PSSA - Central Dauphin School District
Skill #1: Vocabulary in Context
Note: When you come across an unfamiliar word you should use the following vocabulary
in context clues to determine its meaning.
1. Word Parts – Does the unfamiliar term contain a prefix, root word or suffix that is familiar?
➢ Ex: immoral – You know the root word ‘moral’ means ‘good’ and you know the prefix ‘im’ means ‘not’; therefore, you would be able to determine the word immoral signifies something or someone that is ‘not good’ or ‘bad’
2. Context – take a look at the sentence or the paragraph in which the unfamiliar word occurs.
Figure out the overall mood and main idea. Then, evaluate the multiple choice
answers to find the term that most nearly connects to the mood and main idea you
have identified.
➢ Ex. After receiving a Nintendo Wii for his birthday, Frederick was in a jovial mood. What does the word jovial most nearly mean?
o A. angry B. confused C. sad D. happy E. irritated
➢ If you did not know the meaning of the word jovial, you could evaluate the main idea and mood of the sentence. The main idea is related to a boy receiving a gift on his birthday. The gift is an expensive and popular video game; therefore, you can determine the mood of the passage is an upbeat or happy one. Knowing the mood and main idea you are able to choose the word ‘happy’ to correctly identify the synonym of jovial.
Additional Types of Context Clues
Directions: View the outlined notes in the chart below from
Montgomery College.edu.@
|Type of Context Clue |Definition |Signals |Examples |
|Antonym or Contrast Clue |Phrases or words that indicate |but, in contrast, however, instead |Unlike his quiet and low key family, Brad is|
| |opposite |of, unlike, yet |garrulous. |
|Definition or Example Clue |Phrases or words that define or |is defined as, means, the term, [a |Sedentary individuals, people who are not |
| |explain |term in boldface or italics] set |very active, often have diminished health. |
| | |off with commas | |
|General Knowledge |The meaning is derived from the |the information may be something |Lourdes is always kissing up to the boss, |
| |experience and background knowledge |basically familiar to you |even in front of others. That sycophant just|
| |of the reader; "common sense" and | |doesn't care what others think of her |
| |logic. | |behavior. |
|Restatement or Synonym Clue |Another word or phrase with the same |in other words, that is, also known|The dromedary, commonly called a camel, |
| |or a similar meaning is used. |as, sometimes called, or |stores fat in its hump. |
Skill #1: Vocabulary in Context Guided Practice
Directions: Apply your understanding of context clues to correctly complete the following questions.
1. The thought of eating a rat is abhorrent to most people. What does abhorrent probably mean?
A) fun, lively B) horrible, repugnant C) delicious, tasty D) sweet, sugary
2. Petra has so many friends because she is a gregarious person. What does gregarious probably
mean?
A) introverted, self-contained B) shy, quiet C) friendly, outgoing D) rude, hostile
3. The hill was too arduous for us to climb. We had to walk our bicycles up the hill. What does
arduous probably mean?
A) tall, sharp B) fun, exciting C) easy, not challenging D) difficult, steep
4. The pianist is quite adept. He plays beautifully. What does adept probably mean?
A.) few skills B.) wealthy C.) highly skilled D.) poor
5.) I think you can understand even though the point is tacit. What does tacit probably mean?
A.) unspoken B.) following soon after C.) made clear D.) selfish
6.) Your response to her question was rather terse. You could practice patience. What does terse
probably mean?
A.) brief B.) unspoken C.) made clear D.) full of meaning
7.) Joseph always dropped the names of the famous people his father knew as a way to
aggrandize his personal stature. What does aggrandize probably mean?
A.) increase B.) deflect C.) describe D.) belittle
8.) For some reason, Chuck loved to help his mother whenever he could. Therefore, when his
mother asked him to set the table he did so with alacrity. What does alacrity probably mean?
A.) complaining B.) eagerness C.) ease D.) carelessness
9.) The sign hung upon the edifice to signal the restaurant’s entryway. What does edifice probably
mean?
A.) post B.) string C.) structure D.) worker
10.) When the tightrope began to break on opening night, the tightrope walker found himself in yet
another precarious situation. What does precarious probably mean?
