WAJ 3103 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY 11
TOPIC 1
PARTS OF SPEECH / WORD CLASS
SYNOPSIS
This topic aims to enhance learner’s knowledge of the formal features of
the English language system. It provides an explanation to a selection of
language structures identified in the English Language Proficiency 11
syllabus for non- TESL learners.
The exercises that follow the explanation should provided some
immediate practice applying the language rules learnt. Leraners are
required to practice much more from publications readily available, should
they wish to improve thier personal proficiency in the English language.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the topic, you will be able to;
1. understand the different types of language structures of word clasess
namely, conjuctions, prepositions and interjections.
2. apply the language structures appropriately through relevant exercises
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WAJ 3103 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY 11
TOPIC 1
PARTS OF SPEECH / WORD CLASS
1.0 Parts of Speech
Words are divided into nine different classes, traditionally named as Parts
of Speech or word classes. These word classes are categorised
according to their use in a sentence. The main parts of speech in English
include nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, prepositions,
conjunctions and interjections.
1.1 Conjunctions
Conjunctions are used to join words, phrases, clauses or sentences to
express a partticular idea or ideas. Study the following examples.
Anne and Kamilla are coming to the
party.
The conjunction and joins the
words ”Anne” and” Kamilla”.
You can write the answer in ink or in
pencil
The conjunction or joins the
phrases ”in ink” or ”in pencil”
Although she is a famous and
successful writer, she leads a simple
and frugal life.
The conjunction although joins ”she
is, a famous and successful writer”
and ”she leads a simple and frugal
life”
Both the girls and their fathers are
scientists.
The conjunction both...and joins the
sentences ”the girls are scientists”
and ”their fathers are scientists”
We can further discuss conjunctions in terms of their meanings or functions.
A conjunction usually performs one function, but some conjunctions perform
two different functions.
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WAJ 3103 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY 11
Function – shows
Conjunctions
Examples
as
As he was walking down
the dark lane, he heard a
strange noise behind
him.
time
I did not want to go to the
movies as I did not have
enough money
cause and effect
I have not met my brother
since the day I was born.
time
Since I studied hard for
the examination, I passed
them with flying colours.
cause and effect
”Coffee or tea, sir” asked
the waiter.
choice
You had better finish the
assingment fast, or you
will not be able to submit
it on time.
condition
since
or
while
While I was walking
home, it started to rian
heavily.
In the movie Beauty and
the Beast, the heroine is
ravishingly beautiful,
while the hero is just the
opposite.
time
contrast
Conjunctions are analysed from three aspects, which are form, function and
position.
Forms
Conjunctions have three basic forms;

Single word
Example: so, for, while, since
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WAJ 3103 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY 11

Compound
Example: provided that, as well as, so that

Correlative
Correlative conjunctions always appear in parts. The most common
correlative conjunctions
are; ”both...and”, ”either...or”, ”neither...nor” ”not only...but
also”,”so...as” and ”whether...or”.
Example: Both my husband and my father were born in November.
Functions
Conjunctions have two basic functions
a) Coordinating conjunctions are used to join two parts of a sentence that
are grammatically equal. The two parts may be single or clauses, for
example:
1. Amariah and Azham are getting married next month (noun and noun)
2. They ran and laughed together. (verb and verb)
3. The water was warm, but I didn’t go swimming. (clause and clause)
b) Subordinating conjunctions are used to join a subordinate dependent
clause to a main clause, for example;
1. I went swimming although it was cold.
Positions
Conjuctions can be placed at the beginning or between words or clauses.
Example;
1. Since he is not there, we should not enter.
2. When I am sick, my father takes me to that clinic.
3. My mother cooked through the night though she was not well.
4. They would not take any action unless the firm does not meet thje
requirement.
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WAJ 3103 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY 11
Exercise 1
Fill in the blanks with the appropriate conjunctions.
1. Although tried hard, he failed to get through the security.
2. Wait here untill I tell you to move.
3. Take your umbrella because it is going to rain.
4. Sazali is slow but smart.
5. As he was ill, he had to stay at home.
6. I shall not ride in his carriage unless invited.
7. Be kind and you will be rewarded.
8. Both Azlan and his wife are attending the ceremony.
9. As soon as he is ready, bring down the cake.
10. He is neither here nor there.
Exercise 2
Fill in the blanks with because, since, so and as long as.
1. The house was in need of major repairs so we decided not to buy it.
2. As long as you are UITM students, you must always abide by its rules and
regulations.
3. We decided not to go out shopping because we were tired.
4. You can play with your friends as long as you have finished your homework.
5. Since the weather was bad, we had to cancel the camping trip.
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WAJ 3103 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY 11
Exercise 3
Join the sentences using before, after or while.
1. The children were sleeping on the second floor. The fire started in the
basement.
The children were sleeping on the second floor while the fire started in the
basement.
2. It rained heavily. We arrived at the camping site.
It rained heavily before we arrived at the camping site.
3. The nomads set up the tent. They tied up the camels.
The nomads set up the tent after they tied up the camels.
4. The police rushed over the house. They received the emergency call.
The police rushed over the house after they received the emergency call.
5. I withdrew some money from the bank. I went shopping.
I withdrew some money from the bank before I went shopping.
1.2 Prepositions
Prepositions are used to show the relationship or connection of a word with
other words. They are used with nouns, pronouns, adjectives and verbs to
introduce phrases which give more information about a thing, quality or action.
They are used to indicate time, direction and other functions.
Eg: We will go to Sabah on Monday. We will go by plane.
Prepositions are usually single words, but there are some prepositions which
have more than one word.
Eg: We walked in between the parked cars.
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WAJ 3103 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY 11
Types of prepositions
Roles
Prepositions
Place
in , at, around, beyond
Accompaniment
along, with
Manner
in, with, like
Instrument
with, by
Time
before, after, at
Direction/movement
out of, toward, from, across
Agent
by
Stimulus
of, to, by
Purpose
to, for
Cause,reason
by, from, due to
Source
from
There are three types of prepositions, which are prepositions of place,
prepositions of time and preposition of movement.
Preposition of Place
In general, there are some confusion regarding the use of prepositions “at”, “in”
and “on”



