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The GreeniesBy William GoodykoontzJohn Doe, Jr., is not born with prejudice against people who have green hair. But from the time he is a small child, he is warned against them. He is not supposed to play with green-haired children. He is told not to talk with them. His parents say, "Stay with your own kind. You'll be bad, John, if you mix with green-haired children."As John grew older, he learns that his parents, their friends, and neighbors do not want people with green hair to: attend his church, live in his neighborhood, go to his school, or playground, or camp.John believes what the adults around him say. And they say that green-haired people should go to church elsewhere, and go to other schools. As a child, John does not see many people with green hair.At home, John often listens to his father talk. John Doe, Sr., started out in life with high hopes. But somewhere along the way, John Doe, Sr., did not get the job he wanted or the raise he hoped for. He began to believe that a certain group of people were the cause of his failure and that these people are to blame for everything that is wrong in life. Naturally, the bad ones are the Greenies - the people with green hair!John Doe, Sr., talks against the people with green hair everywhere he goes - in public and in private. At home, especially, he talks about how dirty, dumb, poor, and evil the people with green hair are. Day after day, he makes jokes about them. He says that they should be thrown out of the community or that they are turning the country over to the enemy. And he always says that no Greenies will ever move into his neighborhood. Complaining about the green-haired people makes John Doe, Sr., forget that he himself is something of a failure. And when he is reminded of his failure, he can easily blame it on the green-haired people.John Doe, Jr., begins to believe that his father is right. And anyhow he doesn't often talk with green-haired people to see what they're really like. Sometimes he reads about them in newspapers. But since newspapers play up crime, he usually reads about green-haired people who have gotten into trouble with the law. Again John believes his parents are right. Green-haired people do bad things. Even the newspapers say so.John Doe, Jr., becomes a man. He believes the things he has learned about people with green hair. Then he marries Jane Roe, who has learned the same prejudices against people with green hair. Later they have children. "Don't play with children with green hair. You are bad if you do."So John Doe, Jr., carries over his prejudices to his children. And his children, too, become infected with the disease called prejudice.SOURCE: William Goodykoontz, “The Greenies,” The Holocaust Years: Society on Trial. Roselle Chartock and Jack Spencer, editors (New York: Bantam Books, 1978), pp. 79-81 Reprinted with permission from Bantam. Doubleday, Dell.THE GREENIES WORKSHEETVOCABULARY:PrejudiceBehaviorAttitudeOpinionScapegoatFactStereotypingGeneralizingPart I. Directions. Look carefully at the word on the left. Find the same word in the row and circle it.1.prejudiceprejudeseprejudicedprejudice2.attitudeatitudeealtitudeattitude3.scapegoatscapegoatescrapegoatscapegoat4.stereotypingstereotpingsteeerotypingstereotyping5. behaviorbihaviorbehavierbehavior6.opinionopenionopinionopinon7.factfackfactefact8.generalizinggeenralizinggennerelizinggeneralizingPart II. Directions Write each vocabulary word under the correct number of syllables1 syllable2 syllables3 syllables5 syllables________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Part III. Directions. Read the sentences below. Circle the vocabulary words used in each sentence.Because Susan was handicapped, she was a scapegoat for other children.Her attitude toward school has changed for the better.The children were prejudiced because the man was old.“Blondes have more fun” is an example of stereotyping.One’s behavior tells many things about a person.In John’s opinion, only athletes can be “heroes.”It is a fact that cars come in many colors.The people were generalizing when they said that older people cannot help themselves.Part IV. Directions. Based on the way words are used in the sentences above, match each vocabulary word to its correct definition.A person or thing bearing the blame for others ___________________________A feeling or emotion toward a fact or state ______________________________An actual occurrence of proof ________________________________________Giving general applicability to; not specific _____________________________Preconceived judgment or opinion; bias _______________________________The manner of conducting oneself _____________________________________Something conforming to a fixed or general pattern _______________________A view, judgment, or appraisal formed about a particular matter ____________Part V. Directions. Unscramble each word at the left and write it correctly on the line at the right.1.Tscgaaoep________________________2.duatetti________________________3. tfca________________________4.neeliziggran________________________5.eeidcjurp________________________6.abehiorv________________________7.tpigeoersnty________________________8.iinnoop________________________Part VI. Directions. If the two words in each pair below have the same meaning, put the letter “S” in the blank. If the two words have opposite meanings, put the letter “A” in the blank.1. prejudice _____________ dislike2. attitude ______________ feelings3. scapegoat ____________ person bearing the blame4. stereotyping ____________ original5. behavior _____________ conduct6. opinion _____________ belief7. fact _______________ unproven8. generalizing _______________ specificallyPart VII. Directions. Complete the following sentences with facts from "The Greenies"1. John is not supposed to play with . . .2. John's parents, their friends, and their neighbors do not want people with green hair to . . .3. As a child, John does not see many people . . .4. John's father believes that a certain group of people are to blame for . . . 5. Complaining about the green-haired people make John Doe, Sr., forget that he himself . . . 6. Since newspapers play up crime, John usually reads about green-haired people who have . . . 7. John Doe, Jr., carries over the . . . ................
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