3. Sharpening reading skills.

A. Making Inferences

On each blank line, write the letter of the correct answer to the question.

1. The famous cherry tree story illustrates which two good character traits? ______

1. strength and modesty

2. courage and honesty

3. wisdom and kindness

2. What's the meaning of "Let us have faith that right makes might"? ____

1. If we are strong, we will also be morally right.

2. If we are morally right, that will give us strength.

3. Right and might are the same.

3. When Lincoln said "A house divided against itself cannot stand," what was he comparing? ____

1. an old house and a new house

2. a house cut in half with a country that allowed slavery in some areas but not others

c. the U.S. and Great Britain

4. In the previous quotation, what did Lincoln predict would happen to the U.S. if it continued to have both slave states and free states? ____

1. It would not survive.

2. It would have slavery everywhere.

3. It would have no slavery.

4. Understanding idioms and expressions

A. Answer the following questions about expressions used in the eading.

1. Why is Washington called the father of his country ? Give two reasons.

_______________________________________________________ .

2. Why is Lincoln called a self-made man?

_______________________________________________________ .

B. Discuss the meanings of the expressions listed below. Then use them to complete the sentences.

above all give up side with

break up no matter

1. Through difficult times, the Revolutionary Army kept fighting. The soldiers

didn't .

2. The revolutionary forces wanted to win their independence, so they kept

fighting, how difficult and dangerous it was.

3. Lincoln was intelligent, humble, and, , honorable.

4. Did Lincoln the North or the South?

5. The South wanted to the U.S. into two countries.

4. Taking words apart Look-alike words

Discuss the meaning and practice the pronunciation of the following groups of words. Then underline the correct words to complete the sentences.

a desert, to desert, a dessert

to separate (verb), separate (adjective)

to face (verb), a face (noun)

human, humane

1. Sometimes soldiers become frightened and run away or (desert / dessert) from the army. A (desert / dessert) is a dry, sandy area. Cherry pie is a traditional (desert / dessert) on Washington's birthday.

2. The southern states wanted to (separate / separated) from the rest of the U.S. and become a (separate / separated) country, so they seceded, or (separate / separated) from the Union.

3. Washington and Lincoln both (facing / faced) difficult decisions. Today, their (face / faces) are familiar to all Americans.

4. The Civil War led to a great deal of (human / humane) suffering. The war was fought because people in the North thought that slavery was not (human / humane).