California

Standards
Practice
Aligned with California
Content Standards
This helpful workbook provides
Six progress-monitoring tests,
including semester tests
Reteaching lessons for the
California Content Standards
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 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Unit 1 Assessment
Reading/Literature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Unit 2 Assessment
Reading/Literature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Unit 3/Semester Assessments
Reading/Literature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Writing Applications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Unit 4 Assessment
Reading/Literature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Unit 5 Assessment
Reading/Literature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Unit 6/Semester Assessments
Reading/Literature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Writing Applications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Reteach Lessons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

iii
Unit 1 Assessment
Reading/Literature
G R A D E

9 Reading/Literature Unit 1 Test

The following is a rough draft of a student’s report. It may contain errors.

John Muir’s Legacy

1 When I go hiking in Muir Woods near San Francisco, I think about John Muir,
a famous person in American history. Like me, John Muir loved the outdoors and
enjoyed exploring wild places. He inspired many people, including students my
age, to learn more about nature and to protect the environment. Last year, my
friend and I worked on a project titled “Speaking Out for Nature: John Muir’s
Legacy.” Here are a few significant events from his life that I studied.
2 John Muir was born in Scotland, sometime in the 1830s. When Muir was a
young boy, he and his family left their homeland and came to the United States.
They settled in Wisconsin, an area filled with spectacular scenery and wildlife.
At an early age, Muir became very curious about the world of nature and began
observing plants and animals. For example, the sight of fireflies filled him with
wonder. He thought the bird songs of robins during springtime were enchanting.
The beautiful Wisconsin flowers that grew in the meadows interested him.
Throughout his life, Muir would continue his habit of closely watching nature.
3 In the late 1860s, after the Civil War ended, another experience had a major
influence on Muir’s view of nature and the course of his life. While working
in a carriage shop, he injured his eyes and became blind for a month. This
unfortunate accident changed Muir’s outlook forever and made him appreciate
the value of his eyesight. When he regained his ability to see, he decided to
devote himself to observing nature. Soon afterward, he began an incredibly long
journey on foot from the Midwest to the Gulf of Mexico. Next, he sailed to Cuba,
crossed over to Panama, and then sailed up the West Coast to San Francisco,

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

the city where I live today. Then Muir began to explore the Sierra Nevada and
Yosemite regions of California.
4 Over the next several years, Muir would divide his time between living in
a small cabin in Yosemite and traveling across the Mountains of the western
united States. Picture a tall, thin man carrying a backpack, hiking alone as he
stops to examine gigantic trees and colossal mountains. Muir discovered glaciers
in Alaska and wrote a series of articles about the Sierra Mountains. He became
well-known for his views on nature and conservation.
5 The events in Muir’s life that I have described laid the foundation for the legacy
he left behind. As Muir grew older, the government began to take a closer look
at his concerns about conservation. Muir is often called “the father of National
Parks” because of the important role he played in helping to establish them. In
the 1890s, Muir helped found the Sierra Club, whose goal was to protect the
wilderness. Today, the Sierra Club continues to be dedicated to this goal as well
as encouraging young people like me to discover, explore, and save the beauty of
the wild places that Muir loved so much.

2 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 G R A D E

Unit 1 Test Reading/Literature

9
Works Cited
Delaney, Stephanie. Mountains of the United States. Cleveland: Millennium
Company, 1987.
Ferdan, Isaac. The Sierra Sun. Phoenix: Golden Tree Co., Inc., 1959.
Santana, Phillip. National Parks of the World. Cleveland: April Sixteen
Publishing, 1960.
Vohn, Christina. A Nature Lover’s Youth. Cleveland: Beem Books, 1961.

1 Which word below could 3 If the writer wishes to learn

replace interested in more about John Muir’s legacy,
paragraph 2 to provide the which person would be most
most precise word choice? helpful in guiding his or her
A gripped research?
B fascinated A the school librarian
C obsessed B a Sierra Club officer
D consumed C his or her geography teacher
D an experienced traveler

2 How should the following

phrase from paragraph 4 4 Throughout the student’s
be written to reflect correct report, the focus is on
conventions of capitalization? A describing John Muir’s legacy.
A across the mountains of the B explaining how to protect the
western united States wilderness.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

B across the Mountains of the C scolding people who do not

Western united States appreciate nature.
C across the mountains of the D providing proof that exploring
western United States mountains is fun.
D across the mountains of the
Western United States
5 Which of these works is most
likely the student’s source on
John Muir’s childhood?
A The Sierra Sun
B A Nature Lover’s Youth
C National Parks of the World
D Mountains of the United States

Unit 1 Test, Reading/Literature 3

G R A D E

9 Reading/Literature Unit 1 Test

Read the following documents and consider how they are similar and different.
Document A

From Rare Dragonflies of British Columbia

British Columbia
Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management
Ministry of Water, Land, and Air Protection

1 Even though dragonflies are predominantly a tropical group, and even

though they are one of the smaller insect orders, British Columbia is home to
87 species, roughly 40 percent of the Canadian total. Twenty-three species are
considered rare or potentially at risk and have been placed on the provincial
red and blue lists. In this brochure we look at the nine red-listed species.
Introducing dragonflies
2 The insect order Odonata (Greek for “toothed jaws”) contains the groups of
insects known as the dragonflies and damselflies; however, we also use the
name “dragonflies” to refer to the whole order. The Odonata is a small order of
23 families and about 5000 named species worldwide.
Where do they live in British Columbia?
3 Different dragonfly species have different habitat requirements. Some
tolerate only a narrow range of conditions, whereas others live in a wide
range of ecosystems. Some key habitat types in British Columbia that have
distinctive dragonfly faunas are: large, warm lakes; small lakes and ponds
with floating vegetation; alkaline (saline) lakes; cattail and bulrush marshes;
sedge marshes; warm creeks and rivers (e.g., those that drain lakes); small

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

springs and seeps; temporary ponds; bog and fen ponds; and shallow sedge-
moss fens. (Note: Bogs are acidic peatlands low in nutrients and dominated by
sphagnum mosses. Fens are richer, less acidic peatlands dominated by sedges,
grasses, and nonsphagnum mosses.)
Why are dragonflies at risk?
4 The most serious stress on dragonfly populations has been the elimination
or alteration of their freshwater habitats. Most destructive has been the
draining and filling of marshes. Many of the richest marshes and ponds are
associated with flat floodplains, and these wetlands are often sacrificed to
road and railway construction, commercial and residential development, and
intensive agriculture. For example, only about 15 percent of the Okanagan
Valley wetlands remain, and most of what is left has been significantly
altered by water flow changes. The channeling and dyking of the Okanagan
River for most of its length between Penticton and Osoyoos Lake has
eliminated much habitat for a number of Red- and Blue-listed species.

4 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 G R A D E

Unit 1 Test Reading/Literature

9
What are the red-listed dragonflies in British Columbia?
5 River Jewelwing
Vivid Dancer
Familiar Bluet
Plains Forktail
Grappletail
Olive Clubtail
Quebec Emerald
Forcipate Emerald
Kennedy’s Emerald
What can we do?
6 First, we must discover more about our rare dragonflies, including where
exactly they are and what sort of habitats they need. Detailed and focused
inventories of species and their habitats are urgently needed. It is critical
to study the exact habitat requirements of each species and then to protect,
conserve, and, where possible, increase the number of suitable habitats. The
habitat requirements of some dragonflies are narrow, and these are obviously
the species that are most at risk. Other species are wide-ranging in their
needs and will survive in many habitats.
7 Education is vital. Dragonfly conservation will not be supported if no
one appreciates these insects. Thankfully, more and more naturalists are
becoming excited about studying dragonflies because of their colourful beauty
and fascinating behaviour. New information and publications will encourage
this. But even before all the information is available, we must act quickly
to protect the natural communities that still remain homes for dragonflies.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Small ponds, marshes, springs, and streams in British Columbia’s southern

valleys sustain some of the rarest of our species. These habitats are among
the first to disappear in the expansion of housing, industrial, and agricultural
developments. Even sensitive aquatic habitats in remote areas can be
drastically affected by industrial activity. Suitable sites are disappearing
faster than new ones are being formed and, until that trend is reversed, there
is continuing cause for concern.
8 What can we do as individuals? We can get involved with local naturalist
organizations to learn more about the natural environments in our
neighborhoods. We can encourage all levels of government to protect aquatic
ecosystems on public land. We can get involved in public processes to develop
land use plans and regulations that preserve, rather than destroy, natural
diversity. And we can maintain and create natural habitats on our own
property and encourage others to do the same.

Unit 1 Test, Reading/Literature 5

G R A D E

9 Reading/Literature Unit 1 Test

Document B

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON RARE DRAGONFLIES,

CONTACT:
BC Conservation Data Centre
Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management
PO Box 9993, Stn. Prov. Govt.
Victoria, British Columbia, V8W 9R7
cdcdata@victoria1.gov.bc.ca
http://srmwww.gov.bc.ca/cdc

FOR INFORMATION ON WHAT YOU CAN DO TO

RESTORE, PRESERVE OR IMPROVE WILDLIFE
HABITAT, CONTACT:
Naturescape British Columbia
PO Box 9354, Stn. Prov. Govt.
Victoria, British Columbia, V8W 9M1
http://www.hctf.ca/nature.htm

6 If a book were to be added as a 7 Which of the following

source for Document A which statements from Document A
of the following would be the supports the author’s
correct way to cite it? conclusion that education is
A Claudia Green. Discovering vital in dragonfly conservation?

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

the World’s Rarest Dragonflies. A Dragonfly conservation will
Vancouver: The Museum of not be supported if no one
Insect Collections, 2006. appreciates these insects.
B Claudia Green. Discovering B We can encourage all levels
the World’s Rarest Dragonflies. of government to protect
2006. The Museum of Insect aquatic ecosystems on public
Collections: Vancouver. land.
C Green, Claudia. The Museum C The habitat requirements of
of Insect Collections. some dragonflies are narrow,
Discovering the World’s Rarest and these are obviously the
Dragonflies. Vancouver: 2006. species that are most at risk.
D Green, Claudia. Discovering D Some tolerate only a narrow
the World’s Rarest Dragonflies. range of conditions, whereas
Vancouver: The Museum of others live in a wide range of
Insect Collections, 2006. ecosystems.

6 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 G R A D E

Unit 1 Test Reading/Literature

9
8 Which of the following is the The following questions are not
best thesis for the passage in based on a passage. Read and
Document A? answer each item.
A Dragonflies are interesting.
11 Which of the following is an
B There are many types of incomplete sentence?
dragonflies.
A John and Frida laughed
C Certain dragonflies are at together.
risk and should be protected.
B King Odysseus had a trusted
D There are many different counselor.
animals in the world that
need protecting. C Sat because she didn’t want
to leave yet.
D He hasn’t thought of an
excuse.
9 Based on information from
both documents, which office
would likely be the best source
of information on blue-listed 12 Read this sentence.
dragonflies?
A Government of Canada The nosy buyer wants to look at
the car’s service record.
B Naturescape British Columbia
C Ministry of Water, Land, and
Which word would best replace
Air Protection
the underlined word to make
D Ministry of Sustainable the sentence more precise?
Resource Management
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

A inquisitive
B reckless
C interested
10 Which method of gathering
information on rare dragonflies D experienced
would likely require following
technical directions?
A reading various magazines 13 The word dictate is derived
and books about dragonflies from a Latin root meaning
B navigating the web site of the A to say or tell.
BC Conservation Data Centre B to hang or drape.
C conducting an interview with C to draw or pull.
an expert
D to mark or write.
D studying examples of rare
dragonflies at a natural
history museum

Unit 1 Test, Reading/Literature 7

G R A D E

9 Reading/Literature Unit 1 Test

The following is an excerpt from a student’s autobiographical narrative, which

contains errors.

Counting Meteors
1 I watched my first meteor shower when I was eleven years old, four years ago,
from the porch of our old house on Chester Street. Research on meteors was being
done by my big sister Lorraine, and she woke me up very early one morning,
before school, before the sun had even risen. She handed me a pair of binoculars
and quickly but in a careful way, sat on a small bench beside me. She asked me
to help her count meteors as they streaked across the sky. She earned an A on the
project, and she said that it was because of my help.
2 Last week, it was my turn to do research on meteors. Lorraine had returned
from college for a weekend visit. She reminded me that the meteor shower was
happening early Monday morning. I told her all about my project and how I was
concerned that I wouldn’t be able to get up so early in the morning to see the
meteors, but she reassured me and said not to worry because I’d be able to wake
up. I didn’t feel as confident as she did, but somehow she seemed to know that
everything would work out.
3 That Sunday night, I was sad that Lorraine had left to go back to her college
in Delaware and I was so anxious, I didn’t want to go to sleep because I thought
I’d never wake up. Finally, I drifted off and after what seemed like only a few
minutes, I was suddenly awake when the alarm clock in my sister’s old room had
sprung to life. I was up and dressed in minutes, ready to count as many meteors
as I could. Some people find sky watching activities weird, meteor counting is
still my favorite adventure.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

4 My research earned an A as well, and I told Lorraine about it when I called
her that week, thanking her because I know I wouldn’t have been able to do it
without her. She played dumb, but I knew the favor she did for me. Now I wake
up every morning to her alarm clock and think about counting meteors with my
big sister.

8 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 G R A D E

Unit 1 Test Reading/Literature

9
14 Read this sentence from the 15 Read this sentence.
passage.
Research on meteors was being
Some people find sky watching done by my big sister Lorraine,
activities weird, meteor counting and she woke me up very early
is still my favorite adventure. one morning, before school,
before the sun had even risen.
What is the correct way to
write this sentence? How could the sentence best be
A Meteor counting is still my rewritten?
favorite adventure and some A My big sister Lorraine was
people find sky watching doing research on meteors, and
activities weird. she woke me up very early one
B Since some people find sky morning, before school, before
watching activities weird, the sun had even risen.
meteor counting is still my B Before school, before the sun
favorite adventure. had even risen, research on
C Meteor counting is still my meteors was being done by
favorite adventure because my big sister Lorraine, and
some people find sky she woke me up very early
watching activities weird. one morning.

D Although some people find C Research on meteors was

sky watching activities weird, being done by my big sister
meteor counting is still my Lorraine, who woke me up
favorite adventure. very early one morning,
before the sun had even risen
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

before school.
D It was research on meteors
being done by my big sister
Lorraine when she woke me
up very early one morning,
before school, before the sun
had even risen.

Unit 1 Test, Reading/Literature 9

G R A D E

9 Reading/Literature Unit 1 Test

16 Read this sentence from 17 In paragraph 1, what device

paragraph 1 of the narrative. does the narrator use to
introduce the story?
She handed me a pair of A an allusion to a well-known
binoculars and quickly but in a event
careful way sat on a small bench B a flashback to his youth
beside me.
C a foreshadowing of the future
What is the best way to rewrite D a contrast between the past
this sentence using parallel and present
structure?
A She handed me a pair of
binoculars and quickly but 18 Which feeling is best
carefully sat on a small bench exemplified by the narrator
beside me. in paragraph 2?
B She handed me a pair of A idleness
binoculars and in a quick B fear
way but a careful way sat on
a small bench beside me. C insecurity
C She handed me a pair of D confusion
binoculars and in a quick way
but carefully sat on a small
bench beside me.
D She quickly but in a careful
way handed me a pair of

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

binoculars and sat on a small
bench beside me.

10 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 G R A D E

Unit 1 Test Reading/Literature

9
19 Read these sentences from 20 In paragraph 4, the narrator can
paragraph 2. best be described as
A calm.
Lorraine had returned from B eager.
college for a weekend visit. She
reminded me that the meteor C confident.
shower was happening early D appreciative.
Monday morning

What is the best way to

combine these sentences?
A Lorraine had returned from
college for a weekend visit to
remind me that the meteor
shower was happening early
Monday morning.
B Lorraine had returned from
college for a weekend visit;
when she returned, she
reminded me that the meteor
shower was happening early
Monday morning.
C When Lorraine returned
from college for a weekend
visit, she reminded me that
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

the meteor shower was

happening early Monday
morning.
D When Lorraine returned from
college for a weekend visit to
remind me that the meteor
shower was happening early
Monday morning.

Unit 1 Test, Reading/Literature 11

G R A D E

9 Reading/Literature Unit 1 Test

Morning Song in the Jungle

From The Second Jungle Book
By Rudyard Kipling

One moment past our bodies cast

No shadow on the plain;
Now clear and black they stride our track,
And we run home again.
5 In morning-hush, each rock and bush
Stands hard, and high, and raw:
Then give the Call: “Good rest to all
That keep the Jungle Law!”
Now horn and pelt our peoples melt
10 In covert to abide;
Now, crouched and still, to cave and hill
Our Jungle Barons glide.
Now, stark and plain, Man’s oxen strain,
That draw the new-yoked plough;
15 Now, stripped and dread, the dawn is red
Above the lit talao.
Ho! Get to lair! The sun’s aflare
Behind the breathing grass:
And creaking through the young bamboo
20 The warning whispers pass.
By day made strange, the woods we range

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

With blinking eyes we scan;
While down the skies the wild duck cries:
“The Day—the Day to Man!”
25 The dew is dried that drenched our hide,
Or washed about our way;
And where we drank, the puddled bank
Is crisping into clay.
The traitor Dark gives up each mark
30 Of stretched or hooded claw:
Then hear the Call: “Good rest to all
That keep the Jungle Law!”

12 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 G R A D E

Unit 1 Test Reading/Literature

9
21 What pair of lines from the 22 Read these lines from the poem.
poem helps to create a mood
of tension? By day made strange, the woods
A The dew is dried that we range
drenched our hide, / Or With blinking eyes we scan;
washed about our way; While down the skies the wild
B Now horn and pelt our duck cries:
peoples melt / In covert to “The Day—the Day to Man!”
abide;
What do these lines reveal
C Then hear the Call: “Good
about the wild animals who
rest to all / That keep the
narrate the poem?
Jungle Law!”
A They are out hunting for wild
D Ho! Get to lair! The sun’s
duck to eat.
aflare / Behind the breathing
grass: B They are night dwellers who
avoid daylight for fear of
people.
C They are wild and free and
love roaming through the
woods.
D They are out during the day
to find unwary people to
attack.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Unit 1 Test, Reading/Literature 13

G R A D E

9 Reading/Literature Unit 1 Test

Grady’s Big Sister

1 Olivia had already carried a rope to the upper branch of the old maple tree in
the backyard. Grady looked up at her from below.
2 “Come on up, unless you’re scared. If that’s the case, stay where you are,” she
called down with complete sincerity. She didn’t want her younger brother to hurt
himself.
3 Olivia’s words were a direct challenge, even though she hadn’t intended them
to be. “No,” Grady yelled back with conviction. “I’m not scared. I’m coming.”
Although his knees were trembling slightly, he reached up, grabbed a lower limb,
and placed his foot on a knob in the wood.
4 He heard his breath in his ears, and the leaves brushed his face as he climbed
after his older sister. It seemed to him that he was always following her—getting
in on whatever she was doing. She never egged him on, never forced him to do
anything, never really even teased him. Nonetheless, he always felt compelled to
follow her.
5 He remembered the time she swam out far into the ocean. He had started to
follow her, but the water deepened suddenly, and when he peered down into it,
the darkness of the water frightened him; it took his breath away. He turned back
quickly and swam for shallower water. When he reached the shore, he was happy
for the relative firmness of the sand under his feet. When he turned around to see
where she was, her head was just a dot, heading farther out.
6 Grady thought about the time at the ocean as he continued climbing, his heart
in his throat, not letting himself look down. He didn’t want to know how high

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

he was.
7 “Olivia?” he asked, after a time, embarrassed by the shakiness in his voice.
There was no answer. “Olivia?” he said louder, trying to disguise his fear.
8 He allowed himself a glance at the ground; it seemed to swirl up at him. He
clutched the bough of the old tree tightly.
9 “What’s the matter, Grady?” Olivia asked from above.
10 “Nothing,” he said. “Just taking a break, h-here.” Then he turned around and
kept climbing.

14 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 G R A D E

Unit 1 Test Reading/Literature

9
23 In the statement “his heart 25 Read this sentence from the
was in his throat,” the narrator passage.
means that Grady feels
A very afraid or anxious. When he reached the shore,
B affection for his sister. he was happy for the relative
firmness of the sand under
C very proud of what he’s doing. his feet.
D relieved that he can climb
the tree. Contrasted with the image of
Grady trying to climb the tree,
this sentence shows
24 Read this excerpt from the A the conflict between Grady’s
passage. need for stability and his
desire to keep up with his
“Come on up, unless you’re sister.
scared. If that’s the case, stay B how Grady’s extreme fear
where you are,” she called down always undermines him when
with complete sincerity. She he tries new things.
didn’t want her younger brother C how Grady’s unwavering
to hurt himself…. He heard happiness is often the cause
his breath in his ears, and the of his successes.
leaves brushed his face as he
climbed after his older sister. D why Grady loves going on
It seemed to him that he was trips to the beach with his
always following her—getting in family.
on whatever she was doing. She
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

never egged him on, never forced

him to do anything, never really
even teased him. Nonetheless,
he always felt compelled to
follow her.

The narrator mentions Olivia’s

sincerity to show
A how unreasonable Grady’s fear is.
B that Olivia is really
challenging Grady.
C how Olivia is better than Grady.
D the reason why Grady
admires his sister.

Unit 1 Test, Reading/Literature 15

Unit 2 Assessment
Reading/Literature
G R A D E

9 Reading/Literature Unit 2 Test

From Pygmalion
By George Bernard Shaw

CHARACTERS:

Henry Higgins: a linguist

Eliza Doolittle: a poor, uncultured seller of flowers
Colonel Pickering: another linguist
Freddy: a young gentleman
ACT I
SCENE I
As this scene opens, the three characters have escaped a rainstorm by finding shelter in
a church doorway. Eliza is crying.
HENRY HIGGINS: [explosively] Woman: cease this detestable boohooing instantly; or
else seek the shelter of some other place of worship.
ELIZA DOOLITTLE: [with feeble defiance] I’ve a right to be here if I like, same as you.
HIGGINS: A woman who utters such depressing and disgusting sounds has no right
to be anywhere—no right to live. Remember that you are a human being with a soul
and the divine gift of articulate speech: that your native language is the language
of Shakespeare and Milton and the Bible; and don’t sit there crooning like a bilious
pigeon.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

DOOLITTLE: [quite overwhelmed, and looking up at him in mingled wonder and
depreciation without daring to raise her head] Ah-ah-ah-ow-ow-ow-oo!
HIGGINS: [whipping out his book] Heavens! What a sound! [He writes; then holds out
the book and reads, reproducing her vowels exactly] Ah-ah-ah-ow-ow-ow-oo!
DOOLITTLE: [tickled by the performance, and laughing in spite of herself] Garn!
HIGGINS: You see this creature with her curbstone English: the English that will keep
her in the gutter to the end of her days. Well, sir, in three months I could pass that
girl off as a duchess at an ambassador’s garden party. I could even get her a place as
lady’s maid or shop assistant, which requires better English. That’s the sort of thing I
do for commercial millionaires. And on the profits of it I do genuine scientific work in
phonetics, and a little as a poet on Miltonic lines.
COLONEL PICKERING: I am myself a student of Indian dialects; and—
HIGGINS: [eagerly] Are you? Do you know Colonel Pickering, the author of Spoken
Sanskrit?
18 California Standards Practice, Grade 9
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Unit 2 Test Reading/Literature

9
PICKERING: I am Colonel Pickering. Who are you?
HIGGINS: Henry Higgins, author of Higgins’s Universal Alphabet.
PICKERING: [with enthusiasm] I came from India to meet you.
HIGGINS: I was going to India to meet you.
PICKERING: Where do you live?
HIGGINS: 27A Wimpole Street. Come and see me tomorrow.
PICKERING: I’m at the Carlton. Come with me now and let’s have a jaw over supper.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Unit 2 Test, Reading/Literature 19

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9 Reading/Literature Unit 2 Test

1 Read this excerpt from the 2 Which of the following features

play. best indicates that this play is a
comedy?
HIGGINS: You see this creature A the fact that it is raining when
with her curbstone English: the this scene takes place
English that will keep her in the
B the sound Eliza Doolittle
gutter to the end of her days.
makes when she becomes
Well, sir, in three months I could
excited
pass that girl off as a duchess at
an ambassador’s garden party. C the fact that Henry Higgins
I could even get her a place as and Colonel Pickering are
lady’s maid or shop assistant, both linguists
which requires better English. D the happy ending at the end
of the scene
This excerpt suggests that
Higgins is
A a very confident man who 3 Read this excerpt from the play.
believes in Eliza.
B an optimistic man who sees PICKERING: I’m at the Carlton.
the good in people. Come with me now and let’s have
C a snobbish man who thinks a jaw over supper.
that others are inferior to him.
In this excerpt, a jaw means
D a concerned man who wants
to help Eliza. A a talk.
B a drink.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

C a fight.
D a speech.

20 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

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Unit 2 Test Reading/Literature

9
4 One indication that this play 5 The word linguist is derived
was not written in recent from a Latin root meaning
times is A train.
A Colonel Pickering being B length.
another linguist.
C tongue.
B the possibility of Eliza
becoming a lady’s maid. D correct.
C Eliza’s profession as a seller
of flowers.
D the references to Shakespeare
and Milton.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Unit 2 Test, Reading/Literature 21

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9 Reading/Literature Unit 2 Test

From The Monkey’s Paw

By W. W. Jacobs

1 “There he is,” said Herbert White, as the gate banged loudly and heavy
footsteps came toward the door.
2 The old man rose with hospitable haste, and opening the door, was heard
condoling with the new arrival. The new arrival also condoled with himself, so
that Mrs. White said, “Tut, tut!” and coughed gently as her husband entered the
room, followed by a tall, burly man, beady of eye and rubicund of visage.
3 “Sergeant-Major Morris,” he said, introducing him.
4 The sergeant-major shook hands, and taking the proffered seat by the fire,
watched contentedly while his host got out whiskey and tumblers and stood a
small copper kettle on the fire.
5 At the third glass his eyes got brighter, and he began to talk, the little family
circle regarding with eager interest this visitor from distant parts, as he
squared his broad shoulders in the chair and spoke of wild scenes and doughty
deeds; of wars and plagues and strange peoples.
6 “Twenty-one years of it,” said Mr. White, nodding at his wife and son. “When
he went away he was a slip of a youth in the warehouse. Now look at him.”

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

22 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

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Unit 2 Test Reading/Literature

9
6 Read this sentence from 8 Read paragraph 6 from the
paragraph 2. excerpt.

The old man rose with hospitable “Twenty-one years of it,” said
haste, and opening the door, was Mr. White, nodding at his wife
heard condoling with the new and son. “When he went away
arrival. he was a slip of a youth in the
warehouse. Now look at him.”
Which of the following is a
participial phrase? What does the speaker use to
A The old man rose . . . make his point?
B . . . with hospitable haste . . . A an allusion to a past event in
his life
C . . . opening the door . . .
B a contrast between the past
D . . . was heard. and the present
C a flashback to the man’s
long-ago youth
7 Read this phrase from the D a description of the man in
excerpt. front of him

. . . as he squared his broad

shoulders in the chair and spoke
of wild scenes . . .

In this phrase, squared means

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

A settled or even.
B set back, straightened.
C conventional or conservative.
D fair, honest, and direct.

Unit 2 Test, Reading/Literature 23

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9 Reading/Literature Unit 2 Test

The following is a rough draft of a student’s report. It may contain errors.

The Basics of Bits and Bytes

1 Even though it may seem otherwise, a computer can be as dumb as a post. Deep
inside its silicon brain, it understands only two things: on and off. Or, if put in
another way, computers understand only yes and no; maybe isn’t a part of their
vocabulary.
2 For a computer to understand even the simplest problem, the information must
be presented as numbers—either a 0 or a 1. Inside a computer, the digits are bits,
and a bit is a binary digit. Computer language is called binary code because it
uses just these two digits.
3 Eight bits in a row make a byte. You probably know the word byte from
measurements of computer memory for file sizes. For example, a story file might
be 34 kilobytes in size, or you might download a 75-megabyte picture file.
4 The odd thing is that those names for file or memory sizes do not mean
exactly what you might expect. For example, kilo- is the metric prefix meaning
“thousand”—a kilometer is 1,000 meters, and a kilogram is 1,000 grams.
Likewise, mega- means “million” and giga- mean “billion.” But inside a computer,
you need to add the word “around” to the meaning. A kilobyte, which you might
expect to be 1,000 bytes, is actually 1,024 bytes, a megabyte, 1,048,576 bytes (not
1,000,000), and a gigabyte, 1,073,741,824 bytes.
5 This is a result of the way the binary number system works. It doesn’t make
any difference in practice, but it’s interesting. Instead of 4 billion bytes, your

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

4-gig hard drive is actually closer to 4.3 billion bytes in size. To find out how
many bits that is, simply multiply by 8. Of course, you’ll need to use your
computer because most calculators can’t show that many digits on their screens.

24 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

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Unit 2 Test Reading/Literature

9
9 Which sentence below 12 In the first sentence of
illustrates that the writer is paragraph 1, the writer says
engaged by his or her writing that a computer “can be as
topic? dumb as a post.” Which is
A Even though it may seem the best way to rewrite this
otherwise, a computer can be sentence for precision of
as dumb as a post. meaning?
B It doesn’t make any A A computer is no smarter
difference in practice, but it’s than a post.
interesting. B A computer does not know
C Deep inside its silicon brain, everything.
it understands only two C A computer is actually not
things: on and off. very intelligent.
D Computer language is called D A computer is a dumb
binary code because it uses invention.
just these two digits.

13 Based on the passage, we can

10 Which of the following is the infer that
best statement of the writer’s A computers are the key to the
thesis? future.
A A computer has a limited B computer commands consist
vocabulary. only of zeroes and ones.
B A computer is not as C the binary number system
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

intelligent as we are. can be used by other

C A kilobyte is type of machines.
measurement. D the binary number system
D A computer understands only is a good tool to use in math
binary code. class.

11 If the student wants to gather

more research, which person
could most likely lend firsthand
knowledge of the topic?
A a school librarian
B a school principal
C a computer store owner
D a computer programmer

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9 Reading/Literature Unit 2 Test

Read the following selections and consider how they are similar and different.
Selection A

Sonnet XVIII
By William Shakespeare
Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer’s lease hath all too short a date:
5 Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm’d,
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance, or nature’s changing course untrimm’d:
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
10 Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st,
Nor shall death brag thou wander’st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st,
So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee

Selection B

Sonnet XIV

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

By Elizabeth Barrett Browning

If thou must love me, let it be for nought

Except for love’s sake only. Do not say
“I love her for her smile—her look—her way
Of speaking gently,—for a trick of thought
5 That falls in well with mine, and certes brought
A sense of pleasant ease on such a day”—
For these things in themselves, Beloved, may
Be changed, or change for thee,—and love, so wrought,
May be unwrought so. Neither love me for
10 Thine own dear pity’s wiping my cheeks dry,—
A creature might forget to weep, who bore
Thy comfort long, and lose thy love thereby!
But love me for love’s sake, that evermore
Thou may’st love on, through love’s eternity.

26 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

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Unit 2 Test Reading/Literature

9
14 Which universal theme is 17 In Selection B, the speaker
addressed in both sonnets? seems to believe that
A Beauty may pass but love is A women who speak gently are
eternal. easily loved.
B A summer day is beautiful. B every day should be pleasant
C Eternity goes on forever. and easy.
D Time heals all wounds. C all creatures forget to weep at
times.
D some people love for the
wrong reasons.
15 In Selection A, William
Shakespeare uses imagery of
summer to
A emphasize how beautiful his
beloved is.
B explain how summer makes
one beautiful.
C compare his beloved’s beauty
to others’ beauty.
D complain that he sees his
beloved only in the summer.

16 Read line 5 from Selection A.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Sometime too hot the eye of

heaven shines,

Shakespeare uses figurative

language here to
A imagine a desert.
B describe the sun.
C convey peace.
D depict his love’s eye.

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9 Reading/Literature Unit 2 Test

The following questions are not 20 Read the following sentence.

based on a passage. Read and
answer each item.
Although I know how good the
other school’s basketball team is,
18 Read this sentence. absolutely we can, if we practice
hard, surely defeat them.
I was refered to a counselor who
said that enrolling in summer
What is the best way to improve
school would help to fulfill the
the structure of the underlined
school’s graduation requirements.
part of the sentence?
A we can surely defeat them if we
Which underlined word in this practice hard.
sentence is spelled incorrectly?
B we can defeat them if we
A refered practice hard absolutely.
B counselor C we can surely defeat them if
C enrolling we practice absolutely.
D fulfill D we can surely, if we practice,
defeat them.

19 Read this sentence.

21 Read this sentence.
My favorite activities are; reading,
writing, archery, shopping, surfing Novels are written in her
the web, and blogging. bedroom by Sherry.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

How should the underlined What is the correct way to
part of the sentence be written? rewrite the sentence using the
A activities are—reading, active voice?
B activities are reading A Sherry writes her novels in her
bedroom.
C activities are reading;
B In her bedroom, Sherry’s
D activities are reading, novels are written.
C In her bedroom, Sherry is a
novelist.
D Sherry’s novel-writing is done
in her bedroom.

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9
Read the following essays.
Document A

The Gold Rush

1 In January of 1848, James Marshall had a work crew camped on the
American River at Coloma near Sacramento. The crew was building a saw
mill for John Sutter. On the cold, clear morning of January 24, Marshall
found a few tiny gold nuggets. Thus began one of the largest human
migrations in history as half a million people from around the world
descended upon California in search of instant wealth.
2 The first printed notice of the discovery was in the March 15 issue of “The
Californian” in San Francisco. Shortly after Marshall’s discovery, General
John Bidwell discovered gold in the Feather River and Major Pearson B.
Reading found gold in the Trinity River. The Gold Rush was soon in full
swing.
3 In 1849, quartz mining began at the Mariposa mine in Mariposa County.
Gold deposits were often found inside quartz veins. In 1850, California
became a state. Also that year, gold-bearing quartz was found at Gold Hill in
Grass Valley. This led to the development of the great underground mines in
that district and a major industry that continued for more than 100 years.
4 In 1851, gold was discovered in Greenhorn Creek, Kern County. This
discovery led to the rush to the upper Kern River region. By 1852, California’s
annual gold production reached a then all-time high of $81 million.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Works Cited
“The Rush for Gold.” California History. 1999.
02 January 2005 http://www.history.ca/goldrush.html
“The Sutter Mill.” Greatest Entrepreneurs in the USA. 1994.
18 October 2006 http://www.entrepeneur.com/sutter.htm

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9 Reading/Literature Unit 2 Test

Document B

The Gold Fever

“I reached my hand down and picked it up; it made my heart thump, for I was
certain it was gold.”—James Marshall, 1848
1 At a time when restless Americans were already eager to go west, the
discovery of gold in California in 1848 was like gasoline on a fire. Within a
year of its discovery, emigrants using the California Trail were flooding into
the Sierra Nevada Range by the thousands.
2 John Sutter was a Swiss immigrant who came to California in 1839 with a
dream of building an agricultural empire. When he needed lumber in early
1848, he assigned the task to one of his men, James Marshall. Marshall
decided to build a sawmill on the South Fork of the American river, about 40
miles from Sutter’s home.
3 Marshall discovered a gold nugget on January 24, 1848, while at the sawmill.
He and his men found more gold nearby. Both Marshall and Sutter tried to keep
things quiet, but soon word leaked out. Gold fever quickly became an epidemic.
4 Many who already had arrived in California or Oregon immediately gravitated
to the western Sierras. But it wasn’t until December of 1848 that President
James Polk confirmed the findings to Congress, which meant it was too late to
start a trip for easterners. By the spring of 1849, the largest migration (25,000
that year alone) in American history was already taking place.
5 Better-than-average conditions on the plains and in the desert that spring and

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

summer helped soften the blow of the wave of emigrants. But conditions were
harsh at best and many livestock were lost along the way. Grass and clean water
became scarcer as the trip wore on, and diseases like cholera took their toll.
6 Native Americans in particular suffered from the “Forty-Niners” who
streamed across the land. For centuries, Native Americans had lived in the
West without outside competition for resources. But now the pioneers’ lust
for wealth was threatening to decimate the Native Americans through the
consumption of foods, lands, water, and space.

Works Cited
“How the Gold Changed People’s Lives.” California Information Services.
25 July 1992. 06 July 2003. http://www.cis.com/gold_rush.htm
“Congressional Reports on the Gold Rush.” US Congress.
22 March 2001 & 29 August 2007. http://www.cong.gov/ca_gold.html

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9
22 Which of the works in the Works 24 The quotation by James
Cited section is most likely the Marshall at the beginning of
source of information about Document B
the place where gold was first A establishes how he began
discovered? working with John Sutter.
A “Congressional Reports on the B introduces us to the man who
Gold Rush” helped begin the Gold Rush.
B “How the Gold Changed C explains how people learned
People’s Lives” about the discovery of gold.
C “The Sutter Mill” D demonstrates that it was in
D “The Rush for Gold” fact gold Marshall found.

23 Which event happened the year 25 Based on these two documents,

after the Gold Rush began? we can infer that
A Quartz mining began at A the Gold Rush continues up
Mariposa County. to today.
B Gold was discovered at B James Marshall is a
Greenhorn Creek. hardworking genius.
C Native Americans suffered C Most people were thankful
because of the “Forty-Niners.” for Marshall and Sutter’s
D Gold was discovered by discovery.
Marshall and his men. D the gold discovery changed
the history of the United
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

States.

Unit 2 Test, Reading/Literature 31

Unit 3/Semester
Assessments
Reading/Literature
Writing Applications
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9 Reading/Literature Unit 3 Test

I Like a Look of Agony

By Emily Dickinson

1 I like a look of agony,

2 Because I know it’s true;
3 Men do not sham convulsion,
4 Nor simulate a throe.
5 The eyes glaze once, and that is death.
6 Impossible to feign
7 The beads upon the forehead
8 By homely anguish strung.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

34 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

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Unit 3 Test Reading/Literature

9
Hunger
By Emily Dickinson

I had been hungry all the years;

My noon had come, to dine;
I, trembling, drew the table near,
And touched the curious wine.
5 ‘Twas this on tables I had seen,
When turning, hungry, lone,
I looked in windows, for the wealth
I could not hope to own.
I did not know the ample bread,
10 ‘Twas so unlike the crumb
The birds and I had often shared
In Nature’s dining-room.
The plenty hurt me, ‘t was so new,
Myself felt ill and odd,
15 As berry of a mountain bush
Transplanted to the road.
Nor was I hungry; so I found
That hunger was a way
Of persons outside windows,
20 The entering takes away.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Unit 3 Test, Reading/Literature 35

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9 Reading/Literature Unit 3 Test

1 In line 5 of the first poem, the 3 In stanza 1 of “Hunger,”

speaker compares glazed eyes Dickinson uses words such as
to death in order to “trembling” and “curious” in
A illustrate a paradox. order to create a
B show her thoughts on agony. A lonely tone.
C symbolize the shortness of B impatient tone.
life. C cautious tone.
D imagine death as the end of D lively tone.
sight.

2 In line 7 of the first poem, 4 In stanza 4 of “Hunger,” the

beads means speaker compares herself to
A rosary. a “berry of a mountain bush /
B necklace. Transplanted to the road” for
all of the following reasons
C drops of sweat. except
D projecting lips. A to describe her vulnerability
upon finding herself in an
entirely new situation.
B to create a memorable image
in the reader’s imagination.
C to emphasize the difference
between being deprived and

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

having plenty.
D to illustrate that she is
satisfied with what she
already possesses or has
achieved.

36 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

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Unit 3 Test Reading/Literature

9
5 In the last stanza of “Hunger,” 6 Both of these poems by Emily
Dickinson uses the ironic Dickinson convey a sense of
situation of the hungry person A loss.
outside the window in order to
show how B fascination.
A people always desire things that C anguish.
they see through a window. D fear.
B hunger goes away once the
object of desire is within
reach.
C people might do many
unlawful acts just to satisfy
their hunger.
D beggars who are used to
poverty can’t get used to
newfound wealth.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Unit 3 Test, Reading/Literature 37

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9 Reading/Literature Unit 3 Test

Mister Wakamatsu’s Helpers

1 I’ll always remember the first time I went to visit our friend Mister
Wakamatsu, who lived in the rural part of the country, a place where there are
many fields. I remember my visit well because I learned so much from living the
simple life. I was just a kid then, watching the fields that were vast and empty
as the dim sky. During my next visit seven years later, I was amazed to see that
there were still hardly any buildings around and there were almost no lights
along the road when it got dark. But my story is about one particular morning
during my first visit.
2 It was a quiet, warm morning; we went to the fields with Mister Wakamatsu
because he needed to check if the crops were good for harvesting. We went to
one field where Mister Wakamatsu planted potatoes and I was excited because
I wanted to help pull them out.
3 Mister Wakamatsu showed me how and said, “You dig here by the ridge, so
you won’t damage the potatoes.” I went down on my knees and started to dig
carefully with a spade, but as I dug up some of the soil, something came out like
a thing in nightmares.
4 “Aaaah!” I screamed, when a worm suddenly popped out. It was long and thin
and wiggling around the muddy ground. I was about to squash it with my spade
when Mister Wakamatsu spotted me and asked, “What are you doing?”
5 “Mister Wakamatsu, your potatoes have worms around them.”
6 Mister Wakamatsu smiled and said, “Well, they’d better, or I’ll be really upset!”

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

7 I got confused. Why would anyone need worms in potatoes? Mister Wakamatsu
must have seen the look on my face and explained it to me.
8 “Those are earthworms,” he said, “and they’re my little helpers. They’re like
little farmers in a way because they make the soil healthy and help all my
crops grow healthy. Every crop field needs them, or you wouldn’t be eating any
delicious potatoes! In fact, all these small, simple living creatures that you think
are disgusting serve an important purpose when you look at the bigger picture.”
9 We went back in the house after we finished harvesting the potatoes and had
a great lunch. There were no worms in it, but I knew now why it tasted so good.
I’ll always remember this visit and how I learned so much from the simplest
of things.

38 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

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Unit 3 Test Reading/Literature

9
7 Which phrase from the story 10 Read this sentence from
helps to create an inviting “Mister Wakamatsu’s Helpers.”
mood up to here?
A quiet, warm morning We finished harvesting the
B a worm suddenly popped out potatoes and had a great lunch.
There were no worms in it, but I
C fields that were vast and knew now why it tasted so good.
empty as the dim sky
D all these small, simple living The word great is used mainly
creatures to suggest that the lunch was
A large.
B intense.
8 The dialogue in paragraphs 4–8
shows that the narrator views C important.
Mister Wakamatsu as D wonderful.
A a father.
B a peer.
11 The first line of the story
C an enemy.
is echoed in the final line
D a mentor. because it
A reinforces the theme.
B sounds beautiful.
9 In the fourth paragraph of
“Mister Wakamatsu’s Helpers,” C changes the mood.
the speaker’s feelings can best D creates irony.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

be described as
A vengeful.
B amused. 12 What do paragraphs 5–6
say about Mr. Wakamatsu’s
C disgusted.
character?
D uninterested.
A He is easily enraged.
B He is a humorous person.
C He loves looking for worms.
D He is very business minded.

Unit 3 Test, Reading/Literature 39

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9 Reading/Literature Unit 3 Test

Juan’s teacher asked him to write an informational essay about earthworms.

Below is his rough draft. It may contain errors.

Earthworms

1 Earthworms can be found almost anywhere in the world, except for regions
with permafrost or permanent ice and regions where the soil is highly acidic.
Earthworms may look disgusting, but they have done great things to the soil
and plants. They are resilient and well-designed creatures that have been an
important part of our planet’s ecosystem for so long. These creepy crawlers even
help air and water to circulate in the ground. This is very important for the
plants to grow healthy and strong.
2 Earthworms go through the soil by contracting and expanding their bodies.
They can be short and fat or long and thin. They have bristles on their body
called setae, which help them keep a firm hold on the soil. This also serves as
a defensive feature against predators such as birds. These creatures do not
have any eyes, but their body is sensitive enough to distinguish changes of light
around them. They also breathe through their skin. But what is more astonishing
is that earthworms have a total of five hearts! That’s because these hearts
eliminate excess calcium in their bodies, which they get whenever they eat dirt.
3 Earthworms have proven to be useful not only to us humans, but to nature
itself. Not only do they facilitate the good circulation of air and water, they
also help generate compost, which keeps the soil and plants healthy. The waste
byproducts they excrete, called casts, are rich in nutrients, which is why it is
imperative to have lots of earthworms on farms.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

4 But don’t think that earthworms are invincible. Chemical fertilizers have
harmed these worms and in some places almost eradicated them. These
fertilizers contaminate the air and soil and eventually kill the worms. This
practice should all in all be avoided.

Bibliography
Henry, James. The Joy of Gardening: Earthworms. New York: Saint Press, 1996.
MacAllister, Janine. Animal Anatomies. London: St. Mary’s Press, 1974.
Mendez, Libby. The Science of Farming. San Francisco: Hopper House
Publishing, 1869. vii–xii.
Rimes, Leon. “The Distribution of Earthworms Around the Globe.” Farming
Magazine, 12. 34–35.

40 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

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Unit 3 Test Reading/Literature

9
13 As Juan begins his research, 14 Read this sentence from
the person who would be most paragraph 2 of Juan’s draft.
helpful is the
A vice principal. Earthworms go through the soil
B homeroom teacher. by contracting and expanding
their bodies.
C school librarian.
D senior gardener. Which word would best replace
the underlined word to make
the meaning more precise?
A dig
B get
C dance
D wiggle
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Unit 3 Test, Reading/Literature 41

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9 Reading/Literature Unit 3 Test

15 Which of the following 16 Which of the works in the

questions is answered by the bibliography is the most likely
bibliography? source for Juan’s knowledge
A Is James Henry a world- of the number of hearts an
famous scientist? earthworm has?
B Is the population of worms A Animal Anatomies
distributed evenly? B The Science of Farming
C Is Hopper House Publishing C The Joy of Gardening:
located in the United States? Earthworms
D Is Farming Magazine D “The Distribution of
a weekly or a monthly Earthworms Around the
magazine? Globe”

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

42 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

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Unit 3 Test Reading/Literature

9
17 Read the following excerpt 18 When Juan types his final
from a gardening magazine. report, which line spacing
should he use for the body of
Here are some of the negative his paper?
effects of certain chemical A single
fertilizers: B 1.5 lines
—increase acidity that may lower
the soil’s beneficial organism C double
population D triple
—destroy nitrogen-fixing bacteria
that help the plants to grow
—help the growth of fungus that
can be harmful to plants
—increase the risk of plants
contracting bacteria-related
diseases

According to the information

contained in the magazine
excerpt and Juan’s report,
chemical fertilizers are harmful
to earthworms because they
A help the growth of fungus.
B increase the acidity of soil.
C destroy nitrogen-fixing
bacteria.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

D increase the risk of bacterial

diseases.

Unit 3 Test, Reading/Literature 43

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9 Reading/Literature Unit 3 Test

Miguel has a complaint about a product he purchased from Zoomander

Electronics. The following is a rough draft of Miguel’s letter of complaint. It
contains errors.

Ms. A. B. Hall
President, Zoomander Electronics
555 Industry Way
New York, NY 12345
Dear Ms. Hall:
I called Zoomander on June 29 to find out how to deal with the difficulties I’ve
had with the new Zoomander camera phone. After around ten rings, a customer
service representative named Christopher came on the line. I explained the
trouble I had with my phone, but he did not seem to listen. I had to repeat
my explanation again and again because he constantly asked me the same
questions. Christopher then asked me to wait for a few minutes, but when he
returned he told me that he couldn’t help me. It was a dreadfully frustrating
experience for me.
I am very disappointed because I was expecting superior service. Since I still
cannot use my phone for business, much of my valuable time has been lost.
I bought a phone of another brand and have decided to return my Zoomander
camera phone as soon as possible. I also demand a full refund of my money. I
am hopeful that everything will work out in the end. I will be notifying—my
family, my colleagues, and my friends regarding this incident.
Sincerely,

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Miguel Magbanua

44 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

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Unit 3 Test Reading/Literature

9
19 Which statement is not 21 Which sentence should Miguel
consistent with the overall tone write at the beginning of his
of the letter? letter in order to make his
A I also demand a full refund of purpose most clear?
my money. A I am writing to Zoomander
B It was a dreadfully President Ms. A. B. Hall to
frustrating experience for me. complain about one employee
in the Zoomander customer
C I am hopeful that everything service department.
will work out in the end.
B This letter is to complain about
D I am very disappointed the service I recently received
because I was expecting from a Zoomander customer
superior service. service representative
regarding a defective product.
C Christopher in Zoomander’s
20 Read this sentence from the customer service department
third paragraph. is a bad employee, and he
should be dealt with promptly.
I will be notifying—my family, D I’m having trouble with my
my colleagues, and my friends new Zoomander phone, and I
regarding this incident. need immediate assistance.

How should the underlined

part of the sentence be written?
A notifying: my family,
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

B notifying my family
C notifying; my family,
D notifying my family,

Unit 3 Test, Reading/Literature 45

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9 Reading/Literature Unit 3 Test

The following questions are 23 Read this sentence.

not about a passage. Read and
answer each question.
The cold seeped in and creeped
up my spine when I opened the
22 Read this sentence. door of the old mine.

My broken leg is costing me What is the correct way to

money, giving me stress, and it write the underlined words?
took away my valuable time.
A seeped in and crept up
How should the underlined B sept in and crept up
part of the sentence be written? C seep in and creep up
A cost me money, give me D Leave as is.
stress, and took away my
valuable time.
B costing me money, giving me
stress, or it took away my
valuable time.
C costing me money, gave me
stress, and it took away my
valuable time.
D costing me money, giving me
stress, and taking away my
valuable time.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

46 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

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Unit 3 Test Reading/Literature

9
24 Read the following sentence. 25 Read these sentences.