A.) fun B.) miserable C.) confusing D.) unsteady
Some practice questions adapted from:
• “Words-In-Context.” @
• “The Longman Vocabulary Website.” @
Skill #1: Vocabulary in Context Independent Application
Directions: Apply your mastery of context clues to complete the following activities.
Activity #1:
1) Select a newspaper article(s) and identify at least five new words from the article(s).
2) After you have selected your vocabulary words, construct a PSSA style vocabulary in context quiz that contains questions for each of your selected terms.
o Copy the article sentence in which the word occurs and make four multiple choice answers underneath the quoted sentence of possible meanings for your word.
o Make an answer key on the back of your quiz that indicates the correct answers.
(3) Be prepared to challenge your partner with your quiz (
Activity #2:
(1) Makeup five brand new words (!
(2) Give each new word a definition
Ex. Mubgub – (noun); complaint or dissatisfaction
(3) Write a creative one page short story, letter, or essay that uses your five new words and clearly
conveys their meaning through context.
(4) Review your notes for vocabulary in context and types of context clues to clearly convey the
meaning of your new words in your written text.
(5) In your written text, underline each of your new words.
(6) On the back of your text, list your words. Next to each word, write its intended definition.
You also must write a 1-3 sentence explanation of the context clue you used to convey your
fictional term’s meaning in the text.
(8) Be prepared to share your story and challenge the class (
Possible Writing Ideas
You may choose to respond to one of the following prompts or create your own original creative text to successfully complete Activity #2
#1: Imagine you were challenged to spend $10,000 dollars in one day. How would you do it?
#2: Imagine you woke up and saw a dinosaur in your backyard. Write a story telling what you see
and what you do.
#3: Imagine you opened your own restaurant. Explain its name, décor and menu.
#4: If you could have lunch with any famous person who would it be? Describe your lunch.
#5: Write a story entitled, “My Day on a Spaceship”.
#6: Invent a new kind of sandwich. Describe what’s on it and how to make it.
#7: Begin your story with, “When you follow your heart…”
#8: Begin your story with, “It was a dark and stormy night…”
#9: Begin your story with, “Once upon a time…”
#10: Begin your story with, “They use to be best friends…”
Skill #2: Determining Main Idea
Main Idea Notes
• The main idea of a paragraph is what all the sentences are about.
• Read the paragraph and ask, “What’s your point?” That will help you zero in on the main idea.
Skill #2: Main Idea Guided Practice
Directions: Complete the following questions from “Reading Comprehension Volume 6” @ each paragraph carefully. Choose the best answer to the questions that follow.
1. Juan loves to play games. His favorite game is chess because it requires a great deal of thought. Juan also likes to play less demanding board games that are based mostly on luck. He prefers Monopoly because it requires luck and skill. If he’s alone, Juan likes to play action video games as long as they aren’t too violent.
What is the main idea of this paragraph?
a. Juan dislikes violence. b. Juan likes to think.
c. Juan enjoys Monopoly. d. Juan enjoys playing games.
2. Maria is watching too much television. A toddler shouldn’t be spending hours staring blankly at a screen. Worse yet, some of her wild behavior has been inspired by those awful cartoons she watches. We need to spend more time reading books with her and pull the plug on the TV!
What is the main idea of this paragraph?
a. Watching a lot of television isn’t good for Maria. b. Maria watches television.
c. All cartoons are bad. d. Some cartoons are bad for Maria.
3. Samantha, I can’t eat or sleep when you are gone. I need to hear your scratchy voice and see your lovely toothless smile. I miss that special way that you eat soup with your fingers. Please come home soon!
What is the main idea of this paragraph?
a. Samantha, you have bad manners. b. Samantha, you should see a dentist.
c. Samantha, I miss you. d. Samantha, I have lost my appetite.
4. Someday we will all have robots that will be our personal servants. They will look and behave much like real humans. We will be able to talk to these mechanical helpers and they will be able to respond in kind. Amazingly, the robots of the future will be able to learn from experience. They will be smart, strong, and untiring workers whose only goal will be to make our lives easier.
Which sentence from the paragraph expresses the main idea?
a. Someday we will all have robots that will be our personal servants.
b. We will be able to talk to these mechanical helpers and they will be able to respond in kind.
c. They will look and behave much like real humans.
d. Amazingly, the robots of the future will be able to learn from experience.
