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grade 7Volume A

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Literature

ALPHA_LIT_LC_G7_AK_FM.indd 1 09/08/17 8:04 AM

Program Chief Editor: Pam CareyProgram Consultant Editor: Julia LeeProgram Editors: Mary Harvey, Susanna Brougham, Cynthia Guidici

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Unit 1 Reaching for Our Dreams Muthoni Muchemi Kamau’s Finish Reading SKill: A na l y ze S to r y E lement s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi VocabulaRy SKill: S e lec t i on Vocabu la r y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 VocabulaRy StRategy: C onno t a t i on and Deno t a t i on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 language SKill: Sub jec t-Verb and P ronoun-A n teceden t Agreement . . . . . . . . . . 4 WRiting SKill: Wr i te a Charac te r Ske tch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 SpeaKing and liStening: D i scuss Your Charac te r Ske tch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Comparing TexTs Michael Massimino a View of the earth Randy Pausch, with Jeffrey Zaslow getting to Zero g from The Last Lecture Reading SKill: A na l y ze Tex t s A bou t t he S ame Top ic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 VocabulaRy SKill: S e lec t i on Vocabu la r y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 VocabulaRy StRategy: F igura t i ve L anguage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 language SKill: Vague P ronouns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 WRiting SKill: Wr i te a Lec tu re . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 SpeaKing and liStening: De l i ve r Your Lec tu re . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Trent Reedy from Words in the Dust Reading SKill: A na l y ze and C ompare Po in t s o f V iew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 VocabulaRy SKill: S e lec t i on Vocabu la r y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 VocabulaRy StRategy: S ynonyms and A n tonyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 language SKill: Sh i f t s in Ve rb Tense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 WRiting SKill: Wr i te a Le t te r in a Charac te r ’s Vo ice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 SpeaKing and liStening: D i scuss Your Le t te r . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Laura Gallego García from The Legend of the Wandering King Reading SKill: C i te Ev idence to Make I n fe rences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 VocabulaRy SKill: S e lec t i on Vocabu la r y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 VocabulaRy StRategy: Roo t s and A f f i xes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 language SKill: U se P ronouns C o r rec t l y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 WRiting SKill: Wr i te a Nar ra t i ve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 SpeaKing and liStening: P resen t Your S cene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Comparing TexTs Marta Salinas the Scholarship Jacket Langston Hughes dreams Reading SKill: De te rmine a T heme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 VocabulaRy SKill: S e lec t i on Vocabu la r y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 VocabulaRy StRategy: Shades o f Mean ing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 language SKill: S en tence F ragment s and Run-Ons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 WRiting SKill: Wr i te a Poem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 SpeaKing and liStening: P resen t Your Poem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

performance task: Write a Narrative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Contents

Contents iii


Unit 2 Moments of Truth Firoozeh Dumas Waterloo from Funny in Farsi Reading SKill: Humor and S a rcasm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 VocabulaRy SKill: S e lec t i on Vocabu la r y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 VocabulaRy StRategy: F igura t i ve L anguage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 language SKill: S en tence Pa t te rns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 WRiting SKill: Wr i te a L i te ra r y A na l ys i s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 SpeaKing and liStening: Te l l a Funny S to r y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Comparing TexTs Linda Sue Park from A Long Walk to Water John Deng Langbany one day i Had to Run Reading SKill: A na l y ze Au tho r s’ P resen t a t i ons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 VocabulaRy SKill: S e lec t i on Vocabu la r y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 VocabulaRy StRategy: C onno t a t i on and Deno t a t i on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 language SKill: D i f fe ren t Sen tence Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 WRiting SKill: Wr i te a L i te ra r y A na l ys i s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 SpeaKing and liStening: P resen t Your E ssay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Avi What do Fish Have to do with anything? Reading SKill: De te rmine T heme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 VocabulaRy SKill: S e lec t i on Vocabu la r y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 VocabulaRy StRategy: Deno t a t i on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 language SKill: Punc tua t ing I t ems in a Ser ies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 WRiting SKill: Wr i te a J ourna l En t r y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 SpeaKing and liStening: Pa r t i c ipa te in a D ia logue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Alfred Noyes the Highwayman Ben Johnson Highwaymen Reading SKill: C ompare and C on t ras t Tex t s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Reading SKill: A na l y ze Poe t i c S t ruc tu re . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 VocabulaRy SKill: S e lec t i on Vocabu la r y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 VocabulaRy StRategy: F igures o f Speech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 language SKill: C ommas and Dashes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 WRiting SKill: Wr i te a L i te ra r y A na l ys i s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 SpeaKing and liStening: P resen t a D ramat i c Read ing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Comparing TexTs Julia Alvarez My First Free Summer Shaun Tan from The Arrival Reading SKill: C i te Ev idence to Make I n fe rences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 VocabulaRy SKill: S e lec t i on Vocabu la r y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 VocabulaRy StRategy: C on tex t C lues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 language SKill: Punc tua t ing D ia logue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 WRiting SKill: Wr i te a F i c t i ona l Na r ra t i ve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 SpeaKing and liStening: Pa r t i c ipa te in Reader s’ T hea te r . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

