ZINGER PAIRED

One difference between the poem and the selection is that only the poem —

• calls for the creation of a new alphabet

• provides examples of sound and spelling mismatches

• implies that spelling rules should be memorized

• explains exactly why Franklin wanted a new alphabet

An idea mentioned in both the poem and the selection is that correct spelling —

• does not make sense

• is a sign of intelligence

• should follow logical rules

• is a popular contest

How are the purposes of spelling described in the selections different?

• In "Our Strange Lingo," spelling is shown to be wrong; in "The History of

  Spelling Bees," spelling is described as too hard.

• In "Our Strange Lingo," spelling shows correct use of English, while in "The

  History of Spelling Bees," English spelling is contrasted with that of other

  languages.

• In "Our Strange Lingo," spelling is described as limited by the alphabet;

  however, in "The History of Spelling Bees," spelling is described as a perfect

  use of the English alphabet.

• In "Our Strange Lingo," spelling is used for the purpose of humor, while in

  "The History of Spelling Bees," spelling is discussed as the topic of a contest.

Read these excerpts from the selections. Both of these excerpts describe —

Our Strange Lingo:

To sum up all, it seems to me

Sound and letters don't

agree.

The History of Spelling Bees:

Franklin had a special interest in

spelling and wanted to use letters

to reflect the sounds of English.

• the challenges of correct spelling

• why the alphabet needs to be changed

• the importance of Franklin today

• why spelling is important in education

How do both selections show that English spelling can be tricky?

• They explain that English words are always spelled the way they sound.
  

• They show that spelling rules don’t always make sense.
  

• They teach new spelling rules to follow.
  

• They say that spelling contests make spelling harder.

What is a big difference between "Our Strange Lingo" and "The History of Spelling Bees"?

• "Our Strange Lingo" is funny, but "The History of Spelling Bees" gives facts.
  

• "Our Strange Lingo" teaches new words, but "The History of Spelling Bees" makes fun of spelling.

• "Our Strange Lingo" is about spelling contests, but "The History of Spelling Bees" is about rhyming words.
  

• "Our Strange Lingo" and "The History of Spelling Bees" both tell stories about people who won spelling bees.

What do both selections say about spelling?

• Spelling is always easy to learn.
  

• Spelling should be changed to match how words sound.
  

• Spelling can be confusing because it does not always follow rules.
  

• Spelling is the most important subject in school.

Why did Benjamin Franklin want to change the alphabet, according to "The History of Spelling Bees"?

• He thought spelling contests were unfair.
  

• He wanted words to be spelled the way they sound.
  

• He wanted to make English harder to learn.
  

• He wanted to add more letters to the alphabet.