7

th
Grade Edition









SCHOOL BOARD OF BREVARD COUNTY
Educational Services Facility
2700 Judge Fran Jamieson Way
Viera, Florida 32940-6699

SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS
Robert Jordan, Chairman
Janice Kershaw, Vice Chairman
Dr. Barbara A. Murray
Larry Hughes
Amy Kneessy


SUPERINTENDENT
Dr. Richard A. DiPatri


Division of Curriculum and Instruction
Associate Superintendent
Brenda Blackburn

Office of Secondary Programs
Dr. Walter Christy, Director

Office of Elementary Programs
Lynn Spadaccini, Director
Write Starts

Vocabulary Quick Writes
Conventions Writing Skills


Coordinator: Marjorie Bloom
Secondary Writing Resource Teacher

Writers and Editors: Julie Coleman
Cocoa Beach Jr. Sr. High School

Joan Commons
Kennedy Middle School

Joanne Steady
Melbourne High School

Donnice Stephenson
Bayside High School

Valerie Williams
Bayside High School

Layout and Design: Christine Ward

Cover Design/Formatting: Cheryl Wratchford
INTRODUCTION

Several Brevard educators envisioned a book of quick daily exercises to help
students develop writing proficiency. Both students and teachers often
become skittish about writing, especially if high expectations and
consequences are attached. We fear writing because we are not sure we
have anything valuable to say, feel we cant eloquently express our thoughts
on paper, or we worry that criticism about our writing will quell our pens
forever.

These Write Start assignments are designed to motivate students and
teachers to write quickly and perhaps outrun their fears. As students
compose their writing, we hope that the very surprise of creating phrases,
sentences, and paragraphs on a variety of topics will give them confidence
and build fluency. We know that some days both students and teachers will
amaze themselves with delightful discovery and insight, and other days they
struggle. Writing is like that.

We hope teachers will often write with students, exploring their ideas and
revising their own work. Through practicing multiple writing skills, topics,
and purposes ourselves, we develop the capacity to understand the struggle
that students face when writing.

Writing is a powerful skill that leads to more engagement in every other
aspect of language arts. We hope that the daily habit of writing on a variety
of topics will sharpen writing pleasure, instill confidence, and help educators
and students alike to see the connection between vocabulary, grammar,
reading, and thinking.

THE DESIGN

Each Quick Write will give students fuller understanding of the vocabulary
words and provide a fresh writing topic. Following the Quick Write, a
Writing Skill will provide focus for that days assignment. It is important to
read both the Quick Write and Writing Skill before students begin to write.
This will ensure that students understand the scope of the exercise. It may
be necessary to give students more background knowledge on the vocabulary
word by asking what they already know about the word and sharing examples
of how the word is commonly used.

The Conventions will help students with revising writing. As quick grammar
reinforcement activities, they also serve as practice for the multiple-choice
portion of the FCAT Writing+ test. The page numbers at the bottom
coordinate with similar instruction and practice in the Language Network
textbook.

Each of the daily activities should require no more than 10 to 15 minutes of
class time. The lessons may be done in one day or divided and administered
over two or three days, depending on the amount of time needed to assure
students understand the concepts. Teachers will practice conventions or
writing skills based upon their classes needs. Flexibility is key.

TYPES OF WRITING

Expository writing informs, clarifies, explains, defines, or instructs by giving
information, explaining why or how, clarifying a process, or defining a
concept. Well-written exposition has a clear central focus developed
through a carefully crafted presentation of facts, examples, or definitions
that enhance the readers understanding. The facts, examples, and
definitions are objective and not dependent on emotion although the
writing may be lively, engaging, and reflective of the writers commitment to
the topic.

Narrative writing recounts a personal or fictional experience, telling a story
based upon a real or imagined event. In a well-written narration, a writer
uses insight, creativity, drama, suspense, humor, or fantasy to create a
central theme or impression. The details work together to develop an
identifiable story line. Narratives are usually arranged in chronological
order, but they may also contain flashbacks, interruptions that take the
story back to an earlier time.

Persuasive writing convinces, prevails upon, wins over, or hooks the reader
to believe or do something. In a well-written persuasion, a writer takes a
position for or against an issue, using statistics, analogies, irony, antithesis,
specific examples, and expert evidence to create a convincing line of
argument that will move a reader to action.



Descriptive writing sketches a portrait of a person, place, or thing by using
concrete and specific details that appeal to one or more of the senses.

Process writing develops patterns in time order, usually chronologically.
These patterns either describe processes or explain how to perform
processes with fluid, directional, or step-by-step instructions.

OTHER TYPES OF WRITING INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT
LIMITED TO:

advertisements
autobiographies
book reviews
diaries
fairy tales
instructions
letters
plays
radio scripts
TV scripts
advice columns
awards
captions
editorials
fiction
interviews
movie reviews
poetry
research papers
allegories
ballads
cartoons
essays
folk tales
jokes
myths
puzzles
resumes
anecdotes
biographies
comic strips
fables
greeting cards
journals
newspaper articles
quizzes
speeches


HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

Teachers might use some of the following suggestions to vary the ideas to
enhance classroom writing instruction.

1. Make an overhead of the daily sheet or write the activities on the
board, and use all activities as a bell ringer.
2. Students may write the vocabulary words, definitions, sentences, and
all other written responses on their own paper or in a spiral notebook.
The papers or notebooks can be handed in once a week to be checked
for completion.
3. Simply walk around the room to check for completion as students are
working.
4. Break the days activities in half, and use them over a two-day period.
For example, instruct students to write the vocabulary word,
definition, and sentence on their paper and complete the Quick
Write and Writing Skill the first day. On the following day,
Conventions along with Language Network practice could be
accomplished. This will depend on the complexity of the skills in any
given lesson.
5. Choose to reorder the activities. For example, you may find it easier
for students to do the Writing Skill before they complete the
Quick Write rather than after, depending on whether or not the
Writing Skill is designed to be incorporated into the Quick Write.
6. Shorten a Quick Write from a full paragraph to just a few well-
written sentences.
7. Choose to omit a section of the activities if students are proficient
in it.
8. Encourage students to share bits and pieces of their writing orally.
9. Instruct students to complete an activity in groups or work on one
together as a class.
10. Decide to use these activities for one or two weeks and/or alternate
them with other bell ringer activities.
11. Run off an occasional copy of a days activities to send home with
students for homework.
12. Assign no grade to the activities other than a participation grade, or
create a quiz every week or so, to determine whether students really
understand the material and are learning the skills.



TROUBLE SHOOTING

SUPPOSE A STUDENT HAS TROUBLE WRITING

Instruct the student to free write by just writing anything,
including, Im having trouble writing until some ideas kick in.
Suggest the student brainstorm a list of all the things he might
write about.
Ask students to share some ideas about possible approaches before
they get started writing.

SUPPOSE STUDENTS HAVE TROUBLE WRITING IN THE TIME FRAME

If students had trouble getting started and are then on a roll,
allow a student to finish the thought or sentence but give a minute
or two as a deadline.
Ask them to set their papers aside until there is a break in the
lesson.
Have students complete their work for homework.
Assure them that everyone draws a blank at times, but timed-
writing or writing on demand plays an important part in
standardized testing and in life and career.


Touch
breezy
bumpy
cracked
dewy
dimpled
dusty
flimsy
furry
fuzzy
glassy
gooey
greasy
gritty
grooved
hairy
hard
jagged
lightweight
liquid
melted
metallic
moist
nubby
oily
padded
plush
pointed
powdery
prickly
rigid
rough
sandy
scratchy
sharp
silky
sleek
slick
slimy
slippery
smooth
spongy
sticky
velvety
wet
wiry
Sight
black and white
bright
brilliant
cloudy
colored
crystal clear
curved
dark
dull
faded
flapping
flashing
floating
foggy
hazy
huge
large
light
luminous
misty
mottled
murky
opaque
pointed
psychedelic
robust
rotund
round
shaded
shadowy
speckled
spotted
square
stained
straight
striped
swaying
swirling
textured
translucent
transparent
twisted

