Teaching Comprehension Strategies: Book E - Ages 9-10 by Teacher Superstore

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TEACHING COMPREHENSION STRATEGIES (Book E) Published by R.I.C. Publications® 2006

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TEACHING COMPREHENSION STRATEGIES (Book A) TEACHING COMPREHENSION STRATEGIES (Book B) TEACHING COMPREHENSION STRATEGIES (Book C) TEACHING COMPREHENSION STRATEGIES (Book D) TEACHING COMPREHENSION STRATEGIES (Book F) TEACHING COMPREHENSION STRATEGIES (Book G)

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Foreword Teaching comprehension strategies: A metacognitive approach is a series of seven books using modelling, guided and independent practice to teach students strategies they can use to develop different reading comprehension skills. Titles in this series include:

• Teaching comprehension strategies—Book A

• Teaching comprehension strategies—Book B

• Teaching comprehension strategies—Book D • Teaching comprehension strategies—Book E • Teaching comprehension strategies—Book F

• Teaching comprehension strategies—Book G

Contents

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r o e t s Bo r e p ok u S • Teaching comprehension strategies—Book C

Teachers notes................................................................................................................................................................................................. iv – vii

Curriculum links .................................................................................................................................................................................................... vii Comprehension skills class test record . ................................................................................................................................................................ viii Individual student evaluation....................................................................................................................................................................................ix Teachers notes.......................................................................50–51

Understanding words 1 – The case of the Cottingley fairies (recount)................................4–7

Concluding 1 – Fear of flying (explanation).............................52–55

Understanding words 2 – The animal whisperer (narrative)........8–9

Summarising 1 – Speech exams (exposition)..........................58–61

Finding information 1 – Saint Valentine’s Day (explanation)........................................10–13

Summarising 2 – Clowning around (report)...........................62–63

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Concluding 2 – Learning (narrative)........................................56–57

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Teachers notes...........................................................................2–3

Inferring 1 – The Wesley mystery (narrative)...........................64–67

Finding information 2 – Buried treasure (report)..................14–15

Inferring 2 – Family history (recount).....................................68–69

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Identifying the main idea 1 – Learning a musical instrument (exposition)...........................16–19

Tests – Joan of Arc (biography)................................................70–73

Identifying the main idea 2 – Working dogs (report).............20–21

Teachers notes.......................................................................74–75

Tests – Champion of the chimpanzees (biography)...................22–25

Cause and effect 1 – How to conserve water (explanation).....76–79

Teachers notes.......................................................................26–27

Cause and effect 2 – Changing matter (procedure).................80–81

Sequencing 1 – The dare (narrative).......................................28–31

Fact or opinion 1 – Redbacks vs Tigers (recount)...................82–85

Sequencing 2 – Disappearing coin trick (procedure)..............32–33

Fact or opinion 2 – Bonsai trees (report) . .............................86–87

Finding similarities and differences 1 – Dragons (description)...........................................................34–37

Point of view and purpose 1 – Kids in the kitchen (exposition).............................................88–91

Finding similarities and differences 2 – The fox and the cat/ The seven-minded fox and the one-minded owl (fables)...........38–39

Point of view and purpose 2 – Giftlands (advertisement)........92–93 Tests – Save the sirenians! (report)...........................................94–97

Predicting 1 – Being popular (narrative).................................40–43 Predicting 2 – Murder mystery party (diary)............................44–45 Tests – Super-ride (letter).........................................................46–49 R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

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Teaching comprehension strategies

Teachers notes What is comprehension? Comprehension is a cognitive process. It involves the capacity of the mind to understand, using logic and reasoning. It is not, as some students sadly believe, trying to guess the answers to formal exercises, done with a pencil and paper, after reading text. Students need to know how to think about and make decisions about a text after reading it.

Teaching comprehension

r o e t s Bo r e p ok u S Metacognitive strategies

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Metacognitive strategies, teaching students how to think about thinking, are utilised in developing the twelve comprehension skills taught in this book. Metacognitive strategies are modelled and explained to students for each skill. As this is essentially an oral process, teachers are encouraged to elaborate on and discuss the explanations provided on the ‘Learning about the skill’ pages and to talk about different thought processes they would use in answering each question.

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Comprehension skills can and should be developed by teaching students strategies that are appropriate to a particular comprehension skill and then providing opportunities for them to discuss and practise applying those strategies to the texts they read. These strategies can be a series of clearly defined steps to follow. Students need to understand that it is the process not the product that is more important. In other words, they need to understand how it is done before they are required to demonstrate that they can do it.

Students will require different levels of support before they are able to work independently to comprehend, make decisions about text and choose the best answer in multiple choice questions. This support includes modelling the metacognitive processes, as well as supported practice with some hints and clues provided.

With higher order comprehension skills, care needs to be taken to ensure that the text is at an appropriate level and that the language of discussion is also age-appropriate.

The emphasis should be on discussion of: the text, thinking processes, activities and strategies that can be used to better comprehend text. Many students will benefit from completing some of the comprehension activities orally before moving to supported and then independent pen and paper work.

The exercises in this book have been written not to test, but to stimulate and challenge students and to help them to develop their thinking processes through modelled metacognitive strategies, discussion and guided and independent practice. There are no trick questions, but there are many that require and encourage students to use logic and reasoning.

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Note: The terms skills and strategies are sometimes confused. The following explanation provides some clarification of how the two terms are used in this book. Skills relate to competent performance and come from knowledge, practice and aptitude.

Particularly in the higher order comprehension skills, there may be more than one acceptable answer. The reader’s prior knowledge and experience will influence some of his or her decisions about the text. Teachers may choose to accept an answer if a student can justify and explain his or her choice. Therefore, some of the answers provided should not be considered prescriptive but more a guide and a basis for discussion.

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Strategies involve planning and tactics.

In other words, we can teach strategies that will help students to acquire specific comprehension skills.

There are students with excellent cognitive processing skills and a particular aptitude for and interest in reading who develop advanced reading comprehension skills independently. However, for the majority of students, the strategies they need to develop and demonstrate comprehension need to be made explicit and carefully taught, not just tested; the rationale behind this series of books.

Teaching comprehension strategies

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Teachers notes The following twelve comprehension skills are included in this book. Understanding words

Sequencing

Concluding

Cause and effect

Finding information

Finding similarities and differences

Summarising

Fact or opinion

Identifying the main idea

Predicting

Inferring

Point of view and purpose

These twelve skills have been divided into four sections, each with teachers notes, three different comprehension skills and three student assessment tests.

There is a test at the end of each section to assess the three skills, consisting of:

r o e t s Bo r e p ok u S • Student page 1 – Text 3

Each group of six pages given to a particular skill consists of:

• Student page 2 – Skill 1 test • Student page 3 – Skill 2 test • Student page 4 – Skill 3 test

A class test record sheet is provided on page viii and an individual student evaluation sheet is on page ix.

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• Student page 1 – Text 1 • Student page 2 – Learning about the skill (teacher modelling of the skill) • Student page 3 – Practice page (student practice with teacher assistance) • Student page 4 – On your own (independent student activity) • Student page 5 – Text 2 • Student page 6 – Try it out (independent student activity with one clue)

There are a variety of different text types used and identified in this book including:

Teachers pages

Reports

Narratives

Expositions

Recounts

Procedures

Explanations

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An indicator states the expected outcome.

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The three skills in the section are identified.

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Answers are given for many questions but they may vary, particularly with the higher order comprehension skills. Teachers may choose to accept alternative answers if students are able to justify them. R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Information about and answers for student tests for each of the three skills are included. Teaching comprehension strategies

Student pages Learning about the skill

Practice page

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• The skill is identified and defined. • The text is presented.

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Text 1

• The logo indicates that this is a teaching page.

• The logo indicates that this is a teacher and student page.

• Steps and strategies are outlined.

• Some multiple choice questions and others requiring explanations are presented with prompts or clues to assist students.

• Multiple choice questions are presented and metacognitive processes for choosing the best answer are described.

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• The logo indicates that this is a student page.

• The skill is identified. • The text is presented.

• At least one multiple choice question and others requiring explanation are presented for students to complete.

Teaching comprehension strategies

• The logo indicates that this is a student page. • Multiple choice questions and some requiring explanation are included.

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Student test pages Tests 1–3

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Test text

• . Logo to indicate this isa a student page.n © R. I . C P ubthatl i c t i o s • The text is presented. • The comprehension skill to be tested is identified and appropriate strategies and steps •f orr evi ewrevised.pur posesonl y• • The three skills to be tested are identified.

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Curriculum links NSW

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• Multiple choice questions and others requiring more explanation are presented.

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2.7

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2.11

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Qld Refer to curriculum documents on <http:// www.qsa.qld.edu.au>

ENRE0305 ENRE0306 ENRE0307 ENRE0308

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Teaching comprehension strategies

Point of view and purpose

Fact or opinion

Cause and effect

Inferring

Summarising

Concluding

Predicting

Finding similarities and differences

Sequencing

Identifying the main idea

Finding information

Notes

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Name

Understanding words

Comprehension skills class test record

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Individual student evaluation Name: Skill

Strategies

Comments

knowledge Understanding words

application

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Identifying the main idea

Sequencing

Finding similarities and differences

application knowledge

application

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Finding information

knowledge application knowledge application

©knowledge R. I C.Publ i cat i ons . Predicting application •f orr evi ew pur posesonl y• knowledge

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Inferring

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application

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Concluding

knowledge application

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application

knowledge

Cause and effect

application

knowledge Fact or opinion

application knowledge

Point of view and purpose

application

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Teaching comprehension strategies

Teachers notes – 1 The focus of this section is on the following skills:

Understanding words

Finding information

Understanding words

Identifying the main idea

Finding information

Indicators

• Students will use contextual information to determine the meaning of words and phrases in texts. • Students will apply metacognitive strategies to reflect on how they determined the meaning of words and phrases.

• Students scan text to locate keywords. • Students read text carefully, as many times as necessary to find important and supporting information and details.

Background information

This section models and explains how to locate keywords in questions and then in the text. Students are encouraged to scan a text to identify keywords and then to read the text a number of times, if necessary, to locate details and to determine which details are important in clarifying information and in supporting their ideas and the choices they have made.

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Background information

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The meaning of the words and phrases we use depends on how they are used in a sentence. Contextual information is a very useful cue in determining meaning.

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Some students find the concept difficult and need explicit modelling and supported practice to understand this and to use contextual information to determine word or phrase meaning. Many are unaware that they can determine meaning by careful consideration of the text and that there are clues there to help them.

Many students are unaware of the need to return to text or even that this is permitted and believe they should have understood and remembered details from their first reading.

Having identified the keywords in a question, some students find it quite difficult to scan text to locate these words. It is suggested that they are assisted by being given additional information; for example, the specific paragraph they need to read. Many may not be aware that the first sentence in a paragraph often tells what that particular paragraph is about and reading it quickly can be very helpful.

In choosing answers to multiple choice questions, students should first locate the word in the text. They should then read the sentence and perhaps some others around it as well as any other parts of the text that may provide clues to its meaning. They should consider all answers before making a decision and choosing one.

Students may also need to use syntactic information to check that the meaning they have selected ‘fits’ the sentence.

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Saint Valentine’s Day..................................................................Pages 10–13 • Practice: page 12 1. (d) 2. (b) 3. He outlawed marriage, sent Valentine to prison and sentenced him to death. 4. To honour Juno, the goddess of women, pregnancy and childbirth. • On your own: page 13 1. (c) 2. (c) 3. He fell in love with a young woman who had visited him and wrote her a love letter. 4. (a) true (b) false (c) false (d) false

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The animal whisperer...................................................................Pages 8–9 • Try it out: page 9 1. (d) 2. (c) 3. (a) 4. Teacher check 5. Teacher check 6. puzzled, bewildered 7. (a)

Teaching comprehension strategies

Answers

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The case of the Cottingley fairies..............................................Pages 4–7 • Practice: page 6 1. (b) 2. (a) 3. (a) To promise something faithfully (Answers will vary) (b) Teacher check 4. (c) • On your own: page 7 1. (a) 2. (d) 3. Teacher check 4. (a) genuine, real (b) Teacher check 5. (b) 6. (c)

When locating details in informational text, particular care should be taken to ensure that the information is accurate and that it is recorded correctly. Although there is generally more room for interpretation in fiction, this skill requires students to locate information that is stated in the text.

Buried treasure............................................................................Pages 14–15 • Try it out: page 15 1. (d) 2. (b) 3. (c) 4. He thinks that Jesterton is irresponsible and should be ashamed of himself for his idiotic stunt. 5. The winner needs intelligence, physical strength and courage.

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Teachers notes – 2 The focus of this section is on the following skills:

Understanding words

Finding information

Identifying the main idea

Student tests

Indicator:

Tests have been incorporated to provide teachers with a clear record of each student’s level of understanding and development pertaining to each skill. It is important that students work independently to complete the tests.

• Students determine the main idea in a text and in specific paragraphs.

Background information

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If students are able to identify the main idea of a text they are more likely to comprehend it. This section models how this is done. It provides opportunities for students to practise this skill and to understand why it is important.

A class test record sheet and student evaluation sheet are provided on pages viii and ix.

Champion of the chimpanzees (pages 22–25)

The main idea connects the ideas expressed in the paragraphs and gives coherence to the text. Some students may find it easier to practise this skill at the paragraph level, particularly if they understand that the first sentence is often the topic sentence and may contain the main idea.

Answers

• Test 1: Understanding words..............................................(Page 23) 1. (a) 2. Answers should indicate that the chimpanzees were edgy and nervous. 3. (c) 4. (b) 5. Answers should indicate that the phrase means ‘to eagerly take an opportunity’.

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Identifying the main idea

Another very significant clue is the title, which usually indicates what the text is about and may incorporate its main idea. Another is the conclusion, which in some text types often restates the main idea. In expository text, the main idea is stated in the first paragraph, where the writer is expected to state the issue and his or her position on it.

• Test 2: Finding information...............................................(Page 24) 1. (b) 2. (c) 3. She travels the world, talking about her work and inspiring young people. 4. Answers must include two of the following: she loved her toy chimp, she enjoyed reading books about animals and she dreamed about working among the animals in Africa. 5. Teacher check

When selecting the main idea in multiple choice questions, it is essential that students read all the choices carefully, because while all of them are often ideas expressed in the text, generally one is more of an overall summary of the text’s focus.

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• Test 3: Identifying the main idea.....................................(Page 25) 1. (a) 2. Answers will vary but should be similar to the following: Paragraph 3 – What Jane did in Kenya; Paragraph 4 – What Jane did in Gombe Stream National Park; Paragraph 5 –What Jane did after she left Tanzania/Establishing the Jane Goodall Institute 3. (d) 4. Paragraph 1

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Learning a musical instrument..............................................Pages 16–19 • Practice: page 18 1. (c) 2. (b) 3. (a) Everyone should learn a musical instrument as it has many benefits. (b) Paragraph 7 • On your own: page 19 1. Learning a musical instrument is fun. 2. (b) 3. Answers will vary, but should indicate that learning an instrument can improve your social skills. 4. Teacher check 5. 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 should be ticked 6. Don’t delay, start music lessons today.

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Working dogs................................................................................Pages 20–21 • Try it out: page 21 1. (c) 2. Paragraph 1 – Some dogs are specially trained to help and work for humans. 3. (c) 4. Answers should indicate that some dogs are working dogs and they are specially trained to help and work for humans. 5. • Herding dogs work on farms to help move sheep and cattle. • Some dogs work with the police force or other authorities.

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Teaching comprehension strategies

Understanding words – 1 Words are the building blocks we use to communicate with others. It is important that we understand what they mean and that we know some ways to work out their meanings in different sentences. Read the recount.

The case of the Cottingley fairies

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Later, Arthur developed the photograph in his darkroom and saw a picture of Frances with a group of tiny winged creatures dancing around her. Elsie claimed these were fairies, but her father took little notice. A few months later, the girls borrowed the camera again and this time took a photograph of Elsie with a dancing gnome-like creature. The girls both gave their word that the photographs were real, but Arthur was angry and refused to let them use the camera again.

A few years later, Elsie’s mother brought the photographs to the attention of a photographic expert, Edward Gardner. He announced that they were genuine. He was certain they had not been tampered with in any way to create the fairy images. In August 1920, he took his own camera to Cottingley and asked the girls to take more photographs. They soon produced three more images containing fairies. Gardner showed these to a number of people, including the author of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries, Arthur Conan Doyle. Doyle, a firm believer in supernatural beings, was convinced the photographs were real. He wrote two magazine articles about his belief in the fairies and the photographs soon became famous. There were many sceptics, but also a wealth of believers. The photographs became the topic of numerous heated debates.

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In July 1917, in the village of Cottingley, England, 10-year-old Frances Griffiths slipped and fell into a stream in her back garden, soaking her dress. When her mother scolded her for being careless, Frances said that she and her cousin, 16-year-old Elsie Wright, had become distracted while playing with fairies. Frances’s mother sent her straight to her bedroom for giving such a ludicrous excuse. Frances was so upset that Elsie suggested they take a photograph of the fairies to prove her story. The girls soon persuaded Elsie’s father, Arthur Wright, to lend them his camera and they disappeared off into the garden to take a photograph.

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For more than 60 years, Frances and Elsie were interviewed about the photographs, but they gave evasive answers to any direct questions. However, in the early 1980s, they finally confessed to their hoax. The fairies were paper cut-outs which Elsie had traced from a children’s book. The girls had then used hatpins to hold each cut-out in position. However, Frances insisted up until her death in 1983 that she really had played with fairies in her back garden and that one of the photographs was valid.

Teaching comprehension strategies

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Understanding words Learning about the skill Learn how you can work out the meaning of words. Find and underline the word in the text. Read the sentence containing the word—this will be very helpful. Think about the other words in the sentence to find out what clues they give you. If you are still not sure, read the sentences before and after that one and the whole paragraph if you need to. • Always check all the possible answers before choosing one.

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The word is scolded. (Paragraph 1) Does it mean: (a) hugged? (b) rewarded? (c) cried with? (d) told off?

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• • • •

The word is evasive. (Paragraph 4) Does it mean: (a) loud? (b) nice? (c) indirect? (d) honest?

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and Elsie would raise their voices to answer a direct question about their photographs, so this is not a good answer. (b) Frances and Elsie might answer direct questions nicely, but this word seems too vague. So it is probably not the answer. (c) The text says that Frances and Elsie had faked the photographs. This would mean they would find it awkward to answer direct questions. It would therefore make sense for them to give indirect responses. This is a good answer, but check all answers. (d) Frances and Elsie would not want to answer direct questions about their photographs honestly, given that the text says they had faked them, so this can not be the best answer.

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being careless enough to fall into a stream and soak her clothes. It doesn’t seem likely Frances’s mother would want to hug her because of this. This answer doesn’t seem likely. (b) Frances’s mother would not reward Frances if she was careless. This is not a good answer. (c) It is possible Frances’s mother might cry if Frances had fallen into a stream, but the text doesn’t say Frances was hurt or upset. It only says she soaked her dress. This answer is probably incorrect. (d) Frances’s mother would probably tell off her child if she had been careless enough to soak her dress. This seems like the best answer.

