1a. By the time Albert reaches high school, what are his two greatest loves?
2a. Where does Adelaide eventually live? What does she appreciate about this place?
3a. What does the reader learn about Mrs. Horton through her words? through her actions?
4a. Identify ways in which Adelaide describes her brother Albert. Categorize each example as fact or opinion.
5a. How well does Mrs. Horton assess the death of her husband? Is her reasoning logical? How does Adelaide's view differ from Mrs. Horton's?
6a. How would Mr. Horton view Albert's adult life? Would he view Albert as successful? Why, or why not? Why would Mrs. Horton view things differently? How does Adelaide probably view Albert as an adult?
1b. What about these two things is attractive to Albert, and why?
2b. Why does Adelaide view this place differently than her mother probably did? What would Albert think about it?
3b. How much influence does Mrs. Horton seem to have on her family members? Does she cause people to think or act differently than they otherwise would? Do people change as a result of her influence?
4b. What does Adelaide think about be-ers and doers? Summarize her thoughts and the message you think she has in telling this story.
5b. According to the Reader's Resource on page 27, an individual with a type C personality tends to keep things pent up inside without voicing his or her emotions. Based on this, label Mr. Horton, Mrs. Horton, Adelaide, Maudie, and Albert as personality types A, B, or C. Give reasons for your answer.
6b. Rewrite the final paragraph of the story from the point of view of Mrs. Horton, Mr. Horton, or Maudie.
Character. Note the character traits of each person in the Horton family. Can each character be classified as either a "be-er" or a "doer"? Why do you think the author chose to make Adelaide the narrator of the story?
Plot. Review "Be-ers and Doers" and use the following graphic organizer to identify important situations and events in the story. Then determine which of these episodes is the inciting incident, which is the climax and which indicates resolution.
1. Imagine that Adelaide's parents decided to sell their farm and home. Write a brief real estate advertisement for the estate.
2. Imagine that one of Albert's poems wins a contest, earning him a bit of fame in Nova Scotia. Write a biographical paragraph about Albert to accompany his winning poem in an upcoming edition of the Digby Courier.
3. List five personality traits belonging to someone close to you. Based on your list, decide whether you think that person is a "be-er" or a "doer." Share your findings with the person to see if he or she agrees.
Geographical Research: Using resources from your school or public library, including the Internet, research the regions of Nova Scotia. Where would you want to live if you moved to that province? Where in the province would you want to take a vacation? What type of jobs are available that are attractive to you? What annual events take place in Nova Scotia? What types of recreation are most common? Research Log. Use this log to keep track of the sources you use, the information you find, and your reactions what you learn.
Internet sources:
Books and print sources:
Answers to textbook questions:
Using Prefixes. Choose a prefix from the left column and a root word from the right column to form a word to match each of the definitions below. The prefixes and root words may be used more than once.
1. Matthew saw a __________________ of the movie before it opened.
2. I thought the stickers were __________________, but they don't come off easily.
3. The tomatoes sat in the refrigerator for so long that they were __________________.
4. Theresa wanted to __________________ the little cat that visited her house.
5. My grandmother is __________________ of yelling, shouting, and excessive noise.
6. I was afraid my favorite socks would __________________ in the laundry.
7. The chairs in the movie theater are __________________.
8. I would like to __________________ a table for four at noon.
9. I don't like when Jimmy carries around all his tattered toys, but I can't __________________ him his favorite blanket.
10. I lost my computer files, so now I have to __________________ my English paper.
Finding the Complete Subject and Complete Predicate. All simple English sentences can be divided into two parts: the subject and the predicate. Read the Language Arts Survey 3.17, "Finding the Complete Subject and Complete Predicate in a Sentence." Then place square brackets around the complete subject and curly brackets around the complete predicate in each of the sentences below.
Example [Everyone] {ignored Mrs. Horton's advice}.
1. Albert and Mr. Horton were be-ers, not doers.
2. Such an apple crop impressed everyone in the region.
3. All of the Hortons ate dinner at half past six.
4. Mrs. Horton wanted Albert to be more ambitious.
5. A cow, a beagle, and four cats live with Albert.
6. Adelaide and her family came home for Christmas.
7. Maudie was named after Mom's aunt Maud.
8. The Horton family lives in Nova Scotia.
9. The crops, the cows, and the apple trees needed tending.
10. The countryside around North Mountain is beautiful.
Examining Dialect. Look at the dialogue in "Be-ers and Doers." Some of the words and phrases used by the characters are examples of dialect—a version of language spoken by the people of a particular place, time, or social group. List examples of dialect from the story. Then write examples of phrases with similar meanings as you would say them or as you have heard them said.
Example "Well! Oho! Just think o' that!" "Oh my gosh! Can you believe it?"
1. dialect: your version:
2. dialect: your version:
3. dialect: your version:
4. dialect: your version:
5. dialect: your version:
