UNIT 01

Before you Read

1. What do you read in (your language)
2. How fast do you read?
3. What do you usually do while reading?
4. What do you read in English?
5. How fast do you read in English?
6. What would you like to read in English?
7. Why is reading important?

SKIMMING & SCANNING

Skimming and scanning are reading techniques that use rapid eye movement and keywords to
move quickly through text for slightly different purposes. Skimming is reading rapidly in order
to get a general overview of the material. Scanning is reading rapidly in order to find specific
facts. While skimming tells you what general information is within a section, scanning helps you
locate a particular fact. Skimming is like snorkeling, and scanning is more like pearl diving.

Use skimming in previewing (reading before you read), reviewing (reading after you read),
determining the main idea from a long selection you don't wish to read, or when trying to find
source material for a research paper.

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Use scanning in research to find particular facts, to study fact-heavy topics, and to answer
questions requiring factual support.

Travel Information

Below are 6 texts which you are going to skim read. Once you have read the texts, give
each one an appropriate heading, then answer the questions

Text A

1. Read the text and add an appropriate heading.

2. Answer the questions below.
Heading:_______________________

Today, many people prefer to travel independently. Firstly, they decide where they want to go

and then think about the details, such as how long they want to stay, where they want to stay,

how they will get there, how much it will cost, when they will go and what they need to take.

Answer the following questions

1. How do people like to travel these days? _______________
2. What do they decide on first? __________________
3. How many other details are mentioned in the text? ________

Text B

1. Read the text and add an appropriate heading.

2. Answer the questions below.
Heading:_______________________

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The time you go depends on what you want to do. For example, if you want to do outdoor

activities such as walking, cycling or canoeing then you need to choose a time when the

weather is dry. If you prefer a more relaxed holiday spent sunbathing and swimming then the

weather should not be too hot.

Answer the following questions.

1. What does the time you go depend on? _____________
2. What are some examples of outdoor activities?

_______________________

3. What do you do on a relaxing holiday? _________________________

Text C

1. Read the text and add an appropriate heading.

2. Answer the questions below.
Heading:_______________________

Most people take too much when they travel, travel light is the key! Remember you will have

to carry it and heavy luggage soon becomes a nightmare. Take enough clothes (but not too

many), a towel, soap, shampoo and your travel documents and money.

Answer the following questions

1. What do most people take when they travel?
___________________________
2. What is the best solution? _____________________________
3. Which six items should you take with
you?_________________________________

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Text D

1. Read the text and add an appropriate heading.

2. Answer the questions below.
Heading:_______________________

Monalos is a lively, noisy place, suitable for young people and those who do not like peace and

quiet. The information centre is in the main street (number 50, High Street), and their phone

number is 324-5698. They are open every day from 10am to 8pm except Sundays when they are

open from 1pm to 4pm.

Answer the following questions

1. What is the address of the information centre? _______________
2. What is their phone number? _________________
3. What time are they open on Fridays? ___________
4. What time do they close on Sundays? ___________

Text E

1. Read the text and add an appropriate heading

2. Answer the questions below
Heading: Some interesting ______________

The area covers over 2,000 miles and has around 100,000 inhabitants. The coastline is over 500

miles long and there are 54 islands, 22 of which are inhabited. The highest mountain is 3,007ft,

and the deepest lake is 700ft below sea level.

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Answer the following questions
1. What is the area? _______________
2. How many people live there? ______________
3. How long is the coastline? ____________
4. How many islands do people live on? ________
5. What is the highest point? ____________
6. What is the lowest point? ___________

Text F
Look at the following temperature chart and find the answers.

Average temperatures and rainfall

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Monalos

C/F 6/43 7/45 9/48 11/52 14/57 16/61 17/63 17/63 15/59 12/5 9/48 7/45

mm 146 109 83 90 72 63 55 22 36 47 120 132

inches 5.8 4.3 3.3 3.5 2.8 2.1 1.8 .9 1.2 1.6 4.0 5.2

1. What is the average temperature in September in C? ____________

2. How much rain falls in February in mm? _____________

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 3. How many inches of rain do they receive in May? ______________
4. What is the average temperature in August in F? ___________

The History of Modern Fashion

Reading Comprehension
Read the text about fashion and answer the questions below.

Fashion – the World Over

1 Today, dedicated followers of fashion look to cities such as New York City, London, Paris
and Milan for their inspiration and to buy the latest trends. The fashion scene changes with
every season and in many countries, this means that there are four collections – one each for
spring, summer, autumn and winter. The concept of fashion trends developed in the 14 th
century in Europe, but what about fashion in the rest of the world?
2 Early Western travellers going to the East noted that fashion styles did not change rapidly in
countries such as Persia, India, China and Japan. However, this was not always the case as
there was also evidence uncovered during the dynasty of Ming China of rapidly changing
fashions in Chinese clothing. History shows us that changes in costume often took place at
times of economic or social change, which occurred in ancient Rome and the medieval
Arabian Peninsula. Then a long period without major changes would follow.
3 At this time, most weaving, embroidery, cutting and stitching was hand-crafted by skilled
craftsmen and seamstresses. Many textiles originated in countries such as China, where
exquisite silks were produced and Turkey with its rich history of embroidery and clothing
styles influenced by Central Asia and the Far East. Until the mid-nineteenth century, in
Europe and America most clothing was therefore custom-made by skilled dressmakers and
tailors. This meant that following fashion trends was clearly an expensive pastime.
4 In the twentieth century, mechanised production of textiles and the introduction of the
sewing machine dramatically changed the way fashionable garments were produced. It led
the development of haute couture and, much later, affordable branded clothing which was
the offshoot of haute couture. Mass production meant that clothing became much cheaper
and more widely available, yet at the same time was easily adapted to meet the designers‟
demands. As economies grew and people became more affluent, more people could afford to
buy designer clothing across the world.

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 5 To sum up, fashion is closely interlinked with the history of the world. Periods of rapid
change and movement of people influenced the textiles and styles that people chose to wear.
Nowadays, people are still extremely conscious about the way they dress for various
occasions. Adolescents and young adults feel very strongly about the brands they wear,
whether it is for college, partying or sportswear. Their parents feel the same about their own
designer labels. There are designer or boutique brands all over the world. In many Asian
countries, local designers can charge a small fortune for exclusive bridal wear, wedding
attire and other formal wear.
Questions 1-5 The text on “Fashion – the World Over‟ has 5 paragraphs (1,2,3,4 and 5).
Choose the best title for each paragraph from A-F below and write the letter in the numbered box.
There is one more title than you need.

A. Origins of textiles Paragraph Letter

B. Industrialisation 1

C. Designer companies 2

D. Modern approach to fashion 3

E. General information about fashion in Europe. 4

F. History of clothing in the Orient 5

Questions 6-10
Choose the 5 statements from A-H below that are TRUE according to the information given in the
text opposite. Write the letters of the TRUE statements in the boxes provided (in any order).

A. Fashion designers can be found almost everywhere in the world.

B. Many people wear expensive sports gear.

C. Mass production has not made designer brands accessible to more people.

D. Bridal wear is more often than not exclusively designed.

E. Changes in clothing did not coincide with economic and social movement.

F. Following fashion trends has not always been easy.

G. There were generally few fashion trends in China.

H. Many processes were done by machine during the early 20th century.

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 True Statements
Example 6 7 8 9 10
A

Questions 11-15
Complete sentences 11-15 with a word, phrase or number from the text (maximum 3
words). Write the word, phrase or number in the space provided.

11. Early travelers to the Far East believed that fashion changed
______________________________________.
12. Dressmakers and tailors had to be very
_______________________________________.
13. Haute couture was very
____________________________________________________.
14. Designer clothing became more
_____________________________________________.
15. People are still particularly ____________________________ about the way they dress.

Vocabulary
Match the key words to the definition.

Key Word Answers Definition

1. Weaving 1–k a) A lot of clothes made at the same time

2. Embroidery b) Something constructed by hand

3. Cutting c) People who made suits for men

4. Stitching d) A machine used at home or in industry to make

clothes

5. Dressmakers e) Sewing designs using needle and thread

6. Tailors f) Using scissors on fabric

7. Wool g) Women who made dresses for women

8. Hand-made h) The process of joining fabric pieces with

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 needle and thread

9. Mechanized i) A fabric made from sheep

10. Sewing j) Processes using machines.
machine
11. Mass k) Making fabric from yarn
production

Grammar

Complete the paragraph with the correct form of the verb. There is one verb you do not need.

begin mean alter purchase look run

Followers of fashion 1. __________ to cities such as New York City, London, Paris and Milan

for their inspiration and to 2. __________ the latest trends. The fashion scene 3. __________

with every season and this 4. __________ that there are four collections – one each for spring,

summer, autumn and winter. Fashion trends 5. __________ in the 14th century in Europe.

Using a dictionary, find suitable words used in the text to match the synonyms.

Synonym Word used in text

1. Costly a)
2. related to b)
3. changed c)
4. wealthy d)
5. a lot of money e)
6. fast; quick f)
7. specially made g)

____________

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 Unit 2

Enjoy Your Wanderings

Before you read

The following article is on Dartmoor. It is an area of moorland in southern Devon, England. A

lot of tourists spend their holidays in Dartmoor where they admire the landscapes of beautiful
deep wooded valleys with fast flowing rivers and rugged wide open spaces.

Read the questions below and discuss them in pairs.

1. How often do you travel?

2. What is your favourite holiday spot in Bangladesh?
3. Why do you like to spend your holiday there?
4. How often do you go there?
5. Name one country you would like to visit outside Bangladesh?
6. Why would you want to go there?

Read the following selection. Then write the meanings of the words given in the list that
follows the passage.

Enjoy Your Wanderings

All towns and villages within the Dartmoor area are equally worth a visit. A number of important
towns circle Dartmoor, including Ivybridge, Tavistock (birthplace of Francis Drake) and
Okehampton, each a good base from which to explore the surrounding area. The latter, on the

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north Dartmoor foothills, is home to the fascinating Museum of Dartmoor Life and Devon's
largest medieval castle.

Within the National Park and flanked by hills lies Chagford. It is an architectural delight,
containing a fine array of shops.

In the village of Sticklepath is Finch Foundry, a working edge tool factory driven by waterpower
and now owned by the National Trust. The village of Dunsford, lying on eastern most Dartmoor,
is dominated by cob and thatch buildings.

South Brent is a good base from which to explore unspoiled valleys and the high moor.
Yelverton and Horrabridge on south west Dartmoor are important providers of services to local
people and offer good amenities for visitors. Villages such as Widecombe-in-the-Moor and
Lydford also merit a visit.

In the heart of the National Park stands Princetown, famed for HM Prison Dartmoor. A village
trail gives a good insight into the history of this community and there are numerous opportunities
to explore the high moorland beyond.

There, too, is the Dartmoor National Park Authority’s superb High Moorland Visitor Centre,
which is openall year round, except for Christmas Day.

Most towns and villages hold a number of local shows, fetes and carnivals during the year.

The National Park Authority plays its part in seeking to protect and enhance theenvironment of
Dartmoor. Where possible and appropriate, it also assists in the provision of local services and
facilities in such a way as to protect community wellbeing without harm to the local
environment.

Please remember, as a visitor you can also help support and look after the area in a number of
ways. By using public transport you can contribute to the viability of local services - most towns
and villages in the Dartmoor area are served by public transport links. If travelling by car, please
park in designated areas or, if not provided, park with consideration for other people.

Where possible, support the local community by buying locally produced goods including food,
souvenirs and crafts.

latter_____________________________________________________________________

fascinating_________________________________________________________________

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3
medieval______________________________________________________________________

4
base__________________________________________________________________________

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array_________________________________________________________________________

6
moor_________________________________________________________________________

7
amenities______________________________________________________________________

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trail__________________________________________________________________________

10
fetes__________________________________________________________________________

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enhance_______________________________________________________________________

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souvenir_____________________________________________________________________

Guessing Unknown Vocabulary

What did you do in the above task? Did you

a. look it up in the dictionary?

b. ask your teacher?

c. ask another student?

d. first try to guess what it means?

The best strategy is d, first try to guess what the word means If you have chosen a, b, or c, then
you are not reading as effectively and efficiently as you could be.

Guessing is the best strategy. Guessing

 Is fast because you don’t have to interrupt your reading.

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  Helps your comprehension because you stay focused on the general sense of what you are
reading.
 Helps build vocabulary because you are more likely to remember the words.
 Allows you to enjoy your reading more because you don’t have to stop often.
 You will get a good sense of how a word is actually used, including any shades of
meaning it might have.

Guessing Word Meaning in Context

When you try to guess the meaning of an unknown word, you use the text surrounding the
word--- the context. Sometimes you can guess the meaning of a word from the other words in the
sentence. For example, if you were asked to define the words ambivalent, adverse, and incessant,
you might have some difficulty. On the other hand, if you saw these words in sentences, chances
are you could come up with fairly accurate definitions. For example, see if you can define the
words in italics in the three sentences below. Then, write the letter of your choice on the answer
line.

Do not use a dictionary for this work. Instead, in each sentence, try the word you think is
the answer.

___ Many of us have ambivalent feelings about our politicians, admiring but also distrusting
them.
Ambivalent means
a. mixed. b. critical. c. approving.

___ The adverse effects of this drug, including dizziness, nausea, and headaches, have caused it
to be withdrawn from the market.

Adverse means
a. artificial. b. energetic. c. harmful.

___ I prefer the occasional disturbance of ear-splitting thunder to the incessant dripping of our
kitchen sink.

Incessant means
a. harmless. b. exciting. c. nonstop.

In each sentence above, the context—the words surrounding the unfamiliar word—provides
clues to the word’s meaning. You may have guessed from the context that ambivalent means
“mixed,” that adverse means “harmful,” and that incessant is “nonstop.”

Using context clues to understand the meaning of unfamiliar words will help you in several
ways:

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  It will save you time when reading. You will not have to stop to look up words in the
dictionary.

 After you figure out the meaning of the same word more than once through its context, it
may become a part of your working vocabulary. You will therefore add to your
vocabulary simply by reading thoughtfully.

 You will get a good sense of how a word is actually used, including any shades of
meaning it might have.

Types of Context Clues

There are four common types of context clues:

1 Example

2 Synonyms

3 Antonyms

4 General Sense of the Sentence or Passage

In the following sections, you will read about and practice using each type. The practices will
sharpen your skills in recognizing and using context clues. They will also help you add new
words to your vocabulary. Remember not to use a dictionary for these practices. Their purpose is
to help you develop the skill of figuring out what words mean without using a dictionary.

1 Example

Examples may suggest the meaning of an unknown word. To understand how this type of clue
works, look again at the sentence on the previous page: “The adverse effects of this drug,
including dizziness, nausea, and headache, have caused it to be withdrawn from the market.” The
examples—dizziness, nausea, and headaches— helped you figure out that the word adverse
means “harmful.”

Look also at the cartoon on the next page. What do you think the word initiative means?

a. anger b. willpower c. ability to take charge

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Note that the example of the wife’s using initiative—going out and selling her husband’s car—
helps you understand that initiative means “ability to take charge.”

Check Your Understanding

Now read the items that follow. An italicized word in each sentence is followed by examples
that serve as context clues for that word. These examples, which are boldfaced, will help
you figure out the meaning of each word. On each line, write the letter of the answer you
think is correct. Then read the explanation that follows.

Note that examples are often introduced with signal words and phrases like for example,
for instance, including, and such as.

_____ 1. Nocturnal creatures, such as bats and owls, have highly developed senses that enable
them to function in the dark.

Nocturnal means
a. feathery. b. living. c. active at night.

_____ 2. Mundane activities such as doing the laundry or dishes or going food shopping or
reading the newspaper all help me relax.

Mundane means
a. exciting. b. painful. c. ordinary.

_____ 3. Instances of common euphemisms include “final resting place” (for grave),
“intoxicated” (for drunk), and “restroom” (for toilet).

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Euphemisms means
a. unpleasant b. answers. c. substitutes for offensive terms.

Explanation
In each sentence, the examples probably helped you to figure out the meanings of the words in
italics:

 In sentence 1, the examples given of nocturnal creatures—bats and owls—may have

helped you to guess that nocturnal creatures are those that are “active at night,” since bats
and owls do come out at night.

 In sentence 2, the activities referred to are clues to the meaning of mundane, which is
“ordinary.”

 In sentence 3, as the examples indicate, euphemisms means “substitutes for offensive

terms.”


PRACTICE 1: Examples
For each item below, underline the examples that suggest the meaning of the italicized
term. Then write the letter of the meaning of that term on the answer line.

_____ 1. Today I had to deal with one mishap after another. I couldn’t find my car keys, I
dropped a bowl of soup at lunchtime, and my computer crashed twice.

Mishap means

a. unlucky accident. b. event. c. unexpected question.

_____ 2. Some people have bizarre ideas. For instance, they may think the TV is talking to them
or that others can steal their thoughts.

Bizarre means

a. limited. b. ordinary. c. odd.

_____ 3. Some animals have remarkable longevity. For example, the giant land tortoise can live
several hundred years.

Longevity means

a. appearances. b. length of life. c. habits.