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Teaching comprehension strategies

Understanding words Practice page Use similar strategies to those on page 5 to practise working out word meanings. (Clues are given to help you) The phrase is tampered with. (Paragraph 3) Does it mean: (a) squeezed? (b) deliberately changed? (c) ignored? (d) moved around?

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The best answer is 2.

Think!

The last few words of the sentence will give you a clue.

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The word is hoax. (Paragraph 4) Does it mean: (a) trick? (b) book? (c) toy? (d) something difficult?

Think!

Read the last three sentences of the text carefully.

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(b) Give an example of a time when you have given your word.

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Is the meaning of the word insisted in Paragraph 4 ... (a) lied? (b) whispered? (c) repeated firmly? (d) said loudly?

The best answer is Teaching comprehension strategies

Think!

The rest of the sentence following the phrase will help you.

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Think!

The rest of the sentence will give you a clue.

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Understanding words On your own Think about the strategies you have been using and work out these answers on your own.

The word is sceptics. (Paragraph 3) Does it mean: (a) people who doubted? (b) accidents? (c) fairies? (d) authors?

The word is ludicrous. (Paragraph 1) Does it mean: (a) politely explained? (b) bad? (c) uncomfortable? (d) ridiculous?

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The best answer is

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The best answer is

3. Write three other phrases or words that mean the same as a wealth of. (Paragraph 3)

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4. (a) The word valid is found in the last sentence of Paragraph 4. Write two other words from the text that have the same meaning.

(b) Write a sentence containing the word valid about something that has happened to you.

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5. What does the word distracted in Paragraph 1 mean? (a) distressed (b) sidetracked (c) thirsty (d) tired

6. The words heated debates in Paragraph 3 mean ... (a) hot speeches. (b) boring discussions. (c) intense discussions. (d) long reports.

The best answer is

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Teaching comprehension strategies

Understanding words – 2 Read the narrative.

The animal whisperer ‘Could you do me a favour?’ Sarah’s father asked as he put down his CB radio. ‘Dan says some important visitors have just arrived and they’ve requested a tour. Would you mind?’

Sarah looked up from her book. ‘Aw, Dad, can’t Jason do it?’

‘He’s helping the keepers with the orang-utans’, said her father. ‘Please Sarah? I’m run off my feet today.’

Sarah could see the tension in his face and knew she should oblige. ‘All right then.’ She slid off the bed and started to pull on her boots.

‘Thanks’, he said. ‘Can you meet them at the otter enclosure? Just show them around for half an hour. I know you’ll do a great job. There might be other whisperers around, but you’re the best.’ He smiled and left the room.

Sarah stood up and caught her reflection in the mirror. Could people tell there was something special about her just by looking? Her plain, solemn face stared back. She always wished she didn’t look so serious. Sarah shook her head and then hurried out the front door. The fragrance of the morning rain still hung in the air as she went past the aviaries.

A little further up the path, she could see Dan waiting with a family of four—two parents and two young children. The family glanced at her and then turned their attention back to the otters, which were frolicking about as usual. The family obviously thought she was too young to be their tour guide. Knowing Dan, he probably hadn’t mentioned that Sarah was only twelve.

Dan saw her and waved. She waved back and strode up to the family, flashing a smile. ‘Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m the zoo director’s daughter.’

She saw the parents exchange puzzled looks.

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‘You’ll be in great hands with Sarah’, said Dan. ‘She’s an animal whisperer.’

11.

The parents looked even more bewildered.

12.

‘Like a horse whisperer’, Sarah broke in. ‘But I can communicate with almost all animals. See …’ She pointed to the otters. They had stopped playing and had scampered up to the barrier. Sarah climbed over it, bent down and spoke soothingly to them in her melodious voice. They pushed their heads into Sarah’s shoulder, nuzzling her.

13.

Sarah heard the family gasp. She had grown accustomed to that happening. Animal whisperers certainly weren’t the sort of people you encountered every day.

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Understanding words Try it out Use the strategies you learnt and practised in The case of the Cottingley fairies to work out the meaning of some of the words and phrases. • Find and underline the word or phrase in the narrative. • Read the words around it and think.

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The word oblige (Paragraph 4) means: (a) play a musical instrument (b) complain (c) try your best (d) do a favour

The best answer is

2. The word melodious (Paragraph 12) means: (a) silent (b) harsh (c) musical (d) spinning around

Think!

Consider carefully what Sarah did next.

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3. Choose the best meaning of the phrase grown accustomed to. (Paragraph 13) (a) become used to (b) wanted to very much (c) become obvious (d) learned to listen to

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4. Sketch what you think Sarah’s solemn face looked like. (Paragraph 6)

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5. Write another phrase you know that means the same as run off my feet. (Paragraph 3)

6. Find two words used in the text to 7. describe the parents that mean the same as confused.

The word nuzzling (Paragraph 12) means: (a) pressing the nose against (b) glancing at (c) preparing for (d) turning a corner

The best answer is R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

. Teaching comprehension strategies

Finding information – 1 When you read text you can usually remember some of the information, but if you are asked about details, you should read the text again to locate and check that your information is correct. Remember: The answer you are looking for is there in the text, you just need to find it! Read the explanation.

Saint Valentine’s Day

To begin with, the month of February has long been associated with love. In the Northern Hemisphere it falls at the end of winter, when it was believed that birds chose their mates. In Ancient Rome, February was the time when a festival was held to honour Juno, the goddess of women, pregnancy and childbirth. On 14 February, young unmarried women would write their names on a piece of paper and place them in an urn or other container. Young unmarried men would then draw out a name and each man would become paired with the woman he chose for the rest of the festival or, according to some sources, for a whole year! Sometimes the paired couples would marry.

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Saint Valentine’s Day, or Valentine’s Day, falls on 14 February every year. It is a day when gifts, flowers and cards are exchanged between people to express their love. But how did this custom begin? There are many reasons, some wrapped up in legend!

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After the fall of the Roman Empire, the Christian Pope, Gelasius I, abolished Juno’s festival. Around 498 CE (Common Era), he declared that 14 February would now be known as Saint Valentine’s Day. Who was Saint Valentine? According to one legend, he was a Christian bishop who had lived in Rome. Around 269 CE, the Roman emperor of the time, Claudius II, decided to outlaw marriage. He believed that single men made better soldiers because they would not want to spend time with their wives and children. But Bishop Valentine defied Claudius by marrying young couples in secret. When this was discovered, Claudius decided to send him to prison and had him sentenced to death. One story says that while in prison, Valentine fell in love with a young woman who had visited him. Before he was put to death, he wrote her a love letter which he signed ‘From your Valentine’.

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Due to legends such as these, Saint Valentine became a popular saint in England and France. The practice of the Ancient Roman ‘love lottery’ held on 14 February inspired a new tradition where people chose their own sweethearts and sent letters or poems to them on Saint Valentine’s Day. By the late 1700s in Britain, Valentine’s Day cards were often sent instead of letters. The introduction of cheaper postal rates had made it a very popular custom.

Today, it is estimated that approximately one billion Valentine’s Day cards are sent around the world each year! Will you be sending one next Valentine’s Day?

Teaching comprehension strategies

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Finding information Learning about the skill Learn how to find information in text.

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Why was Valentine sent to prison? (a) He had written a love letter. (b) He was a Christian bishop. (c) He didn’t agree with the emperor’s decision to outlaw marriage. (d) He had married couples in secret.

2. What did the Ancient Roman ‘love lottery’ inspire? (a) Valentine flowers (b) Saint Valentine’s Day (c) people sending letters or poems to loved ones on 14 February (d) cheaper postal rates

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• Read the question very carefully. Keywords in the question will tell you what information and details you need to find. Underline them. • Think about your answer but you will need to look at the text to check that you are correct. • Find the keywords in the text and carefully read the information around them. • Check all the possible answers before making a decision.

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Roman, love lottery and inspire. (a) The section of text that talks about the Ancient Roman love lottery doesn’t even mention flowers. So this can not be the answer. (b) The Ancient Roman love lottery was held on 14 February, but it had nothing to do with Saint Valentine. So this is not the answer. (c) The text directly states that the love lottery inspired a new tradition of people sending poems or letters to loved ones on 14 February. So this is a good answer. (d) The text says that cheaper postal rates had made sending Valentine cards a popular tradition. It doesn’t say it had anything to do with the Ancient Romans. So this is not a good answer.

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Choosing the best answer The keywords are Valentine, sent and prison. (a) The text says that Valentine wrote the love letter after he was sent to prison. So this could not be the answer. (b) The text does state that Valentine was a Christian bishop, but it does not say that this was the reason for him being sent to prison. So this is not a good answer. (c) Valentine performed marriages in secret, so he obviously didn’t agree with the emperor’s decision to outlaw marriage; however, the text doesn’t state that merely because he disagreed was the reason why he was sent to prison. So this is probably not the answer—there may be a better one. (d) The text actually states that because Valentine married couples in secret he was sent to prison. So this is the best answer.

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Teaching comprehension strategies

Finding information Practice page Use similar strategies to those on page 11 to find information. (Clues are given to help you.) Name one thing Gelasius I did. (a) He outlawed marriage. (b) He made Bishop Valentine a saint. (c) He caused the fall of the Roman Empire. (d) He declared 14 February to be Saint Valentine’s Day.

The best answer is

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Think!

You will need to find the keyword ‘Gelasius’ to read about two things he did. One of them will be the answer.

2. What did young unmarried men do on 14 February in Ancient Rome? (a) They wrote their names on pieces of paper. (b) They drew out the name of a young unmarried woman. (c) They got in an urn or other container. (d) They got married.

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Think!

Read the end of Paragraph 2 carefully after you have found the keywords.

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3. Give details of two things Claudius II decided to do.

Think!

Look for keywords in Paragraph 3 then read to the end of the paragraph.

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4. Why was an Ancient Roman festival held in February? Teaching comprehension strategies

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Finding information On your own Think about the strategies you have been using and work out these answers. 1.

Why has the month of February long been associated with love? (a) People have always given gifts to loved ones in February. (b) It was the birth month of the goddess Juno. (c) It was believed that birds chose their mates in February. (d) No-one has any idea.

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The best answer is

What helped to make sending Valentine’s Day cards a popular custom in Britain? (a) People found writing love letters difficult. (b) Printed Valentine cards were introduced. (c) Cheaper postal rates were introduced. (d) People in France were already doing it.

The best answer is

3. Explain the events that took place while Valentine was in prison.

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4. Tick true or false.

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True

False

(a) Legends about Saint Valentine made him popular in France. (b) Juno was the Ancient Roman goddess of love. (c) Gelasius I was a Roman Emperor.

(d) A couple who were paired during the festival of Juno always got married a year later. R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Teaching comprehension strategies

Finding information – 2 Read the report.

Buried treasure 1.

Fancy yourself as a treasure hunter? Then a new worldwide competition could be for you.

British multi-billionaire Craig Jesterton has announced that ‘somewhere in the world’ he has buried a golden tiara, set with diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires. In two days’ time, his company website will begin to reveal clues to the treasure’s whereabouts. One clue a day will be given until someone works it out and uncovers the treasure.

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When talking to the media yesterday, Jesterton said that he had designed the tiara himself and had paid some of the world’s most expert jewellers to make it from 24-carat gold and top quality gems. Jesterton won’t reveal the exact value of the tiara, but has said that it is worth ‘millions’.

But Jesterton’s competition, which he feels is ‘just a bit of harmless fun’, has been criticised by many people, who say that he is running the competition just to make more money. It is predicted that millions of hits on his company website will be coming in daily.

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‘The tiara could be in any location in the world, from Norway to Antarctica’, says Jesterton. ‘It might be under the tiles of an historic cathedral or in the middle of a muddy field in a little village. The only thing I will say for sure is that the person who finds the treasure will need to possess a combination of intelligence, physical strength and courage. Even someone who has solved all the Internet clues may not be able to actually prise it up from the ground. There will definitely be an element of danger involved.’

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© R. I . C.Publ i cat i ons ‘Jesterton has• admitted that finding the treasure will be o dangerous’, Louis f or r e vi e w pu r p sessaid on l yBanks, • the manager of rival company, Banks Incorporated. ‘So it is simply irresponsible for him to entice

Idiotic or not, it is expected that thousands of people will be taking up Jesterton’s challenge in the hope of finding a piece of treasure that could mean they would never have to work another day in their lives.

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people to go off on expensive treasure-hunting trips around the world and possibly injure themselves—or worse. Jesterton should be ashamed of himself. You would never catch me pulling such an idiotic stunt.’

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Finding information Try it out Use the strategies you learnt and practised in Saint Valentine’s Day to find information and details. • Work out the keywords and find them in the text. • Check all answers before you make a decision.

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Jesterton feels that his competition is: (a) irresponsible. (b) an idiotic stunt. (c) not going to be won. (d) a bit of harmless fun.

The best answer is

Think!

Look carefully for a sentence in the text which contains the keywords ‘Jesterton’, ‘competition’ and ‘feels’.

How will clues about the treasure be given? (a) through Banks Incorporated (b) through Jesterton’s company website (c) by some of the world’s most expert jewellers (d) through Jesterton talking to the media

What is the exact value of the tiara? (a) one million dollars (b) many millions (c) No-one knows because Jesterton won’t reveal it. (d) 24 dollars

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4. Explain Louis Banks’s feelings about Jesterton and the competition. 5. Describe the sort of person Jesterton thinks will find the treasure. R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Teaching comprehension strategies

Identifying the main idea – 1 If you know what the main idea of a text is, you have a much better chance of understanding what it is about. Read the exposition.

Learning a musical instrument Learning to play a musical instrument is something that everyone should try; it doesn’t matter what your age is. Whether you choose the bagpipes or the piano, there are many benefits from learning to play music.

Studies have shown that learning a musical instrument is good for our brains. It can develop concentration and memory skills and may even make us smarter! In children, it can improve reading and mathematics skills and in adults, it may aid healthy brain function. Interestingly enough, it has been found that parts of the brain concerned with movement and coordination are bigger in adults who play musical instruments than those who do not.

Anyone who has learnt to play a musical instrument will know that the key to success is practice. You have to be disciplined to do regular practice and you will also need to develop the patience and determination needed to overcome the many frustrations that come with learning to play an instrument well. These skills can be applied to other areas of your life.

Playing a musical instrument can also help you develop confidence. All those exams, recitals and playing for family and friends can really help you to learn how to deal with nerves. Your confidence levels certainly get a boost when you learn a new piece of music or technical skill with which you have been struggling.

Your social skills can also improve when you play a musical instrument. You can get a group of people together to play musical instruments—and maybe make some lifelong friends! You will also always have something interesting to talk about at social occasions—non-musicians are fascinated by someone who can play an instrument.

Finally, I think one of the most important benefits of playing a musical instrument is that it is fun! It is a great feeling to be able to play a favourite piece of music for yourself or others. Lots of musicians say that when they are playing their instrument, they are able to forget about problems in other areas of their life and just enjoy the music they are creating.

So what are you waiting for? Choose a musical instrument and start some lessons today! It will help you in so many areas of your life.

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Identifying the main idea Learning about the skill Learn how to work out the main idea and why it is important. • There are many ideas in text but one idea is the link that joins the other ideas together—this is the main idea.

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• Read the text then ask yourself, ‘what is it mainly about’? (The title is a useful clue to the main idea because a good title often tells the reader what the text is about.)

What do you think the author’s main aim in writing this text was? (a) To give tips to people who already learn music. (b) To explain how much fun it is to learn a musical instrument. (c) To persuade people to take up the bagpipes. (d) To persuade people to learn a musical instrument.

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• Always check all the answers before choosing one.

Choosing the best answer (a) The text doesn’t give any tips on how to play a musical instrument. It only talks about the benefits of playing an instrument. So this is not a good answer. (b) The text does talk about how much fun it is to learn a musical instrument, but it is only one part of the text. This is not a good answer. (c) The text only mentions the bagpipes once, so this can not be the answer. (d) The text give lots of reasons why it is good to play a musical instrument. This must be the best answer.

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What is the main idea of Paragraph 2? (a) Learning a musical instrument can improve mathematical skills. (b) There are lots of benefits to learning a musical instrument. (c) Learning a musical instrument is good for our brains. (d) People who play musical instruments have different brains from those who do not.

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Choosing the best answer (a) Paragraph 2 mentions that learning a musical instrument can improve mathematical skills, but it is not the main idea of the paragraph. This is not a good answer. (b) This paragraph only talks about one main benefit of playing a musical instrument, so this can not be the best answer. (c) The first sentence of Paragraph 2 states that learning a musical instrument is good for our brains. The rest of the sentences in the paragraph then support this sentence. So this is a good answer, but you need to check all answers. (d) The text talks about how musicians’ brains are different from other people’s brains, but this is not the central idea of the paragraph. This can not be the best answer. R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Teaching comprehension strategies

Identifying the main idea Practice page Use similar strategies to those on page 17 to practise finding the main idea. (Clues are given to help you.)

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The best answer is

2. What is the main idea of Paragraph 3? (a) It is important to do music practice. (b) You can develop discipline, patience and determination from practising a musical instrument. (c) You should learn a musical instrument. (d) It can be frustrating to learn a musical instrument.

Think!

Test out each of the possible answers by reading each paragraph and deciding if it describes what the paragraph is about.

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1. Which of these is the main idea of one of the paragraphs in the text? (a) Musical instruments are difficult to learn. (b) Playing the piano is fun. (c) You can develop confidence from playing a musical instrument. (d) Musical recitals can make you nervous.

Think!

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3. (a) Explain the main idea of Paragraph 1 in your own words.

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The main idea of this paragraph may not be contained in the first sentence. Think carefully about what the message of the whole paragraph is.

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Think!

To answer 3 (a), decide what the author is trying to persuade us to believe. To answer (b), test your answer for (a) against each paragraph and decide one which is trying to give a similar message.

(b) The main idea of which other paragraph is most similar to Paragraph 1?

Paragraph

Teaching comprehension strategies

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Identifying the main idea On your own Think about the strategies you have been using and work out these answers. 1. Write the main idea of Paragraph 6 using one sentence only.

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The main idea of Paragraph 5 is contained in: (a) the last sentence. (b) the first sentence. (c) the second sentence. (d) in all the sentences.

The best answer is

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3. Use your own words to explain what Paragraph 5 is mainly about.

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4. (a) Write an alternative title for this text that clearly states the overall main idea.

(b) Do you think the overall main idea of this exposition appears in the original title?

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5. Tick the paragraphs in which the main idea appears in the first sentence. Paragraph 1............... Paragraph 2............... Paragraph 3............... Paragraph 4............... Paragraph 5............... Paragraph 6............... R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

6. What is the main idea of Paragraph 7?

Teaching comprehension strategies

Identifying the main idea – 2 Read the report.

Working dogs 1.