Skill #2: Main Idea Independent Application
Directions: Apply your mastery of identifying main ideas to complete the following activities.
Activity #1: Label the Main Idea
Directions: (1) Read the following paragraphs and determine its main idea (2)Underneath each passage, identified in the main idea and list three supporting details that led you to your identification of the main idea.
Passage 1
Many parents tend to think of day-care centers as breeding grounds for colds. But new research suggests that children in day-care centers appear to develop immunity to many of the viruses responsible for the common cold. An article published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine found that children ages 6 to 11 who had been enrolled at large day-care centers as toddlers had about one-third as many colds as children who had stayed home as toddlers. Dr. Thomas Ball, one of the authors of the study, says that when children have colds as toddlers, their immune systems are learning from these experiences, and this learning will come back to protect children later in life. Such news should be reassuring to parents whose preschool children are in daycare.
Main Idea: ___________________________________________________________________
Supporting Details:
1.
2.
3.
Passage 2
On Monday, my daughter came down with a cold. On Tuesday, my son inadvertently dropped his glasses into the creek behind our house. On Wednesday, I did not turn the oven on while I was "baking" the roast. And Thursday, the driver behind me at the drive-thru decided to drive through me. This has certainly been a bad week for me!
Main Idea: ___________________________________________________________________
Supporting Details:
1.
2.
3.
Activity #2: Award Speech
Directions:
(1) Imagine you have just won a prestigious award (Oscar, Grammy, Heisman, etc..).
(2) On a separate sheet of paper write a 25 – 50 word speech that identifies and clearly explains
the main reason you believe you have won this award.
(3) After you have written your paragraph, switch with your partner to see if they are able to identify
the main idea.
(4) Be prepared to share your response, as well as partner analysis (
Skill #3: Determining Theme
Theme Notes
(1) the abstract concept explored in a literary work
(2) frequently recurring ideas, such as enjoy-life while-you-can
(3) repetition of a meaningful element in a work, such as references to sight, vision, and blindness
Skill #3: Theme Guided Practice
Directions: Complete the questions listed to the right of each paint.
Skill #3: Theme Guided Practice
Directions: (1) Read the following poems and determine each poem’s theme.
(2) Answer the questions listed to the right of each poem to identify the poem’s theme
and defend your theme identification.
Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.
Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.
Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.
Fire and Ice by Robert Frost
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
Skill #3: Theme Independent Application
Directions: Apply your mastery of identifying themes to complete the following activities.
Activity #1: Label the Theme
Directions: (1) Read the following poems and determine each poem’s theme.
(2) Answer the questions listed to the right of each poem to identify the poem’s theme
and defend your theme identification.
The Chimney Sweeper) by William Blake
When my mother died I was very young,
And my father sold me while yet my tongue,
Could scarcely cry weep weep weep weep,
So your chimneys I sweep & in soot I sleep.
There’s little Tom Dacre, who cried when his head
That curled like a lambs back was shav'd, so I said.
Hush Tom never mind it, for when your head's bare,
You know that the soot cannot spoil your white hair
And so he was quiet. & that very night.
As Tom was a sleeping he had such a sight
That thousands of sweepers Dick, Joe, Ned, & Jack
Were all of them lock'd up in coffins of black,
And by came an Angel who had a bright key
And he open'd the coffins & set them all free.
Then down a green plain leaping laughing they run
And wash in a river and shine in the Sun.
Then naked & white, all their bags left behind.
They rise upon clouds, and sport in the wind.
And the Angel told Tom, if he'd be a good boy,
He'd have God for his father & never want joy.
And so Tom awoke and we rose in the dark
And got with our bags & our brushes to work.
Tho' the morning was cold, Tom was happy & warm
So if all do their duty, they need not fear harm.
The Unknown Citizen by W. H. Auden
(To JS/07 M 378
This Marble Monument
Is Erected by the State)
He was found by the Bureau of Statistics to be
One against whom there was no official complaint,
And all the reports on his conduct agree
That, in the modern sense of an old-fashioned word, he was a
saint,
For in everything he did he served the Greater Community.
Except for the War till the day he retired
He worked in a factory and never got fired,
But satisfied his employers, Fudge Motors Inc.
