Close Reading 1
What is the gist of the text?
Towns in America that have been abandoned
What is the central idea of paragraph 2?
"In some cases, economic and industry forces are to blame like the Great Depression."
Which highway no longer exists as it once used to?
Route 66 (paragraph 6)
What is the meaning of the word barren?
Empty
What does inference include?
Background knowledge and textual evidence
What country is the text focused on?
What is the central idea of paragraph 3?
A drought came in the 1930s that lasted for eight years and dried up most of the Midwest.
Which war saw a turning point in the United States econmony?
World War II
What is the meaning of the word steady?
Balanced
What does the word explicit mean?
Clearly stated
How are ghost towns described as?
Abandoned, empty
What is the central idea of paragraph 5?
A town can only live as long as it has something to sustain it.
Which sentence shows a turning point in the text (in paragraph 6)?
"However after World War II, the American government had enough money and resources to fund many different projects to improve the country.
What does the word extinguish mean?
To put out; get rid of
What does the R stand for in RACE?
Restate the question
Which towns are used as examples in the text?
Bagdad, California, Williams, Arizona, Centralia, Pennsylvania
Which sentence in the ENTIRE text best states the central idea of the whole text?
All across America, entire towns are crumbling into ruin: abandoned for decades or, in some case, centuries. (Paragraph 1)
What evidence does the author give to prove that some towns were abandoned due to the economy?
The Depression saw farmers abandoning their fields (paragraph 2)
What does the word sustain mean?
To keep alive
Which highway led to the abandonment of multiple towns?
Route 80
What is the central idea of paragraph 6? Not explicit
The central idea of paragraph 6 is how the American government finally had enough money and resources to fund many different projects, including an interstate highway that connected the East coast to the West coast and made it easier for people to explore the country.
Which town is an example of a ghost town due to natural disasters?
Centralia, Pennsylvania
What does the word prosperous mean (paragraph 6)?
Describe each of the 3 Close Readings
1st read: Understand what the text says
2nd read: Understand how the text says it
3rd read: Understand what the text means