Concept Attainment Exercise

Directions You will be shown a passage to read and given a printout of the passage. Then you will see two lists of statements concerning that passage – FIND THE DIFFERENCE IN THE TWO LISTS Finally, you will be given another list of statements, you will have to determine to which group these belong

Passage 1 "Only those of an imposing stature were chosen to play football by the natural team leaders who emerged every playtime. My chore was to sit behind the goal at the river end of the field and retrieve any balls stupid enough to avoid the grasp of Tam Knight or "Spite" as he was referred to in whispers by most of the lower school. On occasion this meant removing my boots and socks - if I happened to be wearing any that day. This particular day the water was higher than usual and as I tried to reach the ball I slipped off the slimy rock on which I perched and plunged into the murky wetness. While this was bad enough, I stood up just in time to see my left boot float down the river and disappear under the bridge. The roars of laughter and finger pointing were nothing compared to what I would have to endure when I went home bootless!"

Determine the difference in these two sets of statements The narrator was quite small as a child. It is not uncommon for the narrator to come to the playground without shoes or socks. The narrator came from a poor family. Tam Knight is often called “Spite” behind his back. "Only those of an imposing stature were chosen to play football by the natural team leaders who emerged every playtime.” The narrator has one of the best duties on the playground.

Now, in which group should the following statements be classified? Tam Knight was not a well-liked boy. The narrator had a happy childhood. Sometimes the narrator takes off his shoes and socks to get the ball. This particular day the water was higher than usual and as I tried to reach the ball The narrator is not a great athlete.

Answers: Tam Knight was not a well-liked boy. The narrator had a happy childhood. Sometimes the narrator takes off his shoes and socks to get the ball. This particular day the water was higher than usual and as I tried to reach the ball The narrator is not a great athlete.

Passage 2 Once when we were living on Loomis, a nun from my school passed and saw me playing out front. The laundromat downstairs had been boarded up because it had been robbed two days before and the owner had painted on the wood YES WE’RE OPEN so not to lose business. Where do you live? She asked There, I said pointing up to the third floor. You live there? There. I had to look to where she pointed – the third floor, the paint peeling, wooden bars Papa nailed on the windows so we wouldn’t fall out. You live there? The way she said it made me feel like nothing. There. I lived there. I nodded. I knew then I had to have a house. A real house. One I could point to. But this isn’t it. The house on Mango Street isn’t it. For the time being, Mama says. Temporary, says Papa. But I know how those things go.

Determine the difference in these two sets of statements The narrator’s family is rather poor. Papa is concerned for his children’s safety. This will be their house for quite some time. “I knew then I had to have a house. A real house.” Papa nailed bars on the windows so the children wouldn’t fall out. The narrator was proud of her house on Loomis.

Now, in which group should the following statements be classified? “I had to look to where she pointed – the third floor, the paint peeling, wooden bars Papa nailed on the windows…” The narrator is sensitive about her family’s house. The narrator lives in a rough neighborhood. The nun is thinks the narrator’s dwelling is very good. A nun from the school saw the narrator playing in front of the building.

Answers: “I had to look to where she pointed – the third floor, the paint peeling, wooden bars Papa nailed on the windows…” The narrator is sensitive about her family’s house. The narrator lives in a rough neighborhood. The nun is thinks the narrator’s dwelling is very good. A nun from the school saw the narrator playing in front of the building.

Passage 3 “Mr. West gets madder and madder until he’s ready to strike her, and then she moves right into his face and says, ‘Go ahead, Maxwell. Then I’ll turn the other cheek and you can hit that one too,’ and it usually stops. One time it didn’t, which is why Montana is able to get away with it. Maxwell West was so horrified that he struck his daughter, albeit with an open hand, that she sometimes gets away with murder. It was the day after that incident that she got the worm tattoo. A good whack carries with it a lot of capital.”

Determine the difference in these two sets of statements “Go ahead, Maxwell. Then I’ll turn the other cheek and you can hit that one too.” Maxwell hit his daughter with an open hand once. Usually, the fights stop before any violence occurs. Maxwell likes his daughter’s tattoos Maxwell doesn’t like his daughter’s tattoos. Montana knows her dad feels awful about hitting her. Reminding her dad of the violent incident allows Montana to get away with a lot more stuff. Montana is Maxwell’s daughter.

Now, in which group should the following statements be classified? Maxwell and Montana are very different people. “Montana is able to get away with it.” Maxwell West was astonished that he actually hit his daughter. Maxwell West will never again resort to violence against his daughter. The West household has calm, reasonable discussions about their differences.

Answers: “Montana is able to get away with it.” Maxwell and Montana are very different people. Maxwell West was astonished that he actually hit his daughter. Maxwell West will never again resort to violence against his daughter. The West household has calm, reasonable discussions about their differences.

Passage 4 “Mrs. Madison strides from her principal’s office to the library, pushes the doors open like a sheriff entering a saloon, and crosses to the main desk, where she stands, impatient. When you see her come for a kid this way, you pray for him. Ruth Lloyd finishes checking out a book to Rick Sellers and points Abby Clark to the non- fiction section for a book on the caveman Australopithecus boisei. Man, I swoosh into a room and know everything. Too bad I don’t have earthly needs; I could make a killing on Jeopardy.” (137)

In which group should the following statements be classified? 1.“Mrs. Madison strides from her principal’s office to the library.” 2.Mrs. Madison is intimidating when she’s angry. 3.Before talking to Mrs. Madison, Mrs. Lloyd helps Rick and Abby with their work. 4.The narrator plans on appearing on Jeopardy to win much-needed money. 5.Mrs. Ruth is trying to handle the situation calmly and professionally. 6.There’s a lot of interesting stuff going on in the minds of the librarian and the principal. 7.The narrator suddenly arrives and knows everything that’s going on.

Answers: 1.“Mrs. Madison strides from her principal’s office to the library.” 2.Mrs. Madison is intimidating when she’s angry. 3.Before talking to Mrs. Madison, Mrs. Lloyd helps Rick and Abby with their work. 4.The narrator plans on appearing on Jeopardy to win much-needed money. 5.Mrs. Ruth is trying to handle the situation calmly and professionally. 6.There’s a lot of interesting stuff going on in the minds of the librarian and the principal. 7.The narrator suddenly arrives and knows everything that’s going on.

Concept Attained: Inference An inference IS: –Accurate knowledge taken from a text without it being directly stated. An inference IS NOT: –A direct quote –A paraphrase (putting the information into your own words) –Inaccurate or unsupported conclusions