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_____ 4. Before the invention of television, people spent more time on diversions such as going
to town concerts and ball games, visiting neighborhood friends, and playing board games.

Diversions means

a. amusements. b. differences. c. chores.

_____ 5. Since my grandfather retired, he has developed several new avocations. For instance,
he now enjoys gardening and chat groups on the Internet.

Avocations means

a. hobbies. b. vacations. c. jobs.

_____ 6. Children who move to a foreign country adapt much more easily than their parents,
soon picking up the language and customs of their new home.

Adapt means

a. adjust. b. struggle. c. become bored.

_____ 7. The Chinese government provides incentives for married couples to have only one
child. For example, couples with one child get financial help and free medical care.

Incentives means

a. warnings. b. penalties. c. encouragements.

_____ 8. Changes in such abilities as learning, reasoning, thinking, and language are aspects of
cognitive development.

Cognitive means

a. physical. b. mental. c. spiritual.

_____ 9. Today was a day of turmoil at work. The phones were constantly ringing, people were
running back and forth, and several offices were being painted.

Turmoil means

a. discussion. b. confusion. c. harmony

_____ 10. White-collar crime—for example, accepting a bribe from a customer or stealing from
an employer—is more costly than “common” crime.

White-collar crime means crime committed by

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a. gang members. b. strangers. c. people in the workplace.

2 Synonyms
A context clue is often available in the form of a synonym: a word that means the same or
almost the same as the unknown word. A synonym may appear anywhere in a passage to provide
the same meaning as the unknown word.

Look at the cartoon below.

“My doctor said smoking could terminate my life.

But I told him, ‘Everybody’s life has to end sometime.”

Notice that the synonym that helps you understand the word terminate is “end.”

Check Your Understanding

In each of the following items, the word to be defined is italicized. Underline the synonym
for the italicized word in each sentence.

1. Fresh garlic may not enhance the breath, but it certainly does improve spaghetti sauce.
2. As soon as I made a flippant remark to my boss, I regretted sounding so disrespectful.
3. Although the salesperson tried to assuage the angry customer, there was no way to soothe her.

Explanation
In each sentence, the synonym given should have helped you understand the meaning of the
word in italics:
 Enhance means “improve.”
 Flippant means “disrespectful.”
 Assuage means “soothe.

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RACTICE 2: Synonyms
Each item below includes a word that is a synonym of the italicized word. Write the
synonym of the italicized word in the space provided.

__________________ 1. Speaking in front of a group disconcerts Alan. Even answering a

question in class embarrasses him.

__________________ 2. Because my friends had advised me to scrutinize the lease, I took time
to examine all the fine print.

__________________ 3. The presidential candidate vowed to discuss pragmatic solutions. He

said the American people want practical answers, not empty theory.

__________________ 4. I asked the instructor to explain a confusing passage in the textbook.

She said, “I wish I could, but it’s obscure to me, too.”

__________________ 5. Teachers may overlook it when a student is two minutes late. But they
are not going to condone someone’s walking into class a half hour late.

__________________ 6. When people are broke, they find that many things which seem
indispensable are not so necessary after all.

__________________ 7. Managers should beware of having adversaries work together;

opponents often do not cooperate well.

__________________ 8. In the same way that the arrival of mechanical equipment meant fewer
farm jobs, the advent of the computer has led to fewer manufacturing jobs.

__________________ 9. Many corporations like to be seen as benevolent and will actively seek
publicity for their charitable donations.

__________________ 10. Throughout history, the prevalent authority pattern in families has
been patriarchy, in which males are in control. In only a few societies has matriarchy been the
customary authority pattern.

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3 Antonyms
An antonym—a word that means the opposite of another word—is also a useful context clue.
Antonyms are often signaled by words and phrases such as however, but, yet, on the other hand,
and in contrast.

Look again at the sentence: “I prefer the occasional disturbance of ear-splitting thunder to the
incessant dripping of our kitchen sink.” Here the word occasional is an antonym that helps us
realize that the word incessant means “nonstop.”

Look also at the cartoon below.

“It’s a special hearing aid. It lowers criticism

and amplifies compliments.”

Note that the antonym lowers help you figure out that amplifies must mean “increases.”

Check Your Understanding

In each sentence below, underline the word that means the opposite of the italicized word.
Then, on the answer line, write the letter of the meaning of the italicized word.

_____ 1. Many people have pointed out the harmful effects that a working mother may have on
the family, yet there are many salutary effects as well.

Salutary means
a. well-known. b. beneficial. c. hurtful.

_____ 2. Trying to control everything your teens do can impede their growth. To advance their
development, allow them to make some decisions on their own.

Impede means
a. block. b. predict. c. improve.

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_____ 3. During their training, police officers must respond to simulated emergencies in
preparation for dealing with real ones.

Simulated means
a. made-up. b. mild. c. actual.

Explanation
In the first sentence, salutary effects are the opposite of “harmful effects,” so salutary means
“beneficial.” In the second sentence, impede is the opposite of “advance,” so impede means
“block.” Last, the opposite of “real” is “simulated”; simulated means “made-up.”
PRACTICE 3: Antonyms
Each item below includes a word that is an antonym of the italicized word. Underline the
antonym of each italicized word. Then, on the answer line, write the letter of the meaning
of the italicized word.

_____ 1. Many politicians do not give succinct answers. They prefer long ones that help them
avoid the point.

Succinct means

a. brief. b. accurate. c. complete.

_____ 2. Although investments in the stock market can be lucrative, they can also result in great
financial loss.

Lucrative means

a. required. b. financially rewarding. c. risky.

_____ 3. “I’ve seen students surreptitiously check answer sheets during exams,” said the
professor. “However, until today I never saw one openly lay out a cheat sheet on his desk.”

Surreptitiously means

a. legally. b. secretly. c. loudly.

_____ 4. While Melba’s apartment is decorated plainly, her clothing is very flamboyant.

Flamboyant means

a. inexpensive. b. flashy. c. washable.

_____ 5. To keep healthy, older people need to stay active. Remaining stagnant results in loss of
strength and health.

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Stagnant means

a. inactive. b. lively. c. unhealthy.

_____ 6. In formal communication, be sure to avoid ambiguous language. Clear language

prevents confusion.

Ambiguous means

a. wordy. b. ineffective. c. unclear.

_____ 7. Being raised with conflicting values can be a detriment to boys’ and girls’ relationships
with each other. In contrast, shared values can be a benefit.

Detriment means

a. improvement. b. disadvantage c. relationship.

_____ 8. While houses and antiques often increase in value, most things, such as cars and TVs,
depreciate.

Depreciate means

a. remain useful. b. lose value. c. break.

_____ 9. Reliable scientific theories are based not upon careless work, but rather upon
meticulous research and experimentation.

Meticulous means

a. hasty. b. expensive. c. careful.

_____ 10. In the early days of automobile manufacturing, stringent laws controlled motorists’
speed. In contrast, the laws designed to protect consumers from faulty products were extremely
weak.

Stringent means

a. informal. b. not effective. c. strict.

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4 General Sense of the Sentence or Passage

Sometimes it takes a bit more detective work to puzzle out the meaning of an unfamiliar word. In
such cases, you must draw conclusions based on the information given with the word. Asking
yourself questions about the passage may help you make a fairly accurate guess about the
meaning of the unfamiliar word.

Look at the following cartoon.

“I’d like a prescription that will alleviate my aches and

pains and also make me younger and thinner.”

To figure out the meaning of alleviate, try asking this question: What would the patient want the
prescription to do to his aches and pains? The patient’s words to his doctor strongly suggest that
alleviate means “lessen.”

Check Your Understanding

Each of the sentences below is followed by a question. Think about each question; then, on
the answer line, write the letter of the answer you think is the correct meaning of the
italicized word.

_____ 1. A former employee, irate over having been fired, broke into the plant and deliberately
wrecked several machines.

(What would be the employee’s state of mind?)

Irate means
a. relieved. b. very angry. c. undecided.

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_____ 2. Despite the proximity of Ron’s house to his sister’s, he rarely sees her.

(What about Ron’s house would make it surprising that he didn’t see his sister more often?)

Proximity means
a. similarity. b. nearness. c. superiority.

_____ 3. The car wash we organized to raise funds was a fiasco—it rained all day.

(How successful would a car wash be on a rainy day?)

Fiasco means
a. great financial. b. welcome surprise. c. complete disaster. d. success.

Explanation
The first sentence provides enough evidence for you to guess that irate means “very angry.”
Proximity in the second sentence means “nearness.” And a fiasco is a “complete disaster.” (You
may not hit on the exact dictionary definition of a word by using context clues, but you will often
be accurate enough to make good sense of what you are reading.)
PRACTICE 4: General Sense of the Sentence or Passage
Try to answer the question that follows each item below. Then use the logic of each answer
to help you write the letter of the meaning you think is correct.

_____ 1. The lizard was so lethargic that I wasn’t sure if it was alive or dead. It didn’t even
blink.

(Would an animal that seemed dead be green, inactive, or big?)

Lethargic means

a. green. b. inactive. c. big.

_____ 2. Jamal didn’t want to tell Tina the entire plot of the movie, so he just gave her the gist of
the story.

(What kind of information would Jamal have given Tina?)

Gist means

a. ending. b. title. c. main idea.

_____ 3. After the accident, I was angered when the other driver told the police officer a
complete fabrication about what happened. He claimed that I was the person at fault.

(How truthful was the other driver’s information?)

24
Fabrication means

a. lie. b. description. c. confession.

_____ 4. The public knows very little about the covert activities of CIA spies.

(What kind of activities would the CIA spies be involved in that the public wouldn’t know much
about?)

Covert means

a. public. b. secret. c. family.

_____ 5. Whether or not there is life in outer space is an enigma. We may never know for sure
until we are capable of space travel or aliens actually land on our planet.

(What would we call something to which we have no answer?)

Enigma means

a. reason. b. certainty. c. mystery.

_____ 6. Suicide rates tend to fluctuate with the seasons, with much higher rates in the winter
than in the summer.

(What happens to the suicide rate from season to season?)

Fluctuate means

a. go up and down. b. disappear. c. stay the same.

_____ 7. Human beings are resilient creatures—they can often bounce back from negative
experiences and adjust well to life.

(What point is the author making about the nature of human beings?)

Resilient means

a. not flexible. b. living. c. able to recover.

_____ 8. A major accomplishment of sociology is dispelling the myths and prejudices that
groups of people have about each other.

(What would a profession do to “myths and prejudices” that could be considered

a “major accomplishment”?)

25
Dispelling means

a. ignoring. b. alleviating. c. creating again.

_____ 9. Ten years of research culminated in a report explaining the mysterious behavior of the
praying mantis, a large green or brownish insect.

(What would be the relationship of the report to the research?)

Culminated means

a. failed. b. began. c. concluded.

_____ 10. Despite complaints from parents, educators, and government officials, violence and
sex on television seem to go on unabated.

(In spite of the complaints, does anything happen?)

Unabated means

a. more slowly. B. unstopped. C. at great expense.

Read the following passage and answer the questions.

NIGHT WATCH
Roy Popkin

The story began on a downtown Brooklyn street corner. An elderly man had collapsed while
crossing the street, and an ambulance rushed him to Kings County Hospital. There, during his
few returns to consciousness, the man repeatedly called for his son.

From a smudged, often-read letter, an emergency-room nurse learned that the son was a Marine
stationed in North Carolina. Apparently, there were no other relatives.

Someone at the hospital called the Red Cross office in Brooklyn, and a request for the boy to
rush to Brooklyn was relayed to the Red Cross director of the North Carolina Marine Corps
camp. Because time was short—the patient was dying—the Red Cross man and an officer set out
in a jeep. They located the sought-after young man wading through marshy boondocks on
maneuvers. He was rushed to the airport in time to catch the one plane that might enable him to
reach his dying father.

26
It was mid-evening when the young Marine walked into the entrance lobby of Kings County
Hospital. A nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to the bedside.

“Your son is here,” she said to the old man. She had to repeat the words several times before the
patient’s eyes opened. Heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the
young man in the Marine Corps uniform standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached out his
hand. The Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man’s limp ones, squeezing a
message of love and encouragement. The nurse brought a chair, so the Marine could sit
alongside the bed.

Nights are long in hospitals, but all through the night the young Marine sat there in the poorly
lighted ward, holding the old man’s hand and offering words of hope and strength. Occasionally,
the nurse suggested that the Marine move away and rest a while. He refused.

Whenever the nurse came into the ward, the Marine was there. His full attention was on the
dying man, and he was oblivious of her and of the night noises of the hospital—the clanking of
an oxygen tank, the laughter of night staff members exchanging greetings, the cries and moans
and snores of other patients. Now and then she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man
said nothing, only held tightly to his son through most of the night.

Along toward dawn, the patient died. The Marine placed on the bed the lifeless hand he had been
holding, and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, he relaxed—for the first
time since he got to the hospital.

Finally, she returned to the nurse’s station, where he was waiting. She started to offer words of
condolence for his loss, but the Marine interrupted her. “Who was that man?” he asked.

“He was your father,” she answered, startled.

“No, he wasn’t,” the Marine replied. “I never saw him before in my life.”

“Why didn’t you say something when I took you to him?” the nurse asked.

“I knew right off there’d been a mistake, but I also knew he needed his son, and his son just
wasn’t here. When I realized he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son, I figured he
really needed me. So I stayed.”

With that, the Marine turned and left the hospital. Two days later a routine message came in
from the North Carolina Marine Corps base informing the Brooklyn Red Cross that the real son
was on his way to Brooklyn for his father’s funeral. It turned out there had been two Marines
with the same name and similar serial numbers in the camp. Someone in the personnel office had
pulled out the wrong record.

But the wrong Marine had become the right son at the right time. And he proved, in a uniquely
human way, that there are people who care what happens to their fellow human beings.

27
Vocabulary Questions

Use context clues to help you decide on the best definition for each italicized word. Then, on
the answer line, write the letter of each choice.

_____ 1. In the sentence below, the word relayed means

“Someone at the hospital called the Red Cross office in Brooklyn, and a request for the boy to
rush to Brooklyn was relayed to the Red Cross director of the North Carolina Marine Corps
camp.” (Paragraph 3)

a. hidden.
b. passed along.
c. made a gift.
d. ignored.

_____ 2. In the sentence below, the words enable him mean

“He was rushed to the airport in time to catch the one plane that might enable him to reach his
dying father.” (Paragraph 3)

a. stop him.
b. encourage him.
c. know him.
d. make him able.

_____ 3. In the excerpt below, the word sedated means

“‘Your son is here,’ she said to the old man. She had to repeat the words several times before the
patient’s eyes opened. Heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the
young man . . . ” (Paragraph 5)

a. spoken loudly.
b. wide awake.
c. armed.
d. drugged with a pain reliever.

_____ 4. In the excerpt below, the word dimly means

“She had to repeat the words several times before the patient’s eyes opened. Heavily sedated
because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young man . . . ” (Paragraph 5)

a. clearly.
b. unclearly.
c. rarely.

28
d. often.

_____ 5. In the sentence below, the word limp means

“The Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man’s limp ones, squeezing a
message of love and encouragement.” (Paragraph 5)

a. lacking firmness and strength.

b. equally tough.
c. long.
d. bleeding.

_____ 6. A clue to the meaning of limp in the sentence above is the antonym

a. toughened
b. old.
c. message
d. love.

_____ 7. In the excerpt below, the word oblivious means

“Whenever the nurse came into the ward, the Marine was there. His full attention was on the
dying man, and he was oblivious of her and of the night noises of the hospital . . . ” (Paragraph 7)

a. mindful.
b. unaware.
c. bothered.
d. informed.

_____ 8. In the excerpt below, the word condolence means

“She started to offer words of condolence for his loss . . .” (Paragraph 9)

a. excuse.
b. surprise.
c. bitterness.
d. sympathy.

_____ 9. In the excerpt below, the word startled means

“‘Who was that man?’ he asked. ‘He was your father,’ she answered, startled.” (Paragraphs 10)

a. very pleased.
b. with admiration.
c. angry
d. surprised.

29
_____ 10. In the sentence below, the words uniquely human mean

“And he proved, in a uniquely human way, that there are people who care what happens to their
fellow human beings.” (Paragraph 15)

a. impossible for humans.

b. scary to humans.
c. done only by humans.
d. sudden by human standards.

Writing activity

By going out of his way for a stranger, the Marine showed “in a uniquely human way that there
are people who care what happens to others.” Have you ever gone out of your way to help a
stranger? Or
have you seen someone else do so? Write what the situation was and what happened?

_____________

30
 Unit 3
Global Warming threatens to kill off a million species

Scientists express shock at scale of disaster facing planet as Pacific islanders plan
exodus to New Zealand.

1. Key Vocabulary
Fill the gaps using these key words from the text.

extinct startling conservation irreversible migration curb doomed species

(verb)

1. ____________ means ‘surprising’ or ‘very unusual’.

2. An ____________ condition or situation is one which is impossible to change or bring back.

3. If something is ____________ , it is certain to fail or to be destroyed.

4. An ____________ animal or plant no longer exists.

31
5. If you ____________ something, you limit or control it.

