PET for Schools Reading Part 1 Activity Notes for teachers

Description Students look at some Part 1 notices and signs and answer gist questions about them. They then discuss what Part 1 of the test involves. They do a Part 1 task then complete an activity which focuses on synonyms and different ways of expressing the same information.

Time required: Materials required: Aims:

45 minutes Handout divided into Activity 1 and Activity 2 Sample paper Part 1 to introduce Part 1 to analyse the types of text used and to practice answering some Part 1 questions.

Procedure 1. Review what the students remember about Part 1 from the overview activity, then explain that Part 1 tests candidates understanding of short texts such as authentic notices and signs, packaging information, notes, emails, etc. 2. Hand out Activity 1. Ask students to fill in the table below each message. They can work alone or with a partner if they prefer. 3. Whole class check (see key) 4. Hand out the sample paper Part 1. Explain that Part 1 is always a multiple-choice task with three options. Direct students to the instructions and check they understand that they must choose one option (letter) and write it on the answer sheet. 5. Elicit how to approach Part 1 by asking the following questions: Should you read the text or the three options first? (the text) After choosing an answer, should you go straight on to the next question? (no, you should look at the text again and check your answer) What should you do with the other two options? (these are the distractors, i.e. words or phrases which may look like the correct answer but arent. You should check that they are wrong by looking at the text again carefully.)

6. Ask students to look at the example question on the sample paper and go through the following procedure with it: Read the text first and think about its meaning. Read the beginning of the statement and the three options and choose one.
UCLES 2008. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom use provided no charge is made. It may not otherwise be altered, photocopied, reproduced, distributed, published, recorded, made available on another website, or otherwise transmitted by any means without the prior written permission of University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations.

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Re-read the text and check your answer, thinking about why it is correct (almost new bought last month; in good condition works perfectly). To confirm, think about why the other two options are incorrect (B played once, so it does work; C no age given, 24 refers to the number of players, not age). 7. Ask students to do questions 1- 5 alone, following the same procedure as above. 8. To help students work out if they have chosen the right answer, hand out Activity 2 and look at the first exercise. Ask students to match the phrases from the texts (in column A) with the correct answer choice for each question. 9. Explain or elicit what synonyms and paraphrasing are and tell students that these are used widely in PET for Schools papers. Ask students to identify examples of these in the paired sentences in Activity 2. 10. Students check in pairs. 11. Whole class check of the sample paper answers, the use of synonyms and paraphrasing in the answers and why the other two options are incorrect for each question too (see key). 12. Review the procedure for doing Part 1 by asking students to recap what they do in this section (see step 6 above). You could put the steps in random order on the board and get students to order them correctly.

Key to Activity 1 1. Who is the message from? Who is the message for? Where might you see it? What is the situation? Stefan Peter On a mobile phone Peter is late for their meeting at the cinema and Stefan wants to check to see if he is still coming and whether he should wait.

2. Who is the message from? Who is the message for? Where might you see it? What is the situation? Natashas Mum Natasha, her daughter In their home, maybe stuck on the door or table It is about a phone call from Lina, one of Natashas classmates, who wants to borrow her school notes.

UCLES 2008. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom use provided no charge is made. It may not otherwise be altered, photocopied, reproduced, distributed, published, recorded, made available on another website, or otherwise transmitted by any means without the prior written permission of University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations.

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3. Who is the message from? Who is the message for? Where might you see it? What is the situation? Monica Ann On Annas book or bag or other personal possession, or in her locker Monica wants to know if Anne is going on the camping trip.