Smell
acrid
antiseptic
bitter
burnt
buttery
charred
cheesy
chocolaty
clean
dank
decayed
dusty
earthy
floral
flowery
fresh
fruity
grassy
leathery
lemony
medicinal
mildewy
musty
new
old
peppery
pungent
putrid
rank
rotten
sharp
smoky
smoky
sour
spicy
spoiled
strong
sweet
vinegary
woodsy
Taste
acidic
bitter
bubbly
burnt
buttery
cheesy
chocolaty
delectable
delicious
dry
fishy
fresh
garlicky
gingery
juicy
lemony
moldy
nutty
oily
oniony
peppery
rancid
salty
smoky
sour
spicy
spoiled
stale
sugary
sweet
sweet & sour
tangy
tart
vinegary
Sound
banging
bawling
baying
bellowing
blasting
bleating
booming
cackling
chanting
cheering
chugging
clanging
clicking
clinking
cracking
crashing
dripping
growling
harmonious
honking
howling
humming
jabbering
jangling
jingling
loud
melodic
meowing
moaning
muted
pealing
plopping
popping
roaring
rumbling
screeching
slurping
snapping
sniffling
soft
splashing
stammering
tapping
wailing
whispering
whistling
whizzing
woofing
yowling
Sensory Words

accepted
accomplished
acknowledged
affirmed
appreciated
approved
attractive
beautiful
befriended
bliss
bright
calm
capable
caring
cheerful
cherished
clever
comfortable
complemented
confident
courteous
creative
delectable
delighted
delirious
dynamic
ecstatic
empowered
encouraged
enthusiastic
excellent
exceptional
excited
exhilarated
exonerated
exuberant
exulted
fabulous
fantastic
focused
free
friendly
generous
glad
good
great
happy
helpful
honored
hopeful
imaginative
important
impressed
included
incredible
independent
joyful
jubilant
kind
likes
lovable
loved
loyal
magnificent
marvelous
masterful
needed
noticed
obedient
outstanding
overjoyed
patient
peaceful
perfect
phenomenal
pleased
powerful
praised
precious
prepared
protected
proud
purposeful
ready
recognized
relaxed
relieved
remarkable
respected
responsible
revered
rewarded
safe
satisfied
secure
sensational
smiling
smitten
special
strong
superb
supported
sympathetic
talented
terrific
thrilled
thriving
treasured
tremendous
trusted
understood
unique
uplifted
useful
validated
valued
wanted
warm-hearted
wonderful
worthy
zany
zealous
aghast
agitated
aloof
ambivalent
angry
anxious
ashamed
bedraggled
befuddled
belligerent
bereft
betrayed
bewildered
bitter
blah
blamed
blas
blue
bored
bother
chastised
confused
contrary
crazy
criticized
crush
dejected
depressed
detest
discarded
discouraged
discriminated
disgusted
distant
distrustful
dumb
embarrassed
excluded
fate
fearful
forced
frustrated
grouchy
guilty
heated
heartbroken
helpless
hesitant
hopeless
hostile
humiliated
idiotic
ignored
impetuously
implicated
indifferent
insane
insecure
insulted
interrupted
irritated
jilted
judged
laughed at
left-out
lonely
lost
mad
melancholy
mocked
moronic
nervous
ornery
out-of-control
out-of-step
overlooked
overwhelmed
patronized
perplexed
picked on
pouty
puny
put down
rage
rebellious
rejected
reviled
revolted
ridiculed
rotten
sad
scared
shattered
sick
slighted
spoiled
spooky
strange
stressed
stubborn
stupid
tempermental
trapped
tumultuous
ugly
unappreciated
unhappy
uninformed
unloved
unprepared
unruly
upset
used
useless
vexed
vulnerable
weak
weary
worn-out
worried


Emotion Words
Vibrant Color Words



































Positive Emotions Negative Emotions
RED
cherry
lobster
crimson
watermelon
brick
candy apple
YELLOW
lemon
goldenrod
mustard
egg yolk
school bus
fluorescent
WHITE
snow
alabaster
vanilla
eggshell
ivory
pearl
GREEN
olive
forest
khaki
emerald
lime
pistachio
ORANGE
pumpkin
marigolds
sunset
fluorescent
burnt sienna
caution
BLACK
ebony
jet black
charcoal
raven
midnight
pitch-black
BROWN
leather
chocolate
mahogany
chestnut
coffee
camel
BLUE
robins egg
powder
royal
navy
denim
sapphire
PURPLE
lavender
orchid
periwinkle
grape
eggplant
plum
SUPER COLOR WORDS
blacklight
bronze
caf-au-lait
calico
camouflage
chocolate chip
confetti
copper
Day-Glo
diamond
ebony
emerald
glitter
glow-in-the-dark
gold
hologram
iridescent
ivory
mahogany
mirror
mocha
mother-of-pearl

multi
neopolitan
opal
peaches n cream
peppermint
plaid
platinum
polka dot
rainbow
ruby
sapphire

silver
stained glass
steel
stripe
tapestry
topaz
tortoise
transparent
tutti-frutti
translucent


A
abusive
accepting
acerbic
admiring
affectionate
afraid
allusive
angry
anxious
apologetic
apprehensive
approving
ardent
audacious
awestruck
B
benevolent
biting
bitter
boring
brisk
bristling
brusque
C
calm
candid
casual
cavalier
censorious
childish
cold
complementary
condescending
confident
confused
contemptuous
controlled
conversational
critical
cutting
cynical
D
defamatory
denunciatory
detached
didactic
disdainful
disparaging
disrespectful
doubtful
dramatic
dreamy
dry
E
elaborate
enthusiastic
eulogistic
exhilarated
F
facetious
fanciful
fearful
flippant
forceful
frightening
frivolous
G
giddy
grim
H
happy
harsh
haughty
hollow
horrific
humorous
hypercritical
I
impassioned
indifferent
indignant
ironic
irrelevant
J
joyful
L
laudatory
lighthearted
loving
M
malevolent
melancholy
mistrustful
mocking
mysterious
N
neutral
nostalgic
O
objective
offhanded
P
peaceful
personal
pessimistic
pitiful
plainspoken
playful
poignant
pragmatic
proud
provocative
Q
questioning
R
reasonable
reproachful
respectful
restrained
rueful
S
sad
sarcastic
sardonic
satirical
seductive
sentimental
serious
severe
sharp
shocking
silly
somber
straightforward
strident
subdued
subjective
sweet
sympathetic
T
thoughtful
threatening
tired
trenchant
U
uncertain
understated
upset
urgent
V
vexed
vibrant
W
whimsical
withering
wry
Z
zealous
Additional Tone
Words
Tone Words
7
th
Grade Standards Sheet


As of August, 2007, the following Language Arts standards apply to the vocabulary, activities, and
skills found in this document.

Vocabulary Development Standard: The student uses multiple strategies to develop grade
appropriate vocabulary.
The student will:
LA.7.1.6.1 use new vocabulary that is introduced and taught directly;
LA.7.1.6.3 use context clues to determine meanings of unfamiliar words;
LA.7.1.6.5 relate new vocabulary to familiar words;
LA.7.1.6.6 distinguish denotative and connotative meanings of words; and
LA.7.1.6.9 determine the correct meaning of words with multiple meanings in context.

Prewriting Standard: The student will use prewriting strategies to generate ideas and formulate
a plan.
The student will prewrite by:
LA.7.3.1.1 generating ideas from multiple sources based upon teacher-directed topics and
personal interests;
LA.7.3.1.2 making a plan for writing that addresses purpose, audience, a controlling idea,
logical sequence, and time frame for completion; and
LA.7.3.1.3 using organizational strategies and tools to develop a personal organizational style.

Drafting Standard: The student will write a draft appropriate to the topic, audience, and purpose.

The student will draft writing by:
LA.7.3.2.1 developing main ideas from the pre-writing plan using primary and secondary
sources appropriate to the purpose and audience, elaborating on organized
information using descriptive language, supporting details, and word choices
appropriate to the selected tone and mood; and
LA.7.3.2.2 organizing information into logical sequence and combining or deleting sentences
to enhance clarity.

Revising Standard: The student will revise and refine the draft for clarity and effectiveness.

The student will revise by:
LA.7.3.3.1 evaluating the draft for development of ideas and content, logical organization,
voice, point of view, word choice, and sentence variation;
LA.7.3.3.2 creating clarity and logic by rearranging words, sentences, and paragraphs and
developing relationships among ideas; and
LA.7.3.3.3 creating precision and interest by using a variety of sentence structures, creative
language devices, and modifying word choices using resources and reference materials.


Creative Writing Application Standard: The student develops and demonstrates creative writing.

The student will:
LA.7.4.1.1 write narrative accounts with an engaging plot and that use a range of appropriate
strategies and specific narrative actions and include effectively developed and
complex characters, a clearly described setting, figurative language, and descriptive
words or phrases to enhance style and tone; and
LA.7.4.1.2 write in a variety of expressive forms that according to the type of writing employed,
incorporate figurative language, rhythm, dialogue, characterization, plot, and
appropriate format.

Informative Writing Application Standard: The student will develop and demonstrate writing
that provides information related to real world tasks.

The student will:
LA.7.4.2.1 write in a variety of informational/expository forms;
LA.7.4.2.2 record information related to a topic, including visual aids to organize and record
information, as appropriate, and attribute sources of information; and
LA.7.4.2.4 write a variety of informal communications and formal communications that follow a
format and that have a clearly stated purpose and that include the date, proper
salutation, body, closing and signature.

