Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board
Putting Literacy into Gear:
A Thematic Literacy Workbook for
OSSLT Success
Created by Gina Tousignant and Deborah Heffernan
August 2006
Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board
Introduction:
In keeping with the Mission Statement of the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District
School Board, which is “to provide, in a responsible manner, a Catholic
education which develops spiritual, intellectual, aesthetic, emotional, social
and physical capabilities of each individual,” this thematic literacy
workbook was created to help students to prepare for the challenges of their
courses of study and for the challenges of the Ontario Secondary School
Literacy Test. Using a highly relevant theme, these reading and writing
activities will motivate students to further develop their critical thinking
skills and their communication skills.
Created by:
Gina Tousignant and Deborah Heffernan
Program Department:
Frances Jacques
Putting Literacy into Gear
Table of Contents
Responding to Reading and Graphical Selections
Summer Homework (Dialogue)
Cars and Movies (Personal Narrative)
Phaeton and the Horses of the Sun (Short Story)
The Fan (Cartoon)
Traffic Signs (Ontario Driver’s Handbook)
Road Safety in Canada (Graph and Government Report)
Keeping Your Driver’s Licence (Ontario Driver’s Handbook)
St. Francis Xavier Mississauga Transit (Map and Schedule)
4
5
7
9
13
15
18
22
26
Writing a Summary
Driven to Distraction
The Race to the Future
Speed Demons
29
30
31
32
Writing a News Report
Students Celebrate Safe Driving Theme at Prom
Spill Causes Traffic Jam
Students Create a Solar Car
33
34
36
38
Writing a Series of Paragraphs Expressing an Opinion
Insurance for Young Drivers
Graduated Licensing Programs
Automobiles and Society
40
41
44
47
3
Responding to Reading and Graphical Selections
Knowledge
◊ Read the questions first and follow the instructions carefully.
◊ Identify the specific and relevant information in the text.
◊ Be aware of the title, headings, visuals, and any organizational features like
bold font, arrows, or lines.
◊ You may need to reread portions of the reading selection to find the answer,
but always manage your time.
Thinking
◊ Make inferences because the information is not always directly stated in the
reading or graphical selection.
◊ Try to connect and evaluate the ideas that are being presented.
◊ Support your argument with at least one relevant example or reason from the
reading or graphical selection.
Communication
◊ Make sure that your word choice is appropriate to the type of formal academic
writing activity.
◊ Include a topic sentence, a main point / example, and a concluding sentence.
◊ Use transitions.
◊ Do not use contractions or abbreviations.
Application
◊ Be sure to write the short answers in full and correctly written sentences.
◊ Check your punctuation.
◊ Check your spelling.
4
Summer Homework
By Gina Tousignant
"Dad, Sam's selling her car and I have enough money saved to buy it."
"Kyle, we already agreed that you would use our family car and buy your own
car when you have enough driving experience."
"But, Dad, she's selling the car for a great price now. I won't be able to get that
kind of deal if I wait."
"Right now, while you use our family car, you can afford the insurance. Can
you afford the insurance for your own car? Have you done any research on
how much the car is going to cost to insure? Insurance companies charge
more for certain types of cars--especially sports cars like Sam's. Do you have
money in the bank if the transmission blows or something goes wrong with the
car? It's a used car."
"So you're telling me I can't get a car now--even if it is a good deal? How
much does a transmission cost?"
"Thousands! I am telling you that you should wait--maybe until you're about
25--when you have enough driving experience and your insurance is lower.
You should also consider what types of cars cost less to insure."
"What kind of homework? What insurance companies charge drivers my age?"
"Yes. Ask about different cars and find out ways you can reduce your
insurance. Find out about the problems certain cars have. Some cars are
more fuel efficient. Learn more before you do some impulse buying that will
cost you a lot more in the long run. Insurance, replacing parts, and fuel
efficiency are all things that you have to consider. It's not just about buying a
car."
"Maybe Sam is selling the car because she can't afford to keep it."
"Maybe it's because it is too hard for teenagers to have the responsibility of
owning a car. Ask her about the costs. Did you find out about any of the
problems that she has had with the car in the past? What parts are new?"
"I guess I need to ask more questions. Sam took a driver's education course
that she said reduced her insurance rate. Maybe I should take the same one
this summer. The classes start in two weeks. I was really hoping to be driving
around in my own car this summer. I thought that I had saved enough money."
"Do your homework first. Find out more about owning a car at your age."
5
Multiple Choice: Circle the best or most correct answer for each question.
1. The quotation marks are used throughout this story to
A identify titles
B identify dialogue
C identify key words
D identify borrowed text
2. Sam is
A
B
C
D
a boy
a girl
buying a car
the neighbour's cat
3. The best meaning of the word "efficient" is (in the second half of the
dialogue)
A an impressive sight
B an authorized person
C producing results with little waste, cost, or effort
D a provincial graduated licensing program for teens
Written Answers: Answer in full and correctly written sentences.