performance task: Write a Literary Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Contents

iv Contents


Unit 3 The Power of Words Neil Gaiman from Reading and obligation Reading SKill: Eva lua te an A rgument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 VocabulaRy SKill: S e lec t i on Vocabu la r y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 VocabulaRy StRategy: G reek and L a t in Roo t s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 language SKill: S en tence Va r ie t y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 WRiting SKill: Wr i te an A rgument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 SpeaKing and liStening: Engage in a Deba te . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Comparing TexTs Nelson Mandela nobel peace prize lecture preamble to the constitution of the Republic of South africa Reading SKill: Make I n fe rences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 VocabulaRy SKill: S e lec t i on Vocabu la r y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 VocabulaRy StRategy: C onno t a t i ons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 language SKill: U se C ommas w i th I t ems in a Ser ies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 WRiting SKill: Wr i te a L i te ra r y A na l ys i s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 4 SpeaKing and liStening: A na l y ze a Speech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Wangari Maathai Women and the environment from Speak Truth to Power Reading SKill: A na l y ze Techn ica l Te rms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 6 VocabulaRy SKill: S e lec t i on Vocabu la r y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 VocabulaRy StRategy: Nuances in Word Mean ings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 9 language SKill: Spe l l ing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 WRiting SKill: Wr i te an A rgument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 SpeaKing and liStening: Ac t Ou t a C ommuni t y Mee t ing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Naomi Shihab Nye Kindness Mahmoud Darwish the prison cell Muhammad Al-Ghuzzi the pen Reading SKill: A na l y ze t he S t ruc tu re o f a Poem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 VocabulaRy SKill: S e lec t i on Vocabu la r y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 VocabulaRy StRategy: Word Re la t i onsh ips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 language SKill: Avo id ing Word iness and Redundancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 WRiting SKill: Wr i te a Poem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 SpeaKing and liStening: P resen t Your Poem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Comparing TexTs Malala Yousafzai, from I Am Malala with Patricia McCormick Ji-li Jiang from Red Scarf Girl Reading SKill: De te rmine Cen t ra l I deas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 VocabulaRy SKill: S e lec t i on Vocabu la r y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 VocabulaRy StRategy: Mu l t ip le -Mean ing Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 language SKill: Punc tua t ing D ia logue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 WRiting SKill: Wr i te I n te r v iew Ques t i ons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 SpeaKing and liStening: Ac t Ou t an I n te r v iew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

performance task: Write an Argument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 0

Contents

acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

Contents v


Reading Skill: Analyze Story ElementsThe setting of a story is the time and place of the action. In many stories, the setting may have an impact on both the plot and the characters. Writers may use a story’s setting to move events forward and to influence the thoughts and actions of the characters. You can often learn about a character by analyzing how the character feels or reacts in a particular setting.

To learn how the setting shapes a character, ask yourself these questions:

1. What is the setting?

2. How does the setting affect the character?

3. What do the character’s reactions reveal about the character?

As “Kamau’s Finish” opens, Kamau is at the track for Sports Day, waiting for his father to arrive.

“My race will start in a few minutes. I close my eyes and slowly mouth the secret word. Ndigidigimazlpaxkarumbeta! Please let Baba be here by the end of this blink. But I open my eyes too soon, way too soon.”

What is the setting? The race is about to start.

