1. In the morning (17th) we landed on Chatham Island, which, like the others, rises with a tame and rounded outline, broken here and there by scattered hillocks, the remains of former craters. 2. Nothing could be less inviting than the first appearance. A broken field of black basaltic lava, thrown into the most rugged waves, and crossed by great fissures, is everywhere covered by stunted, sun-burnt brushwood, which shows little signs of life. 3. The dry and parched surface, being heated by the noon-day sun, gave to the air a close and sultry feeling, like that from a stove: we fancied even that the bushes smelt unpleasantly. 4. Although I diligently tried to collect as many plants as possible, I succeeded in getting very few; and such wretched-looking little weeds would have better become an arctic than an equatorial Flora. 5. The brushwood appears, from a short distance, as leafless as our trees during winter; and it was some time before I discovered that not only almost every plant was now in full leaf, but that the greater number were in flower. 6. The commonest bush is one of the Euphorbiaceae: an acacia and a great odd-looking cactus are the only trees which afford any shade. After the season of heavy rains, the islands are said to appear for a short time partially green. 7. The volcanic island of Fernando Noronha, placed in many respects under nearly similar conditions, is the only other country where I have seen a vegetation at all like this of the Galapagos Islands.
Transacting with the Text:
1. Find an image of a hillock and a fissure and copy and paste it onto a word document. Look up the word hillock and fissure using the Scholastic word symth and write the definition under the image.
2. Using context clues: determine the meaning of the word diligently. What part of speech is this word?
3. In line 6 Darwin writes that the "...great odd-looking cactus are the only trees which would afford an shade..." What does this sentence mean? Was shade expensive?
4. Why would the wretched little weeds in line 4 have better become an artic than an equatorial flora? What would one expect equatorial flora to look like?
5. In line 3 look for the context clues before and after the word sultry and discover the meaning?
6. Rewrite Darwin's simile in line 3 with one of your own.
7. According to line 5 what does Darwin say about the brushwood? Find an image of a bushwood tree.
8. Accordingly, in line 2 there are three alliterative adjectives what are they?
9. Would you have liked to explore this land?
10. Write your third paragraph describing the vegetation that you would come across using Darwinian descriptive language.
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8.1's
ReplyDeleteI am adding two new words to your vocabulary test. intrepid and keen
Please complete question ten on the blog. Write a scrap copy and submit your final paragraph on here to publish.
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ReplyDeleteA hillock is a relatively small hill or mound. A fissure is a narrow crevice or other opening.
ReplyDeleteThe word diligently means trying hard to achieve a goal.
ReplyDelete"...great odd-looking cactus are the only which would afford an shade..." means that the cactus is a very rare and beautiful plant.
ReplyDeleteThe wretched little weeds would have better become an arctic that an equatorial flora because the flower didn't look very nice like an equatorial flora which is very exotic.
ReplyDeleteA hillock is a relatively small hill or mound. A fissure is a narrow crevice or other opening, esp. one caused by splitting.
ReplyDeleteThe word diligently means working hard to achieve a goal.
ReplyDelete"... great odd-looking cactus are the only trees which afford an shade..."interprets that the cactus is a very unique and exquisite.
ReplyDeleteThe miserable would have been better become an arctic equatorial flora because the flower didn't look very pleasant to look at unlike the equatorial flower which is very familiar
ReplyDelete"The dry and parched surface, being heated by the noon-day sun, gave to the air a close and sultry feeling, like that from a stove." His eyes twinkling was like the stars up above.
ReplyDeleteIn line 5 Darwin says that the bushwood tree is leafless in the winter.
ReplyDeleteYes i would have liked to explore this land because I am always up for an adventure and it sounds like this land has great scenery. Also Darwin gives the impression to me that this island is a good island to visit.
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ReplyDeleteSultry means uncomfortably hot and humid.
ReplyDeleteThe three alternative adjectives are sun-burnt, basaltic and rugged.
ReplyDeleteThe word sultry means hot.
ReplyDelete7. hot like fire
ReplyDelete-mary
A flatiron is as hot as the sun
ReplyDeleteIn line 5, Darwin said that the brushwood was leaveless.
ReplyDeletePermeated means to spread or to be diffused throughout. A sieve a tool used to separate solid from liquid or to separate smaller pieces of something from larger pieces.
ReplyDeleteBlack, broken, and basaltic are discribing the lava
ReplyDeleteI would like to explore this land because it sounds like it has very rare plants and animals. also the land sounds beautiful.
ReplyDelete