4. Identify and explain the irony of the title, “Summer Homework.”
5. Identify and explain why owning a car is almost impossible for teens. Use
information from this selection and your own ideas to support your answer.
6
Cars and Movies
It was a scenario I'd have hardly believed possible. I was dropping my 16year-old off at school in one of my test cars and to my surprise, the sedan drew
an enthusiastic chorus of oohs and ahhhs from the assembled kids. Quite a few
of them strolled over for a closer look and a couple of teens asked if they could
sit inside for a moment.
The reception from the teenagers surprised me because I wasn't driving a
Ferrari, a Mercedes SL or a BMW Z8, but a fairly affordable and straightforward
Cadillac CTS. Now I happen to like the CTS a lot, but it's not exactly the kind of
car you'd expect to set a teenager's heart beating faster—or is it? The fact is, I
wasn't counting on the amazing effect vehicle placement in movies has on all
kinds of audiences. It just happens that the CTS, along with other Cadillac
products, was the automotive movie star of the blockbuster Matrix Reloaded, and
the shrewd placement won the interest of an audience who'd probably never
taken a second look at a Cadillac of any kind.
For Cadillac, the exercise must have been deemed a huge success
because GM's luxury division has been trying for years to shed the "grandpa's
sedan" image that the company laboured under for so many years. Cadillac has
been working hard to attract a younger pool of buyers and now it has legions of
young people who'll be looking closely at this nameplate when the time comes for
them to buy an upscale automobile.
Of course, there's nothing new in using movies to promote vehicles of all
kinds, and the practice is almost as old as the film industry itself. Years ago, the
producers were probably as happy as could be to get an automaker to supply
vehicles free of charge for little more than a credit at the end of the picture. In
recent years, the process has become more sophisticated and auto
manufacturers vie with one another to get their latest and greatest into a movie-even for a brief scene or two.
Few movie series have been as influential in the business of "placing"
vehicles as the James Bond films. These pictures have featured innumerable
cars over the years, notably the various Aston Martin models. Serious students
of 007 will remember that Bond's real car was a Bentley (finished in battleship
grey) and the Aston only appeared in one of Ian Fleming's books.
These days, the product placement business seems to have gotten
completely out of hand with all kinds of brands appearing besides the various
automobile nameplates. Computers, fast food outlets, luxury goods and just
about anything purchasable has been shrewdly showcased in movies. But as
long as automobiles generate the excitement they do--on and off the screen-count on lots more new models making their debut on the silver screen.
Adapted from Tony Whitney's article http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/tw/cars-movies.htm
7
Multiple Choice: Circle the best or most correct answer for each question.
1. In the context of the first sentence, the best meaning of the word "scenario" is
A a male actor
B a sequence of events
C morally correct behaviour
D an official appointed to investigate complaints
2. The car that the writer of the article drove to the high school was
A a Ferrari
B a Bentley
C a Cadillac CTS
D an Aston Martin
3. According to the article, the writer's car impressed the teens because of
A the cost of the car
B the colour of the car
C the safety features of the sedan
D the effect of vehicle placement in movies
Written Answers: Answer in full and correctly written sentences.
4. Identify and explain why the writer did not expect his car to impress the teens.
5. Identify and explain why a person would want to buy a product after seeing it
in a movie. Use information from this selection and your own ideas to support
your answer.
8
Phaeton and the Horses of the Sun
Young Phaeton was in a rage. His schoolmates had been making fun of
him, laughing at the idea that he was the son of a god. But he was, he was! His
mother, the sea nymph, had many times told him so.
"There is your glorious father," she had said, pointing to the glistening sun.
"See how skilfully he drives his fiery chariot!"
Flushed with shame and anger, Phaeton stood now before his mother. "If I
am indeed of heavenly birth, mother, give me some proof of it!" he pleaded.
"What proof can I give you?" she answered. Then she stretched her hands
upward to the skies. She said solemnly. "If I speak falsely, let this be the last
time I behold this light! But," she added, "Why don't you go and ask him
yourself? The land where the sun rises lies next to ours. Go and ask Apollo
whether he will say that you are his son."
Phaeton's face lit up. Without delay he set off to find Apollo, and not long
afterwards stood before the glittering palace of the sun.
His heart beat with pride, hope, and wonder as he gazed upon the lofty
columns, all ablaze with precious stones, at the ceilings of polished ivory, the
doors of silver. Yet he hardly paused to look at the splendid scene. Phaeton
was too impatient to behold the god. He ran lightly up the steps and went into
the great hall. There, however, he was forced to halt--the light was so dazzling
he could not bear it. At the other end of the hall he could make out the god, clad
in purple raiment, seated on a throne glittering with diamonds and on either side
of him, stood his attendants.
The great god saw the youth standing by the door and called out to him,
"What brings you here?"
