english for specific purposes

Chapter I

Key Idea of a Sentence

A Sentence may be contained many information, but the sentence usually contains one key idea.

The key idea of the sentence informs:

·         Who or what (The subject in the sentence)

·         What the subject do

Look at the example bellow:

A handsome boy in a leather jacket fell into a river behind Botanic Garden

·         This sentence inform about a boy.

·         All information about the feature, the location, and the name of the location give more information about the boy.

·         But the key idea of this sentence is   A boy fell.

Here are the tips of how to find the key idea in the sentence:

¡  Ask who or what is the subject?

¡  Ask what is the subject do?

Look at the example bellow:

Because of new laws, most foreign automobiles in Indonesia now offer safety features at no extra charge.

¡  What is the subject in this sentence?

            Automobiles

¡  What is the subject do?

            Offer safety feature

¡  So, the key idea of this sentence is

            Automobiles offer safety feature.

EXERCISES

Find the key idea in the sentence bellow:

1.     Anybody who has lost his ticket should report to the desk.

2.     A quite garden is hard to find in the middle of the noisy city.

3.     A culture in its very nature is a set of values, skills, and ways of life that no one member of the society masters.

4.     The woman who called my mom sells cosmetics.

5.     The book that Rudy read is on the shelf.

6.     The house which Soekarno was born in is still standing.

7.     Oh no! That stupid cat has swatted them down the drain again!

8.     He brings Carol, the lab assistant, an oatmeal-raisin cookie, and, as his reward, she finishes his report.

9.     Tom, my neighbor’s brother, helped me catch the newspaper boy and scold him.

10.   Craig, my old friend, did not pick up the phone when I called because he was busy.

11.   The man whose dog you wanted is here.

12.   The internet, which has become such a global phenomenon, has contributed to the predominance of English.

13.   The boy on the bicycle rode through my wife's perennial garden, is my daughter’s friend.

14.   Mary, the latest person to be hired, will probably be the first person to be fired.

15.   John, who was hired to deal with such problems, was intending to work on the project today.

Chapter II

Main Ideas

The main idea is the central, or most important, idea in a paragraph or passage. It states the purpose and sets the direction of the paragraph or passage.

The main idea may be stated or it may be implied. When the main idea of a paragraph is stated, it is most often found in the first sentence of the paragraph. However, the main idea may be found in any sentence of the paragraph.

The main idea may be stated in the first sentence of a paragraph and then be repeated or restated at the end of the paragraph.

The main idea may be split. The first sentence of a paragraph may present a point of view, while the last sentence presents a contrasting or opposite view.

To find the main idea of any paragraph or passage, ask these questions:

1.     Who or what is the paragraph about?

2.     What aspect or idea about the ‘who’ or ‘what’ is the author concerned with?

Getting the Main Idea

1.      Identifying the key words of a sentence.

2.      Identifying key words or topic of a paragraph.

3.      Identifying the topic sentence of a paragraph.

4.      Recognizing the explicitly stated point of a paragraph.

5.      Inferring the main idea of a sentence.

6.      Inferring the main idea of a paragraph.

7.      Inferring relationships among ideas in related paragraphs from longer selections

Main Idea Practice Paragraphs 1-6

Read and think about the following sample paragraphs, in which the main idea sentences are underlined.

Paragraph One

It is often said that lightning never strikes twice in the same place, but this isn’t true. Go ask the forest rangers. Rangers who spend their summers as fire-fighters will tell you that every thundershower brings several bolts of lightning to their lookout stations.

(Notice that the first sentence tells what the paragraph is about; the sentences that follow support the idea stated in the first sentence.)

Paragraph Two

Costs were low that year and the output high. There was a good person for each job and the market remained firm. There were no losses from fire. All in all it was the best years in the history of the company.

(Note that the first three sentences give details to explain why it was the best year in the company’s history.)

Paragraph Three

There are great numbers of deer around here. This whole area is great country for hunters and fishermen. There are bears, mountain lions, and coyotes. To the east there are streams full of trout, and there are ducks and geese.

(The author begins and ends with examples. The main idea is stated in the second sentence.)

Paragraph Four

Advertising affects our lives every day. Brand names are common household words. We start each day using the toothpaste, soap, and breakfast foods promoted by advertisers. Ads have made the cars we drive signs of our success. Our choices of food, dress, and entertainment are swayed by ads. Not one aspect of American life is untouched by advertising.

(The main idea is stated at the beginning of the paragraph and then restated at the end.)

Paragraph Five

Penicillin is one of the greatest of the wonder drugs. It has saved thousands of lives already and will save many more in the future. Unfortunately it has no effect at all on most of the ills of mankind. Penicillin is a very good drug, but it is certainly not a cure-all.

(The author has split the main idea. This paragraph begins with positive comments on penicillin. The word but signals a shift in thought and the paragraph ends with a statement of its limitations.)

Paragraph Six

Do you wear glasses? Make sure your glasses fit well. The earpieces should be at eye level. Don’t try to adjust the earpieces yourself. Take your glasses for adjustments to the place you bought them. Keep your glasses in a case when you’re not wearing them. This will prevent scratches. Keep the lenses clean. A soft cloth is best for cleaning.

(The main idea is implied. All of the sentences in the paragraph give details about a main idea. In this paragraph the implied main idea is that taking care of your glasses involves many steps.)

MAIN IDEAS EXERCISES: Each paragraph is followed by four statements. Select the statement that best expresses the main idea. Circle the letter of that statement.

1.     People often refer to taxes in terms of their being much too high. In reality, they are probably even higher than you think, because in addition to the federal income tax we are now studying, there are many other Federal, State, and local taxes, including sales taxes, inheritance taxes, state income taxes, personal property taxes, real estate taxes, and others. These are just some of the most obvious ones.

a.     Taxes are much too high.

b.     We pay more taxes than we may realize.

c.     Inheritance taxes and real estate taxes are unfair.

d.     Some taxes are hidden.

2.     The fact that electronic computers are now used for data processing has led the general public to believe that it is a mysterious, complicated science and that the computers are giant brains. Both of these ideas are false. A computer is basically just a high-speed adding machine that performs the functions it is told to. If the input data are varied even a little, the computer is unable to operate until it is programmed to accept the variations. The business operations it performs are impressive only because of the extremely high speed of manipulation, but most of these operations have been used for decades. Unlike man, the computer performs repetitive calculations without getting tired or bored.

a.     A computer is a high-speed adding machine.

b.     A computer is a mysterious giant brain.

c.     A computer is impressive because of its high speed.

d.     A computer is superior to man in many ways.

