, write each sentence using the correct verb form. A. Sharla has (rode, ridden) her bicycle to her best friend’s house. B. Daryl (brought, brung) his football cards to the garage sale. C. At the birthday party, thirsty guests (drunk, drank) ginger-ale punch. D. The pool floats have (lain, lied) outside in the rain. E. Joan (sneaked, snuck) outside to visit her friend. Goal: First Then Next Finally pp. 262-263, 619 #31 relegate: verb. to consign to a lower position; to assign to a given class or category Because Brian missed three practices, Coach Stevens relegated him to the second-string soccer team. Quick Write: Brian missed soccer practice because he caught the flu. He feels he should not be relegated to second string because he was sick. Draft an appeal to the athletic director from Brian’s viewpoint. List three reasons why Brian should be put back on the first-string soccer team, and elaborate each with support. Writing Skill: Use a proper business letter format which includes heading greeting body closing signature Conventions: On your paper, write the following phrases or sentences correctly, inserting a colon for each. A. To whom it may concern B. Dear Sir C. The spring concert begins at 6 30 P.M. and ends at 8 00 P.M. D. Please purchase the following items milk, bread, crackers, and jelly. pp. 140-141, 604 #32 extol: verb. to praise; to glorify; to honor The football coach extolled the all-state quarterback for his outstanding athletic abilities. Quick Write: Tomorrow is your mother’s birthday, and you have no money to purchase a gift for her. Because she loves poetry, write a free-verse poem to your mother extolling her virtues. Writing Skill: Incorporate alliteration into your poem. Alliteration is the use of two or more words with the same beginning sound. Conventions: On your paper, write each sentence using the correct adjective or adverb. Then next to the sentence letter, write whether the word was used as an adjective (adj.) or adverb (adv.). A. We (proud, proudly) Cardinals will trounce the Tigers! B. Whoops! Mom (near, nearly) missed the turnoff. C. Tiffany talks on the telephone (hour, hourly). D. The engine is (real, really) quite powerful. E. Do you have a (clear, clearly) view of the mountains? pp. 230-241, 615-616 #33 imminent: adjective. about to happen; near at hand; likely to occur at any moment As thunder and lightning struck close by, Mitch knew he was in imminent danger. Quick Write: Create a press release from the weather bureau warning the public to take shelter during a thunderstorm to avoid the imminent danger from lightning strikes. Writing Skill: Include time, date, cities affected, places of safe shelter, and dangers to avoid. Conventions: On your paper, write the following sentences, correcting the errors in capitalization. A. we visited the grand tetons in Yellowstone national park. B. gary tried to play the english horn. C. The spanish, french, and mexican flags once flew over texas. D. The u.s. constitution and the declaration of independence are two important American documents. pp. 137-139, 604 #34 cower: verb. to stand or crouch quivering in fear The young Collie puppy cowered as the gigantic Doberman growled menacingly. Quick Write: Imagine that you have designed a haunted house that will leave those who enter cowering in fear. Describe your haunted house in a way that will make your reader shudder. Writing Skill: Use at least one of each of the following sentence types: declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory. Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the following sentences using the correct comparative and superlative adjective forms. A. Julie is the tallest of the two sisters. B. Of the five sisters, Mary is the beautifulest. C. Between the book and the movie, which do you like best? D. Among all flavors of ice cream, which is your more favorite? pp. 8-15, 584-586 #35 cajole: verb. to wheedle; to coax After much cajoling, Tiffany successfully convinced her parents to buy her a car for her high school graduation. Quick Write: Write a paragraph in which you cajole your parents to permit you to spend a school night at a friend’s house. Include convincing dialogue. Writing Skill: Transitions clarify the relationships between details, sentences, and paragraphs. Transitions also help organize your writing. Include several transition words in your Quick Write such as: after all, and another thing, just think about it, let me begin, more important, the best thing of all, here is another reason why, in any event, there is no doubt, to illustrate my point, another consideration, without a doubt. Conventions: On your paper, write and label the simple subjects and the simple predicates of the following sentences. A. The patient coughed and wheezed while he waited for the doctor. B. Bill and Mike mowed and raked the yard. C. The team and the captain attended the banquet. D. Do you know your literary terms? pp. 256-257, 618 #36 intrepid: adjective. outstandingly courageous; fearless The intrepid teenager quickly called 911 and saved his neighbor’s life. Quick Write: The neighbor whose life was saved by the intrepid teenager feels lucky to be alive. Write a letter from the neighbor’s point of view to ask the police department to honor the teen for his heroic actions. Writing Skill: Include in the letter: names of individuals involved, the danger involved, heroic actions, and the neighbor’s personal request. Conventions: On your paper, write the following