Blue Diamond Assessment 2

 

Blue Diamond Assessment 2 requires students to:

 

1. Determine the meaning of a word based on the context of the paragraph in which it is written.
2. Determine and describe the personality traits of a character in a story.
3. Predict what is most likely to happen in a story based on what has already occurred.
4. Identify the characteristics of a myth.
5. Understand the kinds of reading behaviors taken by those tackling fiction text.

 

 

Blue Diamond Assessment 2 World's largest foodfight starts today Frances uncovers ETA weapons storage site Celebrating the Telescope Migrants die in boat tragedy Greece faced devastation of fires A Daily Brush with Death

 

BD 2 Archived Current Events

 

 

 

 

World's largest foodfight starts today

http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/fotostrecke-33809.html

http://www.examiner.com/x-2662-European-Travel-Examiner~y2009m8d25-La-Tomatina-gets-messy-this-week-in-Spain

 

Based on the images that you explored connected to La Tomatina, what does the word revelers mean in the following sentence:  More than 50,000 revelers converge on the town of 9,000 inhabitants and paint the town red – literally – as more than 100 metric tons, estimated to be about 150,000 tomatoes, are disgorged from big trucks.

 

1. Travelers
2. College Students
3. Citizens
4. Celebrators

 

Based on this selection, what will most likely happen next?

 

1. The people of Bunol will grow tired of La Tomatina and cancel the tradition.
2. La Tomatina will return next year for another wild day of tomato fun.
3. The government of Spain will be embarrassed by La Tomatina and put an end to it.
4. Other countries will borrow the idea of La Tomatina and start their own food fights.

 

 

Frances uncovers ETA weapons storage site

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8221932.stm

(Ferriter, August 27)

 

French police have uncovered a cache of weapons and explosives allegedly used by the Basque separatist group, Eta.  The weapons dump, in southern France's remote Herault region, included pistols, explosives and detonators.

 

 

Questions to use:

 

Based on the context of the following sentence, what does the word intent mean:  Aitzol Etxaburu Arteche, 30, Andoni Sarasola, 36, and Alberto Machain Beraza, 28, were charged on Monday with joining an illegal group intent on carrying out acts of terror.

 

1. determined to
2. carelessly planning
3. accused of
4. caught in the act of

 

Based on this selection, what will most likely happen next?

 

1. ETA will give up their efforts to create their own homeland because they've lost so many weapons.
2. France and Spain will give in to ETA demands, knowing that they are well armed.
3. ETA will continue to carry out attacks to prove that they are still powerful.
4. The EU will get involved in the crisis to help member nations Spain and France.

 

 

Celebrating the Telescope

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/08/090825-galileos-telescope-400-anniversary-facts.html

 

(Ferriter, August 26th)

 

400 years ago, Galileo---a mathematician from Venice---invented his telescope and sold it to the government of his city.  From there, he began studying the heavens and made a discovery that rocked the world:  The Earth was NOT at the center of the universe. 

 

Questions to use:

 

 

Which of the following best describe Galileo?

 

1. A clever man who recognizes ways to make money with his mind.
2. A careless man who hates his religion.
3. A lucky man who happened to be in the right place at the right time.
4. A thoughtless man who treats others poorly. 

 

Based on the following sentence, what does the word maritime mean:  "The maritime city's wealth and power was based on overseas trade, and at the time its vessels were being attacked by the Turks, Chapman said.

 

1. powerful
2. weak
3. dependant on the sea
4. dependant on the land

 

 

Migrants die in boat tragedy

http://www.euronews.net/2009/08/24/migrants-die-in-boat-tragedy

 

(Ferriter, August 25)

 

Around 75 African migrants have drowned in the Mediterranean after their stranded boat ran out of fuel and then drifted for days.  This current event can be used to teach students about the issues connected to immigration and to the ideas behind the European Union because Italy is asking for the rest of the EU member nations to help absorb the migrants that are arriving from Africa.

 

 

Questions to use:

 

Which of the following best describes the Italian government?

 

1. heartless and cruel because they treat immigrants so poorly.
2. open and friendly because they are so open to helping immigrants.
3. frustrated and sad because they are left to deal with immigrants on their own with no help from other nations.
4. fearful and hesitant because they don't trust people from other countries. 

 

Based on this selection, what will most likely happen next?

 

1. immigrants will stop travelling to Italy from Africa because of the dangers involved.
2. the EU will consider plans to help Southern European countries with immigration issues.
3. African nations will improve their countries to keep immigrants from leaving.
4. Italy will put warships in the water to deal with the wave of African immigrants.

 

 

Greece faced devastation of fires

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8217433.stm

 

(Ferriter, August 24)

 

Greek firefighters are facing another day battling wildfires still threatening areas north of Athens.

Thousands of residents of the capital's northern suburbs were forced to leave their homes as dozens of houses and large areas of forest were burnt.

 

Questions to use:

 

Which of the following best describes the Greek residents who stayed behind to battle the fires and to protect their houses?

 

1. Confident and arrogant about their abilities to protect their homes.
2. Miserable and lonely because they know that their efforts are hopeless.
3. Pleased and honored that they can help their neighbors in a time of great trouble.
4. Courageous but clueless, not recognizing that their efforts are unlikely to work. 

 

Based on this selection, what will most likely happen next?

 

1. Greece will get serious and find a way to prevent future fires.
2. This fire will be controlled, but drier conditions in the Mediterranean region will result in more fires in the future.
3. This fire will continue to burn uncontrollably and will destroy much of Athens.
4. Rains will come in time to help douse these destructive fires. 

 

 

 

A Daily Brush with Death

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090818/local/a-daily-brush-with-death

 

(Ferriter, August 19)

 

Cycling on Malta's roads is an uphill struggle. Not only do cyclists have to deal with poor infrastructure but they have to contend with increasingly irreverent motorists. How accurate is the local cyclists' claim that, in Malta, the car is king? Kristina Chetcuti followed the training trail of Etienne Bonello and Danica Spiteri, two cyclists on the Malta National Cycling team, to determine the dangers on the road.

 

Question to Use:

 

Based on this selection, what will most likely happen next?

 

1. Cyclists will stop using Malta's roads.
2. Drivers will begin to appreciate Malta's cyclists.
3. Another cyclist is likely to be killed.
4. Malta will spend millions making new bike paths.

 

Based on the context of the following sentence, what does heckled mean:  ""They come up from behind and hoot their horns, we're often jeered and heckled or have plastic bottles thrown at us."

 

1. Run over
2. Passed
3. Praised
4. Made fun of.