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Iran Opens Trial Of 3 Americans On Spy Charges - Middle School Reading Article Worksheet

Vale Middle School Reading Article

Iran Opens Trial of 3 Americans on Spy Charges

Instructions: COMPLETE ALL QUESTIONS AND MARGIN NOTES

Questions: Answer in COMPLETE SENTENCES unless otherwise instructed. Lists and charts are the

exception and may be answered in phrases.

Read the following article carefully and make notes in the margin as you read.

Your notes should include:

o Comments that show that you understand the article. (A summary or statement of the main

idea of important sections may serve this purpose.)

o Questions you have that show what you are wondering about as you read.

o Notes that differentiate between fact and opinion.

o Observations about how the writer’s strategies (organization, word choice, perspective,

support) and choices affect the article.

Your margin notes are part of your score for this assessment.

Student _________________________________Class Period______________________

Notes on my thoughts,

Iran Opens Trial of 3 Americans on Spy Charges

reactions and questions as I

read:

TEHRAN, Iran – Two Americans accused of spying appeared in a closed-door Iranian

court session Sunday to begin trial after an 18-month detention that has brought

impassioned family appeals, a stunning bail deal to free their companion and backdoor

diplomatic outreach by Washington through an Arab ally in the Gulf. All three — two

in person and one in absentia — entered not guilty pleas during the five-hour hearing,

said their lawyer, Masoud Shafiei.

He added that he was barred by Iranian law from giving any further details of the

proceedings. But he noted that the judge decided for at least one more session in Tehran

Revolutionary Court, which deals with state security cases including some of the high-

profile opposition figures arrested in the violent aftermath of Iran's disputed election in

2009.

He described the jailed Americans — Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal — as appearing in

good health and said they sat next to him during the trial session."I hoped the case

would have ended today," Shafiei told The Associated Press. "I now hope they fix the

next session for the near future."

The case highlights the power of Iran's judiciary, which is controlled directly by the

nation's ruling clerics and has rejected apparent appeals by President Mahmoud

Ahmadinejad to show some leniency.

But Ahmadinejad has also tried to draw attention to Iranians in U.S. jails, raising the

possibility the detainees have been viewed as potential bargaining chips with

Washington at a time of high-stakes showdowns over Iran's nuclear program.

Iran Opens Trial Of 3 Americans On Spy Charges - Middle School Reading Article Worksheet