Persuasive Writing Application Standard: The student develops and demonstrates persuasive
writing that is used for the purpose of influencing the
reader.

The student will write persuasive text that:
LA.7.4.3.1 establish and develop a controlling idea and supporting arguments for the validity of the
proposed idea with detailed evidence; and
LA.7.4.3.2 includes persuasive techniques.

Editing for Language Conventions Standard: The student will edit and correct the draft for standard
language conventions.

The student edits writing for grammar and language conventions, including the correct use of:
LA.7.3.4.1 spelling and spelling rules and using a dictionary, thesaurus, or other resources as
necessary;
LA.7.3.4.2 capitalization, including regional names, historical events, and documents;
LA.7.3.4.3 punctuation of sentence structures, including participles and participial phrases, colon in
introductory lists and to punctuate business letter salutations, semicolon in compound
sentences, dash for additional emphasis or information, and apostrophes for plural
possessives;
LA.7.3.4.4 the eight parts of speech, regular and irregular verbs, and pronoun agreement; and
LA.7.3.4.5 consistency in verb tense in simple, compound, and complex sentences.

Outside Resources

Sunshine State Standards: flstandards.org

Vocabulary/definitions: dictionary.com
satvocab.com

English teaching resources: teachit.co.uk

General source for all writing questions: owl.english.perdue.edu

Additional writing topics: thewritesource.com

Grammar resources: grammar.ccc.comnet.edu/grammar/
thebeehive.org (Learn Grammar)
englishplus.com/grammar (Grammar Slammer English Grammar Resource)
dailygrammar.com
chompchomp.com
funbrain.com (Grammar Gorillas middle school)

International Reading Association: ira.org

National Council Teachers of English: ncte.org

Florida Council Teachers of English: fcte.org

The Alan Review: scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/ALAN/alan-review.html

Poets: poets.org

Poetry 180: loc.gov/poetry/180

Poetry Alive: poetryalive.com

Sonnet Central: sonnets.org

Poetry Slam: poetryslam.com

English Companion: englishcompanion.com

Web English Teacher: webenglishteacher.com

DOE FCAT Publications: fcat.fldoe.org/fcatpub2.asp

Writing Possibilities for Students: teenink.com
merlynspen.org
scholastic.com/artandwritingawards/index.htm
vsarts.org/x1548.xml
pp. 126-128, 602
#1

assuage: verb. to make milder or less severe;
to appease; to soothe; to calm

To assuage the pain from her broken arm, Cathy took
the prescribed medication.
Quick Write: You are in summer camp miles away from
home. Your parents really miss you.
Write a postcard to assuage their
concerns and to assure them that you
are having a great time. Elaborate with
detail about your favorite camp activity.

Writing Skill: Be sure to include onomatopoeia (sound
word) in your postcard. Examples:
snap, sizzle, bam, whoosh, hum,
slurp, crackle, pop, swish, whiz.
Conventions: On your own paper, rewrite the sentence
below, inserting the information from
sentences A, B, and C before the
underlined nouns.
My sister plays softball at Crane Field with her
friends.

A. My sister is athletic.
B. Crane Field is picturesque.
C. Her friends live in the neighborhood.
A B

C
pp. 140-141, 149, 604, 639
#2
listless: adjective. lacking energy, spirit,
or enthusiasm.

Karen slumped listlessly onto the couch, completely
exhausted.
Quick Write: On a hot, sultry July day in Florida, the
puppy, listless with fatigue from chasing
the family cat, crawled under the front
porch for a quiet nap. He had no idea
the trouble that would meet him there....
Create the rest of the story.
Writing Skill: Strong verbs add information and
clarity to sentences creating vivid pictures.
Underline the verbs in your Quick Write,
and replace at least three of them with
strong action verbs such as: drained,
dreaded, groaned, lumbered, meandered,
sassed, snooped, steamed, throttled,
thundered, twisted, withered, wrangled,
whined, yelped.
Conventions: On your paper, write the correct adverb
or adjective modifiers from the following
sentences.
A. The teacher spoke (quiet, quietly) to the new
student.
B. The student (quick, quickly) completed the reading
assignment.
C. Did you do (well, good) on your spelling test?

pp. 638-641
#3

pragmatic: adjective. of or relating to a practical
point of view or practical considerations;
dealing with facts or actual occurrences
Mr. Owens has a pragmatic approach to teaching his
laboratory experiments.

Quick Write: Since Mr. Owens is the head of the science
department, he sends a weekly memorandum to
science teachers. Write a memorandum listing
five pragmatic laboratory safety rules for
teachers to post in their classrooms.

Writing Skill: List the five rules in your Quick Write and
label them in order of importance using the
following degree transitions:
most important less important equally important
most significant mainly strongest
weakest best

Conventions: On your paper, write the sentences below using
the correct homonyms. Homonyms are words
that sound alike, but are spelled differently and
have different meanings.
A. Our nations (capital, capitol, Capitol) is in
Washington, D.C.
B. Saving energy is a (capital, capitol, Capitol) idea.
C. Is Springfield the (capital, capitol, Capitol) of
Illinois?
D. Do you like strawberry shortcake for (desert,
dessert)?
E. Have you ever visited the (desert, dessert) in
Arizona?

pp. 258-261, 619
#4

balk: verb. to stop short and refuse to
continue; to prevent
noun. an obstacle; a restriction

The parents balked at purchasing their teenager a cell
phone. (v.) Exceeding the number of cell phone
minutes was a balk. (n.)
Quick Write: Your parents balked at increasing your
allowance because they feel you need to
earn your own spending money. Write a
paragraph to convince them that you
deserve more allowance from them.
Identify and explain one specific reason
why they should raise your allowance.
Elaborate with detail.
Writing Skill: Include persuasive dialogue in your
writing. Be sure to punctuate the
dialogue correctly.
Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the following
sentences using correct punctuation.
A. Do you think the storm will cause a rain delay
inquired Mike.
B. Do you think, inquired Mike, the storm will
cause a rain delay
C. Mike inquired Do you think the storm will cause
a rain delay

pp. 340-343
#5

treacherous: adjective. marked by hidden dangers,
hazards, or perils
In Pirates of the Caribbean, Jack Sparrow encounters the
treacherous Davy Jones.
Quick Write: Describe a treacherous character from a
book you have read or a movie you have
seen. Include the physical features of the
character, the words, and actions of the
character.

Writing Skill: Include several descriptive words such as:
perilous hazardous terrifying revolting
impetuous insane rebellious wailing
Conventions: On your paper, write the sentence that is
not related to the purpose or unity of the
paragraph.

The last days of summer mean fun and
excitement for all school-age children. Joey decided
to make the most of his vacation by learning how to
scuba dive. His parents purchased all the necessary
equipment for him and offered to pay for his diving
lessons. Eagerly, Joey participated in his scuba
diving lessons. Mr. Cabot, his instructor, owned a
fancy speed boat. At the end of his lessons, Joey
earned his diving certificate. His parents beamed in
approval.


pp. 102-104, 599
#6

defer: verb. to postpone; to put off; to delay

Because of the approaching hurricane, the family
deferred their vacation plans.

Quick Write: Create a news bulletin informing the
public of hurricane warnings and telling
them to take necessary precautions.
Remind the public not to defer taking
immediate action.

Writing Skill: Create a catchy title for your news
bulletin so that the reader will
immediately take notice.

Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the following
sentences to place the italicized verbs
in the past tense. Then rewrite them to
place the verbs in the future tense.

A. James drinks Gatorade after every football
game.

B. Bella brings cookies to math class every day.

C. The moose begins his day by drinking from the
cold lake.

pp. 253-255, 618
#7

belittle: verb. to think or speak of as small
or unimportant; to disparage


Patty belittled Mary because she did not own a cell
phone or a designer purse.
Quick Write: Shana, a new student, does not wear
the expensive brand-name clothing that
most of her classmates wear. Several
girls belittle her for the way she
dresses. Assume the role of an advice
columnist, and offer three suggestions
to help Shana respond to the girls who
belittle her.
Writing Skill: In your suggestions include strong
verbs. Examples: approach, collaborate,
cooperate, decide, initiate, mediate,
plan, reconcile, select, solve, support,
accomplish.
Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the following
sentences inserting commas in the
correct places.
A. Josie my new friend is from California.
B. No I will not be able to attend the meeting on
Friday morning.
C. Charlie will you help me do the yard work?

pp. 402-403
#8

disdain: verb. to treat with a lack of respect;
to dislike; to despise; to reject scornfully
noun. pride; insolence

The school resource officer, Sergeant Wilson, disdains
Charlies actions of vandalizing the media center. (v.)
The students viewed Charlies act with disdain. (n.)