I was put on hold by the phone By the time I arrived at the

operator for fifteen minutes. restaurant, all of my friends
are eating lunch. I quickly sat
What is the correct way to down to join them.
rewrite the sentence using the
active voice? What form of the verb should
A The phone operator put me replace the underlined words
on hold for fifteen minutes. to maintain consistency of verb
tense?
B By the phone operator, I
was put on hold for fifteen A ate
minutes. B is eating
C For fifteen minutes, the C were eating
phone operator held me. D will have eaten
D Leave as is.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Unit 3 Test, Reading/Literature 47

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9 Writing Applications Unit 3 Test

Writing Application: Narrative Writing

Writing Task: By this point in your life, you have experienced many
things. You have probably been to a variety of places and met a variety
of people. Think about an experience you have had that taught you an
important lesson.
Write a composition in which you narrate a sequence of events from your
life that taught you something. In your autobiographical narrative, be
sure to include specific details about time and place and to explain the
significance of the events to your audience.

CHECKLIST FOR YOUR WRITING

The following checklist will help you do your best work. Make sure you
❑ read the explanation of the writing task carefully.
❑ support and develop your ideas with specific details and examples.
❑ organize your writing with a strong introduction, body, and conclusion.
❑ use precise language that is best-suited to your audience and purpose.
❑ vary your sentences to add interest to your writing.
❑ check for errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence
structure.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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Unit 3 Test Writing Applications

9
Writing Application: Response to Literature
Writing Task: Read “Liberty” in Unit 1 of your student text. As you read,
notice how the author uses foreshadowing in the story. Write an essay in
which you explain how the author uses foreshadowing and what effect this
use has on the reader and on the mood of the story. Be sure to support your
ideas with details and examples from the story. Write for your teacher, who
has also read “Liberty.”

CHECKLIST FOR YOUR WRITING

The following checklist will help you do your best work. Make sure you
❑ read the passage and the explanation of the writing task carefully.
❑ include specific details and examples from the passage to show you
understand the author’s purpose.
❑ organize your writing with a strong introduction, body, and conclusion.
❑ use precise language that is best-suited to your audience and purpose.
❑ vary your sentences to add interest to your writing.
❑ check for errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence
structure.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Unit 3 Test, Writing Applications 49

Unit 4 Assessment
Reading/Literature
G R A D E

9 Reading/Literature Unit 4 Test

Clue Duo
1 Omar and I are the Clue Duo, the best detectives at Wayside High School.
That’s why Maria came to us with her mystery. Maria refused to climb up the
Clue Duo tree, our office, so she just shouted up to us from the ground.
2 “Someone left notes in my locker,” Maria shouted.
3 “Sounds serious,” I said mysteriously.
4 “They’re nice notes. You could say I’ve got a secret admirer,” Maria said,
blushing.
5 “Hmmm,” said Omar, sounding important, “we’ll take the case!” He jumped
down from the tree. I followed.
6 “Where’s the evidence?” I asked.
7 “The what?” Maria look confused.
8 “The notes,” Omar explained.
9 “Oh, here.” Maria started handing us three pieces of notebook paper.
10 “How and when did you receive these?” I asked, sounding official.
11 “Umm. They were in my locker three days in a row after lunch,” Maria
explained.
12 “Does anyone know your locker combination?” I asked.
“No. They were probably slipped through the cracks,” Maria explained.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

13

14 “Ingenious!” Omar declared.

15 “May we examine the notes?” I asked politely.
16 “I guess so,” Maria responded, blushing. Omar and I unfolded the notes. One
read, “I think you’re cool.” The next read, “I see you in school.” The third read,
“Can you solve the mystery?” Something was familiar about the handwriting. I
looked at Omar, but he was looking at Maria.
17 “We’ll . . . ah . . . investigate and get back to you,” I told Maria as the bell rang.
We headed inside. As Maria opened her locker, another note fell out. She read it,
then handed it to me. It read, “Just look in the tree.”
18 “Well . . . I think I’ve got an idea,” I said, turning to Maria, but she was already
walking down the hill, hand-in-hand with Omar himself.

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Unit 4 Test Reading/Literature

9
1 Read this sentence from the 3 Which of the following best
passage. describes when the story takes
place?
“They were in my locker three A It takes place at night.
days in a row after lunch,” Maria
B It takes place during class.
explained.
C It takes place over the
The underlined words are used weekend.
to suggest that the three days D It takes place during a class
happened break.
A rarely.
B quickly.
4 This selection could effectively
C alternately.
be adapted for presentation as
D consecutively. a comedy because it has a(n)
A sad ending.
B amusing plot.
2 What trait of the narrator is
most evident in paragraphs 10 C brief dialogue.
through 12? D intriguing mystery.
A He is methodical.
B He is curious.
C He is outgoing.
D He is adventurous.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Unit 4 Test, Reading/Literature 53

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9 Reading/Literature Unit 4 Test

A Flock of Teams
1 Cardinalfan: Hey. Are you online?
2 Ravenfan: Hey, Leroy. What are you doing?
3 Cardinalfan: Research for a school paper. What about you?
4 Ravenfan: Same here. Are you looking up how the Ravens are going to cream
the Cardinals in the game tomorrow?
5 Cardinalfan: Hah? You wish. The Cardinals are totally going to win. We’ve
won our last three games.
6 Ravenfan: Yeah, but you lost the four games before that. We have the best
record in the league.
7 Cardinalfan: You only have the best record because the Bears had to miss the
game.
8 Ravenfan: We still have the best record. Come on, even our uniforms are
better than the Cardinals’ uniforms!
9 Cardinalfan: Now I know you’re desperate. You really don’t have anything to
back up your claims. You barely won your last game.
10 Ravenfan: We won by four points. Winning is winning. You’re just jealous. You
only won your last game because the referee was biased in your favor.
11 Cardinalfan: That’s not true. The referee made plenty of calls that went
against us.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

12 Ravenfan: He only made three calls against you.
13 Cardinalfan: Well, I think that’s ample. The Ravens always have the referees
on their side.
14 Ravenfan: Now you’re making me laugh! The referees call plenty of fouls on
our players. They’re harder on our players because we have the best record.
15 Cardinalfan: There you go with the best record claim again! I guess we’re
going to have to agree to disagree here. I have to get to work on my paper.
16 Ravenfan: I hear you, buddy. I have to get working, too. See you at the game
tomorrow.

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Unit 4 Test Reading/Literature

9
5 The word cream in line 4 8 Throughout the conversation,
suggests that the Ravens are the focus is on
going to A the competing teams.
A fight the Cardinals. B the Ravens.
B lose to the Cardinals. C the research papers.
C defeat the Cardinals. D Leroy.
D hang out with the Cardinals.

6 The conversation between the

two fans creates a tone that is
A polite.
B serious.
C calm.
D competitive.

7 Read this excerpt from the

passage.

Cardinalfan: Well I think that’s

ample. The Ravens always have
the referees on their side.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Which word could best replace

the underlined word to make
the meaning more precise?
A over
B plenty
C lavish
D slight

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9 Reading/Literature Unit 4 Test

The following is a short story written by a student. It may contain errors.

Changing Fashions

1 Caroline had collected a pile of reference books from the library. She was going
to make a couple of posters to announce a play. Caroline knew the director, and
he had given her this chance to use her drawing skills. The reference books were
to make sure she got everything just right.
2 It hadn’t seemed like a complicated task, at least not until she read the note he
had given her. “FYI: This play takes place in England in the 1600s. It was when
weskits were beginning to be worn by men. So it’s important that your posters
show this correctly.” All she had to do now was a figure out how to draw what he
had asked for.
3 The problem was that Caroline had no idea what a weskit was; however, she
opened a dictionary and looked it up. Reading the definition wasn’t too helpful. It
said the word weskit was a short form of waistcoat. It was also another name for
vest, which came from veste, a French word meaning “short jacket.”
4 Of course she knew what a vest was. It was a piece of clothing that had no
sleeves and no collar. Both men and women wore vests. The word waistcoat was
pronounced “weskit” in old times.
5 But wait a minute, Caroline thought. She went back quickly to the definition
of waistcoat. She learned that, in the 1600s, a waistcoat was something that only
men wore.
Caroline’s head was spinning like a top from all the information. But at least

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

6
now, she knew what the director meant. All she had to do now was find a picture
of a weskit, the kind a man would have worn in England in the 1600s.
7 I guess it’s back to the library, Caroline, she told herself. It’s just what I need—a
few more books.

56 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

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Unit 4 Test Reading/Literature

9
9 Read these sentences from 11 What does Caroline reveal
paragraph 2 of the story. about herself in paragraph 7
when she thinks, “It’s just what
This play takes place in England I need—a few more books.”
in the 1600s. It was when A She is a poor reader.
weskits were beginning to be
B She is worried about her
worn by men.
poster.
C She is becoming weary of
What is the correct way to
research.
rewrite the second sentence
using the active voice? D She is excited to return to
the library.
A It was when weskits were
beginning to be used.
B It was when men began to
wear weskits. 12 If the story were continued, the
next part would be about
C It was when men were
beginning to be dressed in A something Caroline discovers at
weskits. the library.
D Leave as is. B the opening night of the play.
C the cast of the play.
D the kind of men who wore
10 Which of the following sentences weskits.
does not fit the topic of the
paragraph in which it appears?
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

A The word waistcoat was

pronounced “weskit” in old
times. (paragraph 4)
B It said the word weskit was
a short form of waistcoat.
(paragraph 3)
C It was also another name for
vest, which came from veste, a
French word meaning “short
jacket.” (paragraph 3)
D She learned that, in the 1600s,
a waistcoat was something that
only men wore. (paragraph 5)

Unit 4 Test, Reading/Literature 57

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9 Reading/Literature Unit 4 Test

The following questions are not 15 Read the sentence.

based on a passage. Read and
answer each item.
Harry and I push and clawed our
way to the front of the crowd.
13 Read the sentence.
What is the correct way to
Darrell bought burgers from the write the underlined words?
restaurant and gives some to his
A push and claws
nephew.
B pushed and claw
Which of the following is C pushes and claws
the best way to rewrite the D pushed and clawed
sentence?
A He bought burgers from the
restaurant, and some given to
Darrell’s nephew.
B Darrell bought burgers from
the restaurant and gave some
to his nephew.
C Darrell bought burgers
from the restaurant and his
nephew was given some.
D When Darrell bought the
burgers from the restaurant,
and some gave his nephew.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

14 Read the sentence.

The biology teacher is a major hit

with his students: his classes are
so engaging!

How should the underlined part

of the sentence be written?
A students, his classes
B students! His classes
C students; his classes
D students—his classes

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Unit 4 Test Reading/Literature

9
Read the following selections and consider how they are similar and different.

Selection A

The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls

By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The tide rises, the tide falls,

The twilight darkens, the curlew calls;
Along the sea-sands damp and brown
The traveler hastens toward the town,
5 And the tide rises, the tide falls.
Darkness settles on roofs and walls,
But the sea, the sea in the darkness calls;
The little waves, with their soft, white hands,
Efface the footprints in the sands,
10 And the tide rises, the tide falls.
The morning breaks; the steeds in their stalls
Stamp and neigh, as the hostler calls;
The day returns, but nevermore
Returns the traveler to the shore,
15 And the tide rises, the tide falls.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Unit 4 Test, Reading/Literature 59

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9 Reading/Literature Unit 4 Test

Selection B

A Day
By Emily Dickinson

I’ll tell you how the sun rose,

A ribbon at a time.
The steeples swam in amethyst,
The news like squirrels ran.
5 The hills untied their bonnets,
The bobolinks begun.
Then I said softly to myself,
“That must have been the sun!”
But how he set, I know not.
10 There seemed a purple stile
Which little yellow boys and girls
Were climbing all the while
Till when they reached the other side,
A dominie in gray
15 Put gently up the evening bars,
And led the flock away.
NOTE: a dominie is a clergyman.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

60 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

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Unit 4 Test Reading/Literature

9
16 In line 8 of the “The Tide 18 One feature of the first poem
Rises, the Tide Falls,” the that classifies it as literature
poet personifies the waves in from the Romantic period is its
order to A imagery that supports its
A remind the reader that the theme.
waves are a character. B natural images that suggest
B describe the sound of the emotions.
waves. C romantic words that convey
C illustrate that the waves are ideas of love.
not big at all. D repetition and rhyme that
D suggest the texture and create a somber tone.
appearance of the waves.

19 In line 6 of “A Day,” what does

17 Which universal theme is the phrase “The hills untied
addressed in both poems? their bonnets” refer to?
A Nature moves in cycles. A the sun rising higher and
B People fail to appreciate higher in the sky
nature. B the hats worn by people
C Society must not lose touch taking a morning stroll
with nature. C the morning light spreading
D There are parts of nature we across the countryside
will never understand. D the children waking up at the
break of day
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

20 Which literary device do both

Longfellow and Dickinson use?
A imagery
B dialogue
C foreshadowing
D repetition

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9 Reading/Literature Unit 4 Test

From The Taming of the Shrew

By William Shakespeare

ACT III
SCENE II Padua. Before BAPTISTA’S house.
[Enter BAPTISTA, GREMIO, TRANIO, KATHERINE, BIANCA,
LUCENTIO, and others, attendants]
BAPTISTA [To TRANIO] Signior Lucentio, this is the ’pointed day
That Katherine and Petruchio should be married,
And yet we hear not of our son-in-law.
What will be said? what mockery will it be,
To want the bridegroom when the priest attends
To speak the ceremonial rites of marriage?
What says Lucentio to this shame of ours?
KATHERINE No shame but mine. I must, forsooth, be forced
To give my hand opposed against my heart
Unto a mad-brain rudesby full of spleen,
Who woo’d in haste and means to wed at leisure.
I told you, I, he was a frantic fool,
Hiding his bitter jests in blunt behavior;
And, to be noted for a merry man,
He’ll woo a thousand, ’point the day of marriage,
Make feasts, invite friends, and proclaim the banes,
Yet never means to wed where he hath woo’d.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Now must the world point at poor Katherine,
And say, ‘Lo, there is mad Petruchio’s wife,
If it would please him come and marry her!’
TRANIO Patience, good Katherine, and Baptista too.
Upon my life, Petruchio means but well,
Whatever fortune stays him from his word.
Though he be blunt, I know him passing wise;
Though he be merry, yet withal he’s honest.
KATHERINE Would Katherine had never seen him though!
[Exit weeping, followed by BIANCA and others]

62 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

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Unit 4 Test Reading/Literature

9
BAPTISTA Go, girl, I cannot blame thee now to weep,
For such an injury would vex a very saint,
Much more a shrew of thy impatient humour.
[Enter BIONDELLO]
BIONDELLO Master, master, news, old news, and such news as you never
heard of !
BAPTISTA Is it new and old too? how may that be?
BIONDELLO Why, is it not news, to hear of Petruchio’s coming?
BAPTISTA Is he come?
BIONDELLO Why, no, sir.
BAPTISTA What then?
BIONDELLO He is coming.
BAPTISTA When will he be here?
BIONDELLO When he stands where I am and sees you there.
TRANIO But say, what to thine old news?
BIONDELLO Why, Petruchio is coming in a new hat and an old jerkin; a pair
of old breeches thrice turned; a pair of boots that have been candle-
cases, one buckled, another laced; an old rusty sword ta’en out of the
town-armory, with a broken hilt, and chapeless; with two broken points;
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

his horse hipped with an old mothy saddle and stirrups of no kindred;
besides, possessed with the glanders and like to mose in the chine,
troubled with the lampass, infected with the fashions, full of wingdalls,
sped with spavins, rayed with yellows, past cure of the fives, stark
spoiled with the staggers, begnawn with the bots, swayed in the back
and shoulder-shotten, near-legged before and with, a half-chequed bit
and a head-stall of sheeps leather which, being restrained to keep him
from stumbling, hath been often burst and now repaired with knots; one
girth six time pieced and a woman’s crupper of velure, which hath two
letters for her name fairly set down in studs, and here and there pieced
with packthread. . . .

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9 Reading/Literature Unit 4 Test

21 Which of the following features 23 Read these lines spoken by

indicates that this play is a Baptista at the beginning of the
comedy? scene.
A the title, “ The Taming of the
Shrew” What will be said? what mockery
B the description of Petruchio’s will it be,
bizarre behavior To want the bridegroom when the
C Baptista’s reaction to the priest attends
lateness of Petruchio To speak the ceremonial rites of
D Katherine’s weeping while marriage?
waiting for Petruchio What says Lucentio to this
shame of ours?

22 In this excerpt, Biondello’s Baptista’s words in this excerpt

monologue serves to signify that
A introduce the characters to A he does not want Petruchio to
Petruchio. marry his daughter.
B emphasize the importance of B he is very concerned about
dressing well. the opinions of others.
C prepare readers for C he believes Petruchio’s
Petruchio’s entrance. lateness to be amusing.
D convince Katherine to forgive D Petruchio still loves
Petruchio’s behavior. Katherine despite his
behavior.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

64 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

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Unit 4 Test Reading/Literature

9
24 Which literary device is 25 Biondello’s replies to Baptista’s
Baptista using when he says, questions can best be described as
following Katherine’s exit, “For A heated.
such an injury would vex a
very saint”? B somber.
A hyperbole C anxious.
B metaphor D playful.
C irony
D onomatopoeia
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Unit 4 Test, Reading/Literature 65

Unit 5 Assessment
Reading/Literature
G R A D E

9 Reading/Literature Unit 5 Test

The passages below are from rough drafts of students’ reports and may contain
errors.
Document A

Mighty Jupiter
1 The planet Jupiter is truly one of the marvels of our solar system. It is by
far the largest of our eight planets. In fact, its mass is about two-and-a-half
times the mass of all the other planets put together. Comparing Jupiter to our
humble Earth is like comparing a basketball to a pea. Jupiter is 318 times
more massive than Earth and has a diameter that is eleven times greater.
2 Scientists believe that Jupiter has no solid rock surface. Instead, it is a
gaseous planet, composed mostly of hydrogen and helium. What we can see
of Jupiter from Earth is merely the top of gaseous clouds in Jupiter’s upper
atmosphere. A distinctive feature of Jupiter’s atmosphere is the “Great
Red Spot,” located in the planet’s southern hemisphere. This region is a
tremendous storm system big enough to contain three Earths. The storm
rotates counterclockwise, completing one revolution every six days.
3 Jupiter is orbited by sixteen moons, ranging in size from 10 miles to more
than 3,000 miles in diameter. The planet is also circled by faint rings composed
of microscopic particles. These particles are made from the dust expelled
when meteoroids smash into Jupiter’s four small inner moons. The rings
were discovered in 1979 by the spaceship Voyager, and their existence took
scientists completely by surprise.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

68 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

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Unit 5 Test Reading/Literature

9
Document B

Asteroid
1 In our solar system, eight planets revolve around the Sun, and seven of
these planets have natural moons. In addition, the solar system is home to an
extremely large number of asteroids.
2 Asteroids are rocks that are composed mostly of the same materials as rocks
here on Earth—calcium, iron, and nickel, for example. These space rocks
occupy the far reaches of our solar system, but the largest concentration of
asteroids can be found between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. This area has
so many asteroids, in fact, that it has been named the Asteroid Belt. The belt
is made up of thousands of asteroids, which vary in size from tiny pebbles to
behemoths, but few are more than 120 miles in diameter.
3 Scientists believe that the asteroids formed in much the same way as
did the planets. As solid material slowly condensed from the early gaseous
universe, pieces of this material were drawn together by the force of gravity.
With the help of many violent collisions, chunks of this material became larger
and larger, eventually growing into the moons and planets of our solar system.
Although asteroids in the belt began to form at the same time and in the same
way as the planets, they were never able to combine into anything approaching
planetary size. This was mostly due to the influence of their colossal neighbor,
the planet Jupiter. Jupiter is so large and exerts such a strong gravitational
pull on objects near it, that the asteroids in the belt have never been able to
overcome Jupiter’s attraction.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Unit 5 Test, Reading/Literature 69

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9 Reading/Literature Unit 5 Test

1 Read this sentence. 3 Read this sentence from

Document B.
Jupiter is orbited by sixteen
moons, ranging in size from Asteroids are rocks that are
10 miles to over 3,000 miles in composed mostly of the same
diameter. materials as rocks here on Earth–
calcium, iron, and nickel, for
What is the correct way to example.
rewrite the sentence using the
active voice? The word Asteroids comes
A Sixteen moons, ranging in size from the
from 10 miles to over 3,000 A Latin word for life.
miles in diameter, orbit Jupiter. B Greek god Ares, god of war.
B Ranging in size from 10 miles C Roman god Jupiter, ruler of
to over 3,000 miles in the Roman gods.
diameter, Jupiter is orbited
by sixteen moons. D Greek word for star.
C Jupiter, ranging in size from
10 miles to over 3,000 miles
in diameter, is orbited by
sixteen moons.
D Leave as is.

2 Which of the following

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

would be the best source of
information regarding recent
asteroid observations?
A a student essay on meteors and
asteroids
B a feature article on asteroids
in the morning paper
C a book chapter titled
“Astrology in the Stars”
D an article on asteroids in the
latest edition of a science
journal

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The following is a rough draft of a student’s report and may contain errors.

The History of Domesticated Cats

1 Humans and cats have had a long history of living together. In fact,
archaeological evidence shows that humans may have begun domesticating cats
more than five thousand years ago, beginning in Egypt, where nomadic hunters
and gatherers began to settle and farm. As the Egyptians developed permanent
farming settlements with large silos of stored grain, rodents became a problem.
Mice and rats immediately flocked to the storehouses, foraging for fresh grains to
eat. The Egyptians noticed their supplies being depleted and were determined to
do something about the problem.
2 The Egyptians began to lure wild cats to the storehouses by feeding them.
When the rodent problems continued to increase, Egyptians began to put the
cats inside their grain storehouses to defend their winter supplies against
the intruding mice and rats. The cats did an excellent job of eliminating the
uninvited guests, and they became much valued for their “mousing” skills.
3 Not only were the cats helpful in protecting the harvests of early Egyptian
society, the cats also decreased the possibility that humans would come into
contact with diseases commonly carried by rodents.
4 Because of their unmatched mousing skills, cats became highly regarded in
Egypt. They were so respected, in fact, that a law was passed forbidding their
exportation. Eventually, however, the domesticated cat made its way to Greece,
probably aboard trading ships, where it was also a useful rodent controller.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

5 From these beginnings, domesticated cats spread throughout Europe and

Asia. The expansion of the Roman Empire and the missionary movements of
Christian and Buddhist monks assisted in the spread of domesticated cats. The
monks brought cats with them on their travels. They wanted to be sure that
wherever they lodged, rodents wouldn’t trespass in the sleeping quarters. By the
sixth century, domesticated cats were widespread in Persia, and by the eleventh
century, they had reached China. Finally, by the middle of the fifteenth century,
domesticated cats populated every country in Europe. Felines had become a
significant presence in many cultures.
6 Cats were used all over Europe to chase away offending animals. In Scotland,
the cat was considered a mighty warrior against rats. In Asia, cats were valued
as exotic pets and revered religiously as a protection against rodents. Even
paintings and statues of cats were believed to be able to ward off mice.
7 Towards the end of the fifteenth century, domesticated cats began to make their
way to other continents. Once again, the mode of transport was by ship. Cats
spread to the Americas as Spain began using the seas to access unexplored lands

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and, eventually, back to their home continent of Africa. Ironically, domesticated

cats had not already spread from Egypt throughout the rest of the African
continent. Domesticated cats arrived on the southern tip of Africa only with the
help of Spanish traders and colonists.

4 Which of the following is the 5 The student wants to add the

best statement of the student’s following sentence to his
thesis? report.
A Humans began domesticating
cats over five thousand years In Ireland, cats were kept in
ago in Egypt. churches to scare away lurking
B Domesticated cats went snakes.
around the world even before
they finally reached the Where should he add this
southern tip of their home sentence?
continent. A at the end of paragraph 1
C Cats are useful because they B in the middle of paragraph 3
decrease the possibility of C at the end of paragraph 4
humans contacting diseases
commonly carried by rodents. D in the middle of paragraph 6
D Cats have become significant
to many cultures because
they help protect against
rodents and other animals.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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6 Read this sentence. 7 Which question, if researched,
could provide the best
Cats spread to the Americas as information on the relationship
Spain began using the seas to between cats and public health
access unexplored lands and, in today’s world?
eventually, back to their home A Why do people suffer from
continent of Africa. allergies?
B Do cats help people live
What is the correct way to longer and more productive
write this sentence? lives?
A Eventually, back to their home
C How long have cats and
continent of Africa, cats spread
humans been living together?
to the Americas as Spain
began using the seas to access D What human diseases did
unexplored lands. cats protect against in
ancient Egypt?
B Eventually, cats spread to
the Americas as Spain began
using the seas to access
unexplored lands and back to
their home continent of Africa.
C As Spain began using the
seas to access unexplored
lands, cats spread to the
Americas and, eventually,
back to their home continent
of Africa.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

D Leave as is.

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The following is a rough draft of a student’s report and may contain errors.

Don’t Feed the Dolphins

1 Dolphins are smart, cute creatures that many people would love to have for
pets if they could only find a pool that was big enough. But did you know that
it’s against the law to feed wild dolphins? It is illegal under the federal Marine
Mammal Protection Act.
2 “I know that people find wild dolphins fascinating, and Phiney in particular. It’s
so tempting to want to pet or feed them. But we need to realize that it is harmful
and illegal under federal law,” said Taylor Moore, a marine biologist in the Offices
of Protected Marine Resources. “The best way to help protect Phiney, and other
wild dolphins like him, is to observe the animals at a respectful distance. People
should also avoid doing anything that might risk harassing the dolphins. We
can’t chase, touch, or swim with the animals.”
3 While movies and TV shows would tell you otherwise, it can be harmful for both
humans and wild dolphins if they are too friendly with each other.
4 Because of their perpetual smiles, dolphins have a reputation for being friendly.
However, wild dolphins are not very different from wild lions. They should be
treated with respect and caution, both for the dolphins’ and the humans’ sakes.
Interaction with people changes dolphins’ behavior. Being friendly with humans
encourages the dolphins to lose their natural wariness, therefore making
themselves vulnerable to shark attacks. The act of feeding a wild dolphin might
also be fatal to them as they can easily be injured by boat propellers and fishing
lines. They can also get sick from eating human food.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

5 Dolphins are also natural hunters. If they learn that begging for food is the
easy way out, they might stop hunting, lose their fear of humans, and just wait to
be fed. It also disrupts their social groups and threatens their ability to survive in
the wild. Mothers would compete with their young for the food that humans offer
instead of teaching them to forage and feed themselves.
6 Finally, dolphins are very dangerous, despite the cute and cuddly “pets” that
are seen in movies. Those dolphins are actually trained. The wild dolphins might
and will bite when angry or frustrated. People who swim with wild dolphins do
disturb them, and dolphin bites have been reported.
7 Please let the wild ones stay wild.

Bibliography

National Dolphin Protection Campaign. 1 September 1999. 12 December 2007.

Offices of Protected Marine Resources. <http://www.opmr.com/ndpc.htm>

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8 What information could the 9 What is the correct way
student add to paragraph 2 to to list the Web site in the
best support the information bibliography, per MLA style
provided there? guidelines?
A what other activities harm A National Dolphin Protection
dolphins Campaign. “Offices of
B who Phiney is and what Protected Marine Resources.”
happened to him 1 September 1999. 12
December 2007 <http://www.
C who Taylor Moore is opmr.com/ndpc.htm>.
D how people can protect and B “National Dolphin Protection
observe the dolphins Campaign.” Offices of
Protected Marine Resources.
1 September 1999. 12
December 2007 <http://www.
opmr.com/ndpc.htm>.
C “National Dolphin Protection
Campaign.” Offices of
Protected Marine Resources.
1 September 1999. 12
December 2007 <http://www.
opmr.com/ndpc.htm>.
D National Dolphin Protection
Campaign. Offices of
Protected Marine Resources.
1 September 1999. 12
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

December 2007 <http://www.

opmr.com/ndpc.htm>.

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From The Last Class—A Story of a Little Alsatian

By Alphonse Daudet
1 “Go at once to your seat, my little Frantz; we were going to begin without you.”
2 I stepped over the bench and sat down at once at my desk. Not until then, when
I had partly recovered from my fright, did I notice that our teacher had on his
handsome blue coat, his plaited ruff, and the black silk embroidered breeches,
which he wore only on days of inspection or on distribution of prizes. Moreover,
there was something extraordinary, something solemn about the whole class. But
what surprised me most was to see at the back of the room, on the benches which
were usually empty, some people from the village sitting, as silent as we were: old
Hauser with his three-cornered hat, the ex-mayor, the ex-postman, and others
besides. They all seemed depressed; and Hauser had brought an old spelling-
book with gnawed edges, which he held wide-open on his knee, with his great
spectacles askew.
3 While I was wondering at all this, Monsieur Hamel had mounted his platform,
and in the same gentle and serious voice with which he had welcomed me, he
said to us:
4 “My children, this is the last time that I shall teach you. Orders have come from
Berlin to teach nothing but German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The
new teacher arrives tomorrow. This is the last class in French, so I beg you to be
very attentive.”
5 Those few words overwhelmed me. Ah! the villains! that was what they had
posted at the mayor’s office.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

6 My last class in French!
7 And I barely knew how to write! So I should never learn! I must stop short
where I was! How angry I was with myself because of the time I had wasted,
the lessons I had missed, running about after nests, or sliding on the Saar! My
books, which only a moment before I thought so tiresome, so heavy to carry—my
grammar, my sacred history—seemed to me now like old friends, from whom I
should be terribly grieved to part. And it was the same about Monsieur Hamel.
The thought that he was going away, that I should never see him again, made me
forget the punishments, the blows with the ruler.
8 Poor man! It was in honour of that last lesson that he had put on his fine Sunday
clothes; and I understood now why those old fellows from the village were sitting
at the end of the room. It seemed to mean that they regretted not having come
oftener to the school. It was also a way of thanking our teacher for his forty years
of faithful service, and of paying their respects to the fatherland which was
vanishing.

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9 I was at that point in my reflections, when I heard my name called. It was
my turn to recite. What would I not have given to be able to say from beginning
to end that famous rule about participles, in a loud, distinct voice, without a
slip! But I got mixed up at the first words, and I stood there swaying against
my bench, with a full heart, afraid to raise my head. I heard Monsieur Hamel
speaking to me:
10 “I will not scold you, my little Frantz; you must be punished enough; that is
the way it goes; every day we say to ourselves: ‘Pshaw! I have time enough. I
will learn to-morrow.’ And then you see what happens. Ah! it has been the great
misfortune of our Alsace always to postpone its lessons until to-morrow. Now
those people are entitled to say to us: ‘What! you claim to be French, and you can
neither speak nor write your language!’ In all this, my poor Frantz, you are not
the guiltiest one. We all have our fair share of reproaches to address to ourselves.
11 “Your parents have not been careful enough to see that you were educated.
They preferred to send you to work in the fields or in the factories, in order to
have a few more coins. And have I nothing to reproach myself for? Have I not
often made you water my garden instead of studying? And when I wanted to go
fishing for trout, have I ever hesitated to dismiss you?”
12 Then, passing from one thing to another, Monsieur Hamel began to talk to us
about the French language, saying that it was the most beautiful language in the
world, the most clear, the most substantial; that we must always retain it among
ourselves, and never forget it, because when a people falls into servitude, “so long
as it clings to its language, it is as if it held the key to its prison.” Then he took the
grammar and read us our lesson. I was amazed to see how readily I understood.
Everything that he said seemed so easy to me, so easy. I believed, too, that I had
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

never listened so closely, and that he, for his part, had never been so patient with
his explanations. One would have said that, before going away, the poor man
desired to give us all his knowledge, to force it all into our heads at a single blow.

10 The central conflict in this

excerpt can best be described as
A internal—Frantz and his guilt
for not being a better student.
B internal—M. Hamel and his
feelings against the Germans.
C external—Frantz and his
teacher, M. Hamel.
D external—M. Hamel and the
older students who joined the
class.

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11 Read this sentence from the 13 In paragraph 9 of the story, the

passage. narrator is feeling
A angry.
Until then, when I had partly B proud.
recovered from my fright, did
I notice that our teacher had C depressed.
on his handsome blue coat, his D embarrassed.
plaited ruff, and the black silk
embroidered breeches, which he
wore only on days of inspection
or of distribution of prizes. 14 Read the following excerpt
from paragraph 10.
The image of the teacher in “his
handsome blue coat” alludes to I will not scold you, my little
the fact that there is something Frantz; you must be punished
enough; that is the way it goes;
A different about that day in every day we say to ourselves:
class. ‘Pshaw! I have time enough. I
B special about the narrator. will learn to-morrow.’ And then
C scary about the story’s tone. you see what happens.
D unbelievable about the story’s
setting. This excerpt shows that
Monsieur Hamel is
A ignorant.
12 In paragraph 7, Frantz thinks
B resigned.
of the time when he had gone
playing, running about after C vague.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

nest, and sliding on the Saar. D idealistic.
This scene can be considered a
A flash forward, because it
includes a scene that will
happen later.
B flashback, because it includes
a scene from before the story
began.
C foreshadowing because it
hints at a future event.
D metaphor, because it
compares Frantz’s memory to
something else.

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15 If this scene from “The Last The following questions are not
Class” were being turned into based on a passage. Read and
a play, what part of the story answer each item.
could not be easily adapted?
A the dialogue between M. Hamel 16 Which of these synonyms for
and the narrator loyal means having unwavering
B the narrator’s monologues persistence?
about his regrets A faithful
C the narrator’s memories of B trustworthy
missing previous lessons
C steadfast
D the descriptions of the setting
and characters D dedicated

17 Read the sentence.

Literature and poetry flourished

during the Elizabethan period.

In this sentence, period means

A any unspecified division or
portion of time.
B a punctuation mark used to
end a sentence.
C parts of equal length into
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

which a game is divided.

D an interval of time that is
meaningful in history.

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18 Read this sentence.

The Sierra Nevada to the east,

Cascade Mountains to the north,
and the Sonoran Desert to the
south and southeast isolate
California from the rest of the
continent of North America.

What is the correct way to

write the underlined words?
A the south and southeast
isolates California
B the south and southeast had
isolated California
C the south and southeast has
isolated California
D Leave as is.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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From Julius Caesar
By William Shakespeare
ACT II. SCENE II.
Enter DECIUS.
DECIUS. Caesar, all hail! Good morrow, worthy Caesar!
I come to fetch you to the Senate House.
CAESAR. And you are come in very happy time
To bear my greeting to the senators,
5 And tell them that I will not come today.
Cannot, is false; and that I dare not, falser:
I will not come today. Tell them so, Decius.
CALPURNIA. Say he is sick.
CAESAR. Shall Caesar send a lie?
10 Have I in conquest stretch’d mine arm so far,
To be afeard to tell greybeards the truth?
Decius, go tell them Caesar will not come.
DECIUS. Most mighty Caesar, let me know some cause,
Lest I be laugh’d at when I tell them so.
15 CAESAR. The cause is in my will, I will not come:
That is enough to satisfy the Senate.
But, for your private satisfaction,
Because I love you, I will let you know.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Calpurnia here, my wife, stays me at home:

20 She dreamt tonight she saw my statue,
Which, like a fountain with an hundred spouts,
Did run pure blood; and many lusty Romans
Came smiling and did bathe their hands in it.
And these does she apply for warnings and portents
25 And evils imminent, and on her knee
Hath begg’d that I will stay at home today.
DECIUS. This dream is all amiss interpreted,
It was a vision fair and fortunate.
Your statue spouting blood in many pipes,
30 In which so many smiling Romans bathed,
Signifies that from you great Rome shall suck
Reviving blood, and that great men shall press
For tinctures, stains, relics, and cognizance.
This by Calpurnia’s dream is signified.

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35 CAESAR. And this way have you well expounded it.

DECIUS. I have, when you have heard what I can say;
And know it now, the Senate have concluded
To give this day a crown to mighty Caesar.
If you shall send them word you will not come,
40 Their minds may change. Besides, it were a mock
Apt to be render’d, for someone to say
“Break up the Senate till another time,
When Caesar’s wife shall meet with better dreams.”
If Caesar hide himself, shall they not whisper
45 “Lo, Caesar is afraid”?
Pardon me, Caesar, for my dear dear love
To your proceeding bids me tell you this;
And reason to my love is liable.
CAESAR. How foolish do your fears seem now, Calpurnia!
50 I am ashamed I did yield to them.
Give me my robe, for I will go.

19 Read these lines from the 20 In lines 39–45, how does Decius
passage. finally talk Caesar into going to
the Capitol?
CAESAR. The cause is in my A He tells Caesar not to heed
will: I will not come, his wife and not to believe her
That is enough to satisfy the dreams.
Senate.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

B He explains that Caesar’s
wife misread the symbolism
What does this excerpt reveal in her dreams.
about Caesar’s character?
C He warns Caesar by saying
A He is a proud man who is that the Senate will laugh at
accustomed to getting what he his reliance on his wife.
wants without question.
D He uses Caesar’s pride
B He is easily frustrated and against him by saying the
is angry that the Senate is Senate will think he’s a
questioning his motives. coward.
C He thinks the Senators are
weak-minded fools who will
be satisfied with anything.
D He hopes that the Senate will
give him the crown even if he
doesn’t come.

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21 One indication that this 23 Reread these lines from the
excerpt was not written by a passage.
modern playwright is
A the theme that power can Calpurnia here, my wife, stays
corrupt, which is irrelevant me at home:
today. She dreamt tonight she saw my
B the language used in the statue,
dialogues, which is Early Which, like a fountain with an
Modern English. hundred spouts,
Did run pure blood; and many
C the presence of Julius Caesar lusty Romans
and the Roman Senate in the Came smiling and did bathe their
plot. hands in it.
D the fact that the characters
believe in the symbolism of
The image invoked in these
dreams.
lines of Caesar’s statue running
red with blood creates a mood of
A joy.
22 Read lines 36–40. What is the
meaning of the phrase “to give B rapture.
this day a crown to mighty C outrage.
Caesar”? D foreboding.
A The day will be a happy one for
Caesar.
B The Senate will deal a blow
to Caesar.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

C The Senate will make Caesar

king of Rome.
D The Senate will give money
to Caesar.

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Compare the following poem to the excerpt from Julius Caesar.

From The Tongues of Toil

By William Francis Barnard
Do you hear the call from a hundred lands
Lords of a dying name?
We are the men of sinewed hands
Whom the earth and the seas acclaim.
5 We are the hoards that made you lords.
And gathered your gear and spoil.
And we speak with a word that should be heard—
Hark to the tongues of toil!
The power of your hands it falls at last,
10 The strength of your rule is o’er,
Where the might of a million slaves is massed
To the shouts of a million more.
We rise, we rise, ‘neath the western skies,
And the dawns of the east afar;
15 And our myriads swarm in the southlands warm,
And under the northern star!
We come, we come, with the force of fate;
We are not weak, but strong.
We parley not, and we cannot wait;
20 We march with a freeman’s song.
We claim for meed what a life we can need

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

That lives as a life should live—
Not less, not more, From the plenteous store
Which freeborn labors give!
25 We shall shape a world as a world should be,
With room enough for all.
We will rear a race of the wise and free,
And not of the great and small.
And the heart and the mind of humankind
30 Shall drink to the dregs of good,
Forgetting the tears of the darker years,
And the curse of bondman’s blood.

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In vain you soften the voice of greed,
In vain you speak us fair;
35 The time is late, and we hark nor heed;
In gladness still we dare.
Yield, then, yield to the force we wield,
To the masses of our might;
We are countless strong at the throat of wrong
40 The warriors of the right!
Yes, we are the captains of the earth
And the warders of the sea—
Of a race new born in nobler birth,
The mighty and the free!
45 We clasp all hands, to the farthest lands;
We swear by our mother soil,
To take the meed who have done the deed!
Hark to the tongues of toil!

24 What literary convention does 25 A theme of both of these

Shakespeare use that Barnard passages is
does not? A the weakness of the powerful
A lines with metered rhythm B anger at injustice.
B dialogue between characters C regret for crimes committed.
C elegant rhyme schemes D the glory of triumph.
D vivid dramatic imagery
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Unit 5 Test, Reading/Literature 85

Unit 6/Semester
Assessments
Reading/Literature
Writing Applications
G R A D E

9 Reading/Literature Unit 6 Test

Refer to the following documents to answer the questions that follow.

Document A

Pinocchio’s Deli
Job Performance Report

Employee’s name: Fiona

Rate the employee in the following areas, using a scale of 1 = never,
2 = sometimes, 3 = frequently, 4 = almost always, 5 = always.

Arrives for shifts on time 4

Keeps the shop clean 3
Adequately stocks supplies 3
Cooperates with coworkers 2
Provides good customer service 2
Accurately maintains cash register 2
Fairly shares duties with coworkers 4
Works hours as scheduled 3
Appears well-groomed and professional 5

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Comments:
Fiona usually arrives on time for her shifts neatly dressed in the proper
uniform. She works well with employees whom she knows well, but she has
a short temper with others. Fiona cooperates but often complains when she is
assigned to clean up the deli.
Her frequent requests for days off make her unreliable. Fiona works fewer
hours per week than any other employee. In addition, Fiona is always on
shift when totals are found to differ by more than $10.
Fiona performs routine maintenance tasks well. Sometimes, however, she
does not complete the tasks as often as needed. This is particularly true in
the case of floor mopping and trash removal. Likewise, napkin shortages
have been a chronic problem.

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Fiona’s treatment of customers is also somewhat variable. Her cheerfulness
appears to decline as the number of customers increases. She has been
observed using a sarcastic tone with customers sometimes. Fiona gives
way too much lip. She must learn to be cordial to her customers on a more
regular basis.
She needs the most improvement in cash-register procedures and the
handling of cash. Errors sometimes occur, resulting in nightly deposits that
are either lower or higher than the totals indicated on register reports.
Current salary: $7 per hour
Revised salary (if applicable):
Supervisor’s signature/date:

Document B

STAFF RULES AND REGULATIONS

PINOCCHIO’S DELI
1. Employees must be punctual and be present on all required working days
and shifts.
2. Employees must practice good grooming and look professional at all times.
3. Employees must respect customers and attend to their concerns in a
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

courteous and efficient manner.

4. Employees must cooperate with coworkers in order to deliver good service
to customers.
5. Employees must protect and maintain the cash register accurately at
all times.
6. Employees must keep all areas of the restaurant clean and orderly.
7. Employees must follow all orders from their superiors and the management.

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9 Reading/Literature Unit 6 Test

1 Based on the supervisor’s 3 Which of the following

comments, the reader could statements best supports the
assume that claim that Fiona needs to
A Fiona works well with all improve her interpersonal
employees. skills?
B Fiona usually arrives late for A Fiona’s treatment of
shifts. customers is also somewhat
variable.
C Fiona likes to look neat
anywhere she goes. B She has been observed
using a sarcastic tone with
D the supervisor is dissatisfied customers sometimes.
with Fiona’s performance.
C Fiona cooperates but often
complains when she is
assigned to clean up the deli.
2 According to her supervisor, D Sometimes, however, she
which of the staff rules of does not complete the tasks
Pinocchio’s Deli does Fiona as often as needed.
need the most improvement in
following?
A rule 1
4 Which sentence is not consistent
B rule 2 with the overall tone of the
C rule 5 evaluation?
D rule 6 A Fiona gives way too much lip.
B Fiona works fewer hours
per week than any other

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

employee.
C Her frequent requests for
days off make her unreliable.
D In addition, Fiona is always
on shift when totals are found
to differ by more than $10.

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5 Read this sentence from the The following items are not
passage. based on a passage. Read and
answer each question.
She works well with employees
whom she knows well, but 6 Which word is derived from the
she has a short temper with name of the Roman god of war?
others.
A volcanic
In this sentence, temper refers B Tuesday
to Fiona’s C martial
A list of duties. D furious
B conversation skills.
C working hours.
D proneness to anger. 7 Read this sentence.

I have witnessed how you

become a child when you don’t
get what you want.

The word child is used mainly

to suggest that the person
spoken to is a
A young boy or girl.
B descendant of someone.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

C person who behaves

immaturely.
D product of particular
circumstances.

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9 Reading/Literature Unit 6 Test

8 Read this sentence. 9 Read this sentence.

Frederick is not the star player, Sheena shrieked and was

he is the most popular and waving when she saw us at the
well-liked member of the team. airport.

What is the correct way to What is the correct way to

write this sentence? write the underlined words?
A Even though Frederick is A shroke and waved
not the star player, he is the B was shrieking and waving
most popular and well-liked
member of the team. C was shrieking and waved
B Frederick is not the star D shrieking and waving
player so he is the most
popular and well-liked
member of the team.
C Either Frederick is not
the star player or he is the
most popular and well-liked
member of the team.
D Frederick is not the most
popular and well-liked
member of the team so he is
the star player.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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Unit 6 Test Reading/Literature

9
From The Garden Party
By Katherine Mansfield

1 Away Laura flew, still holding her piece of bread-and-butter. It’s so delicious to
have an excuse for eating out of doors, and besides, she loved having to arrange
things; she always felt she could do it so much better than anybody else.
2 Four men in their shirt-sleeves stood grouped together on the garden path.
They carried staves covered with rolls of canvas, and they had big tool-bags slung
on their backs. They looked impressive. Laura wished now that she had not got
the bread-and-butter, but there was nowhere to put it, and she couldn’t possibly
throw it away. She blushed and tried to look severe and even a little bit short-
sighted as she came up to them.
3 “Good morning,” she said, copying her mother’s voice. But that sounded so
fearfully affected that she was ashamed, and stammered like a little girl,
“Oh—er—have you come—is it about the marquee?”
4 “That’s right, miss,” said the tallest of the men, a lanky, freckled fellow, and he
shifted his tool-bag, knocked back his straw hat and smiled down at her. “That’s
about it.”
5 His smile was so easy, so friendly that Laura recovered. What nice eyes he had,
small, but such a dark blue! And now she looked at the others, they were smiling
too. “Cheer up, we won’t bite,” their smile seemed to say. How very nice workmen
were! And what a beautiful morning! She mustn’t mention the morning; she must
be business-like. The marquee.
“Well, what about the lily-lawn? Would that do?”
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

7 And she pointed to the lily-lawn with the hand that didn’t hold the bread-
and-butter. They turned, they stared in the direction. A little fat chap thrust out
his under-lip, and the tall fellow frowned.
8 “I don’t fancy it,” said he. “Not conspicuous enough. You see, with a thing like a
marquee,” and he turned to Laura in his easy way, “you want to put it somewhere
where it’ll give you a bang slap in the eye, if you follow me.”
9 Laura’s upbringing made her wonder for a moment whether it was quite
respectful of a workman to talk to her of bangs slap in the eye. But she did quite
follow him.
10 “A corner of the tennis-court,” she suggested. “But the band’s going to be in one
corner.”

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9 Reading/Literature Unit 6 Test

11 “H’m, going to have a band, are you?” said another of the workmen. He was
pale. He had a haggard look as his dark eyes scanned the tennis-court. What was
he thinking?
12 “Only a very small band,” said Laura gently. Perhaps he wouldn’t mind so much
if the band was quite small. But the tall fellow interrupted.
13 “Look here, miss, that’s the place. Against those trees. Over there. That’ll do
fine.”
14 Against the karakas. Then the karaka-trees would be hidden. And they were so
lovely, with their broad, gleaming leaves, and their clusters of yellow fruit. They
were like trees you imagined growing on a desert island, proud, solitary, lifting
their leaves and fruits to the sun in a kind of silent splendour. Must they be
hidden by a marquee?
15 They must. Already the men had shouldered their staves and were making for
the place. Only the tall fellow was left. He bent down, pinched a sprig of lavender,
put his thumb and forefinger to his nose and snuffed up the smell. When Laura
saw that gesture she forgot all about the karakas in her wonder at him caring for
things like that—caring for the smell of lavender. How many men that she knew
would have done such a thing? Oh, how extraordinarily nice workmen were, she
thought. Why couldn’t she have workmen for her friends rather than the silly
boys she danced with and who came to Sunday night supper? She would get on
much better with men like these.
16 It’s all the fault, she decided, as the tall fellow drew something on the back
of an envelope, something that was to be looped up or left to hang, of these
absurd class distinctions. Well, for her part, she didn’t feel them. Not a bit, not

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

an atom . . . And now there came the chock-chock of wooden hammers. Some
one whistled, some one sang out, “Are you right there, matey?” “Matey!” The
friendliness of it, the—the—Just to prove how happy she was, just to show the
tall fellow how at home she felt, and how she despised stupid conventions, Laura
took a big bite of her bread-and-butter as she stared at the little drawing. She felt
just like a work-girl.

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Unit 6 Test Reading/Literature

9
10 This passage can be defined as 12 Read this excerpt from
a work of literature because paragraph 8.
it has
A realistic dialogue. “Not conspicuous enough.
B vivid imagery. You see, with a thing like a
marquee,” and he turned to
C believable characters. Laura in his easy way, “you
D all of the above. want to put it somewhere
where it’ll give you a bang slap
in the eye, if you follow me.”
11 The conflict in this selection
To give one a bang slap in the
can best be described as
eye means to be
A internal: Laura’s feelings
A very accessible.
on how to interact with the
workmen. B very noticeable.
B external: tensions that exist C very easy to follow.
between Laura and her D quite painful to the eyes.
mother.
C external: tensions that exist
between Laura and the 13 Read this excerpt from
workmen. paragraph 16.
D internal: Laura’s feelings on
how best to arrange a party. Just to prove how happy she
was, just to show the tall
fellow how at home she felt,
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

and how she despised stupid

conventions, Laura took a big
bite of her bread-and-butter as
she stared at the little drawing.
She felt just like a work-girl.