6. ____________ is the process by which land and water is managed to prevent it being
destroyed or damaged.

7. A ____________ is a plant or animal group whose members all have similar general features.

8. ____________ is the process of moving to another part of the world.

2. Find the Information

Scan the text and answer these questions.
1. How many species are expected to be lost by the year 2050?________________

2. How much of the land surface of the world does the report on global warming cover?
_______________

3. How many species of butterfly did they study in Australia?____________

4. How many species of South African plants are expected to die out?____________

5. How many species were examined in Mexico?______________

6. How long does it take for the greenhouse effect to have its full effect on the planet?
_______________
7. Which gases cause the greenhouse effect?__________________

8. Which human activities produce greenhouse gases?_____________

32
 six biologically rich regions
of the world taking in 20% of
Global warming the land surface. The research
in Europe, Australia, Central
threatens to kill and South America, and
off a million South Africa, showed that
species living in mountainous
species areas had a greater chance of
survival because they could
move uphill to get cooler.
tree species showed that up to
70 would become extinct.
Many of the plants and trees
that exist in this savannah
occur nowhere else in the
world. In Europe, the
continent least affected by
climate change, survival rates
were better.

The changing climate over

the next 50 years is expected
to drive a quarter of land
animals and plants into
extinction, according to the
first comprehensive study
into the effect of higher
temperatures on the natural
world. The scale of the
disaster facing the planet
shocked those involved in the
research. They estimate that
more than 1 million species
will be lost by 2050.
The results are described as
"terrifying" by Chris
Thomas, professor of
conservation biology at
Leeds University, who is
lead author of the research
from four continents
published last week in the
magazine Nature. Much of
that loss - more than one in
10 of all plants and animals –
is already irreversible
because of the extra global
warming gases already
discharged into the
atmosphere. But the
scientists say that action to
curb greenhouse gases now
could save many more. It
took two years for the largest
global collaboration of
experts to make the first
major assessment of the
effect of climate change on
Professor Thomas said:
"When scientists set about
research they hope to come
up with definite results, but
what we found we wish we
had not. It was far, far worse
than we thought, and what
we have discovered may
even be an underestimate."
Among the more startling
findings of the scientists was
that of 24 species of butterfly
studied in Australia, all but
three would disappear in
much of their current range,
and half would become
extinct.
In South Africa, major
conservation areas such as
Kruger National Park risked
losing up to 60% of the
species under their
protection, while of 300
South African plant species
studied, more than one third
were expected to die out,
including the national flower,
the King Protea.
In the Cerrado region of
Brazil which covers one fifth
of the country, a study of 163
Studies in Mexico's
Chihuahuan desert confirmed
that on flatter land extinction
was more likely because a
small change in climate
would require migrations
over vast distances for
survival. One third of 1,870
species examined would be in
trouble.
So many species are already
destined for extinction
because it takes at least 25
years for the greenhouse
effect - or the trapping of the
sun's rays by the carbon
dioxide, methane and nitrous
oxide - to have its full effect
on the planet. The continuous
discharge of more
greenhouse gases,
particularly by the United
States and European nations,
is making matters worse. The
research says that, if mankind
continues to burn oil, coal
and gas at the current rate, up
to one third of all life forms
will be doomed by 2050.
3. Comprehension check
Choose & circle the best answer for each question.

1. Why is the loss of more than 10% of all plants and animals described as “irreversible”?

a. Because it is impossible to prevent the greenhouse effect.

b. Because the gases that will kill these species have already been discharged into the
atmosphere.

c. Because it took two years for the scientists to make their assessment.

2. Why do species living in mountainous areas have a greater chance of survival?

a. Because the air is cooler.

b. Because they can move to where the air is cooler.

c. Because there are fewer species in mountainous areas.

3. Which sentence best describes how Professor Thomas feels about the results of the research?

a. He is pessimistic.

b. He is optimistic.
c. He is terrifying.

4. What will happen to the national flower of South Africa?

a. It will be conserved in the Kruger National Park.

b. It will be protected.
c. It will become extinct.

5. What is the greenhouse effect?

a. The continuous discharge of greenhouse gases.

b. The trapping of the sun’s rays by greenhouse gases.

c. The burning of oil, coal and gas.

34
4. Find the Word
Scan the text and find these words. Write down the words on the space provided.
1. A word which means a wrong idea that something is smaller or less important than it really
is._______________

2. Another word for ‘size’ or ‘extent’.___________________

3. A noun which means the process of working together with other people on a specific

project.___________________

4. A noun used to describe a large flat area of land covered with grass in a warm part of the

world._______________

5. A two-word verb which means the same as ‘to become extinct’._____________

6. An adjective which means ‘extremely large’._____________

5. Vocabulary – Prepositions
Fill in the gaps using an appropriate preposition.
1. A number of people were involved _______ the research.

2. The scientists hoped to come up _______ definite results.

3. Some areas risk losing up _______ 60% of their species.

4. Europe is the continent least affected _______ climate change.

5. A number of species are already destined _______ extinction.

6. It takes 25 years for the greenhouse effect to have its full effect _______ the planet.

7. More than one _______ 10 _______ all plants and animals may be lost.

8. Up to one third will become extinct _______ the year 2050.

6. Discussion
A major contributor to the greenhouse effect is the burning of fuel by cars and aeroplanes. Make
a list of the points for and against travelling by car and plane. How do you think our travel habits
will change in the next 25 years?
_________________

35
 Unit 4

Global Connections

Exercise 1: Vocabulary

Complete each sentence with a word from the list.

geography infrastructure obstacle share startling

subsidies standards reduced nutrients goods

1. In some countries where people suffer from hunger and malnutrition, the government
doesn't have the ______________to be able to distribute food to all inhabitants.

2. Food staples such as manioc, rice, or cassava are filling but don't contain many

______________

3. Many developing countries that have borrowed money are now lobbying to have their
debts __________________.

4. In the United States, the government pays ________________to farmers in order to

increase their income.

5. The global distribution of wealth is ______________: Only 15% of the world's

population controls 80% of its wealth.

6. For countries that are landlocked, having no access to rivers or oceans is a huge

______________ to trade.

7. While most countries ________________the same economic system, that doesn't mean
that the wealth is distributed evenly.

8. The __________________of a country―whether it is mountainous, flat, near rivers and

streams, or landlocked―greatly influences the crops it grows.

36
 9. In Europe, countries must meet certain economic ______________before being able to
join the European Union.

10. Asia has been very successful in producing manufactured _____________________.

The Rohingya Refugee Crisis

Pre-Reading:

1.Read the title and have a look at the picture?

Who are these people?
Can you guess where they are going?

2.Below is a newspaper article regarding the very recent Rohingya refugee crisis in Bangladesh.
Go through the article very quickly for 30 seconds. You would see that some words or phrases
of the article are in italics. Try to infer their meanings as you go through and match A-J of Set A
with 1-10 of Set B containing their most possible correct meanings.

Set A:
A. Humanitarian catastrophe
B. Foment hatred
C. Launched a crackdown
D. Ethnic group

37
E. On condition of anonymity
F. to alleviate
G. to ensure
H. Applaud
I. Implementing the recommendations
J. Immediate end of the violence

Set B

1. To assure
2. Affliction to the human
3. ending the assault at once
4. Arouse disgust
5. To lighten
6. To compliment
7. Indigenous community
8. To put into effect of the suggestion
9. To attack
10. The status of hiding the true identity

Now, read the article more closely and do the following exercises:

Important for Myanmar to do more for return of exiled Rohingya, says US. Myanmar does not
recognise Rohingya as an ethnic group and insists that they are Bangladeshi migrants living
illegally in the country.

Washington: The US wants Myanmar to set conditions for the return of Rohingya Muslims as it
believes that this “humanitarian catastrophe” can be used by some as a way to foment hatred
along religious lines and then violence, a senior Trump administration official has said.

Nearly 600,000 minority Rohingya Muslims have fled to Bangladesh since late August to escape
violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State where the army has launched a crackdown against
militants.

Myanmar does not recognise Rohingya as an ethnic group and insists that they are Bangladeshi
migrants living illegally in the country.

“It is a very significant humanitarian and security concern. Because there are those who will use
this humanitarian catastrophe as a way to foment hatred along religious lines and then violence,”
the senior administration official told PTI.

“So, it’s important for Myanmar to do more, to set conditions for the return of refugees,” said the
official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

38
As such it is important for the international communities do everything they can to alleviate the
tremendous humanitarian suffering and to ensure that basic services, including education for
children are met.

Meanwhile, the US government on Sunday announced to have provided nearly USD 40 million
in life-saving emergency assistance in direct response to the Rakhine State crisis since August
25.

This brings the total US humanitarian assistance in 2017 to the displaced in Myanmar and the
region to nearly USD 104 million, the State Department said.

The US assistance goes to its international organisation partners on the ground, including the UN
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the
International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the World Food Programme (WFP).

The organisations helps in providing protection, emergency shelter, food and nutritional
assistance, as well as health care and psycho-social support for the more than half a million
displaced refugees in Myanmar, Bangladesh and the region.

“We applaud Bangladesh’s government generosity in responding to this severe humanitarian

crisis and appreciate its continued efforts to ensure assistance reaches people in need,” the
department said.

Welcoming Myanmar’s commitment in bringing long-term peace and stability to Rakhine State
by implementing the recommendations of the Kofi Annan-led Special Advisory Commission
report, the department in a statement called for an immediate end of the violence in northern
Rakhine State and for the Myanmar’s government to allow refugees to return home voluntarily,
safely and with dignity.

While Reading:
1. Reading for Gist:

Read the article quickly in two minutes & answer the following questions.

a. What does the US want from Myanmar?_______________________________________

b. Is the US State Department against Bangladesh?_________________________________

c. Did the US help the refugees financially?_______________________________________

d. Does the US encourage the violence that happened in the Rakhine State of Myanmar?

___________________________________________________________________________

39
2. Detailed Reading:
Read the following questions and tick on the appropriate answer:

A. The US wants Myanmar to set conditions for the return of Rohingya Muslims as it believes
that
a. this would lead to an outburst of riot between the Rohingyas and Bangladesh
b. this is a humanitarian disaster and it might initiate hatred along religious lines
c. Bangladesh government may declare war against Myanmar

B. Nearly 600,000 minority Rohingya mislims have have fled to Bangladesh since late August
a. to mingle with their same religious ethnicity
b. to have better ways of living that bangladesh offers
c. to escape violence in Rakhaine State because the army has launched a crackdown against
militants

C. Education for Rohingya refugee children is:

a. not necessary
b. very necessary
c. none of the above

D. International communities do everything to ensure

a. some profits
b. basic services
c. their return to Myanmar

E. According to the state department of the US government nearly USD 104 million of total US
humanitarian assistance given in 2017
a. to assist the partner international Oganisations like UNHCR, UNICEF, IOM and
WFP
b. to appreciate Bangladeshi government's generosity
c. to bring long term peace and stability to Rakhine State

Post reading:
Suppose you work as a volunteer in the NGO ''Light of Hope'' that is involved in helping the
Rohingya refugee children in Cox's Bazaar. Write a letter to the country director of Save The
Children UK, Bangladesh branch for arranging more educational and recreational support for
these refugee Rohigya children (aged 5-14 years).

______________________

40
 Unit 5
MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE

I. Rearrange the following texts.

Of Marriage and Single Life

(i) However, married men who are fathers are far more careful when thinking about the future, as
they know their progeny will have to deal with it.

(ii) Unmarried men can devote themselves with greater freedom to others, but they don’t make
the best subjects because they can run away and don’t have to subject themselves to other
people’s rule for the sake of the families.

(iii) While Bacon debates the merits of marriage, he says at the end of his essay that bad men
often have kind wives, which argues for the benefits of marriage for men.

(iv) Bacon writes that unmarried men tend to provide the greatest benefit for public life, as they
bestow their kindness on the public instead of on their families.

(v) Unmarried men are also, Bacon thinks, more likely to be cruel hearted, as they have not
learned tenderness from the families.

41
 (vi) In the easy “Of Marriage and Single Life” Francis Bacon debates the advantages and
disadvantages of being married and of remaining single.

(vii) Bacon writes, “Unmarried men are best friends, best masters, best servants; but not always
best subjects.

Write your answers in the boxes below.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Divorce Story

(i) For me, this was the beginning of not only my divorce story, but my journey back. Although I was
educated and had a great job, I was terrified of just about everything. There was a part of me that didn’t
believe I could take care of myself because I’d never lived on my own before.

(ii) I thought the way to move ahead in life looked like this: do well in school, get into a great college,
then an amazing graduate program, land a killer job, get married, have kids, and my reward for all of this
would be to live with my love happily ever after. And it all started out that way…

(iii) From the time I was a child I dreamed my life would be a fairy tale - not a divorce story. I dreamed
that I'd meet an amazing guy, fall madly in love, and live happily ever after. But sometimes the path to
that happy ending takes a few wicked turns along the way.

(iv) He proposed 4 months after we met and I accepted without a second thought. 6 months later, we
were hitched. (After he finished Naval Officer Candidate School, of course.)

(v) We moved a lot during the first few years, and then he went out to sea. Gradually, things started to fall
apart.

(vi) I met my future husband shortly after I turned 19. He was a senior in the Chemical Engineering
program and I was a freshman.

(vii) We went to a marriage counselor, but it really didn’t help. We wanted different things and no
amount of compromise on either of our parts would allow us to deny the inevitable.

(viii) However, luckily, I had friends and family who loved me and helped me see the light. Most of them
had never been through divorce and didn’t really know how to help me, but they were always there
whenever I reached out to them.

(ix)We fell out of love and we each wanted a different life. So, with heavy hearts but clear heads, we
decided to get divorced.

(x) I also worked with a therapist and took a divorce recovery class. Both helped me tremendously as I
slowly found my way back to the land of the living. I was a newly singled woman and the rest of my life
was right in front of me waiting for me to jump in and play.

(xi) I’m happy to say that’s just what I’ve done. Today, I’ve been happily married since 2009 and while
nothing is ever 100% perfect, our love is real and alive and for that I’m ever grateful.

42
(xii) I really could continue creating my happily ever after instead of my life end with a tragic tale of
divorce.

(xiii) I'm Karen Finn and, like you, I've been on the precipice of a really painful decision about my
marriage - a precipice that I never imagined I'd be on.

Write your answers in the boxes below.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

II. Read the following journal article about the life of Lord John Hunt. Parts of the article
are mixed. Put them into the correct order.

Colonel John Hunt (1910-1998)

A
He was a sensitive and intensely human person. With his engaging blue eyes and confident
handshake, he immediately put one at ease and his warmth and determination moulded a group
of individualists into a happy and united team. We remained friends ever since. Everest changed
all our lives.

B
After heart surgery in May 1995, he reduced his public engagements, but it gave him enormous
pleasure last May to preside for the last time over the extended “Everest Family” at our 45 th
anniversary reunion in Snowdonia. He died on 7 November 1998 and is survived by his wife Joy
and their four daughters.

C
Four days earlier Hillary and Tenzing had reached the highest point on Earth for the first time –
29,028 feet (8,848 metres). However it was the leader of this British expedition, Colonel John
Hunt, who deserved the highest accolade of knighthood.

D
Then came a peace-keeping role between dissident groups in Greece following liberation from
the Germans, for which he was appointed CBE. So when I first met him at the Royal
Geographical Society to be interviewed for a possible place in his 1953 Everest team, I might
have expected a brusque and conventional military man. I was wrong.

E
Hunt gave up a promising army career to be the first director of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award,
becoming a role model and inspiration to youth, influencing them to take up challenging outdoor
pursuits. Created a life peer in 1966 and Knight of the Garter in 1979, his record of public
service was exceptional; advising on relief after the Nigerian civil war, on police in Northern
Ireland; first chairman of the Parole Board; president of the Council for National Parks; the list
was endless. He was elected president of both the Alpine Club and the RGS; wrote the best-
selling The Ascent of Everest in an astonishing 30 days and a volume of his autobiography, Life
is Meeting.

43
F
He had climbed to 27,350 feet in support of the assault, but it was his battle with proven powers
of leadership and meticulous planning that were the hallmarks of success. Following his father
into the army, he was commissioned in the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, serving in India in the
1930s and earning a Distinguished Service Order in theatre-fighting of the Italian campaign of
World War II.

G
“Everest – The Crowning Glory” was the headline greeting the crowds outside Buckingham
Palace on 2 June 1953.

Write the appropriate letter (A - G) in the boxes below.

III. Read the following text about the founding of a city. Some sentences are missing from
the text. Choose from the list (A-G) the most appropriate sentence for each gap (1-6) in the
text. There is one extra sentence that you do not need to use.

The Founding of Philadelphia

The woodlands were alive with color when William Penn arrived for the first time, in 1682. It
was late October, still the best time of the year in the Northeast. But he wasn’t there to admire
the countryside. (1)______ He had already given it a name, of course. It was the same name as
that of one of the early Christian cities in Asia Minor which, when translated, means “City of

44
Brotherly Love”. (2) ______ Penn borrowed the name from them because it suited perfectly the
ideal community he had in mind.

