Reading Strategies Level D Decoding Word Meanings When you are asked about a word you don t know, you need to decode it figure out what it might mean by using what you do know.one good way to do this is to look for word parts prefixes, suffixes, and roots that you already know. So, if you know that the prefix uni- means one,then you can guess that a unicycle is a cycle with one wheel. You can check your guess by using your definition in place of the word to make sure that it works. Words in Context To understand a word in context means to know its meaning as it is used in the sentence. Looking at how an unfamiliar word is used and what else is said about it may give you clues that will help you decode its meaning. Context is also important because words may have more than one meaning. To understand which meaning the author meant to use, ask yourself what topic the author is writing about. Then use your judgment to decide which definition makes the most sense. Don t forget to check your definition to see if it makes sense in the sentence. Finding Details All writing includes main ideas and details. The main idea is the most important idea. Details are less important facts or ideas that support the main idea. They explain how, where, when, why,and what.details might support an argument or explain the steps in a process. They also might describe something, or tell more about what happened. To answer questions about details, first ask yourself what idea or topic the detail supports. Then jump to that part of the passage to find the exact details you need. Text Structure Some questions ask you to think about how a text is organized. You may need to locate the main idea or identify text features such as titles or sections.you might be asked about cause-and-effect (how something in the story leads to something else happening) or about the sequence of events (in what order things happen). They may also ask you about what kind of writing the passage uses.the four main kinds of writing are persuasive (argues a point); informational (gives facts or explains); descriptive (describes a person, place, or thing); and entertaining (such as fiction or humorous writing). Author s Viewpoint It is important to understand why the author wrote the passage and what he or she thinks and feels about the topic. In a persuasive article, the author s viewpoint is usually 3 Go On To Next Page
The Countdown Coach Reading Strategies Level D (continued) expressed with direct statements and arguments. When you read a descriptive or informational passage you might ask yourself, What kind of information did the author include or leave out? Why? When you read a passage for entertainment, ask yourself what message or moral the story tells. Main Theme or Topic The main theme of a story is its main message or most important idea. The main topic of a nonfiction piece is what the passage is about. Questions about the main theme or topic will often ask you to summarize or restate the main ideas briefly. (They may also ask you for a good title for the passage; the title often contains the main theme or topic.) You will probably need to think about a new way to express the most important idea or ideas. Tone and Mood Questions about tone and mood make you think about how the passage makes you feel. Sometimes tone and mood are treated as if they are the same, but they may be different. For example, the tone is often the author s attitude towards the subject, while the mood is the feeling that the story s characters (or the reader) might feel as they go through the story. A story about trick-or-treating at an old haunted house may have a scary mood but a humorous tone.the tone ofa story is set by the kinds of words and phrases the author uses. The tone may be serious, silly, humorous, friendly, informative, lively, argumentative, or even pushy. The mood of a passage can come from things like setting (like a scary forest), and from what happens to the characters and how they react (like friends going on a roller coaster). Characterization To answer questions about characterization you need to understand what the character s personality is like, and possibly how it changes as the story goes on. Sometimes the author is direct, coming out and saying Joe is a great guy. More often, the author gives indirect clues by showing how the character thinks, feels,and acts.the reader can think about the evidence and draw conclusions on his or her own, which is often more convincing than a direct statement. You can learn a lot from how a character responds to problems. How would you or people you know respond to a similar situation? Figurative Language Figurative language tells what something is like in a fanciful way. It is a tool the author uses to wake up your imagination, set the tone, and describe things in ways that hint at a 4
Reading Strategies Level D (continued) lot without saying it all outright. A metaphor directly compares two things by describing one as if it were the other. A simile compares things less directly, by using the words as or like to describe one relative to the other. The following line is from Carl Sandburg s poem, The Fog : The fog comes on little cat feet. Reading Strategies Level D This metaphor does not mean the fog really has feet or that the fog is a cat. It means that the fog creeps in quietly and carefully, like a cat. To answer questions about figurative language, think about the things being compared and what qualities they might have in common. Drawing Conclusions If you are asked to draw a conclusion, you must examine the evidence in the passage to figure out on your own something that the author doesn t come out and say directly. The author may give you clues about what is happening, such as Sarah s teeth were chattering and her lips were turning blue. If you think about your own experience and use your