Before Reading Paradise Lost
Identify the Author's Purpose
Read the About the Selection paragraph on page 511 of your textbook. What purpose does Milton set forth? Keep this purpose in mind as you read.
During Reading
Read with a Purpose in Mind
1. Listen as your teacher reads the first 26 lines. What purpose does Milton identify? What other information does he give in relation to this purpose?
2. Continue reading the selection on your own. Keep Milton's purpose in mind as you read. Make notes about the ways Milton achieves his purpose.
Fix-Up Idea: Unlock Difficult Words
Before reading the selection, preview the Words for Everyday Use. Read each word, definition, and contextual sentence carefully. Write your own contextual sentence for each word. Then preview the footnotes. Read each word or phrase and its explanation carefully. As you read, refer back to the footnotes to refresh your understanding of the words. Use context clues to determine the meaning of any other unfamiliar word. If you cannot understand the word using context clues, consult a dictionary.
After Reading
Summarize Ideas
With a few of your classmates, discuss question 5a on page 520 of your textbook. Write a brief summary of the ideas that come up in your discussion.
Before Reading "On His Blindness"
Make a Plan
Use a reaction chart to mark your reactions to the speaker's experience as you read. Make a three-column chart. In the left-hand column, you will write a line number. In the middle column, you will write key words and phrases. In the right-hand column, you will write your reaction to what you have read.
During Reading
React to the Speaker
1. Listen as your teacher reads the first four lines of the poem. What had happened to the speaker? How does the speaker feel about his condition? What words and phrases stand out to you? Note your reaction to the speaker and his condition.
2. Continue reading the selection on your own. Keep making notes in your chart.
Fix-Up Idea: Use Footnotes
Preview the footnotes for this selection. Footnotes may serve many purposes. They may provide definitions for archaic, obsolete, or specialized terms. They may provide historical or other background information. They may also explain allusions or other references that might be unclear. Use the information in the footnotes to help you understand the selection.
After Reading
Summarize What You Wrote
Compare the notes you took while you were reading with those of another student. Then discuss the Respond to the Selection question on page 522.