L  a  G r a n  E n c i c l o p e d i a   I l u s t r a d a  d e l   P r o y e c t o  S a l ó n  H o g a r

Chapter 6: A Job for Maria

Read the passage. Then answer questions about the passage below.

 

  Proyecto Salón Hogar

 

  Maria stared through the window at the book on display and sighed. It cost more money than she had, and Mom said

she would have to earn the money herself to buy such an expensive book. Walking quickly, she set off to find a job around

the neighborhood. It couldn't be that hard, could it? It could! Her first thought was to mow lawns.
 

   Everyone she asked told her, "Sorry, but Marcus Jones mows our lawn." Her next idea was babysitting. Her mother

reminded her that a fourth-grader would probably not be able to get a job babysitting. Most parents asked a high school

girl in their neighborhood to care for their children.


   Disappointed but still determined, Maria next thought about collecting cans for recycling. Unfortunately for Maria, the

local Girl Scout troop already collected cans in the neighborhood every week. Maria sat at the kitchen table with her chin

in her hands.
 

   Her mom came in and asked, "How's the job hunt going?" Maria sighed and said, "Not good—there's nothing left for

me to do." Her mom smiled as she explained, "Well, I have an idea. You know Ms. Branson down the street?" Maria

nodded slowly. Everyone knew Ms. Branson.
 

   She lived alone with her dogs. Kids said she was at least one hundred years old and that she yelled at anyone knocking

on her door. Even the Girl Scouts didn't ask her for cans. Mom continued, "Well, she's broken her hip and can't walk

much.
 

   She has a nurse stay with her during the day, but she needs someone to walk her dogs in the morning and again in the

evening. I know you like animals. I told her you might be interested in the job." Maria didn't just like dogs, she adored

dogs, but walking into Ms. Branson's house would be scary. She wanted a job, but could she work for a person like Ms.

Branson?
 

   Her mom sensed she was uneasy and added, "I'll come with you the first time." Feeling relieved that her mom was

coming, Maria agreed to give it a try. That evening, Ms. Branson didn't yell once. In fact, she had a plate of cookies set out

for her! Ms. Branson's dogs were well-behaved and excited to see Maria. Maria took the dogs for their first walk. When

Maria brought the dogs back, they licked her cheeks. She laughed and knew she had finally found the right job.

 

 

Questions 
 

1) Which of these is the best summary for this story?

   A. Maria decides to walk dogs for Ms. Branson.

   B. Maria’s mother always knows what is best for Maria.

   C. Maria’s mother finds Maria a job.

   D. Maria earns money to buy a book by working for Ms. Branson

                      

 

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2) When Maria sighs half way through the story, she is feeling –

   A. pleased

   B. bored

   C. disappointed

   D. certain

 

3) Ms. Branson is described as –

   A. mean

   B. uneasy

   C. ashamed

   D. curious

 

4) Why does Maria’s mom offer to go with her to Ms. Branson’s house?

   A. She thinks Maria is afraid of dogs.

   B. She feels Maria is uncomfortable.

   C. She worries Maria is too young.

   D. She knows Maria will get lost.

 

5) What does Maria discover about Ms. Branson?

   A. She is wise and peaceful.

   B. She is kind and thoughtful.

   C. She is wise and peaceful.

   D. She is as mean as everyone says.

 

6) What does the word relieved mean?

   A. corrected

   B. rushed

   C. comforted

   D. rested

 

7) If the author included information about where Maria took the dogs for a walk, in which paragraph would it best fit?

   A. 9

   B. 10

   C. 12

   D. 11

 

8) After the story, what will Maria do next?

   A. Buy the book in the window

   B. Take Ms. Branson to the store

   C. Help Marcus Jones mow lawns

   D. Collect cans in the neighborhood

 

 

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Ladybug to the Rescue

  

 

  A hundred years ago, harmful insects were killing fruit trees in California. The farmers tried to get rid of the pests, but

nothing seemed to work. They were ready to give up when a scientist visiting Australia noticed that ladybugs ate

damaging bugs.
 