Quick Write: From the point of view of Officer
Wilson, write a one-page police report
documenting Charlies disdainful actions
of vandalizing the media center. Suggest
a fair punishment for Charlies crime,
taking into consideration that this is the
first time Charlie has been in trouble at
the school.
Writing Skill: Include in the one-page report facts
such as student(s) involved, witnesses,
time, place, offense committed, degree
of vandalism, and suggested punishment.
Conventions: On your paper, change the nonstandard
words and e-mail slang listed below to
standard English terms.
aint
a lot
snuck
wanna
must of
brang
lemme
r u
setted
oughta
bff
2

pp. 126-128, 167, 602
#9
gallant: adjective. showy in appearance or dress;
spirited and courageous
noun. a hero or a dashing gentleman
King Arthurs gallant knights saved the distressed damsel
from the dangerous dragon. (adj.)
The gallant rescued the imprisoned princess. (n.)

Quick Write: A gallant person is courageous in words and
actions. Write a paragraph describing a
character in a story or a person you know who
is gallant. Describe two examples of the
characters gallant words or actions.
Writing Skill: Strengthen your writing by using at least
five descriptive adjectives such as:
courageous
chivalrous
stately
impressive
brave
noble
tenacious
heroic
spirited
famous

Conventions: Rewrite the following sentences on your own
paper, correcting the misplaced modifiers.
A. Untended and overgrown since last summer,
Julie helped Mary in the garden.
B. Ashley won the jumping contest with her
brothers horse, wearing riding gear.
C. At the age of four, my mother took me to my
first circus.
D. Being a teenager, my father did not
understand my problems.

pp. 186-188, 609
#10

placate: verb. to soothe; to appease; to pacify

The tired mother tried to placate her screaming baby
with a bottle of warm milk.
Quick Write: You have received an emergency phone call
from your neighbor who needs you to
baby-sit for her two-year-old daughter,
Emily, who is quite spoiled and used to
getting her own way. Think of the
challenges you will encounter. Make a list
of activities you could do to placate Emily.
Writing Skill: In your Quick Write, incorporate at least
three of your previous vocabulary words,
and highlight them.
Conventions: On your paper, write the following
sentences, and then underline and label
their dependent clauses.
A. A university is a college where many subjects are
studied.
B. Help came at a time when Shelly needed it the
most.
C. Hurricanes are tropical cyclones that have wind
speeds of up to 150 mph.
D. Jason likes to walk on trails where he can see
wildlife.


pp. 76-78, 595
#11

aghast: adjective. stricken with horror; appalled

Tiffany was aghast at the sight of the burning building.
Quick Write: Think about a time when you or someone you
know were aghast after witnessing an
accident, a natural disaster, a fire, or
some other shocking event. Write a letter
to a friend, describing the event in a
showing paragraph. Be sure to include
sensory images and details.

Writing Skill: Elaborate by adding sound and color
words such as: snap, crackle, pop, splash,
swish, clank, honk, screech, slurp, howl,
crimson red, emerald green, pumpkin
orange, snow white, lemon yellow, azure
blue, chestnut brown, or ebony.

Conventions: On your own paper, write the sentence that
has the correct pronoun and antecedent
usage, and explain why it is correct.

A. Each firefighter knew the dangers of his/her job.

B. Each firefighter knew the dangers of their job.




pp. 186-188, 609
#12

succinct: adjective. expressed in few words;
concise; short

Ernest Hemingway is noted for his succinct style of writing.

Quick Write: You are cleaning out your bedroom and would
like to have a garage sale for items that you
no longer use. Place a classified ad in the
newspaper. Since the newspaper charges by the
word, you want to write your ad succinctly. Be
sure to include how, when, where, and why.

Writing Skill: Listed below are four ideas that could be
developed into paragraphs:
A. narrative a story of your first five years
B. explain the social class system of the 18
th
century
C. tell how hurricanes disrupt family lives
D. describe the geographical areas of a theme park
For letters A-D, write the best organizational
pattern that should be used from the following
types:
cause and effect spatial order compare and contrast
order of importance chronological order

Conventions: On your paper, write either dependent or
independent for each of the clauses below.

A. Because she did not have any identification
B. We spend the morning traveling
C. After the heavy snow
D. While the audience laughed
E. We discussed the short story


pp. 137-139, 604
#13

aspire: verb. to have ambition; to desire
ardently
The young teenager aspired to make a difference in
the world by helping others.
Quick Write: According to Thomas Armstrong, every
student is a genius. Armstrong lists
twelve qualities of genius: curiosity,
playfulness, imagination, creativity,
wonder, wisdom, inventiveness, vitality,
sensitivity, flexibility, humor, and joy.
Choose one quality you aspire to
possess. Write a paragraph explaining
how it will benefit you.
Writing Skill: Use specific details and examples to
show the reader why your choice is the
most important quality to have.
Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the sentences
correcting comparative and superlative
adverb forms.
A. Do you make people laugh more harder than they
have ever laughed?
B. Among your friends are you the more daring?
C. Do you jump your bike the higher?
D. Jane trained for the competition hardest than
her sister.
E. Each event was staged most elaborately than the
last.
pp. 189, 204, 262
#14

entrepreneur: noun. one who organizes, manages, and
assumes the risks of a business or
enterprise
With vision, dedication, and commitment, one can become an
entrepreneur at any age.

Quick Write: Thirteen-year-old Emily is a genius on the
computer with photography. After the school
newspaper featured an article about her, she
received so many calls, she began her own
business and became an entrepreneur. Pretend
you have financial backing to develop your own
business; think about what you would do and
whom you would serve. Create a business card
advertising your new business.

Writing Skill: Include on your business card, five descriptive
words that would entice others to use your
services or products.

Conventions: On your paper, join each pair of sentences with
the words in the parentheses, and add a
semicolon and comma to create a compound
sentence.
Example: Lance is an affectionate brother. He is a loyal
friend. (moreover) Lance is an affectionate brother;
moreover, he is a loyal friend.

A. I got a job. I could afford a prom dress. (as a
result)
B. Dont cook dinner. Well go out. (instead)
C. Pick up some milk. We cant eat cereal tomorrow.
(otherwise)
pp. 26-27, 298-299, 588
#15
contrite: adjective. feeling bad about
wrongdoing; remorseful

We could tell our golden retriever was contrite because
he hung his head in shame when we saw the mess he
made.
Quick Write: Create a brief narrative about a dog that is
left alone all day in the house. The dog
becomes bored and begins looking for
excitement. When a family member arrives
home and sees the mess, the contrite dog
slinks to the dining room and hides under
the table. Describe the mess the dog has
made and the reaction of the family
member.
Writing Skill: Use hyperbole and specific details to help
the reader form a visual picture of the
scene.
Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the following
paragraph to correct the rambling style.
Combine ideas to avoid overusing and, but,
and so.
The afternoon was warm and humid and so we
asked my big brother Joe to drive us to the beach
and he was willing and so he backed his old junk heap
out of the garage and we got into our bathing suits
and piled into the heap and we started out on our
great adventure.

pp. 79-80, 89, 291, 596
#16

lurk: verb. to lie concealed, as in an ambush;
to move furtively

At the stroke of midnight, danger lurked in every
corner.
Quick Write: Describe a place where danger might
lurk. Be sure to include the sights,
sounds, and smells of the place.
Writing Skill: Choose two simple sentences from your
Quick Write, and expand them by adding
adjectives, adverbs, prepositional
phrases, or -ing words or phrases.
Sample:
Original sentence: The girl walked home.
Elaborated: Trembling, the frightened ten-year-old
slowly walked down the dark, isolated lane.
Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the following
sentences so that the pronoun
reference is clear for the reader.
A. After Stacey and her mother watched the
chorus perform, they went out to dinner.
B. Mike took off his dinner jacket, answered his
phone, and then hung it up.
C. When John first met Jason, he was thirteen
years old.

pp. 81-82, 596
#17

exasperate: verb. to irritate or provoke; to
annoy greatly
Because the newspaper reporter missed the deadline for
his editorial, he exasperated his boss.

