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Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________
Activity: “Grammar Goes To Hollywood” • Skill: Commonly Confused Words
Affect vs. Effect
If a verb is needed, most of the time the word you
want is affect. It means to change or to influence.
Examples:
What you eat affects your health.
Mikayla’s superb campaign speech affected
my decision about whom to vote for.
If a noun is needed, the word is you want is
usually effect. It means a result or a consequence.
Examples:
The effect of eating well is a healthy body.
The allergy medicine had a negative effect on
Dylan; it actually made him itchier.
Both affect and effect have additional meanings, but these meanings are used much less often. This activity
uses only the most common meanings. Directions: Circle the correct boldface word in each sentence below.
1. Patrick’s chronic knee pain has affected/effected his ability to play in the upcoming soccer tournament.
2. Reading Helen Keller’s autobiography had a profound affect/effect on Isabella: She decided to learn
sign language and volunteer at a school for deaf children.
3. The drought will certainly affect/effect the crops this season.
4. How do you think the new school dress code will affect/effect the students?
5. The loud music coming from next door affected/effected Stuart’s ability to concentrate on his homework.
6. Gum disease is a possible affect/effect of not flossing your teeth.
7. The bright-yellow walls in my room have a positive affect/effect on my mood.
Directions: Rewrite the sentences below, changing the word in bold to a form of either affect or effect.
8. “Brain freeze” is one of the results of eating ice cream too fast.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
9. Eating right before going to bed alters my sleep.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
10. The rain had almost no impact on traffic.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Scholastic sCOPE activity • september 5, 2011
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The words affect and effect are often confused and misused. Figuring out which one to use is usually as easy as
determining whether your sentence calls for a verb or a noun.
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Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________
nonfiction: “The Guys Who Got bin Laden” • Skill: Reading Comprehension
Directions: Read the nonfiction article “The Guys Who Got bin Laden” in this issue of Scope. Then answer the
multiple-choice and critical-thinking questions below.
1.Which pair of words BEST describes
the characteristics of a Navy SEAL?
A hardworking and arrogant
B muscular and aggressive
C intelligent and disciplined
D small and tough
2. What is the main reason that the
U.S. wanted to catch bin Laden?
A He had been hiding for 10 years.
B He was forming another terrorist
group.
C He had secret technology.
D He organized the 9/11 attacks.
3. What is the most likely reason the
author chose to begin the article in
the second-person (“you”) voice?
A to convince the reader to
become a Navy SEAL
B to explain why the bin Laden
mission was so important
C to show how being a Navy SEAL
is a lot like playing a video game
D to create drama by placing
the reader in the middle of an
intense Navy SEAL mission
4. Why do less than 25 percent of
those who apply to be Navy SEALs
graduate?
A They don’t have college degrees.
B The training is extremely
difficult.
C Learning so many languages is
difficult.
D They get homesick.
5. The article states, “The bin Laden
mission also shone a spotlight on
the Navy SEALs.” What does this
mean?
A The mission focused attention
on the Navy SEALs.
B Bin Laden’s compound used
searchlights to warn of attacks.
C Failure was not an option for
the SEALs.
D The SEALs stood under bright
lights when President Obama
congratulated them.
6.Which of the following quotes
from the article is an opinion?
A “In recent years, SEALs have
carried out hundreds of
high-risk operations.”
B “No one onboard was hurt,
though the helicopter was
damaged beyond repair.”
C “SEAL training is the most
grueling in the world.”
D “Grown men break down
and weep.”
7. Which of the following was
NOT found inside bin Laden’s
compound?
A plans for another terrorist attack
B hostages
C computers
D names of other Al Qaeda
members
8.Complete the following analogy:
Navy SEALs : military as
A notebook : paper
B gymnast : flexible
C leaf : tree
D zookeeper : animals
Critical-Thinking Questions
9. List three ways in which the SEALs prepared for the bin Laden mission. ___________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
10. Why might bin Laden’s death have brought “a profound sense of justice” to some people? __________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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“The Guys Who Got bin Laden” Quiz
Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________
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Nonfiction: “The Guys Who Got bin Laden” • Skill: Critical Thinking
Critical-Thinking Questions
“The Guys Who Got bin Laden”
2. Why was the mission so important?
3. What characteristics—physical, mental, and emotional—are required to be a SEAL?
Which do you think are most important? Which are related to courage?
4. What makes Payton Wall courageous?
5. Which lines in the poem most directly relate to the effort required of the SEALs during
training?