What does this excerpt reveal

about Laura’s character?
A She has a huge appetite.
B She is artistic and fond of
drawings.
C She has always dreamed of
becoming a work-girl.
D She does not want to act
according to her upbringing.

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9 Reading/Literature Unit 6 Test

Read the following selections and consider how they are similar and different.

Selection A

From The Dream Room

By Kate Douglas Wiggin

1 “Don’t speak, Stephen, till you hear what I have to say. It takes a good deal
of courage for a girl to do as I am doing; but I want to show how sorry I am,
and it’s the only way.” She was trembling, and the words came faster and
faster. “I’ve been very wrong and foolish, and made you very unhappy, but
I have n’t done what you would have hated most. I have n’t been engaged
to Claude Merrill; he has n’t so much as asked me. I am here to beg you to
forgive me, to eat breakfast with me, to drive me to the minister’s and marry
me quickly, quickly, before anything happens to prevent us, and then to bring
me home here to live all the days of my life. Oh, Stephen dear, honestly,
honestly, you have n’t lost anything in all this long, miserable summer. I’ve
suffered, too, and I’m better worth loving than I was. Will you take me back?”
2 Rose had a tremendous power of provoking and holding love, and Stephen
of loving. His was too generous a nature for revilings and complaints and
reproaches.
3 The shores of his heart were strewn with the wreckage of the troubled
summer, but if the tide of love is high enough, it washes such things out of
remembrance. He just opened his arms and took Rose to his heart, faults and
all, with joy and gratitude; and she was as happy as a child who has escaped

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

the scolding it richly deserves, and who determines, for very thankfulness’
sake, never to be naughty again.
4 “You don’t know what you’ve done for me, Stephen,” she whispered, with
her face hidden on his shoulder. “I was just a common little prickly rosebush
when you came along like a good gardener and ‘grafted in’ something better;
the something better was your love, Stephen dear, and it’s made everything
different. The silly Rose you were engaged to long ago has disappeared
somewhere; I hope you won’t be able to find her under the new leaves.”
5 “She was all I wanted,” said Stephen.
6 “You thought she was,” the girl answered, “because you did n’t see the
prickles, but you’d have felt them some time. The old Rose was a selfish thing,
not good enough for you; the new Rose is going to be your wife, and Rufus’s
sister, and your mother’s daughter, all in one.”

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Unit 6 Test Reading/Literature

9
Selection B

Friendship
By Henry David Thoreau

I think awhile of Love, and while I think,

Love is to me a world,
Sole meat and sweetest drink,
And close connecting link
5 Tween heaven and earth.
I only know it is, not how or why,
My greatest happiness;
However hard I try,
Not if I were to die,
10 Can I explain.
I fain would ask my friend how it can be,
But when the time arrives,
Then Love is more lovely
Than anything to me,
15 And so I’m dumb.
For if the truth were known, Love cannot speak,
But only thinks and does;
Though surely out ‘twill leak
Without the help of Greek,
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

20 Or any tongue.
A man may love the truth and practise it,
Beauty he may admire,
And goodness not omit,
As much as may befit
25 To reverence.
But only when these three together meet,
As they always incline,
And make one soul the seat,
And favorite retreat,
30 Of loveliness;

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9 Reading/Literature Unit 6 Test

When under kindred shape, like loves and hates

And a kindred nature,
Proclaim us to be mates,
Exposed to equal fates
35 Eternally;
And each may other help, and service do,
Drawing Love’s bands more tight,
Service he ne’er shall rue
While one and one make two,
40 And two are one;
In such case only doth man fully prove
Fully as man can do,
What power there is in Love
His inmost soul to move
45 Resistlessly.

Two sturdy oaks I mean, which side by side,

Withstand the winter’s storm,
And spite of wind and tide,
Grow up the meadow’s pride,
50 For both are strong
Above they barely touch, but undermined
Down to their deepest source,

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Admiring you shall find
Their roots are intertwined
55 Insep’rably.

98 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

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Unit 6 Test Reading/Literature

9
14 The excerpt from “The Dream 17 What does the first paragraph
Room” could effectively be of “The Dream Room” reveal
adapted for presentation as a about Rose?
drama because it includes A She is nervous that she will be
A a happy ending. rejected.
B sarcastic remarks. B She is generally a reserved,
C vivid descriptions by the soft-spoken person.
writer. C She is confident her apology
D dialogue between the will be accepted.
characters. D She is an extremely happy
individual.

15 The poem “Friendship” 18 In paragraph 4 of “The Dream

portrays love as an ideal while Room,” when Rose says, “I was
the story “The Dream Room” just a common little prickly
portrays love as rosebush when you came
A something perfect. along like a good gardener and
B something that changes. ‘grafted in’ something better,”
she means that
C something that destroys.
A Stephen was a gardener when
D something easily forgotten. they first met.
B she was a rather plain
woman who needed to look
16 Both passages convey a better.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

sense of C Stephen loved her despite her

A disgust. imperfections and this made
B disappointment. her less selfish.
C joy. D she hurt everyone who ever
loved her but Stephen changed
D ambivalence
this about her.

19 In “Friendship,” Thoreau uses

all of the following devices to
idealize love except
A imagery.
B personification.
C dialogue.
D metaphor.

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9 Reading/Literature Unit 6 Test

The following is a pamphlet issued by an animal rights group called Friends of

Endangered Species.

How Does Extinction Happen?

1 Species disappear because of changes to the Earth that are caused either
by nature or by the actions of people. Sometimes a terrible natural event, like
a volcano erupting, can kill an entire species. Other times, extinction will
happen slowly as nature changes our world. For example, after the Ice Ages,
when the great glaciers melted and Earth became warmer, many species died
because they could not live in a warmer climate. Newer species that could
survive a warmer environment took their places.
2 People can also cause the extinction of plants and animals. The main reason
that many species are endangered or threatened today is because people
have changed the homes or habitats upon which these species depend. A
habitat includes not only the other plants and animals in an area, but all of
the things needed for the species’ survival—from sunlight and wind to food
and shelter. The United States has many habitats, from ocean beaches to
mountain tops. Every species requires a certain habitat in order to live. A
cactus, for example, needs the sunny, dry desert in order to grow. A polar bear,
on the other hand, would not live in a desert, because it could not find enough
food and water.
3 Pollution can also affect wildlife and contribute to extinction. The Nashville
crayfish is endangered mainly because the creek where it lives has been
polluted by people living nearby. Pesticides and other chemicals can poison
plants and animals if they are not used correctly. The bald eagle is one bird

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

that was harmed by pesticides. In the past, a pesticide called DDT was used
by many farmers. Rains washed the pesticide into the lakes and streams
where it poisoned fish. After eating the poisoned fish, the eagles would lay
eggs with very thin shells. These eggs were usually crushed before they could
hatch. Today, people are not allowed to use DDT, and this has contributed to
the bald eagle being moved from endangered status up to threatened status.

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Unit 6 Test Reading/Literature

9
4 People can also endanger plants and animals by moving, or introducing,
new species into areas where they do not really live. Some of these species do
so well in their new habitat that they endanger those species already living
there, called the native species. These introduced species are called invasive
species. For example, when some fish are introduced into a lake or stream,
they may prey upon, or eat the food of the native fish. The native species
may then have to find a new source of food or a new home, or face becoming
endangered or extinct.
5 Another way that people harm animals and plants is by taking them from
the wild. Some people might catch an insect like the Mission Blue Butterfly
for a butterfly collection. Others might capture a wild animal for a pet, or pick
a flower because it’s pretty. In addition, some people illegally hunt animals for
food, skins, or fur. In the past, lots of American crocodiles were killed so that
their skins could be made into shoes and other clothing. This crocodile is now
an endangered species.

20 Friends of Endangered Species 21 Which paragraph in the

has decided to place a picture passage best supports the claim
of a flying bald eagle on the that a habitat is more than the
cover of their pamphlet. This plants and animals in an area?
is most likely because the bald A paragraph 1
eagle
B paragraph 2
A aspires to great heights.
C paragraph 3
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

B is endangered and faces

extinction. D paragraph 4
C represents American freedom.
D is a beautiful bird.

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9 Reading/Literature Unit 6 Test

22 Read these sentences from 23 Read this sentence from

paragraph 2. paragraph 4.

A cactus, for example, needs the People can also endanger

sunny, dry desert in order to plants and animals by moving,
grow. A polar bear, on the other or introducing, new species
hand, would not live in a desert, into areas where they do not
because it could not find enough really live.
food and water.
Which word can best replace
What is the best way to combine the underlined word to make
these sentences into a single the meaning more precise?
sentence? A truly
A Although a cactus needs the B easily
sunny, dry desert in order
to grow, a polar bear would C naturally
not live in a desert, because D actually
it could not find enough food
and water.
B A cactus, for example, needs 24 According to the passage, the
the sunny, dry desert in order extinction of a species is most
to grow, but a polar bear, on likely to happen when
the other hand, would not
live in a desert, because it A people change species’
could not find enough food habitats.
and water. B species move to new habitats.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

C A cactus needs the sunny, C species live beside other
dry desert in order to grow, a species.
polar bear would not live in D species modify their own
a desert, because it could not habitats.
find enough food and water.
D Needing the sunny, dry desert
in order to grow, a cactus
could not live where a polar
bear lives, and unable to find
enough food and water in a
desert, a polar bear could not
live where a cactus lives.

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Unit 6 Test Reading/Literature

9
25 Read this sentence from
paragraph 5.

In the past, lots of American

crocodiles were killed so that
their skins could be made into
shoes and other clothing.

Which word would best replace

the underlined word in the
sentence to make the meaning
more precise?
A leather
B pelts
C scales
D hides
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Unit 6 Test, Reading/Literature 103

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9 Writing Applications Unit 6 Test

Writing Application: Expository Writing

Writing Task: Many families and businesses depend on using cars. In
fact, it is hard to imagine a world without automobiles. However, although
automobiles are very useful, they also create significant problems.
Identify one major problem caused by cars. In a well-developed essay for
your teacher, explain the problem and propose one specific way to solve it.
Be sure to support your ideas with relevant examples and details.

CHECKLIST FOR YOUR WRITING

The following checklist will help you do your best work. Make sure you
❑ read the explanation of the writing task carefully.
❑ support and develop your ideas with specific details and examples.
❑ organize your writing with a strong introduction, body, and conclusion.
❑ use precise language that is best-suited to your audience and purpose.
❑ vary your sentences to add interest to your writing.
❑ check for errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence
structure.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

104 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

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Unit 6 Test Writing Applications

9
Writing Application: Persuasive Writing
Writing Task: Your school is considering introducing a dress code. This
dress code forbids students to wear sneakers and jeans to school. Girls must
wear skirts or dresses, and boys must wear dress pants.
Write a letter to the school board expressing your position either for or
against the proposed dress code. Be sure to support your position with
well-developed reasons. Address the arguments that may be made against
you and show why your argument is stronger.

CHECKLIST FOR YOUR WRITING

The following checklist will help you do your best work. Make sure you
❑ read the explanation of the writing task carefully.
❑ support and develop your ideas with specific details and examples.
❑ organize your writing with a strong introduction, body, and conclusion.
❑ use precise language that is best-suited to your audience and purpose.
❑ vary your sentences to add interest to your writing.
❑ check for errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence
structure.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Unit 6 Test, Writing Applications 105

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9 Writing Applications Unit 6 Test

Business Writing Option

Writing Task: By the time students enter high school, they begin to
consider their future career goals more seriously. Think about a career that
interests you. Write a business letter to someone who can provide you with
helpful information about that career and ask him or her for an interview.
You may use either a real or fictional name in the salutation, or greeting, of
your letter. In your letter, be sure to explain your purpose for writing and to
include details concerning your request.

CHECKLIST FOR YOUR WRITING

The following checklist will help you do your best work. Make sure you
❑ read the explanation of the writing task carefully.
❑ support and develop your ideas with specific details and examples.
❑ organize your writing with a strong introduction, body, and conclusion.
❑ use precise language that is best-suited to your audience and purpose.
❑ vary your sentences to add interest to your writing.
❑ check for errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence
structure.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

106 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

Reteach Lessons
 Content Standard: 9RW1.1 Vocabulary and Concept Development:
LESSON 1 Word Meanings Identify and use the literal and figurative meanings of words and
understand word derivations.

LEARN IT: Word Meanings

The literal meaning of a word is the exact meaning that is found in the dictionary. However,
you will often encounter words that have meanings other than their literal meanings. You will
also encounter words that have several different literal meanings, depending on their
context. In both cases you will need to determine which meaning is the appropriate one.

The figurative meaning of a word goes beyond its literal meaning to suggest something
symbolic or metaphorical. You can identify figurative language in a text because, when you
read it literally, the phrase does not seem to make sense. To interpret figurative language,
read the surrounding text and look for clues that reveal the true meaning of the phrase.
Then ask yourself how this additional, non-literal meaning affects your response to the text.

EXAMPLE

Read the following sentence.

He was in the dumps because she refused to go to the dance with him.

In this sentence, in the dumps means

A attractive.
B smelly.
C unhappy.
D messy.

Step 1 Carefully read the sentence. Are there context clues in the sentence that
help you understand what in the dumps means?

The detail that she refused to go to the dance with him tells me that something
negative has happened. In the dumps might refer to the emotional response of
the main character to this disappointing event.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer best fits the meaning of in the
dumps as it is used in the sentence?

The literal meaning of in the dumps is “to be in the trash.” Smelly and messy are
consistent with this meaning; however, they don’t make sense in the context of the
sentence. The sentence suggests that there has been an emotional response to the
girl’s refusal to go to the dance with the main character. The only answer that
suggests the appropriate emotional response is unhappy; attractive is too positive
a word for the context. The figurative meaning of in the dumps must be unhappy.
C is the correct answer.

108 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Word Meanings LESSON 1

Multiple Meanings

A word can have multiple meanings, or many different meanings depending on the
context in which it is used. You can determine which meaning of the word is being used
by reading the sentence and looking for context clues. Context clues may include the
meanings of other words in the sentence, the overall point the author is trying to make,
or whether the multiple-meaning word is being used as a noun, verb, or another part
of speech.

EXAMPLE

Read this sentence.

I broke my nail when I hit my hand against the door.

The best meaning of nail in this sentence is

A the hard material at the tip of one’s finger.
B a sharp piece of metal used for fastening.
C something that is hammered into wood.
D a means of pinning something down.

Step 1 Read the sentence carefully. Does it contain any words that help you
understand the meaning of the word nail?

The word nail is being used as a noun in the sentence, but all of the answer
choices are nouns as well. My nail and my hand indicate that the nail belongs to
the narrator. Broke indicates that it is made of a material that can break fairly easily
when hit against an object like a door.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer gives the best meaning of the
word nail as it is used in the sentence?

Only one answer choice both belongs to a person and can be broken fairly easily,
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

and that is the hard material at the tip of one’s finger. Choice B, a sharp piece of
metal, probably would require more force in order to break. Similarly, choice C,
something that is hammered into wood, implies that a nail is an object that can
withstand being hit by a hammer, and it therefore would be unlikely to break after
being hit against a door. Choice D, a means of pinning something down, does not
make sense since it is not something that can belong to the narrator. A is the
correct answer.

Lesson 1, Word Meanings 109

 LESSON 1 Word Meanings

Word Derivations

The derivation of a word refers to its origins; for example, many English words are
derived from Greek, Latin, or French. Others are derived from proper names. The root,
or base, of a word offers clues about the word’s meaning. When you come across an
unfamiliar word, you can often look at the root to determine the word’s meaning.

EXAMPLE

Read the following sentence.

The practice of hypnotism was made popular by Dr. Anton Mesmer in

18th century Paris.

Which verb is likely to have derived from this historical fact?

A antagonize
B mesmerize
C medicate
D popularize

Step 1 Read the example sentence carefully. What information does it give you?

The sentence tells us that Dr. Mesmer made using hypnotism popular.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer relates to the work for which
Mesmer became famous and is likely to have been coined in his honor?

Choice A sounds similar to Dr. Mesmer’s first name, Anton, but its meaning—”to
provoke hostility”—does not make sense in context. Choice D applies to Mesmer,
but do not relate to why he became famous, and can apply to many different
people and situations. Choice C applies to Mesmer’s patients, not to Mesmer.
Choice B includes the word Mesmer, and means “to spellbind or hypnotize.” Since
it both relates to his name and to the work he performed, it makes sense that

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

mesmerize would have derived from the situation given in the example. B is the
correct answer.

110 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Word Meanings LESSON 1

PRACTICE IT: Word Meanings

Read the passage carefully, and answer the questions that follow.

From The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

By Washington Irving

1 Ichabod was a suitable figure for such a steed. He rode with short stirrups, which
brought his knees nearly up to the pommel of the saddle; his sharp elbows stuck out
like grasshoppers’; he carried his whip perpendicularly in his hand, like a sceptre, and
as his horse jogged on, the motion of his arms was not unlike the flapping of a pair of
wings. A small wool hat rested on the top of his nose, for so his scanty strip of forehead
might be called, and the skirts of his black coat fluttered out almost to the horse’s tail.
Such was the appearance of Ichabod and his steed as they shambled out of the gate of
Hans Van Ripper, and it was altogether such an apparition as is seldom to be met with
in broad daylight.

2 It was, as I have said, a fine autumnal day; the sky was clear and serene, and nature
wore that rich and golden livery which we always associate with the idea of abundance.
The forests had put on their sober brown and yellow, while some trees of the tenderer
kind had been nipped by the frosts into brilliant dyes of orange, purple, and scarlet. …

3 The small birds were taking their farewell banquets. In the fullness of their revelry,
they fluttered, chirping and frolicking from bush to bush, and tree to tree, capricious
from the very profusion and variety around them. There was the honest cock robin,
the favorite game of stripling sportsmen, with its loud querulous note; and the
twittering blackbirds flying in sable clouds; and the golden-winged woodpecker with
his crimson crest, his broad black gorget, and splendid plumage; and the cedar bird,
with its red-tipt wings and yellow-tipt tail and its little monteiro cap of feathers; and
the blue jay, that noisy coxcomb, in his gay light blue coat and white underclothes,
screaming and chattering, nodding and bobbing and bowing, and pretending to be on
good terms with every songster of the grove.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

4 As Ichabod jogged slowly on his way, his eye, ever open to every symptom of culinary
abundance, ranged with delight over the treasures of jolly autumn. On all sides he
beheld vast store of apples; some hanging in oppressive opulence on the trees; some
gathered into baskets and barrels for the market; others heaped up in rich piles for the
cider-press. Farther on he beheld great fields of Indian corn, with its golden ears
peeping from their leafy coverts, and holding out the promise of cakes and hasty-
pudding; and the yellow pumpkins lying beneath them, turning up their fair round
bellies to the sun, and giving ample prospects of the most luxurious of pies; and anon
he passed the fragrant buckwheat fields breathing the odor of the beehive, and as he
beheld them, soft anticipations stole over his mind of dainty slapjacks, well buttered,
and garnished with honey or treacle, by the delicate little dimpled hand of Katrina
Van Tassel.

Lesson 1, Word Meanings 111

 LESSON 1 Word Meanings

1 Read this excerpt from paragraph 1. 3 Read this sentence from paragraph 1.
. . . the motion of his arms was not it was altogether such an apparition
unlike the flapping of a pair of wings. as is seldom to be met with in broad
daylight
You can tell from the context that
flapping of a pair of wings has a What word in this sentence is derived
A single meaning. from a Latin root meaning “visible”?
B figurative meaning. A daylight
C literal meaning. B apparition
D derived meaning. C altogether
D seldom
2 Read this excerpt from paragraph 2.
4 Read this sentence from paragraph 4.
The forests had put on their sober
brown and yellow . . . On all sides he beheld vast store of
apples; some hanging in oppressive
You can tell from the context of the opulence on the trees; some gathered
sentence that the underlined phrase into baskets and barrels for the
means that the trees market; others heaped up in rich piles
A changed color. for the cider-press.
B pretended something.
What is the meaning of store in this
C prepared for winter. sentence?
D got dressed. A a place that sells apples
B a place where items are kept
C a large pile of fruit
D a great quantity or number

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

112 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Content Standard: 9RW1.2 Vocabulary and Concept Development:
Distinguish between the denotative and connotative meanings of Denotation and Connotation LESSON 2
words and interpret the connotative power of words.

LEARN IT: Denotation and Connotation

The literal meaning of a word that you would find in the dictionary is its denotative
meaning. It is the exact definition, or meaning, of a word.

EXAMPLE

Read the following sentence.

Donkeys are considered to be stubborn animals; it is very difficult to get them to

do something they don’t want to do.

Which of the following words is closest to the denotative meaning of stubborn as

it is used in the sentence?
A unyielding
B aggravating
C purposeful
D foolish

Step 1 Read the example sentence carefully. How is the word stubborn used in
the sentence? What other information does the sentence supply?

In the sentence, stubborn is used to describe donkeys; the sentence also tells us
that donkeys resist doing things they don’t want to do.

Step 2 Remember, denotative meanings are literal meanings, which means they
do not add anything to the word that would not be found in its dictionary
definition. Read each answer choice. Which answer best fits the literal meaning
of stubborn without adding anything new to the sentence?

Donkeys are simply described in the passage as not doing things they don’t want
to do. The author is not criticizing donkeys, so aggravating and foolish seem
incorrect—they add a new layer of negative meaning to the sentence. Similarly,
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donkeys are not being praised, so purposeful seems incorrect—it adds a new layer
of positive meaning to the sentence. Only unyielding describes the donkeys’
actions literally, while keeping the tone of the original sentence neutral. Choice
A is correct.

Lesson 2, Denotation and Connotation 113

 LESSON 2 Denotation and Connotation

Connotative Meaning

Connotative meaning is the meaning associated with a word beyond its literal meaning.
The connotative meaning reflects your emotional response to a word.

EXAMPLE

Read the example sentence.

Don’t just be a resident of Marshall County, be a real citizen! Vote this Tuesday!

Which word in this sentence has the most positive connotation?

A don’t
B vote
C resident
D citizen

Step 1 Consider what it means to vote. Do these words suggest to you any
images or feelings beyond their literal meanings?

Voting suggests that a person has a stake or an investment in the future of his or
her community. The sentence suggests that being a citizen means the same thing.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which best creates a positive emotional
response within the context of the sentence?

Choice A has a negative connotation. Choice B creates a neutral feeling, though

the sentence suggests that it is a good thing to do. Choice C is a very neutral-
sounding word and does not connote a larger investment in a community, but the
phrase “just be a resident” suggests a negative connotation. Choice D suggests
someone who is civic-minded; such a person would be likely to vote because he or
she has a stake or an investment in the community. Choice D is the correct answer.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

114 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Denotation and Connotation LESSON 2

Interpreting the Connotative Meaning

A connotative meaning evokes a positive, negative, or neutral response. Authors and

poets often choose a specific word for the response that word evokes in the reader. As
you read, ask yourself certain the words make you feel; this can help you figure out the
author’s point of view as well.

EXAMPLE

In which sentence does the underlined word have the most negative connotation?
A He grinned when the teacher demanded, “Who’s chewing gum?”
B He smirked when the teacher demanded, “Who’s chewing gum?”
C He blinked when the teacher demanded, “Who’s chewing gum?”
D He stared when the teacher demanded, “Who’s chewing gum?”

Step 1 Read each sentence. Which word is underlined in each sentence?

Each sentence is about a teacher demanding to know which student is chewing

gum. In one sentence, the student grins; in another sentence, the student smirks;
in the third sentence, the student blinks; and in the fourth sentence, the student
stares.

Step 2 Reread the underlined words. Which answer choice casts the student
in the most negative light?

Both blinking and staring are relatively neutral actions; the student does not seem
particularly guilty of chewing gum in either answer choice. Grinning has a more
positive connotation; the student may indeed be guilty of chewing gum, but his
grin suggests the situation is more amusing than aggravating. A smirk is a rude,
mocking kind of smile; this is a negative connotation and suggests the student
knows he is behaving inappropriately. Choice B is the correct answer.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 2, Denotation and Connotation 115

 LESSON 2 Denotation and Connotation

PRACTICE IT: Denotation and Connotation

Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.

Phillis Wheatley
1 In the eighteenth century, few American readers recognized women’s literary talents,
especially the talents of an African American woman writing poetry. In the preface of
Phillis Wheatley’s book of poetry, published in 1773, eighteen prominent citizens of
Boston signed an affirmation of the book’s authenticity. Phillis Wheatley was the first
African American to win fame as a poet.

2 Phillis Wheatley was born on the western coast of Africa in about 1753. When she was
seven or eight years old, she was kidnapped and transported to Boston on a slave ship.
John Wheatley, a prosperous Boston tailor, purchased her in 1761 as a servant for his
wife, Susannah.

3 Because of Susannah Wheatley’s admiration for Phillis’s exceptional intelligence, she

was never raised as a servant. Instead, she was educated and treated as if she were a
family member. Phillis quickly learned to speak English, and Susannah taught her to
read and write. Phillis first published a poem in 1767, when she was about thirteen. It
appeared in the Newport (Rhode Island) Mercury. Three years later she published a
poem honoring Reverend George Whitefield, an evangelical preacher. She became
famous in Boston with that poem. In 1773 her only book, Poems on Various Subjects,
Religious and Moral, was published in London. The poems reflected the religious and
classical background of her New England education.

4 The Christian ideology of the Wheatley family greatly influenced Phillis; religious and
moral themes are central to most of her poetry. Her poetry was usually written to
praise a person’s virtues rather than to examine a social problem. Phillis, however, did
recognize the contradiction between the colonists’ demands for freedom from Britain
and their determination to uphold slavery.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

5 Phillis Wheatley was the third woman in the British colonies to publish a book of
poems. Because of her book, she achieved international renown. Her piety, intelligence,
and literary gifts were a striking example to her English and American audience of the
triumph of human capacities over the circumstances of birth. The only hint of injustice
found in her poems is the line “Some view our sable race with scornful eye.” It would
be many years before a black writer in America would drop the mask of convention
and write openly about the African American experience.

116 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Denotation and Connotation LESSON 2

1 Read this sentence from the passage. 3 Read the sentence from the passage.
Because of Susannah Wheatley’s John Wheatley, a prosperous Boston
admiration for Phillis’s exceptional tailor, purchased her in 1761 as a
intelligence, Phillis was never trained servant for his wife, Susannah.
as a servant.
The connotation of the word
What is the denotative meaning of purchased in this sentence is
the word exceptional in this sentence? A positive.
A different B neutral.
B objectionable C humorous.
C extraordinary D negative.
D artificial
4 Read the sentence from the passage.
2 Read this sentence from the passage.
Phillis, however, did recognize the
In the preface of Phillis Wheatley’s contradiction between the colonists’
book of poetry, published in 1773, demands for freedom from Britain
eighteen prominent citizens of and their determination to uphold
Boston signed an affirmation of the slavery.
book’s authenticity.
The denotative meaning of
In this sentence, prominent connotes recognize is
A respectable. A to accept as a speaker.
B artistic. B to see something again.
C literate. C to acknowledge a reality.
D ordinary. D to approve of something.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 2, Denotation and Connotation 117

 Content Standard: 9RW1.3 Vocabulary and Concept Development:
LESSON 3 Words from Mythology Identify Greek, Roman, and Norse mythology and use the knowledge
to understand the origin and meaning of new words (e.g., the word
narcissistic drawn from the myth of Narcissus and Echo).

LEARN IT: Words from Mythology

The meanings of some unfamiliar words can be determined by tracing their origins. Many
English words, for example, were drawn from Greek, Roman, or Norse mythology.
Following are some examples.

English Word Origin Meaning

echo from the Greek myth of Echo, repetition of a sound caused by
a nymph who was reflection of sound waves; to
condemned to repeat others’ repeat or imitate others’ words
last words forever and had no or opinions
power to speak first
hypnosis from Hypnos, the Greek god a sleeplike condition
of sleep
narcissistic from the Greek myth of love for one’s own body;
Narcissus, a young man who self-centeredness
fell in love with his own
reflection
cereal from Ceres, the Roman relating to grain or plants that
goddess of agriculture produce it; a prepared food
made of grain, as in oatmeal or
cornflakes
flora from Flora, the Roman the plants of a particular region
goddess of flowers or period, listed by species and
considered as a whole
January from Janus, the Roman god the first month of the year
of beginnings
berserk from the Norse myth of violently or destructively
berserkers, warriors who frenzied
fought with frenzied rage in

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

battle
Tuesday, Wednesday, from the Norse gods Thiw, days of the week
Thursday, Friday Woden, Thor, and Freya

118 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Words from Mythology LESSON 3

EXAMPLE

1 Read the following sentence.

The man confessed his love from the top of the mountain, and the echo of his voice
filled the silence.

Which word in the sentence is derived from the name of a nymph in Greek
mythology who was cursed to repeat others’ last words?
A confessed
B echo
C mountain
D heard

Step 1 Read the sentence carefully. Which word from the sentence has a
meaning that is connected to a person in Greek mythology?

I know that an echo is a repeated sound. When an echo is heard, the last word of a
person is repeated. Echo is the name of a nymph in Greek mythology who was
cursed to repeat other people’s last words. The word echo is connected to the
name in Greek mythology.

Step 2 Look at the answer choices. Which of these is the word derived from the
nymph’s name?

Since confessed is not derived from a name in Greek mythology, the correct
answer is not choice A. Mountain and heard also do not come from names in
Greek mythology, so choices C and D are also incorrect. Echo is the nymph in
Greek mythology who was condemned to repeat others’ words. The correct
answer is B.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 3, Words from Mythology 119

 LESSON 3 Words from Mythology

EXAMPLE

2 Read the following sentence.

People all over the world start their parties on the eve of January 1 to greet the
new year.

Which of the following words from the sentence is derived from the name of the
Roman god of beginnings?
A people
B eve
C January
D parties

Step 1 Read the sentence carefully. Which word from the sentence has a
meaning that is connected to a name of a Roman god?

January is the month that begins the year. I also know that January originated from
Janus, the Roman god of beginnings.

Step 2 Look at the answer choices. Which of these is the word derived from the
Roman god’s name?

People, eve, and parties are not derived from words in Roman mythology, so
choices A, B, and D are incorrect. Choice C is correct because January is derived
from the name of the Roman god of beginnings.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

120 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Words from Mythology LESSON 3

PRACTICE IT: Words from Mythology

Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.

Finding the Next Cure

August 27, 2005

I am so excited about our class experiment this coming Wednesday because it will be all
about plants. I’m the type of person who loves learning about the flora of different countries,
and I’m also big on vegetables and foods made from grain. If you don’t believe me, you can
ask my mother, who sees how many bowls of cereal I can eat every morning.

Last week, my teacher asked us to collect some plants from our backyard. She taught us that
plants can be used as an alternative to regular medicine. Some of them are easy cures for
common colds or insect bites, and they are also natural and safe to take. The best thing
about them is that many of these plants with curative powers can be found right in our own
backyards! Of course, I looked forward to poring through our garden for plants that can
cure my early morning sniffles. But last weekend when I woke up early to gather the plants
for my experiment, I was shocked to find out that the plants and flowers in our garden were
all destroyed. The backyard looked as if somebody had gone berserk and torn down every
plant. You should have seen my face when I saw my beloved plants strewn all over the
backyard!

Later, Dad told me that our neighbor’s mischievous dog, Rex, squeezed himself between the
fences and spent the night digging through my garden and chewing on my plants. My first
impulse was to go to Mr. Davis and tell him off, but Mr. Davis is such a good neighbor that
I stopped myself, knowing that we have always been good friends. Instead, I just told him
what happened. To make up for Rex’s behavior, Mr. Davis offered his plants for my class
experiment. In the end, I was able to collect the plants that I need. I wonder what illnesses
I could cure with the plants I’m bringing to class.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Carla

Lesson 3, Words from Mythology 121

 LESSON 3 Words from Mythology

1 Which of the following words from 3 Which of the following words from
the passage is derived from the name the passage is derived from the name
of a god in Norse mythology? of the Roman goddess of agriculture?
A different A medicine
B Wednesday B backyard
C therapeutic C cereal
D alternative D soil

2 Which of the following words from 4 Which of the following words from
the passage is derived from the name the passage is drawn from the name
of the Roman goddess of flowers? of warriors in Norse mythology who
A flora fought with frenzied rage?
B plants A furiously
C ailments B climbed
D natural C confront
D berserk

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

122 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Content Standard: 9RC2.1 Structural Features of Informational
Materials: Analyze the structure and format of functional workplace Workplace Documents LESSON 4
documents, including the graphics and headers, and explain how
authors use the features to achieve their purposes.

LEARN IT: Workplace Documents

Functional workplace documents can take many forms. They may include an agenda for
a meeting, a memo outlining a new procedure, a press release introducing a new product,
a training manual, a report, or an employee performance review. Before you begin reading
one of these types of documents, you should ask yourself the following questions:

1. What is the purpose of this document?

2. Who will use this document?

3. Why is it designed in this format or structure?

These questions will help you understand how the document should be used. For
example, a survey’s purpose is to capture responses from a large group of people, which
can then be analyzed. It contains checkboxes or response lines for this purpose. A form
may also have checkboxes and blank lines, but its purpose is to gather specific
information about one person or thing, not to analyze data taken from many sources.

Other workplace documents may be in the form of an outline. Agendas, minutes from a
meeting, and reports are often structured in this way. Main headings are used to
highlight the major ideas or goals of the document. Subheads correspond to steps in the
process or tasks that need to be accomplished to achieve the goal.

Documents such as business reports and presentations are likely to contain a

combination of text and graphics that present any data relevant to the text. Graphics are
used to convey information visually and to support the ideas or goals articulated in a
document. Various types of graphics that may be used include diagrams, graphs, floor
plans, information boxes, and charts.

Formats vary as well. An instructional manual for a complicated computer program may
be in book form and consist of a hundred or more pages. A performance evaluation of
an employee may take the form of an eight-page booklet. A meeting memo is a short
informational statement that may be only half a page in length.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 4, Workplace Documents 123

 LESSON 4 Workplace Documents

EXAMPLE

Review the following document.

Cherry Valley High School

Yearbook Planning Committee
Project Status
January 14, 2008
1. Milestones
A. Identified editors and writers for the new edition
B. Assigned photographers to each section (Sports, Academics, Theater)
2. Next Steps
A. Establish budget for printing
B. Select a company to print and bind the yearbook
C. Install publishing software on the yearbook office’s computers
3. Projected Deadline
A. June 2008
4. Next Meeting
A. February 14, 2008

Which heading indicates the tasks that still need to be completed on the project?
A Milestones
B Next Steps
C Projected Deadline
D Next Meeting

Step 1 Review the text under each heading. What information does each

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

section give you?

The information under the heading Milestones is written in the past tense and
sounds like tasks that have already been completed. The information under the
heading Next Steps is written in the present tense and sounds like tasks that still
need to be completed. The remaining two sections only contain dates.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which heading suggests tasks that still need
to be completed?

Choice A is the heading for tasks that have already been completed. Choices C
and D are headings for important dates, not tasks. Choice B is the heading for
tasks that still need to be completed. Choice B is correct.

124 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Workplace Documents LESSON 4

EXAMPLE

Read this form.

Lab Report #18

Items Checked and OK’d

X Written hypothesis X Safety glasses

150 mL Beaker X Safety gloves

X 1 L Beaker Bunsen burner

(2) Test tubes

Comments

Lab Group 14 Teacher Mrs. Phillips

This lab report is meant to

A provide a task list of what has been done.
B provide a graph of what has been done.
C provide a detailed report of what has been done.
D provide a written summary of what has been done.

Step 1 Look at the lab report carefully. What do the elements show you?

The blanks in front of the tasks are only large enough for an X or a check mark.
I know that this is an easy way to indicate that something has been completed
without requiring much elaboration.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer is the best description of the
lab report’s purpose?
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

The lab report does not have a graph, so choice B is incorrect. Choice C suggests
a multiple page document rather than this single page checklist, so it is also
incorrect. Choice D suggests the presence of text written out in complete
sentences. As the form only consists of short phrases, this cannot be correct
either. The correct answer is choice A, provide a task list of what has been done.

Lesson 4, Workplace Documents 125

 LESSON 4 Workplace Documents

PRACTICE IT: Workplace Documents

Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.

Computer Software Training Day

Cherry Valley Park District
September 14, 2008
9:00 A.M.–4:00 P.M.
Conference Room C
Morning Session 9:00 A.M.–noon
I. Introduction and Welcome

II. Introduction to Macro Suite ’07 Fred Sally, Macro Corp.

A. Installation

III. Questions and Answers

IV. Introduction to Word Processing ’07 Kim Fry, Words Are Us

A. Creating a Document
B. Saving a Document
C. Performing a Mail Merge

V. Questions and Answers

Lunch Break noon–1:00 P.M.

Afternoon Session 1:00 P.M.–4:00 P.M.

VI. Morning Session Recap

VII. Introduction to Columns ’07 Peter Town, Bear

A. Creating a Spreadsheet Accountants

VIII. Questions and Answers Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

IX. Introduction to Presentations ’07 Jen Low, Multimedia, Inc.

A. Creating a Presentation
B. Adding Sound to Your Presentation

X. Questions and Answers

XI. Summary

126 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Workplace Documents LESSON 4

1 If you wanted to learn how to create 3 This functional document is

spreadsheets, which training session A an instructional manual.
would you want to attend?
B a business report.
A Introduction to Word
C a performance evaluation.
Processing ’07
D a training program schedule.
B Introduction to Columns ’07
C Introduction to Presentations ’07
4 What format does this document use?
D Introduction to Macro Suite ’07
A form
B outline
2 Which trainer works for Macro
Corp.? C memo
A Fred Sally D graph
B Peter Town
C Jen Low
D Kim Fry
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 4, Workplace Documents 127

 Content Standard: 9RC2.2 Structural Features of Informational
LESSON 5 Bibliography of Reference Materials Materials: Prepare a bibliography of reference materials for a report
using a variety of consumer, workplace, and public documents.

LEARN IT: Bibliography of Reference Materials

A bibliography serves as a road map of all the reference materials that were consulted when
doing research for a report. The bibliography includes every source used, whether a book,
a study, an Internet source, or an interview. Although several different style guides exist for
the overall look of a bibliography, there are some general rules that you should know.

1. The sources are listed in alphabetical order by author.

2. Each bibliographic entry is formatted in a consistent manner and usually

includes the following information:

a. the title of the work

b. the author

c. the publisher

d. the city where the work was published

e. the publication date

An entry for a specific article in a journal or magazine usually includes the volume
number; the month, day, and year of publication; and the pages on which the article can
be found. Entries for articles located on the Internet should include the Web address.
Below are examples of how to format some common bibliographic entries.
Book by a Single Author
Author’s last name, author’s first name. Title of work. Place of publication: Publisher,
Copyright date.
Book by More than One Author
First author’s last name, first author’s first name, and additional author’s full names. Title
of work. Place of publication: Publisher, Copyright date.
Encyclopedia Entry

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

“Title of entry.” Title of encyclopedia. Edition, Copyright date.
Magazine Article
Author’s last name, author’s first name. “Title of article.” Title of magazine. Date of
publication: Page numbers of article.
Internet Source
Author’s last name, author’s first name. “Title of item.” Date posted. Address of Web site
home page. Date accessed.
CD-ROM Entry
Author’s last name, author’s first name. “Title of article.” Title of CD-ROM. CD-ROM.
Place of publication: Publisher, Copyright date.
Government Publication
Country. Government agency. Title of work. Place of publication: Publisher, Copyright date.

128 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Bibliography of Reference Materials LESSON 5

EXAMPLE

Read this entry in a bibliography.

United States. National Aviation Safety Administration. 2001 Aviation Passenger

Safety Survey. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 2003.

What do the words “Government Printing Office” refer to in the above

bibliographic entry?
A the name of the company that sells safety surveys
B the name of the city where the survey was published
C the name of the publisher of the safety survey
D the name of the agency that created the survey

Step 1 Read the entry carefully. What kind of bibliographic entry is this?

This is an entry for a government publication. I can tell because it begins with the
name of a country.

Step 2 Where do the words Government Printing Office appear? What place do
they occupy in the standard bibliographic entry for a government document?

The words Government Printing Office appear in the part of the entry that contains
the name of the publisher.

Step 3 Read each answer choice. Which answer choice matches where the
words Government Printing Office appear in this entry?

A bibliography does not include the name of vendors, so A is incorrect.

Government Printing Office is not a city, so B is incorrect. In an entry for a
government document, the name of the agency that created the work follows
the country. Since Government Printing Office does not follow the country, D is
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

incorrect. C is the correct answer because Government Printing Office is listed

in the part of the entry reserved for the publisher.

Lesson 5, Bibliography of Reference Materials 129

 LESSON 5 Bibliography of Reference Materials

EXAMPLE

Read the passage below.

Caroline Smith has written a book about the history of ice cream. She has decided
to call it The History of Ice Cream. Books for Cooks, a publishing company located
in Charlottesville, Virginia, has decided to publish the book in 2008.

Which bibliographic entry correctly lists Caroline Smith’s book?

A Caroline Smith. The History of Ice Cream. Charlottesville: Books for Cooks, 2008.
B Caroline Smith. The History of Ice Cream. 2008. Books for Cooks, Charlottesville.
C Smith, Caroline. Books for Cooks. The History of Ice Cream. Charlottesville: 2008.
D Smith, Caroline. The History of Ice Cream. Charlottesville: Books for Cooks, 2008.

Step 1 Read the passage carefully. What kind of bibliographic entry is required
for Caroline Smith’s book? How is this entry typically formatted?

This book is written by a single author. In such bibliographic entries, the author is
listed first, followed by the title of the work, then the publication information for the
work. The passage lists all of this information, so I just need to put each piece in its
proper places.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer presents the information about
Caroline Smith’s book in the proper format?

Choice A does not list the author’s last name first, so it is incorrect. Choice B does
not list the publication information in the correct order, so it is incorrect. Choice C
reverses the book title, publisher name, and city of publication, so it is incorrect.
Choice D presents the information about Caroline Smith’s book in the correct
format, so D is the correct answer.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

130 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Bibliography of Reference Materials LESSON 5

PRACTICE IT: Bibliography of Reference

Materials
Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.

The Lincoln Funeral Train

1 Shock hung over the nation’s capital. Rumors spread like wildfire. President
Abraham Lincoln had been shot in his box at Ford’s Theater by an assassin. That
night the city waited to hear more about the President’s condition. At 7:22 on
April 15, 1865, shock was replaced with anguish as the crowds outside the White
House learned that the President was dead.

2 Four days later, high-ranking government officials filed into the East room of the
White House to pay their final respects to their slain leader. Among them was the
newly sworn-in President of the United States, Andrew Johnson. Mrs. Lincoln and
her young son Tad were so overcome with grief that they remained in
confinement. Robert Lincoln was the only family member present at the ceremony.

3 After the ceremony, a funeral carriage carrying Lincoln’s body made its way
through the city, where the mourning public crowded tightly together, trying to
glimpse the fallen President. Cavalry, marines, infantry, and artillery accompanied
the slain President’s body to the Capitol, where he was laid in state in the
Rotunda. Throughout the day and into the night of April 20, the public came to
pay its respects. The next day a train left Washington, D.C., carrying Lincoln’s
body to its final resting place in his hometown of Springfield, Illinois. The train
stopped often on its journey to allow mourners to pay their respects to the Great
Emancipator.

4 The funeral train stopped at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on its way to Philadelphia.

Mourners gathered in New York City and the state capital of Albany to view the
body. From Albany, Lincoln’s funeral train stopped in Rochester and Buffalo, then
traveled on to Cleveland, Ohio. Indianapolis was the next stop for the train on
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

April 30, 1865, followed by a stop in Chicago the next day. Finally on May 3, the
train arrived in Springfield, Illinois, and President Abraham Lincoln was laid to
rest on May 4 in his hometown.

Bibliography
Bishop, Zachary. “The Lincoln Funeral Train.” Train History. April 2005: 22–27.

Devers, Kevin. Abraham Lincoln: His Life. Harrisburg, PA: The National Historical
Society, 2000.

Fry, David. “Lincoln’s Last Days.” 17 January 2005. www.springfieldhs.org. 18 April

2007.

Lesson 5, Bibliography of Reference Materials 131

 LESSON 5 Bibliography of Reference Materials

1 Read this bibliographic entry. 3 Which magazine article would most

likely appear in a bibliography for this
Devers, Kevin. Abraham Lincoln: passage?
His Life. Harrisburg, PA: The
A “A Day Trip to Philadelphia”
National Historical Society, 2000.
B “Historic Train Journeys”
The colon follows “Harrisburg, PA” in C “Our President Andrew Johnson”
order to separate D “Washington, D.C.: A History”
A the city of publication and the
date of publication. 4 Which of the following questions is
B the title of the book and the name answered in the bibliography?
of the publisher. A What is the Web site of the
C the name of the author and the Springfield Historical Society?
title of the book. B Is Train History published
D the city of publication and the monthly or bimonthly?
name of the publisher C Has Kevin Devers published
other books?
2 Read this bibliographic entry. D How many pages is the book
Abraham Lincoln: His Life?
Bishop, Zachary. “The Lincoln
Funeral Train.” Train History.
April 2005: 22–27.

In this entry, why is “The Lincoln

Funeral Train” in quotation marks?
A It is the name of the author.
B It is the title of a book.
C It is the title of a magazine article.
D It is the topic of the passage.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

132 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Content Standard: 9RC2.3 Comprehension and Analysis of Grade-
Level-Appropriate Text: Generate relevant questions about readings Relevant Questions LESSON 6
on issues that can be researched.

LEARN IT: Relevant Questions

As you read a text, try to generate questions about what you are reading that will help
you think more critically about that text. If you find a place in the text that proves difficult
to understand, ask yourself, “What do I understand about this subject? What don’t I
understand?” In some cases, a passage may not provide enough information to give you a
complete picture of the subject. It might be because the author hasn’t provided enough
support for his or her hypothesis, or because the author assumes the reader already has a
familiarity with the subject. On the other hand, you may find a detail or issue in the text
that makes you want to learn more about the subject on your own. In these instances, you
will need to do additional research to learn more about the topic. Generating questions will
help guide your research as you work to deepen your understanding of the subject.

EXAMPLE

Read the following sentences.

Plans call for Paul Philippoteaux’s 1883 cyclorama painting of the Battle of Gettysburg
to be restored and installed in a climate-controlled area of the new Gettysburg
Battlefield Visitors’ Center, where the panorama can be viewed in the manner that was
originally intended by the artist. The cyclorama was considered hi-tech for the 1880s.

To learn more about other works by this artist, a student should research which of
the following topics?
A The Battle of Gettysburg
B Paul Philippoteaux
C Cycloramas of the 1880s
D Gettysburg Battlefield Visitors’ Center

Step 1 Read the passage carefully. What topic would you research if you
wanted to learn more about other works by this artist?
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

If I want to learn more about other works by the artist, I should focus on learning
more about Paul Philippoteaux himself. Research into his biography would
probably include information about his other notable paintings.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer mentions a topic that would
provide more information about other works by the artist if researched further?
Choice A deals with the subject of this particular painting, rather than other
paintings by the same artist. Choice B is the name of the artist who created this
particular painting. Further research into his life would likely reveal some of his other
works. Choice C discusses the type of painting that is being displayed. However, we
do not know for certain whether or not the artist’s other paintings were cycloramas.
Choice D discusses the museum in which the cyclorama is to be hung. There is no
evidence in the passage that the museum is also displaying other works by this
artist, so choice D is not the best answer. The correct answer is choice B.

Lesson 6, Relevant Questions 133

 LESSON 6 Relevant Questions

EXAMPLE

Read the following sentences.

Oscar Wilde was an Irish author who became one of the most well-known
playwrights of the nineteenth century. Known as much for his flamboyant lifestyle as
his writing, Wilde was a great celebrity in his day. He wrote several celebrated plays
such as Lady Windermere’s Fan and The Importance of Being Earnest, which are
known for their humorous examinations of the English gentry’s foibles. In 1890 he
published his only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray.

In order to understand the passage better, which of the following questions should
be researched?
A What was Oscar Wilde’s most famous play?
B When were Wilde’s plays first published?
C What are the styles and characteristics of Wilde’s plays and novel?
D What is The Picture of Dorian Gray about?

Step 1 Read the passage carefully. What information is presented in the

passage? What is the passage’s main idea? What information might you need
for a more complete understanding of that main idea?

The main idea seems to be that Wilde was famous for both his writing and his
lifestyle. The passage gives information about celebrated plays and scandals that
“made headlines.” In order to better understand the information presented in the
passage, I would be interested in finding out more about Wilde’s life and the works
for which he is so well-known.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer shows a question that would
provide more information about the main idea of the passage if it were researched
further?

Choice A asks a question that only focuses on which of Oscar Wilde’s plays is the

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

most famous and not on why it is famous. Choice B asks about a small detail
regarding the years of publication for Wilde’s plays. Choice C asks about the style
and characteristics of Wilde’s work. Researching this question would probably lead
to more information about Wilde’s literary style that would help me better
understand the information about Wilde presented in this passage. Choice D only
asks about the plot of one of Wilde’s works, The Picture of Dorian Gray. Answering
this question would not tell me anything about Wilde or his literary style. The best
answer is choice C.

134 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Relevant Questions LESSON 6

PRACTICE IT: Generate Relevant Questions

Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.

The Tower of London

1 In the year 1066, William the Conqueror of Normandy landed in England.
Within months his invading army of archers and cavalry had vanquished his
enemies, and on Christmas Day, 1066, William was crowned King of England.
Afraid that the people might revolt, William built a simple fortification to control
London and the River Thames. Then, in about 1078, he began construction of the
most awe-inspiring and frightening structure his Anglo-Saxon subjects had ever
seen. Known as the Great Tower and later as the White Tower, William’s castle
was ideally situated on the north bank of the River Thames in London.

