Reading Worksheet

Name __________________________ Date _______________ 90

V 6.1.2 Distinguish and interpret figurative language and multiple-meaning words.

Form A
Figurative language is the imaginative, creative use of words that allows the reader to see
something in a new way. Common forms of figurative language are similes, metaphors,
personification, and vivid imagery. In the following poem, look carefully for figurative language.

Winter Dark
Lillian Moore

Winter dark comes early

mixing afternoon
and night.
Soon
there’s a comma of a moon,

and each street light

along the
way
puts its period
to the end of day.

Now
a neon sign
punctuates the dark
with a bright
blinking
breathless
exclamation mark!

1. What two things are compared in the first stanza?

________________________________________________________________

2. What is the second comparison in the poem?

________________________________________________________________

3. In the final stanza, what two items are being compared?

________________________________________________________________

4. Is the following sentence a metaphor, personification, or a simile?

The cafeteria was like a three ring circus.
_____________________________________________________________________________

5. What is the sentence trying to describe about the cafeteria?

________________________________________________________________

Reading Worksheet 1
 Reading Worksheet
Name __________________________ Date _______________ 90

In the following sentences, underline the word that has multiple meanings. On the line below
the sentence, give an example of a different way to use that word.

Ex: My little sister really got us in a jam when she lied to Mom about where we were going.
I like to put jam on my toast.

6. The dog had a loud and menacing bark.

________________________________________________________________

7. Your new watch coordinates with your outfit.

________________________________________________________________

8. My father prefers to wear a tie to work.

________________________________________________________________

9. Take the pink slip to your teacher immediately.

________________________________________________________________

10. I purchased a new type of marker.

________________________________________________________________

Reading Worksheet 2
 Reading Worksheet
Name __________________________ Date _______________ 90

Form B

Figurative language is the imaginative, creative use of words that allows the reader to see
something in a new way. Common forms of figurative language are similes, metaphors,
personification, and vivid imagery.

1. Underline the simile in the following sentence.

The rain fell like small kisses on Rosemary’s face.

2. What is the sentence saying about the rain?

_______________________________________________________________

3. Underline the personification in the following sentence.

The sun’s face smiled down on me and warmed my skin.

4. What is the sentence trying to say about the sun?

_______________________________________________________________

5. Does the following sentence contain a simile, metaphor, or personification?

The classroom was a hive of busy worker bees.
________________________________________________________________

In the following sentences, underline the word that has multiple meanings. On the line below
the sentence, give an example of a different way to use that word.

Ex: My little sister really got us in a jam when she lied to Mom about where we were going.
I like to put jam on my toast.

6. We went on a wonderful trip during vacation.

________________________________________________________________

7. We carefully led the young horse into his stall.

________________________________________________________________

8. The stern of the great ship sank slowing into the ocean.
________________________________________________________________

9. In the long drought, the water in the well dried up completely.

________________________________________________________________

10. Our teacher designated a special space for each student.

________________________________________________________________

Reading Worksheet 3
 Reading Worksheet
Name __________________________ Date _______________ 90

V 6.1.4 Use context clues.

Form A

Use the context clues in the sentences to determine which words belong in the blanks.

rely determination peered urgency rookie

dispose accelerated extinct evidence lifeless

1. “I need to _____________ on you to take good care of your baby sister,” Mom said.

2. Marsha _____________ out the window to see what had made that loud noise. When she looked
closely, she could see a raccoon.

3. We need to _____________ of all the junk in the bottom of your closet. If we don’t get rid of it,
you’re going to run out of room.

4. The runners _____________, or went faster, as they got closer to the finish line.

5. The player won the “_____________ of the Year” award at the end of his first season.

6. Susan’s _____________ and hard work paid off when she finally finished the long project and got
an A.

7. In science, we use the word _____________ to mean that an entire species has died off.

8. The _____________ body of the doll sat hunched over on the little girls unmade bed.

9. The lawyer brought a lot of _____________ to court in order to prove that his client was not guilty.

10. The baby was coming right now and there was a great sense of _____________ as we rushed to
the hospital!

Reading Worksheet 4
 Reading Worksheet
Name __________________________ Date _______________ 90

Form B

Use the context clues in the sentences to determine which words belong in the blanks.

communicate awkward bragged interfering permitted

intricate metropolis massive excluding durable

1. The _____________ young deer kept falling and stumbling on its new legs.

2. I was impressed with the _____________ beadwork and tiny stitches on the beautiful dress.

3. Everyone seemed annoyed when John _____________ and told us how great he was at soccer.

4. Even though she had asked her parents nicely, Sarah was not _____________ to get her ears
pierced.

5. The busy _____________ was full of cars, people, buildings, and noises.

6. When you go to a job interview it is extremely important that you _____________ clearly so they
can understand exactly what you are trying to say.

7. The cruel group of girls kept _____________ Jan and not letting her play with them.

8. I looked up at the _____________ structure and was shocked at how large it was.

9. My mother bought me the _____________ binder so it would last all school year without breaking.

10. Jose really wanted his parents to stop _____________ in his life and getting into his business.
He just wanted to do things on his own.

Reading Worksheet 5
 Reading Worksheet
Name __________________________ Date _______________ 91

V 6.1.5 Understand and explain “shades of meaning” for related words (e.g. softly and quietly).

Form A

1. Which word means the most quiet?

a. silently b. quietly c. softly

2. Which emotion implies the strongest feelings?

a. like b. adoration c. fondness

3. Which word means the most alike?

a. comparable b. similar c. equivalent

4. Which word implies the most action?

a. seize b. arrest c. apprehend

5. Which word implies the biggest amount of people?

a. group b. team c. mob

Form B

1. Which word indicates the strongest belief?

a. notion b. thought c. conviction

2. Which word implies the most light is being shone?

a. shine b. blaze c. glow

3. Which word means the smallest action?

a. nibble b. chew c. chomp

4. Which word means the smartest?

a. bright b. genius c. intelligent

5. Which word implies the biggest change?

a. convert b. alter c. modify

Reading Worksheet 6
 Reading Worksheet
Name __________________________ Date _______________ 91

C 6.2.2 Analyze text that uses the “compare and contrast” organizational pattern.

Form A

Compare and contrast the following story. Use the Venn diagram to show the similarities and
differences.

Baseball and Softball

Baseball and softball are two popular sports. Baseball teams have nine players
while softball teams, or what is known as slow-pitch softball, have ten players. Both
games share similar equipment, although there are a few differences in the size and
make-up of the equipment. Many slow-pitch games use a 12-inch ball, while baseball
players use a ball that measures from 9 to 9 1/4 inches. Softball bats may be made of
wood, metal, plastic, of fiberglass. Baseball bats are usually made of ash wood.
Batters may bunt and runners may steal bases in baseball, but slow-pitch rules prohibit
bunting and base stealing.