Scholastic sCOPE activity • september 5, 2011
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1. What is the main idea of the opening section of the article?
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Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________
nonfiction: “The Guys Who Got bin Laden” • Skill: Vocabulary Acquisition, page 1 of 2
Vocabulary:
1. compound (KOM-pownd) noun; a fenced or walled-in area containing a group of buildings
example: High concrete walls seal off the prison compound from the rest of the town.
2. elite (ih-LEET) adjective; the best or most distinguished of a group
example: Melora’s soccer coach recommended her for a special camp for elite players.
3. grueling (GROO-uh-ling) adjective; exhausting; requiring extreme effort
example: Most people think being in an action movie would be great fun, but they don’t know
about the grueling schedule of getting up at 4:00 in the morning for months at a time.
4. inevitable (in-EV-uh-tuh-buhl) adjective; impossible to avoid or sure to happen
example: It’s inevitable that some of the students who auditioned will be disappointed when
we announce the cast of the school play.
5. lethal (LEE-thuhl) adjective; deadly
example: Smoking is a lethal habit.
6. manhunt (MAN-huhnt) noun; an organized search for a person, usually a criminal
example: The police launched a manhunt to find the kidnapper.
7. meticulous (muh-TIK-yuh-luhs) adjective; extremely or overly careful in thinking about or dealing
with small details; precise
example: Elijah’s grandma is meticulous in following the recipe for her chocolate chip cookies. She
buys a special brand of chips, measures every ingredient carefully, and uses a thermometer to make
sure her oven is exactly 350 degrees.
8. muffle (MUHF-uhl) verb; to deaden sound, especially by wrapping
example: Enrique covered his basement walls with thick foam to muffle the sound of his drums.
9. surveillance (ser-VEY-luhns) noun; a close watch kept over a place or person
example: The bank robbery was recorded by surveillance video cameras.
10. t ailor-made (TAY-ler MAYD) adjective; perfect for a particular person, situation, or purpose
example: My parents went on a tour of Nashville that was tailor-made for country-music lovers.
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“The Guys Who Got bin Laden”
Name: ______________________________________________________________________ Date: ____________________
nonfiction: “The Guys Who Got bin Laden” • Skill: Vocabulary Acquisition, page 2 of 2
Vocabulary Practice
“The Guys Who Got bin Laden”
1. For the science fair, Niko and Carla conducted an experiment on the boiling points of
different solids, like butter, chocolate, and cheese. For their project to be a success,
they had to be extremely accurate about measuring temperature and time.
What did Niko and Carla’s experiment require them to be?
tailor-made
elite
meticulous
2. Brianna’s gymnastics coach is teaching her how to do a backflip on the balance beam.
He keeps reminding her that when trying a new skill, she’s bound to make errors.
He says that she shouldn’t worry if she falls off; she should just keep practicing.
What does Brianna’s coach believe about mistakes?
They are lethal.
They are inevitable.
They are grueling.
3. Detectives Michelman and Elligood quietly climbed onto the roof of a house so they
could see over the wall next-door. They saw men with briefcases coming and going from
a cluster of buildings. The detectives got out their binoculars and cameras. For two days,
they watched and waited, hoping to gather evidence against the mobsters.
_ What kind of assignment were the detectives on?
_ surveillance
manhunt
compound
4. Kasper had the giggles. He had them bad. It was one of those times when once he started
cracking up, he just couldn’t stop. All he could do was sit in the back of his classroom with
his hands over his mouth to muffle the sound of his laughter.
_ What was Kasper trying to do to his laughter?
_ make it quieter
make it louder
disguise it as something else
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Directions: Circle the word or phrase that best answers each question.
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Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________
Nonfiction: “The Guys Who Got bin Laden” • Skill: Reading Comprehension, page 1 of 2
Read, Think, Explain
Exploring the facts and ideas in a nonfiction article will help you understand it better. Use this worksheet to help
you understand “The Guys Who Got bin Laden” in the September 5, 2011, issue of Scope.
A. BEFORE READING
1. Read the title, or headline, of the article. Write it here: __________________________________________________
Now look at the photographs and read the captions. What can you predict the story will be about?
Circle one of the choices below and explain.
