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Directions: You are expected to study this section in class. Don’t preview.
- Word Pretest
For each italicized word or expression, choose the best meaning below.
1. On their journey they encountered an English couple.
A. talked to B. met C. quarreled with
2. Tom’s contribution to our victory in this competition was very important. Without him it would be very difficult for us to win.
A. knowledge B. help C. appearance
3. Is this your permanent address, or are you only staying there for a short time?
A. lasting for a few months B. lasting for ever C. lasting for a few years
4. After their independence, people on this island established an autonomous government.
A. strong B. self-governing C. popular
5. His family can trace its history back to the 10th century.
A. prove
B. provide evidence of
C. find the origins of by going back
6. The seasons follow each other in rotation.
A. coming around one after the other
B. coming now and then
C. coming for ever
7. I was surprised at the extent of his knowledge.
A. limit B. range C. content
8. We are indebted to our neighbors for their kind help when we were in trouble.
A. thankful B. warm-hearted C. friendly
Key
Text
Cultural Background:
Map depicting concentration of various tribes throughout the United States
Native American Influences on Modern American Culture
When the first Europeans began to settle in the North American continent, they encountered a completely new culture: the Indian tribes of North America. The Indians, who had a highly developed culture in many ways, must have been as curious about the strange European manners and customs as were the Europeans about the Indians. As always happens when two cultures come into contact. There was a cultural exchange. The Indians adopted some of the Europeans’ ways, and the Europeans adopted some of the Indians’ ways. As a result, the Indians have made many valuable contributions to American culture, particularly in the areas of language, art, government, and food.
First of all, the Indians left a permanent mark on the English language. The early settlers borrowed words from several different Indian languages to name the new places and new objects that they had found in their new land. All across the country, one can find cities, towns, rivers, and states with Indian names. For example, the states of Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, and Alabama are named after Indian tribes, as are Chicago, Miami, and Spokane. In addition to place names, English has adopted many everyday words from various Indian languages. The words chipmunk, moose, raccoon, skunk, moccasin, and potato are just a few examples.
Although the vocabulary of English is the area that shows the most native influence, it is not the only area of American culture that was changed by contact with Indians. Art is another area showing the mark of Indian contact. Wool rugs woven by women of the Navajo tribe in Arizona and New Mexico are highly valued works of art in the United States. Also, Indian jewelry made from silver and turquoise is very popular — and very expensive. Especially in the western and southwestern regions of the United States, Indian pottery, hand made leather products, and beadwork can be found in may homes. Indeed, Indian art and handicrafts have become a treasured part of American culture.
In addition to language and art, it may surprise some people to learn that Americans are also indebted to one Indian tribe for our form of government. The Iroquois Indians, who were an extremely large tribe with may branches and sub- branches (called “nations”), had developed a highly sophisticated system of government to keep the various branches of the tribe from fighting one another, Five of the nations had joined together in a union called “The League of the Iroquois”. Under the league, each nation was autonomous in running its own internal affairs, but the nations acted as a unit when dealing with outsiders. The League kept the Iroquois from fighting among themselves and was also valuable in diplomatic relations with other tribes. When the thirteen American colonies were considering what kind of government to establish after they won their independence from Britain, someone suggested that they use a system similar to the League of the Iroquois. Under this system, each colony or future state would be autonomous in managing its own affairs but would join forces with the other states to deal with matters that concerned them all. This is exactly what happened. As a result, the present form of government of the United States can be traced directly back to an Indian model.
The final area in which Indian culture has affected American culture is agriculture. Being skilled farmers. The Indians of North America taught the newcomers many things about farming techniques and crops. Every American schoolchild has heard the story of how the Indians taught the first settlers to place a dead fish in a planting hole to provide fertilizer for the growing plant. Furthermore, the Indians taught the settlers irrigation methods and crop rotation. In addition, many of the foods we eat today were introduced to the Europeans by the Indians. For example, potatoes, corn, chocolate, and peanuts were unknown in Europe. Now they are needed in American kitchens all the time.
In conclusion, we can easily see from these few examples the extent of the Indian influence on our language, our art forms, our government, and our eating habits. Modern Americans are truly indebted to the North American Indians for their contributions to their culture. Hopefully, the cultural exchange will one day prove to be equally positive for them.
Total words: 707
Total reading time: minutes seconds
The text is reprinted from Writing Academic English, by Alice Oshima and Ann Hogue. Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1987.
Reading Skill: Context Clues to Word Meaning
With the help of the context clues, write down your own definition of the italicized word or phrase in the space provided.
1. The Iroquois Indians, who were an extremely large tribe with many branches and sub-branches (called “nations” ), had developed a highly sophisticated system of government to keep the various branches of the tribe from fighting one another.
2. Five of the nations had joined together in a union called “The League of the Iroquois”. Under the league, the nations acted as a unit when dealing with outsiders.