The spot he picked, on the banks of the Delaware River, had a small harbor and a beach. (3)
______ What he wanted, he said, was a “green country town”.

In his travels he had seen the great cities of Europe and hadn’t always liked what he saw. (4)
______ His new city would have a plan for growth and that, he was convinced, would make it
one of the great cities of the world.

For openers, he ordered that Philadelphia would have no crooked streets. (5) ______ He told his
surveyors that he also wanted the roads to lead out of the city, so that it would be convenient to
reach other cities yet unbuilt. (6) ______ He specified that no houses could be built within 200
paces of the harbor so there would be plenty of room for a future commercial center, and he
asked that home builders center their structures on building lots “…so there may be ground on
each side for gardens, orchards or field, that it may be a green country town which will never be
burnt and will always be wholesome.” Harris: Pennsylvania

A. They would all be straight and wide, and they would all lead to the river.

B. It had been taken by a religious group in England, whose beliefs were similar to those of the
Quakers, for an ideal community they had hoped to establish.

C. He pointed out that new streets would eventually have to be added and ordered that space be
left for them before any land was sold for building.

D. Before arriving in America, Penn sent a letter to the Indians which he ended “I am your
loving friend.”

E. The land around it was high enough to provide a perfect place for a city and William Penn had
a perfect city in mind.

F. There was work to be done; not least finding the right spot for the city that would be the
centerpiece of his new colony.

G. He was also well aware of the cities that had already been established in the New World and
knew they were growing without a plan.

Write your answers in the boxes below.

1 2 3 4 5 6

45
 Writing activity:

According to you why are a lot of married couples getting divorced in this modern world?
Explain your view in a short paragraph.

Coherence

When sentences and ideas and details fit together clearly, readers can follow along easily, and
the writing is coherent. The ideas tie together smoothly and clearly. To establish the link that
readers need, writers use the methods listed here. A combination of these methods is used to
bring cohesion in writing.

Repetition of a Key Term or Phrase

This helps to focus one’s ideas and to keep the reader on track.

Example

The problem with contemporary art is that it is not easily understood by most people.

Contemporary art is deliberately abstract, and that means it leaves the viewer wondering
what she is looking at.

Synonyms

Synonyms are words that have essentially the same meaning, and they provide some variety in
word choices, helping the reader to focus on the idea being discussed.

Example

Myths narrate sacred histories and explain sacred origins. These traditional narratives
are in short, a set of details that are a very real force in the lives of the people who tell them.

Pronoun

This, that, these, those, he, she, it, they, and we are useful pronouns for referring back to
something previously mentioned.

Example

46
 When scientific experiments do not work out as expected, they are often considered
failures until some other scientist tries them again. Those that work out better the second time
around are the ones that promise the most rewards.

Transitional Words

There are many words in English that cue our readers to relationships between sentences, joining
sentences together. See below the transitional words. There you will find lists of words such as
however, in addition, also, but moreover, etc.

Example

I like autumn and yet autumn is a sad time of the year, too. The leaves turn bright shades
of red, and the weather is mild, but I can’t help thinking ahead to the winter and the ice storms
that will surely blow though here. In addition, that will be the season of the chapped faces, too
many layers of clothes to put on, and days when I’ll have to shovel heaps of snow from my car’s
windshield.

Note that the transitional words have meaning and are just not used at beginnings of sentences.
They can also be used to show relationships between different parts of the same sentence. As
mentioned above they cue readers to relationships between sentences/clauses. If a wrong
transitional word is used then the reader gets confused.

Sentence Pattern

Sometimes, repeated or parallel sentence patterns can help the reader follow along and keep
ideas tied together.

Example

And, so my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can
do for your country.

47
Paragraphs must follow in a sequential and logical order. In other words, the information must be
presented coherently. In good writing, the ideas in different paragraphs are also usually linked
linguistically using cohesive devices. These include: use of synonyms, pronouns, verb tenses,
time references, and grammatical reference.

The bold words and phrases in the following texts show how cohesion is achieved, both
within paragraphs and between paragraphs.

Example:

Generally speaking, British people invest about the same amount of their identity in their gender
as people in other parts of northern Europe do. On the one hand, society no longer overtly
endorses differences in the public and social roles of men and women, and it is illegal to
discriminate on the basis of sex. On the other hand, people still (often unconsciously) expect a
fairly large number of differences in everyday behaviour and domestic roles.

In terms of everyday habits and mannerisms, British society probably expects a sharper
difference between the sexes than most other European societies do. For example, it is still far
more acceptable for a man to look untidy and scruffy than it is for a woman; and it is still far
more acceptable for a woman to display emotions and be demonstrably friendly than it is for a
man to do so.

As far as roles are concerned, most people assume that a family’s financial situation is not just
the responsibility of the man. On the other hand, they would still normally compliment the
woman, not the man, on a beautifully decorated or well-kept house. Everyday care of the
children is still seen as mainly the woman’s responsibility. Although almost as many women
have jobs as men, nearly half of the jobs done by women are part-time. In fact, the majority of
mothers with children under the age of twelve either have no job or work only during school
hours. Men certainly take a more active domestic role than they did forty years ago. Some
things, however, never seem to change. A comparison of child-rearing habits of the 1950’s and
the 1980’s showed that the proportion of men who never changed a baby’s nappy had remained
the same (40%)!

In general, the sharpest distinction between the expected roles and behaviour of the two sexes is
found in the lower and upper classes. The distinction is far less clear among the middle classes,
but it is still there.

48
These paragraphs are cohesive because:

 The first paragraph helps guide the reader by ending with a reference to ‘differences in
everyday behaviour and domestic roles’ i.e. the subject of the next three paragraphs.
 The second paragraph is connected to the first paragraph by the reference to ‘in terms of
every day habits and mannerisms’ and its examples of behaviour.
 The third paragraph connects back to the ideas in the first paragraph by ‘as far as
[everyday, domestic] roles are concerned’ and the paragraph also contrasts with the
second paragraph’s comments on behaviour.
 The final paragraph connects back by ‘in general’ as it is drawing a broader conclusion.

Example:

Until the fourteenth century, those who were born with defective eyesight and the aged had no
hope of being able to read or carry out any kind of work that demanded good vision, for until
then spectacles were unknown. Although fundamentally very simple, no eyeglasses could be
made before the discovery of a number of techniques. Apart from a basic understanding of
optics and the behaviour of lenses, it was essential to be able to produce clear glass and to
know how to grind the lenses to the correct curvature.

As early as the tenth century the Arabs had made a special study of optics and the diseases of
the eye, always prevalent among desert-dwelling people. Of these Islamic scholars, the most
outstanding was Ibn al-Haytham, who worked in Egypt. In about 1040, he produced a treatise
onoptics in which, for the first time, the true function of the cornea (or lens) of the eye was
described. Al-Haytham not only studied the anatomy of the eye but also the path of light as it
was affected by mirrors and glass lenses. Strangely, however, al-Haytham never hit upon the
idea of using lenses to correct faulty eyesight.

By the late twelfth century, copies of al-Haytham’s treatise on optics were widely distributed
throughout the libraries of Islam, most importantly in Spain, then under Arab rule. It was here
that his works were translated into Latin, the common language of European scholars. Known
to Europeans as Alhazan, al-Haytham’s treatise formed the basis upon which many scholars
worked. In England, for example, Grosseteste at Oxford University and his most brilliant
scholar, Bacon, improved upon al-Haytham’s theories.

49
At the same time, many outstanding Arab scholars were attracted to the court of Emperor
Frederick II in Sicily. Here too, the works of al-Haytham were translated into Latin. Thus, by
the middle of the thirteenth century, many European scholars had become familiar with the
basic theories of optics, and a small number were producing their own experimental optical
equipment. The manufacture, however, of a limited number of lenses for this kind of work was a
very different matter from the production of large numbers of lenses as would be required for
the widespread use of spectacles.

In the example above, on the early history of optics and spectacles, we can see that the
connection between the paragraphs is indicated by periods of time.

 The first paragraph explains why spectacles were unknown until the fourteenth century.
 The second paragraph deals with tenth and eleventh century Arab treatises on optics,
particularly that of Ibn al-Haytham.
 The third paragraph explains that his treatise had become known to Europeans by the late
twelfth century.
 The final paragraph takes the story up to the middle of the thirteenth century with the
early European production of lenses

Also, if we consider the first paragraph, we can see the overall coherence of the text. The
paragraph introduces both the idea of historical time periods, and the concepts of eyesight,
spectacles/eyeglasses, optics, and lenses. All of these elements are referred to in the subsequent
paragraphs.

3. Using Headings and Sub-headings

In longer texts, such as a dissertation or a thesis, logical order and coherence is helped by
dividing the text into sections using numbered subhead.

50
 Unit 6
The Alchemist’s Secret

Before you read

Do you know who an alchemist is? Do you know any interesting story about an alchemist? If so
share it with other students in a group.

In this unit you are going to read an interesting short story about an alchemist. But before you
read the story you need to know what Making Inferences mean in reading comprehension. In
Unit four’s last exercise you were told to make inferences. Let us here learn what Inference is in
an elaborate manner.

What Is an Inference?

An inference is a meaning that is suggested rather than directly stated. Inferences are implied
through clues that lead the reader to make assumptions and draw conclusions. For example,
instead of making a direct statement, “These people are rich and influential,” an author could
imply that idea by describing a palatial residence, expensive heirlooms, and prominent friends.
Understanding an inference is what we mean by “reading between the lines,” because the
suggestion, rather than the actual words, carries the meaning.

51
Inference from Cartoons

Cartoons and jokes require you to read between the lines and make a connection. They are funny
because of the unstated rather than the stated. When listeners catch on to a joke, it simply means
they have made the connection and recognized the unstated inference. For example, what
inference makes the following joke funny?

Sam: Do you know how to save a politician from drowning?

Joe: No.

Sam: Good.

Taxpayers like to dislike politicians, and this joke falls into that category. As a rule, when you
have to explain the inference in a joke, the fun is lost. You want your audience to make the
connection and laugh uproariously.

Read the cartoon on next page.

52
 —Elements of Public Speaking, by Joseph DeVito

A jury is composed of twelve people who are trying to reach consensus on a verdict of guilty or
not guilty. The implication in this cartoon is that eleven of the jurors are in agreement on
everything, including what to eat, and one juror is totally opposed. Ordering food implies that the
discussion may drag on for a long and difficult time. Frequently, a point that takes some figuring
out and taps our imagination has a greater impact on us than one that is obviously stated.

Recognizing Suggested Meaning

In reading, as in everyday life, information may or may not be stated outright. For example,
someone’s death would seem to be a fact beyond question. An author could simply state, “He is
dead,” but often it is more complicated than that. In literature and in poetry, such a fact might be
divulged in a more dramatic manner, and the reader is left to put the clues together and figure out
what happened.

Read the following excerpt from a story about a shipwrecked crew’s struggle to shore.
What clues tell you that the oiler is dead?

“In the shallows, face downward, lay the oiler. His forehead touched sand that was periodically,
between each wave, clear of the sea”.

53
The oiler’s head is face down in the shallow water. When the waves rush in to shore, his face is
in the water, and when they wash out, his face or forehead touches the sand. He is bobbing at the
water’s edge like a dead fish and cannot possibly be alive with his face constantly underwater or
buried in the sand. The man must be dead, but the author doesn’t directly state that.

Two paragraphs later in the story the author writes:

“The welcome of the land to the men from the sea was warm and generous; but a still and
dripping shape was carried slowly up the beach, and the land’s welcome for it could only be the
different and sinister hospitality of the grave”.

The “still and dripping shape” and the “sinister hospitality of the grave” support your
interpretation of the clues, even though the author still has not directly stated, “The oiler is
dead.” Implying the idea is perhaps more forceful than making a direct statement.

Connecting with Prior Knowledge

Authors, like cartoonists, use inferences that require linking old knowledge to what is being read
at the time. Clues that imply meaning may draw on an assumed knowledge of history, current
issues, or social concerns. Just as in making the connection to understand the punch line of a
joke, the reader must make a connection in order to understand the inference.

The following exercise illustrates how authors expect readers to connect with prior
knowledge. Link prior knowledge to answer the questions that follow the passage.

FOOT BINDING

Foot binding was a form of violence against women. The woman’s tiny feet, which made it
difficult for her to walk, were a “marker” of status, indicating that her husband was wealthy and
did not need her labor. It also made her dependent on him.

Although not directly stated, foot binding was practiced in what country?

_____________________________________________________________________________

54
Recognizing Slanted Language

Writers choose words to manipulate the reader and thus to control the reader’s attitude toward a
subject. Such words are referred to as having a particular connotation or slant. The dictionary
definition of a word is its denotation, but the feeling or emotion surrounding a word is its
connotation. For example, a real estate agent showing a rundown house to a prospective buyer
might refer to the house as “neglected” rather than “deteriorated.” Both words mean rundown.
Neglected sounds as if a few things have been forgotten, whereas deteriorated sounds as if the
place is rotting away and falling apart

Some words in our society seem to have an automatic positive or negative slant. Words such as
socialist, cult member, and welfare state have a negative emotional effect; words such as the
American worker, democracy, and everyday people have a positive effect. The overall result of
using slanted language is to shift the reader’s attitude toward the point of view, positive or
negative, advocated by the author.

Label the following phrases as either P (slanted positively) or N (slanted negatively).

1. warm and winning ways___

2. an engaging smile____

3. appearing remote and self-involved____

4. a savvy salesperson____

5. candid and open___

6. the picture of efficiency____

7. weak and sickly____

8. words like daggers____

9. a loose cannon____

10. spoken without thinking_____

11. not the sharpest knife in the drawer_____

12. a creased brow____

13. an exasperated look_____

14. wise beyond her years____

15. a nurturing mother_____

55
16. an easy mark____

17. a hostile takeover____

18. a dream fulfilled ____

19. the promise of tomorrow____

20. the brotherhood of man_____

Write a word or phrase with a positive connotation that could be substituted for each of the
following negative words. For example, positive substitutes for the word criticism might be
feedback and advice. Answers may vary.

1. strange
__________________________________________________________________________

2. wild

__________________________________________________________________________

3. shy
______________________________________________________________________________

4. bossy
______________________________________________________________________________

5. skinny
______________________________________________________________________________

6. nosy

_____________________________________________________________________________

7. hyperactive
______________________________________________________________________________

8. slow
______________________________________________________________________________

9. old
______________________________________________________________________________

10. tree-hugger
______________________________________________________________________________

56
Drawing Conclusions

Readers use both stated and unstated ideas to draw logical conclusions. They use the facts, the
hints, and their prior knowledge to piece together meaning. The facts and clues lead to
assumptions, which then lead to conclusions.

Read the following passage and explain how the conclusion is suggested

MY HOUSE

My master still went to school every day and, coming home, he’d still bottle himself up in his
study. When he had visitors he’d continue to complain about his job. I still had nothing to eat so
I did not become very fat but I was healthy enough. I didn’t become sick like Kuro and, always, I
took things as they came. I still didn’t try to catch rats, and I still hated Osan, the maid. I still
didn’t have a name but you can’t always have what you want. I resigned myself to continue
living here at the home of this schoolteacher.

Conclusion: The narrator of the book is a cat.

What clues suggest this conclusion?

_______________________________________________________

Explanation: The term my master may lead to an initial suspicion of a pet, and “try to catch
rats” clearly suggests a cat. The option of continuing to live in the home supports the idea of a
cat. The book, as you might guess, is titled I Am a Cat.

Read the selections below. In passage 1 identify the clues that lead to the stated conclusions.
In passages 2 state the conclusion and identify the clues.

Passage 1

CULTS: THE PEOPLE’S TEMPLE

A cult is usually united by total rejection of society and extreme devotion to the cult’s leader.
The People’s Temple is a dramatic example. In the 1970s their leader, Jim Jones, preached racial
harmony, helped the poor, established drug-rehabilitation programs, staged protest
demonstrations against social injustices, and helped elect sympathetic politicians. He moved his
cult from San Francisco to Jonestown, Guyana, because, he said, evil people in the United States
would try to destroy the Temple. He told his flock that to build a just society required a living
God—namely, himself. To prove his deity, he “healed parishioners by appearing to draw forth

57
cancers” (which actually were bloody chicken gizzards). He claimed that he had extraordinary
sexual gifts, required Temple members to turn over all their possessions to him, and insisted that
they call him “Dad” or “Father.” Then the People’s Temple shocked the world. In November
1978 more than 900 members committed mass suicide at the order of their leader.

Conclusion: Jim Jones brainwashed cult members into total submission.

What clues suggest this conclusion?

______________________________________________________

Passage 2

Landmine

Cheap and easy to deploy, many fighting forces routinely use mines to defend a frontier, deny
opponents the use of a road, and many other purposes. Often these landmines remain active long
after the fighting has ceased, posing a significant threat to the safety of the civilian population.
The magnitude and horror of this problem sparked a grassroots effort to ban landmines. The
campaign received a major boost in 1996 when Diana, Princess of Wales, joined in the effort,
going to places most affected by land mines, comforting victims, and bringing the issue to the
attention of millions. When Princess Diana died in a car crash in August 1997, sorrow often
turned into commitments to support her charitable interests, including the effort to ban mines.
Only a few nations remain opposed to the landmine convention.