2 The original tower was built along the stone walls of an old Roman town. Over
the centuries, the castle was repeatedly improved and extended. Other smaller
towers, stone walls, armored gates, and even a moat were added. The fortress,
considered impenetrable, became the home of England’s kings and queens until it
was seized by the parliament in 1643. Today the fortress is known as the Tower of
London and is a national museum. It is among the most important historical
structures in the world. For many centuries, the tower also served as a royal
prison. Not only could it keep invaders out but the towering high walls afforded
an excellent means for keeping prisoners securely in. Once imprisoned, many
never again saw the light of day. Dank and barren, the tower and its ruthless
guards, known as “beefeaters,” became notorious.

3 Today the beefeaters still guard the Tower of London, home to England’s crown
jewels. The beefeaters—or, more formally, the yeoman warders—wear colorful
uniforms styled after the uniforms worn by soldiers during the rule of Queen
Elizabeth in the 1500s. The present-day warders are retired noncommissioned
officers of the British army, Royal Air Force, and Royal Marines. In addition to
their responsibility to guard the crown jewels, they serve as tour guides to the
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

hundreds of thousands of tourists who visit the Tower of London every year.

4 Each night the yeoman warders perform the oldest surviving military ceremony
in the world—the locking of the Tower of London. Known as the Ceremony of
the Keys, the rite has taken place every night for over seven hundred years. At
precisely seven minutes to ten, the chief yeoman warder emerges from his tower
carrying a lantern and the queen’s keys. He proceeds at a “dignified” pace to the
Bloody Tower, where he is joined by two sentries. They escort the chief yeoman
warder to the outer gate to shut and lock the great oak doors.

5 Although the origins of the Tower of London trace back to a foreign invasion, the
tower has come to symbolize the great stability of England and of British culture.
Despite its sometimes-violent history, the tower has become an enduring
monument and a tribute to human perseverance.

Lesson 6, Relevant Questions 135

 LESSON 6 Relevant Questions

1 Choose the question about the 3 To learn more about the famous
Tower of London that could best people who have lived in the Tower of
be answered by further research. London, which of the following topics
A How many ravens have lived would you research?
in the Tower of London? A England’s crown jewels
B What are the names of the various B England’s kings and queens
buildings within the fortress and C England’s military
when were they built?
D England’s parliament
C How does the chief yeoman
warder feel about his job of
4 In order to understand the passage
locking the tower’s great doors?
better, which of the following
D What was the name of the old questions should be researched?
Roman town where the original
A Why did William the Conqueror
tower was built?
decide to invade England?
B How long was the Tower of
2 To learn more about how the Tower of
London used as a prison?
London is being used today, which of
the following topics should you C What are some notable references
research? to the Tower of London in
English literature?
A England’s national museums
D How has the Tower of London
B England’s Roman past
inf luenced the history of
C England’s prisons England?
D England’s rulers

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

136 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Content Standard: 9RC2.4 Structural Features of Informational
Materials: Synthesize the content from several sources or works by a Synthesize LESSON 7
single author dealing with a single issue; paraphrase the ideas and
connect them to other sources and relate topics to demonstrate
comprehension.

LEARN IT: Synthesize

When you read or research, you may sometimes need to look at more than one document
to help you understand what you read. By connecting the main ideas of one document to
those of another, you can better understand the topic. When you make connections
between works and create ideas out of these connections, you are synthesizing content.

EXAMPLE

1 Read the following documents about Body Mass Index.

Document A

1 Many people struggle with their weight. Being overweight is usually caused
by unhealthy food intake or lack of physical activity. One tool used to
determine if you are keeping a healthy weight is the Body Mass Index, or
BMI. This tool can help you see if you are classified as underweight, healthy
weight, overweight, or obese.

2 BMI is a number calculated from weight and height. It indicates the amount
of fat in the body. It does not measure body fat directly, but determines fat by
checking weight against height. It is used by doctors and nutritionists to
guide people to maintain a healthy weight and avoid diseases related to excess
weight.

3 The BMI can be used for both young people and adults. For children and
teens, age and sex are taken into account. This is because the amount of body
fat may easily change during the earlier years and the fat amount may differ
between girls and boys.

4 If you are underweight based on your BMI, you need to eat healthy foods to
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

gain weight. If you are at a healthy weight, you have to check whether the
bulk of your weight comes from healthy foods. Observe your daily intake.
You may be missing some important nutrients that you need to include in
your diet. If you are overweight or obese, you can lose weight slowly and
steadily by eating fewer calories that have all the nutrients you need.

5 The BMI should not be used as a sole guide to determining health, however.
Other factors such as diet, physical activity, family history, and other health-
related history should also be taken into account before it can be concluded
that, for example, a child is overweight. Overall, healthy eating throughout
the day and sufficient physical activity promote health and fitness in any
person, regardless of age or sex.

Lesson 7, Synthesize 137

 LESSON 7 Synthesize

Document B

How is Body Mass Index (BMI) calculated and interpreted for children and teens?
1. Get your accurate height and weight measurements.

2. Calculate the BMI and percentile using the Child and Teen BMI Calculator.
You need to enter your birth date, sex, height, and weight. The BMI number
is calculated using standard formulas.

3. The BMI Calculator tells you your Body Mass Index. The BMI is given a
percentile, which is a number derived from a comparison with the BMI of
other people your age and sex.

4. Each percentile belongs in a weight status category. These categories are

based on expert committee recommendations.

Those who belong in the less than fifth percentile category are considered
underweight. Those who belong in the fifth percentile up to the eighty-fifth
percentile category are considered to have a healthy weight. Those who
belong in the eighty-fifth to less than the ninety-fifth percentile category are
considered at risk of becoming overweight. Those who belong in the equal to
or greater than the ninety-fifth percentile category are considered overweight.

By maintaining a healthy weight and eating the right kind of foods, you may
reduce your risk of many chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes,
osteoporosis, and certain cancers.

Based on both documents, all of these are ways to avoid diseases except
A eating the right kinds of food
B being active through exercise
C maintaining healthy weight
D comparing your weight to others

Step 1 Read the documents. What do they say about avoiding diseases? Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Both documents say that maintaining a healthy weight and eating the right kind of
foods will help you avoid getting sick. Document A also says that physical activity
promotes health.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which choice is not a way to avoid diseases?

Based on both documents, Choices A, B, and C are ways to avoid diseases.

Choice D is the correct answer.

138 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Synthesize LESSON 7

Connecting Ideas to Other Sources

Main ideas from different sources may help support and strengthen each other. By
connecting ideas to other sources, or checking to see whether what you read in one
source builds on information in other sources, you will be better able to make sense of
what you read.

EXAMPLE

2 Read the following articles.

Document A

Salmonellosis Associated with Beef Jerky

1 In 1995, there were two cases of salmonellosis in New Mexico. The two men
who were infected experienced diarrhea and abdominal cramps a couple of
days after eating beef jerky. The bacteria Salmonella was found in the patients.
Officials at the New Mexico Environment Department found out that the
jerky was processed at a local plant. They also discovered that there were
similar cases in the area.

2 One hundred eleven people who purchased from the same local plant and ate
the jerky within the same time frame were studied. Of this group, ninety-
three had diarrhea, cramps, headache, fever, vomiting, and chills. These
symptoms were similar to those experienced by the two reported individuals.

3 The processing plant that manufactured the beef jerky was inspected by state
authorities. The plant owner explained that the processing included placing
partially frozen beef in a drying room at 140°F for three hours. Then they
kept the meat at 115°F for 19 hours. After processing, the jerky was placed in
uncovered plastic tubs for sale to the public.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

4 Salmonellosis is an infection from a species of bacteria called Salmonella.

Persons infected develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72
hours after infection. The illness usually lasts for a week, and most recover
without treatment. However, this disease can cause death in some individuals
unless treated promptly with antibiotics.

Lesson 7, Synthesize 139

 LESSON 7 Synthesize

Document B

The Process of Making Jerky

1 Jerky is made from animals such as bear, buffalo, or whales. It is meat that has
been made lightweight by drying. A pound of meat or poultry weighs about
four ounces after being made into jerky. Because most of the moisture is
removed, it is shelf stable—can be stored without refrigeration—making it a
handy food for backpackers and others who don’t have access to refrigerators.
Foods like jerky are preserved by drying because, without moisture, enzymes
cannot efficiently contact or react with the food.

2 The USDA Meat and Poultry recommends that to make jerky, meat should be
heated to 160°F and poultry to 165°F before the dehydrating process. This
ensures that bacteria will be fully destroyed. After heating, the meat should be
dehydrated at 130–140°F. This will prevent spoilage and will remove enough
water where microorganisms can grow. If these measures are not taken,
eating the jerky may result to illnesses due to Salmonella.

What information does Document B provide to explain why people suffered from
salmonellosis from eating beef jerky in 1995?
A the types of animals jerky can be made from
B the recommended temperatures in the jerky-making process
C an explanation on why drying is a good way to preserve food
D the ways food can be preserved other than drying

Step 1 Read the documents. After reading Document B, why do you think some
people suffered from salmonellosis after eating beef jerky in 1995?

I think they became ill because the beef jerky was not processed properly. I know
this because Document B states that jerky should be heated at 160–165°F and
dehydrated at 130–140°F to prevent bacteria growth and spoilage. The processing

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

plant mentioned in Document A only dried the beef at 140°F and kept it at 115°F.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which piece of information from Document B
explains what happened in Document A?

The recommended temperatures in the process of making jerky in Document B

explains why people got sick after eating beef jerky made by a plant in Document A.
The plant did not follow the recommended temperatures. Choice B is correct.

140 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Synthesize LESSON 7

PRACTICE IT: Synthesize

Read the documents and consider how they are similar and different. Answer the
questions that follow.

Document A

The Damage that Hurricane Katrina Brought

1 Hurricane Katrina was one of the strongest storms to hit the coast of the
United States during the last 100 years. With sustained winds of 125 mph, it
registered as a strong category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
Katrina devastated the central Gulf Coast states, Louisiana, Alabama, and
Mississippi. People in these states experienced Katrina’s impact and many
have not yet recovered fully.

2 In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina started as a tropical storm in the

Bahamas. It increased in strength as it passed Florida and the Gulf of Mexico.
Atmospheric and sea-surface conditions helped intensify the cyclone. After a
few days, Katrina reached its peak at a wind speed of 170 mph.

3 Katrina claimed hundreds of lives and leveled homes in the Gulf Coast states.
Levees that separated New Orleans, Louisiana, from surrounding lakes failed,
leaving some parts of New Orleans under 20 feet of water. These earthen
levees could not hold against the hurricane’s strong winds, heavy rainfall, and
storm surge. Mobile, Alabama, and Gulfport, Mississippi, were underwater,
as well.

4 The hurricane also caused extensive power outages. Drinking water was
unavailable in New Orleans due to a broken water main that serves the city.
Both of New Orleans’ airports were flooded and closed on August 30. Bridges
of Interstate 10 leading east out of the city were also destroyed. Most of the
coastal highways were impassable. Minor roads near the shore were
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

underwater or covered in debris. Businesses, particularly the oil industry, also

suffered from Katrina. Oil production in the Gulf of Mexico was significantly
reduced. Damages caused by Katrina amounted to over $100 billion.

Lesson 7, Synthesize 141

 LESSON 7 Synthesize

Document B

Recovery Efforts for Victims of Katrina

Hurricane Katrina affected more than 1.5 million people and drove over
800,000 people to live outside of their homes. Over the past few years,
government and volunteer organizations have worked together to help
rebuild the region. The following are some recovery efforts done in the Gulf
Coast states that were most affected by Katrina.

1. Rebuilding the Community—Damaged housing and infrastructure are being

rebuilt. Victims are given aid in rebuilding their homes or relocating.

2. Repairing the Infrastructure and Drainage System—Floodwalls and levees are

being repaired and protected against erosion.

3. Restoring Transportation, Shipping, Public Buildings, and Ports—Debris is

being removed to restore roads, bridges, schools, public buildings, and
utilities.

4. Restoring Energy and Water—Electricity and water supply are back to normal
in the Gulf Coast States.

5. Rebuilding the Economy—Farmers affected by livestock and crop loss are

given aid to rehabilitate farms.

6. Providing Jobs—Citizens are given career opportunities in fields that aid in

the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast, such as emergency training.

7. Providing Health Care, Social Services, Food, and Education—A health care
and social service system is being established to help victims of Katrina.
Water, ice, meals, and medicine were also immediately provided. School
facilities are being repaired and instructional materials and equipment
replaced.

8. Preparation for Future Calamities—Preventive measures are being taken to Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

ensure disaster preparedness and efficient communications systems if storms

and hurricanes hit the country again.

142 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Synthesize LESSON 7

1 According to both documents, 3 According to Document B, all of the

Hurricane Katrina resulted in all of following are recovery efforts except
these except A the creation of jobs.
A power outages. B efforts to improve tourism.
B damaged school facilities. C the rebuilding of homes.
C plane crashes. D disaster preparedness programs.
D livestock loss.
4 What information does Document B
2 What information does Document A provide to best explain why Katrina
provide to explain why levees are had a great impact on the United
being repaired? States?
A Levees in New Orleans failed. A Katrina led to career
B Levees had too much debris. opportunities in emergency
C Levees are prone to erosion.
training.
B Katrina resulted in roads
D Levees will help restore ports.
requiring major repairs.
C Katrina served as a lesson to be
better prepared for calamities.
D Katrina affected over a million
people’s lives.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 7, Synthesize 143

 Content Standard: 9RC2.6 Comprehension and Analysis of Grade-
LESSON 8 Learning Tools Level-Appropriate Text: Demonstrate use of sophisticated learning
tools by following technical directions (e.g., those found with graphic
calculators and specialized software programs and in access guides
to World Wide Web sites on the Internet).

LEARN IT: Learning Tools

Technical directions are instructions that explain how to do certain tasks, such as setting
a clock, installing software, or baking a cake. In the classroom, you may be asked to
follow a set of technical directions in order to use certain learning tools. These tools
might include equipment such as graphing calculators or Web cameras, as well as
computer-based programs, including specialized software or online learning tools.

Understanding Technical Directions

When reading technical directions, start by previewing or skimming the instructions to

gain some understanding of what you will need to do, what materials may be needed,
and how the learning tool will operate. Once you have a general understanding of the
task to be performed, read the directions through more carefully. As you read, try to
visualize the objects and the process. Look over any diagrams and read the captions or
other text related to the visuals to increase your understanding of the technical directions.

EXAMPLE

1 Read the following assembly directions.

Pole Lamp Setup and Operation

1. Remove all parts from box.

2. Insert tube (B) into base of lamp (A) and screw tube to tighten.

3. Repeat step 2 with lamp pole (C), (D), and (E).

4. Locate the grooves on the top of first lamp shade (G), and then match up the
grooves on the decorative cup (F).

5. Turn the shade clockwise in the cup until it is tight.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 with lamp shades (H) and (I).

7. Screw 60 watt lightbulb into each decorative cup (F).

8. Plug lamp into polarized outlet, and use the switch on each decorative cup
to turn lamp on or off.

9. If there is any extra cord between the pole and base, gently pull the cord out
of the opening from the base of the lamp.

144 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Learning Tools LESSON 8

Which step seems to be out of order?

A step 5.
B step 4
C step 9
D step 2

Step 1 Read the assembly directions carefully. Which step does not logically
follow the one before it?

The instructions say to put the pole into the base of the lamp, then to attach the
lamp shades. After that, you must screw in the appropriate lightbulbs, and then
plug the lamp into a socket. The last step is to pull any extra cord that is between
the pole and base out of the hole in the base of the lamp. This last step seems out
of order, because plugging the device in and switching it on are usually the last
steps when assembling an electric appliance.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer matches the step that does
not seem to fit into a sequential order?

Step 5 follows logically after step 4, because you need to match up the grooves on
the lamp shade before you can screw it in. Step 4 follows logically after step 3,
because the lamp shades can only be attached to the pole after the pole has been
set up. Step 2 follows logically after step 1, because it makes sense that you would
start with the base when assembling a floor lamp. Choices A, B, and D are
therefore incorrect. Step 9 does not follow logically after Step 8 because it is very
dangerous to pull on a cord that is already plugged into a socket. Step 9 should be
placed before step 8, not after it. The correct answer is C.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 8, Learning Tools 145

 LESSON 8 Learning Tools

Learning Tools

There are many types of learning tools that can be used in the classroom to enhance
learning. Computer and Web-based programs, graphing calculators, scientific
instruments, and specialized equipment for life science and technology education
courses are some examples of learning tools that can be used in the classroom.
Understanding and following technical directions for proper use of these tools is crucial
to the learning process.

EXAMPLE

2 Read this passage.

Creating a Word Puzzle

1. Type the name of the Web site into the browser; then hit the Enter key on the
computer keyboard.

2. Click on the field for the puzzle name. Decide on a name for your puzzle;
then type the name into the box.

3. Move the cursor to the next box. Type in the phrase you want to encrypt.

4. Use the mouse pointer to select the type of characters you want the puzzle to
use (Numbers, Letters, or Symbols).

5. Decide if you want to provide the puzzle solver with some hint letters to help
him or her begin solving the puzzle.

6. If you want to add some hint letters, type in the letters you want the puzzle to
reveal, separated by spaces. Then click on the Complete button.

7. If you don’t want to add hint letters, skip step 6 and simply click the
Complete button.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

8. Hand the word puzzle to the puzzle solver to decipher!

146 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Learning Tools LESSON 8

Which of the following best describes the problem with the directions?
A Technical jargon is used.
B There is a step missing.
C The steps are out of order.
D The writing is not clear.

Step 1 Read the puzzle directions carefully. Are they clear and complete? Is
anything out of order? Is anything missing?

The directions are clear and easy to read. Nothing seems out of order. However,
since this puzzle is created on the computer, the puzzle would need to be printed
out before you can give it to the puzzle solver. This step is not mentioned in the
instructions.

Step 2 Read each answer. Which answer best describes any deficiencies in
the directions?

Choice A is incorrect because the vocabulary is not overly technical and could be
read by a general audience. Choice C is incorrect because the steps are in a clear
order with each step logically following the one before it. Choice D is incorrect
because the writing is clear and concise. The directions do omit a step and fail to
mention that you should print out the puzzle before handing it to the puzzle solver.
Choice B is the correct answer.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 8, Learning Tools 147

 LESSON 8 Learning Tools

PRACTICE IT: Technical Directions and

Learning Tools
Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.

Creating a Blog
1. Go to a blog Web site on the Internet, such as www.bloggerworld.com.

2. To begin, use the mouse cursor and click on the Start Here button.

3. If you don’t have an account, you will need to create one. If you do have an
account, type in your desired username and password, as well as your actual
name and e-mail address.

4. Create a title and description for your blog, and type the information into
the blank box.

5. Select your desired host site from the list of hosting options.

6. Create an address for your blog, and type it into the blank box.

7. Use the mouse cursor to click on the Accept Terms of Service button, and then
click Next.

8. Select a template from the template menu, and use the mouse cursor to click Finish.

9. Type your first blog entry into the blank area.

10. Decide on your formatting. Highlight the text you wish to format; then select
the desired formatting option, such as underline, italics, or bold, from the
Formatting menu.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

11. Use the cursor to click on the Post and Publish button.

12. Wait a few seconds, and then click the View Web Page button. Now you have your
first blog post!

148 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Learning Tools LESSON 8

1 What information would best be 3 What step is missing from the

added to the directions to help the directions?
reader better understand the task A how to use a blog template
of blogging?
B how to write a blog
A the definition of a blog
C how to create an account
B a blog’s site map
D how to publish a post
C the name of a famous blogger
D a diagram of a blog 4 When creating the blog post, you
must be sure to accept the Terms of
2 How might blogging best be used as a Service, as described in
learning tool in the classroom? A step 4.
A to practice writing B step 7.
B to solve math problems C step 9.
C to learn about different world D step 11.
cultures
D to test knowledge of science
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Lesson 8, Learning Tools 149

 Content Standard: 9RC2.7 Expository Critique: Critique the logic of
LESSON 9 Functional Documents functional documents by examining the sequence of information and
procedures in anticipation of possible reader misunderstandings.

LEARN IT: Functional Documents

The purpose of a functional document is to inform the reader. Functional documents
should include all relevant information and should present the information clearly and
concisely. When you read a functional document, you should make sure that the
information provided in the document is logical. Sometimes information may be omitted, or
the information may not be presented in a logical order. It’s important to read a functional
document critically to avoid possible misunderstandings.

Logical Order

Many functional documents present information or procedures in a specific order. The

information may be in chronological order or order of importance. For example,
instructions are presented in a step-by-step format because a specific function needs to
be completed before another function can be performed. Each step builds upon the step
preceding it. As you read, think about how the steps are related and whether all the steps
are in the proper order.

Questioning

Determine the purpose of the document and the audience. Start by reading headings to
see if they are in a particular order. Then as you read, question what you are reading to
make sure it is correct. Some questions you might ask are listed below.

Checklist

• Does this step build upon the preceding step?

• Does the step require an action that has not been performed yet?

• Are there references to actions, materials, or procedures that have not

• been previously mentioned?

• Are there inconsistencies between the document and the actual procedure?

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

• Has essential information been left out?

• Are unfamiliar terms or procedures defined or explained?

• Are the dates correct?

• Are the materials correctly numbered?

• Are any diagrams or illustrations properly labeled?

150 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Functional Documents LESSON 9

EXAMPLE

Read the following passage.

Release Date: January 18, 2008

For Immediate Release

Office of the Press Secretary

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reminds travelers that beginning
January 31, 2008, they will be asked to present documents denoting citizenship and
identity when entering the United States through land and sea ports of entry. This
change primarily affects United States and Canadian citizens, who have previously
been permitted entry into the United States by oral declaration alone. Effective
January 31, 2008, travelers must verify identity and citizenship by presenting
documentation from a specified list of acceptable documents when entering the U.S.
U.S. citizens may begin applying in advance for the new U.S. Passport Card on
February 1, 2008. This card will be valid for North American land border crossings.
The U.S. Passport cards will be available and mailed to applicants in spring 2008.

Based on the information given in this document, a traveler returning to New York
from Canada on February 15, 2008 can expect
A to already have received his U.S. Passport card.
B to travel without proof of citizenship.
C to apply for his U.S. Passport card at the border.
D to be asked for acceptable identification.

Step 1 Read the document carefully. What information does it provide? When
does this information begin to apply, and to whom?

The document provides information about the process for crossing into the United
States from abroad, particularly from Canada. The new process begins to apply
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

after January 31, 2008, to all travelers re-entering the United States.

Step 2 Read each answer. Which answer applies to the traveler in question?

Answer A is incorrect because the document notes that Passport cards will not be
sent out until the Spring of 2008. Choice B, to travel without proof of citizenship,
could only be correct if the person were traveling prior to January 31, 2008. Since
the traveler will cross the border on February 15, 2008, choice B is incorrect.
Choice C is not mentioned anywhere within the document, and since the
document does say that cards are to be applied for in advance, it is probably an
incorrect answer. Choice D is correct, since this procedure will apply to all travelers
after January 31, 2008.

Lesson 9, Functional Documents 151

 LESSON 9 Functional Documents

PRACTICE IT: Functional Documents

Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.

FRENCH CLUB TRIP FUNDRAISER

The French Club is sponsoring a trip to France next spring.

Our goal is to raise $10,000 for the trip.

ITEMS FOR SALE

Pretzel Kits (mix for 2 pretzels and 2 toppings) $10.00

Brownie Mix (ingredients layered in jar) $5.00
French Club Fudge (16 pieces/box) $7.50

Money should be collected when the order is taken. Checks should be made
payable to “Cedar Hill HS French Club.” Order forms are included in the packet. Please
provide totals of each item sold on the tally sheet. Orders are due Friday, February 10. No
orders will be accepted after that date.

Items will be delivered on March 10.

WIN PRIZES
Sell 1-3 items: Win a ticket for a $500 cash raffle.
Sell 4-8 items: Win a ticket for the raffle and a French Club T-shirt.
Sell 9-12 items: Win a ticket for the raffle, the French Club shirt, and a French
Club baseball cap.
Sell more than 12 items: Win the ticket, the hat, the shirt, and a French Club
tote bag.

Contact Mme Keller, our parent coordinator, if you have any questions.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

152 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Functional Documents LESSON 9

1 Where is the best place to add the 3 Where is the best place to add the
following information to the flyer? following information to the flyer?
Every French Club member is Makes 34 bars
encouraged to sell at least 12 items
A after the words “ingredients
from the list below to help us reach
layered in jar”
our goal.
B after the words “Items for Sale”
A after the words “French Club Trip
C after the words “French Club
Fundraiser”
Fudge”
B after the sentence “Our goal is to
D after the words “Items will be
raise $10,000 for the trip”
delivered on March 10”
C after the words “French Club
Fudge”
4 Read the sentence from the passage.
D after the words “Contact Mme
Keller, our parent coordinator, if Contact Mme Keller, our parent
you have any questions” coordinator, if you have any questions.

2 What information would be the

Why does the flyer list “Items for Sale”?
most useful addition to this
A to help students see the items sentence?
for sale
A Mme Keller’s phone number
B to provide students with the
information they need to sell B Mme Keller’s first name
the items C Mme Keller’s age
C to tell students what prizes they D Mme Keller’s occupation
can win for selling items
D to inform students about the
French Club trip
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 9, Functional Documents 153

 Content Standard: 9RC2.8 Expository Critique: Evaluate the
LESSON 10 Credibility credibility of an author’s argument or defense of a claim by critiquing the
relationship between generalizations and evidence, the comprehensiveness
of evidence, and the way in which the author’s intent affects the structure
and tone of the text (e.g., in professional journals, editorials, political
LEARN IT: Credibility speeches, primary source material).

As you read a text, critically evaluate it to determine the credibility of an author’s argument.
Ask yourself questions about the information as you read. Does the author offer support for
his or her claims? Is that support sufficiently detailed and comprehensive? Some of the
types of supporting evidence the author might use include scientific studies, statistics,
facts, experiment results, opinions, details, examples, or survey data.

Generalizations and Evidence

A credible argument offers evidence for its claims or assertions. The more comprehensive the
evidence, the more support there is for the argument. A generalization lacks specific evidence,
such as facts or examples, and thus offers little support for the argument’s credibility.
The readers cannot determine whether the author’s argument is truly valid or merely an
opinion. When reading, watch out for generalizations that are not supported by evidence.

EXAMPLE:

1 Read the following sentence.

Washington, D.C., has the feel of a French city. The capital has an open green space
called the Mall that is similar to the open spaces found in French cities. The streets
around the Mall are wide like the boulevards of a French city. The city was designed
by Frenchman Pierre Charles L’Enfant, who was inspired by Paris and Versailles.

The author supports his or her argument with

A opinions.
B examples.
C studies.
D statistics.

Step 1 Read the passage carefully. What is the author’s argument? How is it

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

supported?

The author argues that Washington, D.C., is very much like a French city and then
gives examples of ways in which Washington, D.C., is similar to a French city.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer explains how the author has
offered support for his or her argument?

Studies and statistics are excellent evidence for an argument; however, the author
has not used these types of evidence in this passage, so choices C and D are
incorrect. Choice A is also incorrect because opinions are not strong sources of
evidence; they are unsupported claims. The author has provided examples in the
passage of how Washington, D.C., is similar to a French city. Choice B is therefore
the correct answer.

154 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Credibility LESSON 10

Comprehensiveness of Evidence

The evidence offered in support of an argument should be comprehensive and complete.

It should support all of the important points, and must come from sources that are
trustworthy. If the source is credible but potentially biased, be sure to note that fact in
your writing. Too much bias in your evidence will undermine your argument.

EXAMPLE

2 Read this passage.

The game Red Heat is well worth the money because it offers a host of features that
will appeal to its players. This multi-player game encourages opponents to compete
against each other on a variety of racing courses. Next-generation graphics make you
feel as though you are right there in the driver’s seat on each of the courses. It also
features a Wi-Fi connection, so you can play against other people around the world
via the Internet. The courses incorporate features from actual raceways on the sprint
car circuit. Red Heat also offers challenges for a variety of skill levels ranging from
beginner to expert. The game has been rated one of the year’s best by three different
gaming magazines: Super-Gamer, Gamers United, and Gamers Digest. And gamers
love it: Red Heat is ranked number one in racing game sales for the year, a tribute to
its multi-dimensional play capabilities.

The evidence that supports the argument that Red Heat is worth purchasing is
A biased.
B insufficient.
C varied.
D vague.

Step 1 Read the sentence carefully. What types of evidence does the author use
to support the argument?
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

The author cites reviews from trustworthy gaming magazines and gives actual sales
figures to back up his or her argument. The author also gives examples of features
that make the game both unique and enjoyable.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer best describes the evidence?

Choice A is not correct because even though the author gives opinions about why
the game is fun, he or she also cites credible magazine sources, so the evidence is
not completely biased. The author also does not limit the evidence to only one
source or type, so choice B, insufficient, is not correct. Finally the author offers
plenty of examples about the positive features of the game, so choice D, vague, is
incorrect as well. Choice C is the best answer because the author uses different
kinds of evidence, including examples and trusted sources, to back his claim.

Lesson 10, Credibility 155

LESSON 10 Credibility

Author’s Intent

When reading a text, try to determine the author’s purpose or intent. Is the author trying
to inform you of a problem or persuade you of a need for action? Think about how the
author’s intent or purpose determines his or her tone. For example, if the author strongly
believes in his or her argument, the tone of the piece will be passionate and persuasive.
If the author’s intent is to simply inform readers, the tone will be more neutral.

EXAMPLE

3 Read this passage from Abraham Lincoln’s speech to the Republican State
Convention on June 16, 1858.

“A house divided against itself cannot stand.” I believe this government cannot endure,
permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved,—I do
not expect the house to fall; but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become
all one thing, or all another. Either the opponents of slavery will arrest the further
spread of it, and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in the
course of ultimate extinction; or its advocates will push it forward, till shall become
alike lawful in all the states, old as well as new, North as well as South.

Have we no tendency to the latter condition?

What is the author’s purpose in giving this speech?

A to inform
B to persuade
C to entertain
D to offer an opinion

Step 1 Read the passage carefully. What does the tone reveal about the
author’s intent in giving this speech?

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lincoln’s language reveals his strong feelings about the issue of slavery. The
speech expresses Lincoln’s opinion that the Union will not fall and ends with an
impassioned plea for a strong stance against the further spread of slavery.

Step 2 Read each answer. Which answer best reflects the author’s purpose?

Lincoln’s tone is fairly passionate, so he cannot be simply informing his audience.

Moreover, the tone of the speech is serious, not entertaining. Choices A and B are
therefore incorrect. The author is giving an opinion, but he is not simply offering it
for the consideration of his listeners. Choice D is therefore incorrect as well. The
purpose of Lincoln’s speech is to persuade others to support him in the fight
against slavery. B is the correct answer.

156 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Credibility LESSON 10

PRACTICE IT: Evaluate the Credibility of an

Author’s Argument
Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.

Intelligent Airbags
1 Although automobile airbags have effectively decreased injuries and deaths from car
accidents, they have created some new safety problems. Many cases of injuries caused
by airbags have been reported. Most of these injuries have affected children and small
adults, because airbags have a greater impact on small bodies. Children and small
adults have less mass to counter the tremendous force of inflating airbags. However,
systems are being developed to decrease the number of airbag-related injuries.

2 One device used in systems that help prevent injuries is the Force-Sensing Resistor
(FSR). This device gathers information about the size and weight of a car’s passenger
and sends that information to the airbag system to regulate the force of inflation.

3 FSRs are usually used along with an Occupant Classification (OC), a device that is
placed inside a car’s seat. The OC classifies passengers on the basis of how much they
weigh and how their weight is spread across the cushion of the seat. In the event of an
accident, the airbag uses this information and inflates only enough to protect the
passenger, thereby decreasing the possibility of injury.

4 Systems like these are already being installed in several types of cars in Europe, but
only a small number of American cars currently carry these systems. However,
“intelligent airbags” will soon be required in many American vehicles, thanks to new
rules set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 10, Credibility 157

LESSON 10 Credibility

1 Which statement best identifies the 3 Which of the following best identifies
author’s argument about intelligent the author’s purpose in writing the
airbags? passage?
A Although automobile airbags A to praise
have effectively decreased injuries B to educate
and deaths from car accidents,
C to suggest
they have created some new
safety problems. D to warn
B However, systems are being
developed to decrease the number 4 Which statement offers the best
of airbag-related injuries. support for the author’s main
argument about intelligent airbags?
C Most of these injuries have
affected children and small A Children and small adults have
adults, because airbags have a less mass to counter the
greater impact on small bodies. tremendous force of inflating
airbags.
D FSRs are usually used along with
an Occupant Classification (OC), B However, “intelligent airbags” will
a device that is placed inside a soon be required in many
car’s seat. American vehicles, thanks to new
rules set by the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration.
2 Read this sentence from the passage.
C In the event of an accident, the
Many cases of injuries caused by airbag uses this information and
airbags have been reported. inflates only enough to protect
the passenger, thereby decreasing
The comprehensiveness of the the possibility of injury.
evidence could best be described as D Systems like these are already
A general being installed in several types of
B specific cars in Europe, but only a small
number of American cars
C effective
currently carry these systems.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

D thorough

158 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Content Standard: 9RL3.1 Structural Features of Literature:
LESSON 11 Dramatic Forms Articulate the relationship between the expressed purposes and the
characteristics of different forms of dramatic literature (e.g., comedy,
tragedy, drama, dramatic monologue).

LEARN IT: Dramatic Forms

The various forms of dramatic literature include comedy, tragedy, drama, and dramatic
monologue. The purpose of each form of dramatic literature is to prompt a specific
emotional response from the audience. The events in a tragedy, for example, will trigger a
different emotional response in the audience than the events of a comedy.

Drama

A drama is a realistic portrayal of serious events performed before or presented to an

audience. Characters are faced with a crisis or conflict that comes to a suspenseful
climax and is then resolved. Dialogue and action are both characteristics of a drama,
which may be written in either prose or verse form.

EXAMPLE

Read the following excerpt from George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion.

LIZA: He has a right to if he likes, poor lad. And he does love me.

HIGGINS: [getting off the ottoman] You have no right to encourage him.

LIZA: Every girl has a right to be loved.

HIGGINS: What! By fools like that?

LIZA: Freddy’s not a fool. And if he’s weak and poor and wants me, may be he’d
make me happier than my betters that bully me and don’t want me.

HIGGINS: Can he MAKE anything of you? That’s the point.

LIZA: Perhaps I could make something of him. But I never thought of us making
anything of one another; and you never think of anything else. I only want to be
natural.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 11, Dramatic Forms 159

LESSON 11 Dramatic Forms

Which element of this scene suggests that it is a drama?

A dialogue and action
B a happy outcome
C more than one character
D a theme about love

Step 1 Read the example passage carefully. Are there any elements in this
scene that suggest a specific genre, or form, of literature?

The passage takes the form of a dialogue between two characters. There is no
exposition, but the actions of the characters are noted occasionally. The
characters’ language is natural, and the conflict between the two characters is
serious and realistic. The discussion is something that could happen in real life.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer suggests the dramatic form
being acted out in this scene?

The characters are definitely in having a dialogue with each other, and the text
notes their actions—as mentioned in choice A. We don’t know what the outcome
of the conflict will be, so choice B is not correct. Most forms of literature have
multiple characters, so while choice C is true, it is not the best choice. The
characters do bring up the idea of love, but this theme is found in other types of
literature as well, so choice D is also incorrect. Choice A is the best answer.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

160 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Dramatic Forms LESSON 11

Tragedy

A tragedy is a drama in which the characters experience extreme reversals of fortune that
result in the downfall of one or more individuals. The characters experience sorrow or
catastrophe, and the ending is generally an unhappy one. Often a tragedy may involve a
death, abandonment, or some other tragic outcome.

EXAMPLE

Read this excerpt from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

[Laertes wounds Hamlet; then in scuffling, they change rapiers, and Hamlet wounds
Laertes.] [The Queen falls.]
HAMLET: How does the Queen?

KING: She sounds to see them bleed.

QUEEN: No, no! the drink, the drink! O my dear Hamlet! The drink, the drink!
I am poison’d. [Dies.]

HAMLET: O villany! Ho! Let the door be lock’d. Treachery! Seek it out.
[Laertes falls.]

LAERTES: It is here, Hamlet.

Hamlet, thou art slain;
No medicine in the world can do thee good.
In thee there is not half an hour of life.
The treacherous instrument is in thy hand,
Unbated and envenom’d. The foul practice
Hath turn’d itself on me. Lo, here I lie,
Never to rise again. Thy mother’s poison’d.
I can no more. The King, the King’s to blame.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 11, Dramatic Forms 161

LESSON 11 Dramatic Forms

Which elements of this scene suggest that it is a tragedy?

A a marriage between two characters
B the death of one or more characters
C a conversation overheard by the audience
D a comic figure who comments on the scene

Step 1 Read the passage carefully. Does it contain characteristics that help you
identify its genre?

This scene suggests a tragedy because it contains a moment of crisis in which

several major characters are killed. The queen dies from a poisoned cup, and it
appears that both Hamlet and Laertes will die very shortly due to a poisoned blade.
This play will clearly have an unhappy outcome, so it is most likely a tragedy.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer best describes a characteristic
of tragedy that is played out in this scene?

Choices A, C, and D contain dramatic elements that are not present in this passage.
Choice B is correct because in a tragedy, it is common for one or more of the
characters to die. The Queen, Hamlet’s mother, has just died in this scene, and
Hamlet and his opponent are both mortally wounded.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

162 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Dramatic Forms LESSON 11

Comedy

A comedy is a form of dramatic literature in which the characters experience a reversal of

fortune that ends on a positive or happy note. In classic comedies, a typical outcome
often involves a wedding. The purpose of a comedy is to entertain, amuse, and
occasionally enlighten the audience. A comedy has strong elements of humor, frequently
in the form of humorous language, absurd situations, or a comic figure such as a fool or
clown who comments on the main action.

EXAMPLE

3 Read this excerpt from William Shakespeare’s As You Like It.

HYMEN: Good Duke, receive thy daughter;

That thou might join her hand with his,
Whose heart within his bosom is.

ROSALIND: [To Duke] To you I give myself, for I am yours.

[To Orlando] To you I give myself, for I am yours.

DUKE SENIOR: If there be truth in sight, you are my daughter.

ORLANDO: If there be truth in sight, you are my Rosalind.

ROSALIND: I’ll have no father, if you be not he;

I’ll have no husband, if you be not he;
Nor ne’er wed woman, if you be not she.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 11, Dramatic Forms 163

LESSON 11 Dramatic Forms

You can tell from the passage that this is a classic

A comedy.
B tragedy.
C conflict.
D drama.

Step 1 Read the passage carefully. Are there elements in this scene that
represent a specific genre or form of dramatic literature?

The dialogue between the characters indicates that this might be a wedding or that
a wedding might take place in the near future. For example, “thou might join her
hand with his” and “I’ll have no husband if you be not he” mean that Rosalind and
Orlando are in love and are planning on marrying. In this scene, Rosalind pledges
herself to Orlando, who tells her that he loves her. This shows a happy ending.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer choice corresponds to the
elements identified in this scene?

Choice A makes sense because this scene reflects the characteristics of a comedy,
which has a happy ending, often in the form of a wedding scene. Choice B is
incorrect because this scene indicates a happy outcome, which is not found in a
tragedy. Choice C is incorrect because conflict is an element of all types of
dramatic literature, not a genre. Choice D is incorrect because this scene does not
contain any examples of serious conflict between the characters. The correct
answer is choice A.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

164 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Dramatic Forms LESSON 11

Dramatic Monologue

A dramatic monologue is a speech by a narrator to an invisible audience. It often reveals

much about the speaker’s character, either through direct expressions of the speaker’s
emotions or more indirectly via comments the speaker makes about other subjects.

EXAMPLE

Read the following excerpt from Robert Browning’s poem “My Last Duchess.”

She had
A heart—how shall I say—too soon made glad,
Too easily impressed; she liked whate’er
She looked on, and her looks went everywhere.
Sir, ‘twas all one! My favour at her breast,
The dropping of the daylight in the West,
The bough of cherries some officious fool
Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule
She rode with round the terrace—all and each
Would draw from her alike the approving speech,
Or blush, at least. She thanked men—good! but thanked
Somehow—I know not how—as if she ranked
My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name
With anybody’s gift. Who’d stoop to blame
This sort of trifling?

How are the characteristics of this passage related to its genre?

A The death of one or more of the characters classifies it as a tragedy.
B The marriage of two of the characters classifies it as a comedy.
C A revealing speech by a single character classifies it as a dramatic monologue.
D The serious dialogue about realistic issues classifies it as a drama.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Step 1 Read the passage carefully. What are its most noticeable characteristics?

The speaker seems to be addressing someone, but we only hear from one
character. The speaker makes both direct and indirect statements that reveal his
feelings. The speech is natural; the speaker interrupts himself.

Step 2 Read each answer. Which best corresponds with the traits you notice?

The passage contains a speech by one character, and the speech reveals the
character’s feelings both directly and indirectly. Choice C is correct.

Lesson 11, Dramatic Forms 165

LESSON 11 Dramatic Forms

PRACTICE IT: Dramatic Forms

Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.

A Marriage Proposal
By Anton Chekhov
Translated by Theodore Hoffman

CHUBUKOV: [Rising.] Well, look who’s here. Ivan Vassilevitch! [Shakes his hand
warmly.] What a surprise, old man! How are you!

LOMOV: Oh, not too bad. And you?

CHUBUKOV: Oh, we manage, we manage. Do sit down, please. You know, you’ve been
neglecting your neighbors, my dear fellow. It’s been ages. Say, why the formal dress?
Tails, gloves, and so forth. Where’s the funeral, my boy? Where are you headed?

LOMOV: Oh, nowhere. I mean here: just to see you, my dear Stepan Stepanovitch.

CHUBUKOV: Then why the full dress, old boy? It’s not New Year’s, and so forth.

LOMOV: Well, you see, it’s like this. I have come here, my dear Stepan Stepanovitch, to
bother you with a request. More than once, or twice, or more than that, it has been my
privilege to apply to you for assistance in things, and you’ve always, well, responded, I
mean, well, you have. Yes. Excuse me. I’m getting all mixed up. May I have a glass of
water, my dear Stepan Stepanovitch? [Drinks.]

CHUBUKOV: [Aside] Wants to borrow some money. Not a chance. [Aloud.] What can
I do for you my dear friend?

LOMOV: Well, you see, my dear Stepanitch . . . Excuse me, I mean Stepan my
Dearovitch . . . No, I mean, I get all confused, as you can see. To make a long story
short, you’re the only one who can help me. Of course, I don’t deserve it, and there’s no
reason why I should expect you to, and all that.

CHUBUKOV: Stop beating around the bush! Out with it! Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

LOMOV: In just a minute, I mean, now, right now. The truth is, I have come to ask the
hand . . . I mean, your daughter, Natalia Stepanovna, I, I want to marry her!

CHUBUKOV: [Overjoyed.] Great Heavens! Ivan Vassilevitch! Say it again!

LOMOV: I have come humbly to ask for the hand . . .

CHUBUKOV: [Interrupting.] You’re a prince. I’m overwhelmed, delighted, and so forth.

Yes, indeed, and all that! [Hugs and kisses LOMOV.]

166 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Dramatic Forms LESSON 11

1 Which of the following features best 3 Which of the following responses will
indicates that this play is a comedy? this play most likely evoke in the
A the title, A Marriage Proposal audience members?
B the fact that Lomov is wearing a A sorrow
top hat and gloves B laughter
C Chubukov’s quick change of C fear
attitude when he learns that D anger
Lomov wishes to marry his
daughter
4 Read the following excerpt from the
D the fact that the first scene takes passage
place in the living room of a
mansion CHUBUKOV: [Aside] Wants to
borrow some money. Not a chance.
2 Which of the following lines best [Aloud.] What can I do for you my
establishes Lomov as a comic dear friend?
character?
A I have come here, my dear Stepan The purpose of the text noted as
Stepanovitch, to bother you with “aside” in the play is to
a request. A entertain the audience.
B To make a long story short, you’re B reveal the character’s true
the only one who can help me. thoughts.
C Well, you see, my dear Stepanitch C portray a realistic event.
. . . Excuse me, I mean Stepan My D anger the audience.
Dearovitch.
D Of course, I don’t deserve it, and
there’s no reason why I should
expect you to, and all that.
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Lesson 11, Dramatic Forms 167

 Content Standard: 9RL 3.2 Structural Features of Literature: Compare
LESSON 12 Theme and contrast the presentation of a similar theme or topic across genres to
explain how the selection of genre shapes the theme or topic.
Content Standard: 9RL 3.2 Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level
Appropriate Text: Compare works that express a universal theme, and
provide evidence to support the ideas expressed in each work.

LEARN IT: Theme

Theme refers to the central message contained within a literary work. The theme offers
some insight about life. The theme may be either stated directly or implied through the
various elements of the work—characterization, situation, dialogue, language, setting.
When the theme is implied, the reader must interpret the text to determine the central
meaning or theme.

Universal themes are repeated throughout literature. These universal themes include the
tragedy of war, the power of love, and the triumph of good over evil.

Themes often span genres, with writers shaping the theme to fit the genre in which they
are working. For example, a poet’s presentation of love will be different from a
playwright’s presentation of the same theme because of the demands of the literary form
in which each is working. The three major genres are poetry, prose, and drama, but there
are many forms within each.

Compare Themes Across Genres

When you compare two objects, you analyze the ways in which they are similar. In
literature, authors sometimes write about similar themes or have similar presentations
of those themes.

EXAMPLE

1 Read the following lines from Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “Annabel Lee”.

But our love it was stronger by far than the love

Of those who were older than we—
Of many far wiser than we—
And neither the angels in heaven above,
Nor the demons down under the sea,

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Can ever sever my soul from the soul
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee

168 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Theme LESSON 12

Read the following lines from William Shakespeare’s play “Romeo and Juliet.”

Ah, dear Juliet,

Why art thou yet so fair? Shall I believe
That unsubstantial Death is amorous,
And that the lean abhorred monster keeps
Thee here in dark to be his paramour?
For fear of that I still will stay with thee
And never from this palace of dim night
Depart again. Here, here will I remain
With worms that are thy chambermaids. O, here
Will I set up my everlasting rest
And shake the yoke of inauspicious stars
From this world-wearied flesh. Eyes, look your last!
Arms, take your last embrace! and, lips, O you
The doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss
A dateless bargain to engrossing death!

Which comparison is not true of both authors’ presentation of a universal theme?

A Both deal with the loss of a loved one.
B Both are about an everlasting love that transcends deaths.
C Both are in verse.
D Both are from a play.

Step 1 Read the example sentence carefully. How do the two works compare to
each other?

Both Romeo and Juliet and Annabel Lee are written in verse. The authors write
about loving a woman who suffers an untimely death. The theme of an everlasting
love is developed in both works.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer suggests a difference between
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

the two works?

Answer A discusses how the two works are alike in developing the theme of loss,
so it is incorrect. Answer B explains how the theme of everlasting love is developed
in both works, so it also is incorrect. Answer C notes that each work is written in
verse, so Answer C must be incorrect, as well. Romeo and Juliet is a play and
Annabel Lee is a poem. The correct answer is D.

Lesson 12, Theme 169

LESSON 12 Theme

Contrast

When you contrast two objects, you analyze how they differ from each other. In literature,
two authors may write about the same theme, but their ideas and the presentation of
those ideas may differ.

EXAMPLE

2 Read this line from Stephen Crane’s short story “The Open Boat.”

“If I am going to be drowned—if I am going to be drowned—if I am going to be

drowned, why, in the name of the seven mad gods who rule the sea, was I allowed
to come thus far and contemplate sand and trees?”

Read these lines from William Shakespeare’s play “The Tempest.”

GONZALO: Now would I give a thousand furlongs of sea for an acre of barren
ground-long heath, brown furze, any thing. The wills above be done, but I would
fain die dry death.

How do the attitudes of the two speakers differ, despite the fact that they are facing
the same situation?
A One feels despair while the other is resigned.
B One expresses fear while the other expresses acceptance.
C One expresses anger while the other has hope.
D One feels incredulous while the other feels wonder.

Step 1 Read the lines carefully. How does each character see his struggle
against nature?

The first speaker sees the struggle as prolonged and is full of despair. The second
speaker sees the struggle as out of his hands and is resigned.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer is correct?

Answer B is incorrect because the second speaker is not afraid. Answer C is

incorrect because neither speaker has hope. Answer D is incorrect because neither
speaker feels incredulous or filled with wonder. Answer A is correct because the
first speaker is in despair as evidenced by his repeated cry of If I’m going to be
drowned. The other speaker accepts that the wills above will be done.

170 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Theme LESSON 12

PRACTICE IT: Theme

Read the selections and answer the questions that follow.

