Understanding Cause and Effect

Summarizing

Drawing Conclusions

Your Turn

What Skills Can Help You Understand Epics and Myths?

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Events in a narrative don’t happen by chance.

Understanding Cause and Effect

Some events cause other things to happen.

The team worked hard throughout the season.

The team won the championship trophy.

Understanding Cause and Effect

The result, or consequence, of a cause is called an effect.

Effect: Lauren’s muscles ached.

Cause: Lauren painted the room.

To understand an epic or a myth, it is important to pay attention to how the narrative is built on a series of causes and effects.

the monster might capture him.

Understanding Cause and Effect

If a hero, for example, fights a monster, what can happen as a result?

The hero might get injured, or

Understanding Cause and Effect

Remember that not all effects have a single cause.

Cause 1: Peter brushes his

teeth after every meal.

Cause 2: Peter flosses his

teeth carefully.

Cause 3: Peter visits the

dentist every six months.

Effect: Peter has healthy teeth and gums.

In addition, some causes have more than one effect.

Understanding Cause and Effect

Cause: Jaclyn got very sick.

Effect 2: Her classmates made her cards.

Effect 1: She missed

four days of school. Effect 3: She lost

her appetite.

Using a cause-and-effect chain will help you identify relationships between key events in epics and myths.

Understanding Cause and Effect

Cause(s)

Effect(s)

Cause(s)

Effect(s)

Cause: Calypso holds Odysseus captive.

Effect: Athena begs Zeus to help Odysseus.

Cause: Zeus agrees to help.

Effect: Zeus sends Hermes to order Calypso to release Odysseus.

Understanding Cause and Effect

Quick Check

Jamal thought that asking for help was a sign of weakness; he preferred to do things himself or not at all. With a biology exam a week away, however, his stomach wove itself into knots.

His classmate, Kava, seemed to understand everything so easily. Jamal hesitated to ask for help, but he decided to swallow his pride.

In school the next day, Kava smiled at his request. They scheduled a study session for the weekend. Jamal’s stomach finally relaxed. [End of Section]

What caused Jamal to ask for help from Kava?

What was the effect of Jamal’s request for help?

It can be challenging to keep track of the characters and events in a narrative, especially in a long narrative such as an epic.

Summarizing

How did Odysseus trick the Cyclops?

I’m confused.

Wait! Why can’t Odysseus

escape the Cyclops?

Summarizing after you read each section can help you see the big picture.

Summarizing

Oh, I get it. Odysseus stabbed the Cyclops in the eye, blinding him.

As you read, you can summarize a plot by writing a statement about the most important events.

Summarizing

Jarvin raised his shield against the dragon’s fire, but it was too late. Flames burned his cloak; he swiftly stamped them out. Using all his strength, Jarvin lifted a fallen tree trunk and hurled it at the fierce dragon. Distracted by the tree trunk, the creature stepped back, giving Jarvin the chance to flee.

Read the following paragraph; then, summarize its plot.

In a fight with a dragon, Jarvin throws a tree trunk at the beast and escapes.

Summarizing

A useful strategy for summarizing is called “Somebody Wanted But So.” As you read, complete a chart like this:

WantedSomebody

But So

This technique helps you summarize the most important events, their causes, and their effects.

Summarizing

Under “Somebody,” write the character’s name.

WantedSomebody

But So

Athena, a goddess, ordered her to do it.

Odysseus to go home

Calypso wouldn’t let him go.

Under “Wanted,” describe the character’s main goal.Under “But,” describe what is preventing the character from achieving that goal.Write the outcome of the character’s struggle under “So.”

Summarize the most important events in this passage.

Summarizing

Quick Check

As the sun appears, announcing a new day, the crew members’ lids are heavy with sleep. My eyes, open since yesterday evening, scan the still ocean waters to the distant shore. I breathe a sigh of relief that we have survived another night at sea.

“Captain, did you feel that?”

I turn to find Toolas before me, worry lines carved across his forehead. Before I can answer, a blow to the ship knocks us both to the planks.

[End of Section]

Although it may be tempting to form an opinion before examining all the evidence, wait to draw any final conclusions—at least until you’ve finished reading.

Drawing Conclusions

This character seems brave.

I guess I’ll wait to see if that’s really

true.

When you draw conclusions, you sift through all the details in a narrative to make connections and form an opinion.