Yet he wasn't a scab or odd in his views,
For his Union reports that he paid his dues,
(Our report on his Union shows it was sound)
And our Social Psychology workers found
That he was popular with his mates and liked a drink.
The Press are convinced that he bought a paper every day
And that his reactions to advertisements were normal in every way.
Policies taken out in his name prove that he was fully insured,
And his Health-card shows he was once in hospital but left it cured.
Both Producers Research and High-Grade Living declare
He was fully sensible to the advantages of the Instalment Plan
And had everything necessary to the Modern Man,
A phonograph, a radio, a car and a frigidaire.
Our researchers into Public Opinion are content
That he held the proper opinions for the time of year;
When there was peace, he was for peace: when there was war, he went.
He was married and added five children to the population,
Which our Eugenist says was the right number for a parent of his
generation.
And our teachers report that he never interfered with their
education.
Was he free? Was he happy? The question is absurd:
Had anything been wrong, we should certainly have heard.
Activity #2: Create a Series of Poems or a Poem with a Collage
Directions: (1) Decide upon a theme (sports, love, friendship, technology, hope, etc…)
(2) Choose one of the following creative extension projects and complete
Choice #1 - Create a journal that contains five original poems that deal with the same theme
Choice #2 – Create one poem and a companion collage that clearly conveys your chosen theme
Remember all content and/or images must be school appropriate
Skill #4: Inference
Inference Notes
(1) Inference - the act or process of deriving logical conclusions from premises known or assumed
to be true; the act of reasoning from factual knowledge or evidence.
(2) When you infer, you must evaluate the novel’s context, theme, direct characterization and
indirect characterization to make a correct conclusion concerning a given question about the text.
(3) Example inference questions are: “Why did the character…?”or “What will happen next?”
Skill #4: Inference Guided Practice
Directions: Complete the target inference graphic organizer listed below.
(1) Select a text and a character from that text.
(2) Place your character in the center of the target
(3) Find six quotes from or about your character that reveal his or her character. Then in
the outer strand, explain what they mean. Be sure to include citation information
|Text: |
|Character |
Skill #4: Inference Independent Practice
Activity #1: Independent Analysis
Directions: Individually, complete the target inference graphic organizer listed below.
(1) Select a text and a character from that text.
(2) Place your character in the center of the target
(3) Find six quotes from or about your character that reveal his or her character. Then in
the outer strand, explain what they mean. Be sure to include citation information
|Text: |
|Character |
Activity #2: What Would They Do?
Directions: Work with your partner to complete the following steps.
(1) Make a list of any five characters we have studied this year.
(2) Complete the following chart for each character you have listed.
(3) Be prepared to share and defend your response(
|Character’s Name |Situation |Character’s Reaction |Explanation of Inference |
| |Your character is standing in line when two | | |
| |individuals rudely cut in front of them. | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| |Your character is put in charge of planning a | | |
| |school assembly. | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| |Your character wins $100 on an instant lottery | | |
| |ticket. | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| |Your character discovers they have a super | | |
| |power (You decide the power (). | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| |Your character knows an important secret that | | |
| |could ruin the reputation of the individual | | |
| |that told them the secret if it is revealed? | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
Activity #3: What Would They Listen To?
Directions: Work with your partner to complete the following steps.
(1) Choose a character we have studied this year.
(2) Create a playlist for your character in the provided IPOD organizer
(3) Underneath each listed song explain the relevancy of your selection
(4) For your top rated song (#1), include one verse of relevant lyrics
(5) Be prepared to share and defend your response(
Skill #5: Active Reading (Putting It All Together)
➢ When you read a given selection you should actively ask yourself questions as you read. Reflecting on information will help deepen your comprehension and prepare you to accurately evaluate the text after reading.
➢ Use the prompts listed below as you read to improve your overall comprehension.
➢ Bonus: You can cut out the questions and use them as a bookmark!
“iCub the robot helps scientists understand humans”
Lucien Libert - LYON, Francem - Mon Sep 7, 2009 10:18am EDT
LYON, France (Reuters) - Robots that can make their own decisions have so far been confined to science fiction movies, but a child-sized figure with big eyes and a white face is trying hard to turn fiction into reality.