"O light of the boundless world, my father" the youth blurted out, "I am
Phaeton. Give me some proof by which men may know that I am indeed your
son."
Apollo laid aside the blinding rays of light about his head. "Approach, my
son," he said, and embraced Phaeton warmly. "I confirm what your mother has
told you. But put an end to your doubts, by asking of me anything in the world
that you want. I swear by the river Styx, upon which all gods take their oath, that
I will grant you whatever you desire."
"Then, father," Phaeton quickly replied, "let me drive the chariot of the Sun
for just one day."
Apollo shook his radiant head four times. "I have spoken rashly," he said,
and his voice was deep with regret. "This one request I would deny. I beg you,
Phaeton--choose something else. What you have asked for is not suited to your
years and strength. Not even Zeus --who hurls the thunderbolts--may drive the
flaming car of day, and even for me it is not easy. The road is so steep at the
start that the horses can scarcely climb it. Midway, the course is so high above
the earth that I get dizzy and dare not look down. And the last part of the way
drops so sharply that the sea gods waiting to receive me at my journey's end
wonder how it is that I do not fall. If I lent you my chariot, what would you do?
You think the road lies among the delightful dwellings of the gods. But no, it
9
passes through the midst of frightful monsters--the Bull, the Lion, the Scorpion,
and the Crab. Nor will you find it easy to control the horses. Do not insist, my
son. You ask for proof that you are my own. Are not my fears for you proof
enough? Look around the world. Choose what you will that is most precious,
and it shall be yours. Only do not ask to drive the chariot."
Phaeton listened. But his mind was closed, and he would not change his
request. So, much against his will, Apollo led him to where the chariot stood.
It too was the work of Hephaestus' hands, and dazzling to behold. The axle,
pole, and wheels were all of gold, the spokes were of silver, and the seat
sparkled with rows of diamonds. But there was not time to examine the gleaming
chariot, for already Dawn had thrown open the doors of the east. The stars
faded, the earth began to glow. The Moon gave the command to harness the
horses, and the Hours led the four winged beasts out of their lofty stalls. Apollo
took out a vial. With his own hands he rubbed his son's face with protective
salve, and then set the rays upon his head.
"Spare the whip," were the god's words of advice to Phaeton. "The horses
go fast enough themselves. And hold the reins tight. Follow the marks of the
wheels. Do not go too high or you will burn the dwellings of the gods, nor too low
lest you set the earth on fire. I leave you now to your fate. Take the reins--we
can delay no longer."
Stammering his thanks, Phaeton sprang into the chariot and grasped the
reins. If only his schoolmates could see him now!
In a moment, the boundless plain of the universe lay before him. The
spirited horses dashed through the clouds, outrunning the morning breeze. But
soon they felt that strange hands were guiding them. Snorting, they rushed
headlong and left the traveled road. The chariot swung wildly from side to side
and up and down, while Phaeton looked toward the earth and grew pale. His
knees shook, his head swam, and his eyes were dim.
He wished he had heeded his father and never entered the chariot. But
now he had no choice. He had to go on, carried along like a ship that flies before
the tempest.
His eyes wide with terror, he looked around him. He wanted to call out to
the horses, but he had forgotten their names. His heart pounded like a hammer,
while he tried to think of what to do. Should he draw the reins tight, or let them
loose? As he hesitated, they slipped from his trembling hands. The wild steeds,
feeling no restraint, dashed off into the unknown regions of high heaven, then
plunged down almost to the earth. The clouds smoked, the mountain tops took
fire, and the fields were parched with heat. Great cities and whole countries
began to burn. The entire world was on fire.
Phaeton saw the flames, and felt the unbearable heat. The air he breathed
was like a roaring furnace. The sea shrank and the fishes sought the lowest
depths.
Then mighty Zeus rose to his high tower and filled the air with thunder.
Brandishing a lightning bolt, he hurled it at the charioteer and struck him from his
seat. Phaeton fell headlong. His hair was on fire as he sped to earth, flaring like
10
a shooting star…And far below, Eridanus, the great river, received his charred
and broken body.
Adapted from "Phaeton and the Horses of the Sun." by Anne Terry White in
Sense and Feeling. Ed. R. J. Scott. Toronto: Copp Clark Pitman, 1991. 438-440.
Multiple Choice: Circle the best or most correct answer for each question.
1. The best meaning of the word "salve" is (in the third paragraph on page 10)
A a perfume
B an ointment
C an uncultivated land
D a sudden rush of animals
2. What does Apollo say should be proof enough that he is Phaeton's father?
A Apollo was handsome
B Zeus hurls thunderbolts
C Apollo voiced his fears about Phaeton's safety
D the tiger and the bear did not fall from the night sky
3. Phaeton is
A hasty
B stubborn
C Apollo’s son
D all of the above
Written Answers: Answer in full and correctly written sentences.