What conclusion does the author imply?

____________________________________________________

What clues suggest this conclusion?

_______________________________________________________

Use a combination of inference skills to read the following passage and answer the
questions.

THE REIGN OF LOUIS XVI (1774–1793)

A plain, fat, rather stupid young man, who loved to hunt and tinker with locks, Louis XVI
succeeded his grandfather (whose one legitimate son, Louis XVI’s father, died in 1765) at the
age of twenty. His modesty and inherent kindness did not serve him well. He was far too simple,
possessed an almost total lack of self-confidence, and could be made to change his mind with
relative ease. His wife, Marie Antoinette, an Austrian princess, was pretty, not well educated,
shallow, and selfish. Totally unconcerned with the people’s welfare, she devoted herself to
jewels and costly clothes, gambling and flirtation, masques and balls. Not completely satisfied
with court life, she insisted on interfering in governmental affairs and sabotaged, to the extent

58
that she could, whatever chance existed for the reformation of French life. Her liberal emperor-
brother, Joseph II of Austria, reprimanded her, but his words went unheeded.

Answer with T (true) or F (false).

1. Louis XVI and his wife were probably loved and respected by his people. _____

2. Despite his wife’s influence, Louis XVI had many of the qualities of a great leader. _____

3. Louis XVI was firm in his decisions. _____

4. Marie Antoinette’s extravagance was probably resented by the people. _____

5. Joseph II understood the possible repercussions of Marie Antoinette’s actions. _____

6. The reformation of French life would probably have been a benefit to the people. _____

7. The phrase tinker with locks suggests hard work._____

Read the short story and find out the answers of the questions which follow.

THE ALCHEMIST’S SECRET

Sitting quietly in his little herb shop on a crooked street in the shadow of Notre Dame, Doctor
Maximus did not look like a very remarkable man. But he was. Five hundred years before, he
might have busied himself changing the baser metals into gold. But in Paris of the nineties, it is
said, he worked at a more subtle alchemy. He changed dreams into realities—provided, of
course, you could pay.

The man who came into the gaslit shop this early October evening in 1891 was prepared to pay.
He stood just inside the door, blotting his forehead with a silk handkerchief although actually the
weather was rather cool. He was holding a heart-shaped package tightly under one arm. “You are
Monsieur le Doctor Maximus?”

The Doctor bowed respectfully.

“I have a problem,” said the visitor nervously. “I am told you might help me with it.”

“Indeed?” said the Doctor mildly. “Who told you that?”

The newcomer glanced around uneasily at the dim shelves, the leathery tortoise dangling from a
string, the small stuffed crocodile with its dust-filmed eyes. “Last night we had a dinner guest. A
foreign diplomat. First secretary of the—”

59
“Ah, yes, Pechkoff. It is true I did him a small service.”

“He was not very specific, you understand. But after a few glasses of cognac he talked rather
freely. I got the impression . . .”

“Yes?”

“That if it weren’t for your—er—assistance he would still be married, most unhappily, to his
first wife.”

Doctor Maximus took off his glasses and polished the spotless lenses. “She died, I believe, poor
woman. Quite suddenly.”

“Yes,” said the visitor, “she did. So suddenly that there was an autopsy. But they discovered
nothing wrong.”

“Of course not,” said Doctor Maximus, smiling gently.

“My wife,” said the visitor with a certain agitation, “is a very beautiful woman. Naturally, she
has many admirers. She has always ignored them until recently, but now there is one—I don’t
know which one—a younger man, no doubt. She admits it! She demands that I make some
settlement. I will not—”

Doctor Maximus raised his hand. “The details,” he murmured, “do not concern me.”

The visitor’s face was tight and dangerous. “I am not a man to be made a fool of!”

“No,” said the Doctor, “I can see that.”

“Madame,” said the visitor abruptly, “is very fond of candy.” He unwrapped the heart-shaped
package and placed it on the counter. It was a box of chocolates. “I thought perhaps you might—
ah—improve the candies at your convenience and then post them to her. She would be very
pleased. I have even prepared a card to enclose.” He took out a small rectangle of cardboard. On
it was printed in neat capitals: FROM AN ADMIRER.

Doctor Maximus took the card and sighed. “My fees are not inconsiderable.”

“I did not expect them to be,” the visitor said stiffly. He did not flinch when the price was
named. He paid it, in gold coins. He blotted his forehead once more with the silk handkerchief.
“Will you be able to send the candy tonight?”

“Perhaps,” said the Doctor noncommittally. “We shall see. And where should it be sent?”

“Ah, yes,” said the visitor. “Of course.” And he gave Madame’s name and address.

60
Doctor Maximus wrote the information on a slip of paper. Then he scribbled three digits on
another slip and handed it over. “You sir, are customer 322. If there are any difficulties, kindly
refer to that number. Not,” he added, “that there will be any.”

With one hand on the doorknob, the visitor hesitated. “It won’t be—” he wet his lips—”it won’t
be painful, will it?”

“Not at all,” said Dr. Maximus. He peered over his spectacles in a benign and sympathetic
fashion. “You seem rather upset. Do you want me to give you something to make you sleep?”

“No, thank you,” said his visitor nervously. “I have my own prescription for insomnia: a hot grog
before going to bed.”

“Ah, yes,” said Dr. Maximus. “An excellent habit.”

“Good night,” said the visitor, opening the door into the narrow, ill-lit street.

“Good-bye,” murmured Dr. Maximus.

Taking the box of chocolates in one hand and the slip of paper in the other, he went into the little
room at the rear of the shop. From the shelf above his test tubes and retorts he took a big black
book, opened it, and looked at the record of the previous transaction. There it was, entered only
that afternoon in his spidery handwriting: Customer 321.

Complaint: the usual. Remedy: six drops of the elixir, to be administered in husband’s hot grog
at bedtime . . .

Dr. Maximus sighed. Then, being a man who honored his commitments, he opened the box of
chocolates and went to work. There was no great rush. He would post the parcel in the morning.

In the herb shop, as in life, you got just about what you paid for. But his motto was, First come,
first served.

by Arthur Gordon

1. Where did the couple learn of Dr. Maximus?

2. How was Dr. Maximus connected to Pechkoff’s wife?

3. Why was the husband who drank grog unhappy with his wife?

61
4. How did Dr. Maximus realize that the husband was his next victim?

5. What can be concluded about Customer 321?

6. What did you understand about the story by the words “First come, first served”?

7. What is the theme of this story?

Points to revise

➤ What is an inference?

An inference is an implied meaning that is not directly stated but can be deduced from clues.
Inferences require linking old knowledge to what is being read at the time.

➤ Why are jokes funny?

Jokes and cartoons are funny because of the implied meaning understood by the teller and the
audience.

➤ What is the effect of slanted language?

Slanted language manipulates the reader’s attitude in a positive or negative manner toward a
subject.

➤ What are conclusions?

Conclusions are generalized meaning based on clues that incorporate what you already know
with what you have just discovered

62
 Unit 7
Gladiator

What sports are played in Bangladesh?

Which sports do females play?
Which sports do males play?
Which sports do children play?
What is your favorite sport?
What are some of the different names for the special places where sports are played?
What is the name of a sport where one person has to fight another?

If you have seen the movie ‘Gladiator’, it may help you to understand some of the words
below. If you haven’t seen the movie read the following paragraph and-answer the
questions.
The ancient Roman Empire was made up of lots of countries, including Britain that the Romans
had attacked and invaded. There are many ancient Roman ruins in Britain. You can often see old
Roman walls and roads that have been dug up. Archaeologists dig up ruins to find out how
people lived in ancient times. Archaeologists have found that ancient Romans enjoyed watching
sports. A favorite sport was watching gladiators fight each other or sometimes, dangerous
animals. The gladiators trained everyday and learnt how to fight using different types of
weapons. Often they fought “to the death”, until one person was killed. The sports ground where
the gladiator fought was called an amphitheatre.

1. What does the word ancient mean?

2. What is an archaeologist?
3. What does invaded mean?
4. What is the Roman Empire?
5. What is a ruin?
6. What is a gladiator?

63
Often, when you do not know a word in a sentence, y ou can still understand its meaning by
reading the rest of the sentence. Read the article below and choose the right word or phrase from the list
below to fill in the gaps in the article.

remains Pelvic digging warrior unearthing

Archaeologists (1) –––––––––– up a burial sight in London believe they have made a special
discovery in (2) –––––––––––the (3)––––––––––––– of a female Roman-era gladiator. While it
has been known that Roman women fought in the arena, this would be the first real example.

All that is left of the ancient (4) ––––––––––––, believed to have been in her mid-twenties when
she died, is her (5) ––––––––––– bone. The amphitheatre in which the gladiator would have
appeared was discovered in 1986 in Southwark in South London. It could hold 7,000 people for a
city whose population in Roman times was 20,000.

There is a mistake in the above article. See if you can find it by using the clues below:

 The mistake is in the first sentence of the article. It is a vocabulary mistake. (The word
used, sounds the same as the word it should be but with a different meaning)
 Make a list of other words you know that sound the same but have different meanings.
Words that sound the same but with different meanings are called ‘Homophones’

Example: ate/eight see/sea read/red mail/male not/knot dear/deer

Comprehension check:
Read the above story and answer the questions below:

1. What type of place were the archaeologists digging up?

___________________________________________________________________________

2. Does the Roman-era mean this century or many centuries ago?

3. It has been known for a long time that Roman women fought as gladiators, so why was the
discovery special?

4. Before the discovery; how do you think people knew that there were female gladiators?

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5. How do you think that the archaeologists know that the gladiator was a woman?

______________________________________________________________________________
6. Were entertainment shows that included gladiators expected to be popular?

7. Where could you see the gladiator show?

Open-ended tests

In the previous units, in the multiple choice exercises, all you had to do was to understand the
text and to choose the best answer from the alternatives which were offered. But in the exercise
above you were required to write down the answers rather than choose the correct answer from
the options. It was an open ended test. Open-ended tests are a little more difficult, you not only
have to understand the text, but you have to work out for yourself how to express the answer.
They test composition as well as comprehension.

Using your own words

It is a good idea, when you answer questions like these, to use your own words as far as possible.
Obviously you cannot avoid using some words from the text — if the passage is about pigeons,
for instance, it is difficult to write about it without using the word ‘pigeon’ — but you should be
careful not to use long expressions or whole sentences from the passage in your answers.

For example, imagine that a comprehension passage in an exam contains the sentence
‘Caruthers’ main reason for deciding to rob the Anglo—Patagonian Bank was the severe
financial crisis which had recently overtaken his family’. If you were asked ‘Why Caruthers
decided to rob a bank?’ it would not be a very good idea to write ‘Because of the severe financial
crisis which had recently overtaken his family’. This might make the reader feel that you had not
really understood the text, or that you did not know enough English to express the meaning in a
different way. A much better answer would be ‘Because his family were now very short of
money.

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Complete sentences

Write the answers briefly. We do not normally say or write ‘complete sentences’ in answer to
questions beginning - with words like ‘why’, ‘where’, or ‘when’.

Example:
Question: Who was suffering from a financial crisis?
Answer: Caruthers’ family. (Not Carruthers’ family was suffering.
Question: Why did Caruthers decide to rob a bank?
Answer: Because his family. (Not Carruthers decided to rob a bank because his family.....)

Exercise
Read the following text and then answer the questions.

Washoe

A very intensive attempt to teach a chimpanzee to talk was made some years ago by a married
couple, both scientists, K.J. and Cathy Hayes. They adopted a baby chimp called Viki and
brought her up in their house exactly as if she were a human child, but using in addition the most
sophisticated methods of teaching available. The result was disappointing. After six years of
great effort and ingenuity, Viki had learned to utter only four sounds resembling English words.
From this and other studies, it looked as if chimpanzees cannot be taught a human language.
6

So matters stood until June 1966, when another scientist couple, R. A. and Beatrice T. Gardner,
began work at the University of Nevada with a female chimpanzee between eight and fourteen
months old, whom they named Washoe after the county where the University is situated.
Benefiting from the Hayes’ experience, the Gardners had had an imaginative new idea. We have
seen that most monkeys rely more on visual than on vocal signals. Even the actual vocal
apparatus of chimpanzees is very different from man’s. So instead of trying to teach spoken
English, the Gardners decided to teach Washoe American Sign Language, as used by the deaf in
North America in which English words or concepts arc represented by signs made with the
hands; some of these symbols are representational others arc arbitrary, and all can be combined
according to principles of English grammar and syntax. The Gardners and their colleagues
brought up Washoe in shifts so that they never lacked for affectionate human company. They
played all sorts of games with her and seem to have given her a very good time. All the time they
were clattering among themselves in Sign Language, for it is known that simply being exposed
to adults talking helps human children to learn to-talk. They encouraged Washoe to imitate them,
prompted her to get a sign right by repeating it themselves or by placing her hands in the right
position, introduced plenty of toys and other objects to increase her vocabulary, encouraged her
to babble with her hands, as a child does with his voice, and rewarded her for correct usage by
tickling her, which she greatly enjoyed.
24

The results of all this were as follows. After twenty-two months of teaching, Washoe could use
thirty-four words correctly in the appropriate circumstances. (She was only counted as knowing a

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word if three observers independently saw her use it correctly and without prompting.)
Whenever Washoe learned a new word, she very soon and quite spontaneously transferred it
from a particular object, such as the key of a cupboard to a whole class of objects, such as all
keys. She would spontaneously call the humans’ attention to objects by making the correct signs.
She used the sign for ‘dog’ when she saw a picture of a dog or even heard a dog bark without
seeing it; evidently, like the dolphins she had the capacity, previously supposed to be unique to
man, of transposing patterns from one sense to another. 33

All this is remarkable, but Washoe did more. Without any prompting and apparently quite
spontaneously, as soon as she had about ten signs in her repertoire, Washoe began to invent
combinations of signs and use them in a perfectly appropriate way. Among combination which
she invented are: open food drink, for opening the refrigerator; go sweet, for being carried to a
raspberry bush; open flower, to be let through the gate to a flower garden; and listen eat, at the
sound alarm clock signaling meal-time. Just before the Gardners published their first results (in
August 1969), Washoe had learned the pronouns I—me and you (combinations that resemble
short sentences have begun to appear). It only remains to add that Washoe’s learning was
accelerating — she had learned 4 signs in the first seven months, 9 in the next, and 21 in the last
seven months.
43

Since Washoe unmistakably combines and recombines signs to describe objects and situations
new to her in perfectly appropriate ways, this wonderful experiment seems to have established
beyond doubt that a chimpanzee is capable of learning true language. True at three years of age,
she only has thirty-four words; at the equivalent age in terms of development, namely five years
old, the average human child has a vocabulary of hundreds of words and makes sentences
averaging 4.ó words in length. Sheer numerical differences of this kind may be important for the
potentialities of human language. But the Gardners’ achievement remains epoch-making. An
animal has been taught to use true language, to communicate with human teachers.
51

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Exercise

1. What was the main difference between the results of the two experiments with Viki and
Washoe?

______________________________________________________________________________
2. What was the main reason for this difference?

3. What is meant by the expression ‘so matters stood’ (line 7)?

4 . Why did the Gardners decide to use sign language instead of spoken English in their
experiment?

5. What does the word “all’ refer to, in line 15?

6. How did the experimenters manage to ensure that Washoe always had company?

7. What does ‘they’ refer to, in line 18?

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8. Why did the experimenters talk among themselves in sign language?

9. What is meant by ‘in the appropriate circumstances’ (line 26)?

10. What was the point of the rule about three observers?

11. Does the text suggest that there are other animals besides chimpanzees that can use language
in a way similar to humans?

12. In a perfectly appropriate way’ (line 36) means...

13. All this is remarkable, but Washoe did more (line 34). What exactly was the more
remarkable thing that she did?

14. What was the main difference between Washer’s use of language and that of a human child
at the same stage?

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15. The three-year-old Washoe is compared not with a child of the same age, but with a five-
year-old. Why is this?

16. How long, roughly, had the experiment lasted at the time when this report was written?

__________________

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 Unit 8
The Workhouse

What makes the hair stand on end even more than the harrowing tales of human need contained
in this readable and impressively researched history of the workhouse is that while that hated
Victorian institution may have disappeared, together with the Poor Laws that created it, the
attitudes behind them still exist and still dictate our policies towards the deprived.

Above all, there was and still is the belief that if the physically fit are poor it is because they are
idle only from choice. As far back as the sixteenth century the law dictated: ‘ If any man or
woman, able to work, should refuse to labor and live idly for three days, he or she should be
branded with a red-hot iron on the breast with the letter” V” and should be the slave for two
years of any person who should inform of such idler.

We may not brand the unemployed with a red-hot iron today, but sear their minds with criticism
we do: the ‘deserving’ and ‘undeserving’ poor still exist. Thus it is easier for politicians to make
provision for widows than for unmarried mothers, easier for charities to raise money for pets
(apparently blameless for their needs) than for the homeless, the poor, or ex-prisoners.