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Some dogs provide assistance to people who have disabilities. Guide dogs are probably the most well-known. They are trained to act as the eyes of their visually impaired owners. Other dogs, known as ‘service dogs’, help people who have difficulty moving and may be trained to switch lights on, open doors, help someone who has had a seizure or even phone emergency services! There are also hearing dogs, which can help hearing-impaired people by indicating when they have heard the doorbell, phone, smoke alarm or other important sounds. While guide dogs and service dogs are commonly Labrador or golden retrievers, hearing dogs are often mixed breeds.

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Pet dogs can provide their owners with comfort, friendship and fun. But some dogs are not pets—they are specially trained to help and work for humans. They can do this in a number of different ways.

Some dogs work with the police force or other authorities. Dogs like bloodhounds and German shepherds can be trained to follow scents to find criminals and then ‘hold’ them for the police. Other dogs can sniff out hidden explosives and drugs. Customs officials at the airport may also use dogs like beagles to sniff out fruit or other prohibited food items in passengers’ luggage.

Search and rescue dogs help to save human lives in a variety of situations. They can follow scents to help track down missing people—even in water—and in disasters, such as earthquakes. Breeds of dogs suitable for these types of jobs include Labrador retrievers, Dobermans and German shepherds. Other breeds of dogs, like the huge, heavy St Bernards and the Newfoundlands, can even find people in snow. As well as hauling victims to safety, they may lie next to them to keep them warm while waiting for human assistance to arrive.

Dogs are certainly an important part of human life. What would we do without them?

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Herding dogs, such as Border collies and Australian cattle dogs, work on farms to help farmers move sheep or cattle. These dogs have been specially bred for this type of work. They are usually trained to respond instantly to different whistles or words given by the farmer. Herding dogs use a range of different skills to maintain their dominance over the animals they are herding. This might mean nipping at the legs of cattle, growling or even glaring at sheep!

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Identifying the main idea Try it out Use the strategies you learnt and practised in Learning a musical instrument to find the main idea. • The main idea links all the other ideas together and tells what the text is about. • Read the text and ask yourself, ‘What is it mainly about?’ • Read all possible answers carefully before making a decision.

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The main idea of Paragraph 2 is: (a) Guide dogs are the most well-known assistance dogs. (b) Hearing dogs are often mixed breeds. (c) Some dogs help people with disabilities. (d) Assistance dogs are very smart.

The best answer is

Think!

What is the whole paragraph mainly about?

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2. (a) In which paragraph is the main idea not stated in the first sentence? Paragraph

(b) What is the main idea of this paragraph?

What is the main idea of Paragraph 5? (a) Labrador retrievers can help to track missing people. (b) Dogs can follow scents. (c) Human lives can be saved by search and rescue dogs. (d) Some people would have died if not for the St Bernard dog.

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4. Explain what the overall main idea of the text is in your own words.

5. Write the main idea of each of these paragraphs. Paragraph 3: Paragraph 4: R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Teaching comprehension strategies

Student tests

The tests on pages 22 to 25 will show how well you can: Understand words Find information Identify the main idea

Read the biography.

Champion of the chimpanzees 1.

Dr Jane Goodall is a scientist best known for her studies of chimpanzees. Among other things, her research has shown that chimpanzees hunt for meat and use tools—facts that were not previously known. Thanks to Jane, scientists’ knowledge about the family life of chimpanzees is better and they understand that each chimpanzee has a distinct personality.

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After she left school, Jane trained and worked as a secretary. Then, one day, a friend who had moved to Kenya invited her to visit. Jane worked hard to raise enough money for her fare and in 1956, she finally made it to Africa. Not long after, she met Dr Louis Leakey, a famous scientist. He hired Jane as his assistant to help with his study of fossils. After several months, he asked Jane to begin a study of wild chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania. Jane jumped at the chance and in 1960 she arrived in Tanzania.

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Jane was born in England in 1934. She was passionate about animals from a very early age. On her second birthday, she was given a toy chimpanzee named Jubilee, which she loved. She also enjoyed reading books about animals. Jane’s dream was to travel to Africa to live and work among the animals. But in the 1940s, this seemed to be something quite impossible for a girl to do. However, Jane was encouraged by her mother, who told her that if she really yearned for something enough and worked towards it, anything was possible.

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would not allow her near them; but they soon became used to her. In her first years at Gombe, working alone, Jane made many discoveries about chimpanzees. One of the most important was her observation that chimpanzees use tools—they were stripping leaves from twigs and then poking the twigs into termite nests to fish out the termites to eat. Before this discovery, scientists thought that humans were the only animals to use tools. 5.

In 1965, Jane went back to England and studied at Cambridge University, where she eventually graduated as a doctor of science. Soon after, she returned to Tanzania to continue her research. In 1977, she established the Jane Goodall Institute. The overall mission of the institute is to ‘advance the power of individuals to take informed and compassionate action to improve the environment of all living things’. One of its key aims is to protect chimpanzees and their environments.

Today, Jane travels around the world to talk about her work and inspire young people to make a difference to their lives and to the Earth. In 2003, she was named a Dame of the British Empire, one of the many honours she has been awarded during her amazing life.

Teaching comprehension strategies

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Understanding words Test 1 Name:

Find and underline the word or phrase in the text. Read that sentence and those around it to help you to work out the meaning Say the answer in the sentence to see if it sounds correct. Check all possible answers before making a decision.

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What does the word yearned mean? (Paragraph 2) (a) had a strong desire (b) moving about (c) needed to see (d) disliked

The best answer is

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• • • •

Date:

2. Explain what you think the phrase the chimpanzees were skittish, Paragraph 4, means.

The word honours, Paragraph 6, means: (a) tests (b) difficult tasks (c) special awards or privileges (d) employers

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The best answer is 4.

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The best meaning of the phrase distinct personality, Paragraph 1, is: (a) tool-making skill (b) separate individual qualities (c) family ties (d) scared facial expression

The best answer is

5. Write another phrase you know that means the same as jumped at the chance. (Paragraph 3) R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Teaching comprehension strategies

Finding information Test 2 Name:

Date:

• Underline keywords in the question to make sure you know what information you need.

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• Find the keywords in the text and read the information around them carefully. • Check all answers before making a decision.

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Where did Jane’s study of chimpanzees take place? (a) London (b) Tanzania (c) all over Africa (d) Kenya

The best answer is

One of the key aims of the Jane Goodall Institute is: (a) to move chimpanzees out of Africa. (b) to honour Jane Goodall’s work. (c) to protect chimpanzees and their environments. (d) to study at Cambridge University.

The best answer is

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3. Explain what Jane Goodall does today.

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4. List two facts that prove Jane was passionate about chimpanzees at an early age. • • 5. Write one thing scientists have learned from Jane’s research. Teaching comprehension strategies

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Identifying the main idea Test 3 Name:

Date:

• The main idea links all the other ideas together and tells what the text is mainly about.

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• The title gives a clue about the main idea of the text. • Always check all answers before making a decision.

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What is the main idea of Paragraph 2? (a) Jane was passionate about animals as a child. (b) Jane loved her toy chimp Jubilee. (c) In the 1940s, it was difficult for girls to travel to Africa. (d) Jane’s mother was nice.

The best answer is

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Paragraph 4:

Paragraph 5: 3.

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Which of these alternative titles for this text most clearly describes the overall main idea? (a) The life of chimpanzees (b) Chimpanzees are clever! (c) Work towards your dreams (d) The amazing life of Dr Jane Goodall

The best answer is

4. Which paragraph best answers the question ‘What is Jane Goodall best known for?’ Paragraph

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Teaching comprehension strategies

Teachers notes – 1 The focus of this section is on the following skills:

Sequencing

Finding similarities and differences

Sequencing

Predicting

Finding similarities and differences

Indicator

• Students will sequence events.

• Students will compare and contrast people, places and events.

Background information

The ability to compare and contrast the information provided in a text enhances the reader’s understanding of that text and is an important comprehension skill students need to practise. Students are required to categorise information to determine what some people, places and events have in common, or how they differ. Graphic organisers are a very useful tool for identifying similarities and differences, particularly Venn diagrams, T-charts and compare and contrast charts.

Knowing the sequence of events is an important, often critical, factor in a reader’s understanding of a text.

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Firstly, students need to determine from the question which events they are required to sequence. Then, they should locate them in the text and look for any time markers that could be helpful. Examples could include before, then, when, while, after, finally, at last or following.

Students may also find time lines of sections of the text or specific events a useful strategy.

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This section demonstrates how to determine the order in which events occur, sometimes using time markers and other strategies to identify the relationship between events.

Venn diagram same

different

compare

Answers

The dare..........................................................................................Pages 28–31 • Practice: page 30 1. (d) 2. (c) 3. Sam said ‘It’s okay, I’ve brought a torch’. 4. 3, 5, 4, 1, 2 • On your own: page 31 1. (b) 2. Answers should include four of the following: She cringed; She glanced over her shoulder; She followed Laurie into the house; She whispered ‘Now what?’; She reached out her hand; She said ‘It’s okay, I’ve brought a torch’, She rubbed her nose; She reached into her pocket (and brought out a torch). 3. (a) 4. Sam’s hand felt for the railing and she followed Laurie up the stairs. 5. ‘Now what?’ and ‘You open it’.

contrast

Dragons...........................................................................................Pages 34–37 • Practice: page 36 1. (a) Eastern Western Eastern Western dragon scales large eyes snake-like ferocious

dragon

wings claws kind mane

(b) Teacher check (c) (i) False (ii) False (iii) True (iv) True (v) True • On your own: page 37 1. (b) 2. (c) 3. An Eastern dragon might cause a terrible natural disaster like a flood, whereas a Western dragon is so bad-tempered it would be almost certain to battle with the person, kill and then eat him/her. 4. Eastern dragons are symbols of wisdom and beauty, can bring good luck and wealth and are usually friendly to humans, whereas Western dragons are symbols of greed because they hoard treasure and are always badtempered and ferocious towards humans. The fox and the cat/ The seven-minded fox and the one-minded owl.............Pages 38–39 • Try it out: page 39 1. (c) 2. (d) 3. Answers should include some of the following information: Both storylines begin with a conversation between a fox who thinks he is clever and another animal (cat/owl) who admits she only knows one way to escape/ think about things. Then the hunters appear and the fox can’t decide what to do. The story ends with the cat/owl giving a moral. 4. Similarities: Both female, only know one way to deal with the hunters, wiser than the fox, give a moral at the end of the story. Differences: The owl helped the fox character to escape by playing dead, whereas the cat character saved herself and watched the fox being caught by the hounds.

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Disappearing coin trick............................................................Pages 32–33 • Try it out: page 33 1. (d) 2. Answers should include two of the following: Cover the glass with the napkin; Move the napkin and the glass over the coin; Say ‘This is a magic glass. It will make the coin disappear’; Whisk the napkin off the glass; Put the napkin back over the glass and lift them both up. 3. (a) 4. 4, 1, 2, 3

Teaching comprehension strategies

Contrast chart

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Teachers notes – 2 The focus of this section is on the following skills:

Sequencing

Finding similarities and differences

Predicting

Student tests

Indicator • Students will use information from a text to predict outcomes not explicitly stated in the text.

Background information

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A class test record sheet and student evaluation sheet are provided on pages viii and ix.

The focus of this section is on teaching students how to locate and use the information provided in the text to determine probable outcomes and then to evaluate their predictions.

• Test 1: Sequencing................................................................(Page 47) 1. (c) 2. The circles got smaller until the log boat reached the centre; the log boat tipped forward and spiralled downwards; the log boat landed. 3. (b) 4. Ghosts appeared, the roller-coaster headed onto a lake and circled it, then it skidded to a halt, spraying freezing water everywhere and soaking the boys, making them shiver.

Super-ride! (pages 46–49) Answers

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To be able to predict outcomes, often in terms of the probable actions or reactions of specific characters, students need to focus on content and understand what they read. They need to monitor their understanding as they read, constantly confirming, rejecting or adjusting their predictions.

Students need to be able to locate specific information related to an issue and/or characters, using keywords and concepts. Their predictions should not be wild guesses, but well thought out, logical ideas based on the information provided and some prior knowledge. If students’ answers differ it is suggested that they check again to see why their answer varies from the one given. If they can justify their answer, teachers may decide to accept it.

• Test 2: Similarities and differences..................................(Page 48) 1. (b) 2. (b) 3. Both had ghosts, were fast, had tracks that twisted and turned and went into dark tunnels. 4. (a) T (b) F (c) T (d) F

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• Test 3: Predicting..................................................................(Page 49) 1. (d) 2. Answers should indicate that he would like the ghost ride to be more interesting/scarier and to replace the log ride. 3. Teacher check 4. (a)

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Being popular...............................................................................Pages 40–43 • Practice: page 42 1. (b) 2. (d) 3. Teacher check 4. Probably not, because Casey was shy. • On your own: page 43 1. Teacher check 2. (a) 3. (c) 4. Teacher check

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Murder mystery party................................................................Pages 44–45 • Try it out: page 45 1. (c) 2. (b) 3. Teacher check 4. Answers could include three of the following: She ruined her costume; she hated the food or it didn’t include her favourite things; she had to talk to Aunty Carol; her mum hated the surprise; her mum and dad didn’t let her stay up late.

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Teaching comprehension strategies

Sequencing – 1 To fully understand what you read, you must be able to work out the order in which events happened. This is called sequencing. Read the narrative.

The dare Laurie pushed open the front door. It groaned and then squealed on its hinges, making me cringe. After a glance over my shoulder at the bright, friendly daylight outside, I followed Laurie inside the house. It was so dark I couldn’t see a thing. There was only a stripe of light on the floor from the half-open door.

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‘Now what?’ I whispered. I reached out my hand to make sure Laurie was still there.

‘Now we go upstairs’, she said. ‘But let’s wait a second for our eyes to adjust to the light.’

‘It’s okay’, I said. ‘I’ve brought a torch.’ I rubbed my nose, which seemed to be full of stale dust, and then reached into my pocket.

‘Hey, good work, Sam’, said Laurie. She grabbed the torch from me and switched it on. I was going to protest—after all, it was my torch—but I kept my mouth shut. It wasn’t a good idea to argue with Laurie. She always won anyway.

Laurie shone the beam around the hallway. It seemed to be empty. She tugged at my shirt. ‘Come on, up the staircase.’ Her voice sounded excited.

I wondered how she could possibly feel that way—my knees were shaking so badly, I thought I might fall over. But I managed to shuffle behind her to the staircase. My hand felt for the railing and I followed her up, one creaking step at a time.

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This was madness—I knew it. Here we were, sneaking around a house we had no right to be in. Even worse, we were about to enter a room that might contain something I really didn’t want to see. If only Laurie hadn’t dared me to come with her. If only I didn’t need friends so badly …

‘This is the one.’ Laurie pointed the torch beam at the door directly in front of us. ‘You open it, Sam.’

10.

I shrank back, almost toppling down the stairs. ‘I ... I can’t, Laurie. You open it.’

11.

She laughed then. It was a thin cackle that made my whole body feel cold. Finally, she spoke. ‘No, Sam. You have to open it. It’s part of the dare.’

Teaching comprehension strategies

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Sequencing Learning about the skill Learn how you can work out the sequence of events. Remember that the order in which things happen is very important. Make sure you understand which events you need to sequence. Look in the text to find the events listed as possible answers and underline them. You will need to work out how these events are related. There may be some time marker words such as then, before or next in the text to help you. • Always check all possible answers before making a decision.

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• • • •

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2. Which event happened just before Sam told Laurie she couldn’t open the door? (a) Sam decided it wasn’t a good idea to argue with Laurie. (b) Sam felt her whole body go cold. (c) Laurie told Sam she had to open the door. (d) Sam almost toppled down the stairs.

Paragraph 2. This happened before Laurie had even grabbed the torch. So this could not be the best answer. (b) Sam rubbed her nose before she got the torch out of her pocket. So this is not a good answer. (c) The author mentions the front door making noise in the second sentence of the text. This can not be the correct answer. (d) Laurie and Sam went up the stairs after Laurie had shone the torch beam around the hallway. This is the best answer.

idea to argue with Laurie, but this occurred earlier when Laurie had grabbed the torch from her, not just before Sam said she couldn’t open the door. This is probably not the best answer. (b) Sam felt her whole body go cold after she had told Laurie she couldn’t open the door. So this could not be a good answer. (c) After Laurie tells Sam to open the door, Sam shrinks back and almost topples down the stairs, then she tells Laurie she can’t open the door. This may be the answer if (d) doesn’t mention Sam shrinking back or almost toppling down the stairs. (d) Sam almost topples down the stairs just before she tells Laurie she can’t open the door. This must be the correct answer.

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1. What happened after Laurie shone the torch beam around the hallway? (a) Sam reached out her hand to make sure Laurie was there. (b) Sam rubbed her nose. (c) The front door groaned and squealed on its hinges. (d) Laurie and Sam went up the stairs.

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Teaching comprehension strategies

Sequencing Practice page Use similar strategies to those on page 29 to practise sequencing. (Clues are given to help you.) Which event took place last? (a) Laurie cackled. (b) Sam glanced over her shoulder. (c) Sam felt her knees shaking. (d) Laurie told Sam opening the door was part of the dare.

The best answer is

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Think!

You may like to scan the text from the end to find out which of these events took place last.

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2. Which of these events happened between Sam cringing and Laurie grabbing the torch? (a) Laurie tugged at Sam’s shirt. (b) Laurie pushed open the front door. (c) Sam reached into her pocket. (d) Sam felt that what she and Laurie were doing was madness.

Think!

Find the part of the text that describes Sam cringing and the part that describes Laurie grabbing the torch, then read what happened in between to work out the answer.

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3. What happened straight after Laurie told Sam they should wait for their eyes to adjust to the light? Think!

Find this event in the text and read the sentence immediately after it.

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4. Put these events in order by using the numbers 1 to 5.

• Sam felt like her nose was full of stale dust.

• Laurie said ‘This is the one’.

• Sam followed Laurie up the stairs.

• Sam walked into the house.

• Sam said ‘It’s okay’.

Teaching comprehension strategies

Think!

You will need to find all of these events in the text to work out the order in which they happened.

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Sequencing On your own Think about the strategies you have been using and work out these answers. 1.

What happened first? (a) Sam thought they might enter a room containing something she didn’t want to see. (b) Sam could see a stripe of light on the floor. (c) Laurie switched on the torch. (d) Sam shrank back.

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2. List four things Sam did before the torch was switched on. • • •

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The best answer is

(a) (b) (c) (d)

Laurie spoke. The stairs creaked. Sam’s nose filled with the smell of stale dust. Laurie laughed.

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4. Explain what happened between Sam shuffling behind Laurie to the staircase and Sam thinking This was madness. 5. Write the first and last sentences Sam said. First: Last: R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Teaching comprehension strategies

Sequencing – 2

Read the procedure.

Disappearing coin trick

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Prepare and perform a magic trick for your friends by following the steps below.