Softball Baseball

Both

Reading Worksheet 7
 Reading Worksheet
Name __________________________ Date _______________ 91

Form B

Compare and contrast the following story. Use the Venn diagram to show the similarities and
differences.

Dream Dawgs Obedience School

"Well, who do we have here?" said the woman who opened the door at the Dream Dawgs
Obedience School. "And how will I tell them apart?"
"Rex is the one with the white spot on his nose,” I said. Even I couldn't tell them apart unless
they were facing me. They were identical chocolate-brown Labrador retrievers with beautiful, shiny
coats and long, lean legs.
"Well, come on in. We are just about to start," she said, ushering us into a large room filled
with dogs and owners.
Within seconds, Rusty started barking excitedly at the other dogs. He pulled hard at the end of
the leash, and I had to struggle to hold him. Rex, on the other hand, started shaking like a leaf. He lay
down at my feet and wouldn't budge as he whimpered and glared at the other dogs.
"Now owners, gather round," called the woman. "With your hand, press lightly on your dog's
rear and say, 'Sit.'"
I reached down to my left, but friendly Rusty had moved over and was licking the head of a
gray poodle. When I looked to my right, Rex had disappeared behind my legs. I gave his leash a
small tug, but he just cowered by my legs and let out a deep growl. This wasn't going to be easy.

Rusty Rex

Both

Reading Worksheet 8
 Reading Worksheet
Name __________________________ Date _______________ 91

Form C

Compare and contrast the following story. Use the Venn diagram to show the similarities and
differences.
Going Home

Felita lives with her family in New York City. She loves going to Jones Beach, Coney Island, and the Bronx
Zoo. She also loves the street fairs, the block parties, and the concerts in the park. But she is very excited
when one summer, her dream of visiting her relatives in Puerto Rico comes true. Her whole family goes to
Puerto Rico for a visit with Uncle Jorge. The excerpt begins with the first evening of their arrival.
That evening I met so many relatives I never even knew I had, like all kinds of cousins, aunts, and
uncles. Most of the grown-ups sat out in back talking. I could hear Mami's laugh and Papi's voice coming
through all the other voices. The real little kids were inside watching T.V. Lina kept on following me around and
babbling nonstop. I was beginning to feel like I was Consuela minding little Joanie.
Most of us kids were hanging out on the front porch. In fact it looked like most of the neighborhood was
doing the same. Cars and trucks kept coming down the block so that the kids playing out in the street had to
jump back onto the sidewalk. When an ice-cream truck came by and parked by the corner, Abuelo bought all of
us ice cream. As I sat on the steps watching the action, a strange feeling came over me: I felt like I had been
here before. Then I realized that in so many ways it was just like I was back on my own street. The traffic, the
grown-ups and kids hanging out, and the ice-cream truck were so much like home.
But here everyone spoke Spanish and being outside was real easy. You didn't have to go up and down
the stairs or go in and out of big buildings. Also there were so many plants and trees around that it felt and
smelled like I was in the park. I thought about all my friends, especially Gigi, Consuela, and Vinny. Right now I
bet they were hanging out just like me. How I wished they could all be here with me and see some of this.

New York Puerto Rico

Both

Reading Worksheet 9
 Reading Worksheet
Name __________________________ Date _______________ 92

C 6.2.3 Connect and clarify main ideas by identifying their relationships to other sources and related
topics.

Form A

Have you ever wondered if time travel is possible? If you have you’re not alone. Philosophers
and scientists, including Albert Einstein, have studied the concept of time. Writers have written stories
about time travel into the past and future. Television shows and movies like Star Trek and The
Terminator explore the possibilities of time travel.
Although time travel may not be possible in the near future, history has taught us that
advanced technology is capable of the impossible. In the beginning of the century, many people
doubted that humans would ever fly. Today we can get from one ocean to another in a matter of
hours. Likewise, the thought of flying to the moon seemed an impossibility, but today we have the
spacecraft to get us there and back. Perhaps someday we will have a machine capable of
transporting people into the past or future.

Main Idea 1 Main Idea 2

Detail Detail Detail Detail Detail Detail

What other books, stories, or movies are about this topic?

________________________________________________________________
How do they relate to the paragraphs above? Where would they fit in the passage?
________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________

Reading Worksheet 10
 Reading Worksheet
Name __________________________ Date _______________ 92

Form B
Civilizations of Mesoamerica

Before Europeans arrived in the Americas, Mesoamerica (which includes Mexico and Central America) was home
to several advanced civilizations. Three of the main groups were the Olmecs, the Maya, and the Aztecs.
The Olmecs were the first to create an advanced civilization. Around 1200 B.C. they began to build cities and
create a trade network in in the jungles of southeastern Mexico, along the Gulf of Mexico. They carved giant stone heads,
some weighing as much as forty-four tons. By 400 B.C. their culture was in decline, but their achievements influenced
other civilizations to come.
By A.D. 250 another powerful culture, the Maya, had emerged in Mesoamerica. The Maya built great stone cities,
or ceremonial centers, in the lowland jungles and mountain highlands of southern Mexico and northern Central America.
Mayan cities, including Palenque, Tikal, and Copan, featured elaborate pyramids, temples, and palaces. The Maya built
irrigation canals for their fields. They also developed a writing system, a calendar, and advanced knowledge of
mathematics and astronomy. After A.D. 900 their culture began to decline, though Mayan peoples continue to live in the
region to this day.
The third great civilization of Mesoamerica was the Aztec. It emerged in the dry highlands of central Mexico after
A.D. 1200. The Aztecs built a great city, Tenochtitlan, on an island in a large lake in the Valley of Mexico. They were also
great warriors. By the early 1500s they had conquered many neighboring groups and had created a large empire. When
the Spanish arrived in Mexico in 1519, they were astounded by the wealth and achievements of the Aztec empire.

Topic 1 Topic 2 Topic 3

What other books, stories, or movies are about this topic? How do they relate to the paragraphs
above?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Reading Worksheet 11
 Reading Worksheet
Name __________________________ Date _______________ 92

C 6.2.6 Determine the adequacy and appropriateness of an author’s evidence for his or her
conclusions.

The following letters were written to a newspaper editor after he printed an article about the death
penalty. After reading the responses, answer the questions.