The belief, belied by all the facts of economic life, that it is impossible to be poor and able-
bodied unless you are feckless or idle leads to so-called ‘relief’ institutions that de-literately set
out to deter custom. That was the concept of the workhouse. One of its pioneers wrote: ‘1 wish to
sec the workhouse looked to with dread by our labouring classes and the reproach for being an
inmate of it extend downwards from father to son. . . Let the poor see and feel that their parish,
although it will not allow them to perish through absolute want, is yet the hardest taskmaster, the
closest paymaster, and the most harsh and unkind friend, they can apply to.’

Attitudes of the past? Not at all. Even today many local politicians and welfare officers will
defend the punitive conditions of hostels for the homeless as a necessary incentive to the
homeless to find alternative accommodation — no matter that it is sheer lack of accommodation
that makes them homeless in the first place.

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It is shattering how the author’s descriptions of the workhouse coincide with some hostels for the
homeless that I have seen. ‘The basic item of furniture was a cheap, wooden bed, with a mattress
made of sacking and two or three blankets. Pillows were “unnecessary” and sheets, if provided,
were of the coarsest kind. Few people enjoyed the luxury of a single bed, and some beds, both
single and double, were arranged in two tiers, like bunks in an army barrack room: . . The only
decorations on the walls were the lists of regulations, enjoining instant obedience to the
master. . . There were no newspapers, no books, and for the younger inmates no games and no
toys. The children, like their elders, fought, teased each other, threw stones, or most commonly,
sat listlessly about, stupefied with boredom and apathy.’

Details of the past? Not at all. I have seen homeless families packed into one dormitory in
conditions almost exactly the same.

From an article in Punch by Des Wilson

Exercise a

Choose the best answer to each question.

1) This passage seems to be taken from

a) a history book,
b) an article on the poor.
c) a book review.
d) an article on the workhouse.

2) The workhouse is/was

a) a Victorian hostel for the poor and homeless.
b) a prison.
c) ‘a home for unmarried mothers, the homeless, the poor, and ex-prisoners.
d) a new type of hostel for people with nowhere to live.

3) What ‘makes the hair stand of end’ most of all, according to the author?
a) the harrowing tales of human need
b) the history of the workhouse
c) the fact that the workhouse has disappeared
d) the fact that attitudes to the poor have not changed

4) The author talks about the idea that if people do not work it is because they do not want to.
According to the author, this is
a) his own attitude.
b) a characteristically modem attitude.
c) a characteristically Victorian attitude.
d) an attitude that has existed at least since the sixteenth century.

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5) According to the passage
a) widows and unmarried mothers arc both regarded as deserving poor’.
b) widows arc regarded as ‘deserving poor’ but not unmarried mothers.
c) unmarried mothers should be regarded as more deserving than widows.
d) both widows and unmarried mothers are regarded as ‘undeserving poor’.

6) Belied’ (4th paragraph) means

a) proved
b) disproved
c) illustrated
d) concealed

7) ‘The belief’ (4th paragraph) is that

a) if healthy people are poor it is because they are lazy.
b) so-called relief institutions arc unsatisfactory.
c) the facts of economic life make it impossible for poverty to lead to the workhouse.
d) relief institutions should deter custom.

8) Why did the pioneers of the workhouse want the labouring classes to be afraid of it?
a) in order to punish them
b) to encourage them to find work and accommodation
c) because the parish was a hard taskmaster
d) to deter custom

9)According to the passage, public attitudes to those who do not work

a) are no better now than they used to be.

b) were at their worst in Victorian times.
c) are much better now than before.
d) are still moralistic and unsympathetic.

10)The word ‘them’, in line 4 (1st paragraph), refers to

a) the harrowing tales of human need.

b) the attitudes of Victorian days.
c) the workhouse and the poor laws.
d) our policies towards the deprived.

Writing activity:

What is your opinion about having workhouses? Do you think having workhouses would be a
good initiative to reduce poverty in our own country?

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Understanding complicated sentences (part 1)

The passage that you read above was quite difficult than the other passages which you had read
in the previous units. It was difficult to understand because of the long and complicated sentence
structures.
What makes text difficult to understand? It is not always because the ideas are difficult to follow
or because the writer uses unusual words. Sometimes a very simple argument or description can
become much more difficult to read just because of the way the sentences are constructed.

Look at these four sentences:

There were some people sitting at the next table.

Mary was busily engaged in giving her opinion of what was wrong with them.
John told Mary that he was going to leave the restaurant if she went on talking like that.
He was becoming more and more ill at ease and embarrassed.

Now look at a different way of presenting the same facts:

John, who was becoming more and more ill at case and embarrassed, told Mary, who was
busily engaged in giving her opinion of what was wrong with the people sitting at the next
table, that if she went on talking like that he was going to leave the restaurant.

What exactly has happened? One part of the third sentence (John told Mary that he was going to
leave the restaurant) has been used as a sort of box, and everything else has been put inside it.
The different parts of the ‘box” sentence (John. told Mary, that, and he was going to leave the
restaurant) have been separated from each other, so that it is not easy at first to sec the
connections between them, and the sentence becomes harder to follow.

Here is a more difficult example:

Any member who has not paid his subscription by the end of the month following the month
in which his subscription becomes due for payment shall, unless he has been previously
exempted for under rule 16, or unless he can show good reason why his subscription should
not be paid, be expelled from the club.

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Exercise I
Read the following short texts and answer the questions that come after them.

1. The intention of other people concerned, such as the Minister of Defense to influence the
government leaders to adapt their policy to fit in with the demands of the right wing, cannot be
ignored.

I. What is the subject of “cannot be ignored”?

a. the intention
b. the other people concerned
c. the Minister of Defence
d. the demands of the right wing

II. The intention of other people concerned is

a. to influence the government leaders.

b. to adapt their policy.
c. to fit in with the wishes of the right wing
c. that they should not be ignored.

2. One way of deciding what to do when you have difficulty in choosing the best course of
action is to toss a coin.

What is the subject of the verb ‘is’?

3. So although the weather was very changeable, and in some cases caused us serious
inconvenience, on the whole our holiday, which we had planned in great detail several months
before, turned out to be satisfactory.

This sentence consists of a basic sentence of seven words to which all the rest has been added
afterwards. Can you write the basic sentence?

4. Arthur was not sure which way to go for he had been left alone by his friends, and, when an
old man came along the road accompanied by a little boy, said ‘Excuse me, sir’.

Who said ‘Excuse me, sir”?

5. The really important point is that because he did not invite the one man he certainly should
have asked his father was furious.

Who was furious?

Does the text say that he should have asked his father?

75
6. The quite unusual alarm with which Mrs. Smith, who was generally quite a calm person,
received the news of the change of plans convinced me that there must be something seriously
wrong.

Who or what convinced me that there must be something seriously wrong?

a) Mrs. Smith’s alarm
b) Mrs. Smith
c) the news of the change of plans
d) the change of plans

Relative Structures
Sentences often become long and complicated because of the use of relative pronouns (who,
which, etc.). Here is an example:

No one could have expected that this writer, who had spent more than haIf of his life
attacking the cynical and self—interested way in which his country exploited its colonies,
would change so far in his later years as to become a member of the government and
passionate supporter of colonialism.

There are two relative clauses, containing more than twenty words, between the principal subject
(‘this writer’) and the beginning of its verb (‘would’); this naturally makes the sentence less easy
to understand at first reading.

The use of ’whose’, or of prepositions with relative pronouns, can also make sentences difficult
to read. Examples:

a) Picasso was a painter whose importance to modern art cannot be overestimated.

b) There are some patients the seriousness of whose illnesses makes it impossible to treat
them.

Quite often we leave out relative pronouns in English, and this, too, can make a sentence difficult
to understand.
Examples:
a) The medicines she is being supplied with are very probably causing her actual harm. (=
The medicines with which she is being supplied...)
b) The document I was asked to put my name on was a sort of contract. (= The document on
which I was...)

Another difficulty can be caused by the use of a participle (form in-ed or -ing) instead of a
complete relative clause. (For example, “The man questioned.. instead of The man who was
questioned -‘ . ‘)This can be confusing because some past participles, like questioned’, look
exactly like past tenses (so you might think at first that ‘The man questioned’ means ‘The man
asked somebody a question’.)

More examples:
a) I am absolutely certain that a man called Joe Simons is responsible for the theft.

76
b) One of the visitors expected last week did not come.

Exercise II
Read these texts and answer the questions that follow:

1. It must not be forgotten that the willingness with which a person will move from the house
where he has lived all his life and settle in an old people’s home is an important factor in
planning for the aged.

What is an important factor?

a) the house where he has lived all his life
b) a person
c) the willingness with which a person will move
d) an old people’s home

2. On the ship there was a millionaire, the’ exact size of whose fortune was a frequent subject
of discussion among the other passengers.

Which noun is the subject of the second ‘was’?

a) millionaire
b) size
c) fortune
d) discussion

3. The film she told me about and advised me to see when we met the other week at- I - think
- Celia’s party turned out to be very dull.

What was dull? (Answer in two words)

4. The rebel leader found out that in spite of the precautions of the soldiers he had bought the
guns from the police had planted an informer among them.

Who had the rebel leader bought the guns from?

5. A number of the children asked for comments on the proposals to expel some immigrants
told reporters that they disagreed.

Who disagreed?

Understanding Complicated sentences (part 2)

In the previous section we looked at a certain kind of structure which can make sentences
difficult to understand. This section contains examples of some other complicated structures,
together with exercises to give you practice in dealing with them.

Conditionals negatives, etc.

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Always pay very careful attention to sentences containing words like ‘if’, ‘supposing’,
assuming’, ‘provided that’, ‘unless’, or negative words like “no’, ‘hardly’, etc. These words do
not always make as much impression as the nouns, verbs, adjectives etc., especially in long and
complicated sentences, so it can be easy to overlook them — but of course they have a very
important effect on the meaning.

Exercise a
Read these sentences and answer the questions.

1. Devaney's policy is one that has always appealed to the great mass of the public, and there
is absolutely no doubt that he will become president at the next election (assuming, he
decides to offer himself as a candidate) with very large majority.
Is it certain that Devaney will be the next president? If not why not?

2. He said that he certainly would not pay me the money I asked for unless I categorically
refused to see Gromek again.
If I see Gromek again, will I get the money?

3. I do not think anything could possibly be more likely to upset me, all things considered,
than the idea of not going mountain—climbing this summer.
Do I want to go climbing or not?

4. If I had realized what he had in mind, I would, hardly have let him know that I had not the
least intention of going to Essex.
Did I tell him I did not want to go to Essex?

5. Not only does she not enjoy listening to people talking about philosophy, but she is also
inclined to get very irritated by any conversation which is not directly connected with
herself Does she prefer conversations about philosophy or about herself?

Inversion
Sometimes in conditional sentences, the word ‘if’ is left out and a special word—order
(inversion — the word-order of questions) is used instead. Look out for sentences which,
although they are not questions, begin with ‘were’, ‘should’ or ‘had.

Examples:
a) Were we asked to say what we regard as the purpose of life, most of us would have
difficulty in answering. (= If we were asked. ..)
b) Had I known earlier, I could have warned you. (= If I had known.)
c) Should the Conservatives win the election there is likely to be a significant change of
economic policy, (= If the Conservatives win..........)

Note that ‘should’ is also used (with no real meaning) in some other constructions. This happens,
for instance, in sentences that begin ‘It is. . . that.
Example: It is interesting that she should want to move to London. (= . . . that she wants....)
It also happens after ‘in case’, in past contexts.

78
Example: He prepared a careful story in case the tax inspector should call.

Inversion is also used in sentences that begin with the expressions ‘no sooner’, ‘hardly
‘scarcely’, and with some expressions including the word ‘only”

Exercise b

Rewrite these sentences so as to express the same ideas in a more simple way.
1. George insisted that the party would have gone much better had he been invited.
2. Were I given the chance of a year’s holiday, I should travel round the world.
3. She explained that no sooner had she closed the door, because of the draught, than a terrible
rattling noise was heard and a white light appeared.
4. Only if I trusted you completely could I tell you all my plans.

Double Structures
A lot of English structures have two parts (e.g. both..... and. . so. . . that. . .) When a sentence is
long, it is not-always easy to keep both parts in your head at the same time.

Exercise c
Rend the following pairs of sentences slowly; note how the structure of the first sentence
of each pair is repeated in the second.

1
a) He was so fat that he could not see his feet.
b) The plan he put forward was so difficult for his assistants, even the most experienced, to
understand and put into action, that there was little chance of its having any material result.

2
a) I regard her as one of my best friends.
b) Luke Parslow was regarded by practically all the people who knew him, including a number
who were well qualified to judge such matters, as one of the most promising young lawyers
in the county.

3
a) The more I learn, the more I forget.
b) The more often I saw her, in that summer which was remarkable in so many different and
exciting ways, and which will remain in my memory long after later summers have faded
from my mind, the more I realized how fascinated I was by her exotic, mysterious and
intriguing personality.

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 Unit 9

The Best Place

Appreciation of a writer’s use of language

The way in which a writer uses language is always important: if he does not choose his words
carefully and organize his sentences well, what he writes may be unclear or ineffective. This is
particularly true of certain kinds of writing in which the style itself is sometimes a vital part of
the meaning. For instance, a novel, a humorous article, a political manifesto or an advertisement
may depend very largely for its effect on how the writer expresses himself; his choice and
arrangement of words can become even more important than that he says. Comprehension
questions in examinations sometimes test your ability to observe and describe a writer’s
technique. It is not, of course necessary to be a student of literature in order to deal with
questions of this kind. However, you need to be able to sec (and say) why an author chooses a
certain word or expression rather than another with a similar meaning and it is also useful to be
familiar with common stylistic devices such as irony, repetition, variation of style, use of
comparisons, etc.

Literary Devices

A. Personification. In personification, an inanimate object is given human characteristics.

Personification can embellish an image and create a mood. In the sentence “The wind sang

80
through the trees,” the word sang gives the wind a human characteristic that adds a soft, gentle
mood to the message.

Write the meaning, mood, or feeling of the boldface personification adds to the message in the
following sentences.

1. As the alchemist scraped the bar of gold, her skin crawled.

2. The glowing fireplace was the heart of the tiny shop selling health remedies.

3. The sun kissed the window and brightened the dark laboratory.

4. The shelves stretched to make room for more new youth potions.

5. As he reached for the poison potion, the stars flirted with the drifting sand.

B. Irony. Irony is saying one thing but meaning another. It may be used to show humor or to be
sarcastic and ridicule others. The trick in irony is to be able to recognize that the speaker does
not really mean what he or she says. The context in which the statement is made gives clues to
the speaker’s true attitude. Gullible people have trouble picking up irony and are subsequently
sometimes fooled and embarrassed. For example, after a basketball game, someone may say to a
player who scored only once in seventeen tries, “You’re a great shot.” Here irony is used to
ridicule the poor shooting.

Complete the story in each of the following sentences by choosing the response that best shows
irony.

6.Each time the professor called on Larry to answer a question, he gave the wrong response.
After class Frances said to Larry, ______

a. “We need to study hard.”

b. “Here’s the guy with the brains.”

c. “I hope you weren’t embarrassed.”

7. Sue missed only one item on a chemistry exam that almost everyone else failed. When
congratulated, Sue retorted, ______

a. “Maybe next time I’ll study.”

b. “I’m glad I studied.”

81
c. “My major is chemistry.”

8. As newlyweds, Betsy and Fred moved to a tiny New York apartment. When their parents
came to visit, a sign on the door said, ________

a. “Welcome to our new place.”

b. “Welcome to the Caribbean Hilton.”

c. “Welcome to our friends and family.”

9. Because George’s apartment was so dirty, his friends called him ________

a. the Slob.

b. George the Unclean.

c. Mother’s Helper.

10. Chris was known to be cheap, so friends started calling him _______-

a. Mr. Rockefeller.

b. Mr. Scrooge.

c. Mr. Chips.

Writers and speakers use figurative language to spark the imagination and make the message
more sensual and visual. The words create images in the mind and activate associations stored in
memory. Figurative language is challenging, because figuring out the meaning demands logical
and creative thinking.

C. Simile. A simile uses the words like or as to compare two unlike things. The purpose of a
simile is to strengthen the message by adding a visual image. Similes usually dramatize the
characteristics of nouns. As a reader, you must figure out the unique characteristic the simile
conveys. In the sentence,

“The new teacher stood like a statue in front of the class,” what does the simile add to the
meaning? “Like a statue” describes the teacher as “stiff and unmoving.” The simile adds humor
and visual interest to the sentence.

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Write the meaning of the boldface similes in the following sentences.

1. The boys were like two peas in a pod working on their handheld electronic devices. _______

2. My grandmother claims to be as old as the hills. ________

3. Her face was as fresh as the morning dew. _____________

4. When he walked into the arcade, the little boy smiled like a fox in a henhouse. ________

5. Looking for the missing check was like trying to find a needle in a haystack _________.

D. Metaphor. Whereas a simile uses the words like or as to compare two unlike things, a
metaphor does not use those words but instead states the comparison directly. For example, “The
soccer player was a tiger” is a metaphor that dramatizes the player’s aggressive spirit. If the
statement had been, “The girl plays soccer like a tiger,” the figure of speech would be a simile,
but the meaning would remain the same.