common sense, then you will draw the conclusion that Sarah is cold. Making Inferences Sometimes drawing a conclusion and making an inference are treated as if they are the same thing. Both ask you to understand something the author does not tell you directly. However, an inference may be based more on your experience than on direct evidence it may even go against some of the evidence. An inference may also be less detailed than a conclusion. For example, a boy may say he does not care about winning a baseball game although he has trained hard all season. Using your own experience, you might infer that he is not telling the truth. As you read more of the story, you may be able to make more inferences and eventually draw a conclusion about why the boy is lying. Making Predictions Questions about predictions may ask you What might happen next? or What might have happened if? To make a logical prediction, think carefully about what has happened in the story. How the characters have acted so far is a strong clue to what they might do next. Understanding the author s viewpoint and the tone of the passage also help you understand what future events would make the most sense. You will also need to think about your own experiences to understand what could actually happen. 5
PASSAGE 1 Guided Practice Nonfiction Animals That Glide This is a magazine article about mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and fish that glide through the air. You ve probably heard of flying squirrels. You may even know that they don t really fly they glide. But did you know that there are other gliding animals? Lizards, lemurs, fish, even snakes can glide, too. 6
Word Count 38 61 65 82 Gliders in the Wild There are many kinds of flying squirrels. They are found in places all over the world. These squirrels don t have real wings. They have flaps of loose skin that stretch from their front legs to their hind legs. The squirrels glide from tree to tree, using their skin flaps to catch air currents. The air currents keep them in the air. They don t flap their wings like birds; they simply sail. Some can go as fast as thirty miles an hour. They start their glide at a high point in a tree and end up at a lower point. Some flying squirrels are very small. One kind, found in North and Central America, weighs only two to four ounces. Others are very large. The Japanese giant flying squirrel is two feet long. It can glide more than 150 feet. The wooly flying squirrel is another large squirrel. It is found in the mountains of northern Pakistan. It is even longer than the Japanese squirrel. The flying dragon lizard is a gliding animal that lives in rain forests. It is found in southern India and parts of Asia. It has a long, thin body. Like the flying squirrel, the dragon lizard glides from tree to tree. It climbs a tree and then sets off, gliding to a lower branch or sometimes to the ground. It glides only to move, not to escape from enemies. If another animal threatens it, it will climb a tree to get away. 1. Animals That Glide Flying squirrels have flaps of loose skin that stretch from their front legs to their hind legs. Wallace s flying frog is a tiny animal that lives in Malaysia and Borneo. It has large, webbed hands and feet. It also has skin flaps on its sides. When this frog glides, it holds apart its fingers, toes, and legs. The flying frog can even make turns in the air. It is bright green and yellow, and it eats mostly insects. Southeast Asia is home to the flying lemur. It comes out at night to eat flowers, leaves, and fruit. It climbs a tall tree, using its sharp claws. When the lemur reaches the top, it can glide to another tree trunk. Then it will climb to the top of that tree and launch itself again. In a tree, a flying lemur will hang upside-down. It will never walk on the ground unless it must because it is very clumsy when it is out of the trees. Large fins help the flying fish to glide above the water. When another fish is chasing it, the flying fish will swim very fast. Then, with a sudden flick of its tail, it will launch itself into the air. It can Word Count 61 87 65 Guided Practice Nonfiction Passage 7 Go On To Next Page
Word Count 54 74 The Countdown Coach glide for a long way above the water. When it splashes back down, the fish chasing it will often be unable to find it. Flying snakes climb trees with smooth trunks. They have special scales on their bellies that help them climb. If an enemy threatens a flying snake, it will launch itself into the air. The snake will then expand its rib cage. Its special scales make wavy movements in the air. These movements help it glide. Sugar gliders are tiny, squirrel-like animals that glide from tree to tree. They live in Australia, Tasmania, New Guinea, and parts of Indonesia. They are about ten inches long, including their tails. They are called sugar gliders because they love sweet foods, such as fruit. Sugar gliders are active at night, when they glide from tree to tree in search of food. Their long tails help control the direction in which they fly. Sugar glider Level D Except for flying fish, all of these gliding animals have something in common. They move from tree to tree when they glide. Most live in areas with many trees, such as rain forests. Their special gliding skill helps them move easily. It allows them to find food and escape from enemies. So the next time you see a snake flying by, don t be alarmed! Gliders as Pets People often keep small flying squirrels and sugar gliders as pets. The Northern Flying Squirrel and the Southern Flying Squirrel, both found in North America, make good pets. Sugar gliders are also good pets. They like human company and can learn to glide onto your shoulder or hand. They will ride happily in a jacket pocket. Both flying squirrels and sugar gliders are nocturnal animals, though. They will sleep during the day. If you want to play with your pet, you will have to wait until evening. Then you can let it out to have some fun. It will glide from a curtain rod to a house plant, and jump around the room. Be prepared to have more than one, though. Gliders like to live in groups. They get very lonely when they are by themselves. You should keep at least two gliders together. Then you will have unusual, playful, and happy pets. Total Passage Word Count: Word Count 64 153 804 8