Its name is iCub and scientists are hoping it will learn how to adapt its behavior to changing circumstances, offering new insights into the development of human consciousness. Six versions of iCub exist in laboratories across Europe, where scientists are painstakingly tweaking its electronic brain to make it capable of learning, just like a human child.
"Our goal is to really understand something that is very human: the ability to cooperate, to understand what somebody else wants us to do, to be able to get aligned with them and work together," said research director Peter Ford Dominey.
iCub is about 1 meter (3.2 feet) high, with an articulated trunk, arms and legs made up of intricate electronic circuits. It has a white face with the hint of a nose and big round eyes that can see and follow moving objects.
"Shall we play the old game or play a new one?" iCub asked Dominey during a recent experiment at a laboratory in Lyon, in southeastern France. Its voice was robotic, unsurprisingly, though it did have the intonation of a person asking a question.
The "game" consisted of one person picking up a box, revealing a toy that was placed underneath. Then another person picked up the toy, before putting it down again. Finally, the first person put the box back down, on top of the toy. Having watched two humans perform this action, iCub was able to join in the fun. "The robot is demonstrating that it can change roles. It can play the role of either the first person in the interaction or the second," said Dominey, who receives European Union funding for his work with iCub.
MOTHER'S LITTLE HELPER
While such simple pastimes may seem disappointing to fans of C-3PO, the robot in Star Wars movies who boasts he is fluent in more than six million forms of communication, they are at the cutting edge of robotics and of clear interest to science.
"These robots will be a huge tool for analytical philosophy and philosophy of mind," said Dominey, whose background is in computational neuroscience -- in layman's terms, building computer models for different brain functions. Dominey said after years of research he had understood that such models needed to be "unleashed into the world" and given vision and motor-control in order to interact with humans.
"Is perception consciousness? The ability to understand that somebody has a goal, is that consciousness?" he asked. "These kinds of questions, we will be able to ask with much more precision because we can have a test bed, this robot, or zombie, that we can use to implement things," he said, describing working with iCub as "an outstanding pleasure."
Away from such highbrow concerns, the aim is also to develop iCub so that it can have practical applications. In the short term, that could mean using it in hospitals to help patients in need of physiotherapy by playing games with them. In the longer term, iCub could gain enough autonomy to help around the house, making its own assessments of needs.
"People have their habits, loading their dishwasher, putting away their dishes ... The goal is that the robot can become like a helper ... just like a polite apprentice visitor would come into your house and begin to help you," said Dominey.
Anyone looking to cut down on their household chores will need to be patient, however.
"It won't be for tomorrow. It's maybe in the next decade we will begin to see this kind of thing," said the scientist.
(Writing by Estelle Shirbon, editing by Paul Casciato)
PSSA Reflection Guide
Directions: Answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper. Record the letter of your response.
1. Why have scientists built iCub?
A. They have been commissioned by the United States Marines to create a new type of weapon.
B. A British philanthropist donated a large sum of money towards the development of robotics.
C. They are hoping to achieve a medical breakthrough in physical therapy.
D. They are hoping it will offer insights into the development of human consciousness.
2. The intonation most nearly means…
A. physical mannerisms B. pitch of voice C. rate of speech D. emotional context
3. Why are scientists impressed with iCub’s participation in the “game”?
A. He was able to change roles.
B. He was able to win.
C. He was able to anticipate his opponents every move.
D. Both C and D
4. How may iCub be used to advance science?
A. He will serve as a substitute for live infantry.
B. He will be used to replace damaged human limbs.
C. He will help alleviate the average individual’s work load.
D. He may help researchers better understand brain functions.
5. What makes iCub different than all other robots?
A. He is the first infant robot design.
B. He is perception conscious.
C. He is able to play games.
D. He is able to feel human emotions.
6. The author’s tone is best described as….
A. persuasive B. argumentative C. informative E. fearful
7. When do scientist project iCub will be available to the general public?
A. iCub is a complex research investigation; therefore, there is no known estimated date of release.
B. iCub is already available for government and military use.
C. Bill Gates has bought the rights to iCub and plans to market him next year.
D. iCub will be available for consumer purchase within the next decade.
PSSA Open Ended Prompt
Directions: Construct an in-depth, focused and well-written response to the following prompt.
Record your answer in the provided space.