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor:
Ralph Worthington's recent column "The Death Penalty Only Adds One More Death" is completely
mistaken. It does add one more death; but in the long run, capital punishment stops murder because
when people know they will be severely punished for a crime, they will think twice before committing
it. That's just common sense.
John Barnes
LA, CA

Dear Editor:
Ralph Worthington is absolutely correct. A society that kills only lets it be known that violence
is acceptable. And by doing that, it—the society—makes more murder more likely. The Bible
says, "Thou Shalt Not Kill."
Donald T. Willette
Newport, CA

Dear Editor:
The Bible says, "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth." So put me down as
being for capital punishment in every case where a murder has been
committed.
Ruth Warren
Long Beach, CA

Dear Editor:
Most murders are committed in quarrels where the murderer is very unlikely to have any kind of
future penalty in mind. So what good does the death penalty do?
Barbara Vance
Paramount, CA

Dear Editor:
My own son was murdered two years ago. But killing the murderer won't bring my David back. I don't
see how a second crime can really erase the first one.
A mother
Seal Beach, CA

Reading Worksheet 12
 Reading Worksheet
Name __________________________ Date _______________ 92

1. The author of the first letter, John Barnes, makes what claim that supports the death penalty?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________

2. Do you agree with his reasoning? Why or why not?

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________

3. The mother in the final letter backs her argument with evidence that no one else has. What
evidence does she have to back her argument?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________

4. Why might someone listen to the mother’s side of the issue instead of Ruth Warren’s?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________

5. Donald Willette and Ruth Warren use the same source to back their arguments, but they are
fighting for two different sides. How can the same source support two different sides of an
issue?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________

6. What additional information could be added to Barbara Vance’s argument to strengthen her
point?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________

7. What might offend people about Ruth’s argument?

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________

8. Whose point do you think is the strongest? Why?

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________

Reading Worksheet 13
 Reading Worksheet
Name __________________________ Date _______________ 93

L 6.3.2 Analyze the effect of the qualities of the character on the plot and the resolution of the conflict.

In any story, the characters’ personal qualities make a big difference in how the story turns out. After
reading the story provided by your teacher, please think carefully about the character(s) in the story
and how their feelings and actions changed the way the story ended. Then answer the following
questions:

Title _______________________________

1. Who was one of the main characters in the story? ______________________

2. Describe that character’s personality? What were they like?

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________

3. What was a problem or conflict in the story?

________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________

4. How did the problem get resolved?

________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________

5. How did the character’s personality or personal qualities affect the way the story turned out?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________

Reading Worksheet 14
 Reading Worksheet
Name __________________________ Date _______________ 93

L 6.3.8 Critique the credibility of the characterization and the degree to which a plot is contrived or
realistic.

Sometimes in life, and in literature, we hear information about someone that may or may not be
accurate. For example, what you say about your brother after he hits you is very different than what
you would say about him after he gives you a birthday present. As another example, what you might
say about your feelings in your private diary is different than what you would tell your friends at
school. You have to consider the time, place, and source of the information. In literature this is true
as well. Authors use direct descriptions, other characters, actions, thoughts, and many other ways to
inform you about the characters in a story. You need to be able to tell if the characterization is
credible or not!

Using a story from your textbook, newspaper, or magazine, answer the following questions.

Title _______________________________________________

1. Who was one of the main characters in the passage?

___________________________________________________________

2. Describe that character’s personality.

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________

3. How did you learn that information about the character?

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________

4. Considering the source of the information, would you say that the characterization is credible
and accurate? Why or why not?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

5. Overall, did you feel that the plot of the story was realistic or contrived?
Why?______________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

Reading Worksheet 15
 Reading Worksheet
Name __________________________ 127

V 7.1.1 Identify idioms, analogies, metaphors, and similes in prose and poetry.

Form A

Each of the following sentences contains an idiom, analogy, metaphor, or simile. Underline it and
write an I, A, M, or S on the line to show which of the four it is.

1. My mother has such a green thumb and can grow anything. _____
2. His future is an open book, just waiting to be read. _____
3. Water is to a cat what schoolwork is to me. _____
4. We had to wait for Karen because she was as slow as a snail. _____
5. John is all thumbs and can’t build anything without breaking it. _____
6. The river of life seems to pass on by. _____
7. A brush is to a painter what a word is to an author. _____
8. I was as white as a ghost. _____
9. Tommy cries just like a baby when he gets mad. _____
10. If you butter up the teacher, you have a good chance of getting your way. ___

Form B

Each of the following sentences contains an idiom, analogy, metaphor, or simile. Underline it and
write an I, A, M, or S on the line to show which of the four it is.

1. Sometimes I feel like my parents are to me what a guard is to a prisoner. ___

2. I drove quickly down the road like a racecar driver on a track. _____
3. I had to put my foot in my mouth when I realized I was wrong. _____
4. My thoughts are an eagle souring above the noise of the city. _____
5. She blew the whistle on Tom when she found out he cheated on the test. ___
6. Your family is a safety net that catches you when you fall. _____
7. I didn’t want anyone to spill the beans about the surprise party. _____
8. Mom’s chocolate cake tastes like a little piece of heaven. _____
9. Without dreams, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly. _____
10. The bad news was like a splash of cold water. _____

Reading Worksheet 16
 Reading Worksheet
Name __________________________ 127

V 7.1.2 Use knowledge of Greek, Latin, and Anglo-Saxon roots and affixes to understand content
area vocabulary.

Form A
Match the words on the left with the correct definitions on the right.

1. telegram _____ A. resembling green

2. underground _____ B. one who is not thankful
3. championship _____ C. an oven that uses electromagnetic waves
4. cosmic _____ D. device that makes sound louder
5. greenish _____ E. relating to the universe
6. inflexible _____ F. not able to bend
7. microphone _____ G. written message sent over a distance
8. ingrate _____ H. men united for a purpose
9. microwave _____ I. beneath the ground
10. brotherhood _____ J. final game or tournament

Form B
Match the words on the left with the correct definitions on the right.

1. kingdom _____ A. land ruled by a monarch

2. overseas _____ B. abroad, on another continent
3. abbreviation _____ C. glowing, bright
4. logical _____ D. pulled out of place
5. telescope _____ E. having many sides
6. invariable _____ F. to make pleased or satisfied
7. gratify _____ G. object used to see great distances
8. multilateral _____ H. in a sensible order; something that makes
9. dislocated _____ sense
10. aglow _____ I. shortened version of a word or phrase
J. unable to change
Form C
Match the words on the left with the correct definitions on the right.

