ECA: Unit 2: Lessons 5-6

Excerpt from: Edgar Allan Poe & Jack London
by: Sarah Post

There is something in the unselfish and self-sacrificing love of a brute, which goes directly to the heart of him who has had frequent occasion to test the paltry friendship and gossamer fidelity of mere Man.
What is the meaning of gossamer?

• delicate
• fabric
• muscular
• trendy

Excerpt from: 
New Kid on the Block
by: Mary McCormick
As I watched the new kid and his family transport their luggage into the old Finnegan residence, I was mesmerized by the many remarkable boxes.
Residence in this passage best means...

• family
• home
• park
• store

Excerpt from: Excerpt from The Outside
by: Susan Glaspell
MRS. PATRICK: I care nothing about a wood to guard a town. This is the outside—these dunes where only beach grass grows, this outer shore where men can't live. The Outside. You who were born here and who die here have named it that.
ALLIE MAYO: Woods. Woods to hold the moving hills from Provincetown. Provincetown—where they turn when boats can't live at sea.
MRS. PATRICK: The edge of life. Where life trails off to dwarfed things not worth a name.

 In this sentence, dwarfed means

• destoyed
• made dimmer
• lost its appeal
• appeared smaller

Excerpt from: The Heron and the Hummingbird - A Re-Telling of the Classic Tale
by: Lee Washington
Heron and Hummingbird were a comic pair because they did not resemble each other at all. Heron had long legs that he sometimes tripped over. Hummingbird was skinny and very short, like a fragile little sapling.

 In the first paragraph the word fragile means

• colorful
• delicate
• fast 
• quiet

Excerpt from: Asthma
Information from the CDC

A provider will ask about your family history of asthma, allergy and other breathing problems, and your home environment. He or she also will ask about lost school or work days and limits on your activity.
Which research study would provide the MOST information about asthma and heredity?

• Asthma, Is It in Your Genes?
• Asthma, Will I Grow out of It?
• It's in the Air: Suffering with Asthma in the Inner City
• New Over the Counter Medications Prove Effective for Treating Asthma Symptoms

Excerpt from: The Invisible Man
by: H.G. Wells

The stranger, muffled in hat, coat, gloves, and wrapper, came out impatiently to meet Fearenside's cart, while Hall was having a word or so of gossip preparatory to helping being them in.
Which is the BEST meaning for muffled as it is used in the selected sentence?

• dropped
• hidden
• missed
• stifled

Excerpt from: The Land and the Name
by: Bandini and Warren

¹ Once upon a time, about four hundred years ago, there was published in old Spain a novel which soon became unusually popular. The successful story of those days was one which caught the fancy of the men, was read by them, discussed at their gatherings, and often carried with them when they went to the wars or in search of adventures. This particular story would not interest readers of today save for this passage: "Know that on the right hand of the Indies there is an island called California, very near the Terrestrial Paradise, and it is peopled by black women who live after the fashion of Amazons. This island is the strongest in the world, with its steep rocks and great cliffs, and there is no metal in the island but gold."
What is the meaning of the word save as it is used in this sentence from the first paragraph of the passage?

• avoid
• collect
• except
• rescue

Excerpt from: The Georgia State Seal
by: Natalie Stewart
The boats on the back of the seal symbolize the agricultural commerce of Georgia. Similarly, the farmer and crop bundles represent Georgia’s dependence on agriculture for survival. During the mid to late 1800s, over 700,000 cotton bales were produced each year. Cotton is still a “king” crop in Georgia. The state currently produces almost three million bales per year. This is only one reason why the state is an important asset to its country.

In paragraph eight, the word asset means

• benefit
• debt
• element
• expense

Excerpt from: A Screamingly Good Science Lesson
by: Elizabeth Kibler
Amusement park rides give us thrills, exhilaration, and delight.

In paragraph 1, the word exhilaration means

• horror
• laughter
• excitement
• trepidation

Excerpt from: Laughter May Be The Best Medicine
by: Cheryl Nason, BS, MEd.

⁵ Interestingly enough, when a comedian uses humor you ask "Is it funny?" When you use humor in the business world, you ask, "Does it work?" There is growing recognition today that something as seemingly frivolous as humor can actually promote productivity and cohesion within an organization. Many companies are beginning to take a serious interest in humor as it is used in speeches, training, employee relations, and managing stress. The value of humor also reaches into the boardroom. Executives who incorporate a sense of humor into their management styles find that it pays off in increased employee morale, decreased employee absenteeism, higher employee productivity and improved communication within the organization as a whole.
Which is the best meaning for organization as it is used in paragraph five?

• organic strucutre; composition
• an organized structure for arranging or classifying
• the administrative personnel or apparatus of a business
• the activity or result of distributing or disposing persons or things properly