3.     The Louisiana Purchase proved to be one of the shrewdest business pacts in the entire history of the United States. The purchase doubled in the area of the country and provided territory from which fourteen new states were created either wholly or in part. It also gave us control over the mouth of the Mississippi River and opened up the way to foreign trade. Prior to the purchase, the waterway had been blocked by the Spanish, probably with the approval of Napoleon. The land that was bought was rich in timber, minerals, and natural resources of many kinds. Finally, the cost of the transaction was unbelievably low; the total of $15 million amounted to about four cents an acre.

a.     The Louisiana Purchase was a very good business deal for the U.S.

b.     The land bought by the Louisiana Purchase was rich in minerals.

c.     The land bought by the Louisiana Purchase was very cheap.

d.     Most Americans were very pleased with the purchase.

4.     There is a common belief that while the dog is man’s best friend, the coyote is his worst enemy. The bad reputation of the coyote traces back to his fondness for small animals; he hunts at night and is particularly destructive to sheep, young pigs, and poultry. Yet it is sometimes wise to encourage coyotes. Provided valuable farm animals are protected, the coyote will often free the property of other animals, like rabbits, which are ruinous to crops and certain trees. He is especially beneficial in keeping down the rodent population. Where coyotes have been allowed to do their work without molestation, ranchers and fruit growers have found them so valuable that they would no more shoot them than they would shoot their dogs.

a.     Under certain conditions the coyote is helpful to man.

b.     The coyote is feared because of his fondness for small animals

c.     Modern ranchers would no sooner shoot coyotes than they would shoot dogs.

d.     The coyote usually prefers rabbits and other rodents to sheep and poultry.

5.     In earlier days those who had overseas business which they believed should be discussed personally, took ship and set out across the briny deep. Once aboard they transacted their affairs, engaging in commercial and social matters or conducting government business. Today ships and passengers continue to sail the seven seas, and airplanes soar overhead. But above them all, words speed through the sky – telephone conversations quickly bring together in the most personal fashion people who are separated by thousands of miles.

a.     Overseas telephone service today is ruling out all need for overseas travel.

b.     Nothing can take the place of person-to-person conversation in settling business, social, and government problems.

c.     Many conversations which once required overseas travel can now be conducted by telephone.

d.     Even with modern overseas telephone service people continue to travel abroad by ship or by plane.

6.     The attitudes of Americans toward gambling are amazingly contradictory. You may find, for example, that horse racing is legal in your state, but that you cannot legally play poker for money on your front porch; bookies may be prosecuted by state law, but they are supposed to purchase a federal license nonetheless; one church condemns gambling, while another raises money by sponsoring Bingo games. Gambling laws are inconsistent from state to state or even from town to town and are very difficult to enforce.

a.     Americans have negative attitudes toward gambling.

b.     Gambling laws are difficult to enforce

c.     Gambling laws are inconsistent from community to community.

d.     Churches do not have uniform ideas about gambling.

Chapter III

Supporting Details

·         Supporting details explain, develop, and support a main idea.

·         To locate supporting details, a master reader turns the main idea into a question.

·         A major detail directly describes the mainidea.

·         A minor detail explains the major detail.

·         In a passage, ideas usually flow from general to specific ideas.

WHAT ARE SUPPORTING DETAILS?

Supporting details are specific facts, evidence, or ideas used to develop, expand, and support the more general main point of a paragraph. You should provide enough supporting detail in your paragraphs so the reader can easily understand what you are trying to communicate.

WHY ARE SUPPORTING DETAILS IMPORTANT?

Supporting details are important to develop and support the main idea of the paragraph, making your argument stronger, more interesting, and easier to understand. Supporting details will paint a clearer and more complete picture of what it is you are trying to describe or explain to the reader.

WHERE DO SUPPORTING DETAILS FIT IN?

In general, a paragraph starts with a main idea followed by supporting details that make up the body of the paragraph. Paragraphs should be structured in the following way:

·         Main Idea (states the main point of the paragraph)

·         Supporting Details (reasons/examples to support the main idea)

·         Closing Sentence (restates the main point of the paragraph)

Think of a paragraph as a house - the main idea is the roof, the supporting details are the walls that support the roof, and the closing sentence is the foundation of the house.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF DETAILS:

Major Details: These types of details directly explain or support the main idea of the paragraph.

Minor Details: These types of details explain other details in the paragraph.

Example:

Main Idea:       “There are three reasons why Mexico is a popular vacation spot.”

Major Detail:    “First, the weather is extremely warm.”

Minor Detail:    “This is attractive to vacationing Canadians looking to escape the snow.”

Let’s look at some sample paragraphs and break things down:

The underlined sentence is the MAIN IDEA of the paragraph

The bolded sentences are MAJOR SUPPORTING DETAILS

The italicized sentences are MINOR SUPPORTING DETAILS

EXAMPLE 1:

“There are many factors that contribute to student success in college.   The first factor for success is having a goal in mind before establishing a course of study.   The goal may be as general as wanting to better educate oneself for the future.   A more specific goal would be to earn a teaching credential.   A second factor related to student success is self-motivation and commitment.   A student who wants to succeed and works toward that desire will find success easily as a college student.   A third factor linked to student success is using college services.   Most beginning college students fail to realize how important it can be to see a counsellor or consult with a librarian or financial aid officer.”   

EXAMPLE 2:

“There are three reasons why Canada is one of the best countries in the world. First, Canada has an excellent health care system. All Canadians have access to medical services at a reasonable price. Second, Canada has a high standard of education. Students are taught by well-trained teachers and are encouraged to continue studying at university. Finally, Canada's cities are clean and efficiently managed. Canadian cities have many parks and lots of space for people to live. As a result, Canada is a desirable place to live.”

EXERCISES

Find the main idea, major, and minor details in this paragraph.