4. Identify and explain two reasons why Phaeton wanted to drive the chariot.
Use information from the short story to support your answer.
11
5. Identify and explain a situation from your life that would be equivalent to
Phaeton’s request to drive the chariot. Use information from this selection and
your own ideas to support your answer.
6. Identify and explain an important lesson that today’s teens can learn from
reading about Phaeton and the chariot. Use information from this selection and
your own ideas to support your answer.
12
The Fan
The Brampton Guardian, p4, Sunday April 25, 2004
Multiple Choice: Circle the best or most correct answer for each question.
1. The best meaning of the word "fan" for the dialogue in this cartoon is
A an employer
B an irritable person
C an enthusiastic admirer
D a device that is used to create air flow
2. The young fan in the cartoon is driving
A a van
B an SUV
C a police car
D a sports car
3. The officer in the cartoon will probably give the young driver
A a puppy
B a traffic ticket
C the Stanley Cup
D new hockey skates
13
Written Answers: Answer in full and correctly written sentences.
4. Identify and explain why the cartoonist uses a particular artistic technique to
force the viewer’s attention to be placed on the flag. Use specific details from the
cartoon to support your answer.
5. Identify and explain how the cartoon characterizes young drivers. Use
specific details from this cartoon and your own ideas to support your answer.
14
Traffic Signs
Traffic laws include the traffic signs and lights, pedestrian signals and pavement
markings that tell drivers and other road users what they must do in certain
situations.
Traffic signs give you important information about the law, warn you about
dangerous conditions, and help you find your way. Signs use different symbols,
colours and shapes for easy identification.
Here are some of the many signs you will see on Ontario roads:
A stop sign is eight sided and has a red background
with white letters. It means you must stop. Stop at the
stop line if it is marked on the pavement. If there is no
stop line, stop at the crosswalk, marked or not. If there
is no crosswalk, stop at the edge of the sidewalk. If
there is no sidewalk, stop at the edge of the
intersection. Wait until the way is clear before entering
the intersection.
A school zone sign is five-sided and has a blue
background with white symbols. It warns that you are
coming to a school zone. Slow down, drive with extra
caution, and watch for children.
A railway crossing sign is X-shaped with a white
background and red outline. It warns that railway
tracks cross the road. Watch for this sign. Slow down
And look both ways for trains. Be prepared to stop.
There are four kinds of signs: regulatory, warning, temporary conditions, and
information and direction.
Adapted from
http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/driver/handbook/section3b2.htm
15
Multiple Choice: Circle the best or most correct answer for each question.
1. Traffic signs
A use different symbols, colours, and shapes
B give you important information about the law
C warn you about dangers and help you to find your way
D all of the above
2. A stop sign indicates that you
A slow down
B must come to a full stop
C drive the maximum speed
D keep to the left-hand side of the road
3. The colon at the bottom of the “Traffic Signs” page is used to
A introduce a list
B end a sentence
C express a strong emotion
D present a verb tense for an action in the past
Written Answers: Answer in full and correctly written sentences.
4. Identify and explain how a school zone sign helps to keep children safe. Use
information from the reading selection and your own ideas to support your
answer.
5. Identify and explain the purpose of a railway crossing sign. Use information
from this selection to support your answer.
16
6. Identify and explain why it is important for pedestrians and drivers to be
aware of what all traffic signs mean. Use information from this selection and your
own ideas to support your answer.
7. Identify and explain why reading skills are important for road safety. Use
information from this selection and your own ideas to support your answer.
17
Road Safety in Canada
Although Canada is one of the largest countries in the world, its population density is
among the lowest. Geographical expanse combined with limited public transportation
in many parts of the country leads Canadians to rely heavily on private motor vehicles
With almost 19 million vehicles on our roads and over 21 million drivers operating
vehicles across more than 900,000 kilometres of roads, road transportation is
important to virtually every Canadian. Unfortunately, motor vehicle traffic collisions
are associated with a large number of deaths and serious injuries each year.
There were 2,778 deaths due to motor vehicle traffic collisions in the year 2001--a
rate of 8.9 deaths per 100,000 people. There were 24,403 hospital admissions for
traffic-related injuries. Many victims are young and traffic collisions are a leading
cause of premature death and long term disability.
Since Canada has one of the highest per capita vehicle ownership rates in the world,
it is not surprising that vehicle occupants account for approximately three quarters of
all road users killed and seriously injured each year. The remaining victims are
pedestrians, motorcyclists and bicyclists. When health care costs, property losses
and other factors are considered, the economic cost of traffic collisions to Canadians
is as high as $25 billion annually.
Government interventions such as laws mandating the use of seat belts and child
restraints, as well as more stringent drinking and driving sanctions, public education
and enforcement campaigns, safer vehicles and road infrastructure enhancements
18
have all contributed to the increased safety of Canadian road users. Improvements
in emergency medical response and trauma care have also helped to reduce
fatalities. In spite of these impressive advances in road safety in Canada, many
serious problems still exist and the rates of death and hospitalization associated
with traffic collisions remain unacceptably high.