How does the setting affect Kamau? He is tense. His emotions are up and down.

What do Kamau’s reactions reveal? Kamau wants his father to come to the race. Kamau’s father is very important to him. Kamau seems more concerned about his father’s attendance than about the race itself.

vi Unit 1: Reaching for Our Dreams

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Practice and Apply: Analyze Story Elements1. Read the following excerpt from “Kamau’s Finish.” Then, underline details in the text

that identify the setting.

“Our eight hundred-meter race is announced over the screechy microphone. I stare desperately at the parents’ side of the track as we file to the starting block. He isn’t there. Three runners from each team stand at attention. Mr. Juma calls for attention.”

2. In the excerpt above, the word desperately reveals that Kamau is feeling .

3. The words “He isn’t there” suggest that Kamau is feeling .

4. Read the following excerpt from “Kamau’s Finish.” Then, complete the graphic organizer.

“Kip is ten, a year younger than most of my class, and usually the fastest. But twice, during practice runs this term, I beat him. He spat at me and sulked off.”

What is the setting?

How does the setting affect Kip?

What do Kip’s reactions reveal?

5. Reread “Kamau’s Finish” and find a specific setting where you learn something about Baba’s character. What is the setting? What do you notice about how Baba is feeling? What do Baba’s feelings tell you about his character? Discuss your ideas with a partner.

very anxious and tense

Practice runs where Kamau wins.

Kip feels resentful, angry, and jealous.

Possible answers: Kip is a sore loser; he doesn’t like to be beaten; he isn’t a good sport.

Possible answer: At the end of the race, even though Kamau does not win, Baba encourages him to finish and is smiling at him. He’s happy when Kamau gets up and keeps running to finish. Baba values effort.

disappointed because his dad will not be coming

Reading Skill 1


Vocabulary Skill: Selection Vocabulary“Kamau’s Finish”

distracted gape podium snickering

financial jostling sheepishly

PRACTICE A. Read the phrases below each vocabulary word. Circle all of the phrases that can be associated with the vocabulary word.

1. podium

award ceremony science classroom presidential speech

2. jostling

a crowded concert a football game a deserted alley

3. distracted

a competitive diver about to dive a mom with five children in the grocery store an airplane pilot taking off

PRACTICE B. Circle the letter of the letter of the sentence that best matches the meaning of each vocabulary word. Explain your choice in the space next to the sentence.

1. distracted

a. Elena is watching a movie and texting with her friend.

b. Elena is watching a movie she has waited a month to see.

2. gape

a. You look up and see a bird in the sky.

b. You look up and see a spaceship in the sky.

3. financial

a. Layla couldn’t attend college because she didn’t have enough money.

b. Layla couldn’t attend college because she didn’t complete her application.

APPLY Answer each question yes or no. Then, explain your answers.

1. If someone walks away sheepishly, is that person feeling confident?

2. If you gave a speech in class and heard your classmates snickering, would that upset you?

3. Would a bank likely loan money to a person who has a perfect financial record?

Distracted means that it is easy for someone to lose focus. It is impossible to stay focused on a movie while texting a friend.

Gape means to look at something with your mouth open because you are so surprised. To see a spaceship would be very surprising.

Financial relates specifically to money.

No. Someone who walks away sheepishly is embarrassed. If someone is embarrassed, that person is probably not feeling very confident.

Yes. When people snicker, they are being disrespectful.

Yes. If the person has a perfect financial record, he or she has made good decisions with money and should be able to repay the bank.

Possible answers:

Possible answers:

2 Unit 1: Reaching for Our Dreams


Vocabulary Strategy: Connotation and DenotationA denotation is a word’s definition; a connotation is an emotional association attached to a word. Connotations can be positive, negative, or neutral. Choosing words with different connotations can impact the message, mood, or imagery in a text.

“While the headmistress screeches something or other on the squeaky microphone, I scan the group standing on the other side of the track.”

Says and screeches have similar denotations. The writer could have used says instead of screeches.

Word Denotation Connotation

says expresses with words neutral

screeches makes a loud, high sound negative

The writer uses screeches to help readers imagine an unappealing, distracting sound. Replacing screeches with says would not create this vivid image in readers’ minds.

