Passage Picker
Ragweed
Section 1: p. 1-20
Passage 1:
1.
Pick out the passage you would like to share with
your group and write down the page 4 and paragraph 4.
2.
Write down the first two words The Spring and
the last two words just-born leaves of your passage.
3.
The passage you chose is a great example of a descriptive
type of passage.
4.
This passage is a descriptive passage because
it describes in great detail the warm sun, the lazy brook, and the beautiful
pink and white water lilies that gracefully float on top of the brook. After
reading this passage, I can actually form a visual image of the beautiful and
loving home that Ragweed is leaving behind.
5.
Think of a good thinking question about the passage.
Write it down along with the answer to this question.
Why does Ragweed decide to leave his family and his
home at the Brook behind. Ragweed decides to leave him
family and home behind because he wants to go out and see the world. He wants
to see what the world beyond the Brook has to offer a mouse like himself.
6.
Answer one of these questions in a complete sentence
(s): Why did the author include this passage in the story? What does this
passage add to the story?
The author included this passage in the story
because he wants the reader to see that Ragweed is leaving a loving home and
family willingly. The author does not want the reader to form incorrect notions
about why Ragweed leaves his home.
6. Answer one of these questions in a complete sentence (s): Why did the
author include this passage in the story? What does this passage add to the
story?
The descriptive passage about Ragweed’s home adds to
the story in that it provides something for the reader to contrast the city of
Passage 2:
1.
Pick out the passage you would like to share with
your group and write down the page 9 and paragraph 9.
2.
Write down the first two words Well, now and
the last two words putting it mildly of your passage.
3.
The passage you chose is a great example of an informative
type of passage.
4.
This passage is an informative passage
because it directly tells the reader what a train is, what it does, and what
humans use it for. The passage does not describe anything about a train, it only tells specific facts about it.
5.
Think of a good thinking question about the passage.
Write it down along with the answer to this question.
Why does the author describe the train in the manner
that he employs? The author describes the train like this because he wants the
reader to feel like he/she is a part of the story. The author uses this manner
to draw the reader into the story even more.
6.
Answer one of the following questions in a complete
sentence (s): Why did the author include this passage in the story? What does
this passage add to the story?
The author includes this passage in the story to
present the way a mouse might see a train, or other large object. The author is
trying to make the reader enter the story on the equal footing of a mouse.
6. Answer one of the following questions in a complete sentence (s): Why
did the author include this passage in the story? What does this passage add to
the story?
This passage adds a new dimension to the story. This
passage forces the reader to examine the point of view that is being used to
tell the story from.
Passage 3:
1.
Pick out the passage that you would like to share
with your group and write down the page 13 and paragraph 9.
2.
Write down the first two words A
large cat and the last two words many cats of your passage.
3.
The passage you chose is a great example of a descriptive/simile
type of passage.
4.
This passage is a descriptive passage because
it describes the pristine whit fur that Silversides has, and the gorgeous,
shiny collar that the cat wears around her neck. The simile is
Silversides’ fur was as white as snow. It is a simile because the
author compares Silversides’ fur color to the color of white snow.
5.
Think of a good thinking question about the passage.
Write it down along with the answer to the question.
What does the description on this page tell you
about Silversides’ attitude and characterization? This description tells you
that Silversides is very prissy and proud. She is convinced that she is one of
the best felines in the Amperville district, and she
thinks that she should be treated like this.
6.
Answer one of the following questions in a complete
sentence (s): Why did the author include this passage in the story? What does
this passage add to the story?
The author includes this description of Silversides
because it provides a reference point for readers to form a mental picture of
what Silverisdes looks like.
6. Answer one of the following
questions in a complete sentence (s): Why did the author include this passage
in the story? What does this passage add to the story?
This passage adds some important implied information
about Silversides’ character. Without this passage, the reader might come to
believe that Silversides is only trying to do what is right for the feline
population, instead of what she personally thinks is correct.
Passage 4:
1.
Pick out the passage you would like to share with
your group and write down the page 10 and paragraph 6.
2.
Write down the first two words Does anything
happen and the last two words you and me of your passage.
3.
The passage you chose is a great example of an idiom
type of passage.
4.
This idiom in this passage is curl
your tail. It is an idiom because the author does not literally mean
the stories would make Ragweed’s tail curl up. Instead, he means that the
stories would surprise and astonish Ragweed.
5.
Think of a good thinking question about the passage.
Write it down along with the answer to this question.
How do you think the vole came to possess so much
information about the world? I think that the vole learned all of his knowledge
by going out and experiencing the world, just as Ragweed is about to do.
6.
Answer one of these questions in a complete sentence
(s): Why did the author include this passage in the story? What does this
passage add to the story?
The author included this passage in the story
because he wants to portray how old and knowledgeable the vole is. Generally,
old, wise people are thought to be the ones who use clever idioms such as these
in their dialogue to younger generations.
6. Answer one of these questions in a complete sentence (s): Why did the
author include this passage in the story? What does this passage add to the
story?
This passage adds a sense of humor to the story.
When I first read over this passage, automatically my mind formed the picture
of Ragweed’s tail curling up as the vole told him stories about the city. I
almost laughed out loud before I realized that the author is only using
figurative language.