1.     One writer spent nine hundred hours over the course of eight years watching the action in singles bars and learning about male-female relationships. Although men think of themselves as the aggressors, says this writer, it is really the women who make the decisions when a courtship is beginning. He has observed that women are the ones who pick a potential mate out of the crowd. They position themselves near the man they have selected and, with a glance or a smile, invite him to make contact. Similarly as conversation begins, the woman initiates each increasingly intimate stage. Her continuing eye contact, moving closer, and touching the man all signal her permission for him to make further advances. In most cases, the woman’s signals are so subtle that the man is only subconsciously aware of them.

2.     It was a library. High pieces of furniture, of black violet ebony inlaid with brass, supported upon their wide shelves a great number of books uniformly bound. They followed the shape of the room, terminating at the lower part in huge divans, covered with brown leather, which were curved, to afford the greatest comfort. Light movable desks, made to slide in and out at will, allowed one to rest one’s book while reading. In the centre stood an immense table, covered with pamphlets, amongst which were some newspapers, already of old date. The electric light flooded everything; it was shed from four unpolished globes half sunk in the volutes of the ceiling. I looked with real admiration at this room, so ingeniously fitted up, and I could scarcely believe my eyes.

3.     The Constitution of the U.S. has been amended several times to allow more citizens the right to vote. The 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870, extended voting rights to former slaves. The 19^th Amendment, ratified in 1920, gave women the right to vote. In 1971, the 26th Amendment granted voting rights to those 18 years and older, changing the requirement that voters must be 21 years old.

4.     Soccer is known in some countries as football. It is a popular sport across the world, with over 200 countries playing the sport. It is estimated that over 250 million people, both men and women, play soccer. The sport has been part of the Olympic games from 1900 to 1928 and from 1936 to today.

5.     Three major movements in the history of art are Medieval, Renaissance and Modern. The Medieval period, which encompasses the time from around 600 AD into the 14^th century, is predominately religious in nature. Objects are not portrayed realistically, but as simple fl at images. During the Renaissance period, beginning in the late 14th century and continuing into the 16th century, artists developed a more realistic style. Renaissance artists also discovered the use of perspective, which brought a three dimensional feeling to two dimensional artwork. Prominent artists of this time were Leonardo da Vinci and Jan van Eyck. Modern art, which encompasses the Impressionist and Cubist movements, began in the late 19th century and through the 20^th century. Rather than focusing on realism, artists explored the use of light, movement and color. Modern artists include Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh.

Chapter IV

Author Purposes

  

An author writes for many reasons.

•       An author may give you facts or true information about a subject. If so, they are writing to inform.

•        Some authors write fiction stories or stories that are not true. They write these stories to entertain you.

•       Other authors may write to persuade or to try to get you to do something.

1.   Writing to inform

It is often called expository writing. Expository writing shows or explains facts.

Examples:

•          Biography of Barack Obama

•          News report about a shooting

•          Note to a friend

•          Essay about “killer bees”

2.   Writing to entertain

A story may have a lesson, but the author’s main purpose is to entertain.

Examples of Writing to Entertain

•          Harry Potter books

•          Poems about love

•          Narrative essay about the big game

•          Script for a TV show

3.   Writing to persuade

It attempts to influence the reader. Usually makes an argument.

Examples:

•          Political speeches

•          Advertisements

•          A cover letter for your resume

•          An essay urging readers to recycle

Author’s Purpose Activity

Directions: Read the descriptions of each item and decide which best describes the author’s purpose for writing the passage. Choose entertain, persuade, or inform as your answer. After choosing an answer explain why you chose that answer using complete sentences.

1.     The Great Pyramid of Giza is located in Egypt. This essay is going to explain some facts about the Great Pyramid.

Author’s Purpose: __________________________

Explain Your Answer:_______________________

2.     An essay about how much fun skiing is and how the sport can improve your health.

Author’s Purpose: __________________________

Explain Your Answer:_______________________

3.     This brochure is about the services that are available at a local stable.

Author’s Purpose: __________________________

Explain Your Answer:_______________________

4.     This pamphlet explains how jogging or running can strengthen the heart and is found at a doctor’s office.

Author’s Purpose: __________________________

Explain Your Answer:_______________________

5.     This story, written by a fourth grader, describes a visit to the circus.

Author’s Purpose: __________________________

Explain Your Answer:_______________________

6.     A poem about the night before Thanksgiving at a local school.

Author’s Purpose: __________________________

Explain Your Answer:_______________________

7.     A skit about dealing with bullies is produced by a small group of students.

Author’s Purpose: __________________________

Explain Your Answer:_______________________

8.     This six page booklet explains how to assemble the grill that was just purchased.

Author’s Purpose: __________________________

Explain Your Answer:_______________________

9.     The blog discusses the why Pepsi is better than Coke.

Author’s Purpose: __________________________

Explain Your Answer:_______________________

10.   This Wikipedia article provides the history of football in America.

Author’s Purpose: __________________________

Explain Your Answer:_______________________

11.   This essay describes the first day of middle school.

Author’s Purpose: __________________________

Explain Your Answer:_______________________

12.   This online article explains how to make a Power Point presentation.

Author’s Purpose: __________________________

Explain Your Answer:_______________________

Author’s Purpose Quiz

Directions: Read the description of each text and identify the MAIN purpose of the author.

1.     A five paragraph essay where a student argues that people should recycle and not litter

A.  Entertain                      B.  Inform                                C.  Persuade

2.     An encyclopedia entry about endangered animals and efforts to protect them

A.  Entertain                      B.  Inform                                C.  Persuade

3.     A map of the world, showing all continents, countries, and oceans

A.  Entertain                      B.  Inform                                C.  Persuade

4.     A Garfield comic from the newspaper in which Garfield hates Mondays and likes lasagna

A.  Entertain                      B.  Inform                                C.  Persuade

5.     A brochure about how people shouldn’t shop at Walmart because they hurt local businesses

A.  Entertain                      B.  Inform                                C.  Persuade

6.     The fourth novel in the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer

A.  Entertain                      B.  Inform                                C.  Persuade

7.     A student’s book report about the fourth novel in the Twilight series

A.  Entertain                      B.  Inform                                C.  Persuade

8.     A speech by a politician asking for 90 minutes to be added to the school day

A.  Entertain                      B.  Inform                                C.  Persuade

9.     The play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

A.  Entertain                      B.  Inform                                C.  Persuade

10.   The instructions for the board game, Monopoly. 

A.  Entertain                      B.  Inform                                C.  Persuade

11.   The story of a young man who learns to resist the influences of drugs and gangs

A.  Entertain                      B.  Inform                                C.  Persuade

12.   A child’s letter to Santa asking for a bicycle because the child has been good all year

A.  Entertain                      B.  Inform                                C.  Persuade

13.   The lyrics to a song written by popular music group, Mindful Behavior 

A.  Entertain                      B.  Inform                                C.  Persuade

14.   A recipe explaining how to make chicken salad sandwiches

A.  Entertain                      B.  Inform                                C.  Persuade

15.   A note to a teacher where a student asks if her seat can be switched because of a conflict

A.  Entertain                      B.  Inform                                C.  Persuade

Chapter V

Cause-Effect

Nothing happens without   a reason or without some kind of consequence.

