UNIT 6 WEEK 2 Read the article Ben Franklin, Writer and Publisher before answering Numbers 1 through 5. Ben Franklin, Writer and Publisher Benjamin Franklin was a master of all trades. He was a statesman, inventor, scientist, patriot, and philosopher. He was also an excellent writer and printer of books, pamphlets, and newspapers. His autobiography, letters, and published works made him famous in his own time. Franklin s ambitious projects had many positive effects on the citizens of Philadelphia where he lived, as well as on people throughout Colonial America. One of Franklin s passions was working at a printing press. When he was a young man, he began his career in printing and publishing by serving as an apprentice. In 1729, he bought a newspaper called the Pennsylvania Gazette, and he printed and wrote for the newspaper. Franklin believed in printing the truth, even if the truth was disliked by a majority of people. He also believed in presenting all of the different viewpoints on a topic. As a result, his newspaper became very popular with the citizens of Philadelphia and had positive effects on the public. Through his editorial columns, Franklin convinced the citizens of Philadelphia of his many innovative ideas for the city. His editorials resulted in the creation of new public services such as firefighters, a police force, a public hospital, and a library. It was not long before citizens began checking books out of the library and reading more and more, and as the library grew, people from other cities would note how well-read the citizens of Philadelphia were. One of Franklin s most successful publications was Poor Richard s Almanac, which he wrote under the name of Richard Saunders. Like other almanacs of the time, his almanac was a collection of weather reports, farming advice, calendars, recipes, and predictions, but what set Franklin s almanac apart from others was its use of humor, wisdom, and cleverness. Weekly Assessment Unit 6, Week 2 Grade 6 313
UNIT 6 WEEK 2 Many adages, or sayings, were scattered throughout each edition of the almanac. Most were not Franklin s very own, but rather sayings he borrowed from the books he read. He also traveled, so he took many sayings from other cultures and revised them to suit his own writing style. The adages gave advice about saving money and working hard for a living. His philosophical sayings showed his wisdom about marriage, friendship, virtues, and life in general. He used humor to make people laugh but also to make people think about things differently. Some of his popular adages were: A penny saved is a penny earned. The worst wheel of the cart makes the most noise. Fish and visitors stink after three days. Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship. Take time for all things. Poor Richard s Almanac was first published in 1732 and ran for 26 years. The almanac, with Franklin s witty adages and sayings, was published once a year and sold out quickly. Because books were so expensive, most colonial homes only had a Bible, an almanac, and perhaps a schoolbook. The almanac was also published in England and other countries, and it appeared in both French and Italian languages. As a result of its popularity, Franklin became widely read, making him both popular and well respected. He was offered many government positions, and Franklin used his popularity to further some of his causes. For example, he became postmaster in 1737 and established the most efficient post office in the colonies. Franklin s newspaper and almanac eventually made him a wealthy man. Because his finances were secure, he was able to devote time to his interests in science and invention. He would experiment with electricity and go on to invent the Franklin stove and bifocal glasses. And in the years to come, he would become one of the founding fathers of the United States along with George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. But even today, Franklin s writings are still widely read and enjoyed. His works give historians a sense of daily life in Franklin s time and colonial America. 314 Grade 6 Weekly Assessment Unit 6, Week 2
Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on Ben Franklin, Writer and Publisher. 1 How does the author show that the Pennsylvania Gazette became popular with the citizens of Philadelphia? Select two options. A by comparing it to Franklin s almanac B C D by comparing it to other newspapers at the time by showing that people wanted to know the truth by showing the causes of the American Revolution E by showing the problems facing Franklin s publication F by showing that people appreciated different viewpoints 2 Read the adage from the text. Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship. What is the meaning of the adage? A Spend your money wisely. B Be generous with your money. C Great ships cost a lot of money. D Be afraid of those you normally trust. Weekly Assessment Unit 6, Week 2 Grade 6 315
3 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B. Part A: How does the author help the reader understand the reasons Franklin s almanac was popular? A by contrasting it with other almanacs of the time B by explaining the sequence of Franklin s thoughts C by showing the effects of humor on government services D by showing how Franklin wrote about problems in colonial times Part B: Which evidence from the text best supports your answer in part A? A... people from other cities would note how well-read the citizens of Philadelphia were. B One of Franklin s most successful publications was Poor Richard s Almanac,... C... his almanac was a collection of weather reports, farming advice, calendars, recipes, and predictions,... D... what set Franklin s almanac apart from others was its use of humor, wisdom, and cleverness. 4 Which sentence best explains how the author helps the reader understand the effects of Franklin s wealth? A The author discusses how money caused problems for Franklin. B C D The author compares Franklin s life to the lives of other founding fathers. The author points out that Franklin became wealthy after printing his almanac. The author tells about Franklin s experiments and inventions after he became rich. 316 Grade 6 Weekly Assessment Unit 6, Week 2
5 Draw a line that matches each adage on the left with its meaning on the right. Adage Take time for all things. Meaning People should not overstay their welcome. A penny saved is a penny earned. People who complain are likely the cause of the problem. The worst wheel of the cart makes the most noise. If you rush, you may make mistakes. Fish and visitors stink after three days. The less you spend, the more you have. Weekly Assessment Unit 6, Week 2 Grade 6 317