Quick Writes: Choose one of the following situations in
which a character becomes exasperated.
Write from the first-person point of view
in the format of a short scene for a play.
Examples: getting lost the first day of
school; forgetting your lunch money; being
late for class and receiving a detention
from the dean; missing the bus.
Writing Skill: Be sure to include three adjectives with
negative connotations in your response.
Examples: foolish, unwise, idiotic, glum,
panic-stricken, dejected, jittery, anxious,
afraid, apprehensive.
Conventions: On your paper, write the correct pronoun
choice from the following sentences.
A. Joe and (he, him) put new tires on the bicycle.
B. Did you or (I, me) lock the front door before we
left?
C. The baseball sailed over Ricardo and (he, him).
D. The teacher offered you and (I, me) an extra-
credit assignment.



pp. 58-64, 88, 291, 591, 592
#18

clandestine: adjective. done or kept in secrecy

Sherlock Holmes always meets Dr. Watson in
clandestine locations.
Quick Write: Around the time of Erins birthday,
several of her friends exhibited
clandestine behavior. Write a narrative
paragraph that explains how they
managed to pull off their surprise.
Writing Skill: The writers selection of words and
details creates the mood which may
be suspenseful, mysterious, fearful,
comical, etc. Choose words that define
the mood of your story. Examples are:
playful, extravagant, fancy,
suspenseful, fragrant.
Conventions: On your own paper, write the correct
pronoun from the following sentences.
A. The members of the class attended (his or
her, their) annual field trip to Sea World.
B. The movie is about a boy (who, whom) wants
to become a writer.
C. Have you met the new manager (who, whom)
Mr. White hired?
D. Mr. Breen gave (her, she) a raise in pay.

pp. 340-343, 351-353
#19

inquisitive: adjective. questioning; curious; prying

Toms inquisitive nature made him a great listener.

Quick Write: For a class assignment, Tom must interview a
grandparent to learn more about the
grandparents childhood. Create a list of seven
interview questions that would satisfy Toms
inquisitive nature.

Writing Skill: In your Quick Write, include questions about
some of the following topics:
elementary school attended
your best friends name
favorite outdoor games
a special memory
a favorite television show
a time when you received an award or honor
sports played at school
a time when you were embarrassed
a favorite subject in school
your favorite activity

Conventions: The following numbered sentences are not in the
correct order. On your paper, write the
sentences in the correct order to make the
paragraph more cohesive.

Then there is the soft whir of my battery
alarm on the bedside stand. In the early hours of
the morning, the first sound I hear is my cat purring
softly into my ear. After I get up, I tune into the
sounds of my mother making breakfast. Next, I
slowly stretch my body and think about the day ahead of
me. When breakfast is ready, my mother calls my
name.

1
2
3
4
5
pp. 230-241, 615-616
#20

eschew: verb. to avoid as wrong or distasteful;
to abstain

I wonder why so many children eschew vegetables like
spinach.
Quick Write: Make a list of five bad habits that most
people eschew. Choose one and write a
paragraph of advice to help people
overcome this bad habit. Include
specific steps that a person could follow
to break the bad habit.
Writing Skill: Organize your paragraph carefully, and
close with a call to action in your
conclusion.
Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the following
sentences, capitalizing all words that
need it.

A. the bradford shopping center is the largest in
melville county.

B. i noticed that gregorians, a restaurant on main
street, served my english muffin with
strawberry jam.



pp. 258-261, 619
#21

stagnate: verb. to stand still; to become dull;
to remain motionless
Jerrys mom claims, Your mind is stagnating from
watching too much television.
Quick Write: Jerry is allowed to have a television in
his bedroom as long as he keeps up his
grades. However, his grades are slowly
deteriorating. His mother has
threatened to take the television out of
his bedroom because she believes his
mind is stagnating. Create dialogue
between Jerry and his mother from
either Jerrys or his mothers point of
view, defending or justifying his/her
actions.
Writing Skill: Include facts and reasons in the
dialogue.
Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the sentences
below, correctly punctuating them.
A. Lets go to the lake this weekend replied Bob.
B. How many of you read books over the summer?
inquired Mrs. Veltz.
C. If you could visit Europe, asked Sue, what
country would you most like to see
D. Tabitha said, tomorrow my cousins are going
to visit us.
pp. 134-136, 152-157, 298, 603, 606
#22

camaraderie: noun. comradeship; good fellowship

A group of old friends get together to share memories
and enjoy camaraderie.
Quick Write: For your fourteenth birthday, you
have decided to invite all of your
friends, even those who have moved
away, to spend a weekend at your house
so you can enjoy their camaraderie. Your
mother has agreed, but she wants an
agenda of your activities. Design the
agenda, giving details about how you
will spend Saturday and Sunday with
your friends.
Writing Skill: Organize your agenda so that your
mother fully understands the
chronological details of your weekend.
Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the following
sentences so that they begin with a
prepositional phrase or an adverb.
A. He banged his fist on the table repeatedly.

B. The game was tied in the last inning.

C. She waited patiently for fifteen minutes
despite the rain.

pp. 211-212, 613
#23

divulge: verb. to make known; to reveal; to tell

Matt regretted that he divulged a secret that a friend
had told him in confidence.
Quick Write: You have a private fault or habit, and you
hope no one ever finds out. One night at a
friends house someone divulges your
secret. Write a diary entry about this
experience telling how you reacted and how
you felt.
Writing Skill: Readers connect emotionally with
characters because of words that pinpoint
certain emotions and feelings. Include
several strong verbs like the following:
agitate, crush, humiliate, mope, plod,
frustrate, reject, shatter, collapse, dread.
Conventions: On your own paper, write the correct
form of the verb from the sentences
below:
A. Mary and Billy (was, were) attending the track
meet after school.
B. Neither Mary nor Billy (was, were) able to find a
seat on the visitors side.
C. Either Marys parents or Billy (was, were) the
first to congratulate the team.



pp. 638-641
#24

disseminate: verb. to disperse throughout; to
spread widely

The class president disseminates information about
school activities to the student body.
Quick Write: Write an announcement for the school
T.V. channel that disseminates
information for the upcoming school
dance.
Writing Skill: Include and correctly punctuate the
location, date, time, and price of tickets
for the event.
Conventions: On your paper, write the sentences
below using the correct homonyms.
Homonyms are words that sound alike,
but are spelled differently and have
different meanings.
A. Would you like a (peace, piece) of chocolate
cake?
B. The fundraiser was for world (peace, piece).
C. The (principal, principle) of the school gave a
speech at the assembly.
D. To be honest with others is a (principal,
principle) that I live by.


pp. 255, 618
#25

judicious: adjective. exercising sound judgment;
discreet

Because he drove while drunk, a local college student
failed to use judicious behavior.
Quick Write: As a part of his court sentence, the
judge has ordered Frank to visit
a local high school to warn teenagers
against drinking and driving. Create a
speech outline for Frank that emphasizes
making judicious decisions.
Writing Skill: Use the following graphic organizer to
outline your speech.







Conventions: On your own paper, combine the
following sentences into one complete
sentence using an appositive.

Spike Lee has made many films about social issues.
He is an African American director.
Franks
actions
Consequences
Message to
audience
Lesson
learned
pp. 102-104, 599
#26

elicit: verb. to draw out; to evoke

I tried to think of a funny remark to elicit a response
from my music teacher.
Quick Write: You have a student in your fourth period
class who likes to elicit a response from
the teacher by doing annoying things.
Describe one specific thing he or she
does, and show your teachers response.
Writing Skill: Include dialogue that helps the reader
understand the tone of the teachers
and students voices.
Conventions: On your paper, write the irregular verb
forms to make the following sentences
correct.
A. A hush fell over the audience when she
(raised, rose) her baton to begin conducting.
B. We (set, sat) down to play a game of
Monopoly.
C. The coach has already (chose, chosen) the
first-string players.
D. In the fourteenth century, pirates (sunk,
sank) many ships.



pp. 42-44, 589
#27

chasten: verb. to punish; to scold; to reprimand

The teacher chastened the teen for her insensitive
remarks to the new student.
Quick Write: Karinas parents chastened her for
something her brother did. She decided to
be quiet about it. Write a story that
reveals the reasons for her remaining silent
and not defending herself.

Writing Skill: Use power verbs in your paragraph, such
as advise, alert, answer, calculate,
catch, challenge, deny, refute, solve, or
rectify.

Conventions: In each sentence, find the noun that should
be possessive. On your paper, write the
correct possessive forms for the nouns.
A. For years scientists gave hurricanes women
names.
B. In 1978, however, scientists began giving
hurricanes men names as well.
C. For example, the hurricane that slammed into
South Carolina coast in 1989 was called Hugo.
D. This storms winds, waves, and rains caused
widespread destruction.
E. The destruction affected the islands tourist
industry.

pp. 330-331
#28

zealous: adjective. earnest; enthusiastic; ardent;
devoted
The zealous basketball team practiced five days a week.

Quick Write: Write a television commercial that zealously
supports an environmental concern.

Writing Skill: Listed below are four ideas that could be
developed into paragraphs:
a narrative story of your first five years
explain the social classes of the 18
th
century
how hurricanes disrupt family lives
describe the geographical areas of a theme park
Next to the idea, write the best organizational
pattern that should be used:
cause and effect spatial order
compare and contrast classification
order of importance chronological order

Conventions: On your paper, combine and correctly punctuate
each set of sentences using the conjunction
given in parentheses.