3. They hunt the caribou, a large deer with big horns that travels across the huge spaces of the far north.
4. The returning boomerang, a curved club which can be thrown so that its flight will bring it back near the place whence it was thrown, was made only in the east and west and was unknown to Aborigines in the center and the north.
5. The main weapons and implements were the spear, spear-thrower, digging stick, club, boomerang, shield, and stone ax.
6. Aborigines today live in different circumstances throughout Australia, ranging from some who live much as their ancestors did in the more remote or distant areas, to those who have merged with the life of large cities and towns.
Reading Comprehension
Circle the letter of the best answer.
1. When the European settlers first came to the New World, they met .
A. the Indians B. the Eskimos C. British settlers
2. The Indians have made many valuable contributions to American culture in the following areas except ?
A. Language B. Agriculture C. Industry
3. Which group of words shows the Indian influence on the English language?
Ａ．Deleware, chip, Alabama. Ｂ．Miami, New York, Iowa. Ｃ．Potato, Chicago, skunk
4. Paragraph 3 deals with Indian contribution to American culture in the area of ?
A. language B. government C. art
5. What is the function of “The League of the Iroquois”?
- The League kept the Iroquois from fighting among themselves.
- The League joined the forces of the Iroquois to deal with other tribes.
- Both A and B.
6. From whom did the thirteen American colonies learn their form of government?
A. Early European settlers. B.The Navajo Indians. C.The Iroquois Indians
7. What is the main idea of paragraph 5 ?
A. From the Indians Americans learnt farming techniques such as using
Irrigation methods and crop rotation.
B. The Indians introduced food such as potatoes, corn, chocolate, and peanuts
to European settlers in America.
C. There was Indian influence in American farming and food.
8. What do you think is the author’s attitude toward the American Indians?
A. Critical. B. Positive. C. Negative.
Vocabulary Building
① Word Match
Match the following words with their definitions within each group of five words.
implement related to the relations between nations
sophisticated tool
internal refuse to consider
diplomatic not simple; complicated
dismiss inside; domestic
roar the strong outer covering of a tree
slaughter give a deep loud continuing sound
survive killing
bark a group of people living together
community continue to live or exist
privilege a tool or container for practical use
utensil a special advantage limited to a particular person or group
aborigine push a knife into
stab a special area in which certain animals or plants are protected
preserve one of the people living in a place from the earliest times
Complete the sentences by using the words above. Change the forms if necessary.
1. Education is a , not a right, in many countries.
2. The kitchen had not cooker and no proper cooking .
3. The lion .
4. His from the accident was a miracle.
5. A man was to death as he left a London library.
6. He just laughed and the idea as impossible.
7. This company is producing basic agricultural for undeveloped areas.
8. The government was unwilling to endanger its links with Britain.
②Suffix
You already know that the suffix –ly can be added to adjectives to form adverbs. It can also be added to nouns to form adjectives. Study the examples, and then list some adjectives that end in this suffix in the space provided. Add more if you can.
suffix examples (adjectives)
-ly weekly, daily, motherly, friendly
-ly (adj.) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Many nouns end in suffixes –er, -or –ar. Study the examples, and then list some nouns that end in these suffixes in the space provided. Add more if you can.
suffixes examples
-er settler, farmer, trader
-or / -ar survivor, creditor, liar
-er 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
-or / -ar 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Fill in each of the blanks with the given word in its proper form.
1. The was drunk. He was stopped by the police when he was speeding.
(drive)
2. It’s a dress but it’s too small for me. (love)
3. The who killed the woman for her money was arrested by the police yesterday. (murder)
4. I love this movie because the is my favorite. (action)
5. To run away at the first sight of danger is a action. (coward)
6. The behavior of the big frightened Little Tom into crying. (beast)
7. The works of this famous are now exhibited I leading European and American galleries. (painting)
8. The was awarded by the government for his useful inventions.
(invention)
Cloze
Fill in each of the blanks with a given word below.
survive developed knife unknown lived
desert thrown determined food machines
The Australian Aborigines came to the continent at least 30 000 years ago. Down the centuries the a way of life that enabled them to in all kinds of environments on the continent, including coast, forest and plain, and even in the hot Lands where there are no permanent surface waters.
Much of their everyday life was spent in gathering , such as roots, fruit and berries and hunting animals of all kinds, including the large kangaroo, turtles and crocodiles. Their wanderings about their own territory were by the seasonal supply of food and water.
Their main weapons and implements were the spear, spear-thrower, digging stick, club, boomerang, shield, stone ax and . The returning boomerang, a curved club which can be thrown so that its flight will bring it back near the place whence it was thrown, was made only in the east and west and was to Aborigines in the center and the north. It was mainly a plaything, although it was sometimes into flocks of birds.
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