“at “ is used when referring to a point.
“in” is used when referring to an enclosed space.
“on” is used when referring to a surface.
at (point)
in (enclosed space)
on (surface)
at the park
at N0. 3
at the house
in Bangsar
In Kuala Lumpur
in the bedroom
on the swing
on Jalan Bangsar
on the door
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at the junction
Examples:
in the bookstore
on the wall
1. Mariana is waiting for you at the park in Bangsar. She will be on the swing.
2. My house is at No. 3 on Jalan Bangsar in Kuala Lumpur.
3. The boys are reading some books at the English corner in the bookstore on
the 3rd floor.
Exercise 1
Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions
1. The picture is hanging on the door in the bedroom at the house.
2. You can’t find the plate? Maybe it is at the entrance of the kitchen or in the
kitchen or hanging on the wall.
3. A: I see you at the junction.
B: No, I am in the building on the ground floor.
4. Please go and get the leaflet at the front desk in the main office. It is on the
chair.
5. Gwen is studying Accountancy in England.
Prepositions of Time
The following examples illustrate the use of prepositions in time expressions: at,
in, on



at for a PRECISE TIME
in for MONTHS, YEARS, CENTURIES and LONG PERIODS
on for DAYS and DATES
At / PRECISE TIME
IN/ MONTHS, YEARS etc
ON/ DAYS, DATES
at 4 o’clock
at lunchtime
at sunset
at the moment
in December
in spring
in 1963
in the past / future
on Sunday
On 4 December
On my birthday
on New Year’s Day
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WAJ 3103 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY 11
Examples;
1. I am going shopping at 11.00am with a friend.
2. My anniversary falls on 15 December.
3. I forsee a lot of movement in the next month.
Exercise 2
The following sentences have the prepositions at, in or on omitted. Rewrite each
sentence, inserting the preposition at, in or on in the correct position.
1. We can look for car accessories the new hypermarket Ampang Jaya.
We can look for car accessories at the new hypermarket in Ampang Jaya.
2. People Malaysia live peace and harmony.
People in Malaysia live in peace and harmony.
3. Sandra works as a sales assistant an antique shop Jonker Street.
Sandra works as a sales assistant in an antique shop on Jonker Street.
4. The little child was trapped the bottom of the wall.
The little child was trapped at the bottom of the wall.
5. The parcel that you have been waiting for is your study table.
The parcel that you have been waiting for is on your study table.
6. Mosquitoes breed clear stagnant water.
Mosquitoes breed in clear stagnant water.
7. Do look the different models available the market before you decide which
bicycle to buy.
Do look at the different models available in the market before you decide
Which bicycle to buy.
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WAJ 3103 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY 11
Preposition of Movement
“to” is used to express movement
Examples:
1. They were going to school together.
2. She has gone to the registrar office.
Toward/towards are also used to express movement.
Examples:
1. We are moving toward the future.
2. This is a big step towards the marriage
No preposition is needed for these words:
Home, downtown, uptown, inside, outside, downstairs, upstairs
Eg: My father went upstairs to look for my mother but unfortunately she has gone
home.
1.3 Interjections
Interjections are short exclamations which show excitement and emotion. They
do not carry grammatical value and are normally used in speaking rather than
writing; extremely common in English to express strong emotion and in many
situations where speakers are lost for words.
An interjection is followed by an exclamation mark ( ! )
Interjections are usually one or two words that come at the beginning of a
sentence.
Some examples of interjections and their functions
Interjections
Functions
Examples
Ah
to express pleasure
“Ah, that sounds better.”
to express realization
“Ah, now I see the future. “
to express regret
“Ah, well, this cannot be
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avoided.”
to express surprise
“Ah! We have arrived!”
Alas
to express relief, grief
or pity
“Alas, it is over now.”
Dear
to express pity
“Oh dear! Is she badly
hurt?”
to express surprise
“Dear me! I never thought
she would be here!”
to reconfirm
A: “The concert starts now.”
B: “Eh?”
A: “I said the concert starts
now.”
to enquire
“What is your opinion on
that, eh?”
to express suprise
“Eh! Is that so?”
to express invitation
“Let’s move, eh?”
Er
to hesitate
“She is the wife
of...er...Major Lee.”
Hey
to call for attention
“Hey! Stop doing that.”
to express joy
“Hey! That’s a brilliant thing
to do!”
Oh
to plead
“Oh, please be there for
me!”
Ouch
to express pain
“Ouch! That hurts!”
Well
to reject
“Well I wouldn’t want that!”
to introduce a point
“Well, your next point is?”
Eh
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WAJ 3103 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY 11
Exercise
Choose a suitable text and identify the use of conjunctions, prepositions and
interjections found in the text. Suggested materials; newspaper clippings, short
texts, excerpts from different text types, comic strips or drama scripts.
You are to present the task to your respective lecturer during your tutorial
session.
Further practice
Write a short passage inserting some form of conjunctions, prepositions and
interjections.
Task to be submitted to your lecturer during tutorial session.
Summary
In this topic some basic parts of speech in English especially conjunctions,
prepositions and interjections were presented. It gives you some practice in
identifying the different parts of speech and how they are used in the sentences.
This will help you to be more accurate in using the right parts of speech in your
daily conversations with your pupils and friends.
References;
1. Norhazian Mat Sapian and Yong Lee Choo (2011) Language Description 1.
Oxford Fajar Sdn Bhd. Shah Alam, Selangor.
2. Azar, B and Azar, D (2004). Fundamentals of English Grammar Second
Edition. Prentice Hall Inc. Malaysia.
3. Wren and Martin (2006). High School English: Grammar & Composition, Kuala
Lumpur:S. Chand & Company Ltd.
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WAJ 3103 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY 11
Suggested Answers
TOPIC 1: Parts of Speech
Exercise 1 – Conjunctions
1. Although
2. Until
3. because
4. but
5. As
6. unless
7. and
8. Both...and
9. As...as
10. Niether...nor
Exercise 2
1. so
2. as long as
3. because
4. as long as
5. since
Exercise 3
1. The children were sleeping on the second floor while the fire started in the
basement.
2. It rained heavily before we arrived at the camping site.
3. The nomads set up the tent after they tied up the camels.
4. The police rushed over the house after they received the emergency call.
5. I withdrew some money from the bank before I went shopping.
Exercise 1 – prepositions
1. on, in, at
2. at, in, on
3. at, in on
4. at in, on
5. in
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WAJ 3103 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY 11
Exercise 2
1. We can look for car accesories at the new hypermarket in Ampang Jaya.
2. People in Malaysia live in peace and harmony.
3. Sandra works as a sales assistant in an antique shop on Jonker Street.
4. The little child was trapped at the bottom of the well.
5. The parcel that you have been waiting for is on your study table.
6. Mosquitoes breed in clear stgnant water.
7. Do look at the different models available in the market before you decide
which bicycle to buy.
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WAJ 3103 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY 11
TOPIC 2
LISTENING AND SPEAKING SKILLS
Synopsis
This unit enables you to acquire the skills in listening and speaking.
Listening is a skill, which can be developed by knowing what it is and
acquiring some effective strategies and techniques of successful listening.
Speaking involves a number of routines conducted simultaneously by the
speaker and the listener.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this unit, you should be able to:
1. identify and use the skills in listening and use them appropriately.
2. listen for a variety of purposes and in different contexts.
3. respond to a variety of stimuli
4. express opinions and give personal responses
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Introduction
LISTENING
Listening is a very important skill that everyone should master because we spend
nearly 60% of our working hours listening to a variety of things being said to us
and around us. Listening is the ability to identify and understand what others are
saying. This involves understanding a speaker’s accent, his grammar and
vocabulary, and grasping his meaning. An able listener is capable of doing these
four things simultaneously. A series of micro-skills are involved while one is
listening. They include the following:

Predicting what people are going to talk about

Guessing unknown words or phrases

Using one’s background knowledge of the subject

Identifying relevant points

Retaining relevant points (note-making, summarizing)

Rejecting irrelevant points

Recognising discourse markers (e.g. well, oh, besides, another
thing, now, etc)

