Grade Six English
Answers to last week’s exercises: Grammar
1) The farmer sold chickens, ducks and turkeys at the market. 2) Have you eaten your dinner, Paul?
3) My cousins live at 89 Daisy Avenue, Christianburg, Linden. 4) No, the book is on the cupboard.
5. Mr. Williams, the cook prepared some delicious meals for us at
the camp.
Comprehension
Hello boys and girls of Grade Six! Today you will learn to use another punctuation mark, the apostrophe. You will also be guided to write a report on a tour. Make sure you read all instructions and complete all the exercises. Enjoy your session!
GRAMMAR
WITH MY FRIEND
- Take turns to read each sentence aloud.
He’s my youngest brother.
My friends aren’t at school today.
- Pick out the contractions and tell their meanings.
- Use your reference books to find out how this punctuation mark is used.
- Read and discuss the notes.
THE APOSTROPHE
The apostrophe can be used for two different purposes viz.
1) It is used to contract (shorten) words.
2) It is also used to show possession. (This will be discussed later in our series.)
CONTRACTIONS
Contractions are shortened forms of certain words or word groups that are commonly placed together. The apostrophe in contractions shows that letters have been left out.
Here are some commonly used contractions and their meanings. aren’t are not can’t cannot they’re they are we’ll we will I’ve I have ‘twas it was o’er over she’s she is we’re we are won’t will not you’re you are you’re you are
- Study each example above carefully.
- Tell what letter(s) the apostrophe represents.
Note well!
“Not” words are negative contractions and should never be combined with negative words such as no, none, nowhere, no one and never. If used, the sentence will have double negatives.
My uncle didn’t give me nothing. (Wrong)
My uncle didn’t give me anything. (Correct)
ON MY OWN
Exercise
Write the contraction for each of the following.
1. is not 2.we have 3. he is
5. would not 6. I am 7. let us
9. she would 10.you will
COMPOSITION
WITH MY FRIEND
Read and discuss the notes.
Report Writing – Tour
4. you cannot 8. they are 1. State the date, time, place you visited.
2. Tell the persons who visited and the purpose of the tour.
3. Give details about the tour. Include important activities which took place in sequence.
4. Discuss the educational and other benefits of the tour. (such as better understanding of topic, new interests which you discovered, bonding with other members of the group.
4. Conclude by summing up. Tell if the purpose of the tour was achieved.
(Always remember to write your report in the past tense)
Suggested Outline
Paragraph 1 - Start with an interesting beginning. Include the date, time and place which you visited. Name the group with whom you participated and the purpose of the tour.
Paragraph 2 - Describe the environment and activities in sequence.
Paragraph 3 - Describe the environment and other activities in sequence
Paragraph 3 - Discuss the benefits you gained from the tour
Paragraph 5 - Sum up what was mentioned in the controlling sentence in the opening paragraph.
You may state to what extent the tour was successful and mention an important lesson which you have learned.
ON MY OWN
In about 120 to 150 words, write a report on one of the following: A) A Factory I Have Visited
B) A Visit to a Farm
C) A visit to the Fire Department in your community
COMPREHENSION
ON MY OWN
Read the passage carefully then answer questions which follow.
The sky reflects its beauty of stars on a dark, clear night. When you look at the sky you see about two thousand stars. However, if you use a pair of seven-power binoculars, you’ll see more than fifty thousand. There are trillions of stars in the sky. But most are thousands of lightyears away. When they can be seen at all, it is only through a telescope. The sun, by contrast, is only 8.5 light minutes away.
Stars are made of very hot gases that glow with brilliant light. The colour of the light varies with a star’s temperature. The hottest stars give off bluish white light. The coolest stars glow dull red. Yellow stars like the sun have medium temperatures.
Why do scientists study these distant objects? They believe there are many similarities in the lives of stars. By observing stars of varying ages, scientists hope to unlock clues to the past and the future of our sun, and of the planets that whirl _____________.
Questions
Goodbye boy and girls!
( Adapted from 100 Comprehension Exercises)
Read each question carefully then draw a heavy black line through the letter (A, B, C or D) which is near the answer you choose.
1) Which sentence gives the main idea of the first paragraph?
A) But most are thousands of light-years away.
B) There are millions of stars in the sky.
C) The sky reflects its beauty of stars on a dark, clear night. D) When you look at the sky you usually see about two thousand stars.
2. According to the passage, the colour of the star depends on A) its distance away B) the gases present C) its coolness D) its temperature
3 Which is the correct order of the light from coolest to hottest? A) bluish white, yellow, dull red
B) bluish white, dull red, yellow
C) dull red, yellow, bluish white
D) dull red, bluish white, yellow
4. One reason the passage gives for scientists studying the stars is A) to find out their similarities.
B) to write about their beauty.
C) understand eclipse
D) to explain how a telescope can be used to see them.
5. To end the passage, what words could be placed on the line to make complete sense?
A) with it B) around it
C) next to it D) at the top of it