A. Are you going to the beach? Are you going to the
movies? (or)
B. Building an addition to the school will be disruptive.
Everyone will suffer some inconvenience. (and)
C. The school start time changed. Fewer students were
late to school. (because)
D. The weatherman warned that there would be a hard
freeze tonight. We did not cover our outdoor plants.
(although)
pp. 63, 68-69, 592, 593
#29

banish: verb. to exile; to cast out; to expel


Steven was banished from the school dance when he started a
fight.

Quick Write: Mollys best friend talked her into leaving
campus for lunch even though it was against
school policy. Molly was so confident that she
wouldnt get caught, she made the mistake of
walking past the principals office. The
principal responded by banishing her from
attending all school activities for the next two
weeks. Write a first person account from
either the principals or Mollys point of view,
justifying or defending his/her actions.

Writing Skill: Incorporate into your first person account, at least
three transition phrases that emphasize a point
such as:
as I observed as I have stated
even more important is for this reason
there is no doubt needless to say
simply stated the truth is
without a doubt

Conventions: On your own paper, rewrite the following sentences
using the correct pronoun.

A. Jack reward hisself with a double cheeseburger and fries.
B. Maggie bought theater tickets for Jonah and myself.
C. The baseball team prides theirselves on winning the
district title.


pp. 102-104, 599
#30

formidable: adjective. inspiring fear, dread, or
awe

In Greek mythology, Hercules was given twelve formidable
tasks.

Quick Write: Pretend you are starring in a Survivor episode in
which you receive the formidable challenge of
bungee jumping for the first time, and you are
terrified of heights. Devise a four-step plan
to show how you are going to conquer your fear
so that you can complete the challenge.

Writing Skill: Use the following graphic organizer to help you
plan your strategy.








Conventions: On your paper, write each sentence using the
correct verb form.
A. Sharla has (rode, ridden) her bicycle to her best
friends house.
B. Daryl (brought, brung) his football cards to the
garage sale.
C. At the birthday party, thirsty guests (drunk, drank)
ginger-ale punch.
D. The pool floats have (lain, lied) outside in the rain.
E. Joan (sneaked, snuck) outside to visit her friend.
Goal:
First
Then
Next
Finally
pp. 262-263, 619
#31

relegate: verb. to consign to a lower position;
to assign to a given class or category
Because Brian missed three practices, Coach Stevens
relegated him to the second-string soccer team.

Quick Write: Brian missed soccer practice because he caught
the flu. He feels he should not be relegated to
second string because he was sick. Draft an
appeal to the athletic director from Brians
viewpoint. List three reasons why Brian should
be put back on the first-string soccer team,
and elaborate each with support.

Writing Skill: Use a proper business letter format which
includes
heading
greeting
body
closing
signature

Conventions: On your paper, write the following phrases or
sentences correctly, inserting a colon for each.

A. To whom it may concern
B. Dear Sir
C. The spring concert begins at 6 30 P.M. and ends at
8 00 P.M.
D. Please purchase the following items milk, bread,
crackers, and jelly.


pp. 140-141, 604
#32

extol: verb. to praise; to glorify; to honor

The football coach extolled the all-state quarterback
for his outstanding athletic abilities.


Quick Write: Tomorrow is your mothers birthday, and
you have no money to purchase a gift
for her. Because she loves poetry,
write a free-verse poem to your mother
extolling her virtues.

Writing Skill: Incorporate alliteration into your poem.
Alliteration is the use of two or more
words with the same beginning sound.


Conventions: On your paper, write each sentence
using the correct adjective or adverb.
Then next to the sentence letter,
write whether the word was used as an
adjective (adj.) or adverb (adv.).


A. We (proud, proudly) Cardinals will trounce the Tigers!
B. Whoops! Mom (near, nearly) missed the turnoff.
C. Tiffany talks on the telephone (hour, hourly).
D. The engine is (real, really) quite powerful.
E. Do you have a (clear, clearly) view of the mountains?



pp. 230-241, 615-616
#33

imminent: adjective. about to happen; near at
hand; likely to occur at any moment

As thunder and lightning struck close by, Mitch knew he was in
imminent danger.
Quick Write: Create a press release from the
weather bureau warning the public to
take shelter during a thunderstorm to
avoid the imminent danger from lightning
strikes.
Writing Skill: Include time, date, cities affected,
places of safe shelter, and dangers to
avoid.
Conventions: On your paper, write the following
sentences, correcting the errors in
capitalization.
A. we visited the grand tetons in Yellowstone
national park.
B. gary tried to play the english horn.
C. The spanish, french, and mexican flags once
flew over texas.
D. The u.s. constitution and the declaration of
independence are two important American
documents.


pp. 137-139, 604
#34

cower: verb. to stand or crouch quivering in
fear

The young Collie puppy cowered as the gigantic
Doberman growled menacingly.
Quick Write: Imagine that you have designed a
haunted house that will leave those who
enter cowering in fear. Describe your
haunted house in a way that will make
your reader shudder.

Writing Skill: Use at least one of each of the
following sentence types: declarative,
interrogative, imperative, and
exclamatory.
Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the following
sentences using the correct comparative
and superlative adjective forms.
A. Julie is the tallest of the two sisters.
B. Of the five sisters, Mary is the beautifulest.
C. Between the book and the movie, which do you
like best?
D. Among all flavors of ice cream, which is your
more favorite?



pp. 8-15, 584-586
#35

cajole: verb. to wheedle; to coax

After much cajoling, Tiffany successfully convinced her
parents to buy her a car for her high school graduation.

Quick Write: Write a paragraph in which you cajole your
parents to permit you to spend a school night
at a friends house. Include convincing dialogue.

Writing Skill: Transitions clarify the relationships between
details, sentences, and paragraphs. Transitions
also help organize your writing. Include several
transition words in your Quick Write such as:
after all, and another thing, just think about it,
let me begin, more important, the best thing of
all, here is another reason why, in any event,
there is no doubt, to illustrate my point,
another consideration, without a doubt.

Conventions: On your paper, write and label the simple
subjects and the simple predicates of the
following sentences.

A. The patient coughed and wheezed while he waited for
the doctor.
B. Bill and Mike mowed and raked the yard.
C. The team and the captain attended the banquet.
D. Do you know your literary terms?





pp. 256-257, 618
#36

intrepid: adjective. outstandingly courageous;
fearless

The intrepid teenager quickly called 911 and saved his
neighbors life.
Quick Write: The neighbor whose life was saved by
the intrepid teenager feels lucky to be
alive. Write a letter from the neighbors
point of view to ask the police
department to honor the teen for his
heroic actions.
Writing Skill: Include in the letter: names of
individuals involved, the danger involved,
heroic actions, and the neighbors
personal request.
Conventions: On your paper, write the following
phrases and sentences, correctly
inserting commas.
A. Dear Mary
B. Sincerely yours
C. Todd visited Chicago Illinois last month.
D. Anne and Charles were married on September
13 2006 in New York.
E. The companys address is 4814 Laurel Lane
Louisville Kentucky 40299.


pp. 126-128, 134-136, 140-141, 602-604
#37

abscond: verb. to run away and hide; to
leave hastily and secretively

We are confident that our local police will catch a
thief that absconds with stolen goods.

Quick Write: Picture a scene in which a thief
absconds with one of your favorite
possessions. You want that possession
back because of its sentimental value.
Write an ad for the newspaper in which
you state what was stolen and why the
thief must return the stolen item to you.

Writing Skill: Use persuasive language, and conclude
with a strong call to action.

Conventions: On your paper, write the underlined
words below and label them as
adjectives or adverbs.

really smart never alone singing well
courageous diver tastes good good listener





pp. 638-641
#38

exhilarate: verb. to cause to feel happily refreshed
and energetic; to invigorate

We are exhilarated by the cool, pine-scented air.

Quick Write: Write a paragraph about a time when you were
exhilarated by an event or experience. Explain the
event or experience and how it made you feel.

Writing Skill: Listed below are examples of famous writers who
have effectively begun their sentences with
prepositional phrases. After you read them, model
the style in your Quick Write.
At the heels trotted a dog, a big native husky. (Jack London)
At that height, about 6,200 feet, the air is like wine. (Ernest
Hemmingway)

Conventions: On your paper, write the sentences below using the
correct homonyms. Homonyms are words that sound
alike, but are spelled differently and have different
meanings.

