Harcourt Publishing Company © Houghton Name Class a BELLO kena \0 CONTEXT: Change in Arts and Literature Introduction. What science fiction films have you seen? Have you seen any of the great ones? In the following story, a mother tells her daughter about some of the great science fiction classics. The story gives you an opportunity to expand your vocabulary. Below are twenty vocabu- lary words that are used in the passage and in the exercise that follows it alien diplomatic gesture luminous: satellite ally fascinate ghastly mortal stellar avert fugitive humane overture tranquil destiny galaxy invade planetary velocity Thay Came rom Oulen Space T esa sat at the kitchen table, twisting a strand of her hair, a gesture (1) that indicated she was bothered about something, She stared out the win- dow and made a face, as though something trouble- some were going on outside. However, the moon ‘was especially luminious (2) tonight, and she could clearly see that the backyard was tranquil (3), only the leaves stirring slightly in the gentle breeze. Teresa stirred when she heard the front door. | Mom was home. Time to set the table. “Hii, Manuel! How was your day? Where's your sister?” Teresa heard her mother ask her brother. “Okay. Teresa's in the kitchen. She said she had homework, but I think she went in there to stare out the window.” Teresa wondered for a moment why it was her destiny (4) to have such a pest for a younger brother. “Fate,” she muttered, “could have been kinder.” Actually, she didn’t fee! all that irritated with Manuel, but she rattled the silverware and clanged the plates anyway. “What's up, Teresa? Give me a hug.” Teresa's mom plopped a bag of groceries down on the counter and gave her daughter a quick hug. “What are your plans for tonight?” “guess I'm going to Kim’s to watch a science fiction film festival on TV tonight,” said Teresa, wrinkling her nose. Manuel began to fake a heart attack. He stag- gered around the table. “Oh, the horror! How | terrible! How ghastly (5)! How will you survive the evening?” Teresa thought her brother was being especially annoying, A Closet Sei-Fi Fan “Hush, Manuel,” her mother said. “Here's a better question—how did I wind up with a daughter who doesn’t like science fiction? A good sci-fi film or book never fails to fascinate (6) me. It's fun. It's interesting. “Oh, come on, Mom. You don’t really like that stuff, do you?” “Sweetie, [ove it—when it’s good. I've been a | fan ever since high school. That’s when I first saw | the science fiction film classic Forbidden Planet.” “Let me guess,” Teresa said sarcastically. “A bunch of aliens (7) come from another galaxy (8) and invade (9) Earth. These outer-space creatures from another group of stars take over the planet by turning into giant plants.” 175 Reapinc New Worps in ContextName __Date Class “Teresa, I said I liked good science fiction. Although you have a good idea for a spoof of a science fiction film.” Manuel rolled his eyes. “Okay, Mom, so what does happen in Forbid- den Planet?” Teresa asked, “L'm not going to tell you. Maybe it is on TV tonight. I will tell you that the film has some things that have become @ part of most science fiction films. And there’s a spaceship that can travel at a velocity (10) faster than the speed of light. There's a lovable robot. And there's a mo- ment when human beings realize that they are mere mortals (1) and should not try to behave as though they are gods.” | “Yeah, it’s pretty good,” Manuel added. “You can see how it led to later science fiction like Star Trek and Star Wars, but there’s a movie I like better.” “Wait a minute,” Teresa interrupted, “Are you say- ing that people have copied Forbidden Planet?” An Outer-Space Saga as Old as the Hills Teresa's mom answered. “Well, sort of, but the people who made Forbidden Planet copied, too. They borrowed the story from William Shakespeare's The Tempest, a stellar (12) play. See, if a story is truly outstanding, people use it again and again.” “Let me tell you about my favorite old science fiction movie,” Manuel said. “It’s a planetary (13) tale called The Day the Earth Stood Still This guy Klaatu comes to Earth from another planet on a diplomatic (14) mission to gain our trust and friendship. He represents this group of aliens. He says he comes in peace, and he makes overtures (15) of friendship. By making these friendly offers, he wants the people of Earth to ally (16) themselves with this group of aliens. But the people in Washington don’t want to join forces with the aliens. They are afraid of Klaatu, So they shoot him, but he doesn’t die. They put him in a hospital, but he escapes, and so everybody thinks Klaatu’s a dangerous fugitive (17) on the run from the law.” “Then what happens?” Teresa was becoming interested. “You'll have to watch it!” Manuel teased. “Maybe it will be on tonight. I's