Risk Factors and Preventive Measures
Drivers account for more than half of all road users killed. Driver inexperience, and
health limitations common among elderly drivers increase risk. Other factors often
associated with fatalities are single-vehicle crashes on undivided rural roads,
drinking and driving, and non-use of seat belts. Approximately 40% of all fatally
injured occupants are unrestrained and, of these, almost half are ejected from their
vehicles. Alcohol and excessive speed are recognized as important contributing
factors in many collisions and emerging factors such as driver distraction (e.g. use
of cellular telephones) are also of concern. Canadian road users also face
increased risks associated with driver fatigue and winter road conditions. Multiple
risk factors are simultaneously in play in many fatal traffic collisions.
Young drivers, aged 16-19 years, and elderly drivers, 75 years and older, have the
highest risk of being killed in a traffic collision, at 27 deaths and 20 deaths per billion
vehicle kilometres travelled, respectively. With regard to young drivers, seven
provinces and one territory in Canada have instituted graduated licensing programs,
which have proven effective in reducing collisions causing injury among novice
drivers.
In the year 2001, 38% of fatally injured drivers who were tested had been drinking
alcohol, and of these almost 85% had blood alcohol levels in excess of the Criminal
Code legal limit. Although alcohol use among young drivers killed in collisions is
less than what was seen even a decade ago, current levels of impaired driving
remain unacceptably high. Increased enforcement, tougher sanctions and
innovative approaches such as administrative license suspensions, alcohol ignition
interlocks and assessment/rehabilitation programs have been introduced in many
jurisdictions to further reduce impaired driving.
Other preventative efforts should also be encouraged. Use of bicycle helmets is
now mandated in six provinces. A recent study showed a reduction in serious
head injuries among cyclists after introduction of this legislation. These findings
may lead to similar legislation in other jurisdictions. The automotive industry
continues to enhance vehicle safety features. As older vehicles are replaced with
ones equipped with crumple zones, anti-lock brakes and air bags, our motor vehicle
fleet becomes progressively safer. Similarly, enhanced road infrastructure design
19
and maintenance contribute to safety. Creative approaches such as pedestrian
countdown signals, pedestrian islands, shoulder widening and pedestrian/cyclist
pathways are being used to improve separation of motor vehicle traffic from
more vulnerable pedestrians and bicyclists, especially in urban settings.
In order to have the safest roads in the world by 2010, Canada needs to reduce
fatalities and serious injuries by 30%. This plan is supported by a number of
strategic objectives and quantitative targets including some associated with
increased seat belt wearing, proper use of child restraints, and reduced fatalities
and serious injuries associated with drinking drivers and excessive speed.
Adapted from http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/stats/overview/2004/menu.htm
Multiple Choice: Circle the best or most correct answer for each question.
1. According to the graph, the age group with the highest number of deaths per
billion kilometres travelled is the age group
A 75+
B 34-44
C 20-24
D 16-19
2. According to the risk factors and preventive measures, 40% of all fatally
injured occupants
A were not far from home
B were not wearing seat belts
C were driving without a license
D were driving below the speed limit
3. According to the risk factors and preventive measures, this percent of all
fatally injured drivers who were tested had been drinking alcohol
A 85%
B 40%
C 38%
D 27%
Written Answers: Answer in full and correctly written sentences.
4. Identify three reasons why newer vehicles are safer than older vehicles. Use
information from the reading selection to support your answer.
20
5. Identify and explain three ways that our government can help to increase
driving safety in Canada. Use information from this selection and your own ideas
to support your answer.
6. Identify and explain two reasons why road safety is an important issue in
Canada. Use information from this selection and your own ideas to support your
answer.
21
Keeping Your Driver’s Licence
Impaired driving
Impaired driving, which means driving when your ability is affected by alcohol or
drugs, is a crime in Canada. If you are impaired, you can be convicted of several
offences under the Criminal Code of Canada. Your vehicle does not even have
to be moving; you can be charged if you are impaired behind the wheel, even if
you have not started to drive.
Alcohol
Drinking and driving is a deadly combination.
All drivers, especially inexperienced drivers,
must be able to concentrate on driving. That's
why the graduated licensing system does not
allow new drivers to drink any alcohol when
they are going to drive.
Even one drink can reduce your ability to
concentrate, to watch out for and react to things
that happen suddenly when you are driving. With more alcohol in your blood,
you could have trouble judging distances and your vision may become blurred.
Factors like fatigue, your mood, and how long ago you ate and how much, can
make a difference in how alcohol affects your driving ability.
The police have the right to stop any driver they suspect is impaired. They
may also do roadside spot checks. When you are stopped by the police, you
may be told to blow into a machine that tests your breath for alcohol--a
roadside screening device. If you refuse, you will be charged under the
Criminal Code. The police will also notify the Registrar of Motor Vehicles and
your licence will be suspended immediately for 90 days.