Recognising cohesive devices (e.g. such as, which, however, etc)

Understanding different intonation patterns and uses of stress

Understanding inferred information
Listening is an active process and has three basic steps. They are hearing,
understanding and judging.
Hearing means listening enough to catch what the speaker is saying. For
instance, if you were listening to a verbal documentary on cats and the speaker
mentioned that many animals belong to the cat family. If you can repeat the fact,
then you have heard what has been said. Understanding happens when you
take what you have heard and understand it in your own way. Let’s go back to
the documentary on cats. When you hear that many animals belong to the cat
family, think about what that might mean. You may think, “Maybe this means
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WAJ 3103 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY 11
that animals having certain features and characteristics of a typical cat that we
know, belong to the cat family”. Judging occurs when you understand what the
speaker has said and think about whether it makes sense. Do you believe what
you have heard? You might think. “How could animals which we call by different
names be all in the cat family? But, then again, when we bring in our knowledge
of the world about human beings for example, we fall under one category called
“human beings” and yet categorise ourselves as being “Malay”, “Chinese’,
“Indian”, and others, according to our race. Thus, the information in the
documentary we have just listened to seems believable.
STRATEGIES FOR LISTENING
Listening is a demanding process. In order to function efficiently in the English
language, you must develop good listening strategies which will help you to listen,
process and respond to information in both academic and social contexts.
Some good listening strategies that can help you to listen better include the
following:

Concentrate and focus on the listening text/speech’

Listen with a purpose. Decide what information you should listen for and
what you can ignore.

If you are going to hear it only once, try to grasp the gist of the text/speech.
Do not worry about understanding all the words you hear or even trying to
memorise every detail.

If you are going to hear it more than once, try to grasp the general
meaning of the text/speech the first time you listen to it. When you listen
to the text the second time, concentrate on identifying specific details or
key words.

Guess the meaning of unfamiliar words by paying attention to the context
in which they occur.

Learn to process information quickly or in ‘real time’ because in real life
situation, you often hear something said only once.
HOW TO BE A GOOD LISTENER
1. Give your full attention to the person who is speaking or to the text or
speech you are listening to.
2. Make sure your mind is focused.
3. Let the speaker finish before you begin to talk.
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4. Listen for main ideas. They are the most important points the speaker
wants to get across. They may be mentioned at the start or at the end of
the talk, and repeated a number of times.
5. Jot down some important points given by the speaker. (If you are listening
to identify important points or to summarise the speech later)
6. Pay particular attention on the use of discourse markers and cohesive
devices by the speaker.
CRITICAL LISTENING
Critical listening is a form of listening that involves analysis, critical thinking and
judgment. Making judgments during listening is often considered as a barrier to
understand a person, and there's a lot of truth in that. However, critical listening
occurs when you still want to understand what the other person is saying, but
also have some reason or responsibility to evaluate what is being said to you and
how it is being said. For example, if there's an upcoming election and you need
to decide who to vote for, you probably use some form of critical listening when
you watch a televised debate. You listen, AND you evaluate. While experts on
learning and communication almost universally demean the importance and
value of critical listening, when it comes to real life, listening critically is used
every day. The key though, is to try to understand the other person FIRST,
before one evaluates
Listening Text Types
Below are some of the listening texts that we often need to listen to critically:
Forum –
A forum can be defined as a public meeting or a programme (as on radio or
television) involving discussion of a problem usually by several authorities and
usually among experts. It is an open discussion involving audience participation.
Example : Money Matters
Speech –
A speech is a talk or public address. The best impromptu speeches are the ones
written well in advance. Giving a speech is also an act of expressing or
describing thoughts, feelings or perceptions by the articulation of words.
Example : Formal speeches given by ministers, corporate leaders, educationists
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WAJ 3103 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY 11
Documentary –
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction. This includes documentary film,
television, radio documentary and documentary photography.
Example : Animal Planet, National Geographic
News –
News is any information or information on current events which is presented by
print, broadcast, internet, or word of mouth to a third party or mass audience.
News is also the reporting of current information on television and radio, and in
the newspapers and magazines.
Examples : Business News, BBC News, CNN, Channel News Asia
Multimedia Resources –
Multimedia is any combination of text, graphic art, sound, animation and video
delivered to you by computer to other electronic means. Multimedia is not new. It
has been used in the classroom for the last decade in the form of overhead
projectors, slide shows, filmstrips and coloured chalk.
Exercises
1. TELEVISION DOCUMENTARY
Watch and listen to a television documentary.
Identify the issue/s being discussed and give your personal response.
4. NEWS REPORT
Listen to the English news either on television or radio.
List three issues that made the headlines today.
News 1:
__________________________________________________
News 2: __________________________________________________
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WAJ 3103 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY 11
News 3: ___________________________________________________
Provide reasons why they made the headlines.
News 1: ____________________________________________________
News 2 _____________________________________________________
News 3 _____________________________________________________
5. MULTIMEDIA RESOURCES
Listen to an English song.