got a great ending, though. Humanity is saved! Disaster is averted (18), but questions remain. Have human beings leamed a lesson? Will they become more humane (19), or will they continue to be mean and cruel?” “Mom, where did you get him? He must be the product of aliens from outer space.” “IfI'm from outer space,” Manuel responded, “then so are you, At least I know enough to like science fiction. There's this one old film in whi the government launches a communications sat- ellite (20). As the craft orbits Earth, it runs into an alien spaceship that going?” Teresa had stood up. “Over to Kim's. Now that Thave heard about every science fiction movie ever made, I might as well watch them. they! Where are you Reading Strategis Directions. Answer each of the following items by circling the letter of the correct answer. You may need to refer to the story as you answer the items. The numbers of the items are the same as the numbers of the boldface vocabulary words in the story. 1, Which of the following is an example of a gesture that appears in the story? (A) Teresa twists her hair. (B) The backyard seems tranquil. (C) Something strange is going on. (D) Teresa has to set the table. 176 Lesson 1 2. The writer tells us that the moon seemed especially luminous. Here, luminous means (A) dim (B) full (©) clear (D) glowing (© Houghton Mifln Harcourt Publishing Company‘© Houghton Min Harcourt Pubshing Company Name 3. Allof the following are good defini- tions of tranquil except (A) quiet (B) peaceful (C) dull (D) calm You can tell from the story that destiny means (A) fate (B) calling (C) knowledge (D) destination Manuel teases Teresa by suggesting that watching science fiction films is terrible and ghastly. Here, ghastly means (A) ghostlike (B) horrible (C) silly (D) staggering You can tell from the story that fascinate means (A) barely entertain (B) strongly interest (C) completely bore (D) slightly attract To give a clue to the meaning of aliens, the writer (A) tells us they come in bunches (B) hints that they are imaginary creatures (C) treats them humorously (D) tells us they come from another group of stars Teresa sarcastically says that “A bunch of aliens come from another galaxy and invade Earth.” Here, galaxy means (A) foreign country (B) group of planets (C) system of stars (D) time zone 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. Class The writer gives us a clue to the mean- ing of invade. What is the clue? (A) The writer says that Teresa is guessing, (B) The writer shows us how Teresa responds to her mother. (C) Teresa guesses that the aliens take over Earth. (D) The writer tells us that Teresa doesn’t like science fiction. Teresa’s mother says, “There's a spaceship that can travel at a velocity faster than the speed of light.” Here, velocity means (A) fast (B) light (C) speed (D) travel The writer says that the human beings in Forbidden Planet realize they are mortals. Here, mortals means (A) godlike beings (B) alien beings (C) robots (D) human beings Teresa’s mom considers William Shakespeare's The Tempest a stellar play. Here stellar means (A) borrowed (B) outstanding (C) interesting (D) long-lasting The writer tells us that Te Day the Earth Stood Still is a planetary tale. Here, planetary means (A) coming to Earth (B) having to do with planets (C) traveling with a group of aliens (D) science fiction Reapinc New Woros in Context 177Name 14. Which of the following is the most likely reason that Klaatu comes to Earth on a diplomatic mission? (A) Klaatu wants to gain the friend- ship of humans. (B) Klaatu doesn’t die when shot. (C) The people of Washington don’t trust Klaatu because he is an alien. (D) Klaatu is from outer space. 19. 15. In this story, overtures means (A) offers (B) songs (C) gifts (D) threats 16. You can tell from the story that ally means (A) forget (B) join (C) fight (D) understand 17. To give a clue to the meaning of fugi- tive, the writer (A) hints that Klaatu is armed and probably dangerous (B) refers to Klaatu by name (©) tells us that people think Klaatu is on the run from the law (D) reminds us that Klaatu is an alien 178 Lesson 1 Date 18. 20. Class _ To let us know that averted means “avoided,” the writer (A) says that Manuel asks if human beings have learned a lesson (B) hints that Teresa would enjoy the movie (C) hints that aliens cause disasters (D) tells us that Manuel says that humanity is saved To let us know that humane means “kind and sympathetic,” the writer (A) associates humane with the word lesson (B) contrasts humane with the words mean and cruel (C) links humane with human beings (D) uses humane with the word more In this story, the word satellite means (A) the moon (B) a government program that sends people into space (©) an object that orbits another object (D) the plot of a movie (© Houghton Mifln Harcourt Publishing Company