Vocabulary Warm-up Word Lists Study these words from Old Ben and Fox Hunt. Then, complete the activities. Word List A attractive [uh TRAK tiv] adj. pretty or pleasant to look at The plain house looked more attractive after the flowers were planted. charmer [CHAHR mer] n. someone who pleases The baby is such a charmer that people often stop to look at her. fascinating [FAS uh nay ting] adj. very interesting I recommend this fascinating book about animals of the rain forest. mischievous [MIS chuh vus] adj. playful; naughty This mischievous pup kept snatching the children s treats from the picnic blanket. occurred [uh KERD] v. happened A lunar eclipse occurred last night, and I witnessed the whole event. tamed [TAYMD] v. changed from a wild state After the wild bird had been tamed, it would perch on her shoulder. unbelievingly [un buh LEEV ing lee] adv. showing doubt I looked at him unbelievingly when he told me I had won the raffle. vivid [VIV id] n. bright; lively; strong The painter is known for his vivid hues of red, orange, and yellow. Word List B affectionate [uh FEK shun it] adj. showing love The affectionate puppy licked its master s cheek. ambitious [am BISH uhs] adj. having a strong desire to achieve He is so ambitious that he plans to be a millionaire by age 25! competitors [kuhm PET i terz] n. rivals; opponents The Yankees and the Red Sox have been bitter competitors for years. eavesdrop [EEVZ drahp] v. listen in secret He hid outside the window to eavesdrop on the private conversation. outstanding [owt STAND ing] adj. excellent; standing above There were so many outstanding essays that it was hard to choose the best. paralyzing [PA ruh lyz ing] adj. making unable to move With a paralyzing bite, the snake made sure its prey was unable to escape. qualifications [kwahl uh fuh KAY shunz] n. conditions that must be met Few candidates for the job met its tough qualifications. scholarship [SKAHL er ship] n. money award that pays school bills She was able to attend the expensive college thanks to a full scholarship. 108
Vocabulary Warm-up Exercises Exercise A Fill in each blank in the paragraph below with an appropriate word from Word List A. Use each word only once. I still have [1] memories of the time I tried to adopt a homeless, stray cat. He seemed happy enough living the outdoor life, but I couldn t believe that he wouldn t prefer a warm, [2] house to curl up in. He was such a [3], and he seemed fond of me as well. So I placed a bowl of tempting food near the door. Scruffy, as I called him, sniffed at the bowl [4]. I found it [5] that he hesitated so long before digging in. Then, something unfortunate [6]. My brother made a loud noise, and the cat took off. I never [7] that wild cat, but I still think of his [8] ways. Exercise B Answer the questions with complete explanations. Are competitors likely to be affectionate? Why or why not? Do people ask permission to eavesdrop on conversations? 3. Is an outstanding student more likely to win a scholarship than a lazy student? 4. If you re ambitious to be elected to student council, should you prepare a speech, stating your qualifications? 5. Why is it a good idea to avoid the kinds of substances that might have a paralyzing effect on your body? 109
Literary Analysis: Narrative Structure Narrative structure is the form or pattern a story follows. In some stories, authors may break the straight timeline by using one or both of these two common devices: A flashback is a scene within a narrative that interrupts the sequence of events to relate events that occurred in the past. A flashback often reveals something important about a character. Foreshadowing is the use of clues hinting at events that are going to occur later in the plot of a narrative. Foreshadowing creates suspense by keeping readers guessing. DIRECTIONS: Read the passages from Old Ben and Fox Hunt. Then, answer the questions. One morning in July when I was walking across a clover field to a sweet-apple tree, I almost stepped on him. There he lay coiled like heavy strands of black rope. He was a big bull blacksnake. We looked at each other a minute, and then I stuck the toe of my shoe up to his mouth. He drew his head back in a friendly way. He didn t want trouble. Had he shown the least fight, I would have soon finished him. My father had always told me there was only one good snake a dead one. Identify one detail that foreshadows the friendship between the narrator and the snake. Identify one detail that hints at what will ultimately happen to Ben. 3. Which of the two details you identified helps the author create suspense? In what way? One night, while he was struggling to stay awake over his book, [Fujin] heard a soft voice behind him. A fine, hardworking young man like you deserves to pass the examination. Fujin whirled around and saw a beautiful girl standing behind him. Somehow she had appeared without making any noise. She had huge, bewitching eyes that slanted sharply. Could he be dreaming? Let me help you, continued the girl. I can act as a tutor and coach you. And that was how your ancestor, Liang Fujin, got the coaching he needed to pass the examinations, said Andy s mother. 4. Explain why this passage is a flashback. 5. What does this flashback reveal about Andy, his goals, or his motives? 6. Explain the element of foreshadowing in this passage. 113
Vocabulary Builder Word List affectionate decadent partition scarce studious tantalized A. DIRECTIONS: For each numbered item, write a new sentence so that the underlined vocabulary word makes sense. Be sure not to change the vocabulary word. Example: When fresh tomatoes are scarce, we enjoy them at every meal. Revised sentence: When fresh tomatoes are scarce, we use canned ones. The decadent nobleman was honest and hard working. The affectionate little girl pinched her cousin. 3. Carmen was tantalized by the beautiful bracelet she had received. 4. With the help of a partition, the twins created one large room out of two smaller rooms. 5. Mom has a hard time persuading my studious brother to do his homework. B. DIRECTIONS: Circle the letter of the word or phrase that is most nearly the same in meaning to the word in CAPITAL LETTERS. PARTITION: A. divider B. problem C. conflict D. request STUDIOUS: A. comical B. strict C. nervous D. bookish 3. DECADENT: A. everlasting B. corrupt C. generous D. depressed 4. AFFECTIONATE: A. mean B. rebellious C. loving D. clinging 5. SCARCE: A. abundant B. fearful C. not plentiful D. not sharp 6. TANTALIZED: A. tricked B. lied C. teased D. equaled 114
Integrated Language Skills: Support for Writing to Compare Narrative Structures Before you draft your essay comparing and contrasting the narrative structures of these stories, complete the graphic organizers below. For each selection, list examples of foreshadowing and/or flashback that the author uses. Then, for each example, tell how it affects the reader or the story. For example, does the reader feel suspense? Does the example reveal something important about a character? Does it make you think differently about something or someone in the story? Examples of Foreshadowing Old Ben Effect on Reader or Story Examples of Flashback Effect on Reader or Story Fox Hunt Now, use your notes to write an essay comparing and contrasting the narrative structures of Old Ben and Fox Hunt. 115