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• Collect the materials needed for the trick: a clear plastic drinking glass, two brightly coloured sheets of thin card (they must be the same colour), a pencil, scissors, glue, a coin and a cloth napkin. • Before your audience arrives, place the glass upside down on one of the sheets of card. Use the pencil to trace around the top of the glass and then cut out the circle. Next, carefully glue the circle to the rim of the glass. Make sure it is an exact fit – if there is any card left sticking out, cut it away neatly. Wait for the glue to dry. • Put the other sheet of card on a table and place the upside-down glass on top. It should be impossible to see that there is a piece of card stuck to the glass.

© R. I . C.Publ i cat i ons • Call in your audience! When they are gathered at the table, explain that you are going to •f orr evi ew pur posesonl y• make a coin disappear. Show them the coin and then let them inspect it so they can see there is nothing unusual about it.

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• Place the coin on the sheet of card next to the glass. Cover the glass with the napkin and then move them both over the top of the coin. While you are doing this, say ‘This is a magic glass. It will make the coin disappear.’ You could also add some magic words for further effect.

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• Whisk the napkin off the glass. The coin will look as if it has disappeared – but really, it is hidden under the circle of card you glued to the glass! After a few moments, put the napkin back over the glass and lift them both up. Show the audience that the coin has reappeared! • After you have finished the trick, put the glass away quickly so the audience won’t guess your secret. Then take a bow!

Teaching comprehension strategies

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Sequencing Try it out Use the strategies you learnt and practised in The dare to work out the sequence.

• • • •

Make sure you know which events you need to sequence. Find them in the text and underline them. Work out how they are related. Check all possible answers before making a decision.

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The best answer is

Think!

Find and underline the part of the text that tells you to ask the audience to gather at the table.

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1. Which of these things should you do straight after your audience has gathered at the table? (a) Collect two brightly coloured sheets of thin card. (b) Whisk the napkin off the glass. (c) Show the audience the coin. (d) Explain that you are going to make a coin disappear. .

2. Write two events that should take place between the ones listed below. Make sure they are in the order in which they occurred. • •

Place the coin on the sheet of card next to the glass.

•

Show the audience that the coin has reappeared.

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3. What is the first thing you should do after you have collected the materials needed for the trick? (a) Place the glass upside down on the sheet of card and trace around it. (b) Wait for the glue to dry. (c) Glue the circle of card to the rim of the glass. (d) Call in the audience.

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4. Use the numbers 1 to 4 to show the order in which these directions appear in the text.

• Put the glass away so the audience won’t guess the secret.

• Cut away any card left sticking out around the rim of the glass.

• Say ‘This is a magic glass. It will make the coin disappear’.

• After a few moments, put the napkin back over the glass.

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Teaching comprehension strategies

Finding similarities and differences – 1 To help you understand what you read in text, you sometimes need to think about how things are alike or how they are different and to make comparisons. Read the description.

Dragons 1.

Dragons are mythical creatures that appear in legends and folktales from all over the world. There are two major types of dragons—eastern dragons (those that appear in Asian legends) and western dragons (those that appear in European legends).

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Eastern dragons are four-legged, snake-like creatures that hatch from an egg. They have a scaly body, a spiked tail, a head like a camel, claws, large eyes, paws like a tiger, the ears of a bull and often a mane like a lion around their elbows, neck and chin. They don’t normally have wings, but they can still fly. They have the ability to breathe fire, but do so rarely. Eastern dragons are said to live in watery places, like caves near the beach or around lakes. An eastern dragon’s favourite food is said to be a small bird called a swallow. They do not eat humans.

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Eastern dragons are symbols of wisdom and beauty in Japan, Korea and China. They are seen as kind and friendly to humans and normally bring good luck and wealth. However, if they are not respected they become angry and can use their magical powers to cause terrible natural disasters, particularly floods. Such powers are said to come from a pearl that the dragons carry.

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Western dragons

Western dragons are dinosaur-like fire-breathing animals. They may have two or four legs, scaly bodies and a spiked tail. They hatch from eggs. Western dragons have claws and large eyes. They can fly by flapping their bat-like wings. They are ferocious and bad-tempered and many legends tell of them being in battle with brave knights. They eat any type of meat, but their favourites seem to be sheep, cattle and human flesh.

Western dragons have various magical powers. It was believed that eating a dragon’s heart would give someone the power to understand birdsong and dragon’s blood could protect against wounds.

Western dragons live on land, often hidden away in caves, mountains or in forests. Because they often hoard treasure in a lair or den, they are a symbol of greed in Western culture.

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Teaching comprehension strategies

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Finding similarities and differences Learning about the skill Learn how you can organise information to make it easier to answer questions about similarities and differences. • Make sure you understand the question and underline the keywords. • Sometimes it is easy to see how things are different or the same if you are comparing two things. However, if there are three or more things to compare, it can be helpful to organise the information in a chart. Two examples are shown below. • Always check all the possible answers before making a decision.

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1. Which two things do both types of dragons have in common? (a) They have scaly bodies and a mane. (b) They have a mane and they are ferocious. (c) They have magical powers and they are ferocious. (d) They have scaly bodies and magical powers.

Scaly body

Eastern dragon

Western dragon

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Choosing the best answer Ferocious You will find it useful to use the tick chart above to find the best answer. Magical (a) Both dragons have scaly bodies, but only Eastern powers dragons have a mane, so this is not the best answer. (b) Only the Eastern dragon has a mane and only the Western dragon is ferocious, so this can not be the best answer. (c) Both dragons have magical powers, but only the Western dragon is ferocious, so this is not the best answer. (d) Both dragons have scaly bodies and magical powers, so this is the best answer.

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Use the Venn diagram to help you complete the sentence. Western dragons ... (a) have scales and are friendly. Eastern (b) live on land and eat swallows. dragons (c) have spiked tails and eat flesh. (d) fly and carry a pearl. live near water

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claws large eyes fly spiked tail scales

Western dragons live on land

Choosing the best answer eat flesh (a) If you look at the Venn diagram you hoard treasure can see that Western and Eastern bad tempered dragons both have scales but only the Eastern dragons are friendly, so this is not a good answer. (b) Western dragons do live on land, but they do not eat swallows, so this can’t be the best answer. (c) Both dragons have spiked tails. The Western dragons also eat flesh, so this is a very good answer, but check all answers. (d) Both dragons fly, but only Eastern dragons carry a pearl, so this is not a good answer. R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Teaching comprehension strategies

Finding similarities and differences Practice page Use similar strategies to those on page 35 to practise finding similarities and differences. (Clues are given to help you.) Think!

Find the information for each dragon in the text.

1. (a) Complete the tick chart showing similarities and differences.

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Eastern dragon

Western dragon

wings

large eyes

claws

snake-like

kind

ferocious

mane

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scales

Western dragon

(b) Add the same information to the Venn diagram.

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Western dragon

The information with two ticks will go in the middle section.

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(i)

Western dragons have wings and are kind.

(ii) Eastern and Western dragons have claws and manes.

True/False

(iii) Eastern dragons are snake-like and have scales.

True/False

(iv) Western dragons have claws and large eyes.

True/False

(v) No dragons have manes and wings.

True/False

Teaching comprehension strategies

True/False

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Finding similarities and differences On your own Think about the strategies you have been using to work out these answers. You could draw a chart or Venn diagram on a separate sheet of paper if you need to. What is one difference between Eastern and Western dragons? (a) Western dragons can’t flap their wings. (b) Eastern dragons don’t need wings to fly. (c) Western dragons can’t fly very high. (d) Eastern dragons can’t fly at all.

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The best answer is 2.

What two things are true only of Western dragons? (a) They can cause floods and their heart has a magical power. (b) They live in watery places and cause floods. (c) Their heart has a magical power and they battle knights. (d) They battle knights and live in watery places.

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©R I . C.Publ i cat i ons .. •f orr evi ew pur posesonl y• 3. Compare what would be likely to happen if a person upset each type of dragon. The best answer is

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4. What is different about the way that Western and Eastern dragons are symbolised and thought of in the cultures they belong to? R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Teaching comprehension strategies

Finding similarities and differences – 2 Read the two fables.

The fox and the cat

A fox once boasted to a cat about how clever he was. He claimed that he knew at least one hundred tricks to escape from his enemies. The cat admitted that she only had one trick.

Just then, the fox and the cat heard a group of hunters coming towards them with their hounds. Instantly, the cat sprang up into a tree and hid in the branches.

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‘This is the trick I always use’, said the cat.

But still on the ground, the fox couldn’t decide which of his hundred ways of escape to use. While he was thinking, the hounds and the hunters drew nearer and finally caught him.

The cat, watching from the tree, said, ‘Better to know one good plan in a time of danger than a hundred on which you can not decide’.

Not long afterwards, the owl saw the fox again. This time, he was running from some hunters and their hounds. The fox was running as fast as he could, but the hounds were gaining on him. The fox saw the owl and panted, ‘Please help me. I am exhausted and can’t decide what to do. I seem to have lost all my minds’.

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A fox once boasted to an owl that he was so clever, he didn’t just have one way of thinking about things—he had actually had seven minds. The owl admitted she only had one mind.

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‘I will see if I can save you with my one mind’, said the owl. ‘Hide in this hole and wait.’

Once the fox was in the hole, the owl flew down and pretended to be dead. The hounds stopped to look at the owl and the hunters came up behind them to see what had happened. While they were distracted, the fox ran past them and escaped.

When the owl saw the fox again, she said, ‘Your seven minds didn’t help you in a time of danger. You had too many ideas. I have only one mind, but I know how to use it well’.

Teaching comprehension strategies

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Finding similarities and differences Try it out Use the strategies you learnt and practised in Dragons to work out similarities and differences. • Make sure you understand the question and underline keywords. • Use a chart or Venn diagram if you need to. • Check all possible answers before making a decision.

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The best answer is 2.

The fox characters in both fables are similar because: (a) they both escape from the hunters. (b) they are both helped by another character. (c) they both use a clever trick. (d) they both think they are clever.

Think!

A tick chart containing each of the four possibilities as a heading might be useful to help you answer this question.

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1. Which two things are true for only one of the fables? (a) A cat is one of the characters and the fox hides in a hole. (b) The fox is caught by the hounds and the hunters get distracted. (c) The fox hides in a hole and the hunters get distracted. (d) The hunters get distracted and a cat is one of the characters.

The best answer is

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3. List three ways that the story-lines of these two fables are similar.

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4. Write how the cat and owl characters are: • similar

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Teaching comprehension strategies

Predicting – 1 As we read, it is important to think about what is happening and to work out what we think will happen next. Read the narrative.

Being popular I had always been the most popular girl in the class until Jess arrived. The minute she walked into the classroom, I was worried. Even in her school uniform she looked cool. She was really pretty, had long curly hair and the latest sneakers. She didn’t even look nervous. Instead, she gazed confidently at the class. When Mrs Jackson showed her where to sit, she glided to her seat as elegantly as a model. This obviously had to stop immediately. But to come up with a plan, I needed to find out more about her. So I asked Mrs Jackson if I could show her around at recess and lunchtime.

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‘Thank you, Natalie, that is very kind’, she said, smiling. Mrs Jackson is my favourite teacher. Everyone agrees that she is not only nice, she is also very fair.

Jess turned around and stared at me. She looked me up and down, then broke into an amused grin and turned back to face the front. For the first time in my life, a new kid had made me feel uncomfortable. I didn’t like it.

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‘What?’ I said. My mouth dropped open as Jess smiled and nodded. I felt sick. I had never seen any Jess Warden movies, but I certainly knew the name.

Jess was tossing her hair around and looking pleased with herself. I noticed a crowd of kids had started gathering behind Casey.

‘Yes, I am’, Jess said. ‘Would anyone like an autograph? How about you, Natalie?’

‘No, thank you’, I snapped. ‘I’ve got better things to do. Come on, Casey, let’s go.’

10.

But Casey didn’t seem to be listening. She fumbled in her pocket for a piece of paper and a pencil and shyly asked Jess for an autograph. Then I noticed that other students were pointing and whispering. Soon, a queue had formed behind Casey.

11.

I stood off to one side and watched. No-one seemed to be able to take their eyes off Jess. When the siren went, she smoothed down her clothes and faced me.

12.

‘I wouldn’t bother trying to be the most popular girl anymore’, she said. ‘I’m here now. Bad luck, Natalie.’ She poked out her tongue at me, twirled around and headed back to the classroom.

13.

My heart was pounding fast. What was I going to do? I needed a plan, and fast. There was no way Jess Warden was going to get the better of me.

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Predicting Learning about the skill Learn how to work out what probably happens next. • The answers are not in the text, so you can’t just read them, but there is information for you to use and think about. • You need to find information related to the question. (This could be underlined.) • Think hard! What is the writer suggesting might happen? • Always consider all possible answers before making a decision.

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What do you think Natalie would have done if she had shown Jess around at recess? (a) She would have been kind and friendly. (b) She would have left her alone as often as she could. (c) She would have taken her to the library. (d) She would have watched her carefully.

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Choosing the best answer (a) Natalie wasn’t pleased that Jess was pretty and confident, so it is unlikely she would have been kind and friendly to her. So this is not the best answer. (b) It is unlikely that Natalie would have left Jess alone, because she wanted to find out more about her. This is not a good answer. (c) The text doesn’t mention the library at all and it would not be a good place to find out about someone. This is probably not the answer. (d) Natalie wanted to find out more about Jess, so she would need to watch her carefully. This is a good answer.

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What do you think would have happened if Casey hadn’t recognised Jess? (a) Natalie would have recognised her in the next few seconds anyway. (b) No-one would have realised who she was. (c) Some other student would have recognised her. (d) Jess would have tried to make friends with Natalie.

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Choosing the best answer (a) Natalie had never seen any of Jess’s movies, so it is not likely she would have recognised her in the next few seconds. This answer is unlikely. (b) The text says that other students began to queue up behind Casey to get Jess’s autograph, so they must have recognised Jess too. So this can not be a good answer. (c) We know that other students must have recognised Jess, because they queued to get an autograph not long after Casey spoke. This is a very good answer, but check all answers. (d) Jess spoke rudely to Natalie towards the end of the story, so it is unlikely that she would have tried to make friends with her. This is probably not the best answer.

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Teaching comprehension strategies

Predicting Practice page Use similar strategies to those on page 41 to help you predict what will happen. (Clues are given to help you.)

The best answer is

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2. How do you think most of the students might treat Jess for the rest of the day? (a) They would pretend she wasn’t there. (b) They would treat her the same as any other student. (c) They would be embarrassed to be seen with her. (d) They would be in awe of her.

Think!

Find the clues to help you answer this question in the first paragraph.

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1. What do you think Natalie’s first reaction would be to another new girl as ‘cool’ as Jess arriving in her classroom? (a) She would make her feel welcome. (b) She would feel worried. (c) She would tease her. (d) She wouldn’t care at all.

Think!

Consider how the students are treating Jess so far.

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Think!

Read the descriptions of Jess’s behaviour towards the other students so far.

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3. Do you think Jess will now speak to every other student in the same way she speaks to Natalie? Give reasons for your answer.

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4. Imagine Casey was the new girl to the school and not Jess. Do you think Natalie would be worried about her in the same way as she was with Jess?

Yes

Think!

Think about Natalie’s reaction and the thoughts she has about Casey.

Explain. Teaching comprehension strategies

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Predicting On your own Think about the strategies you have been using and work out these answers. 1. Natalie says she is used to being popular. Do you think she will continue to be popular with other students now that Jess has arrived? Give reasons.

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2. Imagine Jess moved schools again and she walked into a new classroom. How do you think she would behave? (a) She would be confident. (b) She would be shy. (c) She would not look directly at anyone. (d) She would yell at everyone.

©R I . C.Publ i cat i ons .. f or ev i e w what pu r p osaid se on l ydo• 3. If Mrs• Jackson hadr seen and heard Jess had tos Natalie, what you think she

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would have done? (a) She would have laughed and told everyone about how funny it was. (b) She would have taken Jess’s side. (c) She would have spoken to Jess and Natalie and found out what had happened to make Jess do such a thing. (d) She would have taken Natalie’s side.

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4. Explain what you think Natalie will do next and what you think Jess’s reaction will be. R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Teaching comprehension strategies

Predicting – 2 Read the diary entry.

Murder mystery party Dear diary

r o e t s Bo r e p ok u S Dad has organised the catering and there’ll be lots of food. I’ve read the menu, and it made my mouth

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Hooray! It’s finally the night of my mum’s big party. It feels as if we’ve been planning it for years! I’ve been to some great parties in the last few years, but this one is going to be extra special. It is a murder mystery party and we all have to dress up as Hollywood movie stars. Jake has been grumbling about it ever since he found out. I know he wants to wear jeans and a T-shirt, but Dad has said he can’t. I don’t think he’ll change his mind—Dad can be very strict when he wants to be! Anyway, there’s no way I’m not wearing my costume. It’s brand new and it’s beautiful—a long, silvery dress, sparkly shoes and even a wig!

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water. Some of the best things were hot bread, seafood and chocolate eclairs for sweets. Dad has already warned me not to eat too much. I will try, but I can’t guarantee anything. 3.

There will be more than 50 people at the party and there’s only one person I’m hoping to avoid—Aunty Carol. She’s not mean or awful, but very annoying. The last three times I’ve seen her, she’s asked me if I have a boyfriend (Yuck! As if I would) and tells me how much I’ve grown since I last saw her. Then she tells me all about her cats. I can’t believe she has six of them. I couldn’t even stand to have one in our house.

© R. I . C.Publ i cat i ons There’s one other person coming to the party I can’t wait to meet. Her name is Pam, and she’s an old f o rr ev i eher wforp r p se l y • I’ve schoolfriend of • Mum’s. Mum hasn’t seen 20u years ando has no s idea o thatn she is coming.

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spoken to Pam a few times on the phone and she seems a lot like Mum. She loves horseriding and gardening too! I hope Mum will be happy to see her. She’s often said that she hates surprises, but Dad thought he’d take the risk. There’s only a couple of hours to go until the guests arrive, so I had better go downstairs and help Mum and Dad. Unfortunately, I think I’m going to have to blow up balloons. When that’s done, I can finally put on my costume. Then I’m going to try to convince Mum and Dad to let me stay up late tonight, seeing as it’s a special occasion—but only if they seem to be in a good mood!

. t o I’ll report tomorrow on e what happened. c . che e Jacinta r o t r s super

Teaching comprehension strategies

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Predicting Try it out Use the strategies you learnt and practised in Being popular to make predictions. • • • •

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What do you think Jake will wear to the party? (a) a tracksuit (b) jeans and a T-shirt (c) a Hollywood movie star costume (d) his school uniform

The best answer is 2.

Think!

Read the first paragraph carefully.

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You need to find and underline the information related to each question. The answer is not in the text but there is information you can use and think about. The writer will suggest, rather then tell what is likely to happen. Check all possible answers before making a decision.