Practice and Apply1. Underline the word that has the more negative connotation.

a. slim b. skinny c. slender

2. Underline the word that has the more positive connotation.

a. pretty b. beautiful c. fair

3. Reread the example on this page from “Kamau’s Finish.” Think of two similar words with different connotations to replace squeaky and scan. Write the words below.Possible answers: noisy, screechy; look at, examine

Vocabulary Skill/Vocabulary Strategy 3


Language Skill: Subject-Verb and Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

Subjects and verbs must agree in person and number. If a sentence has a singular subject (one person, place, or thing), it must have a singular verb. If a sentence has a plural subject (more than one person, place, or thing), it must have a plural verb.

“But Chris and Daudi pull my T-shirt and break my concentration.”

Example 1

Chris and Daudi are the plural subjects, so the verbs pull and break are also plural.

“I close my eyes and slowly mouth the secret word.”

Example 2

I is a single subject, so the verbs close and mouth are also singular.

A pronoun takes the place of a noun and makes it possible to refer to a specific word or words more than once without repeating the words over and over.

Common PronounsPersonal Pronouns: I, you, he, she, it, we, they, me, him, her, us, them Possessive Pronouns: my, your, his, her, its, our, their, mine, his, hers, ours, theirs

Pronouns add variety and prevent repetition that can be distracting, but they must agree with their antecedents. An antecedent is the word the pronoun replaces in a sentence.

“Just this morning, I pressed my thumb into the fleshy pad of Baba’s thumb. . . . He didn’t pull away.”

The pronoun he refers to the antecedent Baba. He is used because pronouns and antecedents must agree in gender, number, and person.



Practice and Apply: Subject-Verb and Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

1. Read the following sentence from “Kamau’s Finish.” The sentence has been modified; it does not reflect subject-verb agreement. Underline the subject, and circle the verbs.

“I bats their hands away and crouch down.”

2. Rewrite the sentence above so that it reflects correct subject-verb agreement.

3. Read the following sentence from “Kamau’s Finish.” The antecedent has been underlined. Draw a circle around the pronoun with an arrow pointing to the antecedent.

“My eight-year-old sister, Wanja, laughed, giving us all a good long look at the mushy stuff in her mouth.”

4. Read the following sentences from “Kamau’s Finish.” Underline the antecedent, then draw a circle around the pronoun with an arrow pointing to the antecedent.

“Kamau needs to concentrate. He is easily distracted . . .”

5. Write two sentences about one of the characters in “Kamau’s Finish.” Use a pronoun and an antecedent in your sentences and check your writing for pronoun-antecedent agreement.

I bat their hands away and crouch down.

Possible answers:

1. Kamau has a hard time concentrating on the race because he thinks only about Baba.2. Kamau falls during the race, but he gets back up.

Language Skill 5


Writing Skill: Write a Character Sketch

Assignment: Write a character sketch of Kamau. Include his important characteristics, or personality traits, and cite details from the text that show each trait.

PREWRITING: Analyze the Character

To build a character sketch, begin by analyzing the character. What is his personality like? What are his strengths and weaknesses? What adjectives describe him? Reread “Kamau’s Finish” and refer to the story to complete the chart below. A few examples have been done for you.

Strengths Weaknesses

good friend doesn’t share his feelings with his parents

Review your completed chart while thinking about the unit’s theme, “Reaching for our dreams.” This is also this story’s theme. Which strengths, weaknesses, or adjectives most strongly influence Kamau’s ability to pursue his dreams?

Six Traits + 1: IdeasSupport the ideas in your character sketch with specific details from the text. Don’t simply say that Kamau wants his father’s support and appreciation. Instead, tell the reader exactly how Kamau feels by using exact quotations as well as good paraphrases. Some of your observations about Kamau will be based on inferences you get from the text rather than information the author states directly, so be sure to support any inferences you make with text evidence.

strong runner

has a good imagination

optimistic is eager to please his father

has a hard time at school

is restless

persistent, athletic, energetic, considerate, serious

Possible answers:



DRAFTING: Organize Your Ideas

Choose the two most important characteristics from your chart that help Kamau pursue his dreams. Then, create your thesis statement. The thesis statement is a summary sentence that presents your most important ideas.

The two most important characteristics that help Kamau pursue his dreams are and .