When you explain why things happen and what occurs when they do, the technique you use is called cause and effect.

•          Cause is why something happened.

•          Effect is the result of what happened.

•          Because effects always have causes and causes always lead to effects, we rarely see one without the other.

A cause is a reason for, or events leading up to. An effect is the results of a cause or causes. Having the skill to think in the mode of cause and effect is a key to victory in daily situations.

A cause and effect paragraph analyzes the causes or effects of a certain situation.

Transitional Expressions for Cause & Effect

To Show Causes

1. the first cause (second, third)
2. the first reason (second, third)
3. yet another factor
4. because
5. is caused by
6. results from

 To Show Effects

• one important effect
• another result
• a third outcome
• as a result
• consequently
• then, next, therefore, thus, so

Avoiding Problems in Cause and Effect Writing

1. Do not oversimplify

2. Do not confuse time order with causation

3. Do not confuse causes and effects

---

Match the cause to the effect.

Cause

1. _______The car ran a red light.

2. _______Ben stayed up late

3. _______The students were quiet in class.

4. _______It rained.

5. _______Lydia skipped breakfast.

6. _______It was very hot outside.

7. _______Lucy’s shoes weren’t tied.

8. _______The boat had a leak.

9. _______The puppy chased its tail.

10. ______There was too much water in the pot.

Effect

A. The horses were thirsty.

B. She fell down.

C. She was hungry at lunch.

D. He was sleepy the next day.

E. It boiled over.

F. Everyone laughed.

G. It sank.

H. Chris got wet.

I. The teacher gave them a reward.

J. Another car hit it.

Mention the cause and effect in this paragraph.

1.     Baby painted turtles spend all winter in their nests. They have special chemicals in their blood that can keep their blood from freezing. As a result, baby painted turtles can survive freezing temperatures!

2.     Since my daughter has been in daycare she has become better at a few different things. To start off, her vocabulary is much larger and more developed. Before she started daycare, my daughter had a few select words that she would say like; momma, dada, Cocoa (one of the puppies), and some other simple words. Now she tries to repeat everything that is said. Another result of her being in daycare is that she has the ability to interact with other children better. In the past, she was only around one child. Now she is around about six to eight kids, and she has learned to share her toys and to play in a group with the other children. Her learning to share has carried over at home when she tells her daddy or me that it’s his turn or mommy’s turn when putting her socks on. A third outcome of her being in daycare is the fact that she is becoming more self-reliant. Before daycare, she wouldn’t try very hard to help me with getting dressed, but now she wants to try to do it all on her own. She puts her pull ups on and tries to pull on her shirts and pants herself. Socks still go on upside down, but at least her shoes go on the correct feet I am really glad that I decided to put her in a daycare, for the benefits have been great.

3.     Letting alcohol take control over your life has many negative effects on a person and the people around them. One important effect is the damage you can do to your body. Drinking can lead to severe illness and even eventual death; some health consequences to consider might be liver disease, kidney failure and, for pregnant women, the loss of their unborn child. Another detriment is that an addiction could lead to drinking and driving; possibly causing a fatal car accident for either yourself and/or an innocent by stander. Another concern to consider is the relationships alcohol can destroy. Alcohol abuse can have very serious affect on a person’s temperament, which can lead to spousal and even child abuse. Alcohol often is the number one cause in divorce and spending time in jail. It can also affect relationships outside of the family; many people have lost life long friends whether it is due to foolish arguments and behavior or possibly death. Lastly, drinking has negative effects on self-esteem and rational thinking. People become more self-centered, develop low self-esteem, doing things or behaving in ways that they would not normally. They have little or no regard to the outcomes of what is said or done when they grow reliant on getting that alcohol high. The negative effects of alcohol abuse are overwhelming when considering the many consequences that drinkers and the people around them have to deal with.

4.     Many people believe that the act of courage lies within each individual, and these acts of courage can be brought out by three possible causes. The first cause, and the most obvious, is provocation. Often times this is seen in movies where the villain kidnaps and threatens to kill the hero's family. More often that not, the hero finds it within himself to put aside his fears and overcome near impossible odds to save the day. The majority of the time it is direct threats such as this one that provoke human nature to acts of courage. The second cause is a purpose. In 2001, the Twin Towers fell to terrorist attacks. Military enlistments reached all time highs as many men and women joined the armed forces. For many of these people, the prospect of serving their country, and gaining revenge for the cowardice acts of the terrorists were the only reasons necessary for their courage. The third cause is a belief in a higher power. The presence of God gives many people the courage to do things they would not be able to do otherwise. His words play clearly in their minds," Be strong and of good courage", because: "the lord thy god is with thee whithersoever thou goest"(bible reference). According to God and his followers, his presence is enough cause for courage. For these people, their courage knows no boundaries. Whatever your inspiration for courage may be, you can just about bet it was brought on by one of these three underlying circumstances.