Identify and analyse an issue reflected in the song that you have chosen.
Additional Task
Listen to a forum either on the radio or television and identify its features as
follows :
-
chairperson
speakers (and their professions)
topic/issues discussed
opinion of each speaker
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What is spoken language?
“...the ability to speak a language is synonymous with knowing that language
since speech is the most basic means of human communication. Nevertheless,
speaking in a second or foreign language has often been viewed as the mosy
demanding of the four skill”
(Bailey and Savage, 1994)
Oral Communication is a vital component of the English language arts
curriculumn and provides base for growth in reading, writing and listening abilities.
Oracy consists of both verbal and non-verbal communication is culture specific
and be aware of the differences that may exist across cultures when students
express themselves non-verbally.
Oral comunication is a two way process between speaker and listener and
involves productive skill of speaking and receptive skill of understanding (or
listening with understanding)
Receptive does not imply passive – both in listening and reading, language users
are actively involved in the process of interpreting and negotiating meanings.
Verbal Communication involves articulatory organs that produce sounds which
compose of words and sentence structure. By incorporating grammatical forms
and vocabulary, speakers are able to express the desired meaning.
Non-Verbal Communication includes a variety of gestures, expressions anmd
signalling devices (stress and intonation). Through face to face interaction, a
speaker can use a whole range of facial expressions and general body language
to help convey the message.
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WAJ 3103 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY 11
Exercise 1
Your class is organizing a project for the following semester holidays. The
following are some of the suggestions made by the members of the class for the
project:
1. Organise an educational trip to an Orang Asli settlement in Cameron
Highlands.
2. Participate in a foster family programme with a group of FELDA settlers in
Jengka.
3. Go on a study trip to Borobudur in Indonesia
4. Conduct free tuition classes for the underprivileged school children near
your campus.
Think of various ways of agreeing and disagreeing with each of the suggestions
above. List them. Support your opinion appropriately.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
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Fill in the dialogue with appropriate phrases.
Situation 1 : The waiter doesn’t have what the customer wants.
You
: Could I have fried noodles, please?
Waiter : _________________________________________
You
:
Well, could I have a mushroom omelette?
Waiter : ____________________________________________
You
: Oh, it doesn’t matter then. I’ll just have a cup of coffee,
please.
Situation 2 : Rahim arrives home.
Hasnah : Did you remember to buy me some _________________?
Rahim :
Oh ________________ I completely forgot.
Hasnah : Well, I hope you remembered to post my letters.
Rahim :
What letters?
Hasnah :
The ones I gave you this morning.
Rahim :
Oh ______________They are still at the office.
Situation 3 : Kikin has just won an essay competition.
Kikin : Papa, I’ve won the essay competition!
Papa : ____________________ You made it!
Kikin : ____________ Papa, for your support and guidance.
Papa : Oh well, I know you are good like your papa.
Kikin : Oh yes, like they say, like father like daughter.
Papa :
Kikin, I am really ________________________.
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Summary
In this topic we have looked at listening and speaking skills, and you have been
given appropriate exercises and tasks to further enhance your understanding of
the two skills.
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TOPIC 3
READING SKILLS
Synopsis
This unit aims to enhance learner’s knowledge of reading skills with
special emphasis on the Barett’s taxonomy. The exercises that follow the
explanation should provide some immediate practice in ehnancing your
comprehension skills.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this unit, you should be able to:
1. understand Barrett’s taxonomy of reading comprehension
1. read for meaning and understanding of a variety of texts and give
personal response.
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CRITICAL READING SKILLS
Critical reading means reading with the goal of finding deep
understanding of a material, whether it is fiction or nonfiction. It is the act of
analyzing and evaluating what you are reading as you progress, or as you reflect
back. Critical reading skills involve your ability to analyze, evaluate, and
synthesize what you read. It is the ability to see relationships of ideas and use
them as an aid in reading.
Barrett Taxonomy is a good guide to the levels at which we are trying to measure
comprehension for a written text. The taxonomy was introduced at a conference
in 1968. It is designed originally to assist classroom teachers in developing
comprehension questions and / or test questions for reading. It is especially
useful for classroom questioning in other content areas as well.
We will now read and look closely at Barrett Taxonomy.
Barrett Taxonomy of Reading Comprehension
1.0 Literal Comprehension
1.1 Recognition
1.1.1 Recognition of Details
1.1.2 Recognition of Main Ideas
1.1.3 Recognition of a Sequence
1.1.4 Recognition of Comparison
1.1.5 Recognition of Cause and Effect Relationships
1.1.6 Recognition of Character Traits
1.2 Recall
1.2.1 Recall of Details
1.2.2 Recall of Main Ideas
1.2.3 Recall of a Sequence
1.2.4 Recall of Comparison
1.2.5 Recall of Cause and Effect Relationships
1.2.6 Recall of Character Traits
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2.0 Reorganization
2.1 Classifying
2.2 Outlining
2.3 Summarizing
2.4 Synthesizing
3.0 Inferential Comprehension
3.1 Inferring Supporting Details
3.2 Inferring Main Ideas
3.3 Inferring Sequence
3.4 Inferring Comparisons
3.5 Inferring Cause and Effect Relationships
3.6 Inferring Character Traits
3.7 Predicting Outcomes
3.8 Interpreting Figurative Language
4.0 Evaluation
4.1 Judgments of Reality or Fantasy
4.2 Judgments of Fact or Opinion
4.3 Judgments of Adequacy and Validity
4.4 Judgments of Appropriateness
4.5 Judgments of Worth, Desirability and Acceptability
5.0 Appreciation
5.1 Emotional Response to the Content
5.2 Identification with Characters or Incidents
5.3 Reactions to the Author’s Use of Language
5.4 Imagery
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(a) READ FOR MEANING AND UNDERSTANDING A VARIETY
OF TEXTS
Reading for meaning focuses on five main areas namely





