Before You Read Assalama, a young Tuareg

bride, prepares for a big

celebration with the help
A. Discuss. Look at the title, photo, and caption. What celebration do of her relatives.
you think Assalama is getting ready for?

B. Skimming for the Main Idea. What do you think the reading
on page 55 is mainly about? Circle a, b, or c. Then read the passage
to check your answer.
a. a famous African bride
b. a traditional wedding
c. traditional desert clothing
54 Unit 4A
 The Tuareg bride, Assalama, sits silently as relatives and helpers make sure her
hair is perfect for the wedding. Such attention is new for the bride, who is only
15 years old and has spent most of her life taking care of her family's goats
and sheep. The Tuareg are nomads, 1 and it was only by chance that she was
5 reunited with her 25-year-old cousin Mohamed a month earlier. Back from
working in Libya, Mohamed spotted Assalama as she drew water from a well.
"I knew from that moment that I wanted to marry her," he says. He asked for
her hand and she said "yes," giving him a piece of jewelry to demonstrate her
acceptance. Their families approved, and wedding plans began.

10 Following Tuareg traditions, the marriage ceremony is performed at

a mosque2 in the presence of only the couple's parents. Assalama and
Mohamed are absent. A few days later, the celebration begins. For a week,
some 500 guests enjoy camel races, sing, and eat rice, dates, and roasted
meat in tents under the Saharan stars.

15 Mohamed wears an indigo tage/must, a cloth that wraps his head and face.
The rich color, which rubs off onto the skin, earned these Saharan warriors3
the title" blue men of the desert." For the Tuareg, the tagelmust not only
keeps out sand and sun, it keeps evil4 creatures called iinns away, as does
henna, a reddish brown coloring used on Mohamed's feet. It is also a symbol
20 of purity, reserved for a man's first marriage.

A tent called an ehan is prepared for Assalama and Mohamed. Women take
down and put up the marriage tent each day, making it larger each time.
The growing tent symbolizes the couple's growing relationship. Through
the whole celebration, Assalama stays inside the tent. She shows her face or
25 speaks only to Mohamed, her best friend, her mother, and one special helper.
Assalama and Mohamed are never left alone, for fear they might be harmed
by jealous jinns.

The couple will spend their first year of marriage with Assalama's family.
Mohamed must work hard to win his in-laws' approval. Once he does
30 that, he will take his bride back to his camp and start his nomad's caravan
moving again.

1 Nomads are people who don't live in one place. Instead, they move from place to place.
2 A mosque is a place where Muslims go to worship.
3 A warrior is a skilled fighter or a soldier.
4 Someone who is evil is very bad and causes harm to other people.

Unit 4A 55
Reading Comprehension
Multiple Choice. Choose the best answer for each question.

Gist 1. What is the passage mainly about?

a. the love story of two Tuareg cousins
b. the changing festivals of the Tuareg people
c. a description of the marriage of a Tuareg couple
d. the marriage difficulties of a young Tuareg couple

2. In lines 7-8, what does he asked for her hand mean?

a. He asked her for some help.
b. He asked her to hold hands.
c. He asked her to marry him.
d. He asked his parents for permission to marry.

Detail 3. During their actual marriage ceremony, Assalama

and Mohamed
a. were not present
Did You Know?
b. visited a nearby mosque
The Tuareg depend
c. showed respect to their parents
on camels for
d. wore traditional Tuareg clothing
transportation across
Inference 4. Henna is used on Mohamed's feet because he the desert. Camels can
a. is marrying a cousin drink up to 150 liters
b. is not wearing a tagelmust of water at a time,
c. is thought to be very pure and have been known
d. has not been married before to survive 50 days
without water.
Detail 5. Why was the marriage tent made larger and larger?
a. because the celebration increases in size
b. to chase jealous jinns further and further away
c. to show the progress of the couple's relationship
d. so Assalama's friend, mother, and helper could enter

Cause and 6. The people are afraid that if Assalama or Mohamed are left
Effect alone, they will
a. turn into jealous jinns
b. be harmed by evil creatures
c. become jealous of other people
d. change their minds about getting married

Reference 7. The word that in line 30 refers to Mohamed

a. returning to his camp
b. winning his in-laws' approval
c. starting his caravan moving again
d. finishing the wedding celebration
56 Unit 4A
Reading Skill
Dealing with Unfamiliar Vocabulary
A reading text can help readers understand vocabulary in a variety
of ways. A word (often in a caption) may simply be shown in a
photo, or a word may be defined immediately before or after it
appears in the text. Look for a definition set off by commas, or for
words like means, is called, or known as. At other times, a word
might simply be defined at the end of the reading or in a footnote.