If the reading on the machine shows that you have been drinking, you may be
taken to a police station for a breathalyser test. The breathalyser uses your
breath to measure the amount of alcohol in your bloodstream.
If you cannot give a breath sample for some reason, the police officer can ask
you to let a doctor take a blood sample instead. If you are injured and cannot
give your consent, a justice of the peace may authorize a doctor to take a blood
sample.
The maximum legal blood alcohol concentration for fully licensed drivers is 80
milligrams in 100 millilitres of blood (.08). Any more than .08 is against the law.
22
If your reading is less than .08 but .05 or more, or if you register 'warn' on a
roadside screening device, the police can suspend your licence for 12 hours.
This keeps you from driving until your blood level drops. You must give your
licence to the police officer on demand. The police will tell you when the
12-hour suspension will end and where to get your licence back. Meanwhile,
if there is no one else available to drive and no safe place to park your vehicle,
it will be towed at your expense.
If your blood alcohol concentration is more than 80 milligrams in 100 millilitres
of blood (.08), you will be charged under the Criminal Code. The police will
also notify the Registrar of Motor Vehicles and your licence will be suspended
immediately for 90 days. Even if your blood alcohol concentration is less than
.08, you can still be charged with impaired driving under the Criminal Code.
Note:
Level One and Level Two drivers must have a blood alcohol level of zero when
driving. New drivers caught drinking and driving will get a 30-day suspension
for violating a condition of their Level One or Level Two licence. They can
also be charged under the Criminal Code.
Consider the Consequences
Having your licence suspended is not the only cost of impaired driving.
Depending on whether it is your first, second, third or forth offence, you can
be fined, sent to jail for up to five years and prohibited from driving for the
rest of your life.
For impaired driving that causes injury or death, the penalties are even more
severe. If you are convicted of impaired driving causing bodily harm, you may
be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison. Impaired driving causing death can
carry a sentence of up to 14 years in prison.
If you are involved in a collision, your insurance company may not have to pay
for damage to your vehicle. If you are injured in the collision, your medical and
rehabilitation costs may not be covered.
If you drive for a living, a licence suspension could mean losing your job. And
when you do get your licence back, you may find your insurance costs 50 to
100 per cent more for at least three years.
Adapted from http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/driver/handbook/section4j.htm
on July 20, 2004
23
Multiple Choice: Circle the best or most correct answer for each question.
1. Under the graduated licensing system new drivers are
A allowed to register between .05 and .08 millilitres of alcohol
B able to concentrate on driving when they have been drinking
C not allowed to drink any alcohol when they are going to drive
D all of the above
2. Impaired driving causing death can carry a sentence of up to
A 30 days
B 90 days
C 10 years
D 14 years
3. If your licence is suspended for impaired driving you could be
A fined
B sent to jail
C prohibited from driving for the rest of your life
D all of the above
Written Answers: Answer in full and correctly written sentences.
4. Identify and explain why the driver’s handbook is written in a second person
point of view (i.e. you). Use information from the reading selection and your own
ideas to support your answer.
5. Identify and explain why the alcohol restrictions are more severe for young
drivers. Use information from the reading selection and your own ideas to
support your answer.
24
6. Identify and explain why the laws do not require insurance companies to pay
for the cost of damages or medical costs for an impaired driver. Use information
from the reading selection and your own ideas to support your answer.
7. Identify and explain why it is very important for young drivers to be aware of
the laws concerning drinking and driving. Use information from the reading
selection and your own ideas to support your answer.
25
26
St. Francis Xavier Summer School
Multiple Choice: Circle the best or most correct answer for each question.
1. What is the name of the street where the school is located?
A Xavier
B Bristol
C Eglinton
D Ceremonial
2. In addition to identifying Mississauga Transit’s summer school bus route from
St. Francis Xavier School to Square One Shopping Mall, the map also indicates
A the hours of operation for Square One
B the hours of operation for the autumn semester
C the departure time of the bus from summer school
D none of the above
3. The best meaning of the word “effective” in the context of how it is used on
the transit map is
A route
B in operation
C an intended result
D having a strong impression
Written Answers: Answer in full and correctly written sentences.
4. Identify and explain why you think that the summer school bus service does
not include any Saturday or Sunday departure information. Use information from
the reading selection and your own ideas to support your answer.
27
5. Identify and explain two reasons why it is very important for students to verify
the bus route information before the summer school session begins. Use
information from the reading selection and your own ideas to support your
answer.
6. Identify and explain two reasons why public transit is beneficial for society.
Use information from the reading selection and your own ideas to support your
answer.
28
Writing a Summary
Knowledge
◊ Read the question first and follow the instructions carefully.
◊ Identify the specific and relevant information in the text.
