Blue Diamond Assessment 1

 

Blue Diamond Assessment 1 requires students to:

 

1. Identify the main idea of passages.
2. Describe the personality traits of characters based on their actions.
3. Use context clues to figure out the meaning of a homonymn (save).
4. Identify the reason behind a character's decisions.
5. Identify the mood of a fictional selection.
6. Identify the tone of a fictional selection.
7. Explain why authors might open a piece with a quote.
8. Explain the effect that setting has on a selection. 
9. Recognize the unique characteristics of science fiction as a genre.

 

Blue Diamond Assessment 1 Saving Pompeii From the Ravages of Time and Tourists Troops patrolling Italian cities Towns in France ban child matador ITALIAN BREAKS UNDERWATER CYCLING RECORD   Italian mayor offers diet subsidy French Spiderman arrested atop Lisbon bridge Bodies spotted near Italian coast ‘Kaafila’ – the story of the Malta tragedy

 

BD 1 Archived Current Events

 

Saving Pompeii From the Ravages of Time and Tourists

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/26/arts/design/26ruin.html?_r=1&ref=europe&oref=slogin

 

What is the mood of this article?

 

excited

calming

upsetting

funny

 

Which of the following best describe the effect of the setting on the article?

 

It makes you feel hot and tired as you read.

You become very nervous that the volcano will erupt at any moment.

The reader can get the feeling of what an Ancient Roman city looks and feels like today.

The reader is scared of the mafia helping to fix broken walls.

 

 

 

Troops patrolling Italian cities

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7540585.stm

 

Why did Silvio Berlusconi decide to deploy military troops to major tourist spots?

 

He was afraid the tourist would steal from Italians or destroy tourist sites.

He wants to show that the Italian government is serious about fighting crime.

He wants the troops to spy on the American tourists.

He is a fromer military man and wants to support the troops.

 

According to the article, "Right-wing Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi swept to power in April's election on a tough law-and-order platform, promising new measures to curb illegal immigration and combat crime," What is the meaning of curb?

 

to stop

the side of the street

to increase

the gutter

 

Based on the context of the following, "But his government has also been accused of whipping up a xenophobic mood against the illegal immigrants it blames for much of the serious street crime in Italian cities." What is the meaning of xenophobic?

 

scared of troops

scared of the government

scared of tourists

scared of outsiders

 

Towns in France ban child matador

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7539353.stm

 

What is the main idea of the selection?

 

Bullfighting is very popular in Spain and Mexico

Young boy bullfighters do not kill the bulls

two boys under the age of 16 were not allowed to fight

Young matadors have been banned from fighting in many Southern French towns

 

How does the setting, Southern France, effect the selection?

 

Southern France is very near major bullfighting nations like Spain and Portugal.

Southern France is very hot and good for fighting

Southern France is a wild place with few laws

Southern France is full of bulls and they are easy to catch

 

 

 

Olympic link to early 'computer'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7533457.stm

 

questions:

 

According to the article, "Archimedes, whose list of exploits included an explanation for the displacement of water and a screw pump that bears his name today, died there in 212 BC."  What is the meaning of bears?

 

a large furry omnivore

lost

holds

helped

 

What is the effect of calling the Antikythera Mechanism a "computer"?

 

It makes the device sound advanced

It makes the mechanism sound confusing

It makes the reader wonder where you plug it in

It causes the reader to look for a keyboard and monitor

 

ITALIAN BREAKS UNDERWATER CYCLING RECORD

 

http://www.lifeinitaly.com/news/news-detailed.asp?newsid=10387 

 

An Italian scuba diver has set the world's record for underwater biking.  He had planned to repeat his stunt on live TV, but an earache caused him to cancel the show.  He uses a specially designed mountain bike to bike underwater.

 

What is the main idea of this article?

 

Italians love to scuba dive

A scuba diver, using special equipment, has broken his own underwater world record

Vittorio Innocente uses a special underwater bike with tires filled with water

A doctor caused Vittorio Innocente to cancel his TV performance

 

According to the article, "Since then Innocente has been honing his technique and

gradually pushing up the record for undersea cycling." what is the meaning of honing?

wasting

sharpening

forgetting

squandor

 

 

 

BD1 Archived Current Events

 

Italian mayor offers diet subsidy

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6945968.stm

 

This article explains that a town in northern Italy  is offering cash to residents who lose weight and then keep the weight off.  You can earn 50 Euro if you lose 3kg in one month and then another 100 Euro if you keep the weight off for five months.

 

What is the main idea of this ariticle?

1. Italians are fat and need to lose weight.
2. A new program in an Italian city is offering money to people who lose weight.
3. The Mayor of Varallo Sesia has a "big belly."
4. Italian food must be fattening and bad for you.

 

What is the effect of the author retelling the story of the mayor's son calling him a "big belly?"

1. The reader is put in a humerous mood thinking about a big fat mayor.
2. The reader is put in a unhappy mood knowing the mayor is dealing with a weight issue.
3. The reader understands that the mayor is also overweight and trying to motivate his town and himself to diet.
4. The reader does not like the mayor's son, who called his dad fat.

 

 

French Spiderman arrested atop Lisbon bridge

http://www.reuters.com/article/email/idUSL0566811920070806

 

This article tells of Alain Robert, the so called French Spiderman, and his latest urban climb.  This guy climbs all sorts of structures, mostly without permission and has been arrested many times.

 

If this article were to be coverted into a Science Fiction story how would it be different?

1. Alain Robert would have superhuman strength.
2. Robotic policemen would arrest Robert at the top of the bridge.
3. The police would use a telegraph and Morse code to send for more help.
4. Alain Robert would have to fight off the giant spiders released by the King of Portugal.

 

 

Bodies spotted near Italian coast

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6946643.stm

 

This article reports that the Italian coast guard has found a dozen bodies floating in the strait of Sicily between Italy and Africa.  The bodies appear to be of immigrants most likely trying to sneak into Europe.

 

Based on this selection, what is most likely to happen next?

1. African immigrants will stop heading to Italy, realizing how dangerous it is.
2. Italian authorities will begin to use military jets to threaten immigrants, keeping them from heading to Italy.
3. African immigrants will begin to head to the United States because it is easier to get there.
4. African immigrants will continue to travel to Italy even though the trip is a dangerous one.

 

Question Type:  Interpretation

 

 

Why would a person risk possible death to travel to Italy?

1. Italy is a richer country with more economic opportunities.
2. Italy has some of the best food on the planet.
3. Italy has a very nice climate most of the year.
4. Italian people are very nice and eager to help.

 

 

‘Kaafila’ – the story of the Malta tragedy

http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=55737

 

This article details a new Bollywood movie about a tragic boat accident that killed hundreds of Indian, Pakistani and Bangledeshi immigrants trying to illegally move to Europe.

 

What is the main idea of this article?

1. Bollywood is the nickname for movies that are made in India.
2. A boat full of illegal immigrants sunk off the coast of Malta.
3. A new movie has been made dealing with a tragic event off the coast of Malta.
4. People in poor countries try to move to other countries for a better life.