Article of the Week

Week of: 09/12/2011 09/16/2011 Due: Friday

Directions: 1. Demonstrate a close reading of the article by highlighting and writing in the margins. a. Write a ! by anything that surprises you b. Write a ? by anything that confuses you c. Write a * by any ideas you think are important d. Draw a box around any new vocabulary words you come across e. For each of the above, also write a reaction/reflection in the margin 2. Answer the two questions that appear at the end of the article 3. Write a one paragraph summary of the article on looseleaf 4. Respond to the critical thinking/opinion question with at least one paragraph. In this paragraph, you should clearly state your opinion and support your opinion with details and evidence from the text. This response should go on looseleaf with your summary of the article.

Never Forget
Americans remember the victims and heroes of September 11, 2001.

A reflecting pool at the National September 11 Memorial in New York, which opens on Sept. 12, 2011. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

Ask most adults, and they can tell you exactly where they were on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. In New York, N.Y., the morning started like any other day. People crowded the sidewalks on their way to work. Suddenly, terrifying events began to unfold in the clear blue sky above. A passenger jet slammed into the World Trade Center. That was a business center where about 50,000 people worked. Terrorists had taken over the airplane. A terrorist is someone who uses violence to attack innocent people to accomplish a goal. Minutes later, another plane struck the World Trade Center. The fiery explosions toppled the 110-story twin towers in a storm of concrete.

Panic gripped the country as word of a third attack spread. Terrorists had rammed an airliner into the Pentagon, near Washington, D.C. Other attackers tried to take over a fourth plane, but the passengers and crew fought back. That aircraft crashed in Pennsylvania, killing all on board. The terrorists killed nearly 3,000 people on September 11, 2001. On the 10th anniversary of the attacks, Americans will take time to honor the victims.

An American flag flies over the rubble of the collapsed World Trade Center buildings in New York on September 13, 2001. (AP Photo/Beth A. Keiser)

Honoring the Brave Jason Vadhan was only 8 when his grandmother, Kristin Gould White, boarded United Airlines Flight 93. By the time terrorists had taken over the plane, the passengers knew of the other attacks. They and the crew united to protect the country from further harm. As they fought to stop the terrorists from flying into Washington, D.C., Flight 93 crashed in an empty field in Pennsylvania. Vadhan, now 18, never saw his grandmother again. "I could not be more proud of her," he recently told reporters.

Visitors look over a grove of trees at the Flight 93 memorial in Shanksville, Pa. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Vadhan's grandmother and the other heroes of Flight 93 will be honored for their bravery. On September 11, officials will unveil the Flight 93 National Memorial. To unveil is to make public. The memorial includes a marble wall carved with the names of the people who died on the flight. Officials in New York City will also open a memorial. The National September 11 Memorial at the World Trade Center site features two reflecting pools where the twin towers stood. The names of those who died in the attacks are inscribed, or carved, around the pools' edges. "The memorial is a powerful symbol of our grief," New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg told WR News. "It is also [to honor] the heroism we witnessed that day." A Nation United

The 10th anniversary also marks a time to honor the Americans who leapt to help after the attacks. Hundreds of rescue workers rushed to the crash sites to aid the victims. Many people around the country donated blood. The U.S. government also took action. U.S. forces invaded Afghanistan. To invade is to enter by force. They were searching the country for Osama bin Laden. He was the leader behind the attacks. (See "Terrorist's End.") To make sure such an attack never happens again, lawmakers created a government department to protect the United States. It is called the Department of Homeland Security. The department works to prevent national emergencies. Today, there is also stricter security at airports. The attacks still live on in many Americans' memories, but the events of September 11 have made our country stronger, officials say. "The terrorists ... hoped that the event would crush our spirit," Bloomberg notes. "But ... September 11 brought New Yorkers, Americans, and people everywhere closer together."

Jenna Shuey, 11, accompanied by her mother Linda Lee, of Vienna, Va., place flowers on the bench of Lee's best friend Patty Mickley at the Pentagon Memorial in Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon

Quick Answer Questions: Please answer the following questions using complete sentences. 1. What was the authors purpose in this article?

2. Who was the intended audience?

Summary: Write a one-paragraph summary of the article on looseleaf. Critical Thinking/Opinion Question: Respond to the following prompt on looseleaf. Your response must be at least one paragraph in length. New York City Mayor Bloomberg said: The terrorists ... hoped that [September 11th would crush our spirit. September 11 brought New Yorkers, Americans, and people everywhere closer together." Do you think that September 11 brought us closer together or broke us apart, as the terrorists hoped? Use details and evidence from the article and your knowledge of 9/11 to support your opinion.