A person If so, who? _______________________________________________________________________________
An event If so, what?_______________________________________________________________________________
Something else If so, what?_________________________________________________________________________
2. Look at the photograph on pages 4-5. What does it show? What can you infer from the title and the photo?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Circle the word below that most closely describes the genre of the article.
essay
nonfiction
autobiography
historical fiction
B. DURING READING
Read the subtitle, or heading, of each section. Then complete the following.
4. The first section is the introduction. It is mainly about (summarize):_____________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________ .
5. The second section is called ______________________________. It is mainly about (summarize): ________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________ .
6. The third section is called ______________________________. It is mainly about (summarize): __________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________ .
7. The fourth section is called ______________________________. It is mainly about (summarize):_________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________ .
8. The fifth section is called ______________________________. It is mainly about (summarize):___________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________ .
Continued on Next page >
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Identifying Nonfiction Elements
Nonfiction: “The Guys Who Got bin Laden” • Skill: Reading Comprehension, page 2 of 2
9. The sixth section is called ______________________________. It is mainly about (summarize):________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________.
C. AFTER READING
10.Write down three facts from the article that you didn’t know before you read it.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
11.What is the main idea of the article? _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
12. What is the main purpose of the article (circle one)?
to persuade the reader
to inform the reader
to explain the terrorist
to join the SEALs
about the SEALs
attacks of 9/11
13. What is the connection between the Navy SEAL article and the True Teen Story on page 10? ____________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
D. TEXT FEATURE: MAP READING
14.Look at the map and the diagram on page 6. Under each box below, write either T for true or F for false.
Abbottabad is
the capital of
Pakistan.
The oval inset
map helps
you see where
Pakistan is in
relation to
the U.S.
From
Abbottabad
to Islamabad
is less than
100 miles.
Pakistan is
larger than
the United
States.
Afghanistan is
west of China.
The diagram
of bin Laden’s
compound
shows
underground
tunnels.
E. MAKING CONNECTIONS
15.Here’s how this article relates to (fill in at least two):
Something else I read: _____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Something else I know about: ______________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Something in my own life:_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
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___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE
Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________
Poetry: “If” • Skill: Reading Comprehension, page 1 of 2
Directions: Below is an excerpt of Rudyard Kipling’s poem “If,” which appears on page 9 in this issue of Scope.
At the bottom of the page, we have provided definitions of the words that appear in bold. Use the poem to help
you answer the multiple-choice and critical-thinking questions on the next page.
If
By Rudyard Kipling
3
5
7
9
11
13
15
17
19
21
23
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son.
GLOSSARY
impostors (im-POS-ters) noun; people who pretend to be someone else, in order to deceive; fakes
knaves (nayvs) plural noun; untrustworthy or dishonest people; rascals
pitch-and-toss: an old-fashioned coin game where players line up and take turns tossing coins toward a wall. The winner
is the person whose coin lands closest to the wall, and that person gets to keep everyone else’s coins.
sinew (SIN-yoo) noun; a tendon—a strong band of tissue that connects a muscle with a bone; sinew can also mean strength.
virtue (VUR-choo) noun; moral excellence, or behavior that agrees with what is morally right; goodness
foes (fohs) noun; enemies
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Understanding “If”
Name: ___________________________________________________________________________ Date: __________________
Poetry: “If” • Skill: Reading Comprehension, page 2 of 2
1.Who is the speaker in this poem, and to whom is he
or she speaking?
4. In which lines does the speaker describe taking great
risks and starting over without complaining if you fail?
A A husband is speaking to his wife.
A lines 5-6: “If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve
spoken/Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,”
B A father is speaking to his son.
C A poet is speaking to nature.
D A son is speaking to his father.
2. The speaker lists challenging actions, introducing
each one with the phrase “If you can . . . .” Which lines
state what will happen if the listener completes these
actions?
A lines 3-4: “If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster/
And treat those two impostors just the same;”
B lines 11-12: “And lose, and start again at your
beginnings,/And never breathe a word about
your loss;”
C lines 15-16: “And so hold on when there is nothing in
you/Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’ ”
D lines 23-24: “Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in
it,/And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son.”
3.What does Kipling personify in lines 3-4, when he
writes, “If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster/And
treat those two impostors just the same”?
A triumph
B triumph and disaster
C two impostors
D dreams
winnings/And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,/
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,/And
never breathe a word about your loss;”
C lines 15-16: “And so hold on when there is nothing in
you/Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’ ”
D lines 17-18: “If you can talk with crowds and keep
your virtue,/Or walk with Kings—nor lose the
common touch,”
5. Consider lines 17-20: “If you can talk with crowds
and keep your virtue,/Or walk with Kings—nor lose
the common touch,/If neither foes nor loving friends
can hurt you,/If all men count with you, but none too
much;”. The advice in these lines is:
A consider other people’s points of view, but stay true
to yourself.