Main idea
The main idea is the summary of essential points of the paragraph. The
main idea of a paragraph can often be substituted with a topic sentence with
controlling ideas.
Inference
Inferencing is a reading skill in which you use observations, prior knowledge
and experiences, and details from the text to make connections and come up
with ideas.
Sequence
Sequencing in reading is to be considered when there is an order of
incidents and actions in the selection. A sequence will be constituted only
when order of occurrence is specifically required.
Compare and contrast
Comparing and contrasting is a reading skill where you can find the
similarities and differences between items, characters, times and places that
is stated in the selection.
Cause and effect
The skill of looking at happenings or actions in the selection where you can
identify the causes of a problem or issue and the effects in an orderly way.
Now let us look at what text is and its variety.
Text is any piece of writing. This could be a letter, an email, a novel, a poem,
a
recipe, a note, instructions for D.I.Y, an article in a newspaper or magazine,
writing on a webpage or an advert. All of these examples can be called texts.
When you are reading or writing any text, think about the purpose of the text or
why it has been written.
What might the purpose of a text be?
An advert might be trying to persuade you to buy something.
A letter from school might be to inform you about something.
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A novel might describe somewhere or someone to you.
A car manual might instruct you how to do something to your car.
Depending on the purpose of the text, different methods will be used to get the
message across to the reader.
Exercise
Read each of the following paragraphs carefully. Look up any unfamiliar
words if necessary. Then choose the title that best describes the main idea
of each.
1.
Universities are a microcosm of society. But they are more than a reflection or
mirror; they are a leading indicator. In universities, an environment where
students live, eat, and study together, racial and cultural differences come
together in the closest possible way. Of all American institutions, perhaps only
the military brings people of such different backgrounds into more intimate
contact. With coeducation now a reality in colleges, and with the confident
emergence of homosexual groups, the American campus is now sexually
democratized as well. University leaders see it as a useful laboratory
experiment in training young people for a multicultural habitat. Michael Sovern,
president of Columbia, observes, "I like to think that we are leading society by
grappling earnestly and creatively with the challenges posed by diversity."
--Dinesh D'Souza, Illiberal Education
1. The best title for this paragraph is
A. "The University Environment"
B. "Sexual Democratization on American College Campuses"
C. "The University vs.the Military"
D. "The University as a Microcosm of Society"
2.
Marriage was not designed as a mechanism for providing friendship, erotic
experience, romantic love, personal fulfillment, continuous psychotherapy, or
recreation. The Western European family was not designed to carry a lifelong
load of highly emotional romantic freight. Given its present structure, it simply
has to fail when asked to do so. The very idea of an irrevocable contract
obligating the parties concerned to a lifetime of romantic effort is utterly
absurd.
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--Mervyn Cadwallader, "Marriage as a Wretched Institution," Atlantic Monthly
3. The best title for this paragraph is
A. "Unrealistic Expectations in Western Marriages"
B. "The Failure of Romance"
C. "Why Marriages Are Doomed to Failure"
D. "Marriage and Romance"
3.
The baby mastering the skills that lead to establishment of the upright
posture behaves in the same way as the novice skier. He feels compelled to
repeat the activity hundreds of times until he has mastered the skill and
mastered his anxiety. He often reveals that he is having difficulty in
"unwinding" when we put him to bed for his nap or for the night, and if you
peek into his room while he is settling down for sleep (or unsettling down for
sleep), you may see him, groggy and cross-eyed with fatigue, still climbing
and pulling himself upright, collapsing momentarily with weariness, then
exerting himself for another climb. He repeats this over and over until finally
he cannot lift himself even once more and succumbs to sleep. One set of
parents discovered their eight-month-old daughter climbing in her sleep on
several occasions during this mastery period. At eleven or twelve at night they
could hear soft sounds in the baby's room and upon entering would find the
baby standing in her crib, dazed and dimly conscious, too sleepy to protest
when she was put down in her bed again. When the art of standing was
perfected, the baby gave up practicing in her sleep.
--Selma H. Fraiberg, The Magic Years
The best title for this paragraph is
A. "Babies' Nighttime Activities"
B. "How a Baby Masters the Skill of Standing"
C. "The Sleep Habits of Babies"
D. "Practice Makes Perfect"
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(b)
USE CONTEXTUAL, SYNTACTIC AND SEMANTIC CLUES TO DERIVE
MEANING
When reading a passage for the first time, you have to make an effort to cope
with unfamiliar or difficult words that you come across. You should first try to
guess the meaning of the words rather than look them up in a dictionary. One
way to find out the meaning of unfamiliar words is through the use of context.
‘The context’ in reading refers to the overall meaning of the text. The context
also refers to the surrounding words in a sentence that gives us clues about the
words we read.
The syntactic clues give us the word order clues where the information implicit in
the grammatical structures of the language is utilized.
The semantic clues give us the meaning clues where the reader recalls his
own experiences and utilizes his own conceptual background in order to bring
meaning to his/her reading.
Example 1:
Read the two sentences.
(a) The hungry spider __________ the juicy fly.
[ With knowledge of spiders and flies, (that is context) the reader would be
likely to predict that the missing word is ‘ate’.]
(b) The loving mother __________ the hungry baby.
[ With knowledge, of mothers and babies (that is context) the reader would be
likely to predict that the missing word is ‘fed’.]
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Exercise
Write the meaning for each of the nonsense words by reading the contexts.
1.
Bultums
 Bultums are useful to wear when the weather is cold.
 Some bultums are waterproof.
 There are different types of bultums for different occasions.
 Some houses have a special cupboard near the front door where visitors
can hang their bultums
Bultum means: _______________________________
2.
Kester
 Mother gets kester when we are late home for dinner.
 The teacher was very kester when a student broke the computer.
 As people get older, they usually learn to control their kester moment.
 A kester person does not think as clearly as a non-kester person
Kester means: _______________________________
(c)
READ AND MAKE INFERENCE
Making Inferences is a tool that takes us beyond what is literally on the
page, expanding it to open up new meanings and personal connections.
When we infer, we take statements in the text and “read between the
lines” to figure out what an author is hinting at or to draw our own
conclusions.
For instance, if we are reading an article about a hospital closing, we
would probably ask ourselves why. The reason might not be directly
stated in the article, but from other facts in the article as well as what we
know about where it is located, we might infer that the hospital was not
getting enough funding to stay open.
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More tips to help you to infer
• Question the text, argue with it, or raise doubts about it.
• Show how to include your own ideas when you restate the text.
• Make an inference by connecting two or more details from different
places in the text.
• Use the text as your support to make an argument or try to persuade
someone.
• Make inferences as you reflect on the text after reading.
Example 1:
When Sarah went on stage to receive the best actress award for her role
as Tun Fatimah in her Primary School play, her mother’s eyes were
brimming with tears.
The stated meaning contains the following information:
(a) Sarah received her best actress award on stage.
(b) She played the role of Tun Fatimah.
(c) She was still in Primary School.
(d) Her mother had tears in her eyes
The pieces of information that are not stated but can be interpreted or
inferred are as follows:
(a) Sarah was rewarded for her fine acting.
(b) Sarah was still below 13 years old.
(c) Sarah’s mother witnessed her daughter receiving the award.
(d) She was proud of her.
(e) Her daughter’s achievement caused her to shed tears of joy.
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(d) DISTINGUISH FACT FROM OPINION
A fact is objective information that can be checked or proved to be true and not a
statement about the future. An opinion is a statement that cannot be proven to be
true or false and is one’s personal belief, idea, or feeling about a subject.
Clues to help you identify facts and opinions.
Facts
Opinions
The use of dates and year
The use of statistic/figures/precise
numbers or quantities
The use of definitions
When stating a geographical or
scientific fact
The use of adjectives which show
your point of view or emotions
The use of comparison words
which show a comparison between
two or more things
The use of other words which show