If a word is not shown or defined, it may still be possible to

understand its meaning from context. Look at the words around
it, and see if you can guess the meaning or have a general idea of
its meaning.

A. Scan. These words appear in the passage on page 55.

Find and circle them.

drew ehan henna jinns nomad tagelmust warrior

B. Matching. Use the context to help you identify the meaning of

the words in A. Then match each of the words with its definition.
1. drew • • a. pulled up
2. nomad. • b. evil creatures
3. jinns • • c. a special type of tent
4. ehan • • d. a reddish brown coloring
5. tagelmust • • e. a type of fighter or soldier
6. warrior • • f. a cloth that wraps a head and face
7. henna • • g. a person who travels from place to
place A Tuareg man wears a
traditional head-cloth
Critical Thinking Discuss with a partner. Do you think Mohamed called a tage/must.
and Assalama are the right age to get married? What is the
ideal age to get married in your culture? Give reasons to
support your opinions.

Unit 4A 57
Vocabulary Practice
A. Completion. Complete the information below using the words from
the box. One word is extra.

ceremony jealous reserved reunite

symbolize tents weddings wrap

Like the Tuareg, the Wodaabe are a group of nomadic African

people who live in light 1. that can be moved
from place to place. The Wodaabe never stay still for long, but
do come together a few times a year for big celebrations.
A special place is always 2. for guests.

Two important Wodaabe celebrations have to do with love.

In the geerewo/3. , young women choose
a man to marry in a unique beauty contest. Wodaabe men
4. their heads in attractive turbans, and
wear beads and shells that 5. wealth. They Beauty is very
present themselves to the women, hoping to find a bride. important to the
Then, at the worso celebration, thousands of Wodaabe families Wodaabe. In the
geerewol, the men
6. once again. They meet to celebrate all the
wear makeup to
7. that have taken place in the past year! show off their looks.

B. Completion. Complete the sentences using the correct form of the words
in red on page 55.
1. If someone is of another person, they want something
the other person has.
2. If something is , it is kept for a particular purpose.
3. When people , they meet again after being separated.
4. A(n) is a formal event, such as a wedding.
5. When you something, you make it clear to other people.
6. If you of something, you think it is good.

Word Link Re- is added to verbs and nouns to make new verbs and
nouns that refer to repeating an action or process. For example, reread
means "read again," and someone's re-election is their being elected again.

58 Unit 4A
Before You Read The Shaolin Temple has
stood in the mountains of
China's Henan Province
A. Completion. Read the caption. Then complete the sentences for over 1,500 years. The
below using the correct form of the words in bold. monks who live there are
1. A(n) is a member of a male religious community. masters of a martial art
2. are skillful, athletic body movements such as called kung fu. In movies,

jumping, spinning, rolling, etc. kung fu involves lots of

acrobatics, which is not
3. A(n) is a building for the practice of a religion.
taught in more traditional
4. If you are a(n) of something, you know how to styles of kung fu.
do it very, very well.
5. A(n) is a formal style of hand-to-hand fighting,
also often practiced as a sport.