B completely ignore what other people say.
C judge yourself by what others say about you.
Dtry hard to get along with others, even if it means
doing something you think is wrong.
Critical-Thinking Questions
6. Imagine that you’ve just found out you won a writing contest. You’re pretty excited—you worked really hard on your
entry—and you tell your best friend about it. Another kid overhears you and spreads rumors that you were bragging about
how smart you are. That’s totally untrue, but soon some kids are calling you names and saying you think you’re better than
everyone else. Upset, you tell your dad you wish you’d never entered the contest in the first place. Your dad tells you that
you didn’t do anything wrong, and that you can’t let what others say take away from your pride in winning the contest.
Find two lines in the poem that relate to this situation and underline them. (Note: There is more than one correct
answer.) Explain why you chose those two lines. __________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. During training, Navy SEALs must push themselves to their physical limits, continuing to work hard even when they
are completely exhausted. Find the section of the poem that describes forcing yourself to continue despite physical
exhaustion. Draw a circle around that section.
8. The speaker says you should “talk with crowds and keep your virtue,” meaning you should not let the people you hang out
with affect your morals or how you act. Do you think it requires courage to follow this advice? Explain.___________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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B lines 9-12: “If you can make one heap of all your
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Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________
Nonfiction: “The Guys Who Got bin Laden” • Skill: Reading Comprehension
Courage is the ability to do something that you know is difficult or dangerous. Facing a tough situation often
requires more than just physical ability. A person needs mental and emotional strength as well. Use this worksheet
to help you understand different types of courage in “The Guys Who Got bin Laden” in the
September 5, 2011, issue of Scope.
1. The bin Laden mission was an extremely high-stakes operation for the Navy SEALs. Give two examples of the
physical challenges and risks involved in that mission: ________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Why were the Navy SEALs under so much pressure to complete the bin Laden mission successfully?
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Training to become a Navy SEAL is grueling in many ways. From the section “Test of Courage,” give two
examples of how the training is dangerous or painful. _________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. What mental or psychological obstacles must future SEALs face during training? Give two examples from the
section “Test of Courage.” __________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. After experiencing a terrible loss, finding the strength to go on can be an overwhelming struggle. In your opinion, how did Payton Wall display courage in dealing with the death of her father? (Circle all that apply.)
She felt sorry for herself. She did well in school.
She quit playing sports.
She shared her story with Justin Bieber.
She wrote to the President. She dropped out of school.
She blamed Osama bin Laden.
She honored her father by playing sports he played.
Scholastic sCOPE activity • september 5, 2011
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Different Kinds of Courage
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THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE
Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________
Debate: “Is Facebook Making You Mean?” • Skill: Persuasive Essay, page 1 of 5
Directions: Read “Is Facebook Making You Mean?” on pages 16-18 of the September 5, 2011, issue of Scope.
Fill in the chart on page 18. Then follow the steps below to write an essay explaining your opinion of
the hazards or benefits of online communication.
Step 1: decide what you think
Do you think Facebook makes kids meaner? Consider what you read in the article, as well as your own
experiences. Check the box next to the point of view you will support in your essay. Or write your
own opinion in the space provided.
Yes! What’s with all the online bashing?
No! Facebook makes it easy to be sweet!
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Step 2: Find your support
Which of the items that you wrote in the “Yes” and “No” columns on page 18 support your opinion?
What are other points that support your opinion? List three to five support items here:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Step 3: acknowledge the other side
If you believe that Facebook is making kids meaner, summarize the positive things about Facebook. If you
believe most kids find Facebook to be a generally positive experience, summarize the ways Facebook can
be used to cause harm.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Write a Persuasive Essay
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Debate: “Is Facebook Making You Mean?” • Skill: Persuasive Essay, page 2 of 5
Step 4: CRAFT your thesis
The thesis is where you tell readers what the essay is going to be about. The thesis should be a clear,
strong statement of the opinion you stated in Step 1. The rest of your essay should support your thesis.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Step 5: Write your hook
The very beginning of your essay is called the hook because it “hooks” your readers’ attention. The hook
should relate to the topic of your essay, but it can take many forms. It can be an anecdote (a very short
story), a fact, a quote, or a rhetorical question (a question to which you don’t expect an answer). Here are
three ideas for hooks that could work for this topic. Choose one of the ideas below or use your own idea,
and write a hook on the lines provided (1-3 sentences).
