Active Skills for Reading Intro (Unit 6: Comparing Cultures)


CHAPTER 2 Homestay Diary

My Homestay Diary

June 13

It's my first week in the United States and my first time in another country. So much is new and unusual (to me). It's great to be here. I hope I do well!

June 25

I live with an American host family: Valerie and Tim and their daughter, Megan. They're really nice. Every day I learn something new. For example, this morning Valerie said, "Tim and I work late, and I can't cook tonight. Help yourself to anything for dinner."

I didn't understand Valerie. I thought she wanted help with dinner. So I bought takeout1 for everyone. When Valerie came home, she said, "Daniela, why did you buy food? We have a lot." I explained. She said, "Help yourself means eat anything you want." I was confused! We laughed and ate the Chinese food anyway.

July 1

My best friend from Brazil called today. I was really happy to talk to her, but after, I felt kind of down. Everything here is so different from home-the food, the people, even the weather (It gets cold here even in the summer sometimes!).

July 5

Yesterday was Independence Day. It's a big holiday here. My host family had a barbecue in their yard2 Their friends and neighbors came. Everyone was very friendly and warm. Later, I went with some friends from school to watch the fireworks. Then we went dancing. It was fun!

1 Takeout is food you get at a restaurant and take home to eat.
2 A yard is an open area in front of or behind a house.

Vocabulary Skill - The Prefix un-

In this chapter, you learned the word unusual. The prefix un- means not. Un- can come before an adjective (for example, un + usual= not usual, not common). Before a verb, un- means the opposite (for example, He locked the door. Please unlock it.).

A. Look at the words in bold. Think about their meaning. Then match each word with its definition.

1. unable a. not the same, different
2. uneasy b. to take off paper from a gift or package
3. unfair c. deliberately not friendly
4. unkind d. cannot
5. unlike e. not calm
6. unpack f. not right, not just
7. unwrap g. to take clothes out of a suitcase

B. Which words from the first column in A are verbs? Which are adjectives? Write 1 to 7 in the correct box.

Verbs:
Adjectives:

C. Complete each of the sentences with a word from A.

  1. I'm going to my suitcase.
  2. When I talk in front of the class, I always feel .
  3. Bill is sick. He is to come to the party.
  4. Do you want to your birthday gifts now or after lunch?
  5. Calling Mary "ugly" was very .
  6. her blonde mother, Ellen has dark hair.
  7. Parent: No more video games tonight.
    Child: But that's ! I finished my homework.
Chapter - 2: Vocabulary Comprehension - Definitions Chapter - 2: Real Life Skill - Recognizing Common Abbreviations

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