1. legislation _____ A. distance across the center of a circle

2. diameter _____ B. act of starting a new colony
3. dictator _____ C. process by which a liquid turns to a gas
4. evaporation _____ D. union formed between groups or individuals
5. segregation _____ E. separation of two or more types
6. alliance _____ F. person with absolute authority
7. hemisphere _____ G. half of a sphere
8. prototype _____ H. written laws or the making of laws
9. digestion _____ I. act of breaking down food
10. colonization _____ J. trial or test model

Reading Worksheet 17
 Reading Worksheet
Name __________________________ 127

V 7.1.3 Clarify word meaning through the use of definition, example, restatement, or contrast.

Form A

Use definition, example, restatement and contrast clues to determine the correct vocabulary word
from the list below for each item. Read each sentence with your word choice to make sure it fits the
overall meaning.

valiant sulk provisions reveal shrewd

abruptly rotate abroad brooding flimsy
1. Although reluctant at first, he overcame his fear and proved to be a _____ hero.

2. Instead of slowing gradually, the car braked when a squirrel ran in

front of it.

3. Are you sure we packed enough or supplies for the trip?

4. Small children often like to in swivel chairs until they become dizzy.

5. Dana kept puzzling and over her disastrous science project.

6. Once Phil gets to know you, he will , or display a fun and lively side
of himself.

7. The ___ politician knew just what he needed to do to get the votes.

8. I lived in Spain for several years before coming here.

9. The wood used for the boat is very ; are you sure it will float?

10. Rather than , try to make the most out of a difficult situation.

Reading Worksheet 18
 Reading Worksheet
Name __________________________ 127

Form B

Use definition, example, restatement and contrast clues to determine the correct vocabulary word
from the list below for each item. Read each sentence with your word choice to make sure it fits the
overall meaning.

limber erupt unite exposure recollection

gauge violate wilt rummage compassionate

1. If you __________________ the rules at school, you may find yourself in the principal’s office.

2. Don’t expect us to be gentle and __________________ with you if you break the law.

3. Stretching before you exercise will help make you more __________________ and flexible.

4. Dad will __________________ with anger when he finds out what we did. He will be like a
volcano!

5. According to my __________________, I haven’t been sick in years. My memory isn’t perfect,

though.

6. We must __________________ on this issue and work together.

7. The spy decided to __________________ and search through files.

8. She was looking for secrets worthy of __________________ so she could bring them into the
open.

9. For a science experiment, we will __________________, or measure, this month’s rainfall.

10. After working for hours under this hot sun, I am about to __________________ and faint!

Reading Worksheet 19
 Reading Worksheet
Name __________________________ 128

C 7.2.2 Locate information using a variety of consumer, workplace, and public documents.

Form A

Corn Poppers Nutrition Information

These roasted poppers of corn are fortified with 20 important vitamins and iron!

Nutrition information per serving: Percentage of U.S. Recommended Daily

Serving size: 1 ounce corn poppers alone Allowances in Corn Poppers
or with ½ cup vitamin D fortified whole milk.
Servings per package: 8
With With
1 Oz. 1/2 Cup Milk 1 Oz. 1/2 Cup Milk
Calories 120 180 Protein 4% 10 %
Protein 3g 6g Vitamin A 25 % 30 %
Carbohydrates 24 g 30 g Vitamin C 25 % 25 %
Sodium 350 mg 410mg Thiamin 25 % 35 %
Fat 0g 4g Niacin 15 % 15 %

1. There are important vitamins and iron in Corn Poppers.

2. There are servings in each box of Corn Poppers.
3. An ounce of Corn Poppers contains calories.
4. There are g of fat in one ounce of Corn Poppers.
5. A whole box of Corn Poppers would contain g of protein.

Read each of the statements below. After each write K,

Hi Tek Pants Kerri’s Jeans H, and/or R, depending on whether the statement is
W – 32 L – 34 Come in all sizes: S - M - L – XL about Kerri's, HiTek, or Rentog pants.
100% Orlon Acrylic with a remarkable In business for over 100 years!
premium yarn! Shrinkage controlled at 2 percent.
Every pair Satisfaction Guaranteed.
Give the appearance of worsted wool.
Hand wash only! Place on flat surface and
___6. Contains 60% Polyester
bunch lightly to air dry.
___7. Looks like expensive wool
___8. Has a satisfaction guarantee
RENTOG Slims
Permanent Press 60% Polyester 40% Cotton ___9. Says not to bleach
Machine wash in warm water with like colors. No bleach.
Tumble dry at medium setting.
___10. These come in all sizes.

Reading Worksheet 20
 Reading Worksheet
Name __________________________ 128

Form B
How to Use DRAIN-CLEAN
Note: Follow special instructions to open the Safety-Guard cap on this bottle.

DRAIN-CLEAN
• Works down through standing water
• Cuts through grease and dissolves hair
• Is safe for garbage disposals and all pipes
Warnings: Do not squeeze bottle when opening. Pour slowly at all times. Avoid any contact with eyes, skin, or
clothing. Keep children away from areas where Drain-Clean is being used. Do not use a plunger at any time when
working with Drain-Clean.
For clogged drains: Use ½ bottle, even if there is standing water. Allow to stand for 45 minutes. Then repeat
application. Flush drain very slowly with lukewarm water.
For sluggish drains: Use ¼ bottle. Allow to stand for 20 minutes. Then, rinse the drain very carefully with lukewarm
water.
Emergency treatment: If Drain-Clean gets in eyes or on skin, wash off with water. If swallowed, drink large quantities
of water, milk, or raw eggs. Then, call a physician.

Write T if the statement is true. Write F if it is false.

1. If you had a drain that was badly clogged, you might use up the whole bottle in unclogging it. __

2. Drain-Clean will not work where there is a large amount of hair in the drain. __

3. After using Drain-Clean, you should flush the drain with very hot water. __

4. Drain-Clean is safe for both pipes and garbage disposals. __

5. Using a plunger while using Drain-Clean is highly recommended if you want to unclog your drains
quickly. __

Reading Worksheet 21
 Reading Worksheet
Name __________________________ 128

Below is a section from a change of address card that a person fills out and gives to a clerk at
the post office to have mail forwarded. Read the card. Then, answer the questions below. Write T if
the statement is true. Write F if it is false.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS CARD

THIS ORDER PROVIDES for the forwarding of First Class Mail and all parcels of obvious value for a period
not to exceed one year.
Please Print
Name:
Old Address (No. and St., RO. Box or R.D.
Post Office, State and ZIP):
New Address (No. and St., P.O. Box or R.D.
Post Office, State and ZIP):
Change of Address is for:  entire family  individual signer only
I agree to pay forwarding postage for newspapers and magazines for 90 days No Yes
Effective date _______________________ If temporary, expiration date
Sign here _________________________________________ Date signed

6. You may use handwriting (cursive writing) or printing when filling out the card. ___

7. This card assures that all mail sent to your old address will be forwarded without any extra cost.
___

8. There is no need to list your old address. ___

9. This card may be for an individual or an entire family. ___

10. The card provides for forwarding of mail for one month. ___

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Name __________________________ 128

Form C

JOB APPLICATION
 Part Time
 Full Time Hours Available
M T W T F S S
From
To
Total hours available per week

Are you legally able to  Yes How did you hear about this job?
Be employed in the U.S.?  No

SCHOOL MOST RECENTLY ATTENDED

Name Counselor Dept.
Graduated? Now enrolled? Activities

Personal References Tel. No.