phrases and sentences, correctly inserting commas. A. Dear Mary B. Sincerely yours C. Todd visited Chicago Illinois last month. D. Anne and Charles were married on September 13 2006 in New York. E. The company’s address is 4814 Laurel Lane Louisville Kentucky 40299. pp. 126-128, 134-136, 140-141, 602-604 #37 abscond: verb. to run away and hide; to leave hastily and secretively We are confident that our local police will catch a thief that absconds with stolen goods. Quick Write: Picture a scene in which a thief absconds with one of your favorite possessions. You want that possession back because of its sentimental value. Write an ad for the newspaper in which you state what was stolen and why the thief must return the stolen item to you. Writing Skill: Use persuasive language, and conclude with a strong call to action. Conventions: On your paper, write the underlined words below and label them as adjectives or adverbs. really smart never alone singing well courageous diver tastes good good listener pp. 638-641 #38 exhilarate: verb. to cause to feel happily refreshed and energetic; to invigorate We are exhilarated by the cool, pine-scented air. Quick Write: Write a paragraph about a time when you were exhilarated by an event or experience. Explain the event or experience and how it made you feel. Writing Skill: Listed below are examples of famous writers who have effectively begun their sentences with prepositional phrases. After you read them, model the style in your Quick Write. “At the heels trotted a dog, a big native husky.” (Jack London) “At that height, about 6,200 feet, the air is like wine.” (Ernest Hemmingway) Conventions: On your paper, write the sentences below using the correct homonyms. Homonyms are words that sound alike, but are spelled differently and have different meanings. A. Please place all of your belongings over (there, their, they’re). B. (There, Their, They’re) going to visit Disneyland. C. The family put (there, their, they’re) groceries on the picnic table. D. Are you going (to, too, two) the spring concert? E. There are (to, too, two) ways to complete the math problem. F. It’s (to, too, two) dangerous to ride a bike without a helmet. pp. 25-27, 588 #39 agile: adjective. readily able to move quickly and easily; nimble; mentally quick and resourceful Jamie is so agile that she competes in four track events at every meet. Quick Write: Track Star magazine wants to do a feature article on Jamie’s weekly training program that promotes agility. Write an outline of her training program to submit to the magazine. Writing Skill: Include in the outline the number of days per week to use the program, five exercises for agility, and the number of repetitions for each exercise. Conventions: On your paper, add words or phrases to create a sentence from the following fragments: A. one day after school B. when he finished track practice C. rode the skateboard to the park D. answering the ringing cell phone E. laughing at the joke pp. 404-405, 410 #40 astute: adjective. shrewd; discerning; aware The astute editor found several errors in the author’s final manuscript. Quick Write: You are taking part in a scavenger hunt. You must be very astute to find the final item and win the prize. Describe the situation, the final item, the way you found it, and the place where it was hiding. Explain why the prize was worth all the hard work or not. Writing Skill: Use a variety of sentence beginnings, and underline them. Conventions: On your paper from each pair below, write the item that is specific. car Saturn hamburger food worker professor bird cardinal language French pp. 138-139, 604 #41 fortuitous: adjective. happening by chance; lucky; fortunate Winning the lottery was a fortuitous occasion for the surprised convenience store worker. Quick Write: On a fortuitous day, Mark discovered a one-hundred dollar bill tucked in the library book that he checked out on his birthday. However, he also had to decide what he would do with the money. Write a brief narrative to show how he handled the situation and the effects that his decision had on others. Writing Skill: Include at least one metaphor. Metaphors are figures of speech that make comparisons without using the words “like” or “as”. Example: His face, a stone mask, revealed nothing. Conventions: On your paper, write the correct form of the word good for each sentence listed below. A. Juan is a _______ tennis player. B. However, his friend plays tennis _________ than he does. C. Surprisingly, his younger sister is the __________ tennis player of all. pp. 23-24, 587 #42 bucolic: adjective. rustic; pastoral; charmingly rural I love to picnic under the oaks at my grandmother’s bucolic country home. Quick Write: Write a paragraph in which you choose either the city or the county to live for one year. Compare the two before deciding, and then let the reader know your choice in your strong concluding sentence. Writing skill: Use sensory imagery and onomatopoeia for comparing both the city and the country. Conventions: On your paper write the direct objects in the following sentences. A. The principal awarded three students free passes to the movies. B. Lakes and rivers provide recreation for summer travelers. C. A shop in my town sells surfboards and wetsuits at half price. pp. 12-13, 152-154, 585, 606 #43 chronic: adjective. continuous; constant; lasting a long time Kyla’s chronic whining caused her peers to leave whenever she entered the room. Quick Write: Your cousin is a