Pecos Bill: The Cyclone by Harold W. Felton Perseus by Edith Hamilton Reading Warm-up A

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1 Pecos Bill: The Cyclone by Harold W. Felton Reading Warm-up A Read the following passage. Pay special attention to the underlined words. Then, read it again, and complete the activities. Use a separate sheet of paper for your written answers. Whether you call it a whirlwind, a twister, a tornado, or a cyclone, this phenomenon of nature can cause terrible damage. They can occur at any time of the year, but the greatest number of tornadoes occurs in May and June. However, the tornadoes occurring during April are the deadliest, bringing fatal consequences to an average of nearly thirty people a year. Tornadoes occur mainly in the central and southern United States. This area is called tornado alley. It lies between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachians and runs from Iowa and Nebraska down to the Gulf of Mexico. If you live in this region, you have probably experienced all kinds of extreme weather. What kind of destruction can a tornado cause? The Fujita Scale (named after T. Theodore Fujita, who invented it) gives us some idea. According to this scale, a level F0 tornado has winds of miles per hour. It can cause light damage. Branches might be ripped from trees. Shallowly rooted trees may be lifted from the ground. Damage to signs, traffic signals, and chimneys might occur. A level F1 tornado, with winds of miles per hour, is capable of moderate damage. Mobile homes can be knocked off their foundations. Cars might be flipped over. Roofing materials might be damaged. Almost half of all tornadoes fall into this category. A level F2 tornado, with winds of miles per hour, causes considerable damage. Solid, old trees are uprooted easily. Mobile homes are completely destroyed. Roofs are ripped off buildings. Train cars can be knocked over. A small object can even become a dangerous missile. The Fujita Scale lists three more levels, F3, F4, and F5, which range from severe to devastating to incredible damage. Only about one percent of tornadoes are classified as F5. A strong heave from the winds of one of these tornadoes can toss cars through the air and turn whole houses to piles of sticks and stones. 1. Circle the words that mean the same as whirlwind. Use whirlwind in a sentence. 2. Underline the words that tell what a cyclone can do. Describe the aftermath of a cyclone. 3. Circle the word that helps to understand fatal. What does fatal mean? 4. Underline the word that extreme describes. Describe an extreme condition that you once experienced. 5. Circle the word that tells what can cause destruction. Define destruction. 6. Underline the words that tell what a level F1 tornado is capable of. Name one positive thing you are capable of. 7. Circle the word that describes missile. Use missile in a sentence. 8. Underline the word that tells what a heave from an F5 tornado can do. Name an object that would require a heave to move it. 168

2 Pecos Bill: The Cyclone by Harold W. Felton Reading Warm-up B Read the following passage. Pay special attention to the underlined words. Then, read it again, and complete the activities. Use a separate sheet of paper for your written answers. The ancient Greek legend about Daedalus and his son Icarus is a lesson to everyone about the danger of taking something too far. Daedalus, a brilliant inventor, was a prisoner of King Minos of Crete. When King Minos asked him to produce clever machines and new ideas, Daedalus had to obey. When he was busy making an invention, he would be radiant with the happiness of creativity, even though he was in prison. Though Daedalus tried to make the best of captivity, bad fortune was going to pursue him. Minos became angry at Daedalus and banished him to the Labyrinth, a tangled maze. This was no mere game. The Labyrinth had been designed by Daedalus himself, and escaping from it was almost impossible. Daedalus knew the way out, but he knew that he would be killed if he left the maze. His son, Icarus, because of his great love for his father, chose to live with his father in their new abode. One day, Icarus told his father that he was bored in the Labyrinth. He wanted them to leave that wretched place. Daedalus said such a plan was impossible, but Icarus convinced his father to make wings for them both. Then, they could fly away from Crete forever. Daedalus then devised a way for them to fly. He created a pair of wings, using wax to make the feathers stick. He and his son were soon flying above Crete, enjoying the view and the feeling of freedom. In his arrogance, Icarus decided he could fly much higher. As the fearless Icarus soared up toward the heavens, the sun s heat melted the wax on his beautiful wings. Moments later, Daedalus saw his son s body hurtling down to the sea, where it disappeared forever. 1. Underline the words that hint at the meaning of radiant. Use radiant in a sentence. 2. Underline the words that tell what would pursue Daedalus. Describe something that would be difficult to pursue. 3. Use a synonym for mere to rewrite the sentence in which the word appears. Then, write a sentence of your own using mere. 4. Circle the phrase that helps you understand abode. Describe your own abode. 5. Underline the name of the place that is described as wretched. Explain what makes the place wretched. 6. Circle the words that tell what Daedalus devised. What is another word for devised? 7. Underline the words that tell what Icarus, in his arrogance, decided. Describe a person who is displaying arrogance. 8. Circle the word that tells who is fearless. Describe an action you saw or read about that was fearless. 169