Now that you have your thesis statement, look for relevant details and examples that support your opinion and ideas. Refer to the story to complete the chart. The chart will help you create a logical outline for your character sketch.

Characteristic 1:

Supporting example or details:

Relation to theme:

Characteristic 2:

Supporting example or details:

Relation to theme:

Speaking and Listening: Discuss Your Character Sketch

Assignment: Share the characteristics and supporting examples you chose for your character sketch with a small group of classmates. Explain why you chose your two characteristics and the examples.

Sharing your ideas with other students and asking them for feedback can help you strengthen your writing skills. Ask your group members to respond to these questions:

1. Do the characteristics I’ve chosen connect to Kamau’s ability to pursue his dreams?

2. Are my examples relevant to the characteristics I’ve chosen?

Take notes as your group provides feedback, asking for clarification as needed. Think about any changes you may want to make.

Writing Skill/Speaking and Listening 7


Reading Skill: Analyze Texts About the Same TopicIn your studies, you will often read texts by different authors that address the same topic. Each author may emphasize different details and present different interpretations. Analyze how two authors write about the same topic by comparing and contrasting the texts.

In “A View of the Earth” and “Getting to Zero G,” authors Michael Massimino and Randy Pausch focus on childhood dreams that they pursued for many years. In these examples, the authors explain what inspired their dreams. By comparing and contrasting the authors’ inspirations, we can better understand how they will write about the topic.

“I went to see the movie The Right Stuff. And a couple of things really struck me in that movie. The first was the view out the window of John Glenn’s spaceship—the view of the Earth, how beautiful it was on the big screen. I wanted to see that view. And secondly, the camaraderie between the original seven astronauts depicted in that movie—how they were good friends, how they stuck up for each other, how they would never let each other down. I wanted to be part of an organization like that.

And it rekindled a boyhood dream that had gone dormant over the years. That dream was to grow up to be an astronaut.”

Example 1: From “A View of the Earth”

“It’s important to have specific dreams.When I was in grade school, a lot of kids wanted to become astronauts.

I was aware, from an early age, that NASA wouldn’t want me. I had heard that astronauts couldn’t have glasses. I was OK with that. I didn’t really want the whole astronaut gig. I just wanted the floating.”

Example 2: From “Getting to Zero G”

Differences: Massimino

• Wanted to see Earth from space

• Wanted camaraderie

• Wanted to be an astronaut

• Did not want to be an astronaut

• Wanted to float

Differences: Pausch

• Had childhood dreams

Similarities

Analyzing the details and interpretations in texts by different authors can deepen your understanding of a topic.


ALPHA_LIT_LC_G07_U1_W2.indd 8 08/08/17 11:37 PM

Practice and Apply: Analyze Texts About the Same Topic1. Reread “A View of the Earth.” As you read, take notes on the author’s attitude toward

reaching his goal of becoming an astronaut, his experiences in space, and the lessons he learned. Then, use your notes to fill in the “Differences: Massimino” section of the Venn diagram at the bottom of the page. One detail has been filled in for you.

2. Reread “Getting to Zero G.” As you read, take notes on the author’s attitude toward reaching his goal, his experiences on the “Weightless Wonder,” and the lessons he learned. Then, complete the “Differences: Pausch” section of the Venn diagram. One detail has been filled in for you.

3. Refer back to your notes to identify at least three similarities between authors Massimino and Pausch and how they write about their experiences in space. Then, complete the “Similarities” section of the Venn diagram.

Differences: Massimino

• Applied 4 times to NASA

Similarities

Differences: Pausch

• Found a loophole

4. Review the content of your completed Venn diagram. What did you learn from your analysis of the two texts?

• Became an astronaut, prepared 5 years for mission

• Feared failing• Felt alone• Had good friends• Had support from

family and NASA

• Were persistent• Had good sense

of humor • Had fun• Learned from

experience

• Applied as a journalist

• Had “spectacular” experience on Weightless Wonder

• Learned to bring something “to the table” and to find an opening and “float through it”

Possible answer: Both authors had different reasons for going into space, and

both worked many years in pursuit of their dreams. Massimino’s experience

was more stressful, but both learned important life lessons from floating in

space.

