Comprehension Skills

How to make a diamond?

Which is a diamond? A B

SELECTION
C

How did it become so beautiful?

CUT & POLISH

Comprehension Skills
Think of your comprehension questions as making a diamond.
1.You need to SELECT the correct materials 2.You need to CUT & POLISH (REPHRASE) it. Requires good reasoning & skills

STEP 1: SELECTION
When you read a comprehension passage, how do you know where to select your materials?
1. Questions follow sequence of text 2. Sometimes stated in the question
E.g. From paragraph 1, state the 3 reasons people used the methods of advertising in the past.

3. Using clues from the question

E.g. State the 3 reasons people used the methods of advertising in the past. (line 3)

STEP 2: CUT & POLISH

After you have selected the correct points from the text, you have to rephrase/ rewrite the text in your own words. Why? To demonstrate YOUR understanding of the text Note: Sometimes, you dont have to rephrase the text when the question asked for specific names of things, people, or place.

Example
Q1: State the 3 reasons people used the methods of advertising in the past. Step 1: Select [Line 1 - 3] For as long as people have wanted to persuade others to buy their goods, give them their vote or lay down their lives, they have used the methods of advertising. Step 2: Rewrite in your own words (REPLACE) Persuade others to buy their goods = convince people to purchase things (REPHRASE) Give them their vote = to vote for them (REINTERPRET) Lay down their lives = to fight for them Step 3: Put it together Answer: People used advertising to convince people to purchase things, to vote for them, and to fight for them.

Group work
Get into your groups. Two Tasks:
1. Discuss Q1-Q6 and SELECT the sentences from the passage where you can find the answers. Highlight these sentences & label them 1-6. 2. Compare your comprehension answers (homework). Use REPLACE, REPHRASE, REINTERPRET and work out the best answers as a group. Submit on foolscap paper

Group work Q3: Why are advertisements often entertaining?

Group 1: Advertisements often entertaining because it attracts more to our feelings than to our minds. Group 2: Advertisements are often entertaining as it is in the form of a jazzy melody, a photograph, and a clever joke. Group 3: It is to attract attention Group 4: Advertisement are entertaining because the advertiser play a jazzy melody or a interesting photograph or even make a clever joke. Group 5: ? Group 6: They are often entertaining because they may be in the form of a jazz music, photography or crazy jokes. Group 7: Advertisement are often entertaining because they arouse more to our feeling than to the way we think and convince method which, though they are not lying are certainly one-sided in favour of its item. Group 8: Advertisements are entertaining because the advertiser uses a jazzy tune, a joke or a picture which makes people laugh as advertisements appeal more to our feelings than our logic.

Group work
Q3: Why are advertisements often entertaining?

Step 1: Select: Advertising appeals more to our emotions than to our minds and therefore uses persuasive techniques which, though not deceptive, are certainly biased in favour of its products. (line 10-12) OR They entertain. That entertainment may be in the form of a jazzy melody or a photograph or a clever joke, but it always draws attention to itself because advertisements have to compete against every other competitor for consumers attention. (line19-21) Step 2: Rewrite:

Reading for meaning

Q9: Why are advertisement short? Step 1: Select: They are fast and short. They deliver their message in minimum time and space. (line 14-15) Try to make logical deductions. Why minimum time and space? Think again SAVE MONEY! Answer: Advertisements are short because it is expensive to buy long air time.

Group work
Get into your groups. Task:
1. Discuss Q7-Q13 and work out the best answers as a group. Submit on foolscap paper

Summary Skills

Still remember The diamond analogy?

Which is a diamond? A B

SELECTION
C

How did it become so beautiful?

CUT & POLISH

Annotation
Each paragraph structure
1. 2. 3. 4. Topic statement Elaboration Evidences, examples Paragraph concluder

Underline the topic statement

Summary question
Using materials from Line 24 to 69, explain the advertising devices promoters use to attract and convince consumers. Your summary should not be more than 100 words.

The Testimonial
1. This is one of the oldest devices, popular since the days of snake-oil salesmen who used to travel through country towns with a wagonload of medicines and pharmaceuticals. 2. The product is endorsed by someone else- by a professional or expert in the area of knowledge; or by a personality, a well-known identity; or by the average consumer who has regular used the product and can vouch for it. 3. The dubious nature of such testimonials is obvious nowadays when the unknowns are paid actors and the personalities demand huge sums for their sponsorship. 4. However, testimonials are still popular, even though they may be the only brief references within whole advertisements. 5. For example: Recommended by most dentists or Voted Best Car 1992- Auto Magazine or University tests prove

The Testimonial
From passage: The product is endorsed by someone elseby a professional or expert in the area of knowledge; or by a personality, a wellknown identity; or by the average consumer who has regular used the product and can vouch for it. Rewrite: Promoters used testimonials to advertise their products. The brand is endorsed by a professional or expert; a famous or well-liked celebrity, or a typical user of the product who can vouch for it.

Use of connectives
Furthermore, In addition, Besides, First, second, And

Group work
Get into your groups. Task: Discuss as a group how to draft a summary using the graphic organiser given. Using materials from Line 24 to 69, explain the advertising devices promoters use to attract and convince consumers. Your summary should not be more than 100 words.

Check: The Testimonial

The product is endorsed by someone else- by a professional or expert in the area of knowledge; or by a personality, a well-known identity; or by the average consumer who has regular used the product and can vouch for it.

Check: Subconscious appeals

Advertisements usually appeal to our third (social) and fourth level (status) needs- our desires to be loved, to be popular or attractive.

Check: The hook

A hook is the bait which gets the reader to read or watch more of the advertisement. The hook in print advertisement is often a surprising statement which grabs the readers attention.

Check: Symbols
Symbols are particularly popular in print advertisements, which have to suggest many things in one shot.