   The scientist sent the farmers a few hundred ladybugs. The ladybugs ate all the pests. The farmers' lime, orange, and

peach trees were saved. Farmers still use ladybugs today to help guard their crops from being eaten by harmful insects.
 

   A ladybug has a very big appetite. One ladybug can eat five thousand pests during its lifetime.

 

Life Begins

   A ladybug begins as a tiny egg. A mother ladybug can lay about one thousand eggs under a leaf. When the eggs hatch,

the larvae are thin and bumpy. They are black with red spots. A larva spends most of its time eating.
 

   Before long, the growing larva finds a quiet spot. Its skin becomes dry and hard, protecting it like a cocoon, in the pupa

stage. In the pupa, the larva changes from a thin, bumpy insect to a round one with wings and a bright-colored shell.
 

   Many ladybugs are red, although some are orange, yellow, or pink. Most ladybugs have spots. Some can have stripes,

while others may have no spots or stripes!

 

Survival Tricks

   The ladybug's bright color also helps it survive. When birds see these bright red bugs, they stay away because they

know ladybugs taste bad.
 

   Ladybugs know another survival trick too. If a snake passes by, a ladybug will roll over onto its back. It pretends to be

dead!
 

   In the fall, ladybugs crawl under leaves to hibernate. Sometimes large groups of ladybugs gather together. They sleep

through the winter. In the spring, the hungry ladybugs wake up. They fly away to hunt for harmful bugs. Ladybugs fly to our

rescue again!

 

Questions
 

1) Another word for damaging as it is used in the beginning is –

   A. surviving

   B. harmful

   C. hunting

   D. difficult

 

2) When do ladybugs sleep a long time?

   A. in winter

   B. in summer

   C. in fall

   D. in spring

 

 

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3) Which question is answered under the heading “Survival Tricks”?

   A. Are ladybugs born with wings and spots?

   B. Why will birds not eat ladybugs?

   C. Do all ladybugs have red shells with black spots?

   D. How many pests can a ladybug eat?

 

4) When the ladybug leaves the pupa, it will –

   A. have wings and a shell

   B. be thin and bumpy

   C. go to lime trees

   D. hide from snakes

 

5) The author most likely wrote this article to –

   A. report why ladybugs eat so much

   B. tell how ladybugs are born

   C. describe the colors of ladybugs

   D. explain how ladybugs help people

 

 

 

 

 


 

6) Which sentence is an opinion about ladybugs?

   A. Some farmers use ladybugs to keep fruit trees safe.

   B. Ladybugs eat insects that destroy crops.

   C. Larvae are thin and bumpy.

   D. Ladybugs have beautifully colored shells.

 

7) This article would most likely be found in a –

   A. travel section of a newspaper

   B. children’s science magazine

   C. letter to parents

   D. book of funny stories

 

8) If the author added information about the kinds of pests ladybugs eat, in which paragraph would it best fit?

   A. 6

   B. 7

   C. 3

   D. 2

 

9) Which resource would best be used to find the definition of “pupa”?

   A. a thesaurus

   B. an atlas

   C. a magazine

   D. a glossary

 

 

 

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Use hints to find the correct answers.
 

1) Where's Mike?

   A. At school.

   B. At eight.

   C. For three hours.

   D. No, he isn't.

 

2) Where do you do your homework?

   A. With John.

   B. In the evening.

   C. About one hour.

   D. Every day.

   E. At home.

 

3) When did you go to that restaurant?

   A. Spaghetti.

   B. With Jane.

   C. Last night.

   D. About 30 minutes.

 

4) When was the last time you took a picture?

   A. A picture of Jane.

   B. Seven pictures.

   C. About four days ago.

   D. With my camera.

 

5) What were you doing last night at 7:00?

   A. I sleep.

   B. I slept.

   C. I will be sleeping.

   D. I was sleeping.

 

6) When will you mail that letter?

   A. Last night.

   B. To Jane.

   C. After school.

 

7) What are you going to do after dinner?

   A. I took a bath

   B. I'll take a bath.

   C. I take a bath.

 

8) How long have you been playing the trumpet?

   A. About 50 cm.

   B. For four years.

   C. In my room.

   D. By myself.

 

 

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9) How many hours a day do you sleep?