Write the meaning of the boldface metaphors in the following sentences.

6. Superman is made of steel. _____________

7. Her words were daggers directed toward his heart. __________

8. She was a willow in the winds of time. ____________________

9. The woman had built a wall between herself and others. _________

10. He was her world. ________________

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Read the story below and answer the questions.

THE BEST PLACE

Dr. Jason Whitney saw the two federal agents enter the crowded restaurant. Their rumpled suits
and stubble-covered cheeks betrayed the fact that they had been too busy to think of appearances
for some time. They moved wearily toward him along the line of booths against the wall, looking
for an empty one. When they reached the booth where the young doctor was sitting alone, he
spoke to the agent he recognized, a deceptively soft-looking man in his forties.

“Hello, Tom. Have a seat.” He indicated the place opposite him with a sweep of his hand. “There
probably aren’t any empty booths at this hour. A lot of people stop here for breakfast on their
way to work.”

Tom Campbell slid heavily into the booth and was followed by his look-alike companion. “I’d
like you to meet my partner, Joe Moffet, Dr. . . . Dr. . . .” Campbell snapped his fingers, trying to
recall the name from his memory.

“Whitney. Jason Whitney,” the doctor offered with a smile, not the least offended at not being
remembered.

“Yeah, that’s right,” Campbell acknowledged with a nod as Joe Moffet and the young doctor
clasped hands briefly.

“You men look like you’ve had a hard night,” the doctor said.

“You can say that again,” Campbell answered. “We haven’t been out of our clothes in two days.
Just brought a man back from Spain.”

“Extradition?”

Campbell gave a wry smile. “You could call it that. Our man was staying in Andorra, that little
postage-stamp country on the border between Spain and France. They’d have let him stay there
until his money ran out, which would’ve taken a couple of thousand years or so. We have no
treaty with them.”

“So what happened?”

“The usual. We pretended we’d lost interest in him and waited for him to get careless. When he
made the mistake of taking a walk too close to the Spanish border, we were ready. Next thing he
knew, Joe and I each had one of his arms and were marching him past the Spanish customhouse.
We tossed him into a car and rushed him to a plane we had waiting at one of our bases. The
Spanish authorities pretended they didn’t see a thing.”

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“Seems like a lot of trouble and expense over just one man,” Dr. Whitney said.

“It was Henry Hammond.” Campbell had a touch of pride in his tone.

A waitress came to take their breakfast orders. As soon as she was gone, the doctor repeated the
name. “Henry Hammond . . . It does sound a bit familiar. Should I know the name?”

“He’s the big-shot financier who jumped bail and skipped the country a couple of years ago.
He’d built himself an empire, using phony balance sheets and illegal manipulations. He got away
with just about every nickel from his companies’ treasuries.”

“Oh, yes, now I remember. It made quite a splash in the papers at the time. What did you do with
him?”

“Dropped him off at your place ten minutes ago,” Campbell said.

The second agent, Joe Moffet, had been sitting quietly, but now he twisted his face

into a puzzled expression and said, “Huh?”

Campbell turned to him. “The doctor is in charge of the infirmary at the Federal House of
Detention on West Street,” he explained. “He’ll probably be giving our friend a physical
examination today.”

“I check all new prisoners,” Dr. Whitney agreed.

The waitress returned with their orders. They didn’t say much until they had settled back to
enjoy their coffee. Then the conversation returned to Henry Hammond.

“Do you think he’ll return the money he stole?” the doctor asked.

“That’s something you’ll have to ask Hammond. We couldn’t get a word out of him all the way
across the Atlantic. He probably has it safely stashed away in a couple of dozen Swiss banks.
One thing’s sure—no one will ever see it again unless he wants them to.”

“I wonder what makes a man decide to be a criminal?” the doctor mused.

Campbell shrugged. “Who knows? People don’t always do the things you’d expect, or fit into
patterns the way you think they should. Take yourself, for instance. What’s a bright young guy
like you doing in the Public Health Service? There’s no military draft anymore, so you didn’t
choose it as an alternative service the way doctors and dentists have in the past. I’ll bet you could
have had your pick of the private hospitals.”

“Yes, I probably could have, but I’m happy where I am. I think it’s the best place for me. If I
didn’t, I’d go somewhere else or do something else. That’s the way you feel about your job, isn’t
it, Tom? That active police work is the best occupation for you?”

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“You certainly have Tom figured out,” Joe Moffet said. “And you put it into words better than he
does, too. He’s turned down two promotions in the last year. He could have a comfortable desk
job in D.C., but he prefers to transport fugitives. Everyone thinks he’s crazy, but he says he’s
happy where he is.”

They exchanged small talk for a few more minutes, then left the restaurant together. They paused
to say good-bye on the sidewalk outside, and Tom Campbell’s face clouded with confusion and
embarrassment. “I’m terribly sorry, Doctor, but I—uh—I’ve forgotten your name again.”

Jason Whitney smiled. “That’s all right. You’d be surprised how many people have trouble
remembering me. The next time you’re at the House of Detention stop by my office to say hello.
I always have a pot of coffee on the hot plate.” He turned to the other agent. “That goes for you,
too, Mr. Moffet. Stop in any time. It’s been nice meeting you.”

Jason Whitney waited until ten that morning before having Henry Hammond called to the
infirmary. He chose that time because the morning sick call had been taken care of by then, and
his assistants were enjoying a coffee break.

“Good morning, Mr. Hammond. I’m Dr. Whitney, the Chief Medical Officer here. I’m in charge
of the health and physical well-being of you and the other prisoners. It’s my job to examine each
new arrival and determine whether or not he’ll require treatment of any kind.”

Hammond nodded his understanding. He had dark circles under his eyes and stood nervously in
the doorway of the infirmary. He clenched and unclenched his right fist in an uneven rhythm,
and his eyes swept back and forth, taking in all the cabinets and equipment. It was obvious his
sudden arrest and transportation to the United States had been a severe shock.

“Step this way, please,” Whitney said, leading the way to a side room.

Here there were bare white walls and the only furniture was an examination table for the patient.
There was nothing that might prove distracting.

“Lie down, please. I’m going to take your blood pressure. I’m sure you’ve had it done before.”

The doctor wrapped the instrument around Hammond’s arm, and squeezed the bulb to pump air
into it.

“Be as quiet as you can. I want the lowest reading possible. Relax as much as you can and try not
to think of anything in particular.”

Whitney busied himself with the instrument.

“Your reading is a bit high, Mr. Hammond. I think you’re a little too tense. If you don’t mind,
I’ll show you how to relax. Just close your eyes. That’s right, close your eyes and relax the
eyelids. I think you can get the feeling of complete relaxation if you’ll follow my suggestions.

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Relax your eyelids completely. Now turn your attention to your arms. Let them become
completely limp. Think of them as a pair of limp rags and when I lift them let them fall back to
the table just as a couple of limp rags would. That’s very good. Now we’ll do the same with your
legs. See, you’re much more relaxed and at ease now.

“I’ll just take your blood pressure again and see how well you’ve done. Oh, that’s very good.
That’s very, very good. You’re far more relaxed than before. Let’s try it again, Mr. Hammond,
and this time keep your eyes closed all the while. That will aid the relaxation process.

“Okay, now, relax your eyes. Now your arms. Let them become as limp as rags. Now your legs.
Relax them. Just relax your whole body. Let your whole body go limp. Let your whole body
become heavy. Get completely comfortable. Now, if you are truly relaxed, you will find that
your eyelids won’t open. Relax your eyelids and body completely. When you feel you’re
completely relaxed you may try to open your eyes. If you are completely relaxed, they won’t
open. If you cannot open your eyes, you will be completely relaxed. That’s fine. Now try to open
your eyes. See—you cannot open them. You are completely, deeply relaxed and you cannot open
your eyes. Your arms and legs are heavy and limp and you cannot lift or move them.”

As quickly and easily as that, without once using the words sleep or hypnosis, Dr. Jason Whitney
placed Henry Hammond into a deep trance.

In the next half hour he deepened the trance still further, then extracted from Hammond the code
numbers and balances of ten secret bank accounts. Immediately before allowing the man to wake
up, he directed Hammond to forget forever that the secret accounts had ever existed. “And you
will never be able to remember my name,” he told him.

That reminded Whitney of Agent Tom Campbell. When he had hypnotized Campbell a year
before and instructed the man to keep him informed about criminals with hidden money; he had
neglected to order him always to come to the restaurant alone. He would have to rectify that
oversight at the first opportunity.

As Hammond left the infirmary to return to his cell, Dr. Whitney watched him walk away and
felt a wave of satisfaction. This was the best place for him. He didn’t have to work the long
hours a hospital might have demanded, and he was collecting far, far more money in a single
year than his professional hypnotist parents had earned in their lifetimes.

by A. F. Oreshnik

87
Answer the following questions.

1. What does the author mean by the phrase “a deceptively soft-looking man”?

2. What is the irony in Jason Whitney’s statement to the agents, “I wonder what makes a man
decide to be a criminal?”

3. Why does Dr. Whitney never mention the words sleep and hypnosis?

4. What can be inferred from Dr. Whitney’s remark to Tom Campbell, “You’d be surprised how
many people have trouble remembering me”?

5. Why did Dr. Whitney wait until his assistants were on their coffee break before meeting with
Henry Hammond?

6. Why is the blood pressure deception an excellent choice for Dr. Whitney?

88
7. At what point in the story did you guess what was going to happen?

8.Describe how irony applies to three of the characters.

______________________________________________________________________________

Answer the following with a, b, c, or d, or fill in the blank.

Main Idea 1. The main idea of this selection is:

a. Crime does not pay.

b. Honesty is the best policy.

c. You can’t judge a book by its cover.

d. A penny saved is a penny earned.

Detail 2. Dr. Whitney is not offended when Agent Campbell fails to recall his name because

a. Dr. Whitney is a modest man.

b. Dr. Whitney does not want to embarrass the agent.

c. Dr. Whitney has hypnotized Agent Campbell and told him to forget the name.

d. Dr. Whitney knows Agent Campbell usually has trouble remembering names.

Inference 3. Dr. Whitney needs to maintain a relationship with Agent Campbell because

a. Campbell is his source for criminals with money.

b. he considers Campbell a friend.

c. Dr. Whitney and Agent Campbell are partners in crime.

d. both men are employed by the same federal agency.

Inference 4. The irony of the story is that

a. Hammond is guilty.

b. Hammond was captured by the FBI.

c. Dr. Whitney is a criminal.

d. Joe Moffet believes his partner.

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Inference 5. The reader can most likely conclude that Tom Campbell turned down two
promotions because

a. he was hypnotized to do so.

b. he enjoys the travel in transporting fugitives.

c. he did not want to move to D.C.

d. he makes more money in his present job of transporting fugitives.

Inference 6. The reader can conclude that Henry Hammond was most likely arrested

a. inside Spain.

b. by Spanish customs officials.

c. during the night when officials were not watching.

d. while still in Andorra.

Inference 7. The author uses the story’s title, The Best Place, to apply ironically to the situations
in the lives of:

a. Dr. Whitney and Tom Campbell.

b. Tom Campbell and Joe Moffet.

c. Dr. Whitney, Tom Campbell, and Joe Moffet.

d. Dr. Whitney, Tom Campbell, Joe Moffet, and Henry Hammond.

Answer the following with T (true) or F (false).

8. The reader can conclude that Dr. Whitney most likely got his job in the Federal House of
Detention by accident.______

9. The reader can conclude that the FBI agents question Dr. Whitney about his job choice
because they are suspicious of him. ______

10. The reader can conclude that Henry Hammond’s blood pressure was high. ______

Answer the following with a, b, c, or d for the word or phrase that best defines the boldface
word used in the selection.

1. “deceptively softlooking”

a. honestly

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b. misleadingly

c. plainly

d. happily

2. “acknowledged with”

a. smiled

b. remembered

c. recognized

d. choked

3. “Extradition?”

a. exile

b. forced removal

c. relation

d. stay

4. “big-shot financier”

a. drug lord

b. criminal

c. waiter

d. money manager

5. “illegal manipulations”

a. schemes

b. money

c. adjustments

d. companies

6. “safely stashed”

a. sent

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b. found

c. buried

d. hidden

7. “prove distracting”

a. examining

b. comforting

c. drawing attention elsewhere

d. truthful

8. “completely limp”

a. lifeless

b. rigid

c. clean

d. tense

9. “a deep trance

a. sleeplike state

b. alertness

c. awareness

d. panic

10. “extracted from”

a. followed

b. removed

c. made up

d. helped

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 Unit 10
Note Taking

“I would advise you to read with a pen in your hand, and enter in a little book short hints
of what you find, for this will be the best method of imprinting such particulars in your
memory, where they will be ready, on some future occasion.” Benjamin Franklin

Indeed note taking is important. It is important because of the following reasons.

a. To note down facts

b. To contrast similarities and differences

c. To summarize main points

d. To help pay attention

e. To review and revise

f. To record thoughts and brainstorm

When you are reading note taking helps you to concentrate. Taking notes does not mean writing
down every word you read, you need to actively decide what is important and it is related to
what you have read. Good notes should be accurate, clear and concise. They should show the
organization of the text, and this should show the relationship between theideas.

93
How to take notes

When you are reading, first survey the text to find the main points and how they are related.
Then read for the subsidiary points: see how they are related to the main points and to each other.
Then reduce the points to notes. Make sure links and relationships between the ideas are shown.
Good note needs to be organized appropriately. There are several ways to take notes, for
example linear, outline, diagrams, Cornel or split page etc. Among the ways of note taking
spider diagram is advantageous. The advantages of this particular diagram are given below.

a. In spider diagram, the notes start at the middle of the page and expand out towards the
edge of the page

b. It is very visual and allows for structure and displays relationships

c. They are very useful for review and recall, brainstorming and revision purposes

d. A lot of information can be condensed

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Activity:

Choose an informative article from the newspaper. Read the article and create a spider
diagram to put in the notes.

Notes are a summary and should therefore be much shorter than the original. Thus,
abbreviations and symbols can be used whenever possible. The table below shows some
conventional English symbols and abbreviations.

and &
and others (people) et. al.
and other things etc.
answer A
approximately , approx., c.
at @
because
before example :
centimeter cm
century C
chapter ch.
compare cf.
correct

95
decreases, falls
degrees �
department dept.
divided by �
east E
equal to =
equivalent to
especially esp.
for example e.g.
government govt.
greater than >
grows, increases
important N.B.
in one year p.a.
information info.
kilogram kg
less than <
maximum max.
minimum min.
minus -
much greater than >>
much less than <<
multiplied by �
north N
not come from
not equal
not lead to
not proportional to
number No. or #
page p.
pages pp.
percent %
plus +
possibly poss.
probably prob.

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proportional to
question Q
results from
results in, leads to
same as above "
similar to
that is to say, in other words i.e.
therefore
south S
unlikely ??
uncertain, not sure ?
very v.
with reference to re.
wrong X
west W
Year yr.

____________________________

97
 Unit 11
Introduction to Summary

In comprehension tests and examinations, you are often asked to summarize a passage — to give
the main points in a short paragraph of perhaps 100 words. This is particularly difficult to do
when the passage is written in a complicated way, with long sentences or a lot of unusual
vocabulary. You need to ‘see through’ the words to the idea (often a ‘very’ simple one) which is
behind them. The following exercises will give you practice in doing this.

Notice how the following passage has been summarized.

As what geographers have estimated, about twenty percent of the earth's surface is occupied by
deserts. A majority of us view deserts as one unique kind of landscape -- areas with little or no
rainfalls.

In actual fact, there are differences between the deserts, though in varying degrees. While it is
common for laymen like us to see deserts as rocky or covered with gravel or pebbles, there are
some where large sand dunes inhabit. Despite the fact that rainfall is minimal, temperatures do
change in deserts, ranging from seasonal ones to daily changes where extreme hotness and
coldness are experienced in the day and night.

Unfavorable conditions in the deserts, especially the lack of water, have discouraged many living
things from inhabiting these landscapes. Nevertheless, there are exceptionally surviving ones
which through their superb tactics, have managed to live through and are still going strong. One
such kind is the specialist annual plants which overcome seasonal temperature changes with their
extremely short, active life cycles. In events of sudden rain, the plant seeds pullulate and grow
very quickly to make full use of the rain water. Their flowers bloom and set seeds that ripen

98
quickly in the hot sun too. Once the water runs dry, the mother plant dies, leaving behind the
drought-resistant seeds, waiting patiently for the next rainy season to arrive.

The Cacti, a native in American deserts, adapts to the dry surroundings by having unique body
structures. The plant has swollen stems to help store water that carries it through months. By
having sharp pines instead of leaves, water loss through respiration is minimized. Besides, these
pointed pines also help the plant ward off grazing animals, thus enhancing its survival period.