Health problems? If so, please explain

1. S and S in the Hours Available box stand for ______________________.

2. Total hours available per week means ______________________________.

3. Dept. stands for __________________________.

4. Tel. No. stands for ______________________________________.

5. Part time refers to

a. a job where you work fewer than 40 hours per week
b. a job where you do different things at different times
c. a job working with machine parts rather than people.

6. Last grade completed means

a. the last grade you received on your report card.
b. your highest passing grade.
c. the highest grade level you have finished.

Write T if the statement is true. Write F if it is false.

7. You cannot work for this restaurant unless you have graduated.
8. You need two personal references.
9. You cannot work here if you have a health problem.
10. You must be an honor student to get the job.

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L 7.3.2 Identify events that advance the plot, and determine how each event explains past or present
action(s) or foreshadows the future action(s).

After reading a 7th grade passage, fill in the following graphic organizer.

Summary of Plot (5 sentences or less)

________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

Events that advance the plot Explains Past Event Foreshadows Future Events

1.________________ Yes/No Yes/No

_________________ How?____________ How?____________

_________________ _______________ _______________

_________________ _______________ _______________
_________________ _______________ _______________
_________________ _______________ _______________
_________________ _______________ _______________

Yes/No Yes/No
2.________________ How?____________ How?____________
_________________ _______________ _______________
_________________ _______________ _______________
_________________ _______________ _______________
_________________ _______________ _______________
_________________ _______________ _______________
_________________

Yes/No Yes/No
3.________________
How?____________ How?____________
_________________
_________________ _______________ _______________
_________________ _______________ _______________
_________________ _______________ _______________
_________________ _______________ _______________
_________________ _______________ _______________

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V 8.1.1 Analyze idioms, analogies, metaphors, and similes to infer the literal and figurative meanings
of the phrases.

Figurative Language
Figurative language deepens and extends the meaning of a poem or other literary work by
presenting objects or ideas from a different perspective than the usual one. Writers use similes,
metaphors, and other forms of figurative language to communicate ideas beyond the normal
meanings of the words. Use the chart below to locate similes and metaphors in the two poems which
follow.

What is being Described What it is compared to Simile or Metaphor

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

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Name __________________________ 129

Willow and Gingko

By Eve Merriam

The willow is like an etching,

Fine-lined against the sky.
The ginkgo is like a crude sketch,
Hardly worthy to be signed.

The willow's music is like a soprano

Delicate and thin.
The ginkgo's tune is like a chorus
With everyone joining in.

The willow is sleek as a velvet-nosed calf;

The ginkgo is leathery as an old bull.
The willow's branches are like silken thread;
The ginkgo's like stubby rough wool.

The willow is like a nymph with streaming hair;

Wherever it grows, there is green and gold and fair.
The willow dips to the water,
Protected and precious, like the king's favorite daughter;

The ginkgo forces its way through gray concrete:

Like a city child, it grows up in the street.
Thrust against the metal sky,
Somehow it survives and even thrives.

My eyes feast upon the willow,

But my heart goes to the ginkgo

A Loaf of Poetry
By Naoshi Koriyama

you mix until

the dough it puffs out big
of experience with its own inner force
with and then
the yeast knead it again
of inspiration and
and knead it well shape it
with love into a round form
and pound it and bake it
with all your might in the oven
and then leave it of your heart

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Analogies: Complete each analogy by choosing a word from the list below.

grief telescope injection hair corruption

computer exhaustion sheep food wet

6. INSPECT : INSPECTION :: corrupt :

7. FEATHER : WING :: keyboard :

8. REGRET : REMORSE :: sorrow : _

9. CONFUSION : CHAOS :: weariness :

10. BIOLOGIST : MICROSCOPE :: astronomer :

11. PAPER : TREE :: wool :

12. REJECT : REJECTION :: inject :

13. DESERT : DRY :: ocean :

14. PAINTER : PAINT :: cook :

15. WINDOW : GLASS :: wig :

Idioms: Underline the idiom in each sentence below. Then write the meaning of the idiom in the
space provided.

16. Isaac was walking on air after his team won the basketball championship.
Meaning:

17. Ken has a green thumb and shares his home-grown tomatoes with us.
Meaning:

18. After a short break, Marlene caught her second wind and continued to play the tennis match.
Meaning:

19. The game show contestant hit the nail on the head with her first response.
Meaning:

20. Albert is finally getting the hang of snowboarding after practicing for months.
Meaning:

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V 8.1.3 Use word meanings with the appropriate context and be able to verify those meanings by
definition, restatement, example, comparison, or contrast.

Form A

Look at the following words and their meanings in parenthesis. Then, for each word, write a sentence
that uses the word and includes a context clue to its meaning.

1. longing (desire) _________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________
2. calamity (disaster) _______________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
3. clamor (loud noise) ______________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
4. flaws (mistakes, errors) ___________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
5. precaution (carefulness) __________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
6. ailment (illness) _________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
7. consequence (result, effect) _______________________________________
________________________________________________________________
8. ruse (clever trick) _______________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
9. phobia (fear) ___________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
[Link] (anger) __________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

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Form B

Look at the following words and their meanings in parenthesis. Then, for each word, write a sentence
that uses the word and includes a context clue to its meaning.