UNIT 6 WEEK 2 Read the article As the Saying Goes... before answering Numbers 6 through 10. As the Saying Goes... Adages and proverbs are old, short sayings that have been repeated over long periods of time. You are probably familiar with some of these sayings. Some well-known ones include: Don t judge a book by its cover. Two wrongs don t make a right. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Adages and proverbs are often based on common sense and experience, and the sayings state general truths or give pieces of advice. Many adages and proverbs have their roots in folk wisdom, meaning that many sayings were the result of people s experience from doing certain things. People generally accept that there is some truth in an adage or a proverb. Adages and proverbs have quite a variety of origins. Many proverbs come from religious writings and offer advice to people about how to lead good lives. Nautical adages were a result of sailors early seagoing experiences and came mostly from the days when explorers crossed the oceans in sailing ships. Farm adages resulted from people s experiences growing crops and raising livestock. For example, the saying, Don t count your chickens before they are hatched, is a common farm adage that means a person should not count on something before it happens. Sometimes the meaning of a saying is not clear. The adage, Don t look a gift horse in the mouth, is another farm saying. Years ago, farmers used to examine a horse s teeth to estimate its age. The meaning of this adage is that if you receive something from a person, such as a gift or favor, don t examine it too closely for any faults. Other common farm adages include, Don t let the foxes guard the henhouse, Don t try to teach a pig to sing, and You can lead a horse to water, but you can t make him drink. Many famous sayings have come from poets and playwrights such as William Shakespeare. Shakespeare was an exceptional English playwright whose plays date back to the late 1500s and early 1600s. People flocked to the theater to see his plays. Because his writing was so captivating, the theatergoers could not help but to repeat many of the best sayings long after the play was over. Perhaps you have heard the saying, A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. This is just one of Shakespeare s sayings from his well-liked play, Romeo and Juliet. Something is rotten in the state of Denmark is a famous saying from Hamlet. 318 Grade 6 Weekly Assessment Unit 6, Week 2
UNIT 6 WEEK 2 Adages also come from the works of classical Greek and Roman poets. The story of the Trojan War is a poem written by the Roman poet Virgil. The saying, Beware of Greeks bearing gifts, is one familiar adage that comes from this story. In his story, Virgil described the Trojan War, which had gone on for ten years. The leader of the Greeks, Odysseus, devised a plan to get into the Trojan city of Troy. The Greeks constructed a huge horse and left it at the city s gates. Upon seeing the horse, the Trojans believed that the Greeks had given up the war, leaving them a gift. What they did not know was that Greek troops were hiding inside the horse. The Trojans took the horse inside the city, only to be surprised by the armed soldiers inside, and as a result, the Greeks were able to destroy the city. Today the saying has a more general meaning people should not trust their enemies! Sometimes people don t realize when they are using adages and proverbs because they have become woven into our language over time. Each time one is used, however, a connection to the past has been made. As the saying goes... nothing ventured, nothing gained, so use an adage today! Weekly Assessment Unit 6, Week 2 Grade 6 319
Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on As the Saying Goes.... 6 Which statements best explain how the text is organized? Select two options. A It shows how adages solved problems. B It explains the origins of types of adages. C It compares and contrasts types of adages. D It shows the sequence for a saying to become an adage. E It shows how adages resulted from people s experiences. F It shows the problems that adages caused in our language. 7 Read the sentence. Don t give a job to someone who will take advantage of you. Which adage from the text most likely has the same meaning as the sentence above? A Two wrongs don t make a right. B Don t judge a book by its cover. C Don t let the foxes guard the henhouse. D A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. 320 Grade 6 Weekly Assessment Unit 6, Week 2
8 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B. Part A: How does the author help the reader understand why people use some familiar sayings? A by telling the stories that led to the sayings B by showing some effects of popular sayings C by comparing many different kinds of sayings D by telling the problems associated with the sayings Part B: Which detail from the text best supports your answer in part A? A Sometimes the meaning of an adage is not clear. B Adages and proverbs are often based on common sense. C A connection to the past is made every time an adage is used. D Farmers used to look at a horse s teeth to try to figure out its age. 9 Read the adage. Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. Underline the word that best hints at the meaning of the adage. Weekly Assessment Unit 6, Week 2 Grade 6 321
10 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B. Part A: How does the author explain the adage, Beware of Greeks bearing gifts? A by telling of the problems of war B by comparing the Greeks with the Trojans C by explaining the poem that caused the saying D by explaining the effect of using a wooden horse Part B: Which sentence from the text best supports your answer in part A? A Adages also come from the works of classical Greek and Roman poets. B The leader of the Greeks, Odysseus, devised a plan to get into the Trojan city of Troy. C Today the saying has a more general meaning people should not trust their enemies! D Sometimes people don t realize when they are using adages and proverbs because they have become woven into our language over time. STOP 322 Grade 6 Weekly Assessment Unit 6, Week 2
Now answer Number 11. Base your answer on Ben Franklin, Writer and Publisher and As the Saying Goes.... 11 How do adages and proverbs become part of people s everyday speech? What has caused some specific adages to become popular? Support your answer with details from both texts. Weekly Assessment Unit 6, Week 2 Grade 6 323