chronic complainer who whines about every thing. Your mother insists that you do some activity with your cousin once every week. You realize that your cousin’s chronic complaining is ruining your good times together. Choose one of the following topics to write about. A. A letter to your mother explaining what your cousin does and how you feel about it. B. A letter to your cousin to help him understand how his complaining is affecting you. C. A parody of your cousin’s whining, so that he will understand how irritating his complaining is. Writing Skill: Use the tone and voice that best portrays the purpose of your writing. Conventions: On your paper, write the underlined phrases from the sentences below; label them as either prepositional phrase (PP) or verb phrase (VP). I was buying some candy in the drugstore when I suspected that a squirrel with a bushy tail might have scooted by. pp. 250-252, 617 #44 arduous: adjective. requiring great exertion; laborious; difficult; strenuous The family hikes the arduous trails of the Smoky Mountains every summer. Quick Write: Write a paragraph describing an arduous challenge that you have experienced this school year. For example, completing the mile run in physical education; participating in a basketball game; or completing a five-page report. Tell whether or not you were successful in the challenge. Writing Skill: Choose a conclusion from the list below to end your paragraph: Restating the main idea Asking a question Making a recommendation Ending with the last event Generalizing about your information Write a quote from a person, poem, song, or story Conventions: On your paper, write the following sentences to include the correct end punctuation. A. Did you remember to fill out the application form B. What a lovely day it is C. The baseball game was nine innings D. Are you going home after school E. Complete your assignment pp. 326-327, 336 #45 abysmal: adjective. utterly hopeless; bottomless; immeasurable Because of his poor attitude, Josh’s chances for getting a summer job are abysmal. Quick Write: Your friend Josh is looking for a summer job; he has developed a long list of the ones he is sure he would not want to do. Write him a letter of advice that encourages him to try a job on his list. Give specific details about the effects of being flexible and trying something new. Writing Skill: Include a personal anecdote in your letter that will help Josh see your point. Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the following sentences, making items consistent and parallel. A. The fireman arrived at the burning building, were pulling down their ladders, and went to hook up hoses to the fire hydrant. B. It is always wise to look before crossing the street, to use the crosswalk, and be watching the streetlights carefully. pp. 638-641 #46 exotic: adjective. introduced from another country; strikingly or excitingly different or unusual Kathy traveled to the beautiful country of Greece and toured its exotic islands. Quick Write: Students in seventh grade study ancient Greece in World Cultures class. Write a creative travel brochure for the exotic country of Greece. Include geographical region, climate, cuisine, music, dances, and culture. Writing Skill: Include in your travel brochure descriptive words such as crystal clear, swirling, splashing, bubbly, fresh, flowery, exciting, uplifting, beautiful, peaceful, delightful, and brilliant. Conventions: On your paper, write the sentences below using the correct homonyms. Homonyms are words that sound alike, but are spelled differently and have different meanings. A. Jane should listen to the (advise, advice) of her doctor. B. The teacher will (advise, advice) the student about registration for classes C. The world news (affected, effected) him deeply. D. What (affect, effect) did the seven-period day have on scheduling? E. The family was (all ready, already) for their winter vacation. F. We had (all ready, already) mowed the lawn before it rained. pp. 192-193, 610 #47 winsome: adjective. causing joy or pleasure; cheerful Walt Disney created many winsome cartoon characters that delight children. Quick Write: Write a description of your favorite winsome character from a book, movie, or television program. Show what makes this character appealing to you. Include a physical description as well as the character’s words or actions. Writing Skill: Hyperbole is extreme exaggeration that can add humor to writing. Describe your winsome character, using hyperbole. Example: While singing a Western tune, Pecos Bill expertly lassoed and tamed ten coyotes at once. Conventions: On your own paper, combine the following two sentences to form one complex sentence. The police arrived at the scene of the crime immediately after the 911 call. The neighbors anxiously gathered in the street. pp. 14-15, 23-24, 47-48, 586, 587, 591 #48 erudite: adjective. scholarly; learned; polished My erudite neighbor reads so many books that I feel ignorant by comparison. Quick Write: In your class is an erudite student who definitely knows more than anyone else. Create a personality profile for this student to show how he or she shares information and works on a team with other students. Include description and dialogue in your writing. Writing Skill: Use one compound and one complex sentence. Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the following sentences, and underline the compounds. Label them as compound subjects, compound verbs, compound direct objects, or compound objects of prepositions. A. Molly and Moe gave cards and presents to their teachers and librarians at the end of the year. B. Rani washed and dried the dishes and silver; he then cleaned and polished the counters and sink carefully. pp. 26, 262, 619 #49 duplicity: noun. deception by pretense; double-dealing; dishonesty The teacher discovered the duplicity when she realized that Erin had taken the test for her twin sister, Elaine. Quick Write: The identical Mercer twins were capable of great duplicity when it suited their needs. Create a story in which these duplicitous twins fool their friends, teachers, or parents. Build suspense in the reader as the story reaches a climax in which the twins get caught. Writing Skill: Begin your story with a lead in which one twin is bragging to the other that there is no way they will get caught. Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the following run-on sentences, punctuating correctly. A. We visited a museum it had several Indian artifacts and documents B. Hermits live alone they like isolated sites far from the public pp. 213-221, 226-227, 613-614 #50 jocose: adjective. given to joking; merry; humorous The jocose comedian had the audience laughing so hard, tears splashed down their faces. Quick Write: We all know individuals who are jocose and have a gift for making us laugh and smile. Think of a friend or family member who makes you laugh. Describe in a paragraph his/her humorous personality and behavior. Writing Skill: Rewrite at least two of your sentences to include superlatives. A superlative form of an adjective compares three or more things. Superlatives can make statements more meaningful, emphatic, or exaggerated. Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the following sentences so that the subjects and verbs agree in number. A. What game does British people play with a bat? B. Eleven players is on a team. C. Both of our names is listed on the application form. D. Each of the students are attending the sport event. pp. 137-139, 149, 604 #51 ponder: verb. to think about carefully; to deliberate A good detective will ponder all motives for a crime. Quick Write: Pretend that you are the lead detective investigating a bank robbery involving millions of dollars. Ponder how you are going to proceed with the case. Brainstorm and create a list explaining the steps you will take to solve the case. Writing Skill: Organize these steps in chronological order. Conventions: On your paper, write the correct adjective for each sentence. A. The musical was the (most funniest, funniest) I have ever seen. B. Wilma Rudolph was one of the (most greatest, greatest) runners in U.S. history. C. The acrobat jumped (higher, highest) today than yesterday. D. Tim enjoyed eating pepperoni pizza (more, most) than eating cheese pizza. pp. 230-241, 615-616 #52 abolish: verb. to bring to an end; to destroy completely Because of the hurricanes, the town was forced to abolish old building codes. Quick Write: Brainstorm a list of rules you would like to see abolished at your school. Choose one item, and write a letter to your school principal to identify two reasons for your proposal. With details persuade him/her to change the rule. Writing Skill: Include the four types of sentences: declarative, imperative, exclamatory, and interrogative in your writing. Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the following sentences, correcting any capitalization errors. A. Dr. james edwards is helping me learn to speak and read spanish. B. When you register for your spring classes, be sure to sign up for algebra I. C. Mom purchased crest toothpaste and archway cookies at target. D. When my relatives from the midwest visit, they must turn south onto airport blvd. pp. 92-94, 597 #53 affluent: adjective. rich; wealthy; lavish My affluent neighbors bought a large yacht last week. Quick Write: Many books have been written about how to become affluent. Write a paragraph explaining how you think a teenager could become affluent by the time he or she is thirty. Show the steps that would be necessary to attain affluence. Writing skill: Choose one term that you have used in your paragraph and define it for a reader who might not fully understand what you mean. Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the following sentences to eliminate linking verbs by replacing them with strong action verbs. You may rearrange, change, delete, or add words. A. The author is intelligent as a writer and is humorous. B. Baseball is a sport that teaches coordination, and it is good exercise. pp. 76-78, 595 #54 ambiguous: adjective. doubtful or uncertain; unclear The parent questioned the ambiguous and conflicting guidelines for field trips. Quick Write: Choose one of the following characters, and have him or her encounter an ambiguous situation. Describe the character’s dilemma, and explain the situation so that the reader can visualize it. a fugitive from the law a social climber a new student a former movie star Writing Skill: Include at least two examples of personification, a figure of speech in which an idea, object, or animal is given characteristics of a person. Conventions: On your own paper, rewrite the sentences with the correct pronoun forms. A. All of the tourists want his or her own individualized itinerary. B. None of them have eaten his or her lunch. C. Each told the tour director what they wanted to see. D. Anyone who has not filled out their customs form will de detained. pp. 