Which of these things do you think Jacinta will enjoy most about the party? (a) Blowing up balloons. (b) Eating. (c) Helping her dad. (d) Talking to Aunty Carol.

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4. Imagine that Jacinta has a miserable time at the party. Use the text to help you predict three things that could have gone wrong for her. • • • R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Teaching comprehension strategies

Student tests The tests on pages 46 to 49 will show how well you can: Find similarities and differences You will be working on your own.

Sequence

Predict

Read the letter.

Super-ride!

r o e t s Bo r e p ok u S was a ghost train. We got in a rusty carriage and it sped into a dark The first part of the Super-ride Teac he r

Dear Evan Yesterday, Mum finally took me and my friends Kyle and Bailey to the new theme park, Dangerzone, and we went on the Super-ride. It’s actually four rides in one. There’s no way Mum would have got on it! She is afraid of falling so she won’t even go on a Ferris wheel. As for me, I love rides, especially ones that go really fast and high in the air.

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tunnel. Then suddenly, it fell into a deep pit. You should have heard everyone scream! As we fell, ghosts seemed to fly right into our faces. After that, the train hurtled downhill. I was amazed at how fast it went. It twisted and turned all the way. Witches, skeletons and other creepy things leapt out, cackling and screaming. I got a look at Kyle’s face and he was terrified. It didn’t seem to bother Bailey. He was laughing! I wasn’t scared either. I don’t believe in ghosts. 3.

The train eventually came to an abrupt halt next to a lake and we all piled out and got into a boat that looked like a log. The log began to slowly circle the lake. The circles got smaller and smaller until the log reached the centre. Then it tipped forward and spiralled downwards. The ride wasn’t very fast, but I didn’t like the feeling and I shut my eyes tightly. This was definitely my least favourite part of the Super-ride, because I am afraid of water. Bailey and Kyle are both good swimmers and they teased me. Finally, the log boat landed. I opened my eyes and saw that we were at the start of the third part of the ride—the giant swing.

The giant swing looked like a pirate ship. I couldn’t wait to get on. I scrambled on board and strapped myself in. Bailey had to pull Kyle along because he isn’t too keen on swings. The ride swung so high I could see the city below us! Then we did a complete loop and ended up hanging upside down. It was a slow ride, but it was great fun. But by the end, Kyle said he felt sick and was glad to get off.

The last part of the ride was a roller-coaster. We were strapped in with our legs hanging free so the attendant warned us to tighten our laces or take our shoes off. Within a few seconds, we were off. It was the fastest ride I have ever been on! The track twisted and turned and at times we seemed to soar high up into the clouds. We even went upside down! Finally, the roller-coaster went through a long, dark tunnel and the ghosts from the first part of the ride reappeared. The roller-coaster then headed onto a lake and started circling it. Finally, it skidded to a halt, spraying freezing water everywhere. We were soaked and shivering!

You must come to visit and try the Super-ride soon! Zac

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Sequencing Test 1 Name:

Date:

• Make sure you know which events you need to sequence, then find and underline them. • Work out how they are related.

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• Check all possible answers before making a decision.

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Which was the second ride Zac, Kyle and Bailey got on? (a) the roller-coaster (b) the giant swing (c) the log ride (d) the ghost train

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2. In order, list the three other things that happened on the log ride.

• The log boat slowly circled the lake. •

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What happened on the ghost train immediately before it hurtled downhill? (a) The train sped into a dark tunnel. (b) Ghosts seemed to fly into the boys’ faces. (c) Witches and skeletons cackled and screamed. (d) The train fell into a deep pit.

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4. Describe the events that happened after the roller-coaster went into a tunnel. R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Teaching comprehension strategies

Finding similarities and differences Test 2 Name:

Date:

• Make sure you understand the question and underline keywords. • Use a chart or Venn diagram if you need to. • Check all possible answers before making a decision.

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2. Bailey and Zac are different because: (a) Bailey is afraid of ghosts and Zac isn’t. (b) Bailey is a good swimmer and Zac is afraid of water. (c) Bailey felt sick on the giant swing and Zac didn’t. (d) Bailey loves rides that go high and Zac is scared of heights.

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1. The log ride and the roller-coaster are the same because: (a) Ghosts appeared on both of them. (b) They both circled a lake. (c) They were both fast rides. (d) They both went upside down.

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3. List four things that the ghost train and the roller-coaster had in common.

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4. Circle true or false after each sentence. Use the Venn diagram to help you find the information.

o c . che e r o t r s super Ghost train

Roller-coaster

deep pit

rusty carriage cackling

fast

upside down

twists and turns

circled lake

ghosts

strapped in

(a) The ghost train had ghosts and was fast.

True/False

(b) In the roller-coaster you are strapped in and go down a deep pit.

True/False

(d) In the ghost train you hear cackling nearby as you circle a lake.

True/False

Teaching comprehension strategies

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Predicting Test 3 Name:

You need to find and underline the information related to each question. The answer is not in the text but there is information you can use and think about. The writer will suggest, rather than tell what is likely to happen. Check all possible answers before making a decision.

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Which of these rides do you think Zac would least enjoy? (a) a helicopter ride (b) a Ferris wheel (c) a spinning haunted house (d) a speedboat ride

The best answer is

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• • • •

Date:

2. Imagine you were to ask Zac what he thought would make the Super-ride better. Write two likely suggestions he would make. •

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3. Do you think that Kyle will go on the ghost train part of the Super-ride again?

Yes

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What do you think Zac will wear next time he goes on the Super-ride? (a) a waterproof jacket and shoes with laces (b) a jumper and sandals (c) all of their best clothes (d) a tank top, shorts and bare feet

The best answer is

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Teaching comprehension strategies

Teachers notes – 1 The focus of this section is on the following skills:

Concluding

Summarising

Concluding

Inferring

Summarising

Indicator

• Students will make judgments and reach conclusions based on facts and details provided in text.

• Students will summarise text by linking important information and identifying the main points.

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Background information

This section demonstrates how to decide on the meaning of facts and details provided in text and to build up evidence in order to make judgments and reach conclusions about this information.

To be able to summarise text successfully, students first need to be clear about what they are being asked to do and the form their answer should take. (For example, a one-word answer or a more detailed explanation may be required.) It will help if they underline the critical words in the question. They then need to locate any relevant information in the text, underline it and establish how it is linked. Words like while, but, and, when and as may be significant in establishing how the information is linked. Unnecessary and irrelevant information should be omitted and the main points established for inclusion in the summary. Students may need to locate information throughout the entire text in order to summarise the main points for some questions.

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Students also need to be able to search for evidence to support a particular conclusion by locating the relevant information in the text and then making judgments about it. In higher order comprehension skills such as this, answers are not always immediately obvious and discussion about why one answer is judged to be the best should be encouraged. However, teachers may decide to accept another answer, if a student can provide the necessary evidence to support the answer he or she has given.

Answers

Fear of flying.................................................................................Pages 52–55 • Practice: page 54 1. (c) 2. (d) 3. No, because statistically you would have to fly once a day for over 15 000 years to ever be involved in an aircraft accident. 4. Aviophobics often have related fears and being scared of being high in the air could be one of them. • On your own: page 55 1. (b) 2. (c) 3. Teacher check 4. Because you are statistically more likely to be involved in a car accident. 5. Teacher check

Answers may vary and will require teacher checking. Those given below are provided as a guide to the main points.

Teaching comprehension strategies

Speech exams................................................................................Pages 58–61 • Practice: page 60 1. (b) 2. Excellent spoken communication is essential in job interviews and speech reports can be shown to potential employers. 3. (d) 4. Teacher check – answers should indicate that she feels they are important, fun and worth the effort of preparing for. 5. Teacher check • On your own: page 61 1. (c) 2. (a) 3. In front of a group, read aloud from a book, recite a poem from memory, deliver a talk and talk to the examiner about his/her selections, while maintaining effective eye contact. 4. They can help to develop your confidence, provide an opportunity for feedback from an experienced person, be helpful for your future and they are fun.

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Learning..........................................................................................Pages 56–57 • Try it out: page 57 1. (d) 2. Teacher check 3. Teacher check 4. (c) 5. Carlos was more eager to swim – he suggested the idea but Sam shuddered as though he thought it was too cold to swim.

Answers

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Clowning around.........................................................................Pages 62–63 • Try it out: page 63 1. (b) 2. (d) 3. Auguste clowns wear baggy costumes, don’t use a white make-up base and have a clumsy joker or troublemaker character, whereas whiteface clowns have colourful costumes with ruffled collars and a pointed hat, use a white make-up base and have a bossy, confident and sometimes elegant character. 4. Portray a sad character, wear tattered and torn clothing, use similar makeup to an auguste clown, wear unique make-up and avoid using blue face paint.

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Teachers notes – 2 The focus of this section is on the following skills:

Concluding

Summarising

Inferring

Student tests

Indicator

• Students will make inferences about what is most likely to be true, based on information provided in the text.

Background information

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A class test record sheet and a student evaluation sheet are provided on pages viii and ix.

Joan of Arc (pages 70–73)

Answers

• Test 1: Concluding................................................................(Page 71) 1. (b) 2. They requested a new trial in which she was found to be innocent in 1455, twenty-four years after her death. 3. (d) 4. Teacher check

The focus of this section is on teaching students how to use contextual information, both written and visual, to determine what they believe to be true, and then to find further evidence to support their decisions. Student answers will need to be teacher checked, but some possible answers have been provided as a guide.

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Inferences are opinions about what is most likely to be true and are formed after careful evaluation of all the available facts. Students need to realise that because there is no information that tells them the actual answer, their inferences may not be correct. They need to determine what makes the most sense, given the information provided, and to then look for details to support their decisions. They may need to use some prior knowledge to help them to determine their answer.

• Test 2: Summarising............................................................(Page 72) 1. (c) 2. The messages had told her to help him and she believed he was the rightful king of France. 3. She convinced Charles VII to let her lead an army against the English. After successful battles in northern France she watched Charles be crowned. Captured in 1430 by the Burgundians, she was sold to the English and burned at the stake for witchcraft and heresy. 4. (a)

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The Wesley mystery....................................................................Pages 64–67 • Practice: page 66 1. (c) 2. They were keen to hear any information about the incident. 3. (b) 4. Answers should indicate that it was a grand house or mansion with features such as a main hall, a ballroom and displayed treasures. • On your own: page 67 1. Answers should indicate he was haughty, rich, bad-tempered etc. 2. (a) 3. (c) 4. Teacher check 5. Probably angry or stern

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• Test 3: Inferring....................................................................(Page 73) 1. (d) 2. (b) 3. The English occupied Paris and much of northern France. 4. Only men fought in the army. 5. 1453; England and France were at war until 1453.

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Family history . ............................................................................Pages 68–69 • Try it out: page 69 1. (d) 2. (b) 3. Answers should indicate that he discovered he was related to someone notorious or famous. 4. Answers should indicate that the parents were shocked, anxious, nervous etc. Mum nearly choked, they exchanged glances, seemed reluctant to talk and suggested that Connor write about his grandad.

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Teaching comprehension strategies

Concluding – 1 Conclusions are decisions we make by working something out. We make conclusions about what we read by finding facts and details in the text and deciding what they mean. Read the explanation.

Fear of flying The fear of flying, or aviophobia, is one of the most common fears. Approximately one in six people have such a great fear that they can not get on an aeroplane.

There are many causes of aviophobia. Some people have other related fears, such as a fear of closedin spaces. Other people may be nervous about the possibility of a hijacking or the idea that they are not in control of the aeroplane. Many people are merely uncomfortable with the fact that they are high in the air with little knowledge of how an aeroplane actually flies or the training that pilots, aircraft mechanics and flight attendants have undertaken. Other people may have been perfectly comfortable with flying until they experienced a frightening incident while flying, such as unexpected air turbulence—which is a normal occurrence. It causes an aircraft to bump around during a flight and can be very uncomfortable.

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Despite all of these fears, it is interesting to note that air travel is extremely safe. Consider this statistic—every time you get on a commercial flight, you have a one in 11 million chance of being involved in an accident you are likely to survive, compared to a 1 in 5000 chance of being involved in an accident every time you get in a car! So why do so many people believe that flying is dangerous? The media are largely to blame for this. An aircraft accident is usually splashed across the front page of newspapers.

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If you have a fear of flying, the good news is that something can be done about it. People with the most severe fears can benefit from speaking to a psychologist. Some people find it helpful to learn about the theory of flight, weather and commercial aviation. Others may like to use relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, to help control their anxiety. Many airlines now offer fear of flying courses that combine both of these elements and much more and include the chance to speak to pilots and air traffic controllers and the opportunity to participate in a flight at the end of the course.

So the next time you are lucky enough to jump on an aeroplane, remember that flying is a safe way to travel. And consider one final statistic—you would have to fly once a day for over 15 000 years for it to be likely that you would be involved in an aircraft accident!

Teaching comprehension strategies

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Concluding Learning about the skill Learn how you can work out conclusions. Conclusions are decisions you make about the meaning of facts and details in the text.

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• Make sure you understand what it is you are making conclusions about. • Look in the text to find the facts and details and underline them. • You will need to make decisions about what they mean.

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• Always check all possible answers before making a decision.

1. You can conclude that air travel is safer than bus travel because: (a) buses usually don’t have seatbelts. (b) more people travel by aeroplane than by bus. (c) bus drivers are not well-trained. (d) air travel statistics have been compiled.

2. Air turbulence might make some people conclude that the aeroplane they are travelling on is about to crash because: (a) air turbulence is dangerous. (b) pilots panic when they encounter air turbulence. (c) air turbulence can cause an aeroplane to bump around during flight. (d) air turbulence causes smooth flight.

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Choosing the best answer (a) The text says that air turbulence is a normal occurrence, so this can not be the best answer. (b) It is unlikely that pilots would panic if they encountered air turbulence, given that it is a normal occurrence. This is not a good answer. (c) The text says that air turbulence does cause an aeroplane to bump around during flight. This could make someone believe the plane is going to crash. This is probably the best answer. (d) Air turbulence does not cause smooth flight. This is not a good answer.

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(a) This statement is true, so it could be the answer, but the text doesn’t mention anything about seatbelts making air travel safer. This is probably not the best answer. (b) The text doesn’t mention anything about how many people travel by aeroplane or bus and it may not be true. This is not a good answer. (c) The text doesn’t mention how well bus drivers are trained. This is not a good answer. (d) The text gives some air travel statistics to show it is safer than car travel and cars are a similar mode of transport to buses. This must be the best answer.

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Teaching comprehension strategies

Concluding Practice page Use similar strategies to those on page 53 to practise making conclusions. (Clues are given to help you.)

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The best answer is

2. Which of these things is a fear of flying course most likely to include? (a) A movie of an aircraft accident. (b) Beginning the course with forcing people to go on a flight. (c) A parachute jump. (d) A talk by an aircraft mechanic.

Think!

Read Paragraph 2 for clues and think carefully about how understanding more about weather conditions could help lessen one’s fear of flying.

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1. Learning about weather might help someone to overcome aviophobia because: (a) it would help them to think about something else. (b) aviophobics are always frightened of weather. (c) it would help them to understand the types of conditions in which aeroplanes can fly safely. (d) it works well with relaxation techniques.

Think!

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Read Paragraph 4 for clues to help you consider which answer is most likely.

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Think!

Read Paragraphs 2, 3 and 5 to help you reach a conclusion.

4. You could conclude that someone with a fear of heights might also be an aviophobic because: Think!

Read Paragraph 2 for clues to help you answer this question.

Teaching comprehension strategies

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Concluding On your own Think about the strategies you have been using and work out these answers. 1.

Why might an aircraft accident often make the front page of a newspaper? (a) To help aviophobics. (b) It makes dramatic news. (c) To show people how safe flying normally is. (d) Journalists love to write about aeroplanes.

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The best answer is

What can you conclude about someone with a severe case of aviophobia? (a) He/She hates air turbulence. (b) He/She will never be able to fly. (c) He/She may need help from a psychologist to overcome the fear. (d) He/She will also have a fear of closed-in spaces.

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4. Explain how you could conclude that driving to the airport might be more dangerous than taking off in an aeroplane.

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5. Do you think talking to an airline pilot might help someone who has a mild fear of flying?

Yes

Explain how you reached this conclusion.

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Teaching comprehension strategies

Concluding – 2 Read the narrative.

Learning ‘Here we are’, I said to Carlos. ‘This is our beach house.’ I pointed to the old shack with its flaky paint and looked anxiously at him. But he was beaming.

‘Wow! I like. It is … nice. I like staying here for weekend.’

‘Your English is getting better’, I said to him, as we helped Dad unpack the car.

‘Really? Do you think, Sam?’ he asked.

I nodded. Carlos and his family had only moved here a month ago. But he and I had become good friends despite the language barrier.

After we had put our things away, Carlos and I walked to the beach. It was deserted. It was usually that way unless it was sunny and the water was calm. The wind almost knocked me over as I ran down to the water’s edge. I suddenly noticed that Carlos wasn’t beside me and I glanced back. He had sunk down into the sand and was staring at the water.

‘Carlos!’ I called. But he didn’t move, not even when I yelled his name twice more. Eventually, I ran up to him and saw a tear rolling down his cheek.

‘What’s wrong?’ I asked.

He suddenly seemed to notice I was there. He quickly wiped his face. His cheeks had gone pink. ‘I okay’, he said. ‘It is just that … I am …’ He shook his head.

10.

‘You’re hurt?’

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‘No … how do you say … never.’

14.

‘You’ve never seen a beach?’ My jaw dropped open. ‘But how could that be?’

15.

‘I have never been out of my country before now.’

16.

‘Wow’, I said. I sat down, shaded my eyes and looked at the waves. Neither of us spoke for a moment.

17.

‘Please I go for a bath?’ I looked over at him. His eyes were shining.

18.

‘We don’t have a … wait, you mean you want to go for a swim? In this weather?’

19.

‘Yes, please. I would like.’ Carlos jumped to his feet. ‘Let’s get our water clothes.’

20.

I shuddered. Carlos nudged me and grinned.

21.

‘Unless you are a scaredy chicken cat maybe?’ He suddenly charged up the beach.

22.

I smiled and raced after him. Maybe Carlos could learn some English from me, but I was sure I had a lot to learn from him.

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Concluding Try it out Use the skills you learnt and practised in Fear of flying to make conclusions.

Make sure you understand what it is you are making conclusions about. Look in the text to find the facts and details and underline them. Make decisions about what they mean. Always check all possible answers before making a decision.

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What can you conclude about Carlos’s home country? (a) It has many lakes. (b) Carlos was pleased to leave it. (c) It doesn’t have very nice beaches. (d) It is bordered by other countries.

The best answer is

Think!

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• • • •

Read the conversation that takes place between Carlos and Sam after they get to the beach.

2. Describe how you think Carlos might have felt when he saw the sea.

3. What do you think Sam might learn from Carlos?

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Why do you think the narrator looked anxiously at Carlos at the beginning of the text? (a) He wasn’t sure if Carlos understood what he was saying. (b) He wasn’t sure if he wanted to be friends with Carlos anymore. (c) He wasn’t sure if Carlos would like the old beach house. (d) He didn’t want to hurt Carlos’s feelings.

