1) The passage describes a once idyllic natural landscape that has been overcome by a strange blight, with abundant flora and fauna giving way to unexplained deaths and an unnatural stillness. 2) It references the appearance of a mysterious and poisonous chemical that is slowly destroying the ecosystem, though it does not name the chemical directly. 3) The tragedy is hinted to be self-inflicted by humans, though the full explanation is not yet provided, leaving the causes unclear but ominous.

1. A Fable for TomorrowA Fable for Tomorrow
• By Rachel CarsonBy Rachel Carson

3. Building vocabularyBuilding vocabulary
• 1. Laurel, alder, great ferns, weeds,1. Laurel, alder, great ferns, weeds,
migrantsmigrants
• 2. A. water in the form of particles2. A. water in the form of particles
floating or falling in the atmosphere;floating or falling in the atmosphere;
hazehaze
• B. erectedB. erected
• C. afflicted with misfortune orC. afflicted with misfortune or
diseasedisease
• D. sat on or incubated eggsD. sat on or incubated eggs
• F. fishermanF. fisherman

4. Understanding theUnderstanding the
writer’s ideaswriter’s ideas
• 1. Par. 1 suggests a world of1. Par. 1 suggests a world of
natural beauty and harmony.natural beauty and harmony.
• 2. She describes an abundance2. She describes an abundance
of nature in all formsof nature in all forms—flora and—flora and
fauna—in order to describe afauna—in order to describe a
comlete picture of the healthycomlete picture of the healthy
natural environment.natural environment.

5. Understanding theUnderstanding the
writer’s ideaswriter’s ideas
• 3. She continually describes it in3. She continually describes it in
terms of strangeness andterms of strangeness and
suddenness: “strange blight” (2);suddenness: “strange blight” (2);
“unexplained deaths” (2); “strange“unexplained deaths” (2); “strange
stillness” (3).stillness” (3).
• 4. The fact that description relates to4. The fact that description relates to
the title of the book itself,the title of the book itself, SilentSilent
SpringSpring—in other words, a springtime—in other words, a springtime
with a deathlike pall rather than thewith a deathlike pall rather than the
lively sounds expectedlively sounds expected

6. Understanding theUnderstanding the
writer’s ideaswriter’s ideas
• 5. She refers to poisonous5. She refers to poisonous
chemical insecticides,chemical insecticides,
specifically DDT, butspecifically DDT, but
purposefully does not explain itspurposefully does not explain its
appearance in order to maintainappearance in order to maintain
interest in the mysterious “griminterest in the mysterious “grim
specter.”specter.”

7. Understanding theUnderstanding the
writer’s ideaswriter’s ideas
• 6. Her point is that the tragedy6. Her point is that the tragedy
is self-inflicted, but she does notis self-inflicted, but she does not
as yet offer a solution.as yet offer a solution.

8. Understanding the writer’sUnderstanding the writer’s
techniquestechniques
• 1. The narrative structure is to tell1. The narrative structure is to tell
the story of an imaginary town thatthe story of an imaginary town that
undergoes a drastic and unexpectedundergoes a drastic and unexpected
transformation.transformation.
• 2. The precise and vivid descriptions2. The precise and vivid descriptions
make the contrast between the timemake the contrast between the time
before and after the tragedy all thebefore and after the tragedy all the
more startling.more startling.

9. Understanding the writer’sUnderstanding the writer’s
techniquestechniques
• 3. At the very beginning of par.3. At the very beginning of par.
3.3.
• 4. Contrast4. Contrast
• 5. A. in5. A. in block Ablock A, she presents a, she presents a
beautiful, lively naturalbeautiful, lively natural
environment. Inenvironment. In block Bblock B, she, she
presents images of death andpresents images of death and
destruction within the samedestruction within the same
environment.environment.

10. Understanding the writer’sUnderstanding the writer’s
techniquestechniques
• 5. B. Two different aspects. The5. B. Two different aspects. The
chronology shows the transformationchronology shows the transformation
taking place over a lliner period oftaking place over a lliner period of
time.time.
• 5. C. The negative descriptions of5. C. The negative descriptions of
block B are more developed in orderblock B are more developed in order
to establish the horror of the “starkto establish the horror of the “stark
reality.”reality.”
• 5. D. No, although she introduces5. D. No, although she introduces
more and more specific referencesmore and more specific references
as well as manmade structure.as well as manmade structure.

11. Understanding the writer’sUnderstanding the writer’s
techniquestechniques
• 6. Pars. 8 and 9 begin to offer an6. Pars. 8 and 9 begin to offer an
explanation for the starkexplanation for the stark
contrasts but essentially leavecontrasts but essentially leave
the question open-ended.the question open-ended.