Besides plants, there are also animals with distinct surviving tactics in deserts too. For instance,
Skinks ( desert lizards ) metabolize stored fats in their bulbous tails, producing water to
supplement their needs, just like what camels do with the stored food in their humps during long
journeys through deserts. Antelopes like the addax, have very low water needs and hence are
able to tolerate the conditions in deserts, extracting moisture from the food they eat.

Finally, there are the sandgrouses (desert birds) which do not have special features to overcome
the

drought-like nature in deserts. Hence, to survive in these hot, dry deserts, they need to spend a
large part of their time flying in search of waterholes.

gravel -Small pieces of rocks and stones      

pullulate-   to multiply rapidly      

bulbous-   like a bulb

Summary

Despite the dry conditions in the deserts, some plants and animals still manage to survive there.
One of them is the specialist annual plants. Their short life cycles allow them to germinate, grow
and produce seeds during short rainy seasons. These seeds are drought-resistant and are able to
wait for the next rainy season before starting their life cycles again. The Cacti adapts to the dry
weather by having swollen stems for water storage and pine-like leaves to minimize water loss
through respiration. Skinks generate water from stored fats in their tails and antelopes which
requires very little water, survives in deserts by extracting water from food they eat. Finally,
sandgrouse with no adaptive features turn to waterholes constantly for help. (119 words )

Exercise a
Each of these sentences can be rewritten much more briefly without really changing the
meaning. Read them carefully, and then rewrite them in as few words as possible (between two
and ten). –
1. I am telling no more than the truth when I say that George is a habitual consumer of tobacco.
2. In her employment. Mary showed a thoroughly satisfactory degree of energy and
efficiency.
3. My sister shows a distinct tendency to prefer the company of people who are no longer in the
first flower of youth.

99
4. It is undeniable that the large majority of non-native learners of English experience a number
of problems in attempting to master the phonetic patterns of the language.
5. I have been obliged to abandon the belief which I previously held, in the existence of a
benevolent white-haired bearded figure who was accustomed to visit private houses on the
anniversary of the birth of the founder of the Christian religion, in order to distribute gifts to
young people.
6. Tea, whether of the China or Indian variety, is well known to be high on the list of those
beverages which arc most frequently drunk by the inhabitants of the British Isles.
7. It is not uncommon to encounter sentences which, though they contain a great number of
words and are constructed in a highly complex way, none the less turn out on inspection to
convey very little meaning of any kind.
8. One of the most noticeable phenomena in any big city. such as London or Paris, is the
steadily increasing number of petrol—driven vehicles, some in private ownership, others
belonging to the public transport system, which congest the roads and render rapid movement
more difficult year by year.
9. ‘The main problem with which I am faced is to decide whether it is preferably to continue in
existence, or whether it would, on balance, be a more advisable policy to abandon the
struggle.’ (Shakespeare)

Exercise b
Read the text carefully and answer the question that follows.

Adolescent students
In dealing with students on the high—school level — that is, the second, third, and fourth
year of high school — we must bear in mind that to some degree they are at a difficult
psychological stage, generally called adolescence. Students at this level arc likely to be
confused mentally, to be subject to involuntary distractions and romantic dreaminess. They
are basically timid or self-conscious, they lack frankness and are usually very sensitive but
hate to admit it. They are motivated either by great ambition, probably out of all proportion
to their capabilities, or by extreme laziness caused by the fear of nor succeeding or attaining
their objectives. Fundamentally they want to be kept busy but they refuse to admit it. They
are frequently the victims of earlier poor training, and this makes every effort doubly hard.
They are usually willing to work, but they hate to work without obtaining the results they
think they should obtain. Their critical faculties arc beginning to develop and they are critical
of their instructors and of the materials they are given to learn. They are beginning to feel the
pressure of time; and although they seldom say so, they really want to be consulted and given
an opportunity to direct their own affairs, but they need considerable guidance. They seldom
admit that they need this guidance and they frequently rebel against it, but if it intelligently
offered they accept it with enthusiasm. If they are healthy they are capable of long periods of
concentration and an extraordinary amount of work. They are trying, most of them, to form
political ideas and they have a tendency to be either extremely idealistic (which is usually
another term for radical) or conservative, blindly accepting what their fathers and
grandfathers believed in . It is in this period that students can be most easily and
permanently influenced, It is the period in which they form strong attachments for their
teachers. Their outlook on life is usually extremely exaggerated. They are either far too
modest and retiring, or extravagantly boastful. They are much more susceptible to the

100
 influence of a strong personality than to that of a great intelligence. Of all periods of life, this
is what may best be called the ‘plastic age’.

Prom A Language Teacher's Guide by E. A. Meras

The writer’s view of adolescents can be summed up by saying:

a) They have difficulty in concentrating.
b) Their relationships with adults arc difficult
c) They have a variety of problems and often behave in contradictory ways.
d) Their intelligence is developing.

Exercise c
Summarize in your own words, the advantages and disadvantages of owning television.
Your account should not be more than 120 words.
 
With the invention of televisions, many forms of entertainments have been replaced. Lively
programs like television serials and world news, have removed from us the need to read books
or papers, to listen to radios or even to watch movies. In fact, during the 1970s, when televisions
were first introduced, cinema theatres suffered great losses as many people chose to stay in the
comforts of their homes to watch their favorite programs.

Indeed, the television brings the world into our house. Hence, by staying at home and pressing
some buttons world happenings are immediately presented before us. Children nowadays
develop faster in language, owing to the early exposure to television programs. At such tender
age, it would be difficult for them to read books or papers. Thus, television programs are a good
source of learning for them. Furthermore, pronunciations by the newscasters, actors or actresses
are usually standardized, hence young children watching these programs will learn the 'right'
pronunciations too. Owning a television is also extremely beneficial to working parents who are
usually too busy or tired to take their kids out for entertainments. Surrounded by the comforts of
their home, the family can have a chance to get together and watch their favorite television
programs.

Of course, we should not be too carried away by the advantages of the television and overlook
its negative points. Watching television programs takes away our need to read. Why bother to
read the papers when we can hear them from the television news reports? Why read books when
exciting movies are screened? The lack of reading is unhealthy especially to younger children as
they will grow up only with the ability to speak but not write. I have a neighbor whose six-year-
old child can say complete sentences like "I like cats," but when told to write out the sentence, is
unable to do so. Not only are the writing skills of children affected, their thinking capacities are
also handicapped. Television programs remove the need to think. The stories, ideas and facts are
woven in the way television planners wanted. Exposure to such opinions and the lack of
thinking opportunities will hinder the children's analyzing ability.

Despite the disadvantages of watching television programs, personally, I think that choosing the
'middle path', which is to do selective television viewing and not over indulging in the habit
should be the best solution to reconcile both the merits and demerits of owning a television.    

101
 Unit 12
Reading Graphs and Charts
Understanding Directions

This is a section with questions that can be applied to situations you find in everyday life. On the
job, in your school, at the train station, in the grocery store, or in many other ordinary situations,
you might find yourself trying to access information from a graph, chart, or table. You may even
find situations where you have to listen to and act upon written or verbal directions. Unlike other
sections in this book, the questions you answer in this section are based on concrete information,
rather than hidden or implied material within the text. So, the most important thing is to pay
attention to every detail. Read every set of directions as many times as necessary. Also, read the
title and footnotes carefully. The ability to completely understand directions, graphs, charts, and
tables is vital in today’s Information Age, but as you may know, it is not always easy. With a
little practice, these types of questions can be the easiest. This unit gives you ample opportunity
to hone your skills.

Below and on the following pages are tables that are typical of the type you might be asked to
read in a textbook or on the job. Note their simplicity and economy.
THE FUJITA–PEARSON
TORNADO INTENSITY SCALE
A. The FUJITA-PEARSON TORNADO INTENSITY SCALE
CLASSIFICATION WIND SPEED DAMAGE
F0 40–72 mph Mild
F1 73–112 mph Moderate
F2 113–157 mph Significant
F3 158–206 mph Severe
F4 207–260 mph Devastating
F5 260–319 mph Incredible
F6 319–379 mph Inconceivable
–
1. A tornado with a wind speed of 143 mph would be assigned which classification?

a. F0
b. F1
c. F2
d. F3

2. The names of the categories in the third column, labeled “Damage,” could best be described as

a. scientific.
b. descriptive.
c. objective.
d. whimsical.

102
 B. Forest fires, Tri- County, Area, June 2005
FOREST FIRES, TRI-COUNTY AREA
DATE AREA NUMBER OF PROBABLE
ACRES BURNED CAUSE
June 2 Burgaw Grove 115 Lightning
June 3 Fenner Forest 200 Campfire
June 7 Voorhees Air Base 400 Equipment Use
Training Site
June 12 Murphy County 495 Children
Nature Reserve
June 13 Knoblock Mountain 200 Miscellaneous
June 14 Cougar Run Ski 160 Unknown
Center
June 17 Fenner Forest 120 Campfire
June 19 Stone River State 526 Arson
Park
June 21 Burgaw Grove 499 Smoking
June 25 Bramley Acres 1200 Arson
Resort 1
June 28 Hanesboro Crossing 320 Lightning
June 30 Stone River State 167 Campfire
Park

67
1. One week before the Cougar Run Ski Center fire, where did a fire occur?

a. Fenner Forest
b. Voorhees Air Base Training Site
c. Murphy County Nature Reserve
d. Burgaw Grove

2. According to the table, lightning fires

a. occurred at Burgaw Grove and Fenner Forest.

b. consumed less than 500 acres.
c. consumed more acres than suspected arson fires.
d. occurred more frequently than fires caused by campfires
.
3. Which of the following incidents at Hanesboro Crossing would be considered an act of nature?

a. A group of rowdy teenagers tossed a match into a tent.

b. A deer hunter lighting a cigarette accidentally tossed a match too close to a dry shrub.
c. An inexperienced camper filled a camp stove with gasoline and it exploded.
d. Lightning struck a tree in the forest.

103
C. Hurst County Towns, Number of Days without Significant Precipitation
HURST COUNTY TOWNS OF DAYS WITHOUT
SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITAT

Riderville 38 level two

Adams 25 level one
Parkston 74 level three
Kings Hill 28 level two
West Granville 50 level three
Braxton 23 level three
Chase Crossing 53 level four
Livingston Center 45 level three
N*

* Less than half an inch in a 48-hour period.

** The higher the level, the greater potential for fire.

1. The status of the town with the most number of days without significant precipitation is

a. level one.
b. level two.
c. level three.
d. level four.

2. Compared to Kings Hill, Chase Crossing

a. is more likely to experience a fire.

b. is less likely to experience a fire.
c. is just as likely to experience a fire.
d. has gone a shorter period of time without significant precipitation.

D. Distribution of Occupations, of 200 Adult Males in the Badya caste, Madaripur Village,
Bengal, 1914
DISTRIBUTION OF OCCUPATIONS
OF 200 ADULT MALES IN THE
BAIDYA CASTE, MAD
OCCUPATION NUMBER
farmers 02
government service, clerks 44
lawyers 06
newspapers and presses 05
no occupation 25
not recorded 08
students 68

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 teachers 11
trade and commerce 23
other 08

1. The largest number of men in the Baidya caste of Madaripur are involved in which field?

a. education
b. agriculture
c. government
d. publishing

2. The smallest number of men in the Baidya caste of Madaripur are involved in which field?

a. education
b. agriculture
c. government
d. publishing
––
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E. Men’s and Women’s Table Tennis, Summer Olympics
COUNTRY GOLD SILVER BRONZE TOTAL
China 3 1 2 6
Korea 1 1 1 3
Denmark 0 0 1 1

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 F. Women’s Table Tennis, Summer Olympics
COUNTRY GOLD SILVER BRONZE TOTAL
China 2 0 1 3
Korea 0 1 1 2
Hong Kong 0 0 0 0

G. Men’s Table Tennis, Summer Olympics

COUNTRY GOLD SILVER BRONZE TOTAL
China 1 1 1 3
Denmark 0 0 1 1
Hong Kong 0 1 0 1

MEN’S TABLE TENNIS, SUMMER OLYMPICS 2004

–
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1. According to the Men’s and Women’s Table Tennis chart, which country received the most
medals for both men and women in table tennis?

a. China
b. Korea
c. Denmark
d. Hong Kong

2. In the Men’s Table Tennis competition, which country only won a bronze medal?

a. China
b. Hong Kong
c. Denmark
d. Korea

3. In which competition did Korea win an equal number of gold, silver, and bronze medals?

a. the Men’s competition

b. the Women’s competition
c. no equal amounts
d. the combined Men’s and Women’s competition

4. Which of the following countries won one bronze medal and no other medals?

a. Korea
b. Denmark
c. China
d. Hong Kong
MOUNT WASHINGTON, NEW HAMPSHIRE WEATHER DATA
I. Notice

106
All drivers are responsible for refueling their vehicles at the end of each shift. All other routine
maintenance should be performed by maintenance department personnel, who are also
responsible for maintaining service records. If a driver believes a vehicle is in need of
mechanical repair, the driver should fill out the pink repair requisition form and give it to the
shift supervisor. The driver should also notify the shift supervisor verbally whether, in the
driver’s opinion, the vehicle must be repaired immediately or may be driven until the end of the
shift.

1. If a vehicle is due to have the oil changed, whose responsibility is it?

a. maintenance-department personnel
b. the drivers at the end of their shifts
c. shift supervisors
d. outside service mechanics

2. The passage implies that the vehicles

a. are refueled when they have less than half a tank of gas.
b. have the oil changed every 1,000 miles.
c. are refueled at the end of every shift.
d. are in frequent need of repair.

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II. Memo to Supervisory Personnel
Members of your investigative team may have skills and abilities of which you are not aware. As
investigator in charge of a case, you should seek out and take advantage of potential talent in all
the members of your team. Whenever a new case is given to your team, it is usually a good idea
to have all the members devise ideas and suggestions about all aspects of the case, rather than
insisting that each member stick rigidly to his or her narrow area of expertise. This way, you are
likely to discover special investigative skills you never suspected your team members had. It’s
worthwhile to take extra time to explore all your team’s talents.

1. The paragraph best supports the statement that a single member of an investigative team

a. may have abilities that the leader of the team doesn’t know.
b. usually stands out as having more ideas than other members do.
c. should be assigned the task of discovering the whole team’s talents.
d. can have more skills and abilities than all the rest.
73

III. What to do when you have a sprained ankle

II. 75
One of the most common injuries teenagers and adults experience is a sprained ankle. A sprain
occurs when the ligaments of a joint are twisted and possibly torn. Ligaments are bands of
stringy

107
fibers that hold the bones of a joint in position. A sprain can occur from a sudden wrenching at
the
joint, or a stretching or tearing of the fibers of the ligaments. The injured area usually swells and
becomes black and blue. Stepping off the sidewalk at the wrong angle or having one foot land in
a
hole while jogging can leave you rolling on the ground in agony with an ankle on fire! If you
cannot walk without experiencing intense pain, you must seek medical help. If the pain is
manageable, and you can walk, here are three words to help you remember how to treat yourself:

■Elevate
■Cool
■Bandage

As soon as there is injury to that ligament, there will be a certain amount of bleeding under the
skin. Once the blood pools around the damaged blood vessels, inflammation and swelling occur.
The pressure from the swelling results in additional stress and tenderness to the region. In order
to minimize the degree of swelling, lie down as soon as possible and keep the ankle elevated so
that it is actually higher than your heart. Next, to shrink the blood vessels and keep bleeding
(hence bruising) to a minimum, apply a cold pack. After 20 minutes, take the pack off, wait half
an hour, and then reapply. This can be done several times a day for a total of three days.
Never leave a cold pack on for more than 20 minutes at a time. Reducing the temperature in that
area for an extended period of time signals the body to increase blood flow to raise the body
temperature! Therefore, one inadvertently triggers more blood distribution to the affected area by
leaving a cold pack on for too long! Finally, bandage the ankle. Be careful not to wind it too
tightly; doing so can restrict blood flow and cause harm to the entire foot.

1. The main idea of the passage is to

a. describe sprains to the ligaments.

b. explain how to bandage injuries.
c. explain how to treat your own sprained ankle.
d. explain how the temperature of a wound is important.

2. According to the passage, a sprain is caused by

a. enlarged blood vessels in the foot.

b. fluctuating temperature signaling the elevation
of body temperature.
c. torn tissue in the ball of the foot.
d. torn or twisted ligament fibers that hold the joint in position.
–
76
3. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a warning?

a. If there is intense pain, seek medical attention.

b. Do not wind the bandage too tightly.

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c. Do not put your ankle near the fire.
d. Do not keep the cold pack on for more than 20 minutes at a time.

4. According to the directions, once the initial cold pack is removed, what is to be done?

a. Begin wrapping the bandage.

b. Begin wrapping by encircling the ball of the foot twice.
c. Wait 20 minutes and then reapply the ice pack for 30 minutes.
d. Wait 30 minutes and then reapply the ice pack for 20 minutes.

5. It can be inferred that the black-and-blue symptom of the sprain is due to

a. torn fibers of ligaments.

b. too tight of a bandage.
c. bleeding under the skin.
d. dirt ground into the wound from the fall.
–

_____________________

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