Author’s Perspective

Author’s Point of View

 The average school day for kindergarteners is getting longer, and it's paying off in improved reading skills. Public schoolchildren who attended kindergarten for a full day showed more improvement than those enrolled in half-day programs.  This improvement will be carried on in elementary school and even high school.  These children will be able to get better jobs when they are adults. The author thinks it’s a terrible idea.

The author thinks it’s a great idea.

The trend toward full day kindergarten  programs in public schools is taking its toll on the young children of today.  Recent studies showing improved reading skills may be misleading. This improvement in reading is unlikely to carry on as these children progress through elementary school. 

The author is in favor of all day kindergarten.

The author is not in favor of all day kindergarten.

This is the time of year when many young birds are preparing to leave the nest.  If you find a young bird on the ground peeping and looking deserted, leave it alone!  Birds often leave the nest before they can fly.  Too often well-meaning people will interfere with nature.  The sounds the bird makes are not cries for help.  The calls help the parents to locate the bird when they come back with food.

The author thinks people should not interfere.

The author thinks people should help the birds.

The author thinks people should feed the birds.The author thinks people should not ignore the young birds

I love to watch birds!  It always amazes me how they can build those nests!  I like to leave scraps of hair and yarn out for them to find.  They'll use these things and weave them into a  nest.  Being a parent is a hard job, and the birds can use all the help they can get.

The author thinks people should not interfere.

The author thinks people should help the birds.

The author thinks people should feed the birds.The author thinks people should not ignore the young birds

I love to watch birds!  It always amazes me how they can build those nests!  I like to leave scraps of hair and yarn out for them to find.  They'll use these things and weave them into a  nest.  Being a parent is a hard job, and the birds can use all the help they can get.

The author thinks people should not interfere.

The author thinks people should help the birds.

The author thinks people should feed the birds.The author thinks people should not ignore the young birds

The amazing Mangrove tree grows where no tree has grown before. They are able to survive in salt water and in "soil" which is unstable and poor in oxygen. Mangrove roots not only provide support in unstable soils and withstand currents and storms, but also breathe air. To avoid suffocation in the oxygen poor mud, they develop aerial or air-breathing roots. 

Mangrove trees are amazing

Mangrove trees should be protected

Trees need soil to breathe Trees need roots for support

It wasn’t until 1947 that the major leagues hired their first black player, Jackie Robinson. Robinson went to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers, where he became an instant hero to many. He was young and talented. He was able to take insults from people who wanted the league to be all white. Major league officials saw how well Robinson played the game and what a fine sportsman he was. His courage and self-control helped open the door for other black players to come into the major leagues. Little by little, things began to change. (taken from T. Washington, Buck Leonard, Baseball’s Greatest Gentleman, p. 20)

B. Black players and white players should be in major league baseball.

A.Jackie Robinson was the best baseball player ever.

C. Baseball player should have courage and self-control.

D. In baseball, things change very slowly.

Most people think that gorillas are mean, but actually they are shy. It seems that such a huge animal with very large teeth would be aggressive. Hollywood movies help convey this image of the scary, ferocious gorilla. In fact, gorillas only attack if they are provoked. However, gorillas usually don't have to fight other animals because of their impressive size.

b. Gorillas are mean animals.

a. Gorillas are misunderstood as vicious animals.

c. Gorillas don't like other animals.

d. Gorillas communicate well with other animals.

This was Kathy's first baby-sitting job. She was so excited, but she was really nervous. Kathy's parents made her attend a baby-sitting workshop before she could baby-sit her neighbor's five-year-old son, Matthew. Kathy knew this was a lot of responsibility, but she thought she was ready. Kathy marched confidently to Matthew's house and waved goodbye to Matthew's parents. It seemed as soon as his parents left, Matthew fell and hit his chin on the coffee table. Without panicking, she remembered what she learned in her baby-sitting class and applied first-aid.

b. Kathy is ready to baby-sit.

a. Matthew should not run in the house.

c. Kathy needs to attend more baby-sitting workshops.

d. Coffee tables can be dangerous.