264-265, 620 #55 nullify: verb. to declare legally void; to annul; to abrogate; to negate Because no parent signature appeared on the permission slip, the teacher nullified the form. Quick Write: Dylan purchased a digital camera and filled out the ninety-day warranty card. Ten days after Dylan purchased the camera, it stopped working. Write an outline Dylan can use to explain why the store should replace his camera rather than nullify his warranty. Writing Skill: Use the following graphic organizer to plan your writing. Conventions: On your paper, correctly hyphenate the following words. A. three fifths C. brother in law B. time out D. fifty nine Problem People involved Time frame to resolve the problem Possible solutions pp. 262-263, 619 #56 paltry: adjective. ridiculously or insultingly small; not worth considering The millionaire’s donation of one hundred dollars to charity was a paltry gift from a wealthy man. Quick Write: You have picked through your extensive closet and donated one paltry bag of old clothing to your cousin. Describe his or her reactions as he or she pulls each worn item of clothing out of the bag. Include the effects of receiving your discarded clothes on your cousin. Writing Skill: Incorporate in your writing several of the following emotion words: bewildered bothered useless ugly rejected discarded slighted worn-out ashamed humiliated Conventions: On your paper, rewrite each of the following sentences, using semicolons where needed. A. Mack raced up the basketball court his defender closed in. B. The referee watched the players closely Mack committed a foul. C. Jim faked a shot his defender was fooled. pp. 6-7, 584 #57 taciturn: adjective. reluctant to join in conversation; inclined to silence On stage the shy, taciturn actress transformed into a chatty character. Quick Write: Create a brief narrative in which an outgoing, verbose character tries to talk to a taciturn character about a movie they have both recently seen. Include dialogue in which the enthusiastic character motivates the taciturn one to engage in conversation. Writing Skill: Punctuate dialogue correctly, and vary your tags. Conventions: On your paper, write and label the complete subject and the complete predicate of each sentence below. A. A winding path led to a hidden treasure in the forest. B. The early morning sky dripped with dew. C. Good news and good food are always welcome. D. The young boys fished and swam after school. pp. 638-641 #58 vindicate: verb. to clear from blame or suspicion; to acquit Tom’s lawyer was able to vindicate Tom’s reputation when the actual criminal confessed. Quick Write: Amelia’s reputation was ruined. The only person who knew the truth which could vindicate Amelia was a cousin who lived a thousand miles away. This cousin had actually done the dastardly deed for which Amelia was accused. Write a letter in which Amelia asks her cousin to come clean to restore Amelia’s reputation. Explain to her cousin the benefits of setting the record straight. Writing Skill: Include at least one complex sentence. A complex sentence has an independent clause and a dependent clause joined by a subordinating conjunction. Example: The students are getting better grades because they are working to the best of their ability. Conventions: On your own paper, rewrite the sentences, and use the correct word from the parentheses. A. We will (accept, except) all applications (accept, except) those submitted after the deadline. B. In high school, I was taller (than, then) Jack, but (than, then) he had a growth spurt. C. Jane can play the guitar beautifully, but she is (to, too) shy (to, too) go on stage. D. (They’re, their, there) preparing for (they’re, their, there) performance. pp. 254-255, 618 #59 baffle: verb. to perplex; to puzzle Certain questions on standardized tests often baffle students. Quick Write: Stan baffled his parents with his unusual behavior. His parents’ response to this behavior then baffled Stan. Describe Stan’s behavior and his parents’ response; show how the confusion was resolved. Writing Skill: Similes are figures of speech that compare two unlike things and use the words “like” or “as”. Include at least one simile in your paragraph, such as: -as free as a butterfly just out of its cocoon -the surface of the water glistened like diamonds -sobbing like a baby with an empty bottle -as cold as a polar bear’s nose -as confusing as a Rubik’s cube Conventions: On your own paper, write the sentence that is punctuated correctly and explain why it is correct. A. Yes, Jane I remembered to call John. B. Yes Jane, I remembered to call John. C. Yes, Jane, I remembered to call John. pp. 58-64, 591-592 #60 chortle: verb. to laugh gleefully; to chuckle Tim chortled as he watched his favorite cartoon show. Quick Write: Describe a scene in which it is absolutely forbidden that anyone should laugh out loud. Imagine sitting next to a friend who chortles when he or she laughs when something very funny occurs at this place. Include descriptive detail about the place, the event, and your friend’s reaction. Writing Skill: Use an amusing or surprising conclusion for an ending to your story. Conventions: Rewrite the sentences on your paper, using the correct pronoun. A. Between you and (me, I), summer vacation is the best time to go fishing. B. As Jane answered the telephone, she responded, “This is (her, she). C. Mike and (he, him) are going to help us with the yard work. D. (We, Us) will go to the movies on Saturday.