1. ANECDOTE: Describe a time when someone was mean to you on Facebook. How did it make
you feel?
2. SURPRISING FACT: Find a fact that will raise your readers’ eyebrows. Several surprising facts
are included in the article. You can also do some research and find a surprising fact that is not
included in the article.
3. RHETORICAL QUESTION: Ask a question about whether Facebook is an acceptable substitute for
face-to-face interaction.
Your hook: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Step 6: Summarize the issue
Let readers know a little about the issue you will be writing about. This is not your point of view;
it’s just a very brief summary of the issue—in this case, the fact that interactions on Facebook are
quite different from other types of interactions.
Your summary of the issue: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Step 7: Start writing
Now that you have the key ingredients for your essay, you are ready to start writing. On the next page,
you’ll find guidelines for how to organize your ingredients as well as hints about what else you’ll need to add.
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Your thesis: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Debate: “Is Facebook Making You Mean?” • Skill: Persuasive Essay, page 3 of 5
Directions: Follow the guidelines below to write a strong essay on whether or not Facebook is making kids
mean. You will use what you wrote on the first two pages of this activity.
Open with your hook from Step 5.
Write a transition sentence that relates your hook to the question of whether Facebook makes it easy
for kids to be hurtful. (See Scope’s handout “Great Transitions” for some ways to link your ideas.)
Write your summary of the issue from Step 6.
Finish with your thesis from Step 4.
BODY PARAGRAPH(S)
Here’s where you write your supporting points from Step 2. For each one, write 1-3 sentences
that provide additional details. You can put all of your supporting points and detail
sentences together in one paragraph, or you can break them into three paragraphs.
It depends on how much you want to write about each point. Order your supporting points
from weakest to strongest. Readers tend to remember best the details that are presented last.
Acknowledge the other side
Now it’s time to recognize the other side of the argument. Use what you wrote in Step 3.
Then explain why you think the opposing point of view is wrong.
CONCLUSION
Use 2-3 sentences to remind your readers of your main points.
Finish with a strong final sentence. Looking for an idea? Try referring to your hook,
finding a quote, or inspiring your readers.
Read and Revise
Use Scope’s “Opinion-Essay Checklist” to evaluate and edit what you have written.
Make any necessary changes and write a second draft.
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INTRODUCTION
®
THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE
Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________
Debate: “Is Facebook Making You Mean?” • Skill: Persuasive Essay, page 2 of 5
Transitions are like bridges between your ideas—they help your readers move from one idea to the next.
Here are some transition words and phrases you may wish to use in your essay. Keep in mind that they
can be used at the beginning of a sentence or within a sentence.
If you are adding information or showing similarity between ideas:
• additionally
• besides
• so too
• first of all/secondly/thirdly
• in addition
• also
• likewise
• to begin with
• as well as
• another
• furthermore
• finally
If you are showing that one idea is different from another:
• however
• even though
• in contrast
• on the one hand/on the other hand
• yet
• despite
• still
• some people say/other people say
• but
• although
• in spite of
• regardless
If you are showing that something is an example of what you just stated:
• for example
• this can be seen • to illustrate
• for instance
• specifically
• namely
If you want to show cause and effect:
• as a result
• consequently
• it follows that • therefore • so
• eventually
If you want to add emphasis:
• in fact
• of course
• truly
• even
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• indeed
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Great Transitions
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Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________
Debate: “Is Facebook Making You Mean?” • Skill: Persuasive Essay, page 3 of 5
Directions: Use this guide to check your own essay, or exchange papers with a classmate and use the list
to check each other ’s essays. In the margins of the essay you are checking, make notes about anything
that needs to be revised.
Introduction
3 Does the first sentence grab readers’ attention?
3 Does the first paragraph provide a general overview of the essay’s topic?
3 Does the first paragraph include a thesis statement that strongly and clearly states the writer’s
point of view? Does the thesis clue readers in as to what the essay is going to be about?
Body Paragraphs
3 Do they contain a total of at least three points that support the thesis?
3 Do they provide details to further explain each of the three supporting points?
3 Are the supporting details presented in order from weakest to strongest?
3 D o you acknowledge an opposing point of view and then explain why you think it isn’t strong
enough to challenge your point of view?