1. Flying squirrels don t fly they glide. What does the word glide mean? A. To flap wings B. To move upward C. To sail on air currents D. To fall Words in Context: Use the clues in the second paragraph surrounding the word glide.what do they tell about the motion of gliding? 1. Animals That Glide 4. The air currents keep them in the air. What does currents mean? A. Happening in the present time B. A kind of small dried fruit C. A very strong wind D. The movement of water, electricity, or air Words in Context: Try replacing the word currents with the definitions in each answer choice. Which one makes the most sense? Guided Practice Nonfiction Passage 2. How do flying squirrels glide? A. They use their wings. B. They use skin flaps to catch air currents. C. They move their legs wildly. D. They curl in a ball and let the wind carry them. Finding Details: Skim the passage for the keywords squirrels and glide and read the details in the sentence surrounding them. 3. Where would you be most likely to find this article? A. A book of short stories B. An electronics magazine C. A science and nature magazine D. A dictionary Text Structure: What kind of writing would you expect to find in each answer choice? How does that compare with the passage? 5. Which statement would the author be most likely to say? A. Gliding animals are dangerous. B. Gliding animals only live in zoos. C. Gliding animals are interesting and entertaining. D. Gliding animals should not be kept as pets. Author s Viewpoint: What kind of details does the author choose to discuss? What words does the author use to describe the animals? 9 Go On To Next Page
The Countdown Coach Level D 6. The flying snake s scales make wavy movements. What does wavy mean? A. Moving back and forth or up and down B. The movement of the ocean C. Very straight D. Moving in a circle Decoding Word Meanings: What other words do you know with similar word parts to wavy? 9. Which phrase best describes the main topic of this article? A. Gliders that make great pets B. How animals glide C. The dangers gliding animals face D. Gliding animals in the wild and as pets Main Theme or Topic: Which answer choice contains the main message of the entire passage, not just one section? 7. Where does the flying dragon lizard live? A. In North and Central America B. In Africa C. In southern India and parts of Asia D. In Australia and New Guinea Finding Details: Don t be fooled the article names places all over the world. Look for the key phrase flying dragon lizard to find the details you need. 10. What is the tone of the article? A. Funny and playful B. Informative and friendly C. Loud and arguing D. Sad and gloomy Tone and Mood: How does the article make you feel? How might it sound if someone were saying it to you instead of you reading it? 8. Why is there a break in the text after the tenth paragraph? A. Because it is grammatically correct B. Because the focus of the article changes C. Because the focus of the article stays the same D. There is no break in any part of the article. Text Structure: Look at how the passage is set up and at the titles of each section. How does the break help the reader? 11. Both flying squirrels and sugar gliders are nocturnal animals. What does the word nocturnal mean? A. Active during the day B. Active at night C. Active both day and night D. Not very active Words in Context: There is a direct context clue a definition after the unfamiliar word. What does the next sentence say about these animals? 10
12. Why do you think gliding is a useful skill for flying fish? A. It allows them to catch insects in the air. B. It helps them move more quickly to get where they are going. C. Their enemies cannot follow them into the air. D. They appear more dangerous to other fish because of their skill. Making Inferences: What does the passage say about what the flying fish uses its gliding for? How does it help the flying fish? 14. Which of the following pictures shows what a sugar glider might do if you keep one as a pet? A. C. B. D. 1. Animals That Glide Guided Practice Nonfiction Passage 13. Which of the following is NOT a likely reason that gliding animals move from tree to tree instead of from tree to ground? A. They may be clumsy when on the ground. B. Foods they like, such as fruit or insects, are in the trees. C. They live in areas with many trees. D. People might keep them as pets. Drawing Conclusions: Use details from the story to decide whether or not each answer choice is a true statement. Which true statement does not seem like a good reason to avoid the ground? Finding Details: What does a sugar glider look like? Reread paragraph nine if necessary. 15. Judging from this article, which conclusion is the most accurate? A. Gliding is a useless but entertaining skill. B. Gliding is a skill that helps some animals survive. C. Only meat-eating animals are gliders. D. Gliding is only useful where there are trees. Drawing Conclusions: Be careful of very limiting words like only, always, or never.which conclusion has the most details from the passage supporting it? 11 Go On To Next Page
The Countdown Coach Level D 16. What might happen to gliding animals if humans cut down too many trees? Making Predictions: What does the passage tell you about gliding animals and trees? Combine that with what you already know can animals adapt to big changes in their surroundings as well as humans can? 12