frequency, possibility, advisability
and necessity
The use of phrases which show a
belief, a suggestion, a feeling, or an
opinion
Let’s look at some examples.
These are facts because they are concrete.
1.
The house was painted on November 18, 1999.
2.
Today is Saturday.
3.
My son had a temperature of one hundred and two degrees this morning.
However, these facts can be changed to opinions when we add a belief or view.
1.
The house was painted recently on November 18, 1999, so it looks as good as
new.
2.
Today is Saturday and Mark always sleeps in on Saturdays, so that is why
he is late for the game.
3.
There was no way for me to go to school because my son had a
temperature of one hundred and two degrees this morning.
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WAJ 3103 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY 11
Exercise
Read the following statements. Determine whether each statement is a fact or
opinion. What are some of the signal words?
No.
Statements
Fact / Opinion
1
The cerebral cortex or brain is characterized by a
division into halves termed hemispheres which are
connected by tissue called the corpus callosum.
2
I think it is more interesting to watch a movie than to
watch football at the stadium.
3
The majority of drug addicts are between the ages 12
– 35 years.
4
I believe that kids skip school because teachers are
unsympathetic.
5
As a matter of fact, oil spills from factories have been
found to be related to the death of marine life.
6
In my view, men are better at raising children than
women.
7
It is a matter of opinion that all facts are scientific
facts.
8
According to the national weather service, there is a
90 per cent chance of rain today. Therefore, it will
probably rain today.
Task
Read an interview from a magazine or newspaper. Try to identify whether the
speakers are giving their opinions or facts?
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(e)
IDENTIFY SHIFT IN ARGUMENT
Transitions are words and phrases used by writers to indicate specific
relationships between ideas and to create coherence or logical connection
between ideas and to create a coherence or logical connection between the
ideas in a passage.
Let’s look at some examples.
The following paragraph shows how carefully chosen transitions (CAPITALIZED)
lead the reader smoothly from the introduction to the conclusion of the paragraph.
I don’t wish to deny that the flattened, minuscule head of the large-bodied
"stegosaurus" houses little brain from our subjective, top-heavy perspective, BUT
I do wish to assert that we should not expect more of the beast. FIRST OF ALL,
large animals have relatively smaller brains than related, small animals. The
correlation of brain size with body size among kindred animals (all reptiles, all
mammals, FOR EXAMPLE) is remarkably regular. AS we move from small to
large animals, from mice to elephants or small lizards to Komodo dragons, brain
size increases, BUT not so fast as body size. IN OTHER WORDS, bodies grow
faster than brains, AND large animals have low ratios of brain weight to body
weight. IN FACT, brains grow only about two-thirds as fast as bodies. SINCE we
have no reason to believe that large animals are consistently stupider than their
smaller relatives, we must conclude that large animals require relatively less
brain to do as well as smaller animals. IF we do not recognize this relationship,
we are likely to underestimate the mental power of very large animals, dinosaurs
in particular.
Stephen Jay Gould, “Were Dinosaurs Dumb?”
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The following are also some of the words and phrases to indicate transitions in a
paragraph or passage.
To show addition:
again, and, also, besides, equally important, first (second, etc.), further,
furthermore, in addition, in the first place, moreover, next, too
To give examples:
for example, for instance, in fact, specifically, that is, to illustrate
To compare:
also, in the same manner, likewise, similarly
To contrast:
although, and yet, at the same time, but, despite, even though, however, in
contrast, in spite of, nevertheless, on the contrary, on the other hand, still, though,
yet
To summarize or conclude:
all in all, in conclusion, in other words, in short, in summary, on the whole, that is,
therefore, to sum up
To show time:
after, afterwards, as, as long as, as soon as, at last, before, during, earlier, finally,
formerly, immediately, later, meanwhile, next, since, shortly, subsequently, then,
thereafter, until, when, while
To show place or direction:
above, below, beyond, close, elsewhere, farther on, here, nearby, opposite, to
the left (north, etc.)
To indicate logical relationship:
accordingly, as a result, because, consequently, for this reason, hence, if,
otherwise, since, so, then, therefore, thus
(adapted from Diana Hacker, A Writer’s Reference)
Task
Choose one argumentative essay and identify the shift in arguments or ideas in
the text.
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Exercise
A. Read the following paragraph and circle the transition words that show time.
You can make your own cards to celebrate special events. First, gather the
materials you need: construction paper, scissors, crayons or markers, and
glue. Second, fold a piece of construction paper to create a card that has a
front, a back, and an inside. Cut out interesting shapes from more
construction paper, and glue the shapes to the front and back of your card.
You may also draw colorful pictures on the front and back of the card. Finally,
write a brief message inside the card, and sign your name. Now you're ready
to give your card to someone special.
B. Read the sentences below and circle the transition words that compare or
contrast.
1.
I was anxious to leave. However, we had to wait until Uncle Pete arrived.
2. Mother told us to hurry onto the bus. Otherwise, we all would have been caught in
the rain.
3. I make my sandwich in the same way that Shawna does. We both use food
that is peanut free because of our food allergies.
4.
I asked about the homework, but neither Todd nor Antonio knew what had been
assigned.
5.
Even though it was very cold, Mary Beth did not wear a jacket.
C. Transition words have been left out in the following paragraph. Select
appropriate words from the list below, and write them in the blanks. There
can be more than one word that fits in some blanks. Select the one that you
think fits best.
meanwhile
as a result of
first
while
through
next
under
beside
then
once upon a time
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WAJ 3103 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY 11
__(1) __ there lived a family of bears in a lovely wooded area. Their home was
__(2)__ some trees __(3)__ a small stream. One day __(4)__ the bears were not
at home, a little girl came to the house. __(5)__, she knocked on the door.
__(6)__, even though no one answered her knock, she entered the house.
__(7)__, she ate some of the bears' food, and she napped on one of their beds.
__(8)__, the bears returned home. They were surprised to see their door open.
Their roars woke up the girl, and she fearfully ran from the house, __(9)__ the
woods, and back to her own home. __(10)__ her experiences, she never again
went into the woods alone.
(f)
IDENTIFY EMOTIONALLY-LADEN WORDS
Authors often write not only to communicate but also to arouse some emotion or
make readers respond to their ideas or suggestions. Authors select words for
their emotional, suggestive meanings to create vivid images. Carefully chosen
words can be very effective in accomplishing these purposes, and a careful
reader can recognize how words are used for certain effects.
Let’s look at some examples.
These are words found in a text about adoption. The writer is very careful to use
positive or neutral words so to sound politically correct and not offensive.
Birthparent not real parent
Biological parent not natural parent
Biological or birth father not real father
Birth child not own child
My child not adopted child, own child
Born to unmarried parents not illegitimate
Terminate parental rights not give up
Make adoption plan not give away
Waiting child not Adoptable / available child
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WAJ 3103 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY 11
Making contact with not reunion
Parent not adoptive parent
Task
What other words or phrases can you think of that are ‘emotionally laden words’?
List them down
(g) IDENTIFY WRITER’S MOOD, TONE, BIAS, PURPOSE OR
POINT OF VIEW
While an author’s purpose is closely related to the main idea and can often be
inferred from the main idea and the way in which the details are presented, the
tone of a piece of writing is a little more illusive. The tone refers to the author’s
attitude, mood or feeling reflected in the writing. The tone also suggests the
author’s purpose – to criticize, to persuade, to sympathise and to appreciate.
Below is an example of how you may infer a writer's tone or attitude:
"...Had the researchers spoken to anyone who has witnessed the ravages of the
Green Revolution, they would have learned that their basic premise was
dismissed as simplistic nonsense years ago.'
(an extract from Beware Outbreak of Mad Scientist Disease)
Tone and Attitude
The use of such a negative word like "ravages" suggests the writer is highly
critical of the usefulness of the Green Revolution, and his dismissive tone as
exemplified by the use of the phrase "simplistic nonsense" indicates his low
opinion of the researchers' achievement.
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(WAJ3103 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY)
Exercise
1. What is the writer's attitude towards pure scientists? Find five words/phrases