1. clogged (blocked) _______________________________________________

________________________________________________________________
2. faulty (not working) ______________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
3. ordeal (a difficult experience) _______________________________________
________________________________________________________________
4. renovate (repair, restore) _________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
5. collaborate (work together) ________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
6. serene (calm, peaceful) __________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
7. palatable (edible) _______________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
8. affluent (wealthy) _______________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
9. bland (without spice, boring) _______________________________________
________________________________________________________________
[Link] (a lot, a large group) _____________________________________
________________________________________________________________

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C 8.2.1 Compare and contrast the features and elements of consumer materials to gain meaning
from documents (warranties, contracts, product information, and instructional manuals).
Reading Medicine Labels
MEYER'S ASPIRIN RAY'S CREAM
Quick and easy relief from pain! Works well on headaches, Brings hours of soothing relief! Gives steady relief from
muscle aches, and soreness due to colds or the flu. aching muscles, other minor pains, and the discomfort
Double-duty extra special lock cap gives complete safety! that often accompanies colds.
For adults: Use 1 or 2 tablets with water or orange juice How to use: Rub the cream gently into the sore, painful,
every 4 hours. You can take up to 12 tablets a day. or nagging area. Massage with open hand until the
Warning: For children under 2, consult a physician. cream completely disappears. Apply the cream every 3
CAUTION: Keep this bottle and all medications out of the hours, or as you feel it is necessary.
reach of small children. In case of an accidental overdose, BEWARE: Do not taste or swallow this cream. If
call a physician immediately. accidently swallowed, induce vomiting and call a
physician immediately.

Write A if the statement pertains to the aspirin, C if it refers to the cream, and AC if it refers to both.
1. It has a special cap.
2. Indicates what to do in case of an emergency caused by the medicine.
3. The label promises quick relief.
4. No special age group need refrain from using it.
5. It may help if you have the flu.
6. Claims to help if you have a cold.

7. What is one thing included on both labels?

_____________________________________________________________

8. What is another thing included on both labels?

_____________________________________________________________

9. What is the purpose of the first line on both labels?

_____________________________________________________________

10. Why is it important that both labels include warnings?

_____________________________________________________________

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Form B Something’s Cookin’

MASTERMEAL FROZEN MACARONI FREZFREEZE CHICKEN CREPES

AND CHEESE With Special Sauce!

Mastermeal's macaroni and cheese is a luscious Frezfreeze floats tender chunks of chicken in a
taste experience. Three cheeses are blended into a creamy chicken sauce, then wraps the delightful
tasty cheese sauce. This delicious sauce is combination in two beautiful crapes. A delicious
combined in just the right proportion with firm mushroom sauce is heated separately. Ideal for
macaroni. brunch, lunch, dinner, or snack.

To Heat To Heat
• Preheat oven to 375° F • Preheat oven to 350° F
• Remove tray from carton. • Remove foil wrap.
• Remove paper cover from tray. • Bake for 40 to 45 minutes.
• Place tray on baking sheet (such as cookie sheet). • Place pouch in boiling water for 6 minutes.
• Heat for approximately 40 minutes or until cheese
is brown and bubbly. For Microwave Ovens
• Remove crapes from container and place on
For Microwave Ovens nonmetallic plate.
• Do not remove paper cover. • Thaw on defrost for 3 minutes.
• Place tray in microwave on high setting. • Puncture pouch with a fork and place it on plate
• Heat for about 8 minutes, or until cheese is hot and with crapes.
bubbly. • Heat on high for 4 minutes.
• Stir before serving. •For crispier crepes, place cooked crepes under
medium broiler for 30 seconds.

Write M if the statement applies to the macaroni and cheese. Write C if it applies to the chicken
crepes. Write MC if it applies to both.

1. There are two separate items in the package.

2. Directions clearly state that you must remove food from package.
3. Could be too moist or too soggy if you heat in a conventional oven and
don't remove the cover.
4. You can cook the food in the carton.
5. Requires shortest microwave cooking time.
6. Label provides instructions for microwaves and ovens.
7. Cannot be cooked in its container in a microwave oven.
8. Uses a step-by-step format for directions.
9. Requires boiling water.
10. Requires the higher cooking temperature in a conventional oven.

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C 8.2.2 Analyze text which uses proposition and support patterns.

Proposition and support is a pattern of organization in which the author states his or her proposal and
provides arguments to support the plan. Usually, the writer describes a problem and offers a plan to solve
it. He or she offers evidence to support his or her reasoning, and statements that address possible
objections, or counterarguments, to the proposal. This type of organization is often used in persuasive
speeches, editorials, and essays. Christopher Reeve's speech follows this structure of proposition and
support. Analyze his speech by filling out the chart below.

Main Problem

Author’s Position or Statement of Proposal

Statements Supporting Author’s Proposal Statements Addressing Counterarguments

Conclusion or Statement of Proposal

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Speech by Christopher Reeve

Over the last few years, we've heard a lot about something called values. And like many of you
I’ve struggled to figure out what that means. But since my accident, I've found a definition that seems
to make sense. I think it means that we're all family, that have we all have value. And if that's true
America really is a family, then we have to recognize that many members of our family are hurting.
Just to take one aspect of it, one in five of us has some kind of disability. You may have an
aunt with Parkinson's disease. A neighbor with a spinal cord injury. A brother with AIDS. And if we're
really committed to this idea of family we've got to do something about it.
First of all, our nation cannot tolerate discrimination of any kind. That's why the Americans with
Disabilities Act1 is so important and must be honored everywhere. It is civil rights law that is tearing
down barriers both in architecture and in attitude.
Its purpose is to give the disabled access not only to buildings but to every opportunity in
society. I strongly believe our nation must give its full support to the caregivers who are helping
people with disabilities live independent lives.
Sure, we've got to balance the budget. And we will.
We have to be extremely careful with every dollar that we spend. But we've also got to take
care of our family—and not slash programs people need. We should be enabling, healing. curing.
One of the smartest things we can do about disability is invest in research that will protect us
from disease and lead to cures. This country already has a long history of doing just that. When we
put our minds to a problem, we can usually find solutions. But our scientists can do more. And we've
got to give them the chance.
That means more funding for research. Right now, for example, about a quarter million
Americans have a spinal cord injury. Our government spends about $8.7 billion a year just
maintaining these members of our family. But we spend only $40 million a year on research that
would actually improve the quality of their lives; get them off public assistance, or even cure them.
We've got to be smarter, do better. Because the money we invest in research today is going to
determine the quality of life of members of our family tomorrow.
During my rehabilitation, I met a young man named Gregory Patterson. When he was
innocently driving through Newark, New Jersey, a stray bullet from a gang shooting went through his
car window . . . right into his neck . . . and severed his spinal cord. Five years ago, he might have
died. Today, because of research, he's alive. But merely being alive is not enough.