5.     Many children are placed into foster care because their situation at home is not satisfactory according to The Department of Family Services. A lot of the situations deal with emotional, physical, and verbal abuse. A young girl named Tiffany was placed into foster care at the age of 8. The lack of a father role model in her life had life changing effects on Tiffany. As an already confused child, she was adopted by a foster home for females. It was run by females only. As a foster child at the time, when Tiffany would go out into public with either her “big sister” or foster parent, she would begin to understand that she wasn’t like most children because all the regular children had their mother and father. She began to develop insecurities about herself and feel like she just didn’t fit in with most children. An even more traumatic effect on Tiffany’s confusion was she was constantly wondering why she had to go through all this. Over the last two years Tiffany has been placed back into her home with her biological mother, but she constantly wonders when she will ever get to meet her real father. Her mother currently has a long term boyfriend. Tiffany is now starting to accept him as her father role model, but deep down Tiffany wonders every day if she will ever get to meet her real father. Tiffany not having her biological father in her life has affected her because she feels like she doesn’t have that normal family that everybody else seems to have. Inside she feels like she is missing something. Overall it hasn’t ruined her life. Tiffany excels in school, sports, and in the social life, but she cannot get rid of the empty feeling of not having her real father in her life. When she gets older she will start to understand what is really going on and maybe that feeling of loneliness will be gone.

6.     The lack of rain and snow has horrible effects on farmers. with no rain their land dries up, and it is very difficult to grow anything. When the crops fail, the farmers haven't any choice but to get a second job in order to make the money they need. Farming is a full time job and with a second job, farmers are overworked, stressed and even depressed. Many farmers end up selling their land. Some farmers have accepted the government program the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which is the land is left idle to let the grass grow and must be left idle a certain number of years. while the land is in the CRP program, some farmers have taken outside jobs. That is why when it doesn't rain, you notice that most of the farmers are very crabby. As a farmer's daughter, I have experienced some good times and some bad times. I have gained a great respect for farmers everywhere.

7.     Underage drinking has many costly consequences adolescents don’t consider before making the decision to drink. One costly affect is a criminal record that never goes away, unless you happen to be under the age of eighteen. With a criminal record job application may be hindered or employers may see that the other candidate has a clear record; therefore the employer may choose the other applicant. Other results are the penalties they receive during court appearances. Depending on the severity of the crime punishment could include, expensive fines, drivers license revocation, community service, and if you happen to be a repeat offender, jail time. Jail time, community service, and driver’s license revocation can interfere with your day-to-day activities putting a damper in your life at that time. Fines are just payments that could have been avoided; I see them as wasting hard earned money for a night of fun. A third outcome of underage drinking could result in expulsion from a schools’ athletic team. If the student is in college the result could be loss of a scholarship. Another very devastating effect is the loss of respect among peers, parents, and other people associated with the offender. Even if it is just beer others could assume that you would break the law in other areas. Although the consequences are always prevalent, some adolescents still choose to risk it to have what they believe is a good time.

8.     For many teenagers, there are numerous negative factors that can lead them to give up on their education and drop out of school. The first cause is that many teenagers lack positive role models in their lives. The lack of an encouraging adult in their lives can cause them to think negatively about themselves and it does not allow them to live up to their full potential. Also, the lack of a positive role model can cause them to get involved with the wrong kind of people and activities. When students get involved in these types of negative situations, they usually don't focus on school. This can lead many impressionable young children to give up on their education. Another factor that cause a student to give up on school is a lack of determination. If they're not determined to graduate, it can be very difficult for them to stay in school. Many students find it difficult to stay focused on school when they when they feel that getting an education is useless. Some students only attend school because they are forced to and they are not there to further their education. The third and final factor is peer pressure. Many students give into pure pressure very easily. If the pure pressure is negative, this can lead them into drugs and alcohol. The drugs and alcohol can cause them to drop out very easily because that is the only thing that they are focused on and it can easily ruin a child's life.

Chapter VI

Fact-Opinion

Fact

A fact is something that is true and can be proven true or false. It does not change, no matter who says it

Ø  Pizza is a type of food.

Ø  California is a large state.

Ø  Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980.

Opinion

An opinion is what someone thinks, feels or believes. Opinion is something that someone thinks or feels. It may change from person to person.

Ø  Pepperoni pizza is delicious.

Ø  California is the best state.

Ø  Everyone should visit Mount St. Helens.

Read each statement below. Decide if it is a fact or opinion and write your decision in the blank. Then switch it up! If the statement is an opinion, write a fact about the topic in the space provided. If it is a fact, write an opinion about the topic.

1.     Abraham Lincoln was president during the U.S. Civil War.

2.      Going to the doctor is scary.

3.     Beethoven was the greatest composer.

4.     Water is made of hydrogen and oxygen.

5.     Pizza with black olives is delicious.

6.     Elephants are the largest land mammals.

7.     Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun.

8.     The best vacation is going camping.

9.     SpongeBob SquarePants is a popular television show for children.

10.   Al-Ghifari is the best school in West Java.

11.   The Lord of the Rings was written by J.R.R. Tolkien.

12.   The Lord of the Rings is a great trilogy of books.

13.   Everyone should read The Lord of the Rings.

14.   In 2008, the Olympic Games were held in China.

15.   Olympic athletes train hard to prepare themselves for competition.

16.   Watching the Olympics is so much fun!

17.   Swimming is the most exciting sport in the Olympics.

18.   iPods are very popular among teenagers.

19.   iPods can be used to listen to music, view pictures, and watch movies.

20.  Bananas are a good source of potassium.

Think about elephants. Those thoughts will either be a fact or an opinion. A person’s opinion may be different from another person’s opinion. In the Fact column below, write the facts you know about elephants. In the Opinion column, write your opinion about elephants.

FACT		OPINION

Fact and Opinion Post test

Are the sentences below facts or opinions?

1.     I think your room is the messiest I have ever seen.

Ø  Fact

Ø  Opinion

2.     The hardest thing to learn in school is Science.

Ø  Fact

Ø  Opinion

3.     Which of the following sentences is an opinion?

Ø   John Marshall was the most intelligent Chief Justice in the United States

Ø  In 1819, the Supreme Court ruled that congress could create a national bank.

Ø  Marshall also ruled that the states did not have the right to tax the bank or any other agency created by the federal government.

Ø   The Chief Justice is part of the Judicial Branch of Government.

4.     Which of the following sentences is an opinion?

Ø   In the early 1800s, the United States negotiated treaties with European nations to settle boundary disputes.

Ø   The treaty, that removed warships from the Great Lakes, is called the Rush-Bagot Agreement

Ø  The state of Florida was bought from Spain in the Adams-Onis Treaty.

Ø  The Treaty of Ghent tried to settle boundary disputes between the United States and Canada, and was the worst treaty ever.