Reading Skill 9


Vocabulary Skill: Selection Vocabulary

“Getting to Zero G”acclimate deterred gig

“A View of the Earth”camaraderie debris legacy

charades dormant haven

PRACTICE A. Choose the vocabulary word that has a meaning related to each word in italics. Explain each answer.

1. Which word is related to friendship?

2. Which word is related to explosions?

3. Which word is related to acting?

PRACTICE B. Use each boldface word in your answer to the question. Explain your answers.

1. Can people playing charades develop a sense of camaraderie?

2. Would a haven help a traveler acclimate to his or her new surroundings?

3. Would a worker who has been deterred from doing what he or she loves want to find a different gig?

APPLY Complete each sentence below.

1. When a plant is dormant, it is .

2. When you have found a haven, you have found .

3. It can take time to acclimate to a change in season because

.

Camaraderie is related to friendship because the word means “a deep feeling of friendship.”

Debris is related to explosions because debris is made up of things that have been destroyed or broken.

Charades is related to acting because it is a game in which players act out words or phrases.

Yes, charades is a game that people play in teams. They would develop a sense of friendship, or camaraderie.

Yes, workers who are deterred, or stopped, from doing work they like would want to find a new short-term job, or gig.

not growing but will grow again later

a safe place to live

it sometimes takes

Yes, a haven is a safe space or shelter where a traveler could get acclimated or used to living in a new place.

Possible answers:

Possible answers:

Possible answers:

time to get used to new or changing temperatures.



Vocabulary Strategy: Figurative LanguageFigurative language is the use of words and phrases that are not meant to be taken literally. Instead, the words create images and emotional associations in the reader’s mind. Michael Massimino and Randy Pausch use figurative language to great effect in their nonfiction narratives to help readers imagine the technical and emotional aspects of their experiences in space.

In this sentence from “A View of the Earth,” Massimino conveys his sense of wonder, which is not easy to describe literally. His use of figurative language helps readers imagine Earth as a “spaceship” that is “whipping around the sun.” How does that image make you feel?

“All of us here today, even tonight, we’re on this spaceship Earth, amongst all the chaos of the universe, whipping around the sun and around the Milky Way galaxy.”

Example 1

In this excerpt from “Getting to Zero G,” Pausch uses the image of “a runaway roller coaster” to help readers visualize the technical explanation at the beginning of the paragraph.

“Whatever the plane is called, it’s a sensational piece of machinery. It does parabolic arcs, and at the top of each arc, you get about twenty-five seconds when you experience the rough equivalent of weightlessness. As the plane dives, you feel like you’re on a runaway roller coaster, but you’re suspended, flying around.”

Example 2

Practice and Apply Find at least two other examples of figurative language in “A View of the Earth” or “Getting to Zero G.” First, copy the sentence that includes the figurative language and underline the figurative word or phrase. Then, explain what the figurative language makes you think about and why the author might have used it.

Possible answer from “A View of the Earth”: “And it rekindled a boyhood dream that had gone dormant over the years.” The word rekindled suggests that the childhood dream was a tiny flame that nearly went out. The word dormant suggests something that went to sleep and now has woken up again. The author used figurative language here to suggest that his dream was fragile like a flame but also like a living thing.

Vocabulary Skill/Vocabulary Strategy 11


Language Skill: Vague PronounsPronouns are words that can replace nouns. The word that a pronoun replaces, or refers to, is called the antecedent. In clear writing, readers can tell which word a pronoun refers to. Vague pronouns occur when writers leave out the antecedent or include more than one possible antecedent. Watch out for vague pronouns in your writing.

A pronoun is vague when it can refer back to either of two antecedents. In the following sentence, the pronoun he could refer to either Drew or Mike Massimino. The writer revised the sentence to make the antecedent clearer.

Vague: When Drew got Mike Massimino’s attention, he smiled.Not vague: When Drew got Mike Massimino’s attention, Drew smiled.

Example 1

Sometimes the antecedent is not stated. The pronoun is vague because readers can’t tell what word the pronoun replaces. In the following example, the writer revised by adding a clear antecedent.

Vague: Massimino wrote about how it made him feel alone in space.Not vague: Massimino wrote about floating in space and how it made him feel alone.

