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Copywork
About This Passage
This passage is Miss Franny saying out loud what she thinks about war. Notice the very strong word 'always' — it appears twice in two sentences. Writers use 'always' carefully because it makes a claim about every single person. Miss Franny is making a big claim, and the word 'always' tells us she means it. Notice also the word 'abiding' — it means a feeling that does not go away no matter how much you try to make it go away. The passage teaches a writer how to deliver a strong opinion through specific word choices.
Men and boys always want to fight. They are always looking for a reason to go to war. It's the saddest thing. They have this abiding notion that war is fun, and no history lesson will convince them di...
Full copywork activity with handwriting lines available in the complete study guide.
Discussion Questions
Narration Prompt
Retell Miss Franny's story. Then explain what she means when she says Litmus came home a 'changed man.' Changed how?
Discussion Questions
- Litmus lied about his age to enlist. The chapter does not call this a mistake. Is the chapter saying his lie was understandable, brave, foolish, or all three at once?
- Amanda Wilkinson sits down on the floor next to Miss Franny to listen. She has been pinch-faced and rude before. What changes about Amanda during this story? What is she hearing that makes her listen?
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Vocabulary Builder
Item 1
lasting and unchanging — a feeling or belief that does not go away
Item 2
an idea or belief, sometimes one that turns out to be wrong
Item 3
the place where a battle is fought, often a wide field where soldiers face each other
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Critical Thinking
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