Good Morning America World News Tonight 20/20 Primetime Nightline Up-Close WNN This Week
August 26, 2002
Do attractive people have it easier?
A series of hidden-camera experiments revealed that good looks can make a big difference in life. () The Ugly Truth About Beauty: Like It or Not, Looks Do Matter
Commentary
By John Stossel
Aug. 23 — We like to think of America as a meritocracy. A lot of us think we value people because of what they accomplish, or their character, or generosity, or intelligence — that's what we thought mattered, but are we just putting blinders on?
More often than not it seems qualities other than skill, intelligence or character pay off. Here's an example. Anna Kournikova is ranked 37th in women's tennis, and has never won a major singles championship. So, why is it that Kournikova makes millions more dollars from endorsements than players ranked higher?
Looks don't only make a difference for women. Does New York Giants' cornerback Jason Sehorn get so much attention just because he's a top athlete? Is that why he was featured in Sports Illustrated for Women?
You probably know about the famous Kennedy-Nixon debates — people listening on the radio thought Richard Nixon had won. Those watching TV thought the handsome John F. Kennedy won.
When Texas Sen. Phil Gramm sought the Republican nomination for president in 1996, he said: "The real question is whether someone as ugly as I am can be elected." Within months, Gramm dropped out of the race.
Did the press cover JFK Jr. so relentlessly solely because he was the son of a president? Would we have cared so much about Princess Di if she had looked like, say, Princess Margaret?
Beauty and the Brain
It may seem obvious to most of us that people would prefer to look at beautiful faces. While beauty itself may be only skin deep, studies show our perception of beauty may be hard-wired in our brains.
In studies conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers Itzhak Aharon, Nancy Etcoff, Dan Ariely, Christopher F. Chabris, Ethan O'Connor, and Hans C. Breiter have used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology to look at the activity in men's brains when they were shown pictures of beautiful women's faces. Breiter and his colleagues found that the same part of the brain lights up as when a hungry person sees food, or a gambler eyes cash, or a drug addict sees a fix. Essentially, beauty and addiction trigger the same areas in the brain.
Some researchers link this addictive pursuit of good looks to evolution. Anthropologist Helen Fisher, suggests that primitive man might have unconsciously thought that a pretty woman had a better chance of bearing healthy children.
The Long and the Short of It
Women will tolerate a lot of shortcomings in men, but it seems shortness isn't one of them. ()
Likewise, evolution may have led women to prefer taller men.
Women will take just about any shortcoming in a man, except in the height department, according to Andrea McGinty, who founded the San Diego-based dating service It's Just Lunch.
McGinty helped ABCNEWS put together an experiment to test just how willing women are to date shorter men. We brought together several short men and asked them to stand next to taller men. We invited groups of women to look at the men and choose a date.
To see if the women would go for short guys who were successful, ABCNEWS' Lynn Sherr created extraordinary résumés for the shorter men. She told the women that the shorter men included a doctor, a best-selling author, a champion skier, a venture capitalist who'd made millions by the age of 25. Nothing worked. The women always chose the tall men. Sherr asked whether there'd be anything she could say that would make the shortest of the men, who was 5 feet, irresistible. One of the women replied, "Maybe the only thing you could say is that the other four are murderers." Another backed her up, saying that had the taller men had a criminal record she might have been swayed to choose a shorter man. Another said she'd have considered the shorter men, if the taller men had been described as "child molesters.” The desire for tall men begins very young, apparently. ABCNEWS gave elementary school students a test, asking them to match a small, medium or large figure of a man with a series of words. The kids overwhelmingly linked the tall figure to the words strong, handsome and smart. The linked the short figure to the words sad, scared and weak. More than half of the kids also chose to link the short figure to the words, dumb, yucky and no friends.
Add 'Lookism' to the List
To conduct an experiment, 20/20 hired actors — some great looking, some not — and put them in situations to gauge how often the "lookers" would get preferential treatment. In the first test, we put two women next to cars without gas in Atlanta. The women wore the same outfit. Both Michelle and Tracey stood helplessly by cars with their hoods up. For the average-looking Michelle, a few pedestrians stopped but only made suggestions as where she could walk to get gasoline. But for the beautiful Tracey, cars came screeching to a halt. More than a dozen cars stopped and six people went to get Tracey gas. The two actresses helped with our second test, at an Atlanta shopping mall where both women set up a table and sold calendars and teddy bears to raise money for charity. Overall, it looked as if both women were doing well with their sales. Then we counted the money and found Tracey collected 50 percent more.