Example 2

The best way to avoid vague pronouns is to make sure every pronoun has a clear antecedent. When you write, circle all the pronouns. Draw an arrow from each pronoun to its antecedent. If you can’t find the antecedent, revise the sentence.

Randy Pausch pursued his childhood dream.

Example 3



Practice and Apply: Vague Pronouns1. Draw a line through the sentence or sentences that contain a vague pronoun.

Astronauts Michael Massimino and Drew Feustel decided to do it now. Randy Pausch officially changed his profession from professor to journalist. During the space walk, Massimino told Feustel that his battery was dead.

2. Read the paragraph below. Write the pronouns in the left column of the chart. Write each pronoun’s antecedent in the right column. If you can’t identify an antecedent, write unclear. The first one has been done for you.

It was a great challenge for Massimino. At first, he was afraid of losing his grip on the shuttle and spinning off into space. But after crawling over it many times during the mission, Massimino forgot his fear. Later, Feustel told Massimino that he would be okay. The engineers on the ground gave Massimino some solutions. He listened to them.

Pronoun AntecedentIt unclear

3. Choose two vague pronouns from item 2. Revise the sentences to correct the vague pronouns.

4. Write a few sentences about what you learned from reading “A View of the Earth” and “Getting to Zero G.” Make sure none of the pronouns are vague.

Possible answers: The space walk was a great challenge for Massimino. But after crawling over the space shuttle many times during the mission, Massimino forgot his fear. Later, Feustel told Massimino that Massimino would be okay. He listened to the engineers.

Possible answer: I learned that it takes a lot of work, ambition, courage, and persistence to fulfill the dream of getting into space. There are many challenges involved, and the work can be dangerous. Years of education and training are necessary before a person can even go into space.

he Massiminohis Massiminoit unclear

his Massiminohe unclearhe Massimino

them unclear

Language Skill 13


Writing Skill: Write a Lecture

Assignment: Write a lecture in which you tell an audience about one of your lifelong goals or dreams. Tell how you reached your dream or how you intend to reach it.

PREWRITING: Identify the Topic

Randy Pausch’s “Getting to Zero G” is an excerpt from his book The Last Lecture. A lecture is an informative text that is meant to be delivered to an audience. That means your lecture needs to be focused and clear. Begin by choosing your topic. You have probably had many goals and dreams. Which ones are worth telling others about? Focus on your topic by answering these questions:

• What was or is my most important dream or goal?

• What have I done, or what am I doing to achieve my dream or goal?

• Why might others want to know about my experience?

Use your answers to create a topic sentence for your lecture. A topic sentence introduces the topic and lets your audience know what you will be talking about.

My lecture will be about my (dream/goal) of .

Because you are writing for an audience, think about whether they will be interested in the topic.

I think my audience will be interested in the topic because

.

Six Traits + 1: IdeasIdeas are the most important part of a lecture. They are what your audience wants to hear. Once you identify your topic—your goal or dream—you need to gather ideas. One way to identify ideas is to ask questions that your audience might ask. By thinking about what your audience needs to know, you can gather key information.



Questions for Gathering Ideas

What was/is my goal?

Why was/is this goal important to me?

What obstacles did/do I face?

How did/will I reach my goal?

Who helped/ will help me reach my goal?

What have I learned from my experience?

What terms or ideas will I need to define or explain for my audience?

DRAFTING: Organize Your Ideas

You need to organize your ideas in a logical way. You could use chronological order to tell about the steps you took to reach your dream in the order that you took them. That’s what Randy Pausch did in “Getting to Zero G.” Or you could start with the most important idea and work your way through to the least important. In either case, be sure to use transition words such as first, second, third, then, next, and finally to help your audience follow your ideas.

Speaking and Listening: Deliver Your Lecture

Assignment: Present your lecture to a small group of classmates.

Remember, you can’t just read aloud your lecture in front of an audience. Instead, write down the key ideas from your lecture on index cards and use them to guide you as you speak from memory. Include multimedia in your presentation if possible. Practice your presentation before delivering it to your group.

As you listen to a classmate’s lecture, remember to do the following:

• Listen quietly and respectfully and do not interrupt with comments.

• Provide nonverbal feedback to show you are listening carefully.

• Ask questions at the appropriate time to clarify your understanding.

Writing Skill/Speaking and Listening 15


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