The Charge of the Light Brigade

By Alfred, Lord Tennyson
I IV
1 Half a league, half a league, Flash’d all their sabres bare,
Half a league onward, Flash’d as they turn’d in air,
All in the valley of Death Sabring the gunners there,
Rode the six hundred. 30 Charging an army, while
5 ‘Forward, the Light Brigade!’ All the world wonder’d:
‘Charge for the guns!’ he said: Plunged in the battery-smoke
Into the valley of Death Right thro’ the line they broke;
Rode the six hundred. Cossack and Russian
35 Reel’d from the sabre-stroke
II Shatter’d and sunder’d.
‘Forward, the Light Brigade!’ Then they rode back, but not
10 Was there a man dismay’d? Not the six hundred.
Not tho’ the soldier knew
Some one had blunder’d: V
Theirs not to make reply, Cannon to right of them,
Theirs not to reason why, 40 Cannon to left of them,
15 Theirs but to do and die: Cannon behind them
Into the valley of Death Volley’d and thunder’d;
Rode the six hundred. Storm’d at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell,
III 45 They that had fought so well
Cannon to right of them, Came thro’ the jaws of Death,
Cannon to left of them, Back from the mouth of Hell,
20 Cannon in front of them All that was left of them,
Volley’d and thunder’d; Left of six hundred.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Storm’d at with shot and shell,

Boldly they rode and well, VI
Into the jaws of Death,
25 Into the mouth of Hell 50 When can their glory fade?
Rode the six hundred. O the wild charge they made!
All the world wondered.
Honor the charge they made!
Honor the Light Brigade,
55 Noble six hundred!

Lesson 12, Theme 171

LESSON 12 Theme

Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address

1 Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth upon this continent a
new nation: conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are
created equal.

2 Now we are engaged in a great civil war . . . testing whether that nation, or any
nation so conceived and so dedicated . . . can long endure. We are met on a great
battlefield of that war.

3 We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those
who here gave their lives that this nation might live. It is altogether fitting and
proper that we should do this.

4 But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate . . . we cannot consecrate . . . we cannot

hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have
consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little
note, nor long remember, what we say here, but it can never forget what they did
here.

5 It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which
they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be
here dedicated to the great task remaining before us . . . that from these honored
dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full
measure of devotion . . . that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have
died in vain . . . that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom . . .
and that government of the people . . . by the people . . . for the people . . . shall
not perish from this earth.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

172 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Theme LESSON 12

1 Both works were written to 3 Both works develop the theme of

A honor soldiers who made the A commitment to an ideal
ultimate sacrifice. B the agony of defeat.
B dispel the idea that war is horrible C the thrill of victory.
C celebrate a victory. D continuing the battle.
D recognize a period of time.
4 How does the poem differ from the
2 The subject of both works is speech in its presentation of the
A freedom. theme?
B heroism. A It glorifies the soldiers.
C death. B It identifies specific soldiers.
D life. C It mimies the rhythm of the
soldiers’ charge.
D It makes an appeal to the
audience.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 12, Theme 173

 Content Standard: 9RL3.3 Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level-
LESSON 13 Interactions Between Characters Appropriate Text: Analyze interactions between main and subordinate
characters in a literary text (e.g., internal and external conflicts,
motivations, relationships, and influences) and explain the way those
interactions affect the plot.

LEARN IT: Interactions Between Characters

The plot of a literary text is affected by the interactions between the main characters
and the subordinate, or secondary, characters. The plot revolves around a problem or
conflict, and the interactions of characters influence how the plot moves toward its climax
and resolution.

Relationships Between Characters

When reading a text, determine who the main character is and who the subordinate
characters are. You will usually find that the main character is the one whose feelings,
thoughts, reactions, and circumstances you know most about. Next, look at the
relationships between characters to see how they respond and relate to each other, and
how they influence the events in the story. For example, one subordinate character might
assist the main character toward his or her goal, while another subordinate character
might be in conflict with the main character and present an obstacle or challenge that
must be overcome.

EXAMPLE

Read the following passage.

Aaron thought Shelly—his crush since the sixth grade—had invited him to the
skating party, and so he couldn’t wait until Friday. What he didn’t realize was that his
friends Carol and Ellie, not Shelly herself, had sent him the invitation.

The plot in this story is influenced by the relationships between the subordinate
characters and which main character?
A Aaron
B Shelly
C Carol

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D Ellie

Step 1 Read the example sentence carefully. What is the plot? Who are the
characters?

The characters are Aaron, Shelly, Carol, and Ellie. Aaron has a crush on Shelly and
thinks she has invited him to a party. He is unaware that Carol and Ellie are the
ones who sent him the invitation.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer corresponds to the influence
that is affecting the plot?

Aaron seems to be the main character in the text, because we know the most
about his feelings and his situation. Shelly, Carol, and Ellie are all people that he
interacts with. The correct answer is A.
174 California Standards Practice, Grade 9
 Interactions Between Characters LESSON 13

Internal and External Conflict

An internal conflict is a struggle that a character experiences within himself or herself.

The character’s inner turmoil determines his or her behavior, so it can also affect his or
her relationships and interactions with other characters. An external conflict is a struggle
that a character experiences with a force outside of himself or herself. This conflict could
be with society, a force of nature, or another character.

EXAMPLE

Read the following sentence.

Janice was angry with herself because she was too nervous to volunteer for the
project and she knew that her teacher wanted her to.

The conflict in this sentence can best be described as an

A external conflict—caused by the teacher’s feelings about Janice’s actions.
B internal conflict—caused by Janice’s feelings about her actions.
C external conflict—caused by interactions between Janice and her teacher.
D internal conflict—caused by Janice’s feelings about her teacher.

Step 1 Read the example sentence carefully. Can you determine who Janice is
angry with?

Janice is angry at herself because she has failed to do something that she knows
her teacher wants her to do. Her own nervousness keeps her from volunteering for
the project.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer corresponds to the conflict
that Janice is experiencing?

An external conflict is a struggle that a character has with another person or

another force outside of himself or herself. Choices A and C are incorrect because
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Janice’s problem is internal. Janice knows her teacher wants her to volunteer for
the project, but the teacher does not actually put pressure on Janice in the
sentence. The struggle about volunteering for the project is taking place only in
Janice’s mind. Choice D mentions an internal conflict, but this is incorrect because
the focus of Janice’s struggle is on her own inability to volunteer for the project,
not her feelings about her teacher. The correct answer is B because Janice is angry
with herself.

Lesson 13, Interactions Between Characters 175

LESSON 13 Interactions Between Characters

Motivations and Influences

Characters are often influenced or motivated to interact with another character in a

particular manner. An influence is a persuading factor that may motivate, or prompt, a
character to act in a certain way. This influence can be a belief, another person, or an
event. The influence on the character may be positive or negative.

Although influenced by many different factors, both internal and external, motivation
ultimately comes from inside the character. It refers to why he or she chooses to act in a
particular manner.

EXAMPLE

Read the following passage.

“Carol, Zachary left with Michelle,” Kevin said, hoping Carol didn’t see Zachary
talking to his math teacher after class. “Oh, he told me to wait here for him,” Carol
said with exasperation. “This is the third time he’s left without me. I guess I’ll just
walk home then.” “I can give you a ride,” Kevin offered. “Thanks, I appreciate that,”
said Carol. Kevin smiled at her, thinking how disappointed Zachary would be when
he discovered Carol had not waited for him. He and Carol got into his car, and drove
off. A couple of minutes later, Zachary came out of the building and looked around.
“Have you seen Carol?” he asked her friend, Michelle. “No, I thought she was
walking home with you.” “So did I,” said Zachary, disappointedly.

What does this passage reveal about Kevin’s actions?

A He wants to cause trouble between Zachary and Carol.
B He thought Zachary left with Michelle.
C He is being considerate by offering Carol a ride home.
D He likes to be helpful.

Step 1 Read the example sentence carefully. What do you know about Kevin’s

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

actions?

Kevin hasn’t been truthful with Carol. He offers her a ride home under false
pretenses. He tells her that Zachary has already left, when in truth he knows that
Zachary is still at school, but has been delayed because he is talking to a teacher.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer best describes why Kevin
acted as he did?

Choice A is correct because Kevin’s deceitful words and actions have influenced
Carol, convincing her to accept a ride from him instead of keeping her promise to
wait for Zachary. He is not simply being considerate or helpful, and he was not
being truthful when he said that Zachary left with Michelle. A is the answer.

176 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Interactions Between Characters LESSON 13

PRACTICE IT: Interactions Between Characters

Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.

Brown Wolf
By Jack London

1 “I’ll tell you what I’ll do. The dog’s worked hard, and maybe he’s earned a soft berth
an’ has got a right to choose. Anyway, we’ll leave it up to him. You people stay right
here settin’ down. I’ll say good-by and walk off casual-like. If he wants to stay, he can
stay. If he wants to come with me, let ‘m come. I won’t call ‘m to come an’ don’t you
call ‘m to come back.”

2 Madge agreed, and added, “And I promise you faithfully that we won’t do
anything to influence him.”

3 “Well, then, I might as well be gettin’ along,” Skiff Miller said in the ordinary
tones of one departing.

4 At this change in his voice, Wolf lifted his head quickly, and still more quickly got
to his feet when the man and woman shook hands. He sprang up on his hind legs,
resting his fore paws on her hip and at the same time licking Skiff Miller’s hand.
When the latter shook hands with Walt, Wolf repeated his act, resting his weight
on Walt and licking both men’s hands.

5 “It ain’t no picnic, I can tell you that,” were the Klondiker’s last words, as he
turned and went slowly up the trail.

6 For the distance of twenty feet Wolf watched him go, himself all eagerness and
expectancy, as though waiting for the man to turn and retrace his steps. Then,
with a quick low whine, Wolf sprang after him, overtook him, caught his hand
between his teeth with reluctant tenderness, and strove gently to make him pause.

Failing in this, Wolf raced back to where Walt Irvine sat, catching his coat sleeve
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

7
in his teeth and trying vainly to drag him after the retreating man.

8 He wanted to be in two places at the same time, with the old master and the new,
and steadily the distance between them was increasing. He sprang about excitedly,
making short nervous leaps and twists, now toward one, now toward the other, in
painful indecision, not knowing his own mind, desiring both and unable to
choose.

9 Skiff Miller was rounding the curve. In a moment he would be gone from view.
Yet he never turned his head, plodding straight onward, slowly and methodically,
as though possessed of no interest in what was occurring behind his back.

Lesson 13, Interactions Between Characters 177

LESSON 13 Interactions Between Characters

10 And in this fashion he went out of view. Wolf waited for him to reappear. He waited a
long minute, silently, quietly, without movement. He barked once, and waited.

Then he turned and trotted back to Walt Irvine. He sniffed his hand and dropped down
heavily at his feet, watching the trail where it curved emptily from view.

11 A few minutes later Wolf got upon his feet. Decision and deliberation marked his
movements. He did not glance at the man and woman. His eyes were fixed up the trail.
He had made up his mind. They knew it.

12 He broke into a trot, and Madge’s lips pursed. The pursed lips relaxed, and she sighed
inaudibly.

13 Wolf ’s trot broke into a run. Wider and wider were the leaps he made. Not once
did he turn his head. He cut sharply across the curve of the trail and was gone.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

178 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Interactions Between Characters LESSON 13

1 Read these sentences from the passage. 3 The main character in the passage is
A Brown Wolf.
He wanted to be in two places at the
same time, with the old master and B Skiff Miller.
the new, and steadily the distance C Madge.
between them was increasing. He D Walt Irvine.
sprang about excitedly, making
short nervous leaps and twists, now
4 In paragraph 11, what motivates
toward one, now toward the other,
Brown Wolf to take the action he
in painful indecision, not knowing
does?
his own mind, desiring both and
unable to choose. A his relationship with his old
master
The character is being influenced by B his relationship with his new
A an internal conflict.
master
C his desire to explore the trail
B an external conflict.
D his mistreatment by his master
C the motivations of the other
characters.
D the speeches of the other
characters.

2 Read this sentence from the passage.

He broke into a trot, and Madge’s lips
pursed.

In this sentence, Madge is about to

A influence Brown Wolf.
B motivate Brown Wolf.
C assist Brown Wolf.
D conflict with Brown Wolf.
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Lesson 13, Interactions Between Characters 179

 Content Standard: 9RL3.4 Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level-
LESSON 14 Characters’ Traits Appropriate Text: Determine characters’ traits by what the characters
say about themselves in narration, dialogue, dramatic monologue, and
soliloquy.

LEARN IT: Characters’ Traits

Characters in literature have different personalities that unfold through their actions,
motivations, and words. Authors develop characters’ traits directly and indirectly. In
direct characterization, statements made by the narrator describing a character’s
appearance, thoughts, feelings, goals, and dreams reveal that character’s personality. An
indirect characterization shows a character’s traits either through what he or she says
or does or through what other characters say about him or her.

Some literary devices help reveal the traits of a character.

Dramatic
Narration Dialogue Soliloquy
Monologue
• Narration is the • Dialogue is • A dramatic • In dramatic
recounting of events conversation monologue is a type literature, a soliloquy
in a story told by a between characters of poem wherein a is a speech delivered
narrator. in a narrative or character reveals his by a single character
• The narrator could drama. or her innermost while he or she is
be a participant, like • Conversations emotions and alone onstage, or
the main character; move the events thoughts in a oblivious to anyone
an observer, or along and add color, speech. listening.
someone indirectly action, and realism • A character’s • Like a dramatic
involved in the story; to works of history, which gives monologue, this
or a nonparticipant, literature. insight into his or dramatic device can
or someone not at • Dialogue reveals her motivations, can disclose a character’s
all involved in the the personality and be revealed in a innermost feelings,
story. background of the dramatic monologue. state of mind,
• The details of a speakers. motives, and
narration could • Dialogues show intentions.
reveal the character character traits • A playwright uses
of the narrator if he through their mood this technique to let
or she is a participant and tone. the audience enter

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

or an observer. the character’s
mind.

180 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Characters’ Traits LESSON 14

EXAMPLE

1 Read the following sentence.

I was walking down the fresh fruits aisle of Montana Market when I suddenly saw
a crisp twenty-dollar bill on the floor. I looked left and right to see who dropped it,
but there was no one except a young vendor counting avocados in a corner. Since
no one had taken it, I decided that the person who dropped it must have just turned
from that aisle. I quickly scanned the nearby aisles, hoping to see the owner. Then
I carefully picked up the bill, thinking how the anxious frown of the owner would
turn into a smile as I would return the money. I was about to ask aloud who the
owner was when I heard a loud gasp from the narrow aisle that I planned to
approach. “Rebecca,” my mom blurted out in a panicked voice, “I think
I lost a twenty!”

In the passage, the narrator can best be described as

A paranoid.
B honest.
C careless.
D trusting.

Step 1 Read the short story and look for clues. What is the narrator doing? Is
the narrator a participant or an observer? What does the passage reveal about the
narrator’s thoughts and feelings?

The narrator in the passage is a participant. She is walking down an aisle in a

market when she sees a twenty-dollar bill on the floor. She looks for the person
who dropped the bill and thinks of how worried that person must be. The narrator’s
thoughts and actions reveal that she is not tempted to keep the money; she wants
to find the owner.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Focus on the answer choice that best
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

describes the narrator’s character based on the narration.

The narration does not show the narrator’s fear, so choice A is incorrect. The
narrator notices the twenty-dollar bill and tries her best to look for the owner, so
she is not careless. There is no evidence in the passage that suggests that
Rebecca trusts someone, so choice D is incorrect. The details in the narration,
such as the way the narrator tries to look for the owner of the money, point out that
Rebecca is truthful and would not keep something that is not hers. Choice B is the
correct answer.

Lesson 14, Characters’ Traits 181

LESSON 14 Characters’ Traits

EXAMPLE

2 Read this excerpt from The Cockatoo’s Story by Mrs. George Cupples.

1 “I begin to be ashamed of myself—I really do,” said a white cockatoo, as he sat

on his perch one day. Then he gave himself a good shake, and after walking
up and down once or twice, he continued, “I think it vexes the boy, and I can
see he means to be kind. And, oh dear, dear! I see now I brought the troubles
on myself.”

2 “Kind!” screamed a small gray parrot from a perch on the opposite side; “of
course he means to be kind. You won’t often meet a kinder; let me tell you
that, sir. If I could only get this chain off my foot, I’d come over and give you
as good a pecking as ever you got in your life, you sulky, ungrateful bird you!
And then Master Herbert stands, day after day, trying to tempt you with the
daintiest morsels, and there you sit and sulk, or take it with your face turned
from him, when hunger forces you.”

3 “There is no need to be so angry, old lady,” replied the cockatoo. “Didn’t you
hear me say, I begin to be ashamed of myself? But if you only knew how I
have been used, you would not wonder at my sulks.”

4 “Oh, if you have a foundation for your conduct, then I’ll be happy to retract,”
said Mrs. Polly, walking about her perch very fast indeed, and ruffling up her
feathers as she walked. “No bird I ever had the pleasure of living beside could
say I was unreasonable; so please state your case, state your case—I’m all
attention, at-ten-tion;” and she lengthened out the last word with a shrill
scream peculiar to parrots.

5 “But it would take ever so long to tell,” said the cockatoo, “and my feelings or
my nerves have got the better of me at this moment, and I really couldn’t;
only if you heard my history you would think it very wonderful indeed;” and
here Mr. Cockatoo lifted up his foot and scratched his eye. . . .

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

6 “They were here interrupted by the appearance once more of Master Herbert,
who brought a most tempting piece of cake in his hand. Going up to the
cockatoo, he said, “I suppose I needn’t offer you this, Cockatoo. You are
determined not to be friends.” The cockatoo put out his claw for it, and took
it gently from Herbert’s hand, who could not fail to see there was a marked
difference in the bird’s appearance.”

182 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Characters’ Traits LESSON 14

Read the following excerpt from paragraph 2.

“Kind! . . . Of course he means to be kind. You won’t often meet a kinder; let me
tell you that, sir. If I could only get this chain off my foot, I’d come over and give
you as good a pecking as ever you got in your life, you sulky, ungrateful bird you!”

This excerpt shows that the parrot is

A annoyed with the cockatoo.
B impressed with Master Herbert.
C longing for freedom.
D frightened of the cockatoo.

Step 1 Read the excerpt carefully. What is it about?

The excerpt shows the conversation between a cockatoo and parrot. The parrot is
reprimanding the cockatoo because of his attitude toward Master Herbert. The
parrot seems angry with the cockatoo, calling him a “ sulky, ungrateful bird.”

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer best describes the character
trait of the parrot as shown in her dialogue?

Although the parrot says that their master is kind, the dialogue does not give any
indication that the parrot is impressed with Master Herbert, so choice B is
incorrect. The parrot wants to be free from her chain to reprimand the cockatoo,
not because she wants to fly away. In fact, the parrot seems to be grateful for their
master’s kindness, so choice C is incorrect. The parrot seems angry with the
cockatoo, not frightened of it, so choice D is incorrect. The correct answer is
choice A.
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Lesson 14, Characters’ Traits 183

LESSON 14 Characters’ Traits

EXAMPLE
3 Read this excerpt from The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov.

Act Two

[In a field. An old, crooked shrine, which has been long abandoned; near it a well
and large stones, which apparently are old tombstones, and an old garden seat. The
road is seen to GAEV’S estate. On one side rise dark poplars, behind them begins
the cherry orchard. In the distance is a row of telegraph poles, and far, far away on
the horizon are the indistinct signs of a large town, which can only be seen on the
finest and clearest days. It is close on sunset. CHARLOTTA, YASHA, and
DUNYASHA are sitting on the seat; EPIKHODOV stands by and plays on a guitar;
all seem thoughtful. CHARLOTTA wears a man’s old peaked cap; she has unslung
a rifle from her shoulders and is putting to rights the buckle on the strap.]
CHARLOTTA. [Thoughtfully] I haven’t a real passport. I don’t know how old I am,
and I think I’m young. When I was a little girl my father and mother used to go
round fairs and give very good performances and I used to do the salto mortale
and various little things. And when papa and mamma died a German lady took
me to her and began to teach me. I liked it. I grew up and became a governess.
And where I came from and who I am, I don’t know. . . . Who my parents were—
perhaps they weren’t married—I don’t know. [Takes a cucumber out of her pocket
and eats] I don’t know anything. [Pause] I do want to talk, but I haven’t anybody to
talk to . . . I haven’t anybody at all.
EPIKHODOV. [Plays on the guitar and sings]
“What is this noisy earth to me,
What matter friends and foes?”
I do like playing on the mandoline!
DUNYASHA. That’s a guitar, not a mandoline.
[Looks at herself in a little mirror and powders herself.]
EPIKHODOV. For the enamoured madman, this is a mandoline. [Sings]

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

“Oh that the heart was warmed,
By all the flames of love returned!”
[YASHA sings too.]
CHARLOTTA. These people sing terribly. . . . Foo! Like jackals.

184 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Characters’ Traits LESSON 14

Read this excerpt from the passage.

I haven’t a real passport. I don’t know how old I am, and I think I’m young. When I
was a little girl my father and mother used to go round fairs and give very good
performances and I used to do the salto mortale and various little things. And when
papa and mamma died a German lady took me to her and began to teach me. I
liked it. I grew up and became a governess. And where I came from and who I am,
I don’t know.

What does this excerpt reveal about Charlotta’s character?

A She has dreamed of becoming a teacher.
B She is artistic and a good performer.
C She is puzzled by her identity.
D She has always wanted a passport.

Step 1 Read the excerpt carefully. What is happening in this excerpt? What
character trait is evident in this excerpt?

Charlotta recalls the time when her parents were still alive. She remembers what
happened after their death. However, these memories do not include information
about her real identity. The lines “I don’t know how old I am, and I think I’m young”
and “where I came from and who I am, I don’t know” show that she does not know
who she really is.

Step 2 Read the answer choices. Which of these matches the character trait
that you figured out in your analysis?

Choice A is incorrect because the excerpt only says that Charlotta “liked it” when
the German lady taught her. There is no suggestion that she hoped to be a teacher.
The same is true for Choice B. The excerpt says that she “used to do the salto
mortale” but it does not indicate that she is artistic or a good performer. Choice D
is also incorrect because the sentence “I haven’t a real passport” does not imply
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

that she wanted a passport. The excerpt reveals that Charlotta is unsure of who
she is. It conveys her longing to know her true identity. Choice C is the correct
answer.

Lesson 14, Characters’ Traits 185

LESSON 14 Characters’ Traits

PRACTICE IT: Characters’ Traits

Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.

From A California Romance

By Bret Harte
CHAPTER II.
1 He awoke with the aroma of the woods still steeping his senses. His first instinct was
that of all young animals; he seized a few of the young, tender green leaves of the yerba
buena vine that crept over his mossy pillow and ate them, being rewarded by a half
berry-like flavor that seemed to soothe the cravings of his appetite. The languor of
sleep being still upon him, he lazily watched the quivering of a sunbeam that was
caught in the canopying boughs above. Then he dozed again. Hovering between
sleeping and waking, he became conscious of a slight movement among the dead leaves
on the bank beside the hollow in which he lay. The movement appeared to be
intelligent, and directed toward his revolver, which glittered on the bank. Amused at
this evident return of his larcenous friend of the previous day, he lay perfectly still. The
movement and rustle continued, but it now seemed long and undulating. Lance’s eyes
suddenly became set; he was intensely, keenly awake. It was not a snake, but the hand
of a human arm, half hidden in the moss, groping for the weapon. In that flash of
perception he saw that it was small, bare, and deeply freckled. In an instant he grasped
it firmly, and rose to his feet, dragging to his own level as he did so, the struggling
figure of a young girl.

2 “Leave me go!” she said, more ashamed than frightened.

3 Lance looked at her. She was scarcely more than fifteen, slight and lithe, with a boyish
flatness of breast and back. Her flushed face and bare throat were absolutely peppered
with minute brown freckles, like grains of spent gunpowder. Her eyes, which were large
and gray, presented the singular spectacle of being also freckled,—at least they were
shot through in pupil and cornea with tiny spots like powdered allspice. Her hair was

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

even more remarkable in its tawny, deer-skin color, full of lighter shades, and bleached
to the faintest of blondes on the crown of her head, as if by the action of the sun. She
had evidently outgrown her dress, which was made for a smaller child, and the too
brief skirt disclosed a bare, freckled, and sandy desert of shapely limb, for which the
darned stockings were equally too scant. Lance let his grasp slip from her thin wrist to
her hand, and then with a good-humored gesture tossed it lightly back to her.

4 She did not retreat, but continued looking at him in a half-surly

embarrassment.

5 “I ain’t a bit frightened,” she said; “I’m not going to run away,—don’t
you fear.”

186 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Characters’ Traits LESSON 14

1 We can tell from the narration that 3 Read this excerpt from paragraph 5.
Lance is
A careless. I ain’t a bit frightened,” she said; “I’m
not going to run away,—don’t you
B hospitable.
fear.
C alert.
D cruel. This excerpt shows that the girl is
A apprehensive.
2 Read this excerpt from paragraph 1. B brave.
C sneaky.
He awoke with the aroma of the
woods still steeping his senses. His D sociable.
first instinct was that of all young
animals; he seized a few of the 4 Read this excerpt from paragraph 4.
young, tender green leaves of the
yerba buena vine that crept over his She had evidently outgrown her
mossy pillow and ate them, being dress, which was made for a smaller
rewarded by a half berry-like flavor child, and the too brief skirt
that seemed to soothe the cravings disclosed a bare, freckled, and sandy
of his appetite. The languor of sleep desert of shapely limb, for which the
being still upon him, he lazily darned stockings were equally too
watched the quivering of a sunbeam scant.
that was caught in the canopying
boughs above. Then he dozed again. What does this excerpt tell about
the girl?
What does this excerpt reveal about A She comes from the desert.
Lance’s character? B She is childish.
A He is lazy. C She comes from a poor family.
B He loves to eat green leaves. D She is clueless about fashions.
C He is comfortable with nature.
D He likes animals.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 14, Characters’ Traits 187

 Content Standard: 9RL3.6 Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level
LESSON 15 Time and Sequence Appropriate Text: Analyze and trace an author’s development of time
and sequence, including the use of complex literary devices
(e.g., foreshadowing, flashbacks).

LEARN IT: Foreshadowing

Narratives normally progress forward in time, or in a chronological sequence. However,
there are literary devices that interrupt a chronological flow in narration. These are called
foreshadowing and flashback.

Foreshadowing is used to give the readers a sense of a future event. The author gives
hints to create an expectation among the readers of a possible event that will happen
later in the story. Writers use foreshadowing to build suspense by using actions or moods
to prepare the readers. Foreshadowing can only be fully understood and realized once
the reader arrives at the event foreshadowed earlier in the story.

An example of foreshadowing is the use of images like brewing thunderstorms or

shattering glass to prepare the readers for unpleasant or ominous developments in
the story. Sometimes an author will use a character, such as a prophet, to predict
future events.

EXAMPLE

1 Read the following passage.

1 It was a pleasant morning when Eric set off. He had been unusually restless
the night before, but he attributed that to his excitement. The auditions for
the lead role of the much talked-about upcoming play in cultured Stone City
were only held for a day, and Eric had spent weeks memorizing the lines and
actions. He was so sure he had the prince role down pat, and his last thoughts
before he went to sleep were about how he would blow everyone away.

2 The day of the audition came, and Eric woke up early to begin the two-hour
bus drive to Stone City. Eric got off the bus and saw his friend Ike who was
auditioning for the role of the court jester.

3 As soon as Eric and Ike sat down on the red velvet auditorium chairs,

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

someone handed them a copy of the script. Eric confidently turned to the
page that contained the prince’s lines. All the pages with the prince’s lines
were torn off, and Eric could only look in disbelief. Eric ignored his
mounting anxiety and headed to the stage when he heard his name called.

188 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Time and Sequence LESSON 15

In the last paragraph of the passage, the author uses foreshadowing to hint that
A Eric will land the role of the prince.
B Eric will land the role of the court jester.
C Eric will not pass the audition for the lead.
D Eric will not continue with the audition for the lead.

Step 1 Read the passage carefully. What images in the last paragraph did the
author use as a foreshadowing technique? What can you expect to happen when
you read the parts where the author used foreshadowing?

The author uses the torn pages that contain the prince’s lines to foreshadow an
upcoming event. The torn-off pages with the prince’s lines foreshadow that Eric will
not land the role of the prince.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer best shows what the author is
foreshadowing?

Eric landing the role of the prince is not what the author is foreshadowing, because
the torn pages foreshadow something bad, so choice A is incorrect. There is no
indication that Eric will land the role of the court jester, so choice B is incorrect.
Eric has no plans of giving up on the chance to audition, so choice D is also
incorrect. The author’s foreshadowing hints that Eric will not land the role of the
lead. The foreshadowing device makes the readers expect that something bad is
going to happen to Eric. Choice C is the correct answer.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 15, Time and Sequence 189

LESSON 15 Time and Sequence

LEARN IT: Flashback

A flashback is a literary device that interrupts the chronological flow of the story by
presenting an action or event that happened before the start of the story itself. It
sometimes occurs as a dream or a recollection of a character in the story, with the
purpose of giving an insight into a character or the present state of events.

Flashbacks are either subjective or objective. A subjective flashback shows the past
thoughts or memories of a character. An objective flashback returns to events occurring
before the actual story to show their relationship to the present.

A variation of flashback is called flash forward. Flash forward interrupts the chronological
flow of a story by presenting an event that is imagined to happen later in the story. Where
a flashback is concerned with the past, a flash forward is concerned with the future.

EXAMPLE

1 Read the following passage.

1 The park was empty, except for a well-dressed man who was sitting on one of
the swings. He was tall, his dark wavy hair ruffled by the biting wind. He
looked up at the dark clouds forming overhead; the skies hung low with
warnings of rain. The park was an empty wasteland of flying sands and
swirling leaves. His eyes misted as his mind filled with memories.

2 The little boy turned to his right, and then to his left. Satisfied, he ran across
the street, swinging his arms with ill-concealed anticipation. On the other
side of the street was a park that would have been full of children his age had
it not been for the dreary weather that day. However, had it not been for the
weather in question, he wouldn’t have summoned the courage to venture into
the park at all.

3 Maybe it was his yellowed clothes, or his grimy features, or maybe even
because he was barefoot, but the mothers would immediately gather their

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

children like hens gathering their chicks every time they saw him. After the
first few times, he never went to the park when the children were there. More
than the taunting words of the bigger kids, the cold rejection of the other
children hurt him more than he cared to admit.

4 “Andrew? Is something the matter?”

5 The man looked up, startled. A woman was standing before him, a look of
concern in her round and kind face.

6 “No. No, nothing’s wrong,” he responded with a smile. “Everything’s actually

all right.” He gave his head a shake and stood up. Andrew thought how the
park seemed less intimidating after twenty years.

190 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Time and Sequence LESSON 15

In the passage, the author uses flashback to reveal that

A the woman was kind.
B the woman was the boy’s mother.
C the little boy was Andrew.
D Andrew had no friends as a child.

Step 1 Read the passage carefully. What is happening in the passage? What
images does the author use as a flashback technique?

In the first paragraph, a man is sitting in the swings and then the passage says that
his eyes are misty. He is thinking about something sad, and then the second and
third paragraphs show a little boy who is rejected by people in the park because of
his grimy clothes. Maybe this is the reason why the man is sad. I think the little boy
is Andrew because of the statement, “Andrew thought how the park seemed less
intimidating after twenty years.”

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer best shows what the author
reveals in the flashback?

The woman is described as having a kind face, but the flashback does not indicate
whether the woman was present in the flashback, so choice A is incorrect. There is
not enough information from the passage to know whether the woman is the little
boy’s mother, so choice B is incorrect. The flashback usually gives an insight into
the present based on an event from the past, so choice C is incorrect. The author
reveals with the flashback that the man Andrew is the little boy who was rejected in
the park, and this is the reason why the man is sad. The author also shows this in
the last statement, when Andrew remembers being sad about not being able to
spend time in the park with friends. Choice D is the correct answer.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 15, Time and Sequence 191

LESSON 15 Time and Sequence

PRACTICE IT: Time and Sequence

Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.

Three Years
1 Julia studied Aimee carefully, noting the tension in her shoulders. It had been three
years since they last saw each other, and Julia realized with increasing sorrow that the
woman standing before her was a stranger now.

2 Where Aimee’s wide, impish smile used to be was now a deep, severe frown. Her long
hair hanging in loose waves before was now cropped short, and the mischievous light
in her eyes was gone. The harsh morning light revealed everything that had changed.
Three years had been a short time for Julia, but it might have been thirty years for
Aimee.

3 The fault lay entirely with her, Julia knew. Had she not left, had she not decided to
chase her dreams and leave her friend behind, Aimee would still be the fresh-faced,
happy girl she knew and loved. She wouldn’t have turned into this—this cold, empty
shell standing before her right now.

4 The last time they stood before each other like this was three years ago in Aimee’s
house. It all seemed like a faraway dream now.

5 “What is it?”

6 Julia waved the letter in her hand, feeling like a prisoner waving his broken chains in
triumph. Her friend grabbed the paper and scanned it excitedly.

7 “You got accepted?”

8 Julia nodded vigorously, and Aimee shrieked with joy. They began to hug each other
and jump around in celebration. Julia felt like crying but no tears came out. It was her
best friend who was doing the crying for her.

9 “You worked so hard, Julia. You deserve this,” Aimee smiled tearfully. Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

“And I’m such a crybaby getting all worked up like this. I wish I could
join you, though.

10 “But you can!” Julia said emphatically. Aimee shook her head sadly, and Julia stopped
moving to study her closest friend. “You wanted to go to art school, right? And you’re
gifted. No, you’re a genius! You’re perfect for it. What’s stopping you?” Julia asked.

11 Julia noted Aimee’s hesitation. She snorted, “Oh, yeah. Your dad . . .”

192 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Time and Sequence LESSON 15

12 “Julia, you know how I can’t leave my father now. He needs me,” Aimee said, avoiding
Julia’s eyes”

13 “I know. I understand, Aimee. But you know that if you ask him to, he’ll let you go.”

14 “What is it?”

15 Aimee’s sharp question brought Julia back to the present. Her eyes sadly regarded the
woman before her, whose voice didn’t even ring a bell anymore.

16 “I’m sorry.”

17 Julia imagined Aimee hugging her as she was wont to do before, smiling with tears in
her eyes as she confessed that she missed her best friend as much as Julia missed her,
laughing with her like three years did not pass at all. But Julia knew that three years
were too long.

1 In paragraphs 5–13 of the passage 3 Which of the following best describes

“Three Years,” what literary technique when the story takes place?
does the author use to make a point? A It happens three years ago.
A a flashback to a memory B It happens three years after.
B a flash forward to three more C It takes place one morning.
years after D It takes place before Julia left.
C foreshadowing of a future event
D a chronological sequence of 4 Read the sentence from the passage?
narration
It all seemed like a faraway dream
2 In paragraph 17, Julia thinks of now.
Aimee’s reaction. This can be
considered a What literary device does this
A flashback, because it includes a sentence precede?
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

scene from the past. A flashback

B foreshadowing, because it hints of B flash forward
events that are about to happen. C foreshadowing
C flash forward, because it shows D chronological sequence
what Julia imagines to be Aimee’s
response to her.
D chronological sequence, because
there was no interruption in time
and sequence.

Lesson 15, Time and Sequence 193

 Content Standard: 9RL3.7 Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level-
LESSON 16 Literary Devices Appropriate Text: Recognize and understand the significance of
various literary devices, including figurative language, imagery,
allegory, and symbolism, and explain their appeal.

LEARN IT: Literary Devices

Writers use literary devices to take readers into the world of imagination. They use
imagery, symbolism, allegory, and figurative language to go beyond the literal, dictionary
meanings of words. Through these literary devices, writers create emotional responses in
the reader.

Figurative Language

Figurative language refers to words used differently from their ordinary, literal meanings.
Similes and metaphors are figures of speech that compare seemingly unlike things. A
simile uses the word like or as; a metaphor does not. “My love is like a rose” is an
example of a simile. “Her hair is pure gold” is an example of a metaphor.

A hyperbole is a figure of speech that uses exaggeration to express strong emotion,

make a point, or evoke humor. For example, consider the following lines from Ralph
Waldo Emerson’s poem “Concord Hymn”: “Here once the embattled farmers stood / And
fired the shot heard round the world.” The gunshot literally was not heard around the
world; however, the battle of Concord helped spark the American Revolution, which
profoundly changed America and influenced other countries throughout the world.
Emerson’s use of hyperbole suggests this impact.

Personification is a figure of speech in which an animal, an object, a force of nature, or

an idea is given human characteristics. This literary device can help readers relate more
easily to the world described in a poem, as when they hear the ocean “calling out” or see
butterflies “dancing” through the air.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

194 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Literary Devices LESSON 16

EXAMPLE

1 Read the following sentence.

I’ve been waiting for an eternity to receive my grades.

The writer uses hyperbole in order to

A make a comparison between two unlike things.
B give a nonhuman object human qualities.
C emphasize how long it has taken the grades to come.
D create a word picture that appeals to the senses.

Step 1 Read the example sentence carefully. Where does the writer use
hyperbole? What is hyperbole used for?

Hyperbole is intentional exaggeration. In this sentence the writer exaggerates the

duration it has taken to receive his or her grades. Though it has not really taken “an
eternity,” it has taken a very long time.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer suggests why the writer uses
hyperbole in this sentence?

The purpose of hyperbole is not to make comparisons between unlike things, give
human qualities to nonhuman objects, or create word pictures. The writer of this
sentence exaggerates to emphasize how long he or she has been waiting. Choice
B is the correct answer.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 16, Literary Devices 195

LESSON 16 Literary Devices

Imagery

Imagery is the use of descriptive language that appeals to one or more of the five senses:
smell, touch, taste, hearing, and sight. By creating emotional responses, imagery can
make strong impressions on readers.

EXAMPLE

2 Read this sentence.

The blazing sun bore down upon us as we stumbled through the parched fields,
picking the last red strawberries of summer from the fading green plants.

The writer uses imagery in order to

A show that strawberry picking is a relaxing activity.
B describe the rewards of strawberry picking.
C emphasize that strawberry picking is hot and tiring work.
D persuade the reader to go outside and pick strawberries.

Step 1 Read the sentence carefully. What images does the description evoke?

The description evokes a very hot, blistering day with no cool breeze or rain to
bring relief. The fact that the workers are stumbling suggests that they are very
tired, and the “parched fields” and “fading green plants” reflect their weariness.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer best explains why the writer
has used imagery in this sentence?

The imagery does not suggest that strawberry picking is relaxing, so choice A is
incorrect. The sentence does not focus on any positive outcomes of strawberry
picking, so choice B is incorrect. Images of a “blazing sun” and “parched fields”
are unlikely to persuade readers to pick strawberries, so choice D is incorrect. The
imagery does emphasize that picking strawberries is hot and tiring work. The

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

correct answer is choice C.

196 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Literary Devices LESSON 16

Allegory and Symbolism

An allegory is a work in which all or most of the characters, settings, and events stand
for ideas, qualities, or figures beyond themselves.The overall purpose of an allegory is to
teach a moral lesson. Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible uses the Salem Witch trials, in
which innocent people accused of witchcraft were imprisoned and killed, as an allegory
for the Communist “witch hunt” of the 1950s.

Most allegories use symbolism to convey their meaning. A symbol refers to any person,
animal, place, object, or event that exists on a literal level but also represents something
on a figurative level. For example, a heart may symbolize love, or a dove may symbolize
peace.

EXAMPLE
3 Read these lines from Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken.”

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

The two roads in the poem symbolize

A the choices or decisions of life.
B the way one enters and exits the woods.
C the goals we should make for our futures.
D the need to pay attention to where we are going.

Step 1 Read the lines carefully. What is literally happening in these lines? What
point could the author be trying to make?

The author describes a forest in which there is a fork in the road. One road appears
less traveled than the other, and this road the poet takes. He suggests that this
choice has been important in his life. The implication seems to be that it is
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

important to go where others have not gone.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer best matches the point the
poet seems to be making?

Choice B is incorrect because it is a literal restatement of the lines, and symbols go

beyond the literal. Choice C is incorrect because the lines focus on what has
already happened, not on what will happen. Choice D is incorrect because the
lines do not mention anything about paying attention to where someone is going.
The idea that the two roads represent choices and decisions matches the poet’s
point. Choice A is correct.

Lesson 16, Literary Devices 197

LESSON 16 Literary Devices

PRACTICE IT: Literary Devices

Read the poem and answer the questions that follow.

After Apple-picking
By Robert Frost

My long two-pointed ladder’s sticking through a tree

Toward heaven still,
And there’s a barrel that I didn’t fill
Beside it, and there may be two or three

5 Apples I didn’t pick upon some bough.

But I am done with apple-picking now.
Essence of winter sleep is on the night,
The scent of apples: I am drowsing off.
I cannot rub the strangeness from my sight

10 I got from looking through a pane of glass

I skimmed this morning from the drinking trough
And held against the world of hoary grass.
It melted, and I let it fall and break.
But I was well

15 Upon my way to sleep before it fell,

And I could tell
What form my dreaming was about to take.
Magnified apples appear and disappear,
Stem end and blossom end,

20 And every fleck of russet showing clear.

My instep arch not only keeps the ache,
It keeps the pressure of a ladder-round.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

I feel the ladder sway as the boughs bend.
And I keep hearing from the cellar bin

25 The rumbling sound

Of load on load of apples coming in.
For I have had too much
Of apple-picking: I am overtired
Of the great harvest I myself desired.

30 There were ten thousand thousand fruit to touch,

Cherish in hand, lift down, and not let fall.
For all
That struck the earth,
No matter if not bruised or spiked with stubble,

198 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Literary Devices LESSON 16

35 Went surely to the cider-apple heap

As of no worth.
One can see what will trouble
This sleep of mine, whatever sleep it is.
Were he not gone,

40 The woodchuck could say whether it’s like his

Long sleep, as I describe its coming on,
Or just some human sleep.

1 In lines 18–20, the speaker’s dream In these lines the poet uses imagery
symbolizes mainly to
A the apples he will pick. A emphasize how tiring apple
B the foods that contain apples.
picking is.
B describe the sweet taste of fresh
C his exciting goals for the future.
apples.
D his weariness from apple-picking.
C paint a vivid picture of an orchard
in autumn.
2 Read the lines from the poem.
D create a symbol of apples as
There were ten thousand thousand newborn life.
fruit to touch, / Cherish in hand, lift
down, and not let fall. 4 Read these lines from the passage.

Which literary device does the poet The woodchuck could say whether
use here? it’s like his / Long sleep, as I describe
its coming on, / Or just some human
A simile
sleep.
B metaphor
A imagery
C hyperbole
B personification
D personification
C hyperbole
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

3 Read these lines from the poem. D metaphor

My instep arch not only keeps the

ache, / It keeps the pressure of a
ladder-round. / I feel the ladder sway
as the boughs bend.

Lesson 16, Literary Devices 199

 Content Standard: 9RL 3.8 Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level
LESSON 17 Ambiguities Appropriate Text: Interpret and evaluate the impact of ambiguities,
subtleties, contradictions, ironies, and incongruities in a text.

LEARN IT: Ambiguities and Subtleties

When an element of a text—whether a single word or an entire series of events—can be
interpreted in more than one way, it is said to be ambiguous. The meaning is not clear
and straightforward; rather, the reader must make up his or her own mind as to what the
writer is trying to say. A writer uses ambiguity intentionally to add layers of meaning to a
work and to enrich the reader’s experience of the work.

Subtleties are the nuances or undertones found beneath the surface of a work. The
reader should pay close attention to a character’s smallest actions and simplest words to
determine exactly what he or she means; subtleties in the mood and diction of a piece
can also have a profound influence on meaning.

EXAMPLE

1 Read the following lines from Robert Frost’s poem “Stopping by Woods on a
Snowy Evening.”

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.

But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

In these lines the poet uses ambiguity

A to confuse the reader with several layers of meaning.
B to suggest the narrator is torn between staying and going.
C because he can’t decide how to end the poem.
D to make clear the narrator’s desire to keep his promises.

Step 1 Read the lines from the poem carefully. How are they ambiguous?

The speaker does not explicitly state whether he continues his journey or remains

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

in the woods. It is left to the reader to interpret.

Step 2 Read each answer. Which one best matches your reading of the lines?

The poet intentionally uses ambiguity, so his purpose is more than just to confuse
the reader; nor should we assume he can’t decide how to end the poem. Answers
A and C are incorrect. Although the narrator states that he does “have promises to
keep,” the poet does not tell us for sure that the narrator wants to keep them—he
seems very attracted to the mysterious beauty of the woods. Answer D is incorrect.
The purpose of ambiguity is to allow the reader to consider several equally possible
interpretations—in this case, that the narrator both wants to stay and wants to go.
Answer B is correct.

200 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Ambiguities LESSON 17

LEARN IT: Contradictions and Irony

Writers often use contradictions—or two statements that are inconsistent—in their
works. A special kind of contradiction is irony. There are various types of irony.

Verbal irony is when a character says the opposite of what he or she really means. An
example would be calling a shy person a natural-born leader.

Dramatic irony is when the reader knows or realizes something that the character does
not. For example, in Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, Romeo is distraught when he
finds Juliet in the tomb and thinks she is dead, but the audience knows that she is not
really dead—she has been drugged.

Situational irony is when an event occurs that is the opposite of what the reader
expects. The plot of O. Henry’s short story “The Gift of the Magi” contains much
situational irony. To earn the money to buy her husband a chain for his cherished watch,
the wife cuts and sells her hair, only to find that he has sold the watch to buy her combs
for her hair.

EXAMPLE

2 Read this line from Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “The Tell-Tale Heart.”

I was never kinder to the old man than during the whole week before I killed him.

Which answer best describes the literary technique Poe uses in this line?
A situational irony
B dramatic irony
C verbal irony
D ambiguity

Step 1 Read the example sentence carefully. Is there a kind of contradiction

taking place? If so, that would be irony.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

The narrator tells us he was kinder to the old man than he had ever been before.
Then, the narrator surprises us by saying that he killed the old man. This is a
contradiction, or an instance of irony.

Step 2 What kind of irony is being used? Review your definitions of the different
kinds of irony and compare them to what is happening in the sentence.

The narrator is not saying one thing and meaning another—he was kind to the old
man for a week and then killed him. This may be unexpected, but it is not verbal
irony. Both the narrator and the reader know what is happening so Poe is not using
dramatic irony either. The unexpected event is the narrator killing the old man. We
do not expect this because the narrator first tells us he was being nice to the man.
This is an example of situational irony, choice A.

Lesson 17, Ambiguities 201

LESSON 17 Ambiguities

PRACTICE IT: Ambiguities

Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.

From The Tell-Tale Heart

By Edgar Allan Poe

1 If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise
precautions I took for the concealment of the body. The night waned, and I
worked hastily, but in silence. First of all I dismembered the corpse. I cut off the
head and the arms and the legs.

2 I then took up three planks from the flooring of the chamber, and deposited all
between the scantlings. I then replaced the boards so cleverly, so cunningly, that
no human eye—not even his—could have detected any thing wrong. There was
nothing to wash out—no stain of any kind—no blood-spot whatever. I had been
too wary for that. A tub had caught all—ha! ha!

3 When I had made an end of these labors, it was four o’clock—still dark as
midnight. As the bell sounded the hour, there came a knocking at the street door.
I went down to open it with a light heart,—for what had I now to fear? There
entered three men, who introduced themselves, with perfect suavity, as officers of
the police. A shriek had been heard by a neighbour during the night; suspicion of
foul play had been aroused; information had been lodged at the police office, and
they (the officers) had been deputed to search the premises.

4 I smiled,—for what had I to fear? I bade the gentlemen welcome. The shriek, I said,
was my own in a dream. The old man, I mentioned, was absent in the country. I took
my visitors all over the house. I bade them search—search well. I led them, at length,
to his chamber. I showed them his treasures, secure, undisturbed. In the enthusiasm
of my confidence, I brought chairs into the room, and desired them here to rest from
their fatigues, while I myself, in the wild audacity of my perfect triumph, placed my
own seat upon the very spot beneath which reposed the corpse of the victim.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

5 The officers were satisfied. My manner had convinced them. I was singularly at
ease. They sat, and while I answered cheerily, they chatted of familiar things. But,
ere long, I felt myself getting pale and wished them gone. My head ached, and I
fancied a ringing in my ears: but still they sat and still chatted. The ringing
became more distinct:—It continued and became more distinct: I talked more
freely to get rid of the feeling: but it continued and gained definiteness—until, at
length, I found that the noise was not within my ears.

6 No doubt I now grew very pale;—but I talked more fluently, and with a
heightened voice. Yet the sound increased—and what could I do? It was a low,
dull, quick sound—much such a sound as a watch makes when enveloped in
cotton. I gasped for breath—and yet the officers heard it not. I talked more

202 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Ambiguities LESSON 17

quickly—more vehemently; but the noise steadily increased. I arose and argued about
trifles, in a high key and with violent gesticulations; but the noise steadily increased.
Why would they not be gone? I paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, as if
excited to fury by the observations of the men—but the noise steadily increased. Oh
God! what could I do? I foamed—I raved—I swore! I swung the chair upon which I
had been sitting, and grated it upon the boards, but the noise arose over all and
continually increased. It grew louder—louder—louder! And still the men chatted
pleasantly, and smiled. Was it possible they heard not? Almighty God!—no, no! They
heard!—they suspected!—they knew!—they were making a mockery of my horror!—
this I thought, and this I think. But anything was better than this agony! Anything was
more tolerable than this derision! I could bear those hypocritical smiles no longer! I
felt that I must scream or die! And now—again!—hark! louder! louder! louder! louder!

7 “Villains!” I shrieked, “dissemble no more! I admit the deed!—tear up the planks! here,
here!—It is the beating of his hideous heart!”

1 Read the sentence from paragraph 1. 3 The title of the story is ambiguous
because
If still you think me mad, you will
A it personifies the old man’s heart
think so no longer when I describe
the wise precautions I took for the as being able to talk.
concealment of the body. B it refers to a dead man’s heart as
though it were still beating.
What literary technique is most C it symbolizes the pangs of
apparent in this sentence? conscience a criminal
A ambiguity experiences.
B verbal irony D it could refer to the old man’s
heart or the narrator’s heart.
C subtlety
D dramatic irony
4 How does Poe use the literary
technique of ambiguity in paragraphs
2 The author uses irony in the final 6 and 7?
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

three paragraphs of “The Tell-Tale

A The reader is not sure whether
Heart” to show that the narrator feels
the narrator hears his own
A guilty. heart beating.
B clever. B The reader is not sure whether
C confident. the policemen hear the heart
D perceptive. beating.
C The reader is not sure whether
the policemen suspect the
narrator of the murder.
D All of the above.