The best answer is

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5. Who do you conclude was more eager to go for a swim at the end of the text? Give reasons. R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Teaching comprehension strategies

Summarising – 1 Summarising is giving the main ideas and facts without using many words. We need to link the important ideas and decide which are the main points. Read the exposition.

Speech exams Each year, everyone in my speech and drama class has to do a speech exam. We have to read aloud from a book, recite a poem from memory, deliver a talk and also talk to the examiner about our selections. Some people really dislike doing speech exams and think they are a waste of time, but I think they are great and very important.

First of all, speech exams help you to develop your confidence in speaking to a group. The exam is done in front of the whole class—which makes quite a large audience! You are expected to use effective eye contact to communicate with the whole group. The first exam you do may be quite nervewracking, but the more you do the better you get at controlling your nerves. You can also learn a lot about public speaking by watching other students—thinking about what their strong points are and what they did or didn’t do to make their presentation entertaining.

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feedback from an experienced person—other than your teacher, of course! The examiners are usually actors or professional public speakers, so they certainly know what they are looking for. About a week after the exam, each student gets a report with a grade and comments on each section. I have always found the comments very useful and I try to learn from them. I also think that speech exams will be helpful in my future. Mum and Dad say that excellent spoken communication is essential in job interviews, and what better way to show that you can speak well by showing a potential employer your speech reports?

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Preparing for speech exams, while it can be challenging, is also lots of fun! You are allowed to choose your own topics and texts which means that you can choose things you feel strongly about or really enjoy. When the day comes for the exam, though I feel nervous, I feel very proud of all the work I have put in and like the fact that I can share that with an audience. When everything goes well, there is nothing like the exciting feeling of performing—it is such a buzz! If you are well-prepared, it also shows in your report. I feel that I have always passed my exams because I have been so well-prepared and tried hard.

I think everyone should try to do at least one speech exam while they are at school—I promise that you won’t regret it. Even though it requires a lot of hard work, holding that report with ‘Pass’ written on it is a great feeling and makes it all worth it!

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Summarising Learning about the skill Learn how you can work out the main points and summarise text.

• • • •

Make sure you understand the question and underline keywords. Look for information in the text, decide what is important and how it is connected. Omit any unnecessary or unconnected information. Always check all the possible answers before making a decision.

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1. Which sentence best summarises how speech exams can help to develop someone’s confidence? (a) They allow you to get feedback from an examiner. (b) You have to recite a poem from memory. (c) They are easy to prepare for. (d) You have control your nerves to be able to speak in front of a large audience. Choosing the best answer (a) Receiving feedback from an examiner would not necessarily help you to develop confidence. This is not a good answer. (b) The writer states that you do have to recite a poem from memory, but does not say that this helps you to develop confidence. This is not the best answer. (c) The writer says that preparing for speech exams is challenging, so this can not be the correct answer. (d) In the second paragraph, the writer gives reasons why speech exams can help you to develop confidence and discusses how you need to control your nerves to speak in front of a large audience. This is the best answer.

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2. Which sentence would you leave out of a summary of reasons why the writer likes to do speech exams? (a) She enjoys the buzz of performing. (b) She feels proud of all the work she has put in. (c) She enjoys meeting the examiners. (d) She enjoys receiving her reports.

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Choosing the best answer (a) The writer says that she likes the buzz of performing, so this would need to be included in the summary. (b) The writer says that she feels very proud of her hard work on the day of the exam, so this would also need to be included in the summary. (c) The writer doesn’t say anything about enjoying meeting the examiners. She only says that they are professionals and their comments useful. This is probably the best answer. (d) The writer says at the end of the text that holding the speech report is a great feeling, so this should also be included in the summary. R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Teaching comprehension strategies

Summarising Practice page Use similar strategies to those on page 59 to practise summarising. (Clues are given to help you.)

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The best answer is

2. Write a sentence that summarises the writer’s reasons for why doing speech exams might be useful for the future.

Think!

You will find the main points for this summary in Paragraph 4.

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3. Which group of words best summarises how the writer feels on the day of a speech exam? (a) scared, nervous, unprepared (b) proud, unwell, shy (c) excited, happy, energetic (d) nervous, proud, excited

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Think!

Look in Paragraph 3 to find the description of speech examiners and consider how all the possibilities are best summarised.

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1. Which description best summarises the sort of people who could be speech examiners? (a) People who have done speech exams before. (b) People who have acted or spoken in front of an audience professionally. (c) Professional actors. (d) Professional public speakers.

Read Paragraph 5 carefully to help you decide which group of words covers all the feelings of the writer on the day of an exam.

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4. How could the writer’s overall attitude to speech exams be summarised?

Think!

The overall tone of the text should tell you the writer’s attitude; but also look carefully at Paragraphs 1 and 6 for clues.

5. Write a sentence to summarise your opinion about doing speech exams. Teaching comprehension strategies

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Summarising On your own Think about the strategies you have been using and work out these answers. 1.

Which phrase best summarises what a speech examiner does? (a) Conducts speech exams. (b) Writes speech reports. (c) Conducts speech exams and writes a report for each student. (d) Decides if students pass or fail their speech exams.

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The best answer is

2. Which sentence would you leave out of a summary of reasons why speech exams might be nervewracking? (a) You have to decide on what topics and texts you will perform. (b) You have to recite a poem from memory. (c) You have to speak in front of an audience. (d) You have to speak in front of a speech examiner.

3. Summarise what a student is expected to do on the day of his/her speech exam.

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4. Write a summary of the main reasons why the writer thinks speech exams are worthwhile.

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Teaching comprehension strategies

Summarising – 2 Read the report.

Clowning around

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Clowns have been around since ancient times and have appeared in different forms in most cultures. One type of early clown was known as a ‘jester’. There are records of jesters performing in the courts of ancient Egypt and China, as well as in European courts in the middle ages. Jesters had a special privilege—they were the only people who had the freedom to make jokes about politics or other sensitive topics. Jesters in the Middle Ages wore bright costumes and could dance, juggle and perform acrobatics.

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The first circus clown appeared in the late 1700s in England. His name was Philip Astley, and he was also the creator of what is considered to be the first circus. Astley’s clown character was called Billy Buttons. The act involved Billy trying to ride a horse. The Billy Buttons routine soon caught on and became a familiar act in other circuses. But it was British pantomime actor Joseph Grimaldi who really made clowns popular. Often called the father of modern clowning, Grimaldi used colourful make-up over a white painted face. Interestingly, Grimaldi never appeared in a circus—he was strictly a theatrical performer.

Whiteface clowns traditionally use white make up to cover their faces and neck and then paint red or black features over the top. Their costumes are colourful and they often wear a ruffled collar and pointed hat. Their character is often bossy and confident and sometimes has an elegant manner.

The tramp and hobo clowns developed in North America. Tramp clowns are generally sad characters, whereas hobo clowns are happy. Both characters are ‘down on their luck’ and are supposed to be travelling around looking for work. They wear tattered and torn clothing and have make-up similar to that of the auguste clown.

Whatever type of clown a performer chooses to portray, there are a range of customs and traditions he or she is expected to uphold. For example, every clown’s make-up should be unique and he/she must not copy that of another clown. There are also many superstitions associated with clowning, including avoiding the use of blue face paint because it means bad luck.

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Auguste is a German word meaning ‘fool’. Auguste clowns wear baggy costumes and bright make-up. They do not usually have a white make-up base—their skin is bare and only their eyes and mouth are highlighted. The character of an auguste clown is usually that of a clumsy joker or troublemaker. He or she is often given instructions by a whiteface clown but pretends to have trouble following them.

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Summarising Try it out Use the strategies you learnt and practised in Speech exams to summarise information.

• • • •

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1. Which sentence best summarises how Philip Astley contributed to the development of circus clowns? (a) His clown character, Billy Buttons, tried to ride a horse. (b) He created the first circus and his character Billy Buttons was the first circus clown act. (c) He made clowns popular in other circuses. (d) He created the first circus in the 1700s. The best answer is

Think!

Read about Astley and decide how his contributions could best be summarised.

Which sentence would you leave out of a summary of what jesters did? (a) They juggled. (b) They danced and performed acrobatics. (c) They told jokes. (d) They played tricks.

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3. Write a summary of the differences between auguste and whiteface clowns.

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4. Summarise all the traditions that a tramp clown would be expected to follow. R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Teaching comprehension strategies

Inferring – 1 When we read, we often make decisions about what we think is most likely to be true, based on the information given in the text. This is called inferring. Read the narrative.

The Wesley mystery ‘I don’t care how you do it. I don’t care how long it takes. 1. I want to know what happened!’ Sir Wesley’s face was almost purple. He stalked out of the room. I could hear his footsteps thundering down the massive hallway.

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I shrugged and pretended to study my notebook, wishing he hadn’t 3. asked.

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Inspector Jamieson sighed and rubbed his forehead. ‘Who do you 2. think we should interview next, Gibson?’

He sighed again. ‘Call in Miss Lucas.’

I went to the door and peered around the corner. The five suspects were 5. huddled in a group, whispering to each other. They all looked up sharply. ‘Miss Lucas, please’, I said.

A woman in a brilliant blue dress glided past me, her nose in the air. The 7. other guests seemed visibly to relax.

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them all and then walked back into the room. Miss Lucas was already sitting on a chair in front of the inspector, her legs elegantly crossed.

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‘Antoinette’, said the inspector. ‘Thank you for agreeing to help us and 10. Sir Wesley. Can you please tell us your exact movements at the party tonight?’

‘Certainly. I was in the ballroom all night, dancing.’

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The inspector sat back in his chair. ‘I see. You didn’t go into the main hall where Sir Wesley’s 12. treasures are displayed?’

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‘I’ve already told you where I was’, she said crisply.

13.

‘I beg your pardon, it’s just that Sir Wesley tells us he saw you there earlier in the evening, 14. admiring one of his jewellery displays.’ ‘Oh …’ She smoothed back her hair and laughed. ‘Maybe he was mistaken. The party was 15. very crowded.’ The inspector looked at her peacock blue dress and raised his eyebrows.

16.

Miss Lucas leaned in suddenly. ‘I don’t know why you are bothering to question me. It’s obvious 17. who did it. I mean, the oily stains, the spilt flour, the white apron …’ I gasped. ‘How did you …?’ I began, but one look at the inspector’s face silenced me. This 18. case was getting trickier by the minute.

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Inferring Learning about the skill Learn how to work out what is most likely to be true. • The answers are usually not in the text, but there is information given that will give you clues to think about. (This could be underlined.) • Find the answer that makes the most sense and is supported by text details. • Always consider all possible answers before making a decision.

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What do you think the five suspects were whispering about? (a) Which of them would be interviewed next. (b) Whether Miss Lucas was guilty of the incident that upset Sir Wesley. (c) Sir Wesley’s party. (d) Who may have caused the incident that upset Sir Wesley.

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Choosing the best answer (a) They were probably wondering who would be interviewed next, but there wouldn’t really be a need to whisper about it. This is an unlikely answer. (b) Miss Lucas was one of the five suspects, so it is unlikely that they would be talking about whether she was guilty while she was there. This is not a good answer. (c) The suspects were waiting to be interviewed by the Inspector, so you would expect them to be feeling nervous. It is not likely they would want to talk about the party. This is not a good answer. (d) The guests would all be wondering who had upset Sir Wesley and might be whispering to each other so the Inspector and Gibson could not hear what they were saying. This is a good answer.

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Why do you think the Inspector raised his eyebrows? (a) He wanted Miss Lucas to tell him more about the party. (b) He didn’t understand what Miss Lucas was trying to say. (c) Miss Lucas’s dress was very bright so he thought it unlikely that Sir Wesley could have mistaken her for someone else looking at the jewellery display. (d) He was trying to show Miss Lucas that he agreed with her about Sir Wesley being mistaken.

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Choosing the best answer (a) If the Inspector wanted Miss Lucas to tell him more about the party, you would expect he would just say so rather than raise his eyebrows. This is not a good answer. (b) Miss Lucas had not said anything that was difficult to understand. So this can not be the answer. (c) The Inspector looked at Miss Lucas’s dress just before he raised his eyebrows and she had just suggested that Sir Wesley might have mistaken her for someone else. This is a good answer. (d) The Inspector would not be likely to share any of his personal opinions with a suspect, so this is not a good answer. R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Teaching comprehension strategies

Inferring Practice page Use similar strategies to those on page 65 to help you decide what you think is most likely to be true based on information from the text. (Clues are given to help you.)

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What do you think Sir Wesley is so upset about? (a) His party has been ruined. (b) He doesn’t trust any of his guests. (c) Someone has stolen some of his jewellery. (d) Someone has damaged some of his property.

The best answer is

2. The suspects looked up sharply when Gibson approached them. Why do you think this might have been?

Think!

Consider what the suspects might be expecting will happen.

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3. Why might Gibson have wished the Inspector hadn’t asked for his opinion near the beginning of the story? (a) He thought the Inspector should have known what to do himself. (b) He didn’t really feel sure of what he was doing. (c) He thought that if he spoke, he might burst out laughing. (d) He felt that he didn’t have time to give an opinion.

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Carefully read what Sir Wesley says and the interview with Miss Lucas to find clues.

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Think!

Consider Gibson’s reaction to the Inspector asking for his opinion and what his relationship with the Inspector seems to be.

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4. Where do you think this story is set? Describe what you think it looks like.

Think!

Read the first paragraph and the interview with Miss Lucas to get an idea of where the party might have been held.

Teaching comprehension strategies

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Inferring On your own Think about the strategies you have learnt and work out these answers. 1. Describe what sort of person you think Sir Wesley is.

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What do you think the Inspector might have said to Miss Lucas before Gibson returned? (a) He probably asked her to sit down and if he could call her by her first name. (b) He probably accused her of upsetting Sir Wesley. (c) He probably asked her if she would like a glass of water and something to eat. (d) He probably told her to not say anything until Gibson returned.

The best answer is

Who was Miss Lucas inferring was responsible for the incident that upset Sir Wesley? (a) A carpenter. (b) One of the party guests. (c) A cook or baker. (d) Herself.

The best answer is

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4. Who do you think is responsible for the incident that upset Sir Wesley? Explain why.

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5. Write words to describe what you think the Inspector’s face looked like at the end of the text.

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Teaching comprehension strategies

Inferring – 2 Read the recount.

Family history Yesterday at school, Mrs Keenan told us that our next project was to be about one of our ancestors. Immediately, Jordan called out that one of his relatives had been a famous spy. He started to tell us about it, but Mrs Keenan made him stop. Then Briony said that one of her ancestors had been a famous explorer, but she didn’t say anything else about him.

It started me thinking—I really didn’t know anything about my ancestors at all. Mrs Keenan said that the best place to start on our project would be to ask our families. So during dinner that night, I brought up the topic.

‘Mum’, I said. ‘I don’t know anything about my ancestors. Is there anyone interesting in our family tree?’

Mum was chewing on her steak at the time, and she suddenly choked. Dad had to pat her on the back. Then she took a long drink of water.

‘Sorry, Connor, what were you saying? Something about relatives? What would make you ask about that?’

So I told them both about Mrs Keenan’s latest project. Mum and Dad exchanged glances.

‘Why don’t you write about Grandad’s life, Connor? He has done lots of amazing things’, Dad said.

‘Well … yeah …’

‘Unfortunately, we don’t really know a lot about either of our families’, said Dad. ‘Mine are from England and your Mum’s come from India. That’s it.’

10.

I was going to say more, but their faces had gone pale and they started talking quickly about the weather. I calmly kept eating my dinner and didn’t say another word. A plan began to form in my head.

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When I went to bed that night, I set my alarm for 3 am. I listened outside Mum and Dad’s room to make sure they were asleep, then tiptoed down the stairs, headed for the filing cabinet in the study. I rifled through until I found what I was looking for. I had to stifle a cry when I saw it. With trembling fingers, I unrolled the yellowed old paper and hunted through the names. Then I read one right at the top. My heart skipped a beat.

12.

‘Wow’, I whispered. My ancestor project was certainly going to beat everybody else’s.

Teaching comprehension strategies

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Inferring Try it out Use the strategies you learnt and practised in The Wesley mystery to work out what is probably true. • The answers are usually not in the text, but there is information to give you clues to think about. • Find the answer that makes the most sense and is supported by text details. • Always consider all possible answers before making a decision.

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What do you think Connor was searching for in the filing cabinet? (a) His school reports. (b) An old project he had done. Think! Carefully read the description of (c) An old letter. what he found and consider what he might have been looking for (d) His family tree.

The best answer is

without his parents knowing.

What do you think Connor thought of the idea of writing about his grandad? (a) He couldn’t wait to get started. (b) He would have preferred to have written about someone further back in his family. (c) He thought it would be difficult. (d) He thought his grandad wouldn’t like the idea.

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3. What might make Connor think that his project was going to beat everyone else’s?

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4. Write how you think Connor’s mum and dad felt when Connor asked them about his ancestors. Give reasons for your answer. R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Teaching comprehension strategies

Student tests The tests on pages 70 to 73 will show how well you can: Summarise You will be working on your own.

Conclude

Infer

Read the biography.

Joan of Arc In 1412, a peasant girl named Jeanne (‘Joan’ in English) was born to Catholic parents in a small village in France. At the time of Joan’s birth, a war was taking place between two factions of the French royal family—the Armagnacs and the Burgundians. In 1415, this unrest allowed the English, who had long been at war with France, to invade. With the help of the Burgundians, they defeated the Armagnacs, and, by 1429, occupied Paris and much of northern France. The King of England even began to claim that he should be the ruler of France.

As a child, Joan was deeply religious. Around the age of 12, she told people that she could hear the voices of saints giving her messages from God. The saints told her that she had been chosen to free her country from the English and help Charles VII, the son of the French king, to be crowned as the ruler of France in the city of Reims. This had not been able to take place because Reims was located in the English-occupied part of France.

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Joan’s first task was to ride with the army to the town of Orleans to fight the English. Legend has it that she was unarmed and carried only a banner. The French, led by Joan, won the battle and continued fighting the English in other parts of northern France. The battles left thousands of English soldiers dead but few French casualties. In 1429, the triumphant French army reached Reims and Charles was crowned king, with Joan by his side.

Joan continued to fight, but in 1430 she was captured by the Burgundians, who sold her to the English. She was imprisoned, then tried and found guilty of witchcraft and heresy (having beliefs that were in conflict with the Catholic faith). In 1431, she was burned at the stake in the town of Rouen—although some legends claim that another person died in her place. In 1455, Joan’s family requested a new trial and, this time, Joan was found to be innocent.

The war between France and England raged on until 1453, when England was eventually driven out of France. In 1920, Joan was declared to be a saint in the Catholic church.

