Literature

Meet the Author

This selection was written for

a school textbook. (Textbook

writers aren’t credited as

“authors” of the books and

lessons they write.) Textbook

writers try to make difficult

subjects easier to under-

stand. Text features, like

those in this selection, are

important tools that help the

writer and the reader.

READING WORKSHOP 2 • Using Text Features

Before You Read Conserving Resources

Vocabulary Preview

resources (REE sor suz) n. supplies that can be used as needed (p. 560)

Resources such as petroleum and wood are important for making the

products we use every day.

reduce (rih DOOS) v. to use less of; make less of (p. 560) Reduce the

amount of trash by reusing glass jars.

consumption (kun SUMP shun) n. the act of using up, spending, or

wasting (p. 560) You can reduce your consumption of water by fixing

leaky faucets.

Write to Learn All of the vocabulary words relate to people and how

they depend on Earth. Using the vocabulary words, write a short paragraph

about how people depend on Earth.

English Language Coach

Suffixes A suffix is a word part added to the end of a word; it modifies

the word in some way.

You’ve used suffixes many times while saying or writing verbs, such as

thanks, thanked, and thanking. You use suffixes whenever you use compar-

atives and superlatives, as in faster and fastest. Suffixes sometimes change

the basic meaning of a word, but more often they just change what part of

speech a word is. For example, a suffix can change a noun into an adjective

or adverb. Or a suffix might change a verb to a noun. Also, remember that

when you add a suffix, sometimes the spelling of a base word changes.

Here are a few other common suffixes:

-ee as in employee -er as in employer -ian as in musician

-ist as in artist -ful as in joyful -ous as in furious

-ship as in friendship -al as in comical -ion as in invention

-ment as in enjoyment -ish as in foolish -able as in breakable

-ible as in collectible -y as in hairy

-ly as in sadly -hood as in neighborhood

-ness as in meanness -ance as in performance

On Your Own Using the list above, add at least one suffix to each word

below to create a new word.

work friend believe red

mad fear courage false

558 UNIT 5 Is Progress Always Good?

Objectives (pp. 558–563)
Reading Use text features: side notes,
headings, graphic organizers
Literature Identify literary elements:
concept and definition
Vocabulary Identify word structure:
suffixes