G5_U4_T3

Writer’sChecklistIdeasandContent:DidIobservetheanimallongenoughtonoteplentyofdetails?Organization:DidIpresentmyobservationsinalogicalorder?Voice:DidIuseformallanguageandleaveinformallanguageandpersonalreactionsoutofmywriting?WordChoice:DidIchooseprecisewordstodescribemyobservations?SentenceFluency:Didmyobservationsallowthereadertofollowalongatasteadypace?Conventions:DidIusesubjectandobjectpronounscorrectly?DidIproofreadforspellingerrors?ExpositoryWritingYourTurnObserveananimalofyourchoice.Writeaparagraphinwhichyourecordyourscientificobservations.Remembertobepreciseandtouseformallanguageinyourdescriptions.Choosewordsthatdescribewhatyoursensesdetect.Usethewriter’schecklisttocheckyourwriting.447TalkAboutItWhatarethecharacteristicsofademocraticformofgovernment?Findoutmoreaboutgovernmentatwww.macmillanmh.com448Democracy449RealWorldReadingereourcountry’stwomajorpoliticalpartiescompelledtochooseadonkeyandanelephantastheirsymbols?Believeitornot,therewasnopressureinvolved.Cartoonswerebehindbothchoices.ThedonkeywasfirstassociatedwithDemocratAndrewJackson’s1828presidentialcampaign.Mostofhisopponentscalledhimadonkey,intendingtobedisrespectful.Butinsteadoftakingthenameasaninsult,Jacksonturnedthetablesonhisopponents.Heusedtheimageofthestrong-willedanimalonhiscampaignposters.Later,newspapercartoonistThomasNastusedthedonkeytorepresenttheDemocratsinhispoliticalcartoons.That’swhatmadethesymbolfamous.AThomasNastcartoonisalsoresponsibleforassociatingtheelephantwithRepublicans.TheRepublicanslosttheWhiteHousetotheDemocratsin1877.Nastdrewacartoonofanelephantwalkingintoatrapsetbyadonkey.ThedonkeywasalreadyasymbolfortheDemocrats.NastchosetheelephantasasymbolfortheRepublicansbecauseelephantsareintelligentbuteasilycontrolled.Atthetime,theRepublicansreactedunenthusiasticallytothisimage.Butovertime,theyembraceditwithenthusiasmandgaveitnewmeaning.Republicanstodaysaytheelephantisagoodsymbolbecauseitisstronganddignified.Democratstakeprideinthedonkeybecauseitissmartandbrave.PoliticalcartoonsbyThomasNastFindoutmoreaboutpoliticalpartiesatwww.macmillanmh.com450VocabularycompelledpresidentialdisrespectfulunenthusiasticallysucceedpreoccupiedPresidentialSuccessionWhowouldtakeoverifthePresidentoftheUnitedStatesdied,resigned,orwasremovedfromoffice?Theplanforwho’snextinlineisknownaspresidentialsuccession.Itworkslikethis:IfforsomereasontheVicePresidentcannotserve,theSpeakeroftheHouseisnextinlineforthepresidency,andsoondowntheline.VicePresidentSpeakeroftheHousePresidentProTemporeoftheSenateSecretaryofStateSecretaryoftheTreasurySecretaryofDefenseAttorneyGeneralSecretaryoftheInteriorREMEMBER:AnofficialcannotsucceedtothepresidencyunlessthatpersonmeetstheConstitutionalrequirementsforbeingpresident.Thoseare:Mustbeatleast35yearsoldMustbeanatural-borncitizenoftheUnitedStatesMusthavelivedintheUnitedStatesforatleast14yearsLyndonB.JohnsonissworninasPresidentaftertheassassinationofJohnF.Kennedy.JacquelineKennedystandsnexttohim.theGreatSealoftheUnitedStatesAsidefromcreatinganewnation,whatwerethreeofourfoundingleaderspreoccupiedwith?Theanswer:theGreatSeal.BenjaminFranklin,JohnAdams,andThomasJeffersonbegandesigningtheGreatSealin1776.TheGreatSealisprintedonthebackofthe$1billandisusedoncertaingovernmentdocuments,suchasforeigntreaties.Thebaldeagle,ournationalbird,isatthecenteroftheseal.Itholdsabannerinitsbeak.ThemottoonthebannersaysEpluribusunum,whichisLatinfor“outofmany,one.”Thisreferstothecoloniesthatunitedtomakeanation.Inoneclawtheeagleholdsanolivebranch,asymbolofpeace.Intheotherclawitcarriesarrowstosymbolizewar.451?ANYONEWHOIS:18yearsofageacitizenoftheUnitedStateswhomeetstheresidencyrequirementsofhisorherstateRealWorldReadingGettingOuttheVOTE?Voterswaitinlinetocasttheirballots.ComprehensionGenreANonfictionArticleinanewspaperormagazinepresentsfactsandinformation.EvaluateMakeGeneralizationsAgeneralizationisabroadstatementthatismadebycombiningthefactspresentedinatextwiththereader’sownpriorknowledge.452Beforeonenationalelection,carpenterRobertPikewalkeddoortodoorinLasVegas,Nevada,askinghisneighborstovoteonElectionDay.AfamousmusiciangaveaspecialconcertjusttoencouragepeopletovoteinherhomestateofMissouri.Acrossthenationvolunteersmadephonecalls,sente-mailreminders,evenofferedtodrivevoterstothepolls,justtogetasmanypeopleaspossibletovote.Whyaretheysopreoccupiedwiththiseffort?Didtheysucceed?Believeitornot,onlyalittlemorethanhalfofvoting-ageAmericanstypicallybothertovoteinapresidentialelection.In1996voterturnoutsankto48.9%—thelowestfiguresincethe1920s.Thehighestvoterturnoutwasintheelectionof1960.Excuses,Excuses!Peoplewithillnesses,disabilities,andemergencieshavegoodreasonsfornotvoting.Therest—well,youbethejudge.Herearethetopreasonspeoplegavefornotvotinginarecentpresidentialelection.1.Notimeoffortoobusy2.Notinterested3.Ill,disabled,orhadanemergency4.Didn’tlikethecandidates5.Outoftown6.Otherreasons7.ForgotPollworkersforthe1980presidentialprimaries453454Evenin1960onlyabout63%ofthepeoplewhowereeligibletovoteactuallywenttothepolls.Inotherwords,almost40%ofeligiblevotersdidnotfeelcompelledtoexercisetheirrightascitizens.WhenweconsiderhowhardAmericanshavefoughtfortherighttovote,itseemsdisrespectfulnottovote.It’spuzzlingthatsomanypeoplestayawayonElectionDay.AfricanAmericansgainedtheconstitutionalrighttovotein1870.ButmanyAfricanAmericansweredeniedtheirlawfulvotingrightsfornearlyahundredyearsafterthat.Thestateswheretheylivedmade18-2917%30-4429%45-5930%60+24%?ThinkandCompare1.WhataretwomethodsusedtotrytogetpeopletovoteonElectionDay?2.Whatgeneralizationcanyoumakeaboutvoterswhoarebetweentheagesof45and59?3.Ifyouwereeligibletovotenow,doyouthinkyouwouldvoteornot?Explainthereasonsforyouranswer.4.Doyouthinkthechoiceofvice-presidentialcandidateinfluenceshowmostpeoplevote?Doyouthinkitshould?455Voterscasttheirballotsinthe2000presidentialprimary.trickyrulesdesignedtoexcludethem.TheVotingRightsActof1965putanendtothisillegalpractice.Womenweren’tallowedtovoteuntil1920.Until1971,Americanshadtobeatleast21yearsoldtovote.Thatyearthevotingagewasloweredto18.Butyoungvotershaverespondedunenthusiasticallytoelectionssincethen.Theyhavetheworstturnoutrecordofall.Politicalgroupshaverespondedbytryingtoregistervotersatrockconcertsandmanyotherplaceswhereyoungpeoplego.AnswerQuestionsStretchingallthewayacrossnorthernAsiaandintoEurope,Russiaisbyfarthebiggestcountryintheworld.Itsplains,mountains,andvastforestsarerichwithgold,coal,oil,timber,andothernaturalresources.ThroughoutRussia’shistory,itsrulershaveoftenkeptinformationaboutthecountrysecret.NowonderformerBritishPrimeMinisterWinstonChurchilldescribedRussiaas“ariddlewrappedinamystery.”In1922RussiabecamepartofagroupofcountriescalledtheUnionofSovietSocialistRepublics(U.S.S.R.).TheU.S.S.R.hadaformofgovernmentcalledcommunism.Incommunistnations,thegovernmentownsallpropertyandbusinesses.Foralmost50yearsafterWorldWarII,theU.S.andtheU.S.S.R.werebitterenemies.ThatperiodisknownastheColdWar,becausethetwoenemiesneverfoughtwithweapons,justwords.In1991theU.S.S.R.wasdissolved,andRussiaonceagainbecameanindependentnation.Itisnolongerruledbyacommunistgovernment.Asaresult,relationsbetweentheU.S.andRussiahaveslowlyimproved.Russiaisknownforitsstrongtraditionsinmusic,ballet,theater,andliterature.MoscowisRussia’scapitalandlargestcity.WELCOMETORUSSIAMoscowisacrowdedcity,butRussiaisthe“roomiest”countryintheworld.St.Basil’sCathedral,MoscowTestStrategyOnMyOwnTheanswerisnotintheselection.Formanopinionaboutwhatyoureadforquestions4and5.456457TipFormanopinion.Directions:Answerthequestions.1.WhichofthefollowingstatementsistrueaboutRussia?AItisacommunistcountrynow.BItisasmallcountry.CItisrichinnaturalresourcesandculture.DRussiahasbeenrenamedtheSovietUnion.2.HowdoyouthinktheColdWaraffectedpeopleinourcountry?AFewpeoplewereabletotraveltotheU.S.S.R.BTheU.S.S.R.wasthebiggestcountryintheworldandthemostrespected.CAmericansfearedthattheColdWarwouldbecomearealwar.DOurculturaleventswerenolongerbeingheld.3.Whichofthefollowingstatementscanbemadeaboutacommunistcountry?AThegovernmentcontrolstheeconomy.BItdependsonnaturalresourcestomakemoney.CItpreferstofightwarswithallitsenemies.DItvaluesculturemorethanbusiness.4.WhydoyouthinkRussiawas“ariddlewrappedinamystery”?5.Whyisitimportantforcountriesaroundtheworldtoworktogether?Explainyouranswer.STOPWriting:FictionalNarrativeIwroteaboutthewaymyproblemwassolved.Asthebuscametoastop,Timknewthiswasgoingtobeanunusualsummer.HefeltasthoughhehadlandedonMars,butasignwithhisnameonitbroughthimrightbackdowntoEarth--toRussia,tobeexact.ThesignwasheldupbyhiscousinAlexei.Alexei’sEnglishwasn’tverygood,andTim’sRussianwasevenworse.AlexeitookTimbacktohisfamily’shouse.InsidetherewasnocomputerandnoDVDplayer.Thetelevisionreceivedonlythreechannels.AsTimbeganthinkingupexcusesforreturninghomeearly,heheardaguitar.Alexeiwasplaying,andhemotionedtoTimtojoinhim.AlexeibegantoplayapopularAmericansong,andthetwoboysendedupsingingtogetherallnightlong.AllsummerTimandAlexeisangsongsinbothEnglishandRussian.AlexeieventaughtTimhowtoplaytheguitar.Itturnedouttobeagreatsummerafterall.TheSummerwithAlexeiWritetoaPromptAstudentfromabigcityintheUnitedStatesisgoingtospendthesummerwithrelativesinaquietRussianvillage.Writeaone-pagestoryaboutthischaracter’sexperience.458WritingPromptYouaretravelingbytraininWesternEuropeatnight.Inthemorningyouwakeuptofindyouareonthewrongtrain.ThisonehastraveledtoRussia!Youdon’tspeakRussian.Youdon’tknowanyonethere.Youneedtoreachyouroriginaldestination.Writeastoryabouthowyousolveyourproblem.Writer’sChecklistAskyourself,whowillreadmystory?Thinkaboutyourpurposeforwriting.Planyourwritingbeforebeginning.Usedetailstosupportyourstory.Besureyourstoryhasaproblemandasolution.Useyourbestspelling,grammar,andpunctuation.459