What if we tested something requiring qualifications, like getting a job? Looks shouldn't matter then but would they?
20/20 hired two men and two women to apply for jobs. The clearest difference between them was looks while they shared similar education and work experience backgrounds. To match them up more closely, we rewrote their résumés to match. Mark, who was our more attractive applicant, and Mike, the more ordinary-looking one, both had corporate experience and had run their own companies. Donia, our more attractive female applicant, and her counterpart, Amy, both had been secretaries and saleswomen. A consultant trained them so their behavior matched. Hidden cameras captured interviewers being warmer and friendlier to the better looking applicants and being less friendly to the other applicants. With Amy and Donia, for example, one job interviewer told Amy employees got a 45-minute lunch break but with Donia the interviewer said there was a flexible policy about lunch. Who got the job offer? Donia. Amy never even got a call back. We ran similar tests using Mike and the especially good looking Mark. Would looks make less of a difference when the interviewers were judging men? Apparently not. On the first interview, for a sales job, the interviewer told Mike he'd call him later but he never called. With Mark, the interviewer was eager to have him return for a tryout day.
"It's a non-conscious process," said Tom Cash, a psychologist at Old Dominion University. "They assume that more attractive people have an array of valued characteristics."
We should add the bias of "lookism" to sexism and racism. It's just as bad but we don't need a federal program.
Copyright © 2002 ABCNEWS Internet Ventures.
PSSA Reflection Guide
Directions: Answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper. Record the letter of your response.
1. The meaning of the word ‘meritocracy’ in the article’s first sentence most nearly means…
A. a democratic nation B. using generosity and kindness C. intelligent citizens D. system based on ability
2. The article suggests Anna Kournikova’s rank as 37th is…
A. Justly deserved since she has played in almost every major tennis tournament
B. Largely founded on her looks; rather than, her talent
C. Debated since she has never won a championship
D. Not deserving of endorsements
3. The reaction to the Nixon-Kennedy debates suggests…
A. People are visual learners
B. Important decisions can be impacted by looks
C. People understand a message more clearly if it is only given through auditory channels
D. People don’t really care about political issues
4. Breiter and his colleagues…
A. used MRI to gauge men’s reactions to looks
B. took a scientific approach to the social concept of attractiveness
C. found that the same part of the brain involved with addiction is also connected to beauty
D. Only B and C
E. All of the above
5. Helen Fisher’s evaluation of Breiter’s findings suggests the pursuit of beauty is …
A. an evolutionary trait B. necessary for survival
C. a primitive trait D. necessary for the survival of the species
6. Studies suggest women may have an evolutionary intolerance towards…
A. aggression B. shortness C. plumpness D. stupidity
7. True or False: Studies suggest assumptions connected to lookism; such as, taller men are assumed to be
smarter, do not develop until an individual’s teenage years.
A. True B. False
8. When 20/20 hired actors to test the reality of lookism in America, their experiment found…
A. Race was the strongest contributing factor
B. The individuals’ severity of needs outweighed the influence of looks
C. Individuals that were more attractive did not have any advantage
D. Individuals that were more attractive were consistently treated better
E. Both A and B
9. When looks were tested to see if they played a role in formal decisions; such as, job acquisition, 20/20
found…
A. Gender appeared to create bias; rather than, looks
B. An individual’s level of attractiveness appeared to be an influential factor
C. An individual’s prior work experience was the most important factor
D. Less attractive candidates were more frequently hired
E. More attractive applicants were consistently offered a higher salary
10. The central theme of the article is best described as…
A. Americans tend to value looks more than other cultures
B. Lookism is not as severe an issue as racism
C. Lookism is a subconscious issue that exists
D. Women are treated differently based upon their looks more often than men
PSSA Open Ended Prompt
Directions: Construct an in-depth, focused and well-written response to the following prompt.