5.     Which of the following sentences is a not a fact?

Ø  George Washington was the first President of the United States.

Ø  John Adams was the smartest President, and he was from Massachusetts.

Ø  Ronald Reagan was one of the Presidents of the United States.

Ø  George Bush was a Republican became President in 1989.

Read the passage below to answer questions 6 and 7.

The best amendment that was passed by congress was the 19th amendment. It states that, "the rights of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex." I think that all women should be proud and vote in every election. It wasn't so long ago, that wicked men prevented the most intelligent sex in America from voting!

6.     Which of the following sentences from above are not opinions?

Ø  The best amendment that was passed by congress was the 19th amendment.

Ø  It wasn't so long ago, that wicked men prevented the most intelligent sex in America from voting!

Ø  I think that all women should be proud and vote in every election.

Ø   It states that, "the rights of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex."

7.     Which of the following are not opinion words from the passage above?

Ø  Best

Ø  I think

Ø  Most intelligent

Ø  It states

8.     Which of the following statements are opinions?

Ø  Rabbits are the smartest animals on earth.

Ø  Rabbits eat carrots and green vegetables.

Ø  Rabbits are extremely messy.

Ø  Both choices, "A" and "C" contain opinions.

9.     Which of the following statements are not facts?

Ø  The 18th amendment to the constitution prohibited the manufacture, sale, or transportation of alcohol.

Ø  The 21st amendment repealed, or reversed, the 18th amendment.

Ø  The 16th amendment gave congress to collect taxes from American citizens, and they have been collecting way too many taxes ever since.

Ø  The 26th amendment gave 18 year olds the right to vote.

10.   Which of the following is not an opinion about the amendments?

Ø  The 15th amendment was passed due to the perfect leadership of President Lincoln.

Ø  The first amendment includes the most misused freedom in our country, which is the freedom of the press.

Ø  The 13th amendment provided for the freedom of the slaves in the United States.

Ø  The 19th amendment, which gave women the right to vote, was the worst amendment in U.S. history.

Chapter VII

Compare-Contrast

Compare and contrast are ways to describe things. When you compare something, you tell what is the same between the things. When you contrast something, you describe what is different about them. Both compare and contrast tell the reader more about the subject of the paragraph.

Example: compare and contrast Oranges & Bananas

Ø  Oranges are orange.      Bananas are yellow.

Ø  Oranges are round.       Bananas are long.

Ø  Oranges have seeds.     Bananas don’t have seeds.

Ø  Both oranges and bananas are fruits.

Ø  We can eat them.

Ø  We have to peel them.

It is a great way to organize your thoughts when you are comparing and contrasting two things by using double bubble maps.

In the middle you put how the two objects are alike.

On the sides you put how the objects are different.

 

Reading Comprehension: Compare and Contrast

The Zoo

The zoo is a place where there are lots of different types of animals. The zoo has lions, monkeys, and bears. It also has birds, lizards, and snakes. At the zoo, you can see animals from around the world. You can’t touch the animals at the zoo, since they are too dangerous to be close to. Zoos are a great place to learn about animals.

The Farm

A farm is a place where there are animals and people grow food in the ground. The farm has horses, pigs, chickens, and cows living on it. The farmer will milk the cow to get milk. The farmer will also get eggs from the chickens. There are lots of animals on the farm. A farm also grows food such as corn and wheat.

Based on the two paragraphs, what do the zoo and the farm have in common?

a.) They both have farmers living on them.

b.) They both have lots of animals.

c.) They both provide food.

d.) They both have monkeys and lions.

Based on the two paragraphs, what is different between the zoo and the farm?

a.) They have different types of animals living in them.

b.) They have lots of animals.

c.) The farm is a long ways away from the zoo.

d.) The zoo is a dangerous place because of the animals.

Name four animals that live on a farm:

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Write a paragraph about the topic listed below. Be sure to compare things as well as contrast things. It is important that the reader understands what is the same about the things you are writing about and what is different about the things you are writing about. Describe the things and compare and contrast them.

Compare and contrast two different types of food that people eat.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Instructions: Look at the two images below. Compare and contrast them by answering the questions below using the information from the images.

Questions:

1.     Which person is buying ice cream?

2.     How many different items are on Karen’s grocery list?

3.     What items are both people buying?

4.     Who is buying orange juice?

5.     Who is buying bread?

6.     How many apples is Karen buying?

7.     Which person has healthier items on their list?

8.     What type of bread is Karen buying?

9.     What type of pizza is Roberta buying?

10.   How many types of items is Roberta purchasing?

Karen’s Grocery List

1 gallon whole milk

2 loaves of wheat bread

5 Granny Smith apples

4 oranges

7 bananas

Roberta’s Grocery List

½ gallon of orange juice

1 frozen pepperoni pizza

2 gallons of chocolate ice cream

1 banana

1 apple

School Lunch

Mike and Sam are best friends. They eat lunch together every day. Mike brings his lunch from home. Sam buys his lunch in the school cafeteria. Mike eats a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, some carrot sticks, and a cookie for lunch. Sam eats meatloaf, green beans, and a cookie for lunch. They both have chocolate milk to drink with lunch. Mike and Sam share their cookies with each other so that they can each taste both types of cookies. They both love cookies. After lunch, they play outside during recess.

Put an “X” in the correct column.

	Mike	Sam	Both
Eat lunch
Eat carrot sticks
Love cookies
Are best friends
Buys lunch from the cafeteria
Bring lunch from home
Play outside

Extra idea: What did you eat for lunch today? What is your favorite food?

Read the two reports below.

 Summer Vacation Reports

Amanda and Maxwell each wrote about three things last summer. Write the things that they did on the lines below. Put the item that both of them did in the center.

Extra idea: Make a list of the things you did last summer.

Amanda’s Report:

What I Did On Summer Vacation

I went on vacation at the beach last summer. My brother and I played in the ocean and built castles out of sand. I also read lots of books last summer. My favorite book was The Secret Garden. At the end of the summer, my mom and dad took me to the water park and we went swimming. It was fun!

Maxwell’s Report:

What I Did On Summer Vacation

I went on a car trip with my dad last summer. We drove a long way. I also read a book last summer called The Hardy Boys. It was an adventure story. I went to summer camp with my best friend too. I had a great time.