   A. I have slept 7 hours.

   B. I am sleeping 7 hours.

   C. I slept 7 hours.

   D. I sleep 7 hours.

 

10) How often do you write letters?

   A. Two pages.

   B. Two times a week.

   C. Two people.

   D. Two hours.

 

11) Where can I buy beer?

   A. When you are twenty years old.

   B. About two bottles.

   C. With Jane.

   D. At a liquor store.

 

12) What's your favorite sport?

   A. Swim.

   B. Swimming.

 

13) When was the last time you went shopping?

   A. Yesterday.

   B. Tomorrow.

   C. Near the Station

 

14) How often do you speak on the telephone?

   A. At least once a day.

   B. In the evening?

   C. For about 30 minutes.

 

15) How many times have you gone camping?

   A. Three people.

   B. Three days.

   C. Three times.

 

16) When's your birthday?

   A. November two.

   B. November twice.

   C. November second.

 

17) Where are you from?

   A. New York.

   B. 1982.

   C. At school.

 

 

 

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18) How do you get to school?

   A. With train.

   B. In train.

   C. By train.

 

Literature: The Story

A narrative of real or fictitious events is called a story. Stories tell us about a problem that a person or a group of people solves. It has a beginning, middle, and end. A story should answer the following questions: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?

 

Novel and Adaptations

Robert Louis Stevenson wrote the original novel titled "Treasure Island." A novel, like a story, is also a narrative of real or fictitious events. However, a novel is longer and it provides much more information about the problems and people involved in the plot.

Sometimes people write adaptations of novels. Adaptations are stories, movies, or other literary genres that provide a short, quick way of learning about the general ideas of novels.

Nevertheless, reading an adaptation should not replace reading the actual text. When you have a chance, look for the novel "Treasure Island" and read it by yourself. You will enjoy it very much.


Check the novels of which you have read or watched an adaptation.

   __ 1. "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," by Lewis Carroll

   __ 2. "Peter Pan," by J. M. Barrie

   __ 3. "A Christmas Carol," by Charles Dickens

   __ 4. "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," by J. K. Rowling

   __ 5. "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," by L. Frank Baum

   __ 6. "The Chronicles of Narnia," by C. S. Lewis

   __ 7. "The Little Prince," by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

   __ 8. "The Lord of the Rings," by J. R. Tolkien

 

Now write your own story and remember to use your brainstorming technique.

   __________________________________________________________________________________________

   __________________________________________________________________________________________

   __________________________________________________________________________________________

   __________________________________________________________________________________________

   __________________________________________________________________________________________

   __________________________________________________________________________________________

   __________________________________________________________________________________________

   __________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 
 

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Vocabulary: Root Words

Forming new words is easy by adding letters to the beginning or the end of word. The word before it is changed is called the root word.

   Example: spell (root word) spelling (new word)

 

Choose and write the root words.

   ___________________   1. careful, carefully, care, careless

   ___________________   2. highland, land, island, inland

   ___________________   3. replay, misplay, player, play

   ___________________   4. reread, read, misread, reader

   ___________________   5. harmed, unharmed, harm, harmfully

   ___________________   6. authority, authorize, author, authoritarian

   ___________________   7. places, place, misplace, replace

   ___________________   8. rewrite, writer, miswrite, write

   ___________________   9. national, international, nation, nationally

   ___________________ 10. friendly, friend, unfriendly, friendship

 

Figure out the root words and write them on the line.

   ___________________ 1. misadventure, adventurous, adventured

   ___________________ 2. unimaginable, imaginary, imagined

   ___________________ 3. unbelievable, believable, unbelieving

   ___________________ 4. unashamed, shamefully, ashamed

   ___________________ 5. children, childhood, childish

 

The Prefix

A prefix is a group of letters in front of a root word. Adding a prefix changes the meaning of the word.

   Example: The word spell means "to write letters of a word in order." If we add the prefix mis to the root word spell,
                      the word misspell then means "to write a word incorrectly." If you change the prefix from mis to re, the word                       respell means "to spell something again or differently."