in this passage that indicate the writer's attitude.
Pure scientists have by and large been dim-witted about engineers and
applied science. They couldn't recognise that many of the problems were as
intellectually exacting as pure problems, and that many of the solutions were
as satisfying and beautiful. Their instinct -- perhaps sharpened in this country
by the passion to find a new snobbism wherever possible, and to invent one if
it doesn't exist -- was take it for granted that applied science was an
occupation of second-rate minds.
2. What is tone of the excerpt below?
What devices does he use to show his attitude to the government of
Singapore, caning and Americans who support the caning?
Does he try to present his own inferences as facts?
What kind of person does he want to be seen as?
What kind of person do you infer him to be?
The verb "torture" is defined in the Webster's Tenth Collegiate Dictionary as "the
infliction of intense pain (as from burning, crushing or wounding) to punish,
coerce or afford sadistic pleasure". The dictatorship of Singapore has found an
American teenager guilty of spray-painting cars and sentenced him to four
months in prison, a $2,000 fine -- and torture. Singapore's torture of choice is
flogging by rattan cane which elicits the screams satisfying to the torturer and
scars the torturee physically and mentally for life. Torture is an act of savagery as
old as civilisation. Demosthenes described it as the surest means of obtaining
evidence. Tomas de Torquenada issued detailed instructions for its use in the
Spanish Inquisitions.
But now civilised nations have a Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that
declares, "No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading
punishment." The United Nations has a "Convention Against Torture". The
government of Singapore stands aloof from the universal condemnation.
Singapore's dictator is actually proud of his country's reputation for keeping order
by inflicting pain. Moreover, his diplomats in the United States report that many
Americans endorse the lashing to be meted out to the young offender. That some
people in America thoughtlessly espouse torture is undeniable. One sap on the
street in Washington told a New York Times reporter: If you've ever had your
antenna ripped off your car, you can sympathise with the government of
Singapore. Lash him."
2
(WAJ3103 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY)
I have had more than a few antennas ripped off my car, and a few swastikas
sprayed on my house, and have felt a surge of mindless fury at the perpetrators.
But I have also seen a Kurdish patriot crippled for life by one of Saddam
Hussein's tortures, and witnessed the misdirected self-loathing on the face of a
rape victim, and I don't think any person or government has any right to inflict any
physical pain on another human being.
(From The New York Times, 1994 "The Caning of Michael Fay, by William Safire)
(h) UNDERSTAND THE USE OF FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE AND
ITS EFFECT ON MEANING
Writers sometimes use figurative language to express a point or to clarify an idea
through imaginative comparisons or with words used in unusual, suggestive or
symbolic ways. Figurative language often enhances meaning by representing
abstract ideas in more concrete, vivid images.
To understand figurative expressions, you must first recognize words are being
used figuratively and are not meant to be taken literally. You must infer what the
figurative expression means in the context of the sentence. There are many
types of figurative language used in writing, but the most frequently used are
similes, metaphors, hyperboles, personification, symbolism and irony.
Simile
A simile uses the words “like” or “as” to compare one object or idea with another
to suggest they are alike.
Example: busy as a bee
Personification
A figure of speech in which human characteristics are given to an animal or an
object.
Example: My teddy bear gave me a hug.
Hyperbole
An exaggeration that is so dramatic that no one would believe the statement is
true.
Tall tales are hyperboles.
Example: He was so hungry, he ate that whole cornfield for lunch, stalks and all.
3
(WAJ3103 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY)
Symbol
A thing (could be an object, person, situation or action) which stands for
something else more abstract.
Example: a flag is a symbol of our country
Irony
It is a figure of speech when an expression used is the opposite of the thought in
the speaker's mind, thus conveying a meaning that contradicts the literal
definition.
Example: The Road Not Taken: Verbal irony - the speaker knows he will tell the
old story "with a sigh" of a choice that "made all the difference."
Exercise
Read the lyrics below and identify the figurative language.
Breath (2am)
2 AM and she calls me 'cause I'm still awake,
"Can you help me unravel my latest mistake?
I don't love him. Winter just wasn't my season"
Yeah we walk through the doors, so accusing their eyes
Like they have any right at all to criticize,
Hypocrites. You're all here for the very same reason
Chorus:
'Cause you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable
And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table
No one can find the rewind button, girl.
So cradle your head in your hands
And breathe... just breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe
May he turned 21 on the base at Fort Bliss
"Just a day" he said down to the flask in his fist,
"Ain't been sober, since maybe October of last year."
Here in town you can tell he's been down for a while,
But, my God, it's so beautiful when the boy smiles,
Wanna hold him. Maybe I'll just sing about it.
Chorus
There's a light at each end of this tunnel,
4
(WAJ3103 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY)
You shout 'cause you're just as far in as you'll ever be out
And these mistakes you've made, you'll just make them again
If you only try turning around.
2 AM and I'm still awake, writing a song
If I get it all down on paper, it's no longer inside of me,
Threatening the life it belongs to
And I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd
Cause these words are my diary, screaming out loud
And I know that you'll use them, however you want to
But you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable,
And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table
No one can find the rewind button now
Sing it if you understand.
and breathe, just breathe
woah breathe, just breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe.
(i) IDENTIFY AND DIFFERENTIATE IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS
AND METAPHORS
Idiomatic Expressions
Language is full of idiomatic expressions or idioms. They can be just one
word or a group of words. If you try to understand an idiomatic expression
literally, in most cases, it will make very little sense. The objective of an idiom
is to try to develop a new meaning that goes beyond the literal significance.
Idiomatic expressions have different forms and structures. They can be short
with only one word or they can be long using combinations of words.
 Bill has two hands, a right hand and a left hand.
(literal sentence)
 Bill is an old hand in the store.
(This means that Bill has a lot experience in the store. An “old hand” refers
to a person with experience.)
 John is a nut.
(John is crazy.)
 Bob has the bull by the horns.
(Bob has the situation under control.)
5
(WAJ3103 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY)
Metaphor
The metaphor states a fact or draws a verbal picture by the use of
comparison.
A simile would say you are like something; a metaphor is more positive - it
says you are something.
Example: You are what you eat.
Exercise
Choose the correct meaning.
A. Animal Idioms
1. Wow! It's raining cats and dogs today! I wish I'd brought my umbrella to
school!
a. I forgot my umbrella today.
b. It's raining heavily.
c. Cats and dogs are falling from the sky.
2. When I told my mom I would be home around 2 am, she had a cow!
a. My mom bought a baby cow.
b. My mom is really strange.
c. My mom was really upset.
3. Jean: How did you know it was my birthday today?
Susan: Oh, a little birdie told me!
a. Jean told Susan it was her birthday.
b. An unnamed person told Susan about Jean's birthday.
c. Susan told Jean it was her birthday.
4. Frank: Why didn't your brother ride the roller coaster with us?
Sam: Oh, he's such a scaredy cat! He won't get on any fast ride.
a. Sam's brother is afraid to ride the roller coaster.
b. Sam's brother is a cat.
c. Sam's brother didn't go to the roller coaster.
B. Body Idiom
Idiom
You did it. You have to face the
music.
Yes. You hit the nail on the head.
Meaning
You have to memorize it.
You have to accept the consequences of your
actions.
You're absolutely right.
You don't agree with each other.
You two don't see eye to eye.
You have to learn it by heart.
6
(WAJ3103 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY)
Task
Go online and try to collect more idioms.
http://www.idiomconnection.com 20/10/2009
http://knowgramming.com/metaphors/metaphor_chapters/examples.htm
27/10/2009
(j) READ CRITICALLY AND RESPOND TO TEXT
Critical reading is a skill which can be developed through practices, such as:
a. Taking notes of the text's main ideas and adding your own responsive
comments.
b. Talking to others about what you have read.
c. Relating a given text to similar or contrasting themes.
d. Explaining what the text means and making it intelligible. This will help you to
see the
underlying, unstated assumptions
e. Asking yourself: "Is it possible to disagree with any of this?"
f. Asking yourself: 'How can I convince my peers that I understand what this is
about?'