            Amanda                        Maxwell

 

           

Chapter VIII

Skimming

Skimming is used to obtain the gist (the overall sense) of a piece of text. E.g. Use skimming to get the gist of a page of a textbook to decide whether it is useful and should therefore be read more slowly and in more detail.

How to Use It

1.     Read the title, subtitles and subheading to find out what the text is about.

2.     Look at the illustrations to give you further information about the topic.

3.     Read the first and last sentence of each paragraph.

4.     Don't read every word or every sentence. Let you eyes skim over the text, taking in key words.

5.     Continue to think about the meaning of the text.

When to Use It

(1)   When one needs to know the overall sense or the main ideas of a text.

(2)  When there are large amounts of reading and limited time to review it in detail.

(3)  When one is seeking specific information rather than reading for comprehension or pleasure.

(4)  When it is necessary to find out if it is a book should be read at all or in more detail.

(5)  When one needs to know if a text may be of interest in one’s research.

Exercise

Skimming a school prospectus

Read this school prospectus, and answer the questions bellow.

1.     Is the prospectus aimed at children or parents?

2.     Would you use the prospectus to:

Ø  find directions to the school?

Ø  find out what time the school opens?

Ø  find out about school uniform?

3.     As well as illness, which issues does the ‘Absence’ section deal with?

4.     Does the prospectus give details of the curriculum?

5.     You can find out about school clubs from this prospectus. True or false?

6.     The prospectus tells parents about the issues of bullying. True or false?

7.     Does the prospectus give parents information about school examinations?

8.     Does the prospectus tell parents how to purchase second-hand uniform?

9.     Does the prospectus tell you about school lunches?

10.   The prospectus gives you the telephone number to call if your child is ill. True or false?

Activity #2

Anne of Green Gables, 100 Years Later

Have you ever read the story of a little red-headed orphan who daydreamed and made mischief wherever she went? Can you guess this character's name? If you've read the book, "Anne of Green Gables," by Lucy Maud Montgomery, then you know that the little girl is called Anne Shirley.

Meet Anne

If you haven't read the book, you might wonder just who this famous Anne character is. For starters, Anne turns 100 this year. That's right, "Anne of Green Gables" was first published in 1908. L.M. Montgomery, as the author was known, then went on to write seven more full length books about Anne and her family. In the first "Anne" book, the spunky girl is an 11-year-old orphan who accidentally ends up with Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert – a brother and sister who live in the imaginary town of Avonlea on Prince Edward Island in Canada. Matthew and Marilla planned to adopt a boy – someone to help with the farm work. Instead, they got Anne. And, like millions of readers, they fell in love with her – much to their surprise.

See, Anne talks too much. She daydreams when she should be washing the dishes. She hates her bright red hair so much that she even tries dyeing it. But she ends up with a color that's even worse – green. That, however, is one of the reasons everyone loves Anne: The trouble she causes keeps life lively, and no one can be as kind as she can – or as much fun.

Meet Anne’s Author

When she made up stories about Anne, Montgomery drew on her own life experiences. Like Anne, she lost her mother when she was very young, so she spent many of her growing-up years with her grandparents on Prince Edward Island. With her vivid memories and just a touch of imagination, Anne was born.

Montgomery also loved nature. And she especially loved the spruce grove and the brook near the one-room schoolhouse she attended. Her passion for the outdoors – and some of the quirks of a one-room schoolhouse education – ended up in her stories, too.

However, there were differences between Montgomery and her first storybook character. For example, Montgomery was "Lucy Maudwithout-an-'e'." Anne, on the other hand, pleads for the 'e' at the end of her name. Anne also has a much happier childhood with Matthew and Marilla than Montgomery had with her strict grandparents. Often, Montgomery felt lonely, so she used her imagination to escape. Anne seems to do her best daydreaming when she's happy. Although if you know anything about Anne, you also know that there's rarely a moment when she's not imagining something!

One thing neither Anne nor her author could have imagined, though, was just how many people all over the world would still adore Anne today.

Skimming Book Reviews “Anne of Green Gables”

Read these questions and then skim the book review for the answers. Work quickly!

1.     Who is Lucy Maud Montgomery?

2.     Who is Anne?

3.     Where does she live?

4.     Why does everybody love Anne?

5.     How was Anne’s life similar to L.M. Montgomery’s life?

6.     How was it different?

7.     Does the book review a positive or a negative review? Discuss with your partner.

Chapter IX

Scanning

Scanning is a fast reading technique. It's a way of reading to look for specific information in a text. Scanning can be used to look up a phone number, read through the small ads in a newspaper, or for browsing TV schedules, timetables, lists, catalogues or web pages for information. For these tasks you don't need to read or understand every word.

Scanning is often confused with skimming, but is in fact a distinct reading strategy involving rapid but focused reading of text, in order to locate specific information, e.g. looking for particular details such as dates, names, or certain types of words. It is processing print at a high speed while looking for answers to specific questions. When you scan, you must begin with a specific question which has a specific answer. Scanning for information in this way should be both fast and accurate.

Types of materials appropriate for scanning:

·         Simple: lists, dictionaries, white pages, tables, signs, classified ads

·         Less simple: yellow pages, reference works, tables of contents, indices (indexes), web pages

·         Complex: continuous prose - documents, articles, books, long descriptions

How to use it

·         Start at the beginning of the passage.

·         Move your eyes quickly over the lines, looking for key words related to the information you want to find.

·         Stop scanning and begin reading as soon as you find any of the key words you're looking for.

When to use it

·         When one needs to find a particular or specific piece of information.

·         When one only needs to extract specific details from a text.

·         When studying or looking to find specific information from a book or article quickly as there is not always time to read every word.

For example:

The "What's on TV" section of your newspaper.

A train / airplane schedule

A conference guide

Tips

·         Don't try to read every word. Instead let your eyes move quickly across the page until you find what you are looking for.

·         Use clues on the page, such as headings and titles, to help you.

·         In a dictionary or phone book, use the 'header' words to help you scan. You can find these in bold type at the top of each page.

·         If you are reading for study, start by thinking up or writing down some questions that you want to answer. Doing this can focus your mind and help you find the facts or information that you need more easily.

·         Many texts use A-Z order. These include everyday materials such as the phone book and indexes to books and catalogues.

