SAY AND KNOW Getting Ready to Read

Draw a line under each right answer or fill in each

westerns 1. It means for the most part
Yangtze mainly westerners contrast.
populous 2. Filled with people means
philosophers occupational populous Yangtze.
Confucius 2. Being able to change easily is being
adaptable in contrast geographical adaptable.
contrast 4. Differences having to do with work are
mainly occupational geographical Confucius.
geographical 5. A sharp difference is a
occupational Westerners contrast philosophers.
6. One great Chinese thinker was named_______

I-7 Land of Contrast

Many years ago when westerners first came in contact with the people
of China, they were surprised to learn of the enormous diversity between the
Chinese of the north and those of the south.
Divided by the Yangtze River into two distinct sections, China is in
many ways like two separate countries. In the south, many people take their
living from the fertile, well-watered hills and. valleys and enter into
commercial activities in the populous cities. In the north, where rainfall is
small and the winters are long and cold, the level land sustains fewer
people.
People of northern China are usually tall, slow of speech, and slow to
change. They make good soldiers. In addition, many of China's great
scholars and philosophers, including Confucius, have come from the north.
People of southern China are short, quick-spoken, and adaptable. Many of
them have become traders and travelers. In contrast to his' wheat-eating
northern cousin, the southern Chinese eats mainly rice.
These are only a few of the many geographical, occupational, and cultural
differences that surprised westerners when they first traveled to China.

I-7 Testing Yourself

Draw a line under each right answer or fill in each blank.

1. While not directly stated, it can be reasoned from the article that
a. southern China has produced no great thinkers.
b. people tend to settle most in well-watered country.
c. westerners first reached northern China.
2. This article as a whole is about
a. the people of northern China. c. China and its people.
b. the Yangtze River. d. food in China.
3.The word those in the first sentence refers to________
4. India is a land of contrast. Yes No Does not say
5. Which two sentences are not true?
a. The Yangtze River divides China. c. Northern Chinese are adaptable.
b. Southern Chinese are short. d. All southern Chinese eat wheat.
e. People of southern China differ from those of the north.
6. What word in the second paragraph means clearly different?
SAY AND KNOW Getting Ready to Read
vowel Draw a line under each right answer or fill in each
international 1. A new possession has been
phonetic incorporated acquired improved.
experts 2. It refers to all speech sounds.
standard standard vowel phonetic
confusing 3. Grown better is confusing phonetic improved.
improved 4. Making something a part of something else is
acquired international confusing incorporating.
incorporating 5.A model or rule is a vowel standard standard.
meaningful 6. Something that mixes you up is called_______

I-8 Alpha and Beta

The alphabet invented by the Phoenicians contained only consonants.
The Greeks improved upon the written language that they acquired from the
Phoenicians by incorporating five vowel sounds. By about 800 B.C., the
Greeks had built up an alphabet of twenty-four letters, including the five
vowels. The first two letters in the Greek alphabet were called alpha and
beta, and these were combined to form the word alphabet.
The next meaningful change in the history of the alphabet was made
by another great people, the Romans, whose language was called Latin. The
Romans adopted the Greek alphabet, perfected it, and passed it on to later
people. Today, almost every European language is written with the Roman
alphabet.
Although people who speak and write English use the Roman
alphabet, it is not the ideal way to record the English language. This is also
true of some other languages that 'use the Roman alphabet. Scholars have
tried to solve this problem by devising an eighty-character alphabet called
the International Phonetic Alphabet. In this alphabet, experts have made up
standard letters or symbols for sounds that may be confusing when
expressed in Roman letters.
I-8 Testing Yourself
Draw a line under each right answer or fill in each blank.
1. While not directly stated, you can tell from the article that
a. a proper English alphabet would use more characters than the Roman one.
b. the Roman alphabet has too many characters.
c. the International Phonetic Alphabet is used in the United Nations.
2. This article as a whole is about
a. the Greek alphabet. c. the development of the alphabet.
b. modern languages. d. the Romans' use of Semitic words.
3. The word these in paragraph one, refers to_________
4. The English use the Roman alphabet. Yes No Does not say
5. Which two sentences are not true?
a. The Greek alphabet has only consonants.
b. The Greek alphabet had 24 letters.
c. The Latin alphabet was based upon the Greek alphabet.
d. Alpha is the name of the first letter in the Greek alphabet.
e. The Phoenicians added consonants to the Greek alphabet.
6. What word in the last paragraph means most perfect?_____
SAY AND KNOW Getting Ready to Read
federal Draw a line under each right answer or fill in each
reservation 1.To keep is to retain sought formal
retain
formal
2. Moving quickly and easily means
organization formal unskilled agile
Iroquois 3. Something very good is
industrial excellent industrial federal
society 4.The people and their custom in a particular time and
unskilled
agile
place make up
unafraid Skyscrapers a reservation a society
excellent 5.The opposite of fearful is
sought formal unskilled unafraid
skyscrapers 6. Looked means_______

I-9 Agile Indian

Today in the United States we can still find groups of American
Indians who live on federal reservations and retain some parts of their
formal organization. These include the large groups in such places as
Arizona, New Mexico, and Oklahoma as well as such smaller groups as New
York State's Iroquois Indians.
One interesting example of the progress Indians are making in
adapting to modern living and industrial society was set by the Iroquois not
too many years ago. At that time a large steel bridge was being built across
the St. Lawrence River. One end of this bridge was on an Iroquois Indian
reservation. Men from the reservation were hired to do unskilled work on the
bridge, Before long, however, they proved so agile, sure-footed, and unafraid
of heights that they were promoted to do more skilled work high up on the
structure.
Because of this experience, it became known that Iroquois Indians
not: only were excellent workers, but also were unusually capable of working
well at dangerous heights. Since that time, Iroquois have been sought to
help build large bridges and skyscrapers all over the nation.
I-9 Testing Yourself
Draw a line under each right answer or fill in each blank.
1. While not directly stated, it can be reasoned from the article that
a. Indians from Oklahoma now live in New York State.
b. Iroquois Indians prefer not to leave their reservation.
c. Indians have not completely adapted to an industrial society.
2. This article as a whole is about
a. customs of the Iroquois. c. an example set by the Iroquois.
b. Indians living on reservations. d. Indians in New Mexico.
3. The word their in the first sentence refers to__________
4. Many Iroquois worked on the Golden Gate Bridge.
Yes No Does not say
5.Which two sentences are not true?
a. Iroquois Indians proved agile. c. Some Indians live on reservations.
b. Iroquois are not good workers. d. Iroquois live mostly in Mexico.
e. Iroquois Indians can work well at great heights.
6. What word in the second paragraph means raised in rank or
importance?