Record your answer in the provided space.
|Focus |Content |Organization |Style |Conventions | |4 |Sharp, distinct controlling point made about a single topic with evident awareness of task (mode). |Substantial, specific, and/or illustrative content demonstrating strong development and sophisticated ideas. |Sophisticated arrangement of content with evident and/or subtle transitions. |Precise, illustrative use of a variety of words and sentence structures to create consistent writer's voice and tone appropriate to audience. |Evident control of grammar, mechanics, spelling, usage, and sentence formation. | |3 |Apparent point made about a single topic with sufficient awareness of task (mode). |Sufficiently developed content with adequate elaboration or explanation. |Functional arrangement of content that sustains a logical order with some evidence of transitions. |Generic use of a variety of words and sentence structures that may or may not create a writer's voice and tone appropriate to audience. |Sufficient control of grammar, mechanics, spelling, usage, and sentence formation. | |2 |No apparent point but evidence of a specific topic. |Limited content with inadequate elaboration or explanation. |Confused or inconsistent arrangement of content with or without attempts at transition. |Limited word choice and control of sentence structures that inhibit voice and tone. |Limited control of grammar, mechanics, spelling, usage and sentence formation. | |1 |Minimal evidence of a topic. |Superficial and/or minimal content. |Minimal control of content arrangement. |Minimal variety in word choice and minimal control of sentence structures. |Minimal control of grammar, mechanics | |
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1.) What is the painting to the left’s theme?
2.) Why do you believe this is its theme? (Write 1-2 sentences that SPECIFICALLY defend your theme identification.)
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1.) What is the painting to the left’s theme?
2.) Why do you believe this is its theme? (Write 1-2 sentences that SPECIFICALLY defend your theme identification.)
1.) What is the poem to the left’s theme?
2.) Why do you believe this is its theme? (Write 1-2 sentences that SPECIFICALLY defend your theme identification.)
1.) What is the poem to the left’s theme?
2.) Why do you believe this is its theme? (Write 1-2 sentences that SPECIFICALLY defend your theme identification.)
1.) What is the poem to the left’s theme?
2.) Why do you believe this is its theme? (Write 1-2 sentences that SPECIFICALLY defend your theme identification.)
3.) What would be a good alternate title for this poem?
4.) Why would your answer to #3 be an effective new title for the poem? (Write 1-2 sentences that SPECIFICALLY defends your new title selection.)
1.) What is the poem to the left’s theme?
2.) Why do you believe this is its theme? (Write 1-2 sentences that SPECIFICALLY defend your theme identification.)
3.) What would be a good alternate title for this poem?
4.) Why would your answer to #3 be an effective new title for the poem? (Write 1-2 sentences that SPECIFICALLY defends your new title selection.)
Bernard
“He was a man pursued…”(Huxley 63)
The narrator’s description reveals Bernard is defensive because he was followed by a bad reputation.
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CHARACTER: ____________________
List Song & Explanation (2+ Sentences)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
ASK QUESTIONS
• Who is involved?
• What are they doing? (Why?)
• What do they want? (Why?)
• What is the situation or problem?
• Who is telling the story? (Why?)
• How is the story designed? (Why?)
• What is the source of tension?
• Can you trust the narrator?
MAKE CONNECTIONS
• I wonder why....
• What caused...
• I think...
• This is similar to...
• This is important because...
• What do they mean by...
• What I find confusing is...
• What will happen next is...
• I can relate to this because...
PREDICT
• What will happen next?
• Why do you think that?
• What effect will that have on the story
or the characters?
SUMMARIZE
• What happened?
• What is essential to tell?
• What was the outcome?
• Who was involved?
• Why did this happen?
• Is that a detail or essential information?
CLARIFY
• Read ahead if you have a basic
understanding of the text
• Ask questions
• Re-read what you don’t understand
• Identify what you don’t understand so
you know what to ask for help on
SYNTHESIZE
• Three important points/ideas are...
• These are important because...
• What comes next...
• The author wants us to think...
• At this point the article/story is about...
• I still don’t understand...
• What interested me most was...
• This means that...
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Prompt:
Why is lookism a serious issue? Support your answer with at least two textual examples.
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Analogy
a comparison between two things that are similar in some way, Often used to explain something or make it easier to understand
like or as indicates a simile, or the use of a basic metaphor
The infernal classroom was as hot as the surface of the sun.
Prompt:
How may your life change if you owned iCub? Support your answer with at least two textual examples.
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