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We have a moral and an economic responsibility to ease his suffering and prevent others from
experiencing such pain. And to do that we don't need to raise taxes. We just need to raise our
expectations.
America has a tradition many nations probably envy: We frequently achieve the impossible.
That's part of our national character. That's what got us from one coast to another. That's what got us
the largest economy in the world. That's what got us to the moon.
On the wall of my room when I was in rehab was a picture of the space shuttle blasting off,
autographed by every astronaut now at NASA. On the top of the picture it says, "We found nothing is
impossible." That should be our motto. Not a Democratic motto, not a Republican motto. But an
American motto. Because this is not something one party can do alone. It's something that we as a
nation must do together.
So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable and then, when
we summon the will, they soon become inevitable. If we can conquer outer space, we should be able
to conquer inner space, too: the frontier of the brain, the central nervous system, and all the afflictions
of the body that destroy so many lives and rob our country of so much potential.
Research can provide hope for people who suffer from Alzheimer's. We've already discovered
the gene that causes it. Research can provide hope for people like Muhammad Ali and the Reverend
Billy Graham who suffer from Parkinson's. Research can provide hope for the millions of Americans
like Kirk Douglas who suffer from stroke. We ease the pain of people like Barbara Jordan who battled
multiple sclerosis. We can find treatments for people like Elizabeth Glaser whom we lost to AIDS. And
now that we know that nerves in the spinal cord can regenerate, we are on the way to getting millions
of people around the world like me up and out of our wheelchairs.
Fifty-six years ago, FDR2 dedicated new buildings for the National Institute of Health: He said
that "the defense this nation seeks involves a great deal more than building airplanes, ships, guns,
and bombs. We cannot be a strong nation unless we are a healthy nation." He could have said that
today.
President Roosevelt showed us that a man who could barely lift himself out of a wheelchair
could still lift a nation out of despair. And I believe—and so does this administration—in the most
important principle FDR taught us: America does not let its needy citizens fend for themselves.
America is stronger when all of us take care of all of us. Giving new life to that ideal is the challenge
before us tonight.
Thank you very much.3 *

1. Americans with Disabilities Act: A federal civil rights law enacted in 1990 that protects citizens with mental or physical disabilities from discrimination in employment or in accessing public
accommodations.
2. FDR: Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945) was the 32nd president of the United States. He was stricken with polio as an adult and eventually was confined to a wheelchair during his
presidency.
3. This speech was delivered by Christopher Reeve on August 26, 1996.

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WORDS rehabilitation (re'he-bTI'T-ta'shan) n. the process of being restored to good health or useful life through training or therapy
TO affliction (ə-flǐk'shən) n. a condition of pain or suffering
KNOW `sever (sev'er) v. to become separated; to be cut off from the whole

C 8.2.3 Find similarities and differences among texts in the treatment, scope, or organization of ideas.

Comparing Treatment, Scope, and Organization of an Idea

An author's treatment, scope, and organization of an idea or subject can be determined by analyzing the following key
elements:
• main idea or theme
• genre
• author's purpose, such as to inform, to entertain, to persuade, or to express opinions
• tone
• the aspect of the topic covered and the writer's perspective
• the pattern of organization, such as chronological, comparison-contrast, cause and effect, proposal and
support, or another pattern such as classification
These key elements reveal the foundation of a writer's approach to an idea or subject. You can compare two selections
that cover the same topic by comparing these elements. Use the chart below to record your analysis of "Partners in
Growing" and compare it with your chart for "Mr. Misenheimer's Garden." Determine how the two are similar and different.

Element Similarity or
Difference
What is the main idea or
theme of this selection?

Treatment
What genre does the author
use?

What is the author’s purpose?

What is the author’s tone?

Scope
How broad or narrow is the
topic?

What aspect of the topic is

covered in the selection?

Organization
What is the pattern of
organization?

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Partners in Growing
By Rolaine Hochstein

When young and old get together in a city garden, beautiful things grow.

It's a mild spring afternoon in New York City. Sean, 12, telephones his friend Adele, 77, who
lives in the same middle-income housing development. "Can you come down to the garden?"
“Give me ten minutes to change my clothes," she says.
Adele's husband, Harry, 82, may go to the garden too, but only as an observer; Adele's
working partner is Sean. He'll be waiting beside the eight-by-ten-foot patch that they have been
cultivating, on and off, for six years. It's not exactly a rule, but one never starts without the other.
Adele Lopatin is an expressive, ample woman with curly gray hair and a busy life. She leads
the Perm South Senior Chorus. She runs a roof garden with residents of a home for blind people. She
also keeps up with three grandchildren and only recently retired from a part-time secretarial job.
Sean Kalish is busy too. He's a working boy (acting occasionally in TV commercials and in
plays), but he's also a kid's kid. Between after-school lessons (karate and sculpture), he's likely to be
out roller-skating with his buddies. Like Adele, he makes time for gardening because he loves it.
The garden itself is an urban wonder. Once a parking lot squeezed in among the ten buildings
of Penn South, it is now a fenced-in park with paths, benches, a greenhouse, and 25 symmetrical
patches where partners like Adele and Sean make the soil come alive.
Credit the transformation to fellow tenant Jeff Dullea. Bothered by all the KEEP OFF THE
GRASS signs that shut the Penn South kids off from nature, he proposed the idea of a children's
garden. To ensure adult supervision, every child who wanted a patch had to find a senior (60 or older)
partner. Just as the InterGenerational Garden was taking shape, Jeff got a phone call from a woman
who hadn't yet moved to Penn South. It was Adele. "I assured her that she'd have a patch and a
partner as soon as she arrived," Jeff recalls. Sean, then 6 years old, proved to be a perfect match.
Sean was full of questions; Adele had the answers, having recently earned a "master
gardener" certificate from the Cornell University Program of Urban Horticulture. She also brought with
her a lifelong enthusiasm for nurturing—people as well as plants. "We talk about all kinds of things,"
Adele says. "Sean is interested in the growing process, the whys and the hows."

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Learning experiences
Adele taught Sean to test soil, fertilize, measure rainfall. They planted vegetables
recommended for high yield in city gardens. Sean learned tricks like planting radishes and carrots
together. "Radishes grow fast." Adele explains. "When we pull the radishes out, the carrots have
more room to grow." Sean's parents are glad to get the vegetables, but they are happier for the
enrichment of their son's life.
"Sean admires Adele as an expert," says his mother Marta, "but I think he loves her as a
grandmother. Once, he saved up to buy her a plant for her birthday. It's strange-looking, but those
two think it's beautiful.”
Two years ago a third partner joined the pair, a youngster named Rafael Cruz. "He'd be taking
a walk down the street with his father, but he would do more looking through the fence than walking,"
Adele recalls. Soon she gave Rafael a box of soil and some seeds to plant at home. Later she
wangled an official okay for an 8-year-old gardener who did not live in Penn South. Rafael got his key
to the garden gate, and a patch was divided to give each boy his own piece of land.
The boys get along with each other, but it's clear that Adele is the fulcrum of their friendship.
Of course, they have the gardening in common too.
Working arrangements are informal but serious. Planning sessions take place on a garden
bench or in Adele’s apartment. “I open up my seed catalog, and as far as possible I let the boys have
their way." They till and plant after school and on weekends. In peak season Adele gardens for an
hour or two, three days a week, with at least one of the boys. "They are not assistants," she points
out. "They are coworkers. Sometimes I have to get after them. Sometimes they get after me."