◊ Be aware of the title, headings, visuals, and any organizational features like
bold font, arrows, or lines.
◊ You may need to reread portions of the reading selection to find the answer,
but always manage your time.
Thinking
◊ Think about the purpose and the main idea of the reading selection.
◊ Support your point with at least one relevant example or reason from the
reading selection.
Communication
◊ Make sure that your word choice is appropriate to the type of formal academic
writing activity.
◊ Include a topic sentence, a main point / example, and a concluding sentence.
◊ Use transitions.
◊ Avoid repetition.
◊ Do not use contractions or abbreviations.
Application
◊ Be sure to write the summary in full and correctly written sentences.
◊ Do not go beyond the number of lines given for the response.
◊ Check your punctuation.
◊ Check your spelling.
29
Driven to Distraction
By John Allemang
The road was clear and the pavement was dry on Saturday February 6th,
2002 when 20-year-old Dawn Richardson lost control of her Ford Explorer,
jumped the guardrail on Interstate 95 near Washington, D.C., and killed five
people--four Quebeckers driving to Florida and herself. Richardson was
talking on her cell phone when the crash occurred, her boyfriend told
investigators. Or to use the word that describes the modern need to test the
brain's limits, she was multitasking.
"How much is it worth to have that cell phone conversation?" asks David
Strayer, a professor of psychology at the University of Utah. "Is it worth
somebody else's life?" Strayer is a specialist in the study of driver distraction,
a field that is growing as rapidly as the in-car technologies that cause it. And
what he and his team at Utah have found is this: When you talk on the phone
in traffic--even if you have switched to the kind of hands-free sets that are
supposed to be a panacea in the cell phone controversies—your brain is
actually impaired.
Strayer's studies of subjects on a driving simulator reacted to various
in-car distractions--listening to the radio, changing stations, listening to an
audio book, talking on both types of cell phones--showed that it was the
mental juggling of complex conversations that was disruptive.
For Strayer, this failure of multitasking represents "a stunning
demonstration of just how powerful attention is: When we selectively process
one aspect of our environment, everything else gets lost."
The cell phone is a favourite focus for researchers who want to test the
brain's ability--or inability--to multitask. Adapted from www.theglobeandmail.com
Writing a Summary: Summarize this selection. Include a main idea and one
point that supports it. Answer in full and correctly written sentences.
30
The Race to the Future
In 2004, General Motors of Canada Limited, Hydrogenics Corporation,
and Natural Resources Canada announced their combined support for a
team of engineering students from the University of Waterloo in Challenge X.
The Waterloo team was the only Canadian school to qualify to enter
the North American competition to develop practical and economic clean
energy technology for the automotive sector.
Challenge X teams will follow GM's Global Vehicle Development Process
to create alternative solutions that will further improve the fuel economy and
emissions of the Canadian designed and built 2005 Chevrolet Equinox, a
compact SUV that already provides impressive fuel economy. The Waterloo
team will be developing their vehicle using hydrogen fuel cell technology.
The University of Waterloo was one of 17 teams chosen to be a part of
this program. Challenge X launched in the 2004-2005 academic year in
the U.S. and Canada as a three-year program. The U.S. Department of
Energy and General Motors are the headline sponsors of Challenge X.
Adapted from The Brampton Guardian on May 28, 2004.
Writing a Summary: Summarize this selection. Include a main idea and one
point that supports it. Answer in full and correctly written sentences.
31
Speed Demons
By Scott Edmonds
Young drivers, especially males, like to go fast. Their speed can be
deadly. Car crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers in North
America. Hardly a week goes by without a headline somewhere about a
carload of teens hitting a tree, rolling over or smashing into another vehicle
with tragic results. "When young people are involved in accidents, they’re
often worse," says Constable Chris Blandford, an RCMP traffic specialist.
"They may take a few more risks and inexperience plays a big factor.”
Older drivers still cause many more accidents, but the experts agree
that teenagers are over-represented in proportion to their numbers on the
roads. And they seem to get hurt far more often. Add alcohol and the mix
often becomes deadly.
Speed, not alcohol, however, is behind most teen car crashes. The
Manitoba Public Insurance Corporation says 16 to 24-year-olds are twice
as likely to be involved in an alcohol-related crash as older drivers and five
times more likely to be involved in a speed-related crash.
Fame and wealth don't provide any immunity from the perils of speed.
The sports world was shocked in early October 2003 from the news that
Atlanta Thrashers forward Dany Heatley, just 22 and the NHL's rookie of the
year in 2002, had been charged with vehicular homicide. Police estimate
that he was driving his Ferrari at about 130 kilometres an hour on a narrow
twisting road when it crashed. Passenger and team mate Dan Snyder, 25,
died later in the hospital. Transport Canada reports that there were 400
teen deaths on the roads in the year 2000. Adapted from Ifpress.com Oct.20, 2003
Writing a Summary: Summarize this selection. Include a main idea and one
point that supports it. Answer in full and correctly written sentences.