Conclusion
3 Does the last paragraph remind readers of the main points of the essay, without going
into too much detail and repeating everything readers just read?
3 Is the conclusion free of new information (such as another supporting point)?
3 Does the last sentence leave readers with a strong final impression?
General
3 Does one idea flow smoothly into the next?
3 Do the sentence structures and lengths vary?
3 Does every sentence relate to the thesis?
3 Does everything make sense?
3 Is the essay convincing?
3 Are the grammar, punctuation, and spelling correct?
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Persuasive-Essay Checklist
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THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE
Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________
PLAY: The Tell-Tale Heart • Skill: Reading Comprehension
Directions: Read the play The Tell-Tale Heart in this issue of Scope. Then answer the multiple-choice and criticalthinking questions below.
1. What does the sound of the old
man’s beating heart symbolize?
A the police officers’ suspicion
of the villain
B the villain’s guilt
C the old man’s sadness
D the old man’s nervousness
2.The villain says about the old man’s
sickly eye, “Whenever it looked at
me, my blood ran cold.” The phrase
my blood ran cold is
A a simile comparing his blood
with cold water.
B imagery that represents murder.
C an idiom that means filled me
with terror.
D hyperbole that refers to the
temperature of his blood.
3.Why does the villain kill the
old man?
A He is convinced the old man
is trying to kill him.
B He wants to get rid of the old
man’s evil eye.
C He wants the old man’s money.
D He thinks he’ll never be caught.
4.Why do the words the eye appear
in all capital letters throughout
Scene 2?
A to show how much the old
man’s eye disturbs the villain
B to show how terrified the old
man is of the villain
C to demonstrate the old man’s
innocence
D to demonstrate how keen
the villain’s senses are
5. In Scene 4, why don’t the police
officers react to the sound of the
beating heart coming from the
floorboards?
A They are pretending they don’t
hear it so the villain will confess
his crime.
B They don’t know that the sound
is the old man’s heart beating.
C They are not very observant.
D They don’t hear it. The sound
is in the villain’s mind.
6. Which of the following is the main
focus of the story?
A the relationship between the
old man and the villain
B the details of the murder
C the villain’s mental state
D the police officers’ behavior
7. What does tell-tale mean?
A unstoppable
B confessing without resistance
C punishing publicly
D an outward sign
8.Which of the following best
describes the purpose of the sidebar
“Go Back in Time” on page 15?
A to explain why Poe’s writing is
still so popular today
B to describe what it was like to
go to school in a one-room
schoolhouse
C to help the reader understand
why the villain killed the old man
D to provide an overview of what
life was like during Poe’s time
Critical-Thinking Questions
9. Do you think the villain is a reliable narrator? In other words, do you believe that everything happened exactly the way he
says it did? Why or why not? ___________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
10. O
nomatopoeia is the use of a word that sounds like the thing it stands for—buzz and ding, for example. What are
examples of onomatopoeia in the play? Why do you think the writer uses a lot of onomatopoeia in the play?_____________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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The Tell-Tale Heart Quiz
Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________
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THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE
PLAY: The Tell-Tale Heart • Skill: Critical Thinking
Critical-Thinking Questions
The Tell-Tale Heart
2. How does the sound of the heart affect the tension level in Scene 2?
3. Why does the villain confess?
4. Do you think the heart’s sounds are real, or are they in the villain’s imagination? Explain.
5. Do you think there is any humor in this play? If so, where?
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1. Why does the villain kill the old man?
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THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE
Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________
PLAY: The Tell-Tale Heart • Skill: Vocabulary Acquisition, page 1 of 2
The Tell-Tale Heart
1. belittle (bih-LIT-l) verb; to describe someone or something as little or unimportant
example: Alex was frustrated by the way his sister constantly belittled his achievements.
2. blather (BLATH-er)1. verb; to talk foolishly at length; to babble; 2. noun; foolish or dull talk that
goes on for a long time
example: Miss Fletcher listened, her eyebrows raised high, as Manny blathered on about his
missing homework. He told her some complicated story about how he left it on the kitchen table,
and his family’s new kitten knocked it off, and then their dog ate it, and he would have redone it,
but he didn’t realize it was missing until the next morning, because . . . well, you get the idea.
3. bloodcurdling (BLUHD-kurd-ling) adjective; causing great horror; terrifying
example: The farmer and his wife were awakened in the middle of the night by a bloodcurdling
shriek coming from the barn.