3 Pecos Bill: The Cyclone by Harold W. Felton and Literary Analysis: Tall Tale and Myth A tall tale is a type of folk tale that contains some or all of the following features: a larger-than-life central hero far-fetched situations and amazing feats humor hyperbole, or exaggeration Tall tales are a particularly American form of story. Many tall tales originated during the American frontier period and reflect the challenges and values of that place and time. A myth is an anonymous story that explains the actions of gods or human heroes, the reasons for certain traditions, or the causes of natural features. Every culture has its own mythology, or collection of myths, which express the central values of the people who created them. Mythic heroes often share three characteristics: they have at least one divine parent, they gain special knowledge or weapons, and they face seemingly impossible tasks. In general, myths tell how gods shape human life while tall tales tell how humans make things happen. DIRECTIONS: Write your answers to the following questions on the lines provided. 1. How would you compare and contrast Pecos Bill and Perseus as heroes? 2. What elements of exaggeration or fantasy can you identify in each tale? Pecos Bill: The Cyclone : Perseus : 3. Mood is the overall atmosphere or feeling created by a literary work. Tone is the author s attitude toward the subject, the characters, or the audience. How would you compare and contrast Pecos Bill: The Cyclone with Perseus in mood and tone? Mood: Tone: 4. In their original versions, many tall tales and myths were oral literature or works that were passed down by word of mouth from one generation to the next. What qualities in The Cyclone and Perseus would lend themselves especially well to oral storytelling? 171

4 Pecos Bill: The Cyclone by Harold W. Felton and Support for Writing to Compare Literary Works Use a chart like the one shown to make prewriting notes for an essay comparing and contrasting the values that Pecos Bill and Perseus represent. Respect Values Pecos Bill Perseus Fears Goals Achievements Motivations 173

5 Pecos Bill: The Cyclone by Harold W. Felton Open-Book Test Short Answer Write your responses to the questions in this section on the lines provided. 1. Fill out the Venn diagram to show common and different features of tall tales and myths. Then answer the question that follows. Tall Tales Myths Common Features What one feature do both Pecos Bill: The Cyclone and Perseus have in common? 2. Which selection is a tall tale? Which is a myth? Fill in the chart, and give a feature of tall tale and myth to explain each answer. Myth or Tall Tale Feature Pecos Bill The Cyclone : Perseus : 3. Who shapes human life in Pecos Bill: The Cyclone and Perseus human figures or gods? 174

6 4. Consider the character portrayals of Pecos Bill and Perseus in these narratives. What is an important similarity between the two characters? 5. In the beginning of Pecos Bill: The Cyclone, the reader is told that Bill fenced all of Texas and parts of New Mexico and Arizona with the help of prairie dogs. Is this an example of exotic setting, hyperbole, or historical fact? Explain your answer. 6. How would you describe author Harold Felton s attitude toward his subject in Pecos Bill: The Cyclone? 7. Tall tales and myths might be humorous, serious, or suspenseful. How would you describe Pecos Bill: The Cyclone and Perseus? 8. In this excerpt from the middle of Pecos Bill: The Cyclone, the cyclone is given characteristics of a human being. How is the cyclone like a human character? This year it did not come to watch. It deliberately came to spoil the celebration. Jealous of Bill and of his success, it resolved to do away with the whole institution of the Fourth of July once and for all. 9. As Perseus grows up, why does Danaë allow him to become a fisherman on a little island? 175

7 10. In the middle of Perseus, Perseus and Hermes come upon the people who are holding revelry. What actions are these people engaging in? Use the meaning of revelry in your answer. Essay Write an extended response to the question of your choice or to the question or questions your teacher assigns you. 11. In an essay, compare and contrast the personalities of Pecos Bill in Pecos Bill: The Cyclone and of Perseus in the Greek myth. How are the two characters alike? How are they different? Be sure to support your main ideas with specific references to the text of the selections. 12. In Perseus, the central character seems to get a lot of help when he needs it most. For example, Hermes and Athena show up just when Perseus has taken on an impossible task. Is Perseus still heroic? In an essay, explain why you think Perseus is or is not heroic. Use examples and details from the selection to support your view. 13. In Perseus, the Gray Women, the Gorgons, and the sea serpent are all supernatural challenges for Perseus to overcome. In The Cyclone, Pecos Bill does battle with an overwhelming natural force. In an essay, explain why you think that fantastic creatures or awesome natural forces have a powerful hold on human imagination and why they appear so often in tales of adventure. In an essay, give examples from the selections or from other stories, ancient or modern, to support your ideas. 14. Thinking About the Big Question: Do heroes have responsibilities? In an essay, discuss how these two narrative stories Pecos Bill: The Cyclone and Perseus imply that heroes have responsibilities. What are the responsibilities of the heroes in these stories? Oral Response 15. Go back to question 1, 4, 8, or to the question your teacher assigns you. Take a few minutes to expand your answer and prepare an oral response. Find additional details in Pecos Bill: The Cyclone and/or Perseus that support your points. If necessary, make notes to guide your oral response. 176