What children like to grow

Although the garden staples are carrots and radishes, the partnership has recently begun to
experiment with crops. Both boys were interested in growing cotton, which they did. "About enough to
make a hankie," Adele jokes.
Jeff Dullea sums it up: "Some kids think the garden is for planting and harvesting, with nothing
in between. Adele's kids are different. They show up year-round. I see them sitting in the dirt, and
Adele with something in her hand half dissected. I know there's more going on than just weed
picking."

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Mr. Misenheimer’s Garden

By Charles Kuralt
We’ve been wandering the back roads since 1967, and we’ve been to a few places we’ll never forget. One of then
was on Route 10, Surry County, Virginia. We rolled in here on a day in the spring of 1972 thinking this was another of
those little roadside rest stops. But there were flowers on the picnic tables. That was the first surprise. And beyond the
1
tables, we found a paradise, a beautiful garden of thirteen acres, bright with azaleas, thousands of them, and bordered by
2
dogwoods in bloom, and laced by a mile of paths in the shade of tall pines. In all our travels, it was the loveliest garden
I'd ever seen. It made me wonder how large a battalion of state-employed gardeners it took to keep the place up. The
3
answer was it took one old man, and he was nobody's employee. Walter Misenheimer, a retired nurseryman, created all
this in the woods next to his house, created it alone after he retired at the age of seventy. He was eighty-three when I met
him and was spending every day tending his garden for the pleasure of strangers who happened to stop.

Walter Misenheimer: I like people, and this is my way of following out some of the teachings of my parents. When I was
a youngster one of the things they said was, "If you don't try make the world just a little bit nicer when leave here, what is
the reason for man's existence in the first place?" I have tried to give it to the state. The Parks Department it is too small
for them. The Highway Department says it is too big for them.
Kuralt: What's going to happen to this place after you're gone?
Misenheimer: Well, I imagine that within a very few years this will be undergrowth, or nature will take it over again.
Kuralt: You mean it's not going to survive?
Misenheimer: I doubt it.
Kuralt: That's a terribly discouraging thing isn't it?
Misenheimer: Well, that's the way I see it now.

He watched for a while as people enjoyed the beauty of Walter Misenheimer's garden. And we left, and a few
years later somebody sent me a clipping from the Surry County paper. It said Walter Misenheimer had died. I wondered
what would happen to his garden. I wondered whether the Virginia sun still lights the branches of the dogwood, which
planted there.
Well, it does. Some stories have happy endings. Walter Misenheimer's garden does survive, and so does his
4
spirit, in Haeja Namkoong. It seems that she stopped by the garden just a few months after we did, eleven years ago.

Haeja Namkoong: We slowed down and saw a sign and picnic tables and a lot of flowers blooming. We came to the
picnic table, found a water spigot, helped ourselves, and we were sort of curious as to what this place was all about. I
5
grew up in a large city in Korea , and I have never really seen rice grow. I always dreamed about living in the country,
about a small, little cabin in the wilderness, with lots of flowers. That's what I dreamed about, but I guess that was just
childhood dreams

When the sun went down that day, the young woman said goodbye to the old man and headed home to Boston, but the
roadside Eden called her back. That is, Walter Misenheimer did. He phoned her, long distance, and asked her to come for
a little while and help in the garden.

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Haeja: He was sort of pleading with me, "Please come down. Just help me for a couple of weeks."

A couple of weeks only, and then a few more, and then it was Christmas. Haeja Namkoong was twenty-six. She had no
family. Neither did Walter Misenheimer and his wife.

Haeja: From wildflowers to man-grown shrubberies, he taught me. I was interested in learning the whole thing. I was out
here almost every day with him.

They became as father and daughter working in the garden, and in time Haeja Namkoong was married in the garden.

Haeja: He was very proud to give me away. I guess he never thought, since he didn't have any children of his own, he
would give someone away.

Brown earth was coaxed by the gentle old man into green growth and flowering red and pink and white. The earth
rewards every loving attention it is paid. People repay such love, too, in memory.

Haeja: I was very, very close to my mother. But other than my mother, I can't remember anyone that loved me so much
and cared for me so much as Mr. Misenheimer.

The garden is still here. Walter Misenheimer died in 1979 and left it to Haeja Namkoong.
She pays a caretaker, Ed Trible, to help keep it beautiful for anybody who passes by. Haeja and her husband and their
children live in Richmond now, but they return on weekends to work in the garden.

Haeja: So, knowing how much the garden to him, I want to keep it up and carry on.

Walter Misenheimer told me that he expected when he was gone the garden would soon be overgrown. He might have
known better. His garden shows that something grows from seeds and cultivation. And if what you plant is love and
kindness, something grows from that, too.

Haeja: Look at this purple one.

Child: I like the red.
Haeja: Aren't they pretty?

1. azaleas (ə-zāl'yəz): shrubs having showy flowersofj various colors.

2. dogwoods: trees found in eastern North Am, have small greenish flowers surrounded by white or pink growths.
3. Walter Misenheimer (mī'zən-hī'mər).
4. Haeja Namkoong (hā'j näm'gōōng').
5. Korea (kə-rē'ə): a former country in eastern Asia located on a peninsula between the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan. It was divided into North
Korea and South Korea after World War II.

WORDS battalion (ba-tal'yen) n. a large body of organized people, especially troops; a great number
TO nurseryman (nūr'sə-rē-mən) n. person employed by a nursery, where plants are grown for
KNOW sale, transplanting, or experimentation
existence (ǐg-zǐs'təns) n. the fact or state of being real
coax (kōks) v. to persuade or try to persuade by gentle, persistent urging or flattery
cultivation (kŭl'tə-vā'shən) n. the act of preparing and improving the land; the
growing of crops

Reading Worksheet 39
 Reading Worksheet
Name __________________________ 131

L 8.3.7 Analyze how a work of literature reflects the heritage, traditions, attitudes, and beliefs of its
author (biographical approach).

After reading a story such as “The All-American Slurp”, by Lensey Namioka, find out a little
about the author and complete the following chart. Information about the author may be provided at
the end or beginning of the story, within the story itself, or found through research on the internet or in
the library.

Title

Author

Basic Background
Info How do you see this
reflected in the text?

Author’s
Heritage
&
Traditions

Author’s
Attitudes
&
Beliefs

Reading Worksheet 40