4. cease (SEESS) verb; to stop; to come to an end
example: All conversation ceased when Angelina entered the room. There was complete silence
as she walked slowly to her table in the corner.
5. Darjeeling (dahr-JEE-ling) noun; a type of black tea grown in the Darjeeling region of India
example: Each afternoon, Ms. Griswold enjoys a cup of Darjeeling and a cucumber sandwich.
6. gargoyle (GAHR-goil) noun; a strange or frightening carved figure of a human or animal sticking
out from under the roof of a building
example: On each side of the archway was a stone gargoyle with a twisted face and huge wings.
7. keen (KEEN) adjective; very strong and sensitive
example: Vanessa’s keen eyesight helped her find DeeDee’s missing earring in the carpet.
8. marrow (MARE-oh) noun; the soft tissue that fills the innermost part of bones
example: Raphael donated some of his bone marrow to help treat his cousin’s leukemia.
9. stifled (STIHY-fuhld) adjective; kept in or held back; repressed
example: The room was full of stifled yawns as Ed’s speech went on and on.
10. vex (VEKS) verb; to annoy or bring distress
example: My mom was clearly vexed by our flight delay, but my dad seemed to take it in stride.
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Vocabulary:
Name: ______________________________________________________________________ Date: ____________________
PLAY: The Tell-Tale Heart • Skill: Vocabulary Acquisition, page 2 of 2
Vocabulary Practice:
The Tell-Tale Heart
Word Bank
belittle
bloodcurdling
Darjeeling
keen
stifled
blather
cease
gargoyle
marrow
vex
1._Drew’s father could ____________________ on for hours on end about the invention of Scotch tape.
2._Whenever I walk past the old building on the corner, I feel like the eyes of the ____________________
are watching me.
3._“That’s enough!” Ms. Abernathy said to Harry and Larry. “You must ____________________ this
quarreling at once!”
4._The loud music coming from next door continued to ____________________ Annali’s family.
5._Reiko is a great softball player, but she has a tendency to ____________________ her teammates
by making fun of them whenever they make mistakes.
6._“Would you like green tea, peppermint, or ____________________?” the waitress asked.
7._Chloe didn’t want Matt to know she was upset. She walked into his party with a strained smile
and ____________________ anger.
8._Many search-and-rescue teams employ dogs because of their ____________________ sense of smell.
9._The most disturbing part of the horror movie was not what we actually saw, but what we imagined
while hearing the ____________________ screams coming from off-screen.
10. The witness felt the accused man’s stare deep in the ____________________ of his bones.
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Directions: Complete the sentences using the vocabulary words listed in the Word Bank.
®
THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE
Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________
play: The Tell-Tale Heart • Skill: Understanding Mood, page 1 of 2
Directions: Answer each question to help you identify the mood of The Tell-Tale Heart, and how the writer
creates that mood. Below, we provide some words that describe mood; feel free to choose from our list or
come up with your own words when answering the questions.
Words That Describe Mood
anxious
bouncy
calm
celebratory
cheerful
creepy
dreamy
eerie
exciting
freaky
frightening
frustrating
funny
hopeful
horrifying
humorous
inspiring
intense
irritating
joyous
lighthearted
lonely
mellow
mysterious
nightmarish
romantic
sad
scary
sorrowful
spooky
suspenseful
tense
tragic
uneasy
unnerving
ILLUSTRATIONS
1. Look at the illustrations on pages 11, 12, and 14. List two or three adjectives that describe the mood of each.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Now think about how the artist created that mood. Is it the colors she used? The style of the illustrations?
The subject matter? Particular details that she included or emphasized? Explain. __________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
SCENE 1
3. Consider the following words and phrases from the Ravens’ introduction:
zombie
vampires
candlelight
bloodcurdling
murder
morgues
gargoyles
graveyards
man who lost his mind
What do these words and phrases have in common? _____________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. In some of the villain’s lines, some or all of the words appear in capital letters. How does reading or hearing
these lines make you feel? Why? ________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Thinking About Mood
Name: ___________________________________________________________________________ Date: __________________
play: The Tell-Tale Heart • Skill: Understanding Mood, page 2 of 2
SCENE 2
5. At what time of day do the events in this scene take place? ________________________________________________
How does this affect the mood of the scene? _____________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. What is the main event of this scene?____________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. List two or three adjectives that describe the mood of this scene. _________________________________________
Now list at least three words or phrases in the scene that help create this mood. ___________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