Lesson 17, Ambiguities 203

 Content Standard: 9RL3.9 Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate
LESSON 18 Point of View Text: Explain how voice, persona, and the choice of a narrator affect
characterization and the tone, plot, and credibility of a text.

LEARN IT: Point of View

Point of view refers to the person or character who is narrating a story. The point of view
that the author uses in a work affects how the reader experiences the story and what
information he or she learns about the characters. There are several different points of
view, including first person and third person. Third-person point of view can also be
classified into two sub-types: omniscient and limited.

First-Person Point of View

When one of the characters in a story is also the narrator, the writer is using the first-
person point of view. The narrator uses first-person pronouns, such as I and me, to refer
to himself or herself. The reader experiences events through the eyes of the narrator and
does not know what the other characters in the story are thinking or feeling.

EXAMPLE

1 Read the following lines from Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

You don’t know about me without you have read a book by the name of The
Adventures of Tom Sawyer; but that ain’t no matter. That book was made by Mr.
Mark Twain, and he told the truth, mainly. There was things which he stretched,
but mainly he told the truth.

Twain uses the first-person point of view to establish a tone that is

A casual.
B serious.
C sarcastic.
D joyful.

Step 1 Read the passage carefully. What kind of person does the narrator seem
to be? How does the character of the narrator affect the tone of the passage?

The character seems to be a young person who speaks using a lot of slang, which Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
might suggest he has not had much formal education. The character seems to be
likable. All the slang combines with the first-person point of view to make it seem
like the reader is simply having a conversation with a real-life person.

Step 2 Read each answer. Which one best describes the tone of the passage?

The narrator does not sound particularly serious, so choice B is incorrect. Choice C
is also incorrect because the character has not made any sarcastic remarks.
Similarly, the passage does not reveal enough about the narrator to tell if he is
particularly joyful, so choice D is incorrect as well. The correct answer is choice A
because the character’s tone can best be described as casual.

204 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Point of View LESSON 18

Third-Person Omniscient Point of View

In the third-person point of view, the author uses a narrator who is not part of the story
to tell the reader about the characters. The narrator uses third-person pronouns, such as
he, she, and they, to refer to the characters. There are several different kinds of third-
person points of view. Two of the main types are omniscient and limited.

When an author uses the third-person omniscient point of view, the narrator is all
knowing, and the reader experiences the story through the eyes of more than one of the
story’s characters. Because of this, the narrator and the reader know the thoughts and
feelings of multiple characters.

EXAMPLE

2 Read the following lines from Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina.

He was absolutely convinced that nothing could be done to prolong his brother’s life
or to relieve his suffering. But a sense of his regarding all aid as out of the question
was felt by the sick man, and exasperated him. And this made it still more painful for
Levin. To be in the sick-room was agony to him, not to be there still worse. And he
was continually, on various pretexts, going out of the room, and coming in again,
because he was unable to remain alone.

But Kitty thought, and felt, and acted quite differently. On seeing the sick man, she
pitied him. And pity in her womanly heart did not arouse at all that feeling of horror
and loathing that it aroused in her husband, but a desire to act, to find out all the
details of his state, and to remedy them.

In this passage, the third-person omniscient point of view allows the reader to
A experience three different attitudes toward illness.
B learn about the relationship between Kitty and Levin.
C understand what treatments are used to help an ill person.
D feel relief that not everyone in the story is ill.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Step 1 Read the passage carefully. What do we learn about each character’s
thoughts and feelings?

We know that Levin is extremely upset about his brother’s illness and tries to avoid
being alone with him. He also thinks that absolutely nothing can be done to relieve
his brother’s suffering. We are told by the narrator that the sick man himself finds
Levin’s attitude infuriating, although he is probably not able to express it. Levin’s
wife, Kitty, believes she can help the sick man by making him comfortable and
trying to discover remedies for his suffering.

Lesson 18, Point of View 205

LESSON 18 Point of View

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer best accounts for what you
learned about each character?

The author describes the feelings Kitty and Levin have toward Levin’s brother and
his illness, not their feelings toward each other, so choice B is incorrect. The author
does not discuss which treatments Kitty uses to treat the sick man in this passage,
so choice C is also incorrect. The author would not need to use the third-person
omniscient point of view to let the reader know that not every character in the story
is ill, so choice D is incorrect as well. The omniscient point of view does help the
reader understand how three different characters react to the illness of Levin’s
brother. Choice A is correct.

Third-Person Limited Point of View

The third-person limited point of view is just that—limited. The narrator focuses on one
character in the story, so the reader only knows what that particular character is thinking
and feeling. The reader is unable to “get into the heads” of the other characters.

EXAMPLE

3 Read the following lines from Jack London’s The Call of the Wild.

For a long time after his rescue, Buck did not like Thornton to get out of his sight.
From the moment he left the tent to when he entered it again, Buck would follow at
his heels. His transient masters since he had come into the Northland had bred in
him a fear that no master could be permanent. He was afraid that Thornton would
pass out of his life as Perrault and François and the Scotch half-breed had passed out.
Even in the night, in his dreams, he was haunted by this fear. At such times he would
shake off sleep and creep through the chill to the flap of the tent, where he would
stand and listen to the sound of his master’s breathing.

While reading this passage, the reader shares Buck’s anxiety because

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

A Perrault and François are coming back to get him.
B Thornton is planning to give Buck to a new master.
C we don’t know if Thornton will leave Buck.
D Buck has trouble hearing Thornton breathing.

206 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Point of View LESSON 18

Step 1 Read the passage carefully. What does the author tell us about Buck?

Buck has had a number of masters that have left him. This makes him worried that
his new master, Thornton, will leave him, too. At night he listens anxiously outside
Thornton’s tent to make sure his master is still there.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer best fits with what we learn
about Buck? How is this consistent with the third-person limited point of view?

The passage does not say that Buck’s old masters are coming back for him or that
Thornton is planning to give Buck away, so choices A and B cannot be correct. The
passage doesn’t say that Buck has trouble hearing Thornton breathing, so choice D
is also incorrect. The point of view is limited to Buck’s perspective, so I don’t know
anything about anyone besides Buck in this passage. This means that, like Buck, I
don’t know if Thornton will prove a loyal master. Choice C is the correct answer.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 18, Point of View 207

LESSON 18 Point of View

PRACTICE IT: Point of View

Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.

From The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

By Mark Twain

1 When Tom reached the little isolated frame schoolhouse, he strode in briskly, with the
manner of one who had come with all honest speed. He hung his hat on a peg and
flung himself into his seat with business-like alacrity. The master, throned on high in
his great splint-bottom arm-chair, was dozing, lulled by the drowsy hum of study. The
interruption roused him.

2 “Thomas Sawyer!”

3 Tom knew that when his name was pronounced in full, it meant trouble.

4 “Sir!”

5 “Come up here. Now, sir, why are you late again, as usual?”

6 Tom was about to take refuge in a lie, when he saw two long tails of yellow hair
hanging down a back that he recognized by the electric sympathy of love; and by that
form was THE ONLY VACANT PLACE on the girls’ side of the schoolhouse. He
instantly said:

7 “I STOPPED TO TALK WITH HUCKLEBERRY FINN!”

8 The master’s pulse stood still, and he stared helplessly. The buzz of study ceased. The
pupils wondered if this foolhardy boy had lost his mind. The master said:

9 “You—you did what?”

10 “Stopped to talk with Huckleberry Finn.”

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

11 There was no mistaking the words.

12 “Thomas Sawyer, this is the most astounding confession I have ever listened to. No
mere ferule will answer for this offence. Take off your jacket.”

13 The master’s arm performed until it was tired and the stock of switches notably
diminished. Then the order followed:

14 “Now, sir, go and sit with the girls! And let this be a warning to you.”
15 The titter that rippled around the room appeared to abash the boy, but in reality that
result was caused rather more by his worshipful awe of his unknown idol and the
dread pleasure that lay in his high good fortune.

208 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Point of View LESSON 18

1 The tone of this passage could best be 4 Read the sentence from the passage.
described as
The titter that rippled around the
A sad.
room appeared to abash the boy, but
B stern. in reality that result was caused
C angry. rather more by his worshipful awe of
D amused. his unknown idol and the dread
pleasure that lay in his high good
fortune.
2 In paragraph 6, why does Tom decide
to tell the truth?
What do we learn about how Tom is
A He wants to sit with the girls.
feeling in this sentence?
B He always tells the truth.
A Tom is embarrassed.
C He has no other choice.
B Tom is excited.
D He knows it’s the right
C Tom is angry.
thing to do.
D Tom is apprehensive.

3 Which point of view does the author

mainly use in this passage?
A first person
B second person
C third person limited
D third person omniscient
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 18, Point of View 209

 Content Standard: 9RL3.10 Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate
LESSON 19 Dramatic Elements Text: Identify and describe the function of dialogue, scene designs, soliloquies,
asides, and character foils in dramatic literature.

LEARN IT: Dialogue and Character Foils

Dramatic literature is meant to be performed and not read, so the author harnesses the
power of dialogue, soliloquies, asides, character foils, and scene designs to express
his or her message. Through these elements, the author brings to life the drama’s
characters and conveys its theme.

The author uses dialogue, or the conversations between actors in a play, to make the
characters come alive. To understand how dialogue creates rounded characters, you
must think about what the characters say about themselves, what they think about
others, and how others see them. Mood can also be enhanced through the dialogue, and
sometimes the theme is expressed in one of the utterances of the characters.

Character foils are roles in a play that contrast with the main character in order to further
set off the main character. Character foils often face the same situation as the main
character, but they react to the situation in a different way. This helps to emphasize the
actions of the main character.

EXAMPLE

From The Importance of Being Earnest

By Oscar Wilde
Act 1

Morning-room in Algernon’s flat in Half-Moon Street. The room is luxuriously and

artistically furnished. The sound of a piano is heard in the adjoining room.

[LANE is arranging afternoon tea on the table, and after the music has ceased,
ALGERNON enters.]

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

ALGERNON. Did you hear what I was playing, Lane?

LANE. I didn’t think it polite to listen, sir.

ALGERNON. I’m sorry for that, for your sake. I don’t play accurately—any one can
play accurately—but I play with wonderful expression. As far as the piano is
concerned, sentiment is my forte. I keep science for Life.

LANE. Yes, sir.

ALGERNON. And, speaking of the science of Life, have you got the cucumber
sandwiches cut for Lady Bracknell?

LANE. Yes, sir. [Hands them on a salver.]

210 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Dramatic Elements LESSON 19

ALGERNON. [Inspects them, takes two, and sits down on the sofa.] Oh! . . . by the
way, Lane, I see from your book that on Thursday night, when Lord Shoreman and
Mr. Worthing were dining with me, eight bottles of champagne are entered as
having been consumed.

LANE. Yes, sir; eight bottles and a pint.

ALGERNON. Why is it that at a bachelor’s establishment the servants invariably

drink the champagne? I ask merely for information.

LANE. I attribute it to the superior quality of the wine, sir. I have often observed
that in married households the champagne is rarely of a first-rate brand.

ALGERNON. Good heavens! Is marriage so demoralising as that?

LANE. I believe it IS a very pleasant state, sir. I have had very little experience of it
myself up to the present. I have only been married once. That was in consequence
of a misunderstanding between myself and a young person.

ALGERNON. [Languidly.] I don’t know that I am much interested in your family

life, Lane.

LANE. No, sir; it is not a very interesting subject. I never think of it myself.

ALGERNON. Very natural, I am sure. That will do, Lane, thank you.

LANE. Thank you, sir. [LANE goes out.]

ALGERNON. Lane’s views on marriage seem somewhat lax. Really, if the lower
orders don’t set us a good example, what on earth is the use of them? They seem, as
a class, to have absolutely no sense of moral responsibility.

[Enter LANE.]
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

LANE. Mr. Ernest Worthing.

[Enter JACK.]

JACK. Eh? Shropshire? Yes, of course. Hallo! Why all these cups? Why cucumber
sandwiches? Why such reckless extravagance in one so young? Who is coming to tea?

ALGERNON. Oh! merely Aunt Augusta and Gwendolen.

JACK. How perfectly delightful!

ALGERNON. Yes, that is all very well; but I am afraid Aunt Augusta won’t quite
approve of your being here.
Lesson 19, Dramatic Elements 211
LESSON 19 Dramatic Elements

JACK. May I ask why?

ALGERNON. My dear fellow, the way you flirt with Gwendolen is perfectly
disgraceful. It is almost as bad as the way Gwendolen flirts with you.

JACK. I am in love with Gwendolen. I have come up to town expressly to propose

to her.

ALGERNON. I thought you had come up for pleasure? . . . I call that business.

JACK. How utterly unromantic you are!

ALGERNON. I really don’t see anything romantic in proposing. It is very romantic

to be in love. But there is nothing romantic about a definite proposal. Why, one
may be accepted. One usually is, I believe. Then the excitement is all over. The very
essence of romance is uncertainty. If ever I get married, I’ll certainly try to forget
the fact.

JACK. I have no doubt about that, dear Algy. The Divorce Court was specially
invented for people whose memories are so curiously constituted.

ALGERNON. Oh! there is no use speculating on that subject. Divorces are made in
Heaven—[Jack puts out his hand to take a sandwich. Algernon at once interferes.]
Please don’t touch the cucumber sandwiches. They are ordered specially for Aunt
Augusta. [Takes one and eats it.]

JACK. Well, you have been eating them all the time.

ALGERNON. That is quite a different matter. She is my aunt. [Takes plate from
below.] Have some bread and butter. The bread and butter is for Gwendolen.
Gwendolen is devoted to bread and butter.

JACK. [Advancing to table and helping himself.] And very good bread and butter it
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
is too.

ALGERNON. Well, my dear fellow, you need not eat as if you were going to eat it
all. You behave as if you were married to her already. You are not married to her
already, and I don’t think you ever will be.

212 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Dramatic Elements LESSON 19

1 Read the following lines from the passage.

JACK. I am in love with Gwendolen. I have come up to town expressly to propose

to her.

ALGERNON. I thought you had come up for pleasure? . . . I call that business.

JACK. How utterly unromantic you are!

ALGERNON. I really don’t see anything romantic in proposing. It is very romantic

to be in love. But there is nothing romantic about a definite proposal. Why, one
may be accepted. One usually is, I believe. Then the excitement is all over. The very
essence of romance is uncertainty. If ever I get married, I’ll certainly try to forget
the fact.

What does this dialogue reveal about Algernon’s character?

A He is hospitable to his visitors.
B He is cynical about marriage.
C He is old-fashioned and prudish.
D He is rich and aristocratic.

Step 1 Read this humorous passage carefully. What is happening in the

passage? Concentrate on the conversations between Algernon and Jack. Analyze
what Algernon says about himself and Jack’s thoughts about Algernon. Then relate
your ideas to the dialogue in the question. What are they talking about and what
are Algernon’s thoughts and feelings about that subject?

Algernon is expecting his aunt and cousin to visit, and he talks with his servant
about marriage. He thinks it is “demoralising” that married couples have inferior
champagne, and he loses interest in his servant’s limited experiences with married
life. His friend Jack arrives. They talk about Jack’s feelings for Algernon’s cousin
Gwendolen and then discuss love in general. Algernon says that he regards
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

marriage as a “business” and that a marriage proposal is not romantic.

Step 2 Read each answer. Which one best describes Algernon’s character?

Algernon seems to be hospitable, but this is not included in the dialogue

mentioned in the question, so choice A is incorrect. Algernon may have
disapproved of Jack and Gwendolen’s flirtations, but the particular conversation in
the question does not show that he is old-fashioned or prudish. He says that love
is romantic, so choice C is not the correct answer. Choice D is incorrect because
the dialogue does not illustrate that Algernon is rich and aristocratic, but it
mentions Algernon’s thoughts on marriage. Choice B is the correct answer
because it discusses Algernon’s amusing skepticism about marriage. He thinks a
marriage proposal is a “business” and takes the excitement out of romance or love.

Lesson 19, Dramatic Elements 213

LESSON 19 Dramatic Elements

2 In this excerpt, Algernon serves as Jack’s foil because he sets off Jack’s
A ill manners.
B frugal attitude.
C romantic nature.
D humble beginnings.

Step 1 Read the passage carefully. Think about both men’s characteristics as
revealed in the conversation. Contrast both characters. What of Jack’s character is
set off by Algernon?

Based on the dialogue, Jack seems to be in love with Gwendolen and Algernon
seems to disapprove of Jack’s plan to propose to Gwendolen. His attitude sets off
Jack’s plan to propose to his love

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer best describes what
characteristic of Jack’s is set off by Algernon?

Jack does not come off as ill-mannered, because, although he helps himself to the
sandwiches, we know that Algernon and Jack are friends, so choice A is incorrect.
Although Jack comments about Algernon’s “reckless extravagance,” there is not
enough evidence from the text to show that Jack is frugal, so choice B is incorrect,
as well. The excerpt does not mention Jack’s background, so choice D is incorrect.
Choice C is the correct answer because Algernon scoffs at Jack’s plans to propose
to Gwendolen, which sets off Jack’s romantic nature. It is even more pronounced
when Jack says, “How utterly unromantic you are!”

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

214 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Dramatic Elements LESSON 19

LEARN IT: Scene Designs

Dramatic literature is performed onstage. Because of this, the author gives suggestions
on how the stage will look in order to create mood and atmosphere. A comedy might call
for a scene design that is cheerful to set the mood for hilarious scenes, while a tragedy
might be set in a dark scene to emphasize the conflict. Scene designs may also be
symbolic and contribute to the author’s theme.

EXAMPLE

3 Read the following excerpt from J. M. Barrie’s The Admirable Crichton.

ACT I

AT LOAM HOUSE, MAYFAIR

It is one of several reception-rooms in Loam House, not the most magnificent but
quite the softest; and of a warm afternoon all that those who are anybody crave for is
the softest. The larger rooms are magnificent and bare, carpetless, so that it is an
accomplishment to keep one’s feet on them; they are sometimes lent for charitable
purposes; they are also all in use on the night of a dinner-party, when you may find
yourself alone in one, having taken a wrong turning; or alone, save for two others
who are within hailing distance.

This room, however, is comparatively small and very soft. There are so many
cushions in it that you wonder why, if you are an outsider and don’t know that, it
needs six cushions to make one fair head comfy. The couches themselves are
cushions as large as beds, and there is an art of sinking into them and of waiting to
be helped out of them. There are several famous paintings on the walls, of which you
may say ‘Jolly thing that,’ without losing caste as knowing too much; and in cases
there are glorious miniatures, but the daughters of the house cannot tell you of
whom; ‘there is a catalogue somewhere.’ There are a thousand or so of roses in
basins, several library novels, and a row of weekly illustrated newspapers lying
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

against each other like fallen soldiers. If any one disturbs this row Crichton seems to
know of it from afar and appears noiselessly and replaces the wanderer. One thing
unexpected in such a room is a great array of tea things. Ernest spots them with a
twinkle, and has his epigram at once unsheathed. He dallies, however, before
delivering the thrust.

ERNEST. I perceive, from the tea cups, Crichton, that the great function is to take
place here.

CRICHTON (with a respectful sigh). Yes, sir.

ERNEST (chuckling heartlessly). The servants’ hall coming up to have tea in the
drawing-room! (With terrible sarcasm.) No wonder you look happy, Crichton.

Lesson 19, Dramatic Elements 215

LESSON 19 Dramatic Elements

CRICHTON (under the knife). No, sir.

ERNEST. Do you know, Crichton, I think that with an effort you might look even
happier. (CRICHTON smiles wanly.) You don’t approve of his lordship’s compelling
his servants to be his equals—once a month?

CRICHTON. It is not for me, sir, to disapprove of his lordship’s radical views.

ERNEST. Certainly not. And, after all, it is only once a month that he is affable to
you.

CRICHTON. On all other days of the month, sir, his lordship’s treatment of us is
everything that could be desired.

ERNEST. (This is the epigram.) Tea cups! Life, Crichton, is like a cup of tea; the more
heartily we drink, the sooner we reach the dregs.

CRICHTON (obediently). Thank you, sir.

You can tell that this play is a comedy because the scene design
A shows images of newspapers like “fallen soldiers.”
B involves a luxurious room filled with paintings.
C suggests a festive atmosphere for a tea party.
D describes a bare and carpetless reception room.

Step 1 Read the excerpt carefully. Where is the setting of the play? What kind of
atmosphere does one expect from a comedy, and how is this suggested in the
scene design?

Comedies involve comic or funny scenes, so the play should be set in a light
atmosphere. The reception room described in the excerpt is warm and inviting. It

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

seems to be ready for a tea party, and it also contains tinges of humor in its
description, such as how even the room’s owner doesn’t know about who made the
paintings and miniatures.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer best shows how the scene
design shows that the play is a comedy?

Images of a fallen soldier or a luxurious room do not create a cheerful and light
atmosphere that might be expected of a comedy, so choices A and B are incorrect.
The bare and carpetless room described in the excerpt is used to set off the inviting
characteristic of the particular reception room where the play is set, so choice D is
incorrect. Choice C is correct because the festive atmosphere of a tea party is
enough to set off the hilarious scenes that are expected of a comedy.

216 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Dramatic Elements LESSON 19

LEARN IT: Soliloquies and Asides

A soliloquy is a speech given by a character in a play while alone on stage. Soliloquies
reveal the character’s thoughts and feelings. They give the audience a chance to
understand what the character’s motives and real intentions are. On the other hand, an
aside is an utterance by a character that is heard only by the audience and not the other
characters on stage.

4 Read this excerpt from Anton Chekhov’s “Swan Song.”

SVIETLOVIDOFF. [With a candle in his hand, comes out of a dressing-room and

laughs] Well, well, this is funny! Here’s a good joke! I fell asleep in my dressing-room
when the play was over, and there I was calmly snoring after everybody else had left
the theatre. Ah! I’m a foolish old man, a poor old dodderer! I have been drinking
again, and so I fell asleep in there, sitting up. That was clever! Good for you, old boy!
[Calls] Yegorka! Petrushka! Where the devil are you? Petrushka! The scoundrels
must be asleep, and an earthquake wouldn’t wake them now! Yegorka! [Picks up the
stool, sits down, and puts the candle on the floor] Not a sound! Only echos answer
me. I gave Yegorka and Petrushka each a tip to-day, and now they have disappeared
without leaving a trace behind them. The rascals have gone off and have probably
locked up the theatre

Svietlovidoff ’s soliloquy serves to show that

A he is a homeless person.
B he is a stage director.
C he is a father with two children.
D he is a stage actor.

Step 1 Read the soliloquy carefully. What does it reveal to you about
Svietlovidoff’s character?

In the soliloquy, Svietlovidoff is saying that he fell asleep in his dressing room after
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

a play. He is looking for Yegorka and Petrushka, perhaps his assistants, because
Svietlovidoff says that he gave them a tip.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer best fits with what we learn
about Svietlovidoff in the soliloquy?

The soliloquy does not reveal that Svietlovidoff does not have a home, only that he
fell asleep in his dressing room, so choice A is an incorrect answer. A stage
director does not have a dressing room, so choice B is incorrect as well. There is
no indication that Yegorka and Petrushka are Svietlovidoff’s children, so choice C is
incorrect. The best answer is choice D because Svietlovidoff mentions a theater
and a dressing room, which indicate that he is a stage actor.

Lesson 19, Dramatic Elements 217

LESSON 19 Dramatic Elements

PRACTICE IT: Dramatic Elements

Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.

From Two Gentlemen of Verona

By William Shakespeare

ACT 1

SCENE I. Verona. An open place

[Enter VALENTINE and PROTEUS.]

VALENTINE.
Cease to persuade, my loving Proteus:
Home-keeping youth have ever homely wits.
Were’t not affection chains thy tender days
To the sweet glances of thy honour’d love,
I rather would entreat thy company
To see the wonders of the world abroad,
Than, living dully sluggardiz’d at home,
Wear out thy youth with shapeless idleness.
But since thou lov’st, love still, and thrive therein,
Even as I would, when I to love begin.

PROTEUS.
Wilt thou be gone? Sweet Valentine, adieu!
Think on thy Proteus, when thou haply seest
Some rare noteworthy object in thy travel:
Wish me partaker in thy happiness
When thou dost meet good hap; and in thy danger,

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If ever danger do environ thee,
Commend thy grievance to my holy prayers,
For I will be thy headsman, Valentine.

VALENTINE.
And on a love-book pray for my success?

PROTEUS.
Upon some book I love I’ll pray for thee.

VALENTINE.
That’s on some shallow story of deep love,
young Leander cross’d the Hellespont.

218 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Dramatic Elements LESSON 19

PROTEUS.
That’s a deep story of a deeper love;
For he was more than over shoes in love.

VALENTINE.
‘Tis true; for you are over boots in love,
And yet you never swum the Hellespont.

PROTEUS.
Over the boots? Nay, give me not the boots.

VALENTINE.
No, I will not, for it boots thee not.

PROTEUS.
What?

VALENTINE.
To be in love, where scorn is bought with groans;
Coy looks with heart-sore sighs; one fading moment’s mirth
With twenty watchful, weary, tedious nights:
If haply won, perhaps a hapless gain;
If lost, why then a grievous labour won:
However, but a folly bought with wit,
Or else a wit by folly vanquished.

PROTEUS.
So, by your circumstance, you call me fool.

VALENTINE.
So, by your circumstance, I fear you’ll prove.

PROTEUS.
‘Tis love you cavil at: I am not Love.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

VALENTINE.
Love is your master, for he masters you;
And he that is so yoked by a fool,
Methinks, should not be chronicled for wise.

PROTEUS.
Yet writers say, as in the sweetest bud
The eating canker dwells, so eating love
Inhabits in the finest wits of all.

VALENTINE.
And writers say, as the most forward bud

Lesson 19, Dramatic Elements 219

LESSON 19 Dramatic Elements

Is eaten by the canker ere it blow,

Even so by love the young and tender wit
Is turned to folly; blasting in the bud,
Losing his verdure even in the prime,
And all the fair effects of future hopes.
But wherefore waste I time to counsel the
That art a votary to fond desire?
Once more adieu! my father at the road
Expects my coming, there to see me shipp’d.

PROTEUS.
And thither will I bring thee, Valentine.

VALENTINE.
Sweet Proteus, no; now let us take our leave.
To Milan let me hear from thee by letters
Of thy success in love, and what news else
Betideth here in absence of thy friend;
And I likewise will visit thee with mine.

PROTEUS.
All happiness bechance to thee in Milan!

VALENTINE.
As much to you at home! and so farewell!

[Exit.]

PROTEUS.
He after honour hunts, I after love;
He leaves his friends to dignify them more:
I leave myself, my friends, and all for love.
Thou, Julia, thou hast metamorphos’d me;—

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Made me neglect my studies, lose my time,
War with good counsel, set the world at nought;
Made wit with musing weak, heart sick with thought.

220 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Dramatic Elements LESSON 19

1 In this excerpt, Valentine serves as 4 Read these lines by Proteus.

Proteus’s foil to emphasize Proteus’s
He after honour hunts, I after love;
A foolishness not to leave Verona.
He leaves his friends to dignify them
B choice to stay home for love. more:
C failure to be educated. I leave myself, my friends, and all for
D prayerful nature. love
Thou, Julia, thou hast metamorphos’d
me;—
2 What does the dialogue reveal about
Made me neglect my studies, lose my
the relationship between Valentine
time,
and Proteus?
War with good counsel, set the world
A Valentine is the master and at nought;
Proteus the servant. Made wit with musing weak, heart
B Valentine and Proteus are best sick with thought.
friends.
C Valentine and Proteus are rivals. In this excerpt, Proteus’s soliloquy
D Valentine is the son and Proteus serves to
his father. A introduce the main character,
Julia.
3 Why is the scene set in an open place? B explain the reason why Proteus
A to emphasize Proteus’s lack of does not leave Verona.
sensibility C express Proteus’s regret that he
B to show how in love Proteus is stayed behind.
with his lover D show the changes in Proteus’s
C to better show the parting of character.
Valentine and Proteus
D to create a mood of adventure
and possibilities
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Lesson 19, Dramatic Elements 221

 Content Standard: 9RL3.11 Literary Criticism: Evaluate the
LESSON 20 Aesthetic Approach aesthetic qualities of style, including the impact of diction and
figurative language on tone, mood, and theme, using the terminology
of literary criticism. (Aesthetic approach)

LEARN IT: Aesthetic Approach

The aesthetic qualities of literature are the artistic dimensions of literature that the writer
uses to give meaning or sense to a text or composition. These qualities may include
diction and figurative language.

Diction is the writer’s choice of words. Certain words that a writer uses are full of
emotional meanings. These meanings contain clues about the tone or how the writer feels
about a certain topic.

Figurative language goes beyond the literal meaning of words to present ideas in fresh,
new ways. The most common types of figurative language are similes and metaphors.
A simile makes a comparison between objects or ideas that are essentially different and
uses the word like or as. A metaphor suggests a similarity between two objects or ideas
but does not use words such as like or as.

For example:

Simile: My friend’s car moves at a slow pace, like a tortoise walking on sand.

Metaphor: The Internet is the modern library.

A reader who uses the aesthetic approach to literary criticism understands how the
author uses diction or figurative language to affect tone, mood, and even the theme of a
literary work. Theme is the author’s insight about life as revealed in a literary piece. Each
element in a literary piece, including diction and figurative language, works toward
emphasizing the theme.

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222 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Aesthetic Approach LESSON 20

EXAMPLE

1 Read the following excerpt from Edward Page Mitchell’s “The Tachypomp.”

Abscissa Surd was as perfectly symmetrical as Giotto’s circle, and as pure, withal, as
the mathematics her father taught. It was just when spring was coming to extract
the roots of frozen-up vegetation that I fell in love with the corollary. That herself
was not indifferent I soon had reason to regard as a self-evident truth.

Mitchell uses figurative language here to

A describe the narrator’s physical characteristics.
B stress the narrator’s confusion about a girl.
C convey the narrator’s interest in gardening.
D emphasize the narrator’s admiration for a girl.

Step 1 Read the excerpt carefully. What theme or insight does Mitchell reveal
here through the use of figurative language?

Mitchell tries to reveal that the narrator is falling in love with a woman named
Abscissa Surd by using similes. The narrator uses mathematical language to refer
to his feelings toward a girl.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer choice best captures this
theme?

The use of figurative language neither creates a description of the narrator’s

physical traits nor stresses his confusion. The simile also does not convey the
narrator’s interest in gardening. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect. The use of
figurative language helps the author emphasize the narrator’s admiration for a girl.
The narrator compares the girl to “Giotto’s circle” and “mathematics.” So choice D
is the correct answer.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 20, Aesthetic Approach 223

LESSON 20 Aesthetic Approach

LEARN IT: Diction, Figurative Language, and Tone

Diction and figurative language also affect the tone of a literary piece. Tone is the overall
attitude of the author or speaker toward his or her topic. A tone can be bitter, rejoicing,
regretful, ironic, grave, or detached. Through careful selection of words, the author or
speaker can convey a particular tone in a literary piece.

For example, the phrase a silence so thick you could cut it with a knife does not literally
mean silence is something thick that you can cut. Instead, it creates a strong image in the
reader’s mind and conveys a serious tone.

EXAMPLE

2 Read the following lines from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem “The
Children’s Hour.”

A sudden rush from the stairway,

A sudden raid from the hall!
By three doors left unguarded
They enter my castle wall!

Which word from the excerpt helps create a excited tone?

A sudden
B stairway
C doors
D enter

Step 1 Read the excerpt carefully. What image do the lines create in your mind?

An image of some people unexpectedly entering a place that is described as a

“castle” is formed in my mind.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer choice best suggests
excitement?

The words stairway and doors do not indicate excitement, because these are mere
parts of the castle as mentioned in the excerpt. Choices B and C are incorrect. The
word enter is not used in a excited way, so choice D is also incorrect. The word
sudden indicates a fast-moving act, which suggests excitement, so choice A is the
correct answer.

224 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Aesthetic Approach LESSON 20

LEARN IT: Diction, Figurative Language and Mood

Mood is the feeling or atmosphere the writer or speaker conveys to readers. It can be
happy, gloomy, angry, or suspenseful. A writer uses specific words or phrases to create a
desired mood.

EXAMPLE

3 Read the following lines from Paul Laurence Dunbar’s poem “The Debt”

This is the debt I pay

Just for one riotous day,
Years of regret and grief,
Sorrow without relief.

Which word best describes the mood of these lines?

A annoyed
B scary
C miserable
D angry

Step 1 Read the excerpt carefully. What words or phrases does the speaker use
to convey a certain mood or feeling?

The speaker of the poem uses gloomy words such as regret, grief, sorrow, and
without relief to convey a mood of misery. Through these words, the speaker is
expressing his or her sorrow.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer choice best describes the
mood of the poem?

The words and phrases that the speaker uses cannot be described as annoyed
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

because there are no words in the poem that show impatience or frustration. The
mood is not scary, because there are no frightening descriptions. There is also no
indication that the speaker is mad about something. Choices A, B, and D are
incorrect. The diction of the speaker is miserable because the words regret, grief,
sorrow, and without relief indicate a feeling of emotional suffering or distress. The
correct answer is choice C.

Lesson 20, Aesthetic Approach 225

LESSON 20 Aesthetic Approach

PRACTICE IT: Aesthetic Approach

Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.

From Miracles
By Walt Whitman

1 To me, every hour of the light and dark is a miracle,

Every cubic inch of space is a miracle,
Every square yard of the surface of the earth is spread with the same,
Every foot of the interior swarms with the same;
5 Every spear of grass—the frames, limbs, organs, of men and women, and all that
concerns them,
All these to me are unspeakably perfect miracles.

To me the sea is a continual miracle;

The fishes that swim—the rocks—the motion of the waves—the ships,
10 with men in them,
What stranger miracles are there?

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

226 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Aesthetic Approach LESSON 20

1 Whitman uses figurative language 3 Which word best describes the mood
here to of these lines?
A emphasize his appreciation of life. A upset
B recall a period in his life. B joyous
C describe the tangible things C gloomy
around him. D furious
D ask for some miracles.
4 The following lines help create the
2 Which word from the poem helps tone of the poem except
create an tone of awe? A To me, every hour of the light and
A dark dark is a miracle,
B space B Every cubic inch of space is a
C unspeakably miracle,
D miracle C Every foot of the interior swarms
with the same;
D All these to me are unspeakably
perfect miracles.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 20, Aesthetic Approach 227

 Content Standard: 9RL3.12 Literary Criticism: Analyze the way in
LESSON 21 Historical Approach which a work of literature is related to the themes and issues of its
historical period. (Historical approach)

LEARN IT: Historical Approach

A work of literature focuses on themes that were relevant at the time it was written. Usually, it is
also presented in a genre that was commonly used in that era; personal narratives, essays,
poems, or sermons may be the usual literary forms of a particular historical period.

Often, when works of literature are analyzed, their form and theme are studied against the major
issues that affected the people in that period. The following is a summary of some American
literary periods. Look at the characteristics that differentiate each era.

Literary Period Historical Background Characteristics and Literary Forms

Issues
Colonial Period Puritans saw themselves Literature is instructive sermons,
(1620–1776) as understanding and and reinforces authority of personal
executing the will of God. the Bible and church in narratives, and
the Colonial period religious poetry
Revolutionary America won the Issues are national pride, political
Period Revolutionary War against patriotism, independence pamphlets and
(1776–1820) Britain. from Britain, and the persuasive
mission to help the nation. writing

Romantic Period Americans debated Nature is used to inspire, poetry, essays,

(1820–1860) and slavery and fought the to express emotion, and and short stories
Transcendentalism Civil War. The Industrial to express universal truth.
(1830–1880) Revolution led to Transcendentalism
questioning of old ways. celebrates individual self-
discovery.
Realism The United States became Stories feature powerless novels, poetry,
(1860–1914) a major industrial world characters alienated from and short stories
power. society.
Modernism Two world wars, Themes center on the novels, plays,
(1914–1945) technological change, and pursuit of personal and and poetry; use

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

the Great Depression. professional success. of interior
monologue
Postwar Period, Tradition lacked meaning, Self-expression and fictional and
(1945–1990) and the country adopted a originality is evident in nonfictional
mass-media culture. works; women writers narratives and
begin to challenge their poetry
roles in society.
Contemporary U.S. dominance in world Rising genres are fantasy autobiographical
Period (1990– affairs; increased blended with realism, essays, memoirs,
present) immigration from all parts books for modern women, and novels
of the world. and works about
American culture written
by non-American writers

228 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Historical Approach LESSON 21

EXAMPLE:

1 Read the following excerpt from Thomas Paine’s The American Crisis.

1 Having, in the preceding part, made my remarks on the several matters which
the speech contains, I shall now make my remarks on what it does not
contain.

2 There is not a syllable in its respecting alliances. Either the injustice of Britain
is too glaring, or her condition too desperate, or both, for any neighboring
power to come to her support. In the beginning of the contest, when she had
only America to contend with, she hired assistance from Hesse, and other
smaller states of Germany, and for nearly three years did America, young,
raw, undisciplined and unprovided, stand against the power of Britain, aided
by twenty thousand foreign troops, and made a complete conquest of one
entire army. The remembrance of those things ought to inspire us with
confidence and greatness of mind, and carry us through every remaining
difficulty with content and cheerfulness. What are the little sufferings of the
present day, compared with the hardships that are past? There was a time,
when we had neither house nor home in safety; when every hour was the
hour of alarm and danger; when the mind, tortured with anxiety, knew no
repose, and every thing, but hope and fortitude, was bidding us farewell.

3 It is of use to look back upon these things; to call to mind the times of trouble
and the scenes of complicated anguish that are past and gone. Then every
expense was cheap, compared with the dread of conquest and the misery of
submission. We did not stand debating upon trifles, or contending about the
necessary and unavoidable charges of defence. Every one bore his lot of
suffering, and looked forward to happier days, and scenes of rest.

4 Perhaps one of the greatest dangers which any country can be exposed to,
arises from a kind of trifling which sometimes steals upon the mind, when it
supposes the danger past; and this unsafe situation marks at this time the
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

peculiar crisis of America. What would she once have given to have known
that her condition at this day should be what it now is? And yet we do not
seem to place a proper value upon it, nor vigorously pursue the necessary
measures to secure it.

5 We know that we cannot be defended, nor yet defend ourselves, without

trouble and expense. We have no right to expect it; neither ought we to look
for it. We are a people, who, in our situation, differ from all the world. We
form one common floor of public good, and, whatever is our charge, it is paid
for our own interest and upon our own account.

Lesson 21, Historical Approach 229

LESSON 21 Historical Approach

One feature of the excerpt that classifies it as literature from the Revolutionary
Period is its
A mention of European countries, such as Germany and Britain.
B pride in what America has gone through and done for itself.
C use of words that are related to war like alliances and army.
D repetition of the word we in the last paragraph for emphasis.

Step 1 Read the excerpt carefully. What is it all about? What are the
characteristics of the literature from the Revolutionary Period?

The excerpt is about how America was able to defend itself from different dangers,
and its struggle and triumph. Literature from the Revolutionary Period is usually
about national pride.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer classifies the excerpt as
literature from the Revolutionary Period?

The mention of European countries does not classify any literary form or period, so
choice A is incorrect. Choice C is incorrect, as well, because the use of words
related to war does not automatically classify a work of literature as being from the
Revolutionary Period. The repetition of a word for emphasis can be done in any
literary period, so choice D is incorrect as well. The excerpt focuses on how great
and inspiring America is for being triumphant over its own struggles. The correct
answer is choice B.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

230 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Historical Approach LESSON 21

EXAMPLE

2 Read Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s “Woods in Winter.”

When winter winds are piercing chill,

And through the hawthorn blows the gale,
With solemn feet I tread the hill,
That overbrows the lonely vale.

O’er the bare upland, and away

Through the long reach of desert woods,
The embracing sunbeams chastely play,
And gladden these deep solitudes.

Where, twisted round the barren oak,

The summer vine in beauty clung,
And summer winds the stillness broke,
The crystal icicle is hung.

Where, from their frozen urns, mute springs

Pour out the river’s gradual tide,
Shrilly the skater’s iron rings,
And voices fill the woodland side.

Alas! how changed from the fair scene,

When birds sang out their mellow lay,
And winds were soft, and woods were green,
And the song ceased not with the day!

But still wild music is abroad,

Pale, desert woods! within your crowd;
And gathering winds, in hoarse accord,
Amid the vocal reeds pipe loud.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Chill airs and wintry winds! my ear

Has grown familiar with your song;
I hear it in the opening year,
I listen, and it cheers me long.

Lesson 21, Historical Approach 231

LESSON 21 Historical Approach

One feature of the poem that classifies it as literature from the Romantic Period
is its
A use of exclamation points to express emotion.
B use of personification.
C rhyming pattern.
D use of nature to express emotion.

Step 1 Read the poem carefully. What characterizes a work of literature from the
Romantic Period? Is this characteristic present in the poem by Longfellow?

Literature from the Romantic Period is characterized by the use of nature as

inspiration and as a means to express emotion. Longfellow is expressing how his
spirits were lifted like the changing seasons.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which of these makes the poem a work of
literature from the Romantic Period?

The use of exclamation points is not found only in Romantic literature, so choice A
is incorrect. The use of personification does not automatically classify a poem as a
work of literature from the Romantic Period, so choice B is also incorrect. Rhyming
patterns can be used in any literary period, so choice C is incorrect as well. Nature
is used to express emotion in this poem, which is a characteristic of Romantic
literature. Choice D is the correct answer.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

232 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Historical Approach LESSON 21

PRACTICE IT: Historical Approach

Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.

From At Fault
By Kate Chopin

1 When Melicent first met Grégoire, his peculiarities of speech, so unfamiliar to her,
seemed to remove him at once from the possibility of her consideration. She was not
then awake to certain fine psychological differences distinguishing man from man;
precluding the possibility of naming and classifying him in the moral as one might in
the animal kingdom. But short-comings of language, which finally seemed not to
detract from a definite inheritance of good breeding, touched his personality as a
physical deformation might, adding to it certainly no charm, yet from its pathological
aspect not without a species of fascination, for a certain order of misregulated mind.

2 She bore with him, and then she liked him. Finally, whilst indulging in a little
introspection; making a diagnosis of various symptoms, indicative by no means of a
deep-seated malady, she decided that she was in love with Grégoire. But the admission
embraced the understanding with herself, that nothing could come of it. She accepted
it as a phase of that relentless fate which in pessimistic moments she was inclined to
believe pursued her.

3 It could not be thought of, that she should marry a man whose eccentricity of speech
would certainly not adapt itself to the requirements of polite society.

4 He had kissed her one day. Whatever there was about the kiss—possibly an over
exuberance—it was not to her liking, and she forbade that he ever repeat it, under pain
of losing her affection. Indeed, on the few occasions when Melicent had been engaged,
kissing had been excluded as superfluous to the relationship, except in the case of the
young lieutenant out at Fort Leavenworth who read Tennyson to her, as an angel might
be supposed to read, and who in moments of rapturous self-forgetfulness, was
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

permitted to kiss her under the ear: a proceeding not positively distasteful to Melicent,
except in so much as it tickled her.

5 Grégoire’s hair was soft, not so dark as her own, and possessed an inclination to curl
about her slender fingers.

6 “Grégoire,” she said, “you told me once that the Santien boys were a hard lot; what did
you mean by that?”

7 “Oh no,” he answered, laughing good-humoredly up into her eyes, “you did’n year me
right. W’at I said was that we had a hard name in the country. I don’ see w’y eitha,
excep’ we all’ays done putty much like we wanted. But my! a man can live like a saint
yere at Place-du-Bois, they ain’t no temptations o’ no kine.”

Lesson 21, Historical Approach 233

LESSON 21 Historical Approach

8 “There’s little merit in your right doing, if you have no temptations to withstand,”
delivering the time worn aphorism with the air and tone of a pretty sage, giving
utterance to an inspired truth.

9 Melicent felt that she did not fully know Grégoire; that he had always been more or less
under restraint with her, and she was troubled by something other than curiosity to get
at the truth concerning him . . .

10 Meanwhile she would not allow her doubts to interfere with the kindness which she
lavished on him, seeing that he loved her to desperation. Was he not at this very
moment looking up into her eyes, and talking of his misery and her cruelty? turning
his face downward in her lap—as she knew to cry—for had she not already seen him
lie on the ground in an agony of tears, when she had told him he should never kiss her
again?

11 And so they lingered in the woods, these two curious lovers, till the shadows grew so
deep about old McFarlane’s grave that they passed it by with hurried step and averted
glance.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

234 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Historical Approach LESSON 21

1 One feature of the excerpt that 3 Which of the following ideas from the
classifies it as literature from the excerpt best indicates that it was
period of Realism is the written during the period of Realism?
A use of the third-person point of A that Melicent was courted by a
view. young lieutenant who reads
B way the characters are named. Tennyson
C main character’s doubt about the B that lovers visit graves together
man she loves. and talk
D emphasis on religion. C that women do not allow kissing
in relationships
2 One indication that this was not D that Grégoire’s peculiar way of
written in the Revolutionary Period is talking is equated to lack of good
that it does not deal with breeding
A independence or national pride.
B people who are impoverished.
4 Based on the excerpt, what is one of
the social issues of the period of
C the question of right or wrong. Realism?
D nature as a way to express A Men need to speak well to attract
emotion. women.
B A person’s manner of speech
indicates social status.
C Love drives one to sacrifice his or
her expectations.
D Doubt comes with deep love.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 21, Historical Approach 235

 Content Standard: 9WS 1.1 Organization and Focus: Establish a
LESSON 22 Thesis controlling impression or coherent thesis that conveys a clear and
distinctive perspective on the subject and maintain a consistent tone
and focus throughout the piece of writing.

LEARN IT: Thesis

The thesis is the main point or argument that an author is making in a piece of writing.
The rest of the text then provides details that support the author’s main point. To
determine a thesis in your own writing, start by thinking about the topic that you would
like to write about. Then, decide on your purpose, or your reason for writing about this
particular topic. Are you explaining something to readers, or are you trying to persuade
them of a certain idea? Are you telling a story about an event, or are you describing an
object? Once you are sure of your topic and purpose, think about what your main point
will be. This main point will be your thesis. The thesis statement should be clear and
concise and should lay out an argument about your topic that will be supported by the rest
of the paper.

EXAMPLE

1 Read the following introduction to a student essay.

Monticello is well known as Thomas Jefferson’s home, and as a true architectural gem.
Visitors to Monticello are always impressed by the house and its ingenious design.
However, it’s not the only house that Jefferson designed and built. He also built Poplar
Forest as his country estate, a place where he could retreat from the pressures of public
life. Like Monticello, Poplar Forest reveals much about Thomas Jefferson, the architect.

Which of the following is the best statement of the thesis?

A Monticello is well known as Thomas Jefferson’s home and as a true architectural
gem.
B Visitors to Monticello are always impressed by the house and its ingenious design.
C He also built Poplar Forest as his country estate, a place where he could retreat
from the pressures of public life.
D Like Monticello, Poplar Forest reveals much about Thomas Jefferson, the architect.

Step 1 Read the example passage carefully. What is the main point?

The main point seems to be that Jefferson was an excellent architect. Monticello is Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

a well-known example of his work, as is Poplar Forest, a lesser-known country

estate that Jefferson also designed and built.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer best matches the main
argument of the passage?

Choices A and B are incorrect because they are concerned only with the estate of
Monticello. Monticello is one example of Jefferson’s ability as an architect, but
according to the passage, it is not the only example. Choice C discusses Poplar
Forest and why Jefferson loved it, but does not mention Jefferson’s abilities as an
architect. Only choice D provides the main point or thesis of the passage by
explaining that both houses reveal Jefferson’s skill as an architect.

236 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Thesis LESSON 22

Conclusion

The purpose of a conclusion is to tie together all the elements that were discussed in a
piece of writing and to give that piece a memorable ending. The conclusion refers back to
the thesis but should not repeat the thesis word for word. While the thesis statement
introduces the text’s argument, the conclusion is meant to sum it up.

EXAMPLE

2 Read the following conclusion to the student essay from Example 1.

After a visit to Poplar Forest, one can understand why Jefferson was so pleased
with his design. His country retreat shows the mature fulfillment of his promise as
an architect. Today, the estate is being restored to the beauty of its original
condition. Now visitors can see for themselves how some of Monticello’s design
elements were incorporated or expanded upon at Poplar Forest.

Which of the following sentences refers back to the thesis statement in Example 1?
A After a visit to Poplar Forest, one can understand why Jefferson was so pleased
with his design.
B His country retreat shows the mature fulfillment of his promise as an architect.
C Today the estate is being restored to the beauty of its original condition.
D Now visitors can see for themselves how some of Monticello’s design elements
were incorporated into or expanded upon at Poplar Forest.

Step 1 Read the passage carefully. What is the main point of the passage? How
does it reflect the thesis of Example 1?

The main point of this passage is that Poplar Forest is a beautiful, impressive piece
of architecture that shows Jefferson’s skill as a mature architect. This relates back
to the thesis statement in Example 1, which is about how Poplar Forest, like
Monticello, reveals much about Jefferson’s architectural abilities.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer best refers back to the thesis?

Choice A describes the beauty of Poplar Forest but doesn’t comment on

Jefferson’s skills as an architect. Choices C and D are about how modern visitors
can see the restored Poplar Forest estate. Choice D does mention how
Monticello’s designs were incorporated into Poplar Forest, but on the whole, these
sentences focus on the current developments affecting the estate, not on
Jefferson’s architectural abilities. These are good ending sentences, but they do
not reflect the original thesis. Choice B is about how Poplar Forest shows the
mature fulfillment of Jefferson’s promise as an architect. This statement refers back
to the original thesis that Poplar Forest, like Monticello, shows much about
Jefferson as an architect. C is the correct answer.