4. Who is the message from? Who is the message for? Where might you see it? What is the situation? The organisers of the swimming club Anyone in the swimming club or who is interested in swimming On a notice board, maybe at the swimming pool It is announcing a swimming competition

5. Who is the message from? Who is the message for? Where might you see it? What is the situation? Zoes Mum Zoe, her daughter In their home Zoes mum cant take her to her dance class so her friend Emilys mum is taking her instead

Key to the sample task (incorrect answers and explanations in brackets) 1. A (B although Peter might tell Stefan whether he will be there in time to see the film that is on now or the next one, they dont ask him to do this, C no meeting place is arranged) 2. C (A Lina doesnt ask about Natashas plans to do her homework, B she has lost her notes so she cant compare them) 3. A (B there is no request for Anna to book places, C no date for trip is given, tomorrow is mentioned as the date when they have to decide by) 4. C (A the length of the competition is not given, one hour refers to when you should arrive at the pool, B the practice session is on Saturday, not before Saturday) 5. A (B her mum has already asked Emilys mother, C Emilys mother doesnt have her dance things, Zoe has them at home and must get them ready before she is picked up)
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Key to Activity 2 A Bought last month and works perfectly Text if youre going to be late She wants to borrow your history notes I wanted to know if you are going Arrive one hour before for a practice swim Please be ready for Emilys mum to collect you at 5 B 0 Is almost new and in good condition 1 Let Stefan know if he is delayed 2 Lina hopes she can look at the information Natasha has for the history homework 3 To check if Anna is going on the trip 4 There is an opportunity to swim before the competition starts 5 Get ready for the dance class before Emilys mother arrives

Suggested follow-up activities 1. For homework, ask students to collect examples of English signs, notices and messages, or examples in their own language which the teacher translates. 2. Display these in the classroom. 3. From time to time, use these texts plus any you collect as well to make similar part 1 tasks for the students.

UCLES 2008. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom use provided no charge is made. It may not otherwise be altered, photocopied, reproduced, distributed, published, recorded, made available on another website, or otherwise transmitted by any means without the prior written permission of University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations.

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PET for Schools Reading Part 1 Activity 1

1. Read each of the texts below carefully and fill in the table with the correct information from the text.

Who is the message from? Who is the message for? Where might you see it? What is the situation?

Tom Anyone In a local newspaper or shop window Tom wants to sell his computer game

Who is the message from? Who is the message for? Where might you see it? What is the situation?

UCLES 2008. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom use provided no charge is made. It may not otherwise be altered, photocopied, reproduced, distributed, published, recorded, made available on another website, or otherwise transmitted by any means without the prior written permission of University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations.

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Who is the message from? Who is the message for? Where might you see it? What is the situation?

Who is the message from? Who is the message for? Where might you see it? What is the situation?

UCLES 2008. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom use provided no charge is made. It may not otherwise be altered, photocopied, reproduced, distributed, published, recorded, made available on another website, or otherwise transmitted by any means without the prior written permission of University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations.

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Who is the message from? Who is the message for? Where might you see it? What is the situation?

Who is the message from? Who is the message for? Where might you see it? What is the situation?

UCLES 2008. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom use provided no charge is made. It may not otherwise be altered, photocopied, reproduced, distributed, published, recorded, made available on another website, or otherwise transmitted by any means without the prior written permission of University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations.

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Activity 2
1. Match the sentences taken from the texts (in column A) to one of the answer choices for each question. Write the answer choice in column B. Look at the example that has been done for you first. A Bought last month and works perfectly Text if youre going to be late She wants to borrow your history notes I wanted to know if you are going Arrive one hour before for a practice swim Please be ready for Emilys mum to collect you at 5 B 0: is almost new and in good condition (A) 1: 2: 3: 4: 5:

2. For each pair of sentences in the table above, underline the paraphrasing or synonyms (words which mean the same thing) that you can find in both sentences, e.g. in good condition and works perfectly.

UCLES 2008. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom use provided no charge is made. It may not otherwise be altered, photocopied, reproduced, distributed, published, recorded, made available on another website, or otherwise transmitted by any means without the prior written permission of University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations.

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Sample paper Part 1

UCLES 2008. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom use provided no charge is made. It may not otherwise be altered, photocopied, reproduced, distributed, published, recorded, made available on another website, or otherwise transmitted by any means without the prior written permission of University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations.

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 UCLES 2008. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom use provided no charge is made. It may not otherwise be altered, photocopied, reproduced, distributed, published, recorded, made available on another website, or otherwise transmitted by any means without the prior written permission of University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations.

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