SCENE 3
9. Consider what the police officers say and how they say it. How do they affect the mood of the scene?
Do they, for example, increase the terror, add a note of humor, or increase the tension? Explain. ____________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
10. What sounds (other than regular speaking) occur in this scene? How do these sounds affect the mood?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
11. Describe the villain’s state of mind during this scene. How does it change? ________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
12. Does the tension increase or decrease during this scene? What causes it to increase or decrease?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
13. Consider what the Ravens say and how they say it, in this scene and throughout the play. How do they affect
the mood? Explain. ____________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Now use your answers to help you respond to the prompt on page 15: What is the mood of The Tell-Tale Heart?
How does the writer create that mood? That is, what images, words, ideas, or other details caused you to feel the
way you felt? Write a paragraph explaining your answers. Write on the back of this page or on your own paper.
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6. What sounds (other than regular speaking) occur in this scene? How do these sounds affect the mood?
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THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE
Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________
THEN & NOW: “America’s Bad Habit” • Skill: Compare and Contrast, page 1 of 2
Directions: Use the articles “Blowing Smoke” and “Cigarettes Kill” to complete the chart below. In each row, fill
in the second and third columns. Then decide whether the information in the two columns is similar or different
(or both) and put check marks in the appropriate column(s).
1950s and Early ’60s
Present Day
Similar
Different
Percentage of adult
smokers in the U.S.
The price of a pack
of cigarettes
Where smoking is
permitted
Government
regulation of the
tobacco industry
Measures in place to
discourage people
from smoking
In general, the
public’s belief about
smoking’s effect on
health
Why people smoke
(Write your own.)
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How Has Smoking Changed?
Name: ___________________________________________________________________________ Date: __________________
THEN & NOW: “America’s Bad Habit” • Skill: Compare and Contrast, page 2 of 2
Directions: Use what you entered in the chart to write an essay about how America’s laws and attitudes about
smoking have changed since the 1950s. We’ve supplied a few key sentences and some guidelines about what else
to write.
Explain current
government
regulation of the
tobacco industry.
Explain
government
regulation of the
tobacco industry
in the 1950s. Tell
where and how
cigarettes were
advertised.
Provide a
few support
sentences
telling what
makes buying
and smoking
cigarettes more
difficult now than
in the past.
Explain what most
people now think
about the risks
of smoking. Tell
how people learn
about these risks.
Explain what most
people in the
1950s and ’60s
thought about the
risks of smoking.
Suggest a way
to further reduce
smoking rates.
Smoking in the United States has changed a lot since the 1950s. To begin with, far fewer
people smoke today than back then. _________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________
One reason for this decrease is that today, the government ______________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
In the 1950s, however,__________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
There are more obstacles to buying and smoking cigarettes than there used to be, as well. _
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________
Also, people are more aware of smoking’s dangers today than they were in the 1950s.
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
What will it take to lower smoking rates even further?_______________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Scholastic sCOPE activity • september 5, 2011
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Tell how many
American adults
smoke today, and
how many smoked
in the 1950s
and ’60s.
®
THE LANGUAGE ARTS MAGAZINE
Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: ______________
THEN & NOW: “America’s Bad Habit” • SKILL: Reading Comprehension
Scope Crossword Puzzle
1
2
4
3
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
ACROSS
2. Tobacco companies
used ___ to try to
persuade people that
filter-tip cigarettes
were safer.
5. Today’s high ___ on
cigarettes have helped
reduce smoking rates.
10. Many more ___ on
cigarette advertising
exist now than in the
1950s.
11. Tobacco companies
once claimed that their
products were not ___
to people’s health.
12. Today, it is illegal to
___ cigarettes on TV.
13. ___ Americans smoke
now than in the 1950s
doWN
7. I t’s shocking now,
but people used to be
able to buy and smoke
cigarettes in these.
1. o
ne reason some kids
start smoking (2 words)
3. Smoking can ___ your
teeth.
8. S moking has been
linked to cancer in
this part of the body.
4. Experts believe that
actors who smoke in
movies contribute to
___ smoking.
6. ___ and laws about
smoking have changed a
lot in the past 50 years.
Scholastic sCOPE activity • september 5, 2011
9. the substance that
makes cigarettes
addictive
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Directions: See how much you remember from the articles “Cigarettes Kill” and “Blowing Smoke.” Put your
knowledge to the test with our crossword puzzle.