A. Please place all of your belongings over (there, their,
theyre).
B. (There, Their, Theyre) going to visit Disneyland.
C. The family put (there, their, theyre) groceries on the
picnic table.
D. Are you going (to, too, two) the spring concert?
E. There are (to, too, two) ways to complete the math
problem.
F. Its (to, too, two) dangerous to ride a bike without a
helmet.


pp. 25-27, 588
#39

agile: adjective. readily able to move quickly
and easily; nimble; mentally quick and
resourceful

Jamie is so agile that she competes in four track
events at every meet.
Quick Write: Track Star magazine wants to do a
feature article on Jamies weekly
training program that promotes agility.
Write an outline of her training program
to submit to the magazine.
Writing Skill: Include in the outline the number of
days per week to use the program, five
exercises for agility, and the number of
repetitions for each exercise.

Conventions: On your paper, add words or phrases to
create a sentence from the following
fragments:

A. one day after school
B. when he finished track practice
C. rode the skateboard to the park
D. answering the ringing cell phone
E. laughing at the joke


pp. 404-405, 410
#40

astute: adjective. shrewd; discerning; aware

The astute editor found several errors in the authors
final manuscript.

Quick Write: You are taking part in a scavenger hunt.
You must be very astute to find the
final item and win the prize. Describe
the situation, the final item, the way
you found it, and the place where it was
hiding. Explain why the prize was worth
all the hard work or not.

Writing Skill: Use a variety of sentence beginnings,
and underline them.

Conventions: On your paper from each pair below,
write the item that is specific.

car Saturn
hamburger food
worker professor
bird cardinal
language French




pp. 138-139, 604
#41

fortuitous: adjective. happening by chance;
lucky; fortunate

Winning the lottery was a fortuitous occasion for the
surprised convenience store worker.

Quick Write: On a fortuitous day, Mark discovered
a one-hundred dollar bill tucked in the
library book that he checked out on his
birthday. However, he also had to decide
what he would do with the money. Write a
brief narrative to show how he handled the
situation and the effects that his decision
had on others.
Writing Skill: Include at least one metaphor. Metaphors
are figures of speech that make
comparisons without using the words like
or as. Example: His face, a stone mask,
revealed nothing.
Conventions: On your paper, write the correct form of
the word good for each sentence listed
below.

A. Juan is a _______ tennis player.
B. However, his friend plays tennis _________ than
he does.
C. Surprisingly, his younger sister is the
__________ tennis player of all.


pp. 23-24, 587
#42

bucolic: adjective. rustic; pastoral; charmingly
rural

I love to picnic under the oaks at my grandmothers
bucolic country home.
Quick Write: Write a paragraph in which you choose
either the city or the county to live for
one year. Compare the two before
deciding, and then let the reader know
your choice in your strong concluding
sentence.
Writing skill: Use sensory imagery and onomatopoeia
for comparing both the city and the
country.
Conventions: On your paper write the direct objects
in the following sentences.

A. The principal awarded three students free
passes to the movies.
B. Lakes and rivers provide recreation for summer
travelers.
C. A shop in my town sells surfboards and
wetsuits at half price.




pp. 12-13, 152-154, 585, 606
#43

chronic: adjective. continuous; constant; lasting
a long time

Kylas chronic whining caused her peers to leave whenever
she entered the room.
Quick Write: Your cousin is a chronic complainer who
whines about every thing. Your mother
insists that you do some activity with your
cousin once every week. You realize that
your cousins chronic complaining is ruining
your good times together. Choose one of
the following topics to write about.
A. A letter to your mother explaining what your
cousin does and how you feel about it.
B. A letter to your cousin to help him understand
how his complaining is affecting you.
C. A parody of your cousins whining, so that he will
understand how irritating his complaining is.
Writing Skill: Use the tone and voice that best portrays
the purpose of your writing.
Conventions: On your paper, write the underlined phrases
from the sentences below; label them as
either prepositional phrase (PP) or verb
phrase (VP).

I was buying some candy in the drugstore when I
suspected that a squirrel with a bushy tail might
have scooted by.
pp. 250-252, 617
#44

arduous: adjective. requiring great exertion;
laborious; difficult; strenuous

The family hikes the arduous trails of the Smoky Mountains
every summer.

Quick Write: Write a paragraph describing an arduous
challenge that you have experienced this school
year. For example, completing the mile run in
physical education; participating in a basketball
game; or completing a five-page report. Tell
whether or not you were successful in the
challenge.

Writing Skill: Choose a conclusion from the list below to end
your paragraph:
Restating the main idea
Asking a question
Making a recommendation
Ending with the last event
Generalizing about your information
Write a quote from a person, poem, song, or story

Conventions: On your paper, write the following sentences
to include the correct end punctuation.


A. Did you remember to fill out the application form
B. What a lovely day it is
C. The baseball game was nine innings
D. Are you going home after school
E. Complete your assignment


pp. 326-327, 336
#45

abysmal: adjective. utterly hopeless; bottomless;
immeasurable

Because of his poor attitude, Joshs chances for
getting a summer job are abysmal.
Quick Write: Your friend Josh is looking for a summer
job; he has developed a long list of the
ones he is sure he would not want to do.
Write him a letter of advice that
encourages him to try a job on his list.
Give specific details about the effects
of being flexible and trying something
new.
Writing Skill: Include a personal anecdote in your
letter that will help Josh see your point.
Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the following
sentences, making items consistent and
parallel.
A. The fireman arrived at the burning building,
were pulling down their ladders, and went to
hook up hoses to the fire hydrant.

B. It is always wise to look before crossing the
street, to use the crosswalk, and be watching
the streetlights carefully.


pp. 638-641
#46
exotic: adjective. introduced from another
country; strikingly or excitingly different
or unusual
Kathy traveled to the beautiful country of Greece and toured
its exotic islands.

Quick Write: Students in seventh grade study ancient Greece
in World Cultures class. Write a creative travel
brochure for the exotic country of Greece.
Include geographical region, climate, cuisine,
music, dances, and culture.

Writing Skill: Include in your travel brochure descriptive
words such as crystal clear, swirling,
splashing, bubbly, fresh, flowery, exciting,
uplifting, beautiful, peaceful, delightful, and
brilliant.

Conventions: On your paper, write the sentences below using
the correct homonyms. Homonyms are words
that sound alike, but are spelled differently and
have different meanings.
A. Jane should listen to the (advise, advice) of her
doctor.
B. The teacher will (advise, advice) the student about
registration for classes
C. The world news (affected, effected) him deeply.
D. What (affect, effect) did the seven-period day have
on scheduling?
E. The family was (all ready, already) for their winter
vacation.
F. We had (all ready, already) mowed the lawn before it
rained.

pp. 192-193, 610
#47

winsome: adjective. causing joy or pleasure;
cheerful
Walt Disney created many winsome cartoon characters
that delight children.
Quick Write: Write a description of your favorite
winsome character from a book, movie,
or television program. Show what makes
this character appealing to you. Include
a physical description as well as the
characters words or actions.
Writing Skill: Hyperbole is extreme exaggeration that can
add humor to writing. Describe your
winsome character, using hyperbole.
Example: While singing a Western tune,
Pecos Bill expertly lassoed and tamed ten
coyotes at once.
Conventions: On your own paper, combine the
following two sentences to form one
complex sentence.

The police arrived at the scene of the crime
immediately after the 911 call.

The neighbors anxiously gathered in the street.



pp. 14-15, 23-24, 47-48, 586, 587, 591
#48

erudite: adjective. scholarly; learned; polished

My erudite neighbor reads so many books that I feel
ignorant by comparison.
Quick Write: In your class is an erudite student who
definitely knows more than anyone else.
Create a personality profile for this
student to show how he or she shares
information and works on a team with
other students. Include description and
dialogue in your writing.
Writing Skill: Use one compound and one complex
sentence.
Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the following
sentences, and underline the compounds.
Label them as compound subjects,
compound verbs, compound direct
objects, or compound objects of
prepositions.
A. Molly and Moe gave cards and presents to
their teachers and librarians at the end of the
year.
B. Rani washed and dried the dishes and silver;
he then cleaned and polished the counters and
sink carefully.

pp. 26, 262, 619
#49

duplicity: noun. deception by pretense;
double-dealing; dishonesty

The teacher discovered the duplicity when she
realized that Erin had taken the test for her twin
sister, Elaine.
Quick Write: The identical Mercer twins were capable
of great duplicity when it suited their
needs. Create a story in which these
duplicitous twins fool their friends,
teachers, or parents. Build suspense in
the reader as the story reaches a
climax in which the twins get caught.
Writing Skill: Begin your story with a lead in which
one twin is bragging to the other that
there is no way they will get caught.
Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the following
run-on sentences, punctuating correctly.

A. We visited a museum it had several Indian
artifacts and documents

B. Hermits live alone they like isolated sites far
from the public



pp. 213-221, 226-227, 613-614
#50

jocose: adjective. given to joking; merry;
humorous
The jocose comedian had the audience laughing so hard,
tears splashed down their faces.