 

This chart below has the meanings that certain prefixes add to root words.

mid: middle

semi: half

fore: before

pre: before

sub: under

dis: not, opposite of

in: not, into

un: not, opposite of

trans: across

anti: against

under: too little

inter: between, among

de: opposite of

mis: wrongly

super: above

re: again


Write p for prefix and rw for root words.

   __ 1. underage

   __ 2. semifinal

   __ 3. unequal

   __ 4. anticrime

   __ 5. react

   __ 6. forehead

   __ 7. international

   __ 8. disagree

   __   9. reopen

   __ 10. incorrect

   __ 11. disrespect

   __ 12. preschool

   __ 13. submarine

   __ 14. semicircle

   __ 15. midnight

   __ 16. misread

 

 
 

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Grammar: Possessive Pronouns

Pronouns that show ownership or possession are called possessive pronouns. Possessive pronouns used before a noun are my, our, your, his, her, its, and their.

   Example: The map belongs to Richard. It is his map.


Possessive pronouns used by themselves are mine, ours, yours, his, hers, its, and theirs.

   Example: The explorers want the treasure map, even though it isn't theirs.

 

Write the possessive pronouns.

   ___________   1. The babies want their food.

   ___________   2. This is my classroom.

   ___________   3. The boy was looking for his keys.

   ___________   4. Those are her parents.

   ___________   5. The pets are ours.

   ___________   6. The dog played with its tail.

   ___________   7. We love reading our new books.

   ___________   8. They love their teacher.

   ___________   9. We said we are not going.

   ___________ 10. He doesn't understand me.

 

Complete the sentences with the possessive pronouns that replace the underlined word.

   1. The toys belong to my neighbors. They are _____________.

   2. The sailboat belongs to Richard. It is _____________.

   3. The dog belongs to Phil. It is _____________ dog.

   4. The book bag belongs to me. The book bag is _____________.


 

Demonstrating Pronouns

Pronouns that point out a specific person or thing are demonstrating pronouns. There are only two demonstrating pronouns that have singular and plural form. If you point out something that is nearby, you may use this if it is singular or these if it is plural. If you point out something that is far away, you may use that if it is singular or those if it is plural.

   Examples: The enemy must not find the map that I carry with me.
                      The enemy must not find this.

                      The enemy must not find the treasures that I carry with me.
                      The enemy must not find these.

                      The enemy is looking for the map that I put over there.
                      The enemy is looking for that.

                      The enemy is looking for the jewels and coins scattered over there.
                      The enemy is looking for those.


Finish the sentences using demonstrative pronouns.

   1. I want to read the book in the sixth bookshelf. I want to read ___________.

   2. The notebooks are in my book bag. ___________ are my notebooks.

   3. Take the coin that I have in my hands. Take ___________.

   4. Look at the ship in the bay. Look at ____________!

   5. Take the keys in my purse. Take ____________.

 

 
 

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Prepositions

A word that connects and shows the relationship between nouns or pronouns to other parts of the sentence is called a preposition. Prepositions may express sequence in time, position in space, and other kinds of relationships.

   Examples: The map is hidden on an island. (position in space)
                       Ralph met the judge at four o' clock. (sequence in time)


Common prepositions

across
beneath
far
next to
since
after
besides
for
of
through
around
between
from
off
to
at
by
in
on
under
behind
down
into
onto
until
below
during
near
with
up
over

 

 

Writing: The Outline and Roman Numerals

A useful tool to organize your ideas when writing about a topic is an outline. Unlike listing, taking notes, brainstorming, and idea clustering, an outline allows you to organize your thoughts about a topic almost in the same order in which you will write them.

To make an outline, first write the topic. Then use roman numerals and upper- and lower-case letters to mark the order of the ideas.

 

Now, make your own outline using this template and create your own topic.

Topic: ___________________________


I. ________________________________________________________________

   A. ______________________________________________________________

      1. _____________________________________________________________

      2. _____________________________________________________________

   B. ______________________________________________________________

      1. _____________________________________________________________

      2. _____________________________________________________________

II. ________________________________________________________________

   A. ______________________________________________________________

      1. _____________________________________________________________

      2. _____________________________________________________________

   B. ______________________________________________________________

      1. _____________________________________________________________

      2. _____________________________________________________________

 

 

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