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At the age of 16, Joan travelled to the town of Valcoleurs to ask the captain of the French army to allow her to speak to Charles VII. At first, the captain laughed and refused, but eventually, he allowed her to go, dressed as a man. Joan spoke to Charles and convinced him that she should lead an army against the English, as she believed he was the rightful king of France. At first, the male soldiers were reluctant to take orders from her, but soon they agreed. In fact, many men actually volunteered to join the army and fight for her.

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Concluding Test 1 Name:

Date:

• Make sure you understand what it is you are making conclusions about.

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• Look in the text to find the facts and details and underline them. • Make decisions about what they mean.

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• Always check all possible answers before making a decision.

Charles needed to be crowned in the city of Reims. What can you conclude from this? (a) Reims was located in the English-occupied area of France. (b) French queens and kings were usually crowned in Reims. (c) He liked Reims. (d) Joan thought this is where he should be crowned.

The best answer is

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You can conclude that Joan’s first trial was not run properly because: (a) the trial was over quickly. (b) she was imprisoned. (c) her family didn’t believe she was guilty. (d) she was found innocent at a second trial after her death.

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4. What sort of person do you think Joan of Arc was? Explain how you reached this conclusion. R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Teaching comprehension strategies

Summarising Test 2 Name:

Date:

• Make sure you understand the question and underline keywords. • Look for information in the text, decide what is important and how it is connected.

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• Omit any unnecessary or unconnected information.

• Always check all the possible answers before making a decision.

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Which sentence best summarises the events that happened after Joan’s death? (a) Her family requested a new trial for her. (b) People felt sorry for her. (c) She was found innocent in a new trial and was declared a saint by the Catholic church. (d) The war between England and France began.

The best answer is

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2. Make a summary of reasons why Joan of Arc wanted Charles VII crowned as the king of France.

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3. Write a summary of Joan of Arc’s life from the age of 16 until her death.

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Which sentence best summarises Joan’s childhood? (a) She was a peasant child who was deeply religious. (b) She liked going to church. (c) She was born to Catholic parents. (d) She lived in a French village.

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Inferring Test 3 Name:

Date:

• The answers are usually not in the text, but there is information to give you clues to think about. (This could be underlined.)

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• Find the answer that makes the most sense and is supported by text details. • Always consider all possible answers before making a decision.

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2. Why do you think men might have volunteered to join Joan of Arc’s army? (a) They loved France. (b) She was a convincing speaker and a strong personality. (c) They were impressed that a teenage girl was leading an army. (d) They wanted to travel.

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1. Why do you think Joan of Arc was put on trial the first time? (a) She was a girl. (b) The king requested it. (c) She had made up stories about receiving messages from God. (d) The English wanted to punish her for leading an army against them.

.. The best answer ©R I . C.Pub l i c at i o nsis . 3. The King of England began to claim he should be the ruler of France around 1429. Why •f orr evi ew pur posesonl y• do you think he claimed this? The best answer is

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4. Why do you think the captain of the French army made Joan dress as a man before she was allowed to speak to Charles VII?

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5. Circle the year you think would have been the most peaceful to live in France. 1453

Why do you think this?

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Teaching comprehension strategies

Teachers notes – 1 The focus of this section is on the following skills:

Cause and effect

Fact or opinion

Cause and effect

Point of view and purpose

Fact or opinion

Indicator

• Students will determine cause and effect and understand how they are connected.

• Students will demonstrate their ability to identify facts and opinions and their understanding of how they differ.

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Background information

Students need to understand that the cause leads to the effect and that they are connected.

A fact is something that is true. It can be verified by referring to other information. In other words, it can be checked and be shown to be correct.

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This section demonstrates strategies for students to use in order to find information in text which, in turn, helps them to make the connection and determine cause and effect.

An opinion is something that someone believes to be true, but which can not be verified. In other words, it is something that someone thinks rather than knows is true.

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They need to find and underline the keywords in questions, then search for information in the text which makes connections between the keywords and either the cause or the effect. They need to understand that one will be provided in the question and they will need to search for the other.

Students must to be able to distinguish between facts and opinions in order to be become critical readers. They have to engage and interact with text and read with a questioning attitude. They can then look for relationships and critically judge and evaluate what they read, identifying facts and opinions.

Answers

How to conserve water..............................................................Pages 76–79 • Practice: page 78 1. (a) 2. (d) 3. Serious water shortages in the future will be caused by the world population increasing and freshwater run-off decreasing. 4. If pot lids are not put on tightly the water boils away rapidly and extra needs to be added. 5. Teacher check • On your own: page 79 1. (d) 2. (c) 3. The effect is saving water by avoiding evaporation in the heat of the day. 4. Water can be saved by having shorter showers and installing low-flow shower heads. 5. If a swimming pool has a cover then evaporation is reduced and the water level does not need topping up as often. 6. If lawns and gardens are weeded regularly then water is saved as the weeds won’t be using it.

Critical readers become more discriminating consumers of the news media and advertising; an important life skill.

Answers

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Changing matter..........................................................................Pages 80–81 • Try it out: page 81 1. If the balloon was not attached to something it would drift away. 2. (c) 3. They changed appearance as exposure to the air caused them to rot and change colour. 4. The balloon will get smaller as the air gradually leaks out. 5. (a) (iv) (b) Sealing the bag does not allow air (oxygen) to mix with the water (moisture), so it will stay the same and not rust like the unsealed bag of wet steel wool.

Teaching comprehension strategies

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Redbacks vs Tigers.....................................................................Pages 82–85 • Practice: page 84 1. (b) 2. Fact: He shot the ball straight through the basket. Opinion: The seconds seemed like minutes. 3. (a) Opinion (b) It is an opinion because the writer believes Dan dribbles expertly and runs fast. 4. Fact: The Redbacks coach changed tactics at half time. Opinion: He cleverly decided to change tactics. • On your own: page 85 1. (a) 2. It is an opinion because it is what the writer believes to be true. 3. Fact: Dan thanked the coach on behalf of his team mates. Opinion: Dan made a fantastic speech. 4. (b) 5. Delete the word ‘way’. (At three-quarter time the Redbacks were ahead.) Bonsai trees...................................................................................Pages 86–87 • Try it out: page 87 1. (d) 2. (c) 3. Fact: The roots have limited space to grow in. Opinion: Watering is probably the trickiest thing to work out. 4. Teacher check.

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Teachers notes – 2 The focus of this section is on the following skills:

Cause and effect

Fact or opinion

Point of view and purpose

Student tests

Indicator

• Students will understand and identify the writer’s point of view and purpose.

Background information

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A class test record sheet and a student evaluation sheet are provided on pages viii and ix.

The writer’s point of view is his or her opinion about a subject. A reader should, after careful and detailed analysis of what has been written, understand and be able to identify the point of view expressed in the text. This information can be explicit but is often implicit in the text.

Save the sirenians! (pages 94–97)

Answers

• Test 1: Cause and effect................................................(Page 95) 1. (c) 2. Mysterious sirens lured them to their island by singing love songs. 3. Possible answers: Establishing marine parks/researching sirenian behaviour 4. (b) 5. They have low tolerance to cold water and the seagrasses they feed on are also found in warmer water.

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The writer’s purpose for writing explains why the text was written. It may be to express a particular point of view, to amuse, to entertain, to inform, to persuade, to instruct, to describe, to record information or to explain something. Students should be encouraged to work out how and what the writer was thinking and to use this to help them make decisions about the writer’s point of view. They should then look for details in the text to support or reject the choices they have made. (These can be underlined.) All possible choices should be considered before a final decision is made.

• Test 2: Fact and opinion.....................................................(Page 96) 1. (a) 2. Fact: There are four members of the sirenian species. Opinion: The species is ‘fascinating’. 3. (d) 4. The statement is an opinion. It is what someone believes to be true and can’t be proved as ‘many’ is not defined.

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Kids in the kitchen.....................................................................Pages 88–91 • Practice: page 90 1. (b) 2. They can learn this by discovering what meals have too much fat and sugar while they are learning to cook/They can learn to use low fat substitutes when cooking. 3. Teacher check 4. They become organised because they are used to thinking ahead to plan meals. • On your own: page 91 1. (a) 2. Teacher check 3. Teacher check. 4. (d) 5. Teacher check

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• Test 3: Point of view and purpose ...................................(Page 97) 1. (b) 2. Possible answers: fascinating, wonderful, gentle, vulnerable 3. (c) 4. They will be able to live there without fear of hunters, boats or pollution. 5. Learn about sirenians and tell others about their plight.

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Giftlands gift shop.......................................................................Pages 92–93 • Try it out: page 93 1. (c) 2. Pastel drawer liners/Novelty barbecue apron/Teddy bear (b) Stylish sunglasses/glamorous jewellery/Robotica mate/Karaoke crazy 3. (d) 4. Possible answers: You will go away from Giftlands with your gift purchases solved, Giftlands wraps your purchases, Giftlands is choc-a-bloc full of gift ideas, Giftlands has old favourites and the latest crazes, You need look no further than Giftlands for gifts

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Teaching comprehension strategies

Cause and effect – 1 Cause and effect is when one thing (the cause) makes something else happen (the effect). If you want to understand what you read, you must be able to work out the cause and effect of the things that happen. Read the explanation.

How to conserve water

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The biggest user of household water is the garden. Garden taps can be fitted with timers so overwatering does not occur. Many places around the world conserve water by having water restrictions, allowing households to only water on certain days, perhaps twice a week. The time is limited to say 15 minutes per station and watering can only be done before 9.00 am or after 6.00 pm to avoid evaporation in the heat of the day. Watering is prohibited in many places during months with rain, as it is wasteful when the garden will be watered naturally. Water is so scarce in other places that gardens are not allowed to be watered at all!

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Water is our most valuable resource—without it we could not live for more than a few days. Almost every manufactured product is made using water. We need water for washing, cooking and for growing plants and crops. Although water is present as a large amount of the Earth’s surface—about seventy percent—only one percent of this is useable fresh water. It is vital that we are aware of ways to conserve water. The world’s population is steadily increasing and freshwater run-off is decreasing. Worldwide water shortages will be a serious problem in the future.

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It is important to weed the lawn and garden beds frequently, as weeds can drink a lot of water. Using trigger-operated nozzles on hoses and watering cans controls the amount of water used. Choosing local native and water-wise plants means less watering.

Backyard swimming pools should have pool covers to reduce evaporation and the need to top up the water level so often. Paths and driveways should not be hosed clean. Use a broom, outdoor blower etc. instead of wasting water.

In the home, don’t let taps run while brushing teeth or washing fruit and vegetables. Check for leaking taps—one leaky tap can waste more than 2000 litres of water a month! Don’t run the dishwasher or washing machine half-full (or, alternatively, set the load adjustment dial to match the amount of clothes in the machine). A five-minute shower can use as much as 100 litres of water. Having shorter showers and installing low-flow shower heads can save litres.

While cooking, make sure pot lids are on tightly to prevent water boiling away rapidly, eliminating the need for extra water to be added. Thaw frozen foods on the sink, in the fridge, or use the microwave. Don’t thaw them under running water.

There are many simple things people can do to conserve water—are you doing your bit?

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Teaching comprehension strategies

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Cause and effect Learning about the skill Learn how you can work out the cause and effect. • The cause leads to the effect and they are connected.

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• You will be told one of them and you will need to work out the other. • Look for keywords in the question and underline them.

• Find words in the text that are connected to key question words.

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• Check all answers before deciding.

1. What is the worst effect of not having water for a few days? (a) We would be thirsty. (b) We would smell from not having a shower. (c) We would have to wash our clothes in a river or lake. (d) We would die.

2. What can cause more than 2000 litres of water to be wasted each month? (a) A swimming pool not having a pool cover. (b) A dripping tap. (c) Watering the lawn unnecessarily. (d) Washing clothes in a half-full machine.

(a) You would feel thirsty without water after a few days. But is this the worst effect? Remember to check all answers. (b) You would start to smell without showering for a few days. But is this the worst effect? Answer (a) is the worst effect so far. Remember to check all answers. (c) This is something you might have to do after a few days, but it wouldn’t be the worst effect. (d) The text says that without water we could not live for more than a few days. To die would be the worst effect. This is the best answer.

(a) This could be a cause but the text doesn’t say this. This may not be the best answer. (b) The text says that one leaky tap can waste that amount of water. This seems to be the best answer, but you must check all answers. (c) This could be a cause but the text doesn’t say this. This is not the best answer. (d) The text says that washing clothes in a washing machine that is only halffull does not waste water, but the text does not say how much. So this is not a good answer.

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Teaching comprehension strategies

Cause and effect Practice page Use similar strategies to those on page 77 to practise working out cause and effect. (Clues are given to help you.) What is a cause of wasting water on a path or driveway? (a) Hosing down the area to clean it. (b) Using a broom. (c) Cleaning with an outdoor blower. (d) Tipping over a watering can.

The best answer is

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Think!

You will need to read Paragraph 4 to find the answer.

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2. What is an effect of using trigger-operated nozzles on hoses? (a) They are easier to use. (b) The spray from them reaches further. (c) They are cheaper. (d) They control the amount of water used.

Think!

You will find the answer in Paragraph 3.

©. R. I . C.Publ i cat i ons f o r ev i e w pu r p osesonl y• 3. Explain the• cause ofr serious water shortages in the future. The best answer is

Think!

Read Paragraph 1 carefully to help you explain the answer.

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4. What happens if you don’t put pot lids on tightly when cooking?

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Think!

The answer is in Paragraph 6.

5. Watering is prohibited in many places during months with rain. Does this have a negative effect on the garden?

Yes

No Think!

Explain.

You will find the answer in Paragraph 2.

Teaching comprehension strategies

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Cause and effect On your own Think about the strategies you have been using and work out these answers. 1.

What is an effect of growing native plants or water-wise plants? (a) More water is used to water these plants. (b) The garden looks nicer. (c) They prevent weeds from growing nearby. (d) Less water is used to water these plants.

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One cause of people overwatering their lawns is ... (a) watering for 15 minutes a station. (b) watering twice a week. (c) not using a tap fitted with a timer. (d) forgetting to weed their lawn.

The best answer is

3. What is the effect of watering before 9.00 am or after 6.00 pm?

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The best answer is

4. What can cause litres of water to be saved when showering?

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5. If swimming pool has a pool cover then ...

6. If the lawns and garden are weeded regularly then ... R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Teaching comprehension strategies

Cause and effect – 2 Read the procedure.

Changing matter Follow this science experiment to discover how changes in materials can occur.

What you need:

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an apple a potato knife plate two pieces of steel wool two sealable plastic bags balloon water string tape measure tablespoon

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• • • • • • • • • • •

2. Blow up balloon. Tie with string and attach to something so it doesn’t drift away. Measure its circumference daily.

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3. Put one piece of steel wool in plastic bag. Add three tablespoons water. Seal bag, removing as much air as possible. 4. Put second piece of steel wool in second plastic bag. Add three tablespoons water. Leave bag open.

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5. Observe and record changes over time. Results:

– The potato and apple rotted and changed colour over time when exposed to the air. They did not look the same. – The balloon got smaller and went limp as the air gradually leaked out. It still looked like a balloon. – The wet steel wool in the sealed bag stayed about the same. – The wet steel wool exposed to the air rusted over time. Iron turns to rust when exposed to moisture and oxygen.

Teaching comprehension strategies

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Cause and effect Try it out Use the strategies you learnt and practised in How to conserve water to work out cause and effect.

• • • • •

The cause leads to the effect and they are connected. You will be told one and you will need to work out the other. Look for keywords in the question and underline them. Find words in text that are connected to key question words. Check all answers before deciding.

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1. What would happen if the balloon was not attached to something?

Think!

Read step 2 of the ‘What to do’ section.

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What caused the steel wool in the unsealed plastic bag to rust? (a) Exposure to the wind. (b) Exposure to the sun. (c) Exposure to air and water. (d) Exposure to oxygen.

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3. Explain the cause of the apple and potato changing appearance.

4. What is the effect of leaving a blown-up balloon over a period of time? 5. (a)

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What would happen if you put wet steel wool in a sealed bag? (i) It will rust. (ii) It will dry out. (iii) It will It will shrink. (iv) It will stay the same.

(b) Explain why you chose this answer. R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Teaching comprehension strategies

Fact or opinion – 1 When reading, it is important to understand the difference between facts and opinions and to be able to work out which is which.

A fact is something that is true. An opinion is something that someone believes is true.

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Read the recount.

At last the day had arrived—Saturday 8 March. I thought it would never come! Today was my older brother Dan’s basketball grand final. We both play for the Redbacks Basketball Club. Unfortunately, my team lost in the semifinal but I was thrilled that Dan’s team made it to the grand final. Lots of Redbacks supporters like me were going to dress up in team colours—red and black—and go crazy in the stands cheering them on. The Tigers were also well supported.

The Redbacks started extremely well with their centre winning the jump ball to start the game. He tapped it to Dan, who can dribble the ball expertly and run fast at the same time. Dan headed straight to the basket and layed up to score two points. Because he was fouled in the act of shooting, he received a free throw. Dan bounced the ball twice at the free throw line before looking up to aim. The seconds seemed like minutes before he shot the ball straight through the basket without hitting the rim. Redbacks supporters stamped their feet on the wooden stands and cheered so loudly that our coach looked worried. He was thinking that the stand might collapse!

The quarter time score saw the Redbacks nine points ahead. In the second quarter, the Tigers played their best ever. They lived up to their name and pounced like yellow and black cats on every loose ball. The scores edged closer and closer and at half time it was even. One of my team mates and I decided to brave the long queue at the kiosk and get a chocolate milkshake. It was worth the wait, they were delicious.

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The Redbacks’ coach had cleverly decided to change tactics at half time and Dan’s team played man on man instead of a zone defence. This resulted in some fantastic interceptions and rebounds from missed shots. The players who intercepted the ball were able to make fast breaks towards the Redbacks’ scoring end and quickly piled on 10 unanswered points. The coach kept swapping players to give them a rest as man on man can be really hard work. At three-quarter time, the Redbacks were way ahead. In the last quarter the Tigers seemed to give up and the Redbacks won by 25 points. It was a wonderful performance.

Dan, who was captain, made a fantastic speech and especially thanked the coach on behalf of his team mates. He was also awarded the player of the match. I think I should get the award for being the loudest member of the cheer squad!

Teaching comprehension strategies

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Fact or opinion Learning about the skill Learn how to work out if something is fact or opinion. Ask yourself: Can the statement be checked to see if it is correct? If it can, it is a fact. Is it what someone thinks is true and can’t be proved? If so, it is an opinion. For example: Hens lay eggs. (fact) Eggs taste good. (opinion) Check all the answers before making a decision.

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1. Which statement gives an opinion? (a) The grand final was between the Redbacks and the Tigers. (b) Dan’s brother is older than he is. (c) Dan and his brother play for the same basketball club. (d) There were huge numbers of people cheering both teams.

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2. Which statement has both a fact and opinion? (a) The writer’s team didn’t make it to the grand final. (b) The writer’s coach thought the stand might collapse. (c) The grand final was on Saturday 8 March, a day the writer thought would never come. (d) Dan was captain and received the best player award in the game.