Quick Write: We all know individuals who are jocose and
have a gift for making us laugh and smile.
Think of a friend or family member who
makes you laugh. Describe in a paragraph
his/her humorous personality and behavior.

Writing Skill: Rewrite at least two of your sentences to
include superlatives. A superlative form of
an adjective compares three or more
things. Superlatives can make statements
more meaningful, emphatic, or
exaggerated.

Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the following
sentences so that the subjects and verbs
agree in number.
A. What game does British people play with a bat?
B. Eleven players is on a team.
C. Both of our names is listed on the application
form.
D. Each of the students are attending the sport
event.


pp. 137-139, 149, 604
#51

ponder: verb. to think about carefully;
to deliberate
A good detective will ponder all motives for a crime.

Quick Write: Pretend that you are the lead detective
investigating a bank robbery involving
millions of dollars. Ponder how you are
going to proceed with the case.
Brainstorm and create a list explaining the
steps you will take to solve the case.

Writing Skill: Organize these steps in chronological
order.

Conventions: On your paper, write the correct
adjective for each sentence.

A. The musical was the (most funniest, funniest)
I have ever seen.
B. Wilma Rudolph was one of the (most greatest,
greatest) runners in U.S. history.
C. The acrobat jumped (higher, highest) today
than yesterday.
D. Tim enjoyed eating pepperoni pizza (more,
most) than eating cheese pizza.



pp. 230-241, 615-616
#52

abolish: verb. to bring to an end; to
destroy completely

Because of the hurricanes, the town was forced to
abolish old building codes.
Quick Write: Brainstorm a list of rules you would like
to see abolished at your school. Choose
one item, and write a letter to your
school principal to identify two reasons
for your proposal. With details
persuade him/her to change the rule.
Writing Skill: Include the four types of sentences:
declarative, imperative, exclamatory,
and interrogative in your writing.
Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the following
sentences, correcting any capitalization
errors.

A. Dr. james edwards is helping me learn to
speak and read spanish.
B. When you register for your spring classes, be
sure to sign up for algebra I.
C. Mom purchased crest toothpaste and archway
cookies at target.
D. When my relatives from the midwest visit,
they must turn south onto airport blvd.

pp. 92-94, 597
#53

affluent: adjective. rich; wealthy; lavish

My affluent neighbors bought a large yacht last week.
Quick Write: Many books have been written about how
to become affluent. Write a paragraph
explaining how you think a teenager could
become affluent by the time he or she
is thirty. Show the steps that would be
necessary to attain affluence.
Writing skill: Choose one term that you have used in
your paragraph and define it for a
reader who might not fully understand
what you mean.
Conventions: On your paper, rewrite the following
sentences to eliminate linking verbs by
replacing them with strong action verbs.
You may rearrange, change, delete, or
add words.

A. The author is intelligent as a writer and is
humorous.

B. Baseball is a sport that teaches coordination,
and it is good exercise.



pp. 76-78, 595
#54

ambiguous: adjective. doubtful or uncertain;
unclear

The parent questioned the ambiguous and conflicting
guidelines for field trips.

Quick Write: Choose one of the following characters, and
have him or her encounter an ambiguous
situation. Describe the characters
dilemma, and explain the situation so that
the reader can visualize it.
a fugitive from the law a social climber
a new student a former movie star

Writing Skill: Include at least two examples of
personification, a figure of speech in which
an idea, object, or animal is given
characteristics of a person.

Conventions: On your own paper, rewrite the sentences
with the correct pronoun forms.
A. All of the tourists want his or her own
individualized itinerary.
B. None of them have eaten his or her lunch.
C. Each told the tour director what they wanted to
see.
D. Anyone who has not filled out their customs form
will de detained.

pp. 264-265, 620
#55

nullify: verb. to declare legally void; to annul;
to abrogate; to negate
Because no parent signature appeared on the permission slip,
the teacher nullified the form.

Quick Write: Dylan purchased a digital camera and filled out
the ninety-day warranty card. Ten days after
Dylan purchased the camera, it stopped working.
Write an outline Dylan can use to explain why
the store should replace his camera rather than
nullify his warranty.

Writing Skill: Use the following graphic organizer to plan
your writing.










Conventions: On your paper, correctly hyphenate the
following words.

A. three fifths C. brother in law
B. time out D. fifty nine


Problem
People involved
Time frame to
resolve the problem
Possible solutions
pp. 262-263, 619
#56

paltry: adjective. ridiculously or insultingly
small; not worth considering

The millionaires donation of one hundred dollars to
charity was a paltry gift from a wealthy man.
Quick Write: You have picked through your extensive closet
and donated one paltry bag of old clothing to
your cousin. Describe his or her reactions as
he or she pulls each worn item of clothing out
of the bag. Include the effects of receiving
your discarded clothes on your cousin.
Writing Skill: Incorporate in your writing several of
the following emotion words:
bewildered
bothered
useless
ugly
rejected
discarded
slighted
worn-out
ashamed
humiliated
Conventions: On your paper, rewrite each of the
following sentences, using semicolons
where needed.
A. Mack raced up the basketball court his
defender closed in.
B. The referee watched the players closely Mack
committed a foul.
C. Jim faked a shot his defender was fooled.

pp. 6-7, 584
#57

taciturn: adjective. reluctant to join in
conversation; inclined to silence

On stage the shy, taciturn actress transformed into a
chatty character.

Quick Write: Create a brief narrative in which an
outgoing, verbose character tries to talk
to a taciturn character about a movie
they have both recently seen. Include
dialogue in which the enthusiastic
character motivates the taciturn one to
engage in conversation.

Writing Skill: Punctuate dialogue correctly, and vary
your tags.

Conventions: On your paper, write and label the
complete subject and the complete
predicate of each sentence below.

A. A winding path led to a hidden treasure in the
forest.
B. The early morning sky dripped with dew.
C. Good news and good food are always welcome.
D. The young boys fished and swam after school.


pp. 638-641
#58

vindicate: verb. to clear from blame or
suspicion; to acquit

Toms lawyer was able to vindicate Toms reputation when the
actual criminal confessed.

Quick Write: Amelias reputation was ruined. The only person
who knew the truth which could vindicate Amelia
was a cousin who lived a thousand miles away.
This cousin had actually done the dastardly
deed for which Amelia was accused. Write a
letter in which Amelia asks her cousin to come
clean to restore Amelias reputation. Explain to
her cousin the benefits of setting the record
straight.

Writing Skill: Include at least one complex sentence. A
complex sentence has an independent clause and
a dependent clause joined by a subordinating
conjunction. Example: The students are getting
better grades because they are working to the
best of their ability.

Conventions: On your own paper, rewrite the sentences, and
use the correct word from the parentheses.

A. We will (accept, except) all applications (accept,
except) those submitted after the deadline.
B. In high school, I was taller (than, then) Jack, but
(than, then) he had a growth spurt.
C. Jane can play the guitar beautifully, but she is (to,
too) shy (to, too) go on stage.
D. (Theyre, their, there) preparing for (theyre, their,
there) performance.
pp. 254-255, 618
#59

baffle: verb. to perplex; to puzzle

Certain questions on standardized tests often baffle
students.
Quick Write: Stan baffled his parents with his
unusual behavior. His parents response
to this behavior then baffled Stan.
Describe Stans behavior and his parents
response; show how the confusion was
resolved.
Writing Skill: Similes are figures of speech that
compare two unlike things and use the
words like or as. Include at least
one simile in your paragraph, such as:
-as free as a butterfly just out of its cocoon
-the surface of the water glistened like diamonds
-sobbing like a baby with an empty bottle
-as cold as a polar bears nose
-as confusing as a Rubiks cube
Conventions: On your own paper, write the sentence
that is punctuated correctly and explain
why it is correct.
A. Yes, Jane I remembered to call John.
B. Yes Jane, I remembered to call John.
C. Yes, Jane, I remembered to call John.

pp. 58-64, 591-592
#60

chortle: verb. to laugh gleefully; to chuckle

Tim chortled as he watched his favorite cartoon show.
Quick Write: Describe a scene in which it is
absolutely forbidden that anyone should
laugh out loud. Imagine sitting next to a
friend who chortles when he or she
laughs when something very funny occurs
at this place. Include descriptive detail
about the place, the event, and your
friends reaction.
Writing Skill: Use an amusing or surprising conclusion for an
ending to your story.
Conventions: Rewrite the sentences on your paper, using the
correct pronoun.

A. Between you and (me, I), summer vacation is
the best time to go fishing.
B. As Jane answered the telephone, she
responded, This is (her, she).
C. Mike and (he, him) are going to help us with
the yard work.
D. (We, Us) will go to the movies on Saturday.