32
Writing a News Report
Knowledge
◊ Read the headline first and examine the details in the photograph carefully.
◊ Try to notice specific and relevant details in the photograph.
◊ Be sure to include the news report’s 5Ws in the first few sentences.
◊ Make up extra details that will be appropriate for your news report, but always
manage your time.
Thinking
◊ Your news report should be about a newsworthy event that matches the
headline and the photograph.
◊ The event should take place in the recent past.
◊ Support your news report with at least two relevant and appropriate quotations
from a witness or expert.
Communication
◊ Make sure that your word choice is appropriate to the type of formal academic
writing activity.
◊ Use transitions which are appropriate for a news report.
◊ Use third person; do not use first person unless it is in a quotation.
◊ Do not use contractions or abbreviations.
Application
◊ Be sure to write the news report in full and correctly written sentences.
◊ Do not go beyond the number of lines given for the response.
◊ Check your punctuation. Past tense should be used for the body of the news
report but not for the title of the news report.
◊ Check your spelling.
33
Writing a News Report
Task:
Purpose and
Audience:
Length:
Write a news report based on the headline and photograph
below. You will need to make up the facts and information
in order to answer all of the following questions about the
photograph: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?
to report on an event for the readers of a newspaper
The lined space provided for your written work indicates
the approximate length of the writing that is expected.
Students Celebrate Safe Driving Theme at Prom
Rough Notes
34
Writing a News Report
35
Writing a News Report
Task:
Purpose and
Audience:
Length:
Write a news report based on the headline and photograph
below. You will need to make up the facts and information
in order to answer all of the following questions about the
photograph: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?
to report on an event for the readers of a newspaper
The lined space provided for your written work indicates
the approximate length of the writing that is expected.
Spill Causes Traffic Jam
Rough Notes
36
Writing a News Report
37
Writing a News Report
Write a news report based on the headline and photograph
below. You will need to make up the facts and information
in order to answer all of the following questions about the
photograph: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?
Task:
Purpose and
Audience:
Length:
to report on an event for the readers of a newspaper
The lined space provided for your written work indicates
the approximate length of the writing that is expected.
Students Create a Solar Car
Rough Notes
38
Writing a News Report
39
Writing a Series of Paragraphs
Expressing an Opinion
Knowledge
◊ Read the question carefully and be sure to focus on the issue stated in the
question.
◊ Choose one side of the issue for your opinion essay.
◊ Your response should have an introduction, body paragraphs, and a
conclusion.
◊ Always manage your time.
Thinking
◊ Your introduction should include a thesis statement which states your opinion
and your three supporting reasons.
◊ Each body paragraph should include one relevant reason that is fully
explained.
◊ The purpose to persuade should be quite evident.
Communication
◊ Make sure that your word choice is appropriate to the type of formal academic
writing activity.
◊ Use transitions which are appropriate for a series of paragraphs expressing
an opinion.
◊ You may use first person for the opinion essay.
◊ Do not use contractions or abbreviations.
Application
◊ Be sure to write the series of paragraphs in full and correctly written sentences.
◊ Do not go beyond the number of lines given for the response.
◊ Check your punctuation and your spelling.
40
Writing a Series of Paragraphs Expressing an Opinion
Task:
Purpose
and
Audience:
Write a series of paragraphs (four or five paragraphs)
expressing an opinion about the topic below. Develop
your main idea with supporting details. Include valid
arguments, facts, and examples as your support.
You will persuade an adult who is interested in your opinion.
Topic:
Should it be legal for insurance companies to charge
higher insurance rates for young drivers?
Length:
The lined space provided for your written work (two pages)
indicates the approximate length of the writing task.
Rough Notes
41
Writing a Series of Paragraphs Expressing an Opinion
42
43
Writing a Series of Paragraphs Expressing an Opinion
Task:
Purpose
and
Audience:
Write a series of paragraphs (four or five paragraphs)
expressing an opinion about the topic below. Develop
your main idea with supporting details. Include valid
arguments, facts, and examples as your support.
You will persuade an adult who is interested in your opinion.
Topic:
Should Ontario continue to have a graduated licence
program?
Length:
The lined space provided for your written work (two pages)
indicates the approximate length of the writing task.
Rough Notes
44
Writing a Series of Paragraphs Expressing an Opinion
45
46
Writing a Series of Paragraphs Expressing an Opinion
Task:
Write a series of paragraphs (four or five paragraphs)
expressing an opinion about the topic below. Develop
your main idea with supporting details. Include valid
arguments, facts, and examples as your support.
Purpose
and
Audience:
You will persuade an adult who is interested in your opinion.
Topic:
Are automobiles good for society?
Length:
The lined space provided for your written work (two pages)
indicates the approximate length of the writing task.
Rough Notes
47
Writing a Series of Paragraphs Expressing an Opinion
48
49