Drawing Conclusions

Acting as a detective, you must look closely at the text and analyze evidence to support your opinion.

Step One: Examine the character’s actions.

Drawing Conclusions

detailIs this character brave?

She cried at the dentist’s office.

Guidelines for Drawing Conclusions

She helped rescue the

neighbor’s kitten.

She defended her friend.

She cried at the dentist’s office.

Step One: Then, consider the effects of the actions.

Drawing Conclusions

Her neighbor was grateful

that the kitten was safe.

She had to leave the dentist’s office because she was

so upset.

Her friend felt supported and

appreciated her help.

Guidelines for Drawing Conclusions

Step Two: Make connections between what you’ve learned and what you know from life.

Drawing Conclusions

Going to the dentist isn’t fun,

but we all have to deal with it.

It can be difficult to speak up and

defend someone.

I don’t know anyone who has rescued a

kitten. That was really nice of her.

Guidelines for Drawing Conclusions

Step Three: Form a conclusion based on the clues and your background knowledge.

Drawing Conclusions

This character shows bravery only in situations when others depend on her for help.

Guidelines for Drawing Conclusions

Drawing Conclusions

Read the following passage and draw a conclusion about what motivates Alonso.

Alonso is motivated by determining what is best for his family.

Alonso sighed and wondered whether he should accept the job in Colorado and leave New York. His family needed the money, but his wife and kids had always lived here. They were happy and had many friends. Without a new job, though, they wouldn’t be able to save for a house.

What conclusion can you draw about Noah’s attitude toward Mrs. Ramirez?

Drawing Conclusions

Quick Check

Every Saturday afternoon, during the twins’ nap, Noah took a walk around his neighborhood. On today’s walk, he found himself thinking about the next week’s elections. He looked up to see Mrs. Ramirez, a retired florist, kneeling as she pruned her rose bushes. As he greeted her, she put out her hand. He helped her up.

“Mrs. Ramirez, have you decided how you’ll vote?” he asked. She looked him in the eye and answered.

[End of Section]

1. Read this selection from an American Indian myth, “Coyote and the Origin of Death.” Summarize each paragraph in a sentence.

All the other men objected. They said that they did not want their friends and relatives to die and be gone forever, for then they would grieve and worry and there would be no happiness in the world. Everyone except Coyote decided to have people die and be gone for a little while, and then come back to life again.

Apply Reading Skills

In the beginning of this world, there was no such thing as death. Everybody continued to live until there were so many people that the earth had no room for any more. The chiefs held a council to determine what to do. One man rose and said he thought it would be a good plan to have the people die and be gone for a little while, and then return.

As soon as he sat down. Coyote jumped up and said he thought people ought to die forever. He pointed out that this little world is not large enough to hold all of the people, and that if the people who died came back to life, there would not be food enough for all.

Your Turn

2. What caused the chiefs to hold a council? What was the effect of the meeting?

All the other men objected. They said that they did not want their friends and relatives to die and be gone forever, for then they would grieve and worry and there would be no happiness in the world. Everyone except Coyote decided to have people die and be gone for a little while, and then come back to life again.

Apply Reading Skills

In the beginning of this world, there was no such thing as death. Everybody continued to live until there were so many people that the earth had no room for any more. The chiefs held a council to determine what to do. One man rose and said he thought it would be a good plan to have the people die and be gone for a little while, and then return.

As soon as he sat down. Coyote jumped up and said he thought people ought to die forever. He pointed out that this little world is not large enough to hold all of the people, and that if the people who died came back to life, there would not be food enough for all.

Your Turn

3. In myths, the coyote is often a trickster. What conclusions can you draw about his character?

All the other men objected. They said that they did not want their friends and relatives to die and be gone forever, for then they would grieve and worry and there would be no happiness in the world. Everyone except Coyote decided to have people die and be gone for a little while, and then come back to life again.

Apply Reading Skills

In the beginning of this world, there was no such thing as death. Everybody continued to live until there were so many people that the earth had no room for any more. The chiefs held a council to determine what to do. One man rose and said he thought it would be a good plan to have the people die and be gone for a little while, and then return.

As soon as he sat down. Coyote jumped up and said he thought people ought to die forever. He pointed out that this little world is not large enough to hold all of the people, and that if the people who died came back to life, there would not be food enough for all.

Your Turn

The End