Lesson 22, Thesis 237

LESSON 22 Thesis

PRACTICE IT: Thesis

Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.

The Value of Internships

1 An internship is a wonderful way to learn more about a career or job. You get to
see what a particular job or career entails while making contacts in that field.
Internships are valuable opportunities that should not be overlooked.

2 Internships can offer many benefits. Many schools offer credits for internships
that count toward degree or graduation requirements. The internship may be
assigned the same number of credits as a regular class. You can learn more about
a particular job while still earning course credits.

3 Some companies have established regular internship programs. These internships

are often set up to introduce the intern to the different areas within the company.
The interns spend a certain amount of time in each department learning the
specific functions of those jobs. An intern might spend a week apiece in
departments such as accounting, sales, marketing, and research and development,
to get an overview of how these departments function as separate units and as
part of the whole company.

4 Some internships are very competitive with many students vying for the same
spot. Some of the most competitive internships are in popular fields like magazine
publishing, sports marketing, and broadcasting.

5 Internships are truly a worthwhile investment because they offer students real-
world experience. In fact, many interns are eventually offered jobs at the
companies where they interned. If the intern has done a good job and an opening
comes up, the company may offer the intern that position. Even if the company
does not offer the intern an actual job, employees at the company may serve as
references or give the student job leads and contacts. As you begin to think about

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

your future career, an internship should definitely be part of your planning and
preparation.

238 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Thesis LESSON 22

1 Which of the following is the best 3 Which of the following sentences

statement of the thesis? refers back to the thesis statement?
A Internships are valuable A Internships are truly a worthwhile
opportunities that should not be investment because they offer
overlooked. students real-world experience.
B You get to see what a particular B In fact, many interns are
job or career entails while making eventually offered jobs at the
contacts in that field. companies where they interned.
C Some companies have established C If the intern has done a good job
regular internship programs. and an opening comes up, the
D You can learn more about a company may offer the intern
particular job while still earning that position.
course credits. D Even if the company does not
offer the intern an actual job,
2 Throughout the essay, the focus is on employees at the company may
serve as references or give the
A explaining the value of an
student job leads and contacts.
internship.
B describing what an internship is
4 The author creates a memorable
like.
ending by
C telling how to find an internship.
A describing what a typical
D describing how to get college internship is like.
credit for an internship.
B inviting readers to plan their own
internships.
C recounting an amusing story
about an intern’s success in
finding a job.
D explaining that internships are
not for everyone.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 22, Thesis 239

 Content Standard: 9WS 1.2 Organization and Focus: Use precise
LESSON 23 Precise Language language, action verbs, sensory details, appropriate modifiers, and the
active rather than the passive voice.

LEARN IT: Precise Language

Pay close attention to the words you choose to use in your writing. Good writing uses
strong, focused words to create a picture in the mind of the reader. Imagine that you are
choosing a verb to express how a runner performed in a race. You could write he ran. But
think carefully about other words that describe the manner in which he ran. Consider the
images the following sentences create in your mind:

He sprinted. He dashed. He darted. He jogged.

You can see that each word substituted for ran forms a different image of the manner in
which the runner ran. These are examples of precise language.

Another way you can create precise writing is to use specific words in place of general
words. Select a specific word that provides details—that is, a word that tells the reader
who, what, or where. Consider the sentence They are going to the store. Store is general
because the reader does not know what type of store they are going to. Is it a grocery
store, a bakery, or a department store? Be specific when you write.

You should also be on the lookout for clichés and words that are either too sophisticated
or too slangy for their context. Clichés are words and expressions that have been so
overused they no longer affect the reader—It’s raining cats and dogs is an example.
Replace clichés with fresher, more interesting words and phrases. Sophisticated words
might be appropriate in a term paper, but they sound out of place in casual conversation;
in contrast, slang words that are appropriate in casual conversation are inappropriate in
formal writing. Furthermore, slang words go out of style quickly and are sometimes
understood only by a particular group of people. If you are striving for clear writing that is
accessible to all readers, it’s usually best to avoid using slang words in your work.

Finally, keep in mind that precise writing is concise writing. Don’t use three words if one
will do.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

240 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Precise Language LESSON 23

EXAMPLE

1 Read the following sentence.

When the undefeated team lost the state championship by one point in overtime, the
players were unhappy.

Which word would you substitute for the underlined word to make the meaning of
the sentence most precise?
A devastated
B sad
C resigned
D disappointed

Step 1 Read the sentence carefully. What does it mean?

The team had won every game and made it to the state championships, which the
players probably expected to win as well. They were tied with the other team, so
the game went into overtime, in which the previously undefeated team lost by one
point.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer would best describe the mood
of the team after coming so close to winning the championship?

Sad and disappointed both have very similar meanings to unhappy—none of those
words would make the meaning of the sentence much more precise. On the other
hand, answer C, resigned, means something very different than unhappy—players
who are resigned to losing aren’t affected by it. The best answer is A. After coming
so close to capping an undefeated season with a championship, the players would
most likely be more than unhappy—they would be devastated by the loss.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 23, Precise Language 241

LESSON 23 Precise Language

LEARN IT: Sensory Details and Modifiers

Strong writing uses strong details that appeal to the five senses: taste, touch, sound,
sight, smell. These sensory details help the reader create a vivid mental image of what
is being described. Writers help the reader create these vivid images by using concrete
language, words that present specific sensory details. In contrast, abstract language
refers to things and ideas we cannot experience through our senses. Consider how a
writer might describe the season of summer. Summer is an abstract word, since we
cannot sense the general idea of a whole season. Therefore, the writer should give
concrete details about things that are experienced in the summer, such as the hot
temperature and the smell of freshly mowed grass.

Modifiers are words or phrases that describe other words in a sentence. They add details.
To be effective, modifiers should be placed as close as possible to the word they are
describing; otherwise the meaning might be unclear. The modifier should also be a good
match with the word or phrase it is modifying—that is, it should not present a contradictory
or jarring image to the reader. Consider the sentence She snuggled under the warm and
scratchy blanket. The modifiers in this sentence are at odds with each other.

EXAMPLE

2 Read the following sentence.

When Kevin walked inside the house, he noticed dinner was ready.

Which is the best way to rewrite the underlined part of the sentence to include only
appropriate sensory details?
A smelled the delicious aroma of roast beef and heard his family laughing merrily.
B smelled the delicious aroma of roast beef and heard his family laughing angrily.
C smelled the burnt aroma of moist steak and heard his family laughing merrily.
D smelled the delicious aroma of moist steak and laughing merrily heard his family.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Step 1 Read the answer choices carefully. Make a list of the sensory details.

Answer choice A describes delicious roast beef and a laughing family. Answer
choice B describes delicious roast beef and an angry, laughing family. Answer
choice C describes burnt moist steak and a laughing family. Answer choice D
describes moist steak and someone laughing.

Step 2 Review each list of details. Which details stand out as contradictory to
other details in the sentence? Which answer choice contains only appropriate
details that are consistent with each other?

B presents the contradictory image of angry laughing, so it cannot be correct.

C describes steak that is both burnt and moist, so it cannot be correct. D includes
only appropriate details; however, it is unclear who is laughing. A presents only
appropriate images. A is correct.

242 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Precise Language LESSON 23

LEARN IT: Action Verbs and Active Voice

Action verbs tell the reader that an action is being performed by someone or something. An
example would be He cooked pasta for dinner. The action verb is cooked.

Action verbs may be written in one of two voices: active and passive. In active voice, the
subject is performing the action. In the passive voice, the subject is being acted upon. You
can recognize the passive voice because it combines the action verb with some form of the
helping verb to be. The action verb may also be followed by a modifier that begins with a
preposition such as by. Consider the following example:
Active voice: Kevin cooked dinner.
Passive voice: Dinner was cooked by Kevin.

Note how the active voice produces a shorter, more direct sentence. For this reason, it is
usually preferred to the passive voice, which is unnecessarily wordy.

EXAMPLE:

3 Read the following sentence.

The software was created by software engineers in California.

What is the correct way to write the sentence using the active voice?
A Software engineers in California created the software.
B Software was created in California by software engineers.
C By engineers, the software was created in California.
D Leave as is.

Step 1 Read the sentence and identify the action verb. What is the subject of
the sentence? What is performing the action?

The action verb is created. Software engineers are the ones performing the
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

action—they are creating the software. However, the subject of this sentence is not
software engineers; it is the software. This sentence must be in the passive voice.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. In which sentence does the subject perform
the action?

The subject of sentence B is software, but software is not performing the action of
created. B is in the passive voice, so it is an incorrect answer. The subject of
sentence C is also software; the prepositional phrase by engineers has simply been
moved to the beginning of the sentence. C is in the passive voice, so it is an
incorrect answer. We have already seen how D is incorrect because the sentence is
in the passive voice. The correct answer is A, in which the subject, software
engineers, performs the action, created.

Lesson 23, Precise Language 243

LESSON 23 Precise Language

PRACTICE IT: Precise Language

The following is the rough draft of a student’s report on St. Lucia. It may
contain errors. Read it and answer the questions that follow.

St. Lucia’s Natural Attractions

1 The Caribbean island of St. Lucia has some unusual natural attractions that are
not to be missed. The island is home to exotic plants, sulfur springs, a waterfall,
and even a drive-in volcano.

2 The Diamond Botanical Gardens showcase St. Lucia’s exotic flowers and plants.
As you make your way through the lush gardens, you’ll see nutmeg trees, banana
trees, coconut palms, and cashew trees. Bird of paradise, wax ginger, and
bougainvillea are just a few of the exotic flowers on display. Gorgeous blooming
flowers and lush green plants are next to the pathways leading to a natural gorge.

3 Nestled in this picturesque setting are a waterfall and sulfur springs. Waters from
underground sulfur springs bubble to the surface and run downhill to create the
magnificent Diamond Waterfall. As the waters cascade over the mineral-
encrusted rocks, the Diamond Waterfall becomes a kaleidoscope of color,
changing color throughout the day from yellow to black to green to gray to
purple.

4 St. Lucia also has Mount Soufriere, a drive-in volcano. You can drive within a few
hundred feet of the volcano’s twenty-four hissing sulfur pools. If you’re
adventurous, you can take a guided tour. As you are led by a guide around the
sulfur pools and rock fault, he explains how this lunar landscape came to be.

5 For a small island, St. Lucia is filled with natural wonders.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

244 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Precise Language LESSON 23

1 Read the sentence from paragraph 2. 3 Read the sentence from paragraph 4.
Gorgeous blooming flowers and lush You can drive within a few hundred
green plants are next to the pathways feet of the volcano’s twenty-four
leading to a natural gorge. hissing sulfur pools.

Which word would best replace the Which is the most appropriate
underlined words to make the modifier to use to describe the
meaning most precise? volcano?
A accompany A screaming
B decorate B overflowing
C border C steaming
D attend D soothing

2 Read the sentence from paragraph 4. 4 Read the sentence from paragraph 5.
“As you are led by a guide around the For a small island, St. Lucia is filled
sulfur pools and rock fault, he with natural wonders.
explains how this lunar landscape
came to be. The underlined part of the sentence
could be called
What is the best way to rewrite the A an appropriate modifier.
sentence in active voice?
B too slangy.
A As a guide leads you around the
C a cliché.
sulfur pools and rock fault, he
explains how this lunar landscape D overly sophisticated.
came to be.
B He explains how this lunar
landscape came to be when you
are led by him around the sulfur
pools and rock fault.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

C Around the sulfur pools and rock

fault, he leads you while he
explains how this lunar landscape
came to be.
D As you are led by a guide around
the sulfur pools and rock fault, you
are explained to by the guide how
the lunar landscape came to be.

Lesson 23, Precise Language 245

 Content Standard: 9WS1.3 Research and Technology: Use clear
LESSON 24 Research research questions and suitable research methods (e.g., library,
electronic media, personal interview) to elicit and present evidence
from primary and secondary sources.

LEARN IT: Research

Choose a problem you would like to solve. Then state that problem as clearly as possible
in the form of a research question. The research question should be clear and concise,
tightly focused rather than broad. A research question posed about poison dart frogs
found in the Amazon is more focused than a research question about frogs and their
habitats.

The research question should take into account the time and space limitations assigned
by your teacher. You want the question focused enough to answer within the page and
time constraints that you have. If the question is too tightly focused, you might not have
enough information for a fifteen-page paper. Conversely, if you have a question that is too
broad, you may not have enough space to cover all aspects of it.

Suitable research methods depend on the nature of the research question. A research
question for an American history class will involve different research methods than a
research question for a health class. For example, to answer a question about the effect of
inhalants on the human body, you will probably interview doctors, counselors, and
representatives from health organizations. To answer a question about New York City during
the Gilded Age, however, you will probably read diaries and letters from the period. Each
research question will require a different set of sources in which to look for your answer.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

246 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Research LESSON 24

Primary and Secondary Sources

Sources are either primary or secondary. A primary source is an original source

containing firsthand accounts of an event or an experience. Examples of primary sources
include diaries, letters, photographs, articles of clothing, ledger and account books,
inventories of items, wills, and legal documents.

A secondary source is a document created from primary sources about an event or

experience. Secondary sources include books, magazine articles, and textbooks. These
types of sources may analyze, interpret, or simply summarize the information from the
primary sources. An example would be a biography of John Adams that uses primary
sources—such as letters he wrote—to discuss and interpret his life and work.

EXAMPLE

1 Read the following passage.

The Girl Scouts of the USA marked a milestone on June 9, 2007. The Ninety-fifth
Anniversary Sing-Along took place at the Washington Monument on the Mall in
Washington, D.C. More than 150,000 Girl Scouts and leaders from around the
country participated in the event. The sing-along is held every five years. Musical
artists from a variety of backgrounds, such as opera, folk, country, and pop, serve as
leaders for the sing-along.

Which of the following is a secondary source related to the event discussed?

A an interview with a participant
B a book about the sing-along
C a program for the event
D a recording of the sing-along

Step 1 Read the example passage carefully. What do you know about primary
and secondary sources?
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

A primary source is firsthand information. A secondary source is about a primary

source.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer best fits the description of a
secondary source?

Answer A is incorrect because an interview with a participant is a firsthand account.

Answer C is incorrect because an event program is produced at the time of the
event and is a primary source. Answer D is incorrect because a recording of the
music is a primary document that preserves the music that was actually performed
that day. The correct answer is B. A book about the sing-along would rely upon all of
the primary sources to analyze and interpret what occurred at the sing-along.

Lesson 24, Research 247

LESSON 24 Research

LEARN IT: Research

There are various research methods you can use. These include using traditional library
resources, conducting electronic media research, and interviewing knowledgeable individuals.
Library resources include books, journals, encyclopedias, and other reference materials.
The librarian is also an important resource who can direct you to sources of information
you might not otherwise know about. Electronic media consist of Web sites and online
databases used to research information. Many libraries provide access to these online
databases either at the library or from the library’s Web site. Conducting personal
interviews is another important research method that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Representatives from organizations or companies, as well as individuals with knowledge of
a particular event or subject, are wonderful sources of information.

When conducting research, remember to make note of the title, author, and publication
information to credit your source in the bibliography.

EXAMPLE

2 Read the following research passage.

Richard has received an assignment to research and write a ten-page paper about a
current event in science. He needs to discuss the recent event and if necessary find
background information about the event. He has chosen to focus on a scientific
discovery that has occurred in the past week.

Which research method would be most effective in finding a current topic to

research and write about?
A looking in a journal
B looking in a science textbook
C looking in an electronic database
D looking in an encyclopedia

Step 1 Read the passage carefully. What types of materials provide current

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

information?
Many journals are published four times a year, so the topics in the most recent
issue of a journal might be limited in scope. Textbooks do not have the most
current events that have occurred in science, since it takes at least a year or more
to create and publish a textbook. An encyclopedia is a compendium of information,
but it is not published frequently enough to contain up-to-the-minute information.
Electronic databases list topics covered in recently published magazines and
newspapers and offer access to a greater number of topics and relevant resources.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer best describes an effective
method of researching an event or discovery that has occurred recently?
Answer C is the correct answer. By using an electronic database, you will find a
listing of topics that have recently been discussed in newspapers and magazines.
248 California Standards Practice, Grade 9
 Research LESSON 24

PRACTICE IT: Research Questions and Methods

The following is a student research report. It may contain errors. Read it and answer
the questions that follow.

Celebrating Carnival
1 Carnival is a feast for the senses with its colorful costumes, elaborate floats, music
competitions, and food and drink. Originally celebrated throughout the Caribbean on
the Tuesday before Lent, Carnival was a period of merrymaking before islanders began
six weeks of Lenten fasting. Catholics gave up eating meat during Lent, so “Fat
Tuesday” or “Mardi Gras” was a farewell to meat or “carne-vale.” Masquerade balls,
music, and fun marked the occasion.

2 Carnival is still celebrated throughout the region, but some islands have chosen to hold
carnivals after Easter or even during the summer months. No matter when Carnival is
held, it’s an event not to be missed.

3 Much preparation and planning goes into Carnival. A theme is selected each year and
the music, floats, and costumes must all relate to that theme. Carnival features
concerts, balls, parades, and calypso music competitions. Calypso music has come to
be associated with Carnival, and the best calypso musicians vie with each other to be
crowned King of Calypso.

4 Carnival originated on the Caribbean island of Trinidad, so it is no surprise that the

biggest Carnival is held on this island. The French who settled Trinidad introduced
Carnival to the island in the 1700s. Today, the island still celebrates Carnival with
elaborate masquerade balls and a street parade featuring costumed musicians and
dancers.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 24, Research 249

LESSON 24 Research Questions Methods

1 Which research question most likely 3 What research question might you
generated this passage? develop from paragraph 2?
A What is Caribbean Carnival? A What is calypso music?
B What is calypso music? B What islands hold Carnival after
C How do people celebrate before Lent or during the summer?
Lent? C Where did Carnival originate?
D What famous celebration does D What are the Carnival themes
Trinidad host? chosen in past years?

2 Primary resources used to research 4 When selecting a research question,

this question might include you should
A books. A turn a topic into a question.
B journals. B look for a broad topic.
C encyclopedias. C look for a topic you can research
D photographs. online.
D consider whether it has been
researched before.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

250 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Content Standard: 9WS 1.4 Research and Technology: Develop the
main ideas within the body of the composition through supportive Supporting Evidence LESSON 25
evidence (e.g., scenarios, commonly held beliefs, hypotheses, definitions).

LEARN IT: Supporting Evidence

Once you’ve decided on the main idea of your work, you need to develop that idea using
different kinds of supporting evidence. The following chart includes several types of
evidence that you might use to strengthen or elaborate on your main idea.

Type of
Evidence What It Does Example
Reason Gives an explanation that In a persuasive essay supporting a certain
defends the author’s candidate for mayor, the author could offer
opinion or position reasons that the particular candidate is the
best choice.
Example Gives a specific instance A report on the damages caused by
of the idea being earthquakes might cite the example of the
discussed Great San Francisco Earthquake in 1906.
Incident Similar to an example, An essay about the president’s love of
cites a specific event or baseball might contain a brief story about
occurrence to illustrate seeing the president when he made an
the idea being discussed appearance at the Little League World Series.
Scenario Gives a hypothetical An essay on how to recover computer files
situation or sequence of might contain a scenario illustrating what
events that illustrate the users should do if their computer system
idea being discussed crashes.
Commonly States a belief that is held One commonly held belief, that is a fact, is
Held Belief by enough people for it to that if you look into the sun directly for too
become widely accepted long, it will cause damage to your eyes.
as true
Hypothesis Predicts an outcome, Lab reports generally contain hypotheses of
often relating to a what the expected result of an experiment
scientific problem, that will be. Once the experiment is complete, the
will be tested to hypothesis is proven to be correct or
determine its validity incorrect.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Definition Gives the meanings of A report on the judicial system might define
certain words or phrases specific terminology such as habeas corpus.
Quotation/ States the opinion of an A report on American politics might contain a
Expert expert knowledgeable quotation from a member of Congress on a
Opinion about a situation current political issue.
Fact Gives true, verifiable An essay on the Civil War might include the
information fact that the war ended on April 9, 1865.
Statistic Cites quantitative data A report on consumer habits might cite a
that has been collected in study with data showing the average amount
studies spent by shoppers on holiday gifts.

Lesson 25, Supporting Evidence 251

LESSON 25 Supporting Evidence

EXAMPLE

1 Read the following passage.

In the 1950s, many Americans had emergency contingency plans in the event of
Soviet nuclear attacks. They kept stores of supplies and rations, often in basements or
bomb shelters. The cold war is long over, and with it the threat of a nuclear winter, but
it is still important for families to plan for disasters that may occur. For example, if a
snowstorm were to close down roads for a week, or if the power were to suddenly go
out, would you and your family be able to survive? The prepared family should have,
at the bare minimum, a solid supply of water, nonperishable food, candles, matches,
flashlights, and blankets to last them through the crisis.

Which of the following types of evidence does the author use to support the main
idea of the passage?
A hypothesis
B incident
C commonly held belief
D scenario

Step 1 Read the example passage carefully. What is the main idea? What do
you know about the different types of supporting evidence listed?

The main idea of the passage is that it is important for families to be prepared for
potential disasters by keeping a basic store of emergency supplies. In terms of the
types of evidence presented, I know that an incident is a description of an actual
event or occurrence that illustrates an idea. On the other hand, a scenario depicts
a hypothetical situation and presents a sequence of events or actions that could be
performed to respond to that situation. A hypothesis is a prediction of a possible
outcome that can be tested, while a commonly held belief is an idea that most
people accept as true.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer choice best describes the
supporting evidence that is used in the passage?

There is no hypothesis or prediction that is proven or disproven by the text, so

choice A cannot be correct. The passage does not cite any commonly held beliefs,
or list a specific event that actually occurred to illustrate its point, so choices B and
C are not correct either. Choice D is correct because the passage gives
hypothetical scenarios of possible emergencies that would require advance
preparation. The best answer is D.

252 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Supporting Evidence LESSON 25

EXAMPLE

2 Read the following passage.

The Amazon rainforest, located in South America, contains the most diverse
concentrations of animal and plant populations found anywhere on earth. It is
estimated that as many as two-thirds of the known plant and animal species in the
world, in addition to many species that have yet to be discovered, can be found in the
Amazon rainforest. However, the many organisms that inhabit the rainforest are
currently being threatened by the effects of deforestation, in which trees are cut
down so that the land can be used for other purposes such as farming and urban
development. Studies show that since the late 1980s, between 4,200 and 11,600
square miles of the Amazon rainforest have been deforested every year.

The passage contains all of the following types of supporting evidence except
A an opinion
B a definition
C statistics
D facts

Step 1 Read the passage carefully. What is the main idea?

The main idea of the passage is that the Amazon rainforest contains more types of
plant and animal species than anywhere else in the world, but these organisms are
being threatened by the effects of deforestation.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which type of supporting evidence is not
used in the passage?

Choice A makes sense because the passage does not contain any opinions. Every
statement can be proven or researched. Choice B cannot be correct because the
passage does contain a definition of the word deforestation. Choices C and D are
also incorrect because the passage contains several facts and statistics. The best
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

answer is A.

Lesson 25, Supporting Evidence 253

LESSON 25 Supporting Evidence

PRACTICE IT: Supporting Evidence

The following is a rough draft of a student report and may contain errors.
Read it and answer the questions that follow.

A Winter Break
1 Summer has long been the traditional time for businesses to slow down and for
workers to take a relaxing vacation. While summer is still the most popular time
of the year for people to take a week-long break from work, more and more
people are enjoying short weekend breaks during winter. The hospitality industry
has noticed this trend and is doing all it can to entice visitors to come and stay
with them.

2 Hotels are adding amenities that not only attract visitors, but also encourage them
to spend their entire stay on-site. One of the more popular attractions is the
indoor water park. These parks feature water tubes, wave pools, water
mushrooms, tipping buckets, and interactive water playgrounds.

3 Many hotels also have added on-site spas and fitness rooms. These spas offer all
the latest treatments from hot stone therapy to seaweed wraps. Guests can choose
to spend a whole day at the spa, or they can select individual treatments. Some
spas have created their own signature treatments to attract guests. On-site health
clubs or fitness rooms are equipped with state-of-the-art machines, and offer
classes and personal trainer services.

4 In addition to the recreational activities offered, many hotels have popular chain
restaurants with fun themes and décor to encourage visitors to dine on-site.
Visitors may choose to eat at these places because they are inexpensive and
convenient, but provide hotel-quality service to patrons.

5 While some people are not willing to forego their weeklong vacation in summer,

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

many are willing to opt for a short winter break. Not surprisingly, the hospitality
industry is doing all it can to make this winter getaway an event that guests will
want to repeat.

254 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Supporting Evidence LESSON 25

1 Which of the following types of 3 Read this sentence from the passage.
supporting evidence helps develop
the main idea in paragraph 2? Summer has long been the traditional
time for businesses to slow down and
A an example
for workers to take a relaxing
B a definition vacation.
C an incident
D a quotation What type of supporting evidence
does this sentence represent?
2 What supporting evidence would best A an incident
help strengthen the main idea of the B a scenario
passage? C a commonly held belief
A a definition D an opinion
B a statistic
C a hypothesis 4 What supporting evidence should be
D a scenario included in paragraph 3?
A an example of a signature spa
treatment
B a commonly held belief about
spas
C a scenario about what to do when
going to a spa
D a hypothesis about why spas are
popular
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 25, Supporting Evidence 255

 Content Standard: 9WS1.5 Research and Technology: Synthesize
LESSON 26 Multiple Sources information from multiple sources and identify complexities and
discrepancies in the information and the different perspectives found
in each medium (e.g., almanacs, microfiche, news sources, in-depth
field studies, speeches, journals, technical documents).

LEARN IT: Multiple Sources

When you write about a topic, start by looking at sources found in the library or online.
These reference materials give different kinds of information on various topics. However,
the volume of information that you gather from libraries or online will need to be
organized to be usable. You should synthesize information to make sense of it. To
synthesize is to connect ideas from several sources to form an understanding of the
topic. To connect information from multiple sources, look for the main topics of the
sources and determine how they support or strengthen each other. You can synthesize
your ideas into a thesis, which will state the topic of your paper and your position on it.

Complexities and Discrepancies in Multiple Sources

It is not enough to identify the main ideas of different passages and connect them to
each other. Different sources do not always exactly support or strengthen each other’s
points. To make sense of contradictory information, you can identify complexities and
discrepancies. You can ask yourself whether each source builds on information from
other sources or contrasts and contradicts the information.

Different Perspectives in Multiple Sources

Different types of reference materials have different writers and, therefore, may present
different kinds of information even on the same topic. Writers’ perspectives, or views on
a certain subject, may also vary. A writer’s perspective can include his or her argument,
meaning the evidence, reasoning, and examples the writer provides in support of his or
her main idea or theme. As readers follow the author’s argument, the author’s intent or
purpose for writing is often revealed as well.

An important research skill involves evaluating the evidence for any signs of bias or
stereotyping. A biased argument is one-sided and does not include other perspectives.
Stereotyping is the use of inaccurate overgeneralizations. If you are unclear about an
author’s point of view or the arguments the author uses to support that point of view, a
good place to look is the conclusion. The conclusion will usually include a summary of

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

the main argument.

256 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Multiple Sources LESSON 26

EXAMPLE

Read the following documents. Think about how they are alike and different.

DOCUMENT A

The Responsibility of Driving

1 Some people say that those who are sixteen years old should be allowed to
drive—and not just to school and back home, but anywhere! After all, they
say that driving a car is just like riding a bike. Perhaps what they really mean
is that once you learn to ride a bike, you never forget, and the same is true
for learning to drive a car. But that is where the similarity between driving a
car and riding a bike ends. A driver must have a great level of maturity and
experience before he or she can start driving a car anywhere. Some kids I
know are reckless drivers.

2 One must consider that driving a car is very complicated; certainly it is more
difficult than riding a bike. When you reach a certain age, you must take a
course taught by an experienced instructor and pass a written exam as well as
a road test. To operate a motor vehicle, you must have a driver’s license,
something that you do not need to ride a bicycle.

3 Another reason why I believe that teenagers below seventeen years of age
should not be allowed to drive is that there is so much risk involved. When you
drive a car, you become responsible for the lives of your passengers as well as
the lives of passersby. One small mistake in your driving may cost lives.

4 According to the fact sheet on teen drivers released by the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services, “motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause
of death for U.S. teens.” It reported that, in 2004, 4,767 teens between 16 and
19 years old died of injuries due to motor vehicle crashes.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

5 I support the suggestion made by some researchers on stricter driver’s

licensing policies. The government fact sheet acknowledged research findings
that showed that such licensing programs significantly reduced “fatal and
injury crashes” of teen drivers. Teens, together with their parents and
schools, must work with the government in practicing responsible driving.

WORKS CITED

Aragon, Hannah. To Drive or Not to Drive. Chicago: Fulton Publishing, 2000.

Gordon, Nelly. “My Teenage Trauma.” Family 30 November 1993: 21–24.
Hughes, George. Teenage Driving: Facts and Figures. Illinois: Byron 2005.
“Government Statistics and Policies on Teen Driving.” Teen Health
06 July 2007 <http://www.teenhealth.org/factsheet.html>.

Lesson 26, Multiple Sources 257

LESSON 26 Multiple Sources

DOCUMENT B

Driving Deaths Increase Among Teens

January 4, 2007—Motor vehicle crashes are still the chief cause of death for
teenagers in the United States. National statistics show an increase in teen
driving deaths from last year. It was reported that in 2006, 3,490 teen drivers
were killed in car crashes. These teens were between 15 and 20 years of age. The
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said that there are
higher crash rates for 16-year-olds than drivers of other ages. This age group
also has a greater risk of dying in motor vehicle crashes, they added.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

258 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Multiple Sources LESSON 26

1 Which of the following would be the best source of information regarding recent
teen driving accidents?
A a student essay on common outdoor accidents
B a novel chapter titled “Adolescent Adventures and Misadventures”
C an article on teen driving in the latest edition of a journal about government
policies
D a news article on a driving-related accident involving a teenager

Step 1 Read Document A carefully. What does it say about teen driving
accidents? What information would support its main idea?

“The Responsibility of Driving” says that teenagers below seventeen years old
“should not be allowed to drive” because driving is “very complicated” and
involves “so much risk.” It also gives facts on teenage deaths due to driving
accidents. Specific information on such accidents, like recent statistics, would
support the report’s main idea.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which of these sources would provide the
best information to synthesize with Document A?

A student essay on accidents would be similar to the student’s report, but it may
not necessarily specify teenagers or driving. The novel chapter is not factual or may
not even mention driving. A news article will only have information on a particular
accident and might not relate information about other teen driving accidents.
Choices A, B, and D are incorrect. The latest edition of a journal about government
policies would have the latest, most accurate, and most complete information
about teen driving accidents. The correct answer is choice C.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 26, Multiple Sources 259

LESSON 26 Multiple Sources

2 After completing his research (Document A), the student noticed a discrepancy
between it and one of his sources (Document B). Which piece of information below
shows the discrepancy?
A the ways in which driving is complex and dangerous for teens
B the statistics on teen deaths due to driving accidents
C the age at which youths are most vulnerable to driving accidents
D the reduction of fatalities and injuries caused by teen driving

Step 1 Read Documents A and B carefully. What does they say about teen
driving accidents? What information would support the main ideas?

Document A is a student’s report entitled “The Responsibility of Driving.” The writer

shares his view about why teens below seventeen years of age must not be
permitted to drive. Document B is a newspaper article claiming that “driving deaths
increase among teens.” It presents a 2006 statistic on teenage deaths due to
motor vehicle crashes. It shows that there were more teen driving deaths in 2006
than in 2005.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which information is from Document B?

What makes it inconsistent with the student’s report?

Choices A and D are found only in Document A, so they are incorrect. Choice C is
mentioned in both documents, but there is no discrepancy in how the idea is
stated, so Choice C is incorrect as well. Document A mentions “in 2004, 4,767
teens between 16 to 19 years old died of injuries due to motor vehicle crashes.”
Document B states that “in 2006, 3,490 teen drivers” between 15 and 20 years old
“were killed in car crashes.” There are differences in the years, the number of
deaths and the age range of the victims. Choice B is correct.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

260 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Multiple Sources LESSON 26

PRACTICE IT: Multiple Sources

Read the documents and answer the questions that follow.

DOCUMENT A

Lara Gonzalez
English
Mr. Smith
09 January 2006

Dolphin Dangers

1 Feeding wild dolphins decreases their ability to continue to exist in the

wild. Young dolphins will not survive if their mothers battle with them for
food handed out by humans, and it does not teach them to search for their
own food.

2 It is certainly hazardous to feed even trained dolphins, because dolphins are

hunters, not beggars. However, when people offer them food, they take the
easy way out and learn to beg for a living, lose their fear of humans, and do
perilous things.

3 Dolphins are not water toys or pets—the “Flipper myth” of a friendly wild
dolphin has given us this erroneous idea. Flipper was a trained dolphin who
did not bite the hand that fed him. However, truly wild dolphins will bite
when they are angry, frustrated, or terrified. When people try to swim with
wild dolphins, the dolphins are disturbed, and can get pushy and dangerous
when they don’t get the handout they expect.

4 Numerous cases of bites have been reported, and people have been pulled
under the water. A woman who fed a pair of wild dolphins and then jumped
in the water to swim with them was bitten. “I literally ripped my left leg out
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

of its mouth,” she said during her week’s stay in the hospital. Dolphins, wild
or tamed, pose a really serious danger to humans.

Works Cited

Estrella, Dennis. Friendly Flippers. Ohio: Random Press, 2003.

Nelson, Grace. Animal Behaviors. Tokyo: Fuji Publishing, 1999.

Ross, Pete. Understanding Dolphins. New York: Golden Peak, 2001.

Thames, Jean. “Dangerous Dolphins.” Deep Blue Magazine, 17: 26–27.

Lesson 26, Multiple Sources 261

LESSON 26 Multiple Sources

DOCUMENT B

Wildlife Agency Warns Public About Feeding Wild Dolphins

1 It has been reported that a dolphin known as Dolphin 56 has been begging
boaters for food. The agency is worried that people might not know that it is
not wise to offer dolphins food.

2 “We understand that people find it tempting to feed wild dolphins, but people
need to know that feeding wild dolphins is harmful and illegal,” said Trevor
Spradlin, a marine mammal biologist.

3 Because Dolphin 56 has learned to take food from boaters and fishermen, his
natural behavior has changed. He is no longer afraid of people. Even though
he has learned how to ask for food, he can be observed catching fish just like
other wild dolphins. Dolphin 56 can hunt for food on his own.

4 Spradlin said that people have been feeding dolphins spoiled fish, which is
very dangerous to the dolphins. The agency has also found out that dolphins
have been fed food like beer, hot dogs, sandwiches, and candy bars. “These
items are absolutely harmful to their health,” he explained.

5 People see dolphins as friendly animals, but in truth, they are very dangerous
animals. People need to leave dolphins to their natural habitat and let them
stay wild. Spradlin said that one of the best ways to help wild dolphins is to
observe them at a distance of at least 50 yards and not to feed them. People
should also avoid chasing, touching, or swimming with the dolphins.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

262 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Multiple Sources LESSON 26

1 What makes the writer’s perspective in 3 After completing her research

Document A different from that of the (Document A), Lara noticed a
writer in Document B? discrepancy between her research and
A Document A discusses how one of her sources (Document B). The
Dolphin 56 begs for food. documents disagree about
B Document A argues the dangers A the harm to dolphins from being
of feeding even trained dolphins. fed
C Document B explains why wild B the danger to humans from
dolphins could hurt people who feeding wild dolphins
get near them. C the ways in which people should
D Document B implies that people treat wild dolphins
should only feed wild dolphins D the ability of hand-fed dolphins
with fresh fish. to hunt for food

2 Which of the following would be the 4 Which of the works in the Works
best source of information regarding Cited is most likely the source of
dolphin bites? information for the woman bitten by a
A a student report on someone dolphin?
bitten by a dolphin A “Dangerous Dolphins”
B a novel chapter titled “Monstrous B Understanding Dolphins
Dolphins” C Animal Behaviors
C a feature article in a magazine on D Friendly Flippers
one species of wild dolphin
D an article in a science digest on
threats from dolphins
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 26, Multiple Sources 263

 Content Standard: 9WS 1.7 Research and Technology Use appropriate
LESSON 27 Documentation conventions for documentation in the text, notes, and bibliographies
by adhering to those in style manuals (e.g., Modern Language
Association Handbook, The Chicago Manual of Style).

LEARN IT: Documentation in Text

You should take care when acknowledging the sources of information you will include in a
research paper. There are style manuals that teach how to cite sources: the Modern
Language Association (MLA) Handbook and the Chicago Manual of Style.

The MLA Handbook is the most widely used style guide. It provides guidelines on how to
document sources of research, especially in English and humanities.

In-Text Citation

Parenthetical citation is used for the MLA style of referring to the source in the body of
the text. If you use a quotation or paraphrase an idea from a source, you should cite the
author’s last name followed by a space and the page number where the information is
found. Enclose the citation in parentheses and place it right before the period that ends
the sentence.

For example:

Tropical cyclones are formed when large areas of the ocean become heated and
the air pressure over that area drops; this in turn causes thunderstorms and strong
surface winds (Cullen 14).

The citation should correspond with an entry in the Works Cited page.

For example:

Cullen, Isabel. Tropical Twisters. Berkeley: U of California P, 2008.

If the information comes from multiple sources, the citations are separated by a
semicolon.

For example:

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

They are formed when large areas of the ocean become heated, and the air
pressure over that area drops (Cullen 14; Hunter 7).

264 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Documentation LESSON 27

EXAMPLE

1 What is the correct way to write an in-text citation for Monica Carlisle’s work about
continental drift?
A Today, scientists believe that 200 million years ago the Earth’s continents were
joined together to form one gigantic supercontinent, called Pangaea. (Carlisle 26)
B Today, scientists believe that 200 million years ago the Earth’s continents were
joined together to form one gigantic supercontinent, called Pangaea (Carlisle 26).
C Today, scientists believe that 200 million years ago the Earth’s continents were
joined together to form one gigantic supercontinent, called Pangaea “Carlisle 26”.
D Today, scientists believe that 200 million years ago the Earth’s continents were
joined together to form one gigantic supercontinent, called Pangaea [Carlisle 26].

Step 1 What is the format for an in-text citation according to the MLA Handbook?

According to the MLA Handbook, an in-text citation is placed inside parentheses after
the quoted or paraphrased information that was taken from a source. A space follows
the source’s author’s name followed by the page number from where the quoted or
paraphrased information was taken. This citation appears before the period.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer follows the MLA format for in-
text citation?

Choice A is incorrect because the parenthetical citation is placed after the period.
In choice C, the citation is placed in quotation marks. In choice D, brackets are
used instead of parentheses. Choice B is correct because the citation is placed in
parentheses before the period.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 27, Documentation 265

LESSON 27 Documentation

LEARN IT: Documentation in Notes

The Chicago Manual of Style is a guide developed by the University of Chicago Press and
was first published in 1906. Like the MLA Handbook, it is widely used in publishing.

Footnotes and Endnotes

Sometimes, you need to use footnotes or endnotes to document sources. Place a

superscript number after the cited text and a corresponding footnote at the bottom of the
page. Endnotes are similar to footnotes, except that they are placed at the end of the
chapter or work.

When using the Chicago Manual of Style, the footnote or endnote should include the
author, the title of the work, the city of publication, the publisher, the date, and the page
number from where the information was taken. The title of the work is italicized. The city
of publication, the publisher, and the date of publication are placed in parentheses. A
colon separates the city of publication from the publisher, and a comma separates the
publisher from the date of publication. The information in parentheses is followed by a
comma, before the page number.

For example:

Text:

Climbing Carrantuohill, Ireland’s highest mountain, is no easy task. Many false

trails have lured climbers to their sad end.1

Footnote:

1. Nicholas Filan, The Mountains of Ireland (Dublin: St. Patrick’s, 2006), 95.

If you use a source that you have already cited, include only the author’s last name, the
title, and the page or pages where the information is found. The title of the work cited is
italicized. If the work is an article, enclose its title in quotation marks instead.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

For example:

4. Filan, The Mountains of Ireland, 27.

Ibid. (which comes from the Latin word ibidem, meaning “in the same place”) is used
when two consecutive notes refer to the same source. Ibid. alone is written if the page
number is the same. If it is a different page, then Ibid. is followed by the page number.

For example:

6. Minerva Hale, Giant Predators (Seattle: Northwest Press, 2007), 24.

7. Ibid., 29.

266 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Documentation LESSON 27

EXAMPLE

2 What is the correct way to write a footnote citation for Christine Allen’s work
on icebergs?
A 5. Christine Allen, Icebergs Melting (New York, Nature Press, 2007); 18.
B 5. Christine Allen, Icebergs Melting, (New York: Nature Press, 2007), 18.
C 5. Christine Allen, Icebergs Melting [New York: Nature Press, 2007], 18.
D 5. Christine Allen, Icebergs Melting (New York: Nature Press, 2007), 18.

Step 1 What is the format for footnote citation according to the Chicago Manual
of Style?

According to the Chicago Manual of Style, a footnote includes the author, the title
of the work, the city of publication, the publisher, the date, and the page number
from where the information was taken. The title of the work is italicized. The city of
publication, the publisher and the date of publication are placed in parentheses. A
colon separates the city of publication from the publisher, and a comma separates
the publisher from the date of publication. The information in parentheses is
followed by a comma, before the page number.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer follows the Chicago Manual of
Style format for footnotes?

Choice A is incorrect because the city of publication and the publisher should be
separated by a colon, not a comma, and the closing parenthesis is supposed to be
followed by a comma, not a semicolon. Choice B is incorrect because the title of
the work is not italicized. Choice C is incorrect, as well, because it uses brackets
instead of parentheses. Choice D is the correct answer because it follows the
format of the Chicago Manual of Style for footnotes.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 27, Documentation 267

LESSON 27 Documentation

LEARN IT: Documentation in Bibliographies

According to the MLA style, a Works Cited page should be found at the end of a research
paper. The entries in the Works Cited page must correspond to the works cited in the
main text.

Books

The citation for books is written in the following format:

Author’s last name, Author’s first name. Title of Book. Place of Publication:
Publisher, Year of Publication.

For example:

Deveraux, Carmela. Taking Care of Perennials. Florida: Greene, 2007.

Article in a Magazine

The basic format for citing an article in a magazine is as follows:

Author(s). “Title of Article.” Title of Periodical Day Month Year: pages.

For example:

James, Harriet. “Raise Your Allowance the Easy Way.” Teens 20 Oct. 2000: 20-22.

Article in a Newspaper

A newspaper article is cited the same way as a magazine article, but the pagination in a
newspaper is different. Sometimes, there is more than one edition available for a
particular date. If this happens, the edition is mentioned after the date (e.g., 28 May 2000,
late ed.).

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

For example:

Baker, Victoria. “Because Cats Make Great Pets.” California Call 12 April 2007: A04.

If the article is from a local newspaper, the city name is included in brackets after the
name of the newspaper.

For example:

Kingsley, Angela. “The Best Places to Go During the Summer.” The Courier
[Forks, WA] 26 Nov. 2006: C12.

268 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Documentation LESSON 27

Web Site

The basic format for citing a Web site is as follows:

Name of Site. Date of posting/revision. Name of institution/organization affiliated

with the site (information is sometimes found in copyright statements). Date
the site is accessed <electronic address>.

For example:

Sunnyvale High Online. 30 Aug. 2005. Sunnyvale High School. 15 April 2006
<http://sunnyvalehigh.edu>.

EXAMPLE

3 Which source listed in the Works Cited section is a newspaper?

A Clicks. 15 May 2003. Businessline, Inc. 25 Aug 2004 <http://clicks.com>.
B Riker, Jean. Building Family Ties. Ohio: Martin Press, 2006.
C Jacobs, Marianne. “Easy Cooking.” The Daily Mail 26 March 2005: J03.
D Matthew, Dan. The Secret of Online Gamers. Texas: Delta, 2008.

Step 1 What is the format for a newspaper article citation based on MLA style?

The basic format for citing an article in a newspaper is as follows: Author(s). “Title
of Article.” Title of Periodical Day Month Year: pages. If there is more than one
edition available for a newspaper on a particular date, then the edition is mentioned
after the date.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer choice follows the format for
citing a newspaper article?

Choice A follows the format for citing a Web site. The titles of the works in choices
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

B and D are not enclosed in quotation marks and follow the format for citing
books. Choice C follows the MLA format for citing newspaper articles. Therefore,
choice C is correct.

Lesson 27, Documentation 269

LESSON 27 Documentation

PRACTICE IT: Documentation in Text, Notes,

and Bibliographies
The following is a draft of a student report. It may contain errors. Read it and
answer the questions that follow.

Global Wind Patterns

1 The region of Earth receiving the sun’s direct rays is the equator. Here, air is heated and
rises, leaving low-pressure areas behind. Moving to about thirty degrees north and
south of the equator, the warm air from the equator begins to cool and sink. Between
thirty degrees latitude and the equator, most of the cooling sinking air moves back to
the equator. The rest of the air flows toward the poles. The air movements toward the
equator are called trade winds—warm, steady breezes that blow almost continuously.
The Coriolis effect makes the trade winds appear to be curving to the west, whether
they are traveling to the equator from the south or north.

2 The trade winds coming from the south and the north meet near the equator. These
converging trade winds produce general upward winds as they are heated, so there are
no steady surface winds. This area of calm is called the doldrums.

3 Between thirty and sixty degrees latitude, the winds that move toward the poles appear
to curve to the east. Because winds are named from the direction in which they
originate, these winds are called prevailing westerlies. Prevailing westerlies in the
Northern Hemisphere are responsible for many of the weather movements across the
United States and Canada.

4 At about sixty degrees latitude in both hemispheres, the prevailing westerlies join with
polar easterlies to reduce upward motion. The polar easterlies form when the
atmosphere over the poles cools. This cool air then sinks and spreads over the surface.1
As the air flows away from the poles, it is turned to the west by the Coriolis effect.
Again, because these winds begin in the east, they are called easterlies.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Works Cited

Farrell, Doug. Trade Winds. Florida: Aeolus, 2007.

Grayson, Brian. The Coriolis Effect. New York: Heights Press, 2001.

Jones, Emmanuel. Global Winds. 20 Dec. 2004. Weatherwatchers. 19 Jan. 2006

<http://globalwinds.com>.

Henry, Fiona. “When the Winds Blow.” The Mailer [Boston, MA] 26 Nov. 2006: C12.

270 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Documentation LESSON 27

1 According to MLA style, what is the 3 According to the Chicago Manual of

correct way to write an in-text Style, what is the correct way to write
citation for Doug Farrell’s work about a footnote citation on Brian Grayson’s
trade winds? work on the Coriolis effect?
A The trade winds coming from the A 1 Brian Grayson, The Coriolis
south and the north meet near Effect (New York, Heights Press,
the equator (Farrell 15). 2001), 32.
B The trade winds coming from the B Brian Grayson, The Coriolis
south and the north meet near Effect (New York, Heights Press,
the equator (Doug 15). 2001), 32. 1
C The trade winds coming from the C Brian Grayson, The Coriolis Effect
south and the north meet near (New York: Heights Press, 2001):
the equator; (Farrell 15) 32. 1
D The trade winds coming from the D 1. Brian Grayson, The Coriolis
south and the north meet near Effect (New York: Heights Press,
the equator—Farrell 15. 2001), 32.

2 Based on the Works Cited section, 4 Which source listed in the Works
which author writes for a Web site? Cited section is an article from a
A Farrell periodical?
B Grayson A Trade Winds
C Jones B The Coriolis Event
D Henry C Global Winds
D When the Wind Blows
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 27, Documentation 271

 Content Standard: 9WS1.9 Evaluation and Revision: Revise writing
LESSON 28 Organization, Word Choice, and Tone to improve the logic and coherence of the organization and controlling
perspective, the precision of word choice, and the tone by taking into
consideration the audience, purpose, and formality of the context.

LEARN IT: Organization, Word Choice, and Tone

Once you’ve finished writing a paper, you still have one last step to complete. You’ll want
to look over your paper with a critical eye to find any problems with the organization,
word choice, and tone. Remember that your writing is judged on both the quality of your
ideas and the quality of your writing, so you’ll want to make your writing as strong as
your ideas.

Read over your essay a few more times with an eye toward improving what you’ve
already written. Think about the essay’s purpose. Is it to persuade, to explain, or to
describe? As you read through your essay, mark any places that do not fit the purpose.

Next, think about your audience. Does your essay suit the audience? Have you used
ideas or words that need to be explained to the audience? For example, if you are writing
an essay on a complex subject or a scientific discovery, you might have to explain
concepts or define terms.

After you have finished writing, use the following checklist to determine what revisions
might be needed.

Ask yourself these questions about the intended purpose:

• Is my topic stated clearly?
• Is the main idea of the essay clear to the reader?
• Is there enough supporting evidence?

Ask yourself these questions about the precision of your word choice:
• Does each word match my intended meaning?
• Should a more precise word be used?

Ask yourself these questions about the organization of the piece:

• Does the organization make sense?
• Does any sentence or paragraph seem out of order?
• Do the sentences and paragraphs follow a logical order?

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Ask yourself these questions about the tone of the piece:
• Does each sentence match my intended meaning?
• Is my writing clear and concise?
• Does the language suit my intended audience?
• Does the essay suit my purpose for writing?