Exercise
Read the following paragraph and answer the questions that follow.
In ancient times people believed in the predictions and advice of astrologers
because astrology was part and parcel of their magical world view. They looked
upon celestial objects as abodes or omens of the Gods and, thus, intimately
connected with events here on earth; they had no concept of the vast distances
from the earth to the planets and stars. Now that these distances can and have
been calculated, we can see how infinitesimally small are the gravitational and
other effects produced by the distant planets and the far more distant stars. It is
simply a mistake to imagine that the forces exerted by stars and planets at the
moment of birth can in any way shape our futures. Neither is it true that the
position of distant heavenly bodies make certain days or periods more favorable
to particular kinds of action, or that the sign under which one was born
determines one's compatibility or incompatibility with other people.
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--Bart J. Bok, "Objections to Astrology," The Humanist
1.
This paragraph is a _____________.
A. narration
B. description
C. exposition
D. persuasion
2.
Which of the following can we accurately infer? Astrology developed in the
ancient world largely because
A. people believed that the stars and planets were deities
B. it was part of their traditional mythology
C. they had a desire to explain what they didn't understand
D. they were scientifically ignorant
3.
The author's attitude toward astrology can be best described as
A. unbelieving
B. angry
C. sympathetic
D. laudatory
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Suggested Answers
(a)
READ FOR MEANING AND UNDERSTANDING OF A VARIETY OF
TEXT
Exercise
1. C
2. A
3. B
(b)
USE CONTEXTUAL, SYNTACTIC AND SEMANTIC CLUES TO DERIVE
MEANING
Exercise
1. jacket
2. Temperamental
(c)
DISTINGUISH FACTS FROM OPINION
Exercise
1. Fact
2. Opinion
3. Fact
5. Fact
6. Opinion
7. Opinion
(d)
4. Opinion
8. Opinion
IDENTIFY SHIFT IN ARGUMENT
A. Read the following paragraph carefully. Then, locate and circle each
transition word that shows time.
You can make your own cards to celebrate special events. First, gather
the materials you need: construction paper, scissors, crayons or markers,
and glue. Second, fold a piece of construction paper to create a card that
has a front, a back, and an inside. Cut out interesting shapes from more
construction paper, and glue the shapes to the front and back of your card.
You may also draw colorful pictures on the front and back of the card.
Finally, write a brief message inside the card, and sign your name. Now
you're ready to give your card to someone special.
B. Read the following sentences carefully. Then, locate and circle each
transition word that compares or contrasts.
1.
However
2.
Otherwise
3.
that is
4.
but
5.
Even though.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Once upon a time
under
beside
while
First
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6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Then
Next
Meanwhile
through
As a result of
(e) IDENTIFY WRITER’S MOOD, TONE, BIAS, PURPOSE OR POINT OF
VIEW
1.
Pure scientists have by and large been dim-witted about engineers and
applied science. They couldn't recognise that many of the problems were as
intellectually exacting as pure problems, and that many of the solutions were
as satisfying and beautiful. Their instinct -- perhaps sharpened in this country
by the passion to find a new snobbism wherever possible, and to invent one
if it doesn't exist -- was take it for granted that applied science was an
occupation of second-rate minds.
(The writer’s attitude is very sarcastic, arrogant and condemning. Yes, the
writer is trying to convince his readers through wit.)
2.
The verb "torture" is defined in the Webster's Tenth Collegiate Dictionary as
"the infliction of intense pain (as from burning, crushing or wounding) to
punish, coerce or afford sadistic pleasure". The dictatorship of Singapore has
found an American teenager guilty of spray-painting cars and sentenced him
to four months in prison, a $2,000 fine -- and torture. Singapore's torture of
choice is flogging by rattan cane which elicits the screams satisfying to the
torturer and scars the torturee physically and mentally for life. Torture is an
act of savagery as old as civilisation. Demosthenes described it as the surest
means of obtaining evidence. Tomas de Torquenada issued detailed
instructions for its use in the Spanish Inquisitions.
But now civilised nations have a Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that
declares, "No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or
degrading punishment." The United Nations has a "Convention Against
Torture". The government of Singapore stands aloof from the universal
condemnation. Singapore's dictator is actually proud of his country's
reputation for keeping order by inflicting pain. Moreover, his diplomats in the
United States report that many Americans endorse the lashing to be meted
out to the young offender. That some people in America thoughtlessly
espouse torture is undeniable. One sap on the street in Washington told a
New York Times reporter: If you've ever had your antenna ripped off your car,
you can sympathise with the government of Singapore. Lash him."
I have had more than a few antennas ripped off my car, and a few swastikas
sprayed on my house, and have felt a surge of mindless fury at the
perpetrators. But I have also seen a Kurdish patriot crippled for life by one of
Saddam Hussein's tortures, and witnessed the misdirected self-loathing on
the face of a rape victim, and I don't think any person or government has any
right to inflict any physical pain on another human being.
(From The New York Times, 1994 "The Caning of Michael Fay, by William
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Safire)
(The writer does not agree with caning. He includes concrete evidence and
personal experience to convince the readers. He is trying to infer himself as
a person who is against cruelty.)
(f) UNDERSTAND THE USE OF FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE AND ITS
EFFECT ON MEANING
Chorus:
'Cause you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable - simile
And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table – personification / simile
No one can find the rewind button, girl.
So cradle your head in your hands - personification
And breathe... just breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe
Chorus
There's a light at each end of this tunnel, - metaphor
You shout 'cause you're just as far in as you'll ever be out - simile
And these mistakes you've made, you'll just make them again
If you only try turning around.
2 AM and I'm still awake, writing a song
If I get it all down on paper, it's no longer inside of me,
Threatening the life it belongs to
And I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd - simile
Cause these words are my diary, screaming out loud - personification
And I know that you'll use them, however you want to
(g) IDENTIFY AND DIFFERENTIATE IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS AND
METAPHORS
Exercise
A.
Animal Idioms
1. B
2. C
B.
3. B
4. A
Body Idioms
Idiom
You did it. You have to face the
music.
Yes. You hit the nail on the
head.
You two don't see eye to eye.
You have to learn it by heart.
Meaning
You have to memorize it.
You have to accept the consequences
of your actions.
You're absolutely right.
You don't agree with each other.
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(h)
READ CRITICALLY AND RESPOND TO TEXT
Exercise
1. C
2. B
3. A
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TOPIC 4
WRITING FOR DIFFERENT TEXT TYPES
Synopsis
Good writers are not born but developed. You too can be a good writer if you follow
some golden rules of writing, What you write have to be organised and clearly
expressed so that your thoughts can be conveyed to the reader.
This unit deals with the basic principles of report writing, summary writing and letter
writing.
Learning outcomes
At the end of this unit. you should be able to;
1. write reports for academic purposes
2. write summaries for academic purposes
3. write letters for different purposes and audience
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Report Writing
Reports are compositions that give information. You usually write a report for
someone in authority, for example a teacher or a principal. We also write reports
for the police if we witness an accident or a crime.
Guidelines;
1) Write the title and date of your report at the top left hand corner of the paper.
2) If you are writing a report for somebody (e.g. the school principal, a teacher)
write at the top whom the report is addressed to.
3) If you are writing a report for a newspaper, include as many facts as possible.
Write the day and the place when the incident happened.
4) Write in clear, precise language. If you are describing an event, write a
summary of the events. Do not give lengthy explanations.
5) Remember to allocate one idea for ane paragraph.
6) At the end of the report, write your name in block capitals and sign the report.
Example
You witnessed an accident in the science laboratory and have been asked to
write a report to your principal. In the report you should explain the events
leading to the accident, the accident itself and the outcome.
The Principal
Sekolah Menengah Seri Andalas
Klang
Selangor.
12 May 2010
A Report on a laboratory acident in Form 3K
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TOPIC 5
WRITING ACADEMIC PAPERS
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TOPIC 6
WRITING REFLECTIONS
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