Friday, June 1, 2012

It's Addicting

This cover story begins:
"It happens so often, we rarely think about it. But which of our everyday rituals better shows how we live than eating?"
I was writing up a shared reading lesson today on this article, trying to identify some stopping places, and I just couldn't help but notice the craft :  
  • Yes, it is a rhetorical question. 
  • Yes, it is an example of a question that begins with the word "But."  
  • Yes, it is an example of a lead that speaks directly to the reader.  
It is all of these, but what struck me was the relationship between two words: It and eating. 


I know what you're probably thinking.  As a comprehension skill, how many times do our students struggle to maintain the relationship between pronouns and antecedents?  And then, look at the one in this opener:  The antecedent--which, by definition, comes before the pronoun--is at the end of the second sentence.  


What a catchy hook.  
So, let's give it a try:

  • It was the only way.  She knew she would have to do it.  And the thought of ____ scared her to death.
  • He didn't even think twice before asking her.  He knew she would say yes.  "Mommy, would you play with me?"
  • She came around the corner faster than lightning.  She looked up and saw me standing there, frozen.  She sped up, if such a thing were possible. And then she stopped.  Right at my feet, and I knew I would be taking this puppy home.
  • They fought for hours, each pushing the other's stuff across the center line.  One was obviously in charge, taking up more space, but the other kept pace just the same.  As the wind picked up, they moved faster, and then, just as quickly as they had started, they came to an abrupt halt; these windshield wipers finally got a much-needed break as my grandpa pulled into the parking lot at the mall.

Yes, it is catchy: this writing backwards.  Now you give it a go!

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