Ask yourself these questions about the piece overall:

• Does the thesis statement fit the essay?
• Is there any supporting information that should be added?
• Is there any supporting information that should be eliminated?
• Does the conclusion tie the essay together by referring back to the thesis?
• Is there any way to make the conclusion more interesting?

272 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Organization, Word Choice, and Tone LESSON 28

EXAMPLE

1 Read the following passage.

(1) Keep your poinsettia in a sunny spot after Christmas and it should bloom until
May. (2) At the beginning of June, cut the plant back to about two or three inches
above the soil line; this will encourage new sprouts to bloom. (3) In early May, move
your poinsettia outdoors to a sunny spot. (4) Two months later, in August, prune
another two to three inches from the top of the plant. (5) By Thanksgiving you
should see new bracts begin to form, and by Christmas your poinsettia will be
blooming once again.

What is the best way to revise this paragraph?

A Use more precise words.
B Change the order of the sentences.
C Focus the piece to meet your purpose.
D Use a more appropriate tone in the piece.

Step 1 Read the example passage carefully. Does the paragraph meet the
guidelines for tone, purpose, organization, and word precision?

The passage is a how-to piece about how to encourage a poinsettia to bloom

again. It satisfies the intended purpose. The tone is informative and appropriate for
the audience. The words are precise, and their meaning is exactly what the author
intended. However, the organization of the piece does not fit a logical order.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer best describes the action to
take in order to fix any problems in the passage?

Answer A is incorrect because the author’s word choices are precise. Answer C is
incorrect because the author has crafted the piece as a how-to piece, and it fits its
purpose. Answer D is incorrect because the tone of the piece is informative and
not condescending toward the intended audience. The sentences are not in a
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

logical order. Sentence 3 should be placed immediately after sentence 1. The

correct answer is B.

Lesson 28, Organization, Word Choice, and Tone 273

LESSON 28 Organization, Word Choice, and Tone

Determining Your Audience

As a writer, you must make sure that what you write is appropriate for the intended
audience. You do this by paying close attention to the words and tone you use. If you are
writing about computer programming, you would not expect a general audience to be
familiar with the terminology, acronyms, and processes that an audience of expert
programmers would understand.

EXAMPLE

2 Read the following passage.

You can add distinction to a room by adding a chair rail, crown molding, and a
baseboard. Keep in mind that scale and proportion are the key to any room,
especially when using moldings. The baseboard and cornice should be of sufficient
height and thickness to balance the wall and each other, making the composition
work together.

The audience for this passage is most likely

A people of all ages and experiences.
B people interested in interior decorating.
C students studying carpentry.
D students studying art.

Step 1 Read the passage carefully. What do you know about the subject
matter?

The passage discusses how to use moldings in a room to create character and
visual appeal.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer best describes the type of
people who would be interested in reading this passage?

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Answer A is incorrect because most young children would not be interested in
reading this passage. Answer C is incorrect because the passage does not explain
how to install moldings or fashion moldings from wood. Answer D is incorrect
because this passage does not discuss painting, sculpture, or other types of art in
technical terms. The correct answer is B. Homeowners or people interested in
decorating their homes would be interested in this passage.

274 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Organization, WordRoots
Choice,
andand
Affixes
Tone LESSON
LESSON28
2

PRACTICE IT: Organization, Word Choice,

and Tone
The following is a student essay. It may contain errors. Read it and answer the
questions that follow.

Gettysburg’s Cyclorama
1 What was hi-tech for the 1880s is a fascinating artifact in 2008. Cycloramas were
state-of-the-art in the 1880s, and people stood in line to view them. Today
cycloramas are little known because so few have survived. One that has survived
is now being preserved and restored by the National Park Service and will be on
display at Gettysburg National Park.

2 A cyclorama is a panoramic oil painting measuring three stories high. Its purpose
was to make you feel as though you were a part of the scene depicted in the
painting. Battle scenes were a favorite subject of these paintings. When properly
hung on the wall, the painting surrounded a diorama in the center of the room
for a three-dimensional effect.

3 One cyclorama still in existence is Paul Philippoteaux’s 1883 cyclorama painting

of Pickett’s Charge during the Battle of Gettysburg. The cyclorama originally
measured 377 feet by 42 feet, but time has not been kind to the painting. By the
time the park began restoring the painting in 2003, it measured 359 feet by 27
feet. The elements had taken their toll on the painting.

4 Philippoteaux based his painting on battlefield sketches, panoramic photography,

and interviews with veterans of the battle. The cyclorama depicts the peak
moments of Pickett’s Charge, the Union stand against the Confederates at
Cemetery Ridge on July 3, 1863, the final day of the Battle of Gettysburg.

The restored painting will be on display in a new climate-controlled area in the

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

5
new visitor’s center at Gettysburg National Park.

Lesson 28, Organization, Word Choice, and Tone 275

LESSON 28 Organization, Word Choice, and Tone

1 Which paragraph contains a cliché? 3 The tone of this passage is

A paragraph 1 A informative
B paragraph 2 B scholarly
C paragraph 3 C technical
D paragraph 4 D sarcastic

2 Read the sentence from the passage. 4 Read the sentence below.
When properly hung on the wall, the When you looked up you’d see the
painting surrounded a diorama in the sky, and when you looked down the
center of the room. painting would meld into the
diorama.
Which word below would best replace
the underlined word in the sentence to Which paragraph should this sentence
create the most precise meaning of the be added to?
sentence? A paragraph 1
A embraced B paragraph 2
B circled C paragraph 3
C ringed D paragraph 4
D enclosed

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

276 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Content Standard: 9WC1.1 Grammar and Mechanics of Writing:
Identify and correctly use clauses (e.g., main and subordinate), Clauses, Phrases, and Punctuation LESSON 29
phrases (e.g., gerund, infinitive, and participial), and mechanics of
punctuation (e.g., semicolons, colons, ellipses, hyphens).

LEARN IT: Clauses

A main clause contains a subject and a verb and can stand on its own as a complete
sentence. The meaning is clear, and the clause does not depend on any other element in
the sentence for its meaning. It is a complete thought.

Two main clauses are connected in one of the following ways:

1. with a semicolon
2. with a semicolon and a connecting word
3. with a comma and a connecting word, such as and, but, or, nor, for, so, and yet

A subordinate clause cannot stand alone; it is dependent upon other elements of the
sentence for its meaning to be clear. When I have time is an example of a subordinate
clause in the following sentence.

When I have time, I like to cook gourmet meals.

EXAMPLE

1 Read the following sentence.

Alice’s love for theatre was all-consuming; she acted even when not onstage.

You can tell from the sentence that it has

A one main clause.
B two main clauses.
C one subordinate clause.
D two subordinate clauses.

Step 1 Read the sentence carefully. What do you know about clauses?
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

I know that two main clauses are often joined by a semicolon. I know that a main
clause can stand alone because it has both a subject and a verb. A subordinate
clause needs a main clause to make sense.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer best describes the clauses
found in the sentence?

Answer D is incorrect because both clauses have subjects and verbs. Answer C is
incorrect because there are two clauses and a subordinate clause cannot stand
alone. Answer A is incorrect because the sentence has more than one main clause.
The correct answer is B. The sentence has two main clauses because each clause
has a subject and a verb that can stand alone.

Lesson 29, Clauses, Phrases, and Punctuation 277

LESSON 29 Clauses, Phrases, and Punctuation

LEARN IT: Phrases

A phrase is a group of words that forms a single grammatical unit within a clause or
sentence. There are different types of phrases. Three of these are gerund phrases,
participial phrases, and infinitive phrases.

A gerund ends in -ing and acts as a noun. A gerund can be a subject, direct object, or
object of a preposition. Studying is an example of a gerund in the sentence My least
favorite activity is studying.

A gerund phrase consists of a gerund, the modifiers, and the object. An example of a
gerund phrase in the following sentence is my offering you this job.

I hope you appreciate my offering you this job.

The gerund phrase in this sentence acts as the direct object.

A participle is a verbal ending in -ing or -ed. The participle always functions as an

adjective in a sentence.

There are two types of participles:

present participles, which end in -ing

past participles, which end in -ed, -en, -d, -t, or -n (thanked, beaten, saved,
wept, seen)

A participial phrase consists of the participle, the modifier, and the object. As with any
modifier, the participial phrase must be placed as close as possible to the noun or pronoun
it is modifying. The participial phrase in the following sentence is walking in the park.

Kevin noticed the twins walking in the park.

The participial phrase in this sentence is modifying twins.

An infinitive contains the word to and a verb (e.g., to run). An infinitive can act as a noun,
adjective, or adverb in a sentence.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

An infinitive phrase is a group of words that includes the infinitive, the modifier, and a
pronoun or noun. The infinitive phrase in the following sentence is to keep before
practice.

I have an appointment to keep before practice.

The infinitive phrase in this sentence is acting as an adjective.

278 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Clauses, Phrases, and Punctuation LESSON 29

EXAMPLE

2 Read the sentence.

He was too young to see the movie.

You can tell from the sentence that the infinitive phrase in the sentence is
A too young.
B the movie.
C to see the movie.
D he was.

Step 1 Read the sentence carefully. What do you know about infinitive phrases?

I know that an infinitive is formed with the word to and a verb. An infinitive phrase
can function as a noun, adjective, or adverb.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer identifies the infinitive phrase?

Answers A, B, and D are incorrect because they are not infinitive phrases. Answer
C is the correct answer. The infinitive is to see, and the infinitive phrase to see the
movie functions as an adverb in the sentence.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 29, Clauses, Phrases, and Punctuation 279

LESSON 29 Clauses, Phrases, and Punctuation

LEARN IT: Punctuation

The semicolon is used to connect two main clauses that are not linked by a connecting
word like and, but, or, nor, so, and yet.

The semicolon is also used to set off items in a series that have other marks of
punctuation. For example, a series of dates that use commas to set off elements would
be separated by a semicolon.

Write down these dates on your calendar: February 14, 2007; August 14, 2007;
and December 14, 2007.

As you can see from the sentence above, the colon is used to introduce a series of
items. It is also used to introduce a long quotation from a literary work or to introduce a
statement that further explains the first introductory clause.

An ellipsis is a series of three periods with spaces between the periods. An ellipsis
indicates that words or sentences have been omitted from a quotation. Ellipses are often
used within a long quotation. Ellipses come before or after any punctuation in the
quotation, depending on where the omission takes place. When an ellipsis is used at the
end of a sentence, it is followed the period, so there will be four periods instead of three.

Hyphens are used to connect two or more words that represent a single idea and are
being used to modify or describe another noun. Examples of this are a medium-sized city
or a thirty-five-foot pole.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

280 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Clauses, Phrases, and Punctuation LESSON 29

EXAMPLE

3 Read the sentence.

The jazz performance was a tremendous success, thanks to our sponsors HSH
Corporation, Mr. and Mrs. H. L. Bishop, Carol Alba, and Franklin Paper.

What is the correct punctuation for the underlined part of the sentence?
A a semicolon
B ellipsis
C a hyphen
D a colon

Step 1 Read the sentence carefully. What is the purpose of the sentence?

The sentence is introducing a list or series of sponsors.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer identifies the type of
punctuation that would be used with a list?

An ellipsis would not be used here because no words have been omitted, so
Answer B is incorrect. Answer C is also incorrect because no words are being
connected. A semicolon can be used with a series of items. However, a semicolon
is used with a series of items that are already punctuated. This means that answer A
is incorrect. A colon is used to introduce a series of items. The correct answer is D.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 29, Clauses, Phrases, and Punctuation 281

LESSON 29 Clauses, Phrases, and Punctuation

PRACTICE IT: Clauses, Phrases, and

Punctuation
Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.

From The Magnificent Ambersons

By Booth Tarkington

1 Fanny Minafer, who rouged a little, was like fruit which in some climates dries with
the bloom on. Her features had remained prettily childlike; so had her figure, and
there were times when strangers, seeing her across the street, took her to be about
twenty; there were other times when at the same distance they took her to be about
sixty, instead of forty, as she was. She had old days and young days; old hours and
young hours; old minutes and young minutes; for the change might be that quick.
An alteration in her expression, or a difference in the attitude of her head, would
cause astonishing indentations to appear—and behold, Fanny was an old lady! But
she had been never more childlike than she was tonight as she flew over the floor in
the capable arms of the queer-looking duck; for this person was her partner.

2 The queer-looking duck had been a real dancer in his day, it appeared; and
evidently his day was not yet over. In spite of the headlong, gay rapidity with
which he bore Miss Fanny about the big room, he danced authoritatively . . . all
the while laughing and talking with his partner. What was most remarkable to
George, and a little irritating, this stranger in the Amberson Mansion had no
vestige of the air of deference proper to a stranger in such a place: he seemed
thoroughly at home. He seemed offensively so, indeed, when, passing the
entrance to the gallery stairway, he disengaged his hand from Miss Fanny’s for an
instant, and not pausing in the dance, waved a laughing salutation more than
cordial, then capered lightly out of sight.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

282 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Clauses, Phrases, and Punctuation LESSON 29

1 A participial phrase in a sentence 3 Read the sentence from the passage.

always functions as
The queer-looking duck had been a
A an adjective.
real dancer in his day, it appeared;
B a noun. and evidently his day was not yet
C an adverb. over.
D a verb.
The underlined part of the sentence is
2 Read the sentence from the passage. A a main clause.
B a subordinate clause
In spite of the headlong, gay rapidity
with which he bore Miss Fanny C an infinitive phrase
about the big room, he danced D a gerund phrase.
authoritatively . . . all the while
laughing and talking with his partner. 4 Read the sentence from the passage.

The ellipsis in the underlined part of What was most remarkable to

the sentence George, and a little irritating, this
stranger in the Amberson Mansion
A is used to show an omission.
had no vestige of the air of deference
B should be replaced with a period. proper to a stranger in such a place:
C should be replaced with a he seemed thoroughly at home.
semicolon.
D should be replaced with a colon. The colon is used in this sentence
because
A it introduces a long quotation.
B it introduces a series of events.
C it introduces a list of names.
D it introduces an explanatory
clause.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 29, Clauses, Phrases, and Punctuation 283

 Content Standard: 9WC 1.2 Grammar and Mechanics of Writing:
LESSON 30 Sentence Construction Understand sentence construction (e.g., parallel structure,
subordination, proper placement of modifiers) and proper English
usage (e.g., consistency of verb tenses).

LEARN IT: Sentence Construction

Parallel structure refers to any pair or series of coordinated elements in a sentence that
are all structured in the same way. Parallel structure gives a rhythm to the series that
makes it more readable and helps the ideas in the sentence flow more coherently. When
revising your work, look for any places where parallel structure should be applied. A lack
of parallelism in a series of coordinated items tends to trip up readers and distract them
from the message of the sentence.

EXAMPLE

1 Read the following sentence.

Benjamin Franklin was a multitalented individual. During his lifetime, he was a

diplomat, a scientist, a writer, and he also printed newspapers.

Which is the correct way to rewrite the underlined sentence using parallel
structure?
A During his lifetime, he was a diplomat, a scientist, a writer, and a printer.
B During his lifetime, he printed newspapers and was a diplomat, a scientist, and
a writer.
C He printed newspapers during his lifetime and was a diplomat, a scientist, and a
writer.
D He also printed newspapers and was a diplomat, a scientist, and a writer.

Step 1 Read the example sentences carefully. Do you see a series with several
coordinated items? Which element in the series is different from the others and
should be modified?

The sentences are about Benjamin Franklin’s occupations. There is a series that
lists several of his professions. The list contains a series of three nouns and then

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

adds the independent clause he also printed newspapers. This phrase does not
match the form of the other occupations listed in the series and should be
changed.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer choice identifies the best way
to make all elements parallel?

Choice A is the correct answer because all of the occupations in the series are
listed as simple nouns, making the structure of the sentence parallel. Choices B, C,
and D do not change the independent clause to make it parallel to the other parts
of the series; instead, the clause is simply moved to other locations in the
sentence.

284 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Sentence Construction LESSON 30

LEARN IT: Subordination and Modifiers

When revising your work, you can combine sentences to make them more interesting or
coherent. One way to do this is by using subordination, in which you take the less
important of the two sentences and attach it to the primary sentence as a subordinate or
dependent clause.

It is important to remember, though, that when you are revising sentences with multiple
clauses, you must be very careful with modifiers. A modifier is used to describe other
elements in a sentence, such as the subject, verb, object, or indirect object. Modifiers can
include adjectives, adverbs, phrases, clauses, or appositives. When a modifier is not in
the proper position in a sentence, it is known as a misplaced modifier. A misplaced
modifier can unintentionally change the meaning of a sentence. To remedy this problem,
modifiers should be placed as closely as possible to the elements they modify.

EXAMPLE

2 Read the following sentence.

She moved to Arizona and then to Pennsylvania where her husband grew up, after
she got married.

Which is the best way to rewrite the sentence to improve the placement of the
modifiers?
A She moved after she got married to Arizona, where her husband grew up and
then to Pennsylvania.
B She moved to Arizona and then to Pennsylvania, after she got married and where
her husband grew up.
C After she got married, she moved to Arizona and then to Pennsylvania, where
her husband grew up.
D She moved to Arizona, where her husband grew up, and then to Pennsylvania
after she got married.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Step 1 Read the sentence carefully. What is the meaning of the sentence?

She moved to Arizona and then to Pennsylvania after she got married. Her
husband grew up in Pennsylvania.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer best matches the meaning of
the sentence?

Choice B is incorrect because where her husband grew up is dangling at the end
of the sentence and it is not clear what it is modifying. Choices A and D are both
incorrect because they imply that her husband grew up in Arizona, which changes
the meaning of the original sentence. The correct answer is C because the
modifiers are clearly placed to show exactly what they are modifying.

Lesson 30, Sentence Construction 285

LESSON 30 Sentence Construction

LEARN IT: Consistency of Verb Tense

A verb is used to describe an action. The tense of the verb tells readers when the action
or event occurred or will occur. An event may be happening today, it may have happened
in the past, or it may be going to happen in the future. The chart below shows the most
common verb tenses and gives an example of each.

Tense Example
Past tense describes an action that She talked to him.
happened in the past.
Present tense describes an action that is She talks to him.
happening now.
Future tense describes an action or event She will talk to him.
that will happen.
Past perfect tense describes an action that She had talked to him.
had already been completed in the past
before another action occurred.
Present perfect tense tells us that an action She has talked to him.
was completed at a definite point in the past.
Future perfect tense describes an event that She will have talked to him.
will have occurred before another future
action will happen.

When writing, it is important to make sure that verb tenses are consistent. If you are
writing in the present tense, be careful that you do not shift to a different tense unless you
have a specific reason for doing so. Tense shifts should be very clear and should not
leave readers wondering when the sentence’s action is taking place.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

286 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Sentence Construction LESSON 30

EXAMPLE

3 Read the following sentence.

The chef is making a sauce for the steak. He slices the onions and mushrooms,
sautéed them with butter in the pan, and then pours the sauce over the steak.

Which form of the verb should replace the underlined word to maintain
consistency of verb tense?
A had sautéed
B will sauté
C has sautéed
D sautés

Step 1 Read the passage carefully. When is the action taking place?

The chef is making the sauce now, in the present. Therefore, all the verbs in the
sentence should be in the present tense. The verbs slice and pour are already in
the present tense. All three verbs should be in the present tense to be consistent.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer identifies the correct tense of
the verb sauté that should be used in the sentence?

Had sautéed is the past perfect tense of the verb, so choice A is incorrect. Will
sauté is the future tense of the verb, and has sautéed is the perfect present tense
of the verb, so choices B and C are also incorrect. Choice D is the correct answer
because the present tense of the verb is sautés.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 30, Sentence Construction 287

LESSON 30 Sentence Construction

PRACTICE IT: Sentence Construction

A class was assigned to write a letter to the city council asking them to
consider a new youth program. This is a rough draft of a student’s letter.
It contains errors. Read it and answer the questions that follow.

November 8, 2007
Dear City Council:
I am writing to you with a suggestion for offering youth programs for
teenagers. The City Council Recreation Department regularly sponsors bridge club
meetings, luncheons, bus trips, and lectures for adults. The recreation department also
offers craft classes and sports activities for children up to grade 5. However, there are
no classes or activities currently being offered for teens.
I am proposing that the City Council consider offering a monthly program for
teens. Mrs. Jones mentioned this idea at the last council meeting and had agreed to
organize and oversee the development of the programs if the council authorizes them.
The programs would be held at the community center. Some ideas that have been
suggested include dances, ethnic dinners, video game tournaments, dance
competitions, craft classes for teens, a movie night, ping pong tournaments, and
getting together to play volleyball. The teens would do fund-raising to pay for some of
the activities by having a car wash or yard sale. There would also be a charge for some
of the programs.
There have been some complaints about teens hanging out in the park from
residents. By offering activities for teens, the city would be providing them with a safe
place to hang out and do things together.
I hope you will consider this suggestion to offer activities for teens. A group of
young people from the community will attend next month’s meeting to present the
proposal for the teen programs. I hope we can count on your support.
Sincerely,

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Shelly Miller
Shelly Miller

288 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Sentence Construction LESSON 30

1 Read the sentence from the passage. 3 Read the sentence from the passage.
There have been some complaints Mrs. Jones mentioned this idea at the
about teens hanging out in the park last council meeting and had agreed
from residents. to organize and oversee the
development of the programs if the
What is the best way to rewrite the council authorizes them.
sentence to improve the placement of
the modifiers? Which form of the verb should replace
A Teens have complained about the underlined words to maintain
residents hanging out in the park. consistency of verb tense?
B There have been some complaints A agreed
from residents about teens B will agree
hanging out in the park. C will have agreed
C From residents there have been D Leave as is.
some complaints about teens
hanging out in the park.
4 Read the sentence from the passage.
D There have been some complaints
from teens about residents Some ideas that have been suggested
hanging out in the park. include dances, ethnic dinners, video
game tournaments, dance
2 Read the sentence from the passage. competitions, craft classes for teens, a
movie night, ping pong tournaments,
The teens would do fund-raising to and getting together to play volleyball.
pay for some of the activities by
having a car wash or yard sale. What is the correct way to rewrite the
underlined part of the sentence using
What is the best way to rewrite the parallel structure?
sentence to improve the placement of A include dances, ethnic dinners,
the modifiers? video game tournaments, dance
A The teens would do fundraising competitions, craft classes for
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

by having a car wash or yard sale teens, a movie night, ping pong
to pay for some of the activities. tournaments, and volleyball.
B The teens by having a car wash or B include dances, ethnic dinners,
yard sale would do fundraising to video game tournaments, dance
pay for some of the activities. competitions, craft classes, movie
C To pay for some of the activities, nights, ping pong tournaments,
the teens would do fundraising by and volleyball games.
having a car wash or yard sale. C include dances, ethnic dinners,
D Leave as is. video game tournaments, dance
competitions, craft classes, a
movie night, a ping pong
tournament, and volleyball.
D Leave as is.
Lesson 30, Sentence Construction 289
 Content Standard: 9WC1.3 Grammar and Mechanics of Writing:
LESSON 31 Usage and Grammar Demonstrate an understanding of proper English usage and control of
grammar, paragraph and sentence structure, diction, and syntax.

LEARN IT: Usage and Grammar

To be clearly understood, writers must choose the correct words and not make errors in
usage. Using words carelessly or incorrectly may deliver the wrong message to an
audience.

Certain English words sound quite similar. The following chart contains words often
confused.

Confused
Meaning Examples
Words
to receive something that is I accept this honor on behalf of my
accept
offered friend.
Please carry all the books except
except to take out or leave out; other than
the math book.
His music will affect all who
affect to influence, to move, to act on
heard it.
The effect was immediate and
effect result or consequence
surprising.
all ready completely ready They were all ready to leave.
already by this time, by now My cousin left already.
beside at the side of My mother sat beside my sister.
Besides ham, my big brother also
besides in addition to
had chicken and beef.
to carry an object toward the Can you please bring me the
bring
speaker or listener papers?
to carry an object away from the
take Take the trash to the compost pit.
speaker
The red flower was a nice
something that completes; to
complement complement to her immaculate
complete
white gown.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

She was given a wonderful
compliment praise; to give praise
compliment about her performance.
Its golden bell rang cheerfully in
its possessive pronoun
the night.
it’s contraction of it is It’s a good day to fish.
lay to put something down I lay the books on the shelf.
My head hurts, so I will lie down
lie to recline
for a moment.
lose to misplace; not win Don’t you dare lose my watch!
I think the screw in the machine
loose not tight
became loose.

290 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Usage and Grammar LESSON 31

A game between the two teams

precede to go before
preceded the award ceremony.
to go on, to go forward, to You may now proceed with taking
proceed
continue your test.
It was just there when I left this
there pertains to location
morning.
their possessive pronoun Their hard work paid off.
They’re teasing the poor dog
they’re contraction of they are
again.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 31, Usage and Grammar 291

LESSON 31 Usage and Grammar

Grammar

Grammar is the system of rules that describe the structure and features of the English
language. A writer should wield proper control of grammar for his or her writing to be
effective.

One important grammatical rule is parallelism. When compound verbs or verbals

express an action that is happening at the same time or has the same tense, the
compound verbs or verbals must be parallel, or in the same form. If they are not parallel,
the sentence is awkward.

EXAMPLE

1 Read the following sentence.

Alana whine and wept before her teacher yesterday, all to no avail.

What is the correct way to write the underlined words?

A whine and weep
B whines and weeps
C whined and weep
D whined and wept

Step 1 Read the sentence carefully. What part of speech are the underlined
words? What makes the words incorrect?

The underlined words are verbs; the first verb, whine, is in the present tense, while
the second verb, wept, is in the past tense. The two verbs seem to be occurring at
the same time, so there is a parallelism error in this sentence.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer shows the correct way to write
the underlined words?

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Choices A and B have both words in the present tense; however, yesterday
indicates that the time is not the present, making both choices incorrect. Choice C
lacks parallelism; the first word is in the past tense, while the second word is in the
present tense. Choice D has both words in the past tense, which agrees with the
time indicated in the sentence. Choice D is the correct answer.

292 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Usage and Grammar LESSON 31

LEARN IT: Sentence and Paragraph Structure

Sentence Structure

A sentence is a word or unit of words that expresses a complete thought. A sentence

contains a subject, what the sentence is about, and a predicate, which tells something
about the subject.

A phrase is a collection of words that has no subject or predicate and that does not contain
a complete thought. A phrase is different from a clause, which contains a subject and a
predicate and sometimes expresses a complete thought. Clauses are the building blocks of
sentences.

There are two kinds of clauses—independent and dependent. An independent clause can
stand alone and is already considered a sentence. It has a subject and a predicate and
forms a complete thought. A dependent clause, on the other hand, cannot stand alone. It
has a subject and a predicate but is often introduced by a subordinating conjunction such as
although, because, since, when, where, or while. These conjunctions make the clause
dependent; its thought is not complete. In the following example sentences, independent
clauses are underlined.

Clauses can form different kinds of sentence structures:

1. Simple—the most basic sentence structure; consists of one independent clause

The little pink sock is my cat’s favorite toy.

2. Compound—consists of two or more independent clauses that are often

joined by coordinating conjunctions like for, and, nor, but, or, and yet;
compound sentences can also be joined by a semicolon (;)
We went to the market this morning, and my sister bargained for a pound
of pork.

3. Complex—consists of one independent clause and one or more dependent

clauses
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Although he begged as hard as he could, the nurse would not listen

to his pleas.

4. Compound-Complex—consists of more than one independent clause and at

least one dependent clause
Since he missed the bus, Andy had to walk the long mile to school, and
his friend had to wait for him longer than expected.

Lesson 31, Usage and Grammar 293

LESSON 31 Usage and Grammar

Paragraph Structure

A paragraph is a group of sentences containing one developed idea. A basic paragraph

structure contains the following parts:

Topic Sentence—contains the central idea of the paragraph; usually begins the paragraph

My cat Bogart is the most talented pet out there. He can do back flips and splits. He can
also solve math equations while reading the morning newspaper!

Supporting Sentences—support the idea found in the topic sentence

Instant noodles are the best thing that ever happened to breakfast. They are easy to prepare.
I don’t even need ten minutes to wait for something to eat. They come in different flavors
guaranteed to satisfy my morning cravings.

Concluding Sentence—summarizes the information presented, reiterates the central idea of

the paragraph, or both

The town I live in is famous for its attractions. My town frequently attracts birdwatchers of
every kind, eager to spot rare species of birds in our well-known Avis Sanctuary.
Adventurous folks enjoy the huge waves and white sands of our Sunset Beach, while the
more art-inclined crowd never fails to be swept away by the exquisite creativity of
homegrown talents as shown by our Art Museum. Indeed, my town has a lot to be proud of.

Though a topic sentence is usually found at the beginning of the paragraph, it can also be
placed anywhere else. A paragraph also does not necessarily require a concluding sentence.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

294 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Usage and Grammar LESSON 31

EXAMPLE

2 Read the following sentence.

Since an accident in an amusement park was in the news, too scared to ride the giant
roller coaster has become Francis.

What is the best way to improve the structure of the underlined part of the
sentence?
A Francis has become too scared to ride the giant rollercoaster.
B Francis too scared to ride the giant rollercoaster has become.
C to ride the giant rollercoaster has Francis become too scared.
D to ride too scared has Francis become the giant rollercoaster.

Step 1 Read the sentence carefully. What is the structure of the first clause?
How about the underlined words in the sentence?

The first clause is a dependent clause, as indicated by the subordinating

conjunction since. The second clause, the underlined words in the sentence, is an
independent clause and expresses a complete thought.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer best improves the structure of
the underlined part of the sentence?

The subject of the underlined clause is Francis, and since a subject usually begins
the sentence, choices C and D are incorrect. Choice B, though properly beginning
with the subject, does not make sense. Choice A is the correct answer, because it
properly rearranges the underlined independent clause.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 31, Usage and Grammar 295

LESSON 31 Usage and Grammar

PRACTICE IT: Usage and Grammar

The following is Ellen’s short-story draft. It may contain errors. Read it and answer
the questions that follow.

A Strange and Hot Afternoon

1 It seemed that everyone forget what today was all about.

2 Kate sighed with exasperation as she wiped the sweat off her brow. It was terribly hot
today, but then again, it was summer. And had anyone cared at all like she assumed they
did, they would have realized that today was the 1st of August and that it was her . . .

3 She stopped her frustrated train of thought long enough to look in the direction a
noise was coming from. Kate had gotten home 20 minutes ago and had not seen
anyone, so any noise she shouldn’t be hearing at all. It couldn’t be burglars now, she
thought—it’s still too early for them to go stealing, or maybe burglars operated 24
hours a day?

4 Kate was fearless, though, and irritation caused her to head in the direction of the
noise. It seemed to be coming from the basement. She grabbed her father’s steel
baseball bat with both her hands before turning to the door leading below. Mustering
all her courage, she turned the knob.

5 The basement was covered in darkness, and it took quite some time before her sight
adjusted enough to locate the switch. Kate had an eccentric feeling that she was being
watched. She switched on the light, and . . .

6 “SURPRISE!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KATE!”

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

296 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Usage and Grammar LESSON 31

1 Read paragraph 1. 3 Read the following sentence from

paragraph 5.
It seemed that everyone forget what
today was all about. Kate had an eccentric feeling that she
was being watched.
What is the correct way to write the
underlined words? Which word can best replace the
A seems that everyone forget underlined word?
B seems that everyone forgets A strange
C seemed that everyone forgot B freakish
D seemed that everyone forgots C baffling
D normal
2 Read the following sentence from
paragraph 3. 4 Read the following sentence from
paragraph 5.
Kate had gotten home 20 minutes ago
and had not seen anyone at all, so any The basement was covered in
noise she shouldn’t be hearing at all. darkness, and it took quite some time
before her sight adjusted enough to
What is the best way to improve the locate the switch.
structure of the underlined part of the
sentence? What is the structure of the sentence?
A so any noise at all she shouldn’t A simple
be hearing. B compound
B so any noise shouldn’t be she C complex
hearing at all. D compound-complex
C so she shouldn’t any noise at all
be hearing.
D so she shouldn’t have heard any
noise at all.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 31, Usage and Grammar 297

 Content Standard: 9WC 1.4 Manuscript Form: Produce
LESSON 32 Spelling, Punctuation, and Capitalization legible work that shows accurate spelling and correct use of
the conventions of punctuation and capitalization.

LEARN IT: Spelling

The best spelling rule is this classic: When in doubt about the spelling of a word, look it
up in a dictionary.

Keep in mind that some words sound the same but have different spellings and, of
course, meanings. Accept and except are one example of this. Affect and effect are
another example. The building with a dome is a capitol, but the city where the capitol is
located is a capital.

Some spelling strategies also include dropping the e before adding a suffix. Another
strategy is to change the y to i before adding a suffix. An example would be changing the
y in study to an i and then adding -ed to create the word studied. Another rule is to
double the consonant before adding a suffix. An example would be adding an m to the
word cram and then adding the suffix -ing to create the word cramming.

Remember the saying “i before e except after c” to decide whether the spelling of a word
should be ie or ei. Examples are the word receive, which has ei following the c, and
believe, which has an ie. Of course there are always exceptions—that’s why it’s always a
good strategy to look up any word you’re unsure how to spell.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

298 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Spelling, Punctuation, and Capitalization LESSON 32

EXAMPLE

1 Read the following sentence.

The annonymous donors were alumni of the school and knew about the capital
campaign to raise money for a new gymnasium.

Which of these underlined words is spelled incorrectly?

A gymnasium
B capital
C alumni
D annonymous

Step 1 Read the example sentence carefully. Which words do you know are
spelled correctly?

Capital is spelled correctly. Gymnasium is spelled correctly as well. I’m not sure
when to use alumni and when to use alumnus, so I looked it up in the dictionary.
I found out that alumni is used when referring to a group of male and female
graduates; alumnus refers to a male graduate and alumna to a female graduate.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer choice is not correctly
spelled?

Answer D is incorrectly spelled. Anonymous is the correct spelling. All the other
answer choices are correctly spelled words.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 32, Spelling, Punctuation, and Capitalization 299

LESSON 32 Spelling, Punctuation, and Capitalization

LEARN IT: Punctuation

Understanding how to punctuate a sentence properly is an important part of good writing.

An exclamation point is used to signal surprise or excitement.

A question mark is used at the end of a direct question. An example is the following
sentence: The opening of the movie—have you heard?—will be next Friday.

A period is used to signal the end of a declarative sentence.

Quotation marks are used with other punctuation. When used with a period or comma,
the period belongs inside the quotation marks. If an exclamation point or question is part
of the original sentence being quoted, it belongs inside the quotation marks. If the
exclamation point or question is not part of the original sentence being quoted, it belongs
outside the quotation marks. An example of this rule is the following sentence:

How thrilled I was when I heard the words “You’ve won”!

Quotation marks are always in a pair except when there is a quotation inside a quotation.
In this situation you would use a single quotation mark.

A semicolon or colon belongs outside the quotation marks because they do not belong
to the original sentence being quoted.

As a general rule, a comma is placed at the location in the sentence where the reader
would normally pause when reading the sentence aloud. The following chart explains
when to use a comma and then provides an example for each usage.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

300 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Spelling, Punctuation, and Capitalization LESSON 32

Use of Comma Example

to set off an introductory subordinate clause Before I can watch television, I need to
from a main clause. finish my math homework.
to separate two independent clauses that are We wanted to go to the movies tonight,
joined by a coordinating conjunction (and, but the movie was sold out.
but, or, nor, for, so, yet).
to set off introductory material in a sentence. At the end of the street, turn right into
the driveway.
to separate items in a series. We had eggs, bacon, and toast for
breakfast.
to set off words or phrases that are an aside, Kelly Tate, my next-door neighbor,
or not an essential part of the sentence. baked that prizewinning apple pie.
to set off a direct quotation. She said, “Let’s go to the park.”
to set off a name in a direct address. Kathy, how are you?
in the opening of a letter. Dear Jane,
in the closing of a letter. Sincerely,
in addresses. 1405 Wood Street, Burbank, CA
in numbers. 5,600
in dates. January 6, 2008
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 32, Spelling, Punctuation, and Capitalization 301

LESSON 32 Spelling, Punctuation, and Capitalization

EXAMPLE

2 Read the following sentence.

Caroline began her career as a writer at the San Francisco Examiner where she
got her first job after graduation.

Which is the best way to write the underlined words?

A at the San Francisco Examiner; where she got her first job
B at the San Francisco Examiner, where she got her first job
C at the San Francisco Examiner. Where she got her first job
D Leave as is.

Step 1 Read the sentence carefully. What is the main idea of the sentence?

The main idea is that Caroline began her career as a writer at the San Francisco
Examiner.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer best matches the meaning of
the sentence?

Answer A is incorrect because a semicolon should connect two independent

clauses, each of which has a subject and a verb and can stand alone as a
complete independent sentence. Answer C is incorrect because where she got her
first job is not a complete sentence. Answer D is incorrect because the proper
punctuation is missing from the sentence. In this sentence, the subordinate clause
where she got her first job should be separated from the main clause by a comma.
The correct answer is B.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

302 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Spelling, Punctuation, and Capitalization LESSON 32

LEARN IT: Capitalization

Knowing when to capitalize a word can sometimes be confusing. We know that the first
word of every sentence is capitalized. Proper nouns are also capitalized. Some examples
of proper nouns are the names of towns, cities, people, colleges, high schools, and
holidays.

Titles can be confusing, however, because not every word in a title is capitalized. The rule
is to capitalize only the principal words, such as the nouns, pronouns, adjectives,
adverbs, and verbs, in the title. Secondary words, such as articles, conjunctions, and
prepositions, are not capitalized. This applies to titles of books, poems, plays, radio
programs, television shows, paintings, musical compositions, documents, and reports.
For example, in the title of the movie Fiddler on the Roof, the only words that are
capitalized are the nouns.

Titles of rank or respect that precede a proper name are also capitalized. An example is
President Lincoln.

EXAMPLE

3 Read the following sentence.

The Beatles song “I am the Walrus” is one of my favorite songs from the Magical
Mystery Tour album.

Which underlined words are not capitalized properly?

A The Beatles
B I am the Walrus
C Magical Mystery Tour
D All are correct.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Step 1 Read the passage carefully. What are the rules for capitalizing musical
works?

The first word and other proper nouns in a musical work should be capitalized. All
principal words should also be capitalized.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer contains a title that does not
follow all of the rules for capitalizing?

The titles in answer choices A and C are correctly capitalized, so neither of those is
the correct answer. Answer choice D is incorrect because one of the titles is
incorrectly capitalized. Answer choice B contains an incorrectly capitalized title. All
of the principal words in a title, including verbs such as am, should be capitalized.
The correct answer is B.

Lesson 32, Spelling, Punctuation, and Capitalization 303

LESSON 32 Spelling, Punctuation, and Capitalization

PRACTICE IT: Spelling, Punctuation, and

Capitalization
This is a draft of an invitation to an event. It contains errors. Read it and answer the
questions that follow.
November 8, 2007

Dear Nina,

This May marks the 100th aniversary of Wakefield high school. We are inviting you to join
your fellow alumni from the Class of 2004 in celebrating this milestone.

Please join us on Saturday May 14 2008 at 7:30 P.M. for dinner and dancing at the Cedars
Country Club. Music will be provided by The Cliffs a band consisting of Wakefield alumni
musicians.

Each class will also be hosting other events during the day. The festivities begin at 10:00 on
Saturday with an alumni parade, followed by a luncheon in the park. The high school will
be open for tours in the afternoon. Other activities include a hike in the park, a flag football
game, and a drama club performance of Li’l Abner.

We hope you will join us in celebrating the 100th aniversary of your alma mater.

Sincerely,

Kathy Johnson
Kathy Johnson
Superintendent, Wakefield School District

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

304 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Spelling, Punctuation, and Capitalization LESSON 32

1 Read the sentence from the passage. 3 Read the sentence from the passage.
We hope you will join us in Music will be provided by The Cliffs
celebrating the 100th aniversary of a band consisting of Wakefield
your alma mater. alumni musicians.

Which of these underlined words is What is the best way to rewrite the
spelled incorrectly? underlined words?
A celebrating A by The Cliffs a band consisting of
B aniversary Wakefield alumni musicians!
C alma mater B by The Cliffs, a band consisting of
D none of them
Wakefield alumni musicians.
C by The Cliffs: a band consisting of
Wakefield alumni musicians.
2 Read the sentences from the passage.
D Leave as is.
This May marks the 100th aniversary
of Wakefield high school. We are 4 Read the sentence from the passage.
inviting you to join your fellow
alumni from the Class of 2004 in We are inviting you to join your fellow
celebrating this milestone. alumni from the Class of 2004 in
celebrating this milestone.
Which underlined words are not
capitalized properly? What is the correct way to punctuate
A Class of 2004 this sentence?
B May A We are inviting you to join your
C Wakefield high school
fellow alumni, from the Class of
2004, in celebrating this
D none of the above milestone.
B We are inviting you to join your
fellow alumni from the Class of
2004, in celebrating this
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

milestone.
C We are inviting you, to join your
fellow alumni from the Class of
2004 in celebrating this milestone.
D Leave as is.

Lesson 32, Spelling, Punctuation, and Capitalization 305

 Content Standard: 9WC1.5 Manuscript Form: Reflect appropriate
LESSON 33 Manuscript Requirements manuscript requirements, including title page presentation, pagination,
spacing and margins, and integration of source and support material
(e.g., in-text citation, use of direct quotations, paraphrasing) with
appropriate citations.

LEARN IT: Manuscript Requirements

The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers shows how to properly format a
research paper. There are a few things a student should remember when writing parts
of a research paper.

Title Page

The title page is the first page of your research paper. It should be formatted and
presentable. The student’s name, the teacher’s name, the course or subject, and the date
when the student submits the paper should appear in the upper left-hand corner of the
first page. These pieces of information are double spaced, and together, they are called
the essay heading.

The title of the research paper follows after two spaces and is centered. It is not
underlined or placed in quotation marks. It should not be written in all capital letters.
Only the first letter of the first, last, and important words of the title should be capitalized.
Quotation marks, underlining, or italics are only used when the student’s title refers to
other works. There should not be any periods in the title.

For example:
An Analysis of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice

There are two more spaces between the title and the first line of the actual text.

Pagination
The pages of a research paper should be numbered consecutively, including the first
page, in the upper right-hand corner of each page, one-half inch from the top. The
student’s last name is typed before the page number. There should not be an abbreviation
p. to indicate the page number.

For example:
Kendrick 1
Pattinson 4

Spacing and Margins Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

The text of the research paper is double spaced. There is one space after each period
ending a sentence unless the teacher gives other instructions. Leave one-inch margins all
around the text of your paper (left, right, top, and bottom sides). The first lines of
paragraphs are indented half an inch from the left margin. This is five spaces or the tab
key pressed once.

306 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Manuscript Requirements LESSON 33

1/2”
1” Pattinson 1

Angela Pattinson

Mr. Jesse Carlisle

1” English 1”
26 March 2008

Themes in the Works of Edgar Allan Poe

The stories of the Master of the Macabre, Edgar Allan Poe,

have fascinated people since the publication of his work . . .

EXAMPLE

1 Which of the following should not appear on the title page of a student’s report
when he turns it in?
A title of the research paper
B the student’s name
C the Works Cited
D the date of submission

Step 1 Which pieces of information should be included on the title page of a

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

research paper?

The student’s name, the teacher’s name, the course or subject, and the date when
the student submits the paper should appear in the upper left-hand corner of the
title page.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which answer choice should not appear on
the title page?

Choices A, B, and D are pieces of information that should appear on the title page
of a research paper. Choice C is information that should be on a separate page and
not on the title page. Choice C is the correct answer.

Lesson 33, Manuscript Requirements 307

LESSON 33 Manuscript Requirements

LEARN IT: Citations

If any information in a research paper was taken from a book, a magazine article, or a
Web site, the author of the research paper should credit the author of the source of
information to avoid plagiarism. Here are some ways to make sure that original works are
attributed to their authors.

Direct Quotation
Direct quotations are the words spoken or written by another person that a student adds
to his or her paper. These quotes match the text from an original document word for
word, and should be attributed to the original author or speaker. Direct quotations should
be used sparingly and with care. They are enclosed in quotation marks to indicate that
they are the words of someone other than the writer of the research paper. An in-text
citation follows the closing quotation marks and precedes the period. This is the author’s
name followed by a space and the page number where the information can be found. The
in-text citation is enclosed in parentheses.

For example:

“The Sacred Scarab of the ancient Egyptians is a dung beetle of the

Mediterranean countries. This insect has figured importantly in their art and
religion for thousands of years” (Grant 103).

Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing is putting words or ideas from original material into your own words.
Paraphrased sentences should still contain the important information from the source. A
paraphrase may be of the same length as the original; it may also be longer, if necessary.
Even though a sentence is already paraphrased, it must still be attributed to the original
author using an in-text citation.

For example:

Original Text

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

At the time of the Persian Wars the two most powerful states were Athens and
Sparta. These states were the ones offering the greatest resistance to Xerxes
and leading a small coalition of other city states in resisting the invasion. The
Athenians were the primary source of Greek naval power; the Spartans of their
land forces.

Source: Kouti, Alethea. The Persian Wars. (2007): 25.

Paraphrased Text
Sparta and Athens were the two most powerful Greek states that led the
resistance to Xerxes during the Persian Wars. The Athenians took care of
the naval forces, while the Spartans handled the land forces (Kouti 25).

308 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Manuscript Requirements LESSON 33

EXAMPLE

2 Read the text below.

The Hydra is a constellation named after a mythological creature that has the body
of a snake and numerous heads.

Which is the correct way to use a direct quotation for the text?
A “The Hydra is a constellation named after a mythological creature that has the
body of a snake and numerous heads.”
B “The Hydra is a constellation named after a mythological creature that has the
body of a snake and numerous heads” (Hale 18).
C “The Hydra is a constellation named after a mythological creature that has the
body of a snake and numerous heads (Hale 18).”
D “The Hydra is a constellation named after a mythological creature that has the
body of a snake and numerous heads, Hale 18.”

Step 1 What is the proper way to write a direct quotation?

Direct quotations are enclosed in quotation marks to indicate that they are the
words of someone other than the writer of the research paper. An in-text citation
follows the direct quotation and comes before the period.

Step 2 Read each answer choice. Which direct quotation is written in the
correct format?

Choice A is incorrect because the quotation does not attribute the quotation to a
source. The in-text citation in choice C is placed inside the quotation marks, which
makes it incorrect. Choice D is incorrect because the in-text citation is not placed
inside parentheses and is separated from the actual quotation by a comma. Choice
B is written in the correct format for direct quotations. The citation comes after the
quoted material and before the period. Choice B is the correct answer.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Lesson 33, Manuscript Requirements 309

LESSON 33 Manuscript Requirements

PRACTICE IT: Manuscript Requirements

Read Edward’s report. It may contain errors. Answer the questions that follow.

Edward Roberts
Mr. Carlson Jansen
Science
30 December 2007
Comet Causes the Extinction of Wooly Mammoths

1 New scientific findings suggest that a large comet may have exploded over North
America 12,900 years ago. This explains riddles that scientists have wrestled with for
decades, including an abrupt cooling of much of the planet and the extinction of large
mammals.

2 The discovery was made by scientists from the University of California at Santa
Barbara and their colleagues. Victoria Kenyon, a paleoceanographer at the university,
said that the discovery may explain some of the highly debated controversies of recent
decades.

3 The period in question is called the Younger Dryas. It is an interval of abrupt

cooling that lasted for about 1,000 years. It occurred at the beginning of an interglacial
warm period. Evidence for the temperature change is recorded in marine sediments
and ice cores.

4 According to the scientists, the comet must have been about four kilometers across
before breaking. It either exploded in the atmosphere or had fragments hit the
Laurentide ice sheet in northeastern North America.

5 There would have been wildfires across the continent from the fiery impact, killing
off vegetation. This vegetation was the food supply of many of the larger mammals like
the woolly mammoths. This would have caused them to go extinct.

Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

6 The Clovis people of North America hunted the mammoths as a major source of
their food. They too would have been affected by the impact. Their culture eventually
died out.

Works Cited

Carter, Jean. Craters in North America. New Orleans: Parker-Collins, 2000.

Jefferson, Phillip. Ancient Civilizations. Atlanta: Neman, 2002.

Kenyon, Victoria. “The Younger Dryas.” Sciences May 2001: 20–23.

Zimmerman, James. Meteor Watch. Akron: Newton Press, 2002.

310 California Standards Practice, Grade 9

 Manuscript
Documentation
Requirements LESSON 33
23

1 When Edward types his final report, 3 Which of the following should appear
which line spacing should he use for on a separate page at the end of
the body of his paper? Edward’s report when he turns it in?
A single A the title of the report.
B one and a half B the Works Cited
C double C direct quotations
D triple D in-text citations

2 Read the text below, which is a direct 4 Read the paraphrased text below.
quote from Kenyon’s journal article.
The Clovis people of North America
the discovery may explain some of hunted the mammoths as a major
the highly debated controversies of source of their food.
recent decades.
Which is the correct way to cite a
Which is the correct way to use a paraphrased text?
direct quotation from a source? A The Clovis people of North
A “the discovery may explain some America hunted the mammoths
of the highly debated as a major source of their food
controversies of recent decades” (Jefferson 12).
Kenyon 21. B “The Clovis people of North
B “the discovery may explain some America hunted the mammoths
of the highly debated as a major source of their food”
controversies of recent decades; (Jefferson 12).
Kenyon, 21.” C The Clovis people of North
C “the discovery may explain some America hunted the mammoths
of the highly debated as a major source of their food.
controversies of recent decades” D The Clovis people of North
(Kenyon 21). America hunted the mammoths
D the discovery may explain some as a major source of their food.
of the highly debated (Jefferson; 12)
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

controversies of recent decades;

Kenyon 21.

Lesson 33, Manuscript Requirements 311