B. Predict. The title of the reading is "The Changing Face of

Kung Fu." How do you think kung fu today is different from
kung fu in the past? Read the passage to check your ideas.
Unit 48 59
 The Birthplace of Kung Fu
According to legend, in the fifth century, an Indian master
taught some monks at the Shaolin Temple a series of exercises,
or forms, inspired by the movements of animals. These forms
5 became the basis for the style of fighting known as kung fu.
Over 16 centuries, the monks have used kung fu for
self-defense and in war. With it, they have won many battles
against their enemies.
In Dengfeng today, ten kilometers (six miles) from the Shaolin
10 Temple, there are over 60 martial arts schools with more than
50,000 students. Students come to the schools for a variety of
reasons. Some hope to become movie stars. Others come to
learn skills that will ensure good jobs in the military or police
force. A few are sent by their parents to learn self-control and
15 hard work.
Master Hu Zhengsheng teaches at a small school in Dengfeng. A young kung fu student
Recently, he was offered an important role in a kung fu movie. demonstrates the skill
It would have been good publicity for his school. However, with which he can bend
he did not accept. He doesn't agree with how kung fu is often his body.
20 shown in movies. He feels they show too much violence.

--

At the Shaolin Temple,

students as young as three
or four years old can begin
lessons in kung fu.
 Unlike many large schools, which teach acrobatics and kickboxing, Hu
teaches his students traditional kung fu forms. He teaches them the way his
master-a Shaolin legend-taught him. But attracting new students to this
style of kung fu has become a problem. Hu is afraid his art will soon die out.
25 He has to remind his students that kung fu was designed for fighting, not to
entertain.

"There are no high kicks or acrobatics [here]," he says. "It is hard to

convince boys to spend many years learning something that won't make
them wealthy or famous. "

30 Hu's students have little. They sleep in unheated rooms and train outside
no matter what the temperature. They hit trees with their bare hands and
take turns sitting on each other's shoulders to build leg strength. Why such
hardship? To master kung fu, they must learn respect, and how to "eat
bitterness," a Mandarin expression meaning "to endure suffering." The life
35 of a Shaolin master, Hu teaches, is not easy or attractive.

Master Hu is in a difficult position. For old traditions to survive, the young

must learn. Gradually, he has begun offering a few courses in kickboxing and
the acrobatic kung fu forms, hoping to attract new students. Then, maybe,
he'll be able to convince them to learn Shaolin kung fu the traditional way.
Reading Comprehension
Multiple Choice. Choose the best answer for each question.

1. Why does the passage mention Hu Zhengsheng?

a. He is a kung fu student learning kickboxing.
b. He is the man who introduced kung fu to China.
c. He is a kung fu master preserving old traditions.
d. He is a famous actor in an exciting kung fu movie.
2. What is true about kung fu?
a. It's over 17 centuries old.
b. It was traditionally used for fighting.
c. It was introduced to China from Thailand.
d. It was originally designed to entertain people.
Detail 3. Which is NOT given as a reason why people
study kung fu?
a. to learn self-control
b. to think more clearly
c. to help get good jobs
d. to become movie stars
4. What is the purpose of the third paragraph?
a. to show why Hu teaches acrobatics and kickboxing Did You Know?
b. to convince people that they can be rich and famous
The term kung fu
c. to explain the challenges traditional kung fu schools face
actually means "skill
d. to show how Hu's ideas about kung fu are different from
achieved through hard
other kung fu teachers work" and can refer
5. What does here refer to in line 27? to a great skill in any
a. in kung fu movies b. in the Shaolin Temple area. Here, a Shaolin
c. in Master Hu's school d. in the city of Dengfeng monk shows off his
amazing soccer skills.
6. Which of the following is closest in meaning to
no matter what the temperature (line 31)?
a. even if they feel sick
b. even if it's very hot or cold
c. only when the temperature is hot
d. because it's warmer than in their rooms
7. In line 34, the words endure suffering mean
a. stop the suffering b. make someone suffer
c. survive the suffering d. make the suffering worse

62 Unit 48
Reading Skill

Differentiating Between Main Ideas

and Supporting Details
A paragraph has one main idea. This is the most important piece of
information that the author wants to put forward. It can be found in
the topic sentence, usually (but not always) at or near the beginning
of a paragraph. To determine the main idea, ask yourself, "What is this
paragraph mainly about?" or "What point is the author trying to make?"

A paragraph is developed around this main idea. Supporting sentences

may present facts, give reasons, make comparisons or contrasts, and
provide examples, definitions, or details.