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Choosing the best answer (a) This statement has information that can be checked to be a fact. The writer’s team lost in the semifinal. It is not the best answer. (b) This statement gives an opinion. It is not the best answer. (c) It is a fact the grand final was held on that day. It is the writer’s opinion that he thought it would never come. It seems to be a very good answer, but all answers need to be checked before making a decision. (d) This statement has two pieces of information that can be checked to be facts. It is not the best answer.

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Choosing the best answer (a) This information can be checked and is correct, so it is a fact. (b) The text says that Dan was the writer’s older brother, so it is a fact. (c) Again, this information can be checked and is a fact. (d) It is possible that this could be true, but it is a matter of opinion as to how many people make up a ‘huge number’.

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Teaching comprehension strategies

Fact or opinion Practice page Use similar strategies to those on page 83 to practise working out facts and opinions. (Clues are given to help you.) Which sentence is an opinion? (a) The Redbacks were ahead at quarter time. (b) The Redbacks started the game extremely well. (c) The Redbacks centre won the jump ball to start the game. (d) Dan scored the first three points of the game. The best answer is

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2. Read this sentence from the text and write one fact and one opinion. The seconds seemed like minutes before he shot the ball straight through the basket. Fact:

Opinion:

Think!

Which sentence is a matter of opinion and depends on making a comparison?

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Think!

What part tells what the writer thinks? What part gives a fact?

3. Read this sentence from the text.

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Dan can dribble the ball expertly and run fast at the same time. (a) Is it fact or opinion?

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(b) Explain why you think this.

Find the sentence in Paragraph 2 and consider if it is a matter of opinion or a fact.

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4. Read this sentence and write two short statements, one with a fact and one with an opinion. The Redbacks’ coach cleverly decided to change tactics at half-time.

Think!

Facts can be checked and opinions can’t.

Fact: Opinion: Teaching comprehension strategies

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Fact or opinion On your own Think about the strategies you have been using and work out these answers. 1.

Which sentence is a fact? (a) The Tiger’s team colours were yellow and black. (b) The Tigers played their best ever in the second quarter. (c) The milkshakes were delicious. (d) It was a wonderful performance.

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The best answer is

2. Read this sentence from the text. I think I should get the award for being the loudest member of the cheer squad. Do you think it is a fact or an opinion? Explain your answer.

Fact

Opinion

Dan made a fantastic speech and thanked the coach on behalf of his team mates.

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Fact:

Which sentence is an opinion? (a) The Redbacks were leading at three quarter time. (b) The Tigers seemed to give up during the last quarter. (c) The Redbacks played man on man after half time. (d) The Redbacks coach kept swapping players around in the third quarter.

Opinion:

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The best answer is

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5. Delete one word from this sentence to make it a fact and not an opinion. At three-quarter time, the Redbacks were way ahead. R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Teaching comprehension strategies

Fact or opinion – 2 Read the report.

Bonsai trees 1.

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A bonsai is not a naturally dwarfed plant. Clever horticulturalists (specialised gardeners) keep the trees small by growing them in a confined space. They do this by regularly pruning their roots, leaves and branches. Their shapes are formed by wiring the trunk and branches. An extremely skilful bonsai artist can make a bonsai look like a magnificent old tree, bent and gnarled by wind and weather or make it seem like a beautiful tall tree in a field. Others are modelled to look like gracious trees whose branches and leaves cascade over the sides of mountains.

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‘Bonsai’ comes from two Japanese words meaning ‘tray’ and ‘to plant’. They are one of the most amazing plants. They are actually trees that have been trained to become miniatures and grown in a tray or container.

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Trees used for developing into bonsai include pine, maple, elm, flowering cherry, silky oak and fig. These plants have needle-like leaves or naturally small leaves—a requirement for a bonsai. Many people enjoy keeping their bonsai indoors as they think it’s like having nature inside. However, most bonsai will die if kept indoors too long. Depending on the species, they need a certain amount of sunlight each day.

Caring for a bonsai can be quite difficult. Watering is probably the trickiest thing to work out because of the limited space the roots grow in. If a bonsai is watered too much, the soggy soil can cause ‘root rot’. If not given enough water, the soil can quickly become dry and cause the plant to die. Bonsai are usually repotted every two years while they are being developed and less often when mature. This stops them from becoming root bound. In this way, new feeder roots grow and the tree absorbs moisture more efficiently.

Whether a bonsai is grown in a thimble-sized container and is five centimetres in height or has been trained to be a formal, upright 60 centimetres—all are fascinating plants that have become popular with home gardeners all over the world. Teaching comprehension strategies

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Fact or opinion Try it out Use the strategies you learnt and practised in Redbacks vs Tigers to work out facts and opinions. Ask yourself: Can the statement be checked and proved to be correct? If it can, it is a fact. Is it what someone thinks is true and can’t be proved? If so, it is an opinion. Always check all the possible answers before making a decision.

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1. Which statement is an opinion? (a) A bonsai is a tree trained through pruning to grow in a confined space. (b) The word ‘bonsai’ is of Japanese origin. (c) The tree is shaped by wiring the trunk and branches. (d) Bonsai can be difficult to care for. The best answer is 2.

Think!

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Facts can be checked, opinions can’t. Which statement tells what someone thinks?

Which sentence is a fact? (a) Many people enjoy keeping bonsai indoors. (b) Some bonsai look like magnificent bent, gnarled, old trees. (c) Pine, elm and fig are examples of trees used to develop into bonsai. (d) You must be a clever gardener to develop a bonsai.

The best answer is

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3. Read this sentence and write one fact and one opinion.

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Watering is probably the trickiest thing to work out because of the limited space the roots grow in.

Fact: Opinion:

4. Read the last paragraph and write one fact and one opinion. Fact: Opinion:

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Teaching comprehension strategies

Point of view and purpose – 1 When we read, we should try to think like the writer to work out how and what he or she feels and believes about the subject (point of view) and why he or she wrote the text (purpose). Read the exposition.

Kids in the kitchen I think ‘kids’ should be seen more in the kitchen—and by that I don‘t mean helping themselves to what’s in the pantry or the fridge! Children, from a young age, should be learning how to use the kitchen. This includes preparing food, cooking, cleaning up and using kitchen appliances.

Why should children leave it up to one or both parents to do all or most of the work in the kitchen? If you live in a family, you should share chores as soon as you are old enough. Some children do things such as stacking and unstacking the dishwasher, putting groceries away or emptying the kitchen bin, usually as part of earning pocket money. This is great, but I think they should also be taking a more active role in other areas such as cooking— and not just for pocket money.

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© R. I . C.Pu bl i cat i ons Important hygiene and safety rules are learnt in the kitchen. Of course, adult supervision f o r r e v i e w r pos es on l y Knowing how• to cook means you are more p isu necessary when children are first• learning aware of the ingredients that go into food.

to use sharp knives and handle hot liquids. Children will learn other safety procedures such as turning pot handles away from edges, using oven gloves and not overfilling saucepans to prevent them being too heavy to lift or from boiling over. Hygiene procedures they will learn include washing hands thoroughly before and during food preparation, not using the same cutting board to prepare raw and cooked meat, wiping work surfaces before cooking, using clean tea towels and dishcloths and putting leftovers in the fridge as soon as possible.

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You learn which meals have too much fat or sugar and can then make healthier food choices. Children can encourage their family to change some of the meals they usually eat or to use low fat substitutes if a food is high in kilojoules. Healthy eating habits from an early age will help prevent some of the health problems of overweight people. 4.

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Children are often home before a working parent and knowing how to use the kitchen can help families whose parents work late. Children can do chores in the kitchen and prepare food for an afternoon snack and the evening meal. Vegetables, a salad or simple meals such as tacos or meat marinated as kebabs are easy to prepare. This also teaches children to be organised in other aspects of their lives. They need, for example, to learn to think ahead and make sure meat is defrosted and pantry or fridge items needed are written on a shopping list.

Teaching comprehension strategies

Learning how to use the kitchen will prepare children for leaving home and having their own place. So many young adults don’t know much more than how to boil the kettle and make toast—let alone cook a decent meal or clean up!

Kids who know how to use the kitchen— RULE!

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Point of view and purpose Learning about the skill Learn how to work out the writer’s point of view and his or her reason for writing the text. • Writers don’t always just tell you what they think or believe or why they have written the text. Sometimes, you have to try to think like they do and work it out for yourself.

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• In the text, there are details and information related to the question for you to find, underline and use in making your choices.

1. What was the writer’s main reason for writing the exposition? (a) The writer likes kids in the kitchen. (b) The writer doesn’t like kids in the pantry or fridge. (c) The writer likes children to learn how to cook. (d) The writer wants children to learn how to use the kitchen.

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• Consider all possible answers before making a decision.

2. Which of these statements would the writer agree with? (a) Only older children should learn how to use the kitchen. (b) Parents should be the only ones in the family who should cook. (c) In some families, one or both parents do all or most of the work in the kitchen. (d) Children get in the way when they are in the kitchen.

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Choosing the best answer (a) The writer says that children from a young age should be learning how to use the kitchen. This is not the best answer. (b) The writer would not agree. He or she says that children should not leave it up to parents to do the work. This is not a good answer. (c) From what the writer says in Paragraph 2, he or she would agree with this statement. This seems to be the best answer, but you must check all answers. (d) The writer doesn’t say anything in the text about children getting in the way in the kitchen. This is not a good answer.

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Choosing the best answer (a) The writer does like kids in the kitchen, but does this explain his or her reason for writing the exposition? (b) The writer does say they shouldn’t be in the kitchen just helping themselves to what’s in the pantry or fridge, but this would not be the main reason for writing the exposition. (c) The writer does like children to learn how to cook. It could be the best answer. But you must check all possible answers. (d) The writer states this in the first paragraph and explains that using the kitchen means more than just cooking. This is the best answer.

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Teaching comprehension strategies

Point of view and purpose Practice page Use similar strategies to those on page 89 to help you work out what the writer believes about the subject and why he or she wrote the text. (Clues are given to help you.)

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The best answer is

2. Explain how the writer believes children can learn to make healthy food choices.

Think!

Underline the keywords in each sentence and find the details to match in the text.

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1. Which of these is not what the writer believes children should do? (a) They can prepare the vegetables for dinner. (b) They should help themselves to what’s in the pantry. (c) They should know how to use appliances such as an electric frying pan. (d) They can add necessary items to a shopping list.

Think!

Underline keywords in Paragraph 3 to help write your answer.

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Adult supervision is necessary when first learning to use sharp knives and handle hot liquids.

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(a) Do you agree with the writer?

Yes

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(b) Explain your point of view.

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3. Read this sentence from the text.

Think!

How do you agree or disagree with the writer?

4. Explain how the writer believes learning to use the kitchen teaches children to be organised.

Think!

Underline keywords in Paragraph 4 to help you write your answer.

Teaching comprehension strategies

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Point of view and purpose On your own Think about the strategies you have been using and work out these answers. 1.

Which of these is not the writer’s point of view? (a) Children can’t do much about changing their families’ eating habits. (b) Many young adults can’t cook a decent meal. (c) Children can assist parents who finish work late preparing a meal. (d) Kitchen ‘know-how’ helps prepare children for when they leave home.

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The best answer is

2. List three safety procedures the writer believes children will learn about in the kitchen.

3. List three hygiene procedures the writer believes children will learn about in the kitchen.

Which of these statements would the writer agree with? (a) Tacos are a difficult meal to prepare. (b) Young children shouldn’t help in the kitchen. (c) Pocket money should always be given for kitchen help. (d) Using the kitchen means more than just unstacking the dishwasher.

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The best answer is

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5. The writer’s purpose in writing the exposition was to state that children from a young age should be learning how to use the kitchen. How well do think he or she achieved this purpose? (a) Very well. (b) Quite well. (c) Not well. (d) Not at all. The best answer is

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Teaching comprehension strategies

Point of view and purpose – 2 Read the advertisement.

GIFTLANDS

for gift ideas

Your one-stop shop of gifts

GIFTLANDS is choc-a-bloc full of gift ideas for o all your family and friends. You need look no r

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further for any gifts you need.

GIFTLANDS

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This family owned and operated business has been around for more than 30 years. That’s not to say the gifts are 30 years old!

still has old favourites:

Pretty pastel drawer liners for an aunty or grandma Novelty apron for the barbecue enthusiast

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Glamorous jewellery unique designs in all the shapes and colours mums will love

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Stylish sunglasses the big wide look for the girls or the wraparound look for the guys

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Robotica mate a must have, particularly for the boys

Karaoke crazy a must have for kids! (and, yes, mums and dads have been known to sing along to tunes in this kit!)

GIFTLANDS

is the best shopping you will ever experience!

You will go away with your gift purchases solved. We even giftwrap them for you! How easy can it be?

Teaching comprehension strategies

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Point of view and purpose Try it out Use the strategies you learnt and practised in Kids in the kitchen to work out the writer’s point of view and purpose. • Writers don’t always just tell you what they think or believe or why they have written the text. Sometimes, you have to try to think like they do and work it out for yourself.

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• In the text, there are details and information related to the question for you to find and use in making your choices for each question. (These could be underlined.) • Consider all possible answers before making a decision.

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1. What was the writer’s main reason for writing the advertisement? (a) To inform the reader that Giftlands is a gift shop. (b) To describe what Giftlands sells. (c) To persuade the reader that Giftlands is the best shop for purchasing gifts. (d) To tell the reader that Giftlands has been in business for 30 years.

Think!

Read each answer carefully and think about the one that explains the reason the best.

(a) an example of a gift that has been popular over a long period of time?

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(b) an example of a gift that is currently fashionable? 3.

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Which of these would the writer not agree with? (a) Giftlands caters to a wide variety of customers. (b) Giftlands choice of gifts changes with the times. (c) Giftlands offers extra services. (d) Giftlands has too many gifts for you to choose from.

The best answer is

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4. The writer says that ‘Giftlands is the best shopping you will ever experience’. Give an example in the advertisement that supports the writer’s point of view. R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Teaching comprehension strategies

Student tests The tests on pages 94 to 97 will show how well you can work out: Cause and effect Fact or opinion Point of view and purpose You will be working on your own. Read the report.

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Save the sirenians!

Manatees and dugongs are members of the sirenian species. They are believed to have been named after the mysterious sirens of Greek mythology—half-bird and half-woman creatures who sang love songs to lure sailors to their island. Some authors later confused sirens with mermaids (half-fish, half-woman). When early European explorers saw manatees and dugongs, they imagined they were mermaids.

© R. I . C.Publ i cat i ons There are now• only four members ofe this species—the dugong, West f o r r evi wfascinating pur poses onthe l y •Indian manatee, the West African manatee and the Amazonian manatee. A fifth member, the Steller’s

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sea cow, became extinct in the eighteenth century, killed for its tasty meat. The remaining sirenians are classified as endangered. It is important we ensure that future generations are able to see these wonderful marine animals that share our coastal habitats.

Like dolphins and whales, manatees and dugongs are mammals that live their entire life in the sea. Unlike them, they only eat seagrasses and other aquatic plants—they are herbivores. Sirenians have a low tolerance to cold water and are very slow moving. This means that they are only found in warm shallow waters where their food supply grows.

The characteristics described above are causing Sirenians to become endangered. More people are living near warm coastal areas where sirenians live, which means fewer places for them to live and breed. This loss of habitat is a major threat to their survival. As the sirenians are slow moving, they are often not quick enough to get out of the way of motorboats and many are killed or injured by the boats’ propellers or hulls. Many become entangled in discarded fishing gear and can’t reach the surface to breathe. Increased pollution from factories and sewage into coastal waters has killed expanses of wild seagrass vegetation.

Although it is now illegal to catch manatees and dugongs, they are still hunted illegally in some places for their meat, skin, oil, tusks and bones (for carvings and ornaments) and their supposed healing properties.

Conservation groups around the world are taking positive action to try to save the sirenians. Marine sanctuaries, where they can live without fear of hunters, boats or pollution, are being established. Scientists are researching sirenian behaviour so more is known about how better to protect them. Everybody can do his or her bit by learning and telling others about these gentle and vulnerable animals.

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Teaching comprehension strategies

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Cause and effect Test 1 Name:

The cause leads to the effect and they are connected. You will be told one and you will need to work out the other. Look for keywords in the question and underline them. Find words in text that are connected to the key question words. Check all answers before deciding.

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What is an effect of sirenians not moving quickly? (a) It makes them appear gentle. (b) They find it hard to reach the surface to breathe. (c) They find it difficult to avoid marine craft. (d) It takes longer for them to eat seagrass.

The best answer is

2. In Greek mythology, why were sailors tempted to an island?

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• • • • •

Date:

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3. Describe one way conservation groups are trying to prevent the sirenians from becoming extinct.

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How does increased coastal pollution have a negative effect on sirenians? (a) There is less oxygen in the water. (b) The sirenians’ food supply is destroyed. (c) The water becomes warmer. (d) There are more boats and jet skis to cause harm to them.

The best answer is

5. Why are sirenians only found in warm shallow waters? R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Teaching comprehension strategies

Fact or opinion Test 2 Name:

Date:

• A fact can be checked and proved to be correct.

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• An opinion is what someone believes to be true but it can’t be checked. • Always check all possible answers before making a decision.

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Which sentence is a fact? (a) Sirenians are herbivores. (b) Sailors confused sirenians with mermaids. (c) Sirenians are gentle creatures. (d) The sirens from Greek mythology are mysterious.

The best answer is

2. Read this sentence from the text and write one fact and one opinion.

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There are now only four members of this fascinating sirenian species. Fact:

Which sentence is an opinion? (a) The Stellar’s sea cow became extinct in the 1700s. (b) Sirenians breed in the sea. (c) Sirenians were caught for their meat and oil. (d) Sirenians are wonderful marine animals.

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Opinion:

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The best answer is

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4. Read this sentence from the text.

Many sirenians become entangled in discarded fishing gear. Do you think this statement is

... a fact?

... an opinion?

Explain. Teaching comprehension strategies

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Point of view and purpose Test 3 Name:

Date:

• Writers don’t always tell you what they believe, you may have to work it out. • There are details and information you can find, underline and use to help you to do this.

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• Always consider all possible answers before making a decision.

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What was the writer’s main reason for writing the report? (a) To describe sirenians to the reader. (b) To inform the reader of the plight of the sirenians. (c) To explain where sirenians live. (d) To compare sirenians with whales and dolphins.

The best answer is

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2. List four adjectives the writer uses to describe what he or she thinks about manatees and dugongs.

Which of these would the writer not agree with? (a) Early explorers confused sirenians with mermaids. (b) People are taking over sirenians’ habitats. (c) The sirenians will become extinct no matter what people try to do. (d) Sirenians are not found in polar regions.

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The best answer is

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4. How does the writer believe marine sanctuaries will help the sirenians?

5. What does the writer think the ‘everyday’ person should do for the sirenians? R.I.C. Publications® ~ www.ricpublications.com.au

Teaching comprehension strategies