A. Main Ideas vs. Details. Look back at the reading on pages 60-61. In each
pair of sentences from the reading below, identify the main idea (M) of the
paragraph and the supporting sentence (S).
Paragraph 1
a. ~ With it, they have won many battles against their enemies.
b. M These forms became the basis for the style of fighting known as
kung fu.
Paragraph 2
a. _ Students come to the schools for a variety of reasons.
b. _ Some hope to become movie stars.
Paragraph 3
a. _ He feels they (movies) show too much violence.
b. _ He doesn't agree with how kung fu is often shown in movies.
Paragraph 4
a. _ He has to remind his students that kung fu was designed for fighting,
not to entertain.
b. _ Unlike many large schools, which teach acrobatics and kickboxing,
Hu teaches his students traditional kung fu forms.
Paragraph 6
a. Hu's students have little.
b. _ The life of a Shaolin master, Hu teaches, is not easy or attractive.

Critical Thinking Discuss with a partner. What are some traditional practices
in your country that are changing? Are the changes for the better?
Why or why not?

Unit 48 63
Vocabulary Practice
A. Completion. Complete the information below using the words in the box.

basis convinced ensure inspired series I

Many kung fu forms have their 1. _

in the movements of animals, like the snake,
crane, or tiger. Some were even 2. by
the dragon, a mythical creature. These animals were
admired for their fighting abilities. So the monks studied
their habits-how they rested, hunted, and fought. The
monks created a 3. of animal-like fighting styles.

According to 5haolin legend, as some monks studied an animal,

they became 4. that they were like that animal. So
the monks were not allowed to train in anyone animal style for
too long. Instead, they had to train in all the five styles so that
each animal's strengths would be added to their own skills. To
focus too much on one animal would 5. that a
Another animal style
student became weaker, not stronger.
of kung fu is based
on the movements of
B. Words in Context. Complete each sentence with the correct answer.
the praying mantis.
1. You remind yourself to do something, so you to do it.
a. don't forget b. can learn how
2. One way to accept someone's offer to do something is to say,

a. Yes, please b. No, thank you

3. Violence is behavior that is meant to _
a. calm and relax b. hurt or kill
4. Someone who wants publicity wants to the public's attention.
a. attract b. avoid
5. A is designed for self-defense.
b. mirror
Word Link
a. martial art
The prefix en- means "make
or cause to" and can be
added to some adjectives to
make them verbs, e.g., ensure,
enlarge, enrich, enslave.
64 Unil4B
VIEWING
Before You Watch
A. Definitions. Look at the picture and read the caption. Then match each word
in bold with its definition.

< There are many places in the

outback of Australia that are
of great importance to the
Aborigines. Some of these
sites contain ancient rock
paintings that tell stories of
gods and ancient spirits. These
paintings tell stories like that of
the Rainbow Serpent, which is
believed to protect the land.

1. - a snake
2. - the people who were living in Australia before
Europeans
3. _ places that are used for a particular purpose
4. _ supernatural beings; forces within people that are
believed to give their bodies life
5. - the part of Australia that is far from towns and cities

While You Watch

A. True or False. Read the statements below. As you watch the video, mark
each sentence as true (T) or false (F).
1. The rock art paintings in Australia are older than the pyramids of Egypt. T F
2. Aborigines settled in Australia about 25,000 years ago. T F
3. Some rock art paintings show something known as the Dreaming. T F
4. More and more older people know about the ancient stories. T F
Viewing 65
After You Watch
A. Completion. Circle the correct word or phrase to complete each sentence.

1. These ancient sites were discovered 2. The Dreaming describes the creation of
(only recently / a long time ago). rivers, mountains, and (humans / gods).

3. Aborigines believe that the Rainbow 4. The legends of the Dreaming have been
Serpent was the (father / creator) of (lost in / passed down through) time.
everything we see.

B. Discuss. Discuss these questions with a partner.

1. What stories have you heard from your elders, such as your
grandparents?
2. Aboriginal elder Margaret Katherine says, "Don't forget your
culture, and live on with it forever in your heart and mind." What
do you think she means? What are some ways we can preserve a
culture?

66 Viewing