·         There are many ways to practise scanning skills. Try looking up a favourite recipe in the index of a cookbook, search for a plumber in your local Yellow Pages, or scan web pages on the Internet to find specific information.

Activity 1

First read the following questions and then use the TV Schedule to find the answers.

1-     Jack has a video - can he watch both documentaries without having to make a video?

2-    Is there a show about making good investments?

3-    You are thinking about traveling to the USA for a vacation. Which show should you watch?

4-    Your friend doesn't have a TV, but would like to watch a film starring Tom Cruise.  Which film should you record on your video?

5-    Peter is interested in wild animals which show should he watch?

6-    Which sport can you watch that takes place outside?

7-    Which sport can you watch that takes place inside?

8-    You like modern art. Which documentary should you watch?

9 -   How often can you watch the news?

10 - Is there a horror film on this evening?

CBC

6.00 p.m.: National News - join Jack Parsons for your daily news roundup.

6.30: The Tiddles- Peter joins Mary for a wild adventure in the park.

7.00: Golf Review- Watch highlights from today's final round of the Grand Master's.

8.30: Shock from the Past- This entertaining film by Arthur Schmidt takes a poke at the wild side of gambling.

10.30: Nightly News- A review of the day's most important events.

11.00: MOMA: Art for Everyone- A fascinating documentary that helps you enjoy the difference between pointilism and video installations.

12:00: Hard Day's Night- Reflections after a long, hard day.

FNB

6.00 p.m.: In-Depth News - In-depth coverage of the most important national and international news stories.

7.00: Nature Revealed- Interesting documentary taking a look at the microscopic universe in your average speck of dust.

7.30: Ping - Pong Masters- Live coverage from Peking.

 9.30: It's Your Money- That's right and this favorite game show could make or break you depending on how you place your bets.

10.30: Green Park- Stephen King's latest monster madness.

0.30: Late Night News- Get the news you need to get a hard start on the upcoming day.

ABN

6.00 p.m.: Travel Abroad - This week we travel to sunny California!

6.30: The Flintstones- Fred and Barney are at it again.

7.00: Pretty Boy- Tom Cruise, the prettiest boy of them all, in an action packed thriller about Internet espionage.

9.00: Tracking the Beast- The little understood wildebeest filmed in its natural surroundings with commentary by Dick Signit.

10.00: Pump Those Weights- A guide to successfully using weights to develop your physique while getting fit.

11.30: The Three Idiots- A fun farce based on those three tenors who don't know when to call it quits.

1.00: National Anthem- Close the day with this salute to our country.

Activity #2      Applying for a Job

1	Needed: Full time secretary position available. Applicants should have at least 2 years Experience and be able to type 60 words a minute. No computer skills required. Apply in person at United Business Ltd., 17 Browning Street.
2	Are you looking for a part time job? We require 3 part time shop assistants to work during the evening. No experience required, applicants should between 18 and 26. Call 366 - 76564 for more information.
3	Computer trained secretaries: Do you have experience working with computers? Would you like a full time position working in an exciting new company? If your answer is yes, give us a call at 344-5487
4	Teacher Needed: Tommy's Kindergarten needs 2 teacher/trainers to help with classes from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Applicants should have appropriate licenses. For more information visit Tommy's Kindergarten in Leicester Square No. 56
5	Part time work available: We are looking for retired adults who would like to work part time at the weekend. Responsibilities include answering the telephone and giving customer's information. For more information contact us by calling 345-546.
6	University positions open: The University of Cumberland is looking for 4 teaching assistants to help with homework correction. Applicants should have a degree in one of the following: Political Science, Religion, Economics or History. Please contact the University of Cumberland for more information.

Comprehension Questions

Which position is best for these people? Now scan the text and choose ONLY ONE position for each person.

•          Jane Madison. Jane recently retired and is looking for a part time position. She would like to work with people and enjoys public relation work. The best job for Jane is ……………………………….

•          Jack Anderson. Jack graduated from the University of Trent with a degree in Economics two years ago. He would like an academic position. The best job for Jack is …………………………………..….

•          Margaret Lillian. Margaret is 21 years old and would like a part time position to help her pay her university expenses. She can only work in the evenings. The best job for Margaret is ………………..

•          Alice Fingelhamm. Alice was trained as a secretary and has six years of experience. She is an excellent typist but does not know how to use a computer. She is looking for a full time position. The best job for Alice is ………………………………………………………

•           Peter Florian. Peter went to business school and studied computer and secretarial skills. He is looking for his first job and would like a full time position. The best job for Peter is …………………………..

•          Vincent san George. Vincent loves working with children and has an education license from the city of Birmingham. He would like to work with young children. The best job for Vincent is …………….

Activity #3

Questions

1.     At what time does the 08.42 bus from Murrayfield Drive arrive at Trenton Hospital on a Thursday?

( ) 08.59

( ) 09.02

( ) 09.22

( ) 11.02

2.     At what time does the 10.49 bus from Trenton Parade arrive at Gately Road on a Monday?

( ) 11.10

( ) 12.10

( ) 12.15

( ) 11.55

3.      If you need to be in the town centre by 11am on a Saturday morning, which bus do you need to catch from Tilfield Park?

( ) 07.58

( ) 10.04

( ) 10.00

( ) 11.59

4.      If you need to be in the town centre by 10.30am on a Wednesday morning, which bus do you need to catch from Trenton Hospital?

( )11.02

( ) 08.02

( ) 08.10

( ) 09.02

5.     If you want to arrive at The Broadwalk by 15.30 on a Tuesday, which bus do you need to catch from St. Clement's Church?

( ) 14.55

( )  13.55

( ) 13.59

( ) 14.59

6.     If you miss the 17.00 bus from Tilfield Park on a Friday, what time is the next bus?

( ) 17.03

( ) 17.12

( ) 18.03

( ) 18.07

7.     If you miss the 08.10 bus from Gately Road on a Monday, when does the next bus arrive?

( ) 08.15

( ) 09.15

( ) 11.10

( ) 08.22

8.     If you need to arrive at Trenton Hospital by 17.15 on a Sunday, which bus do you need to catch from Murrayfield Drive?

( )13.41

( ) 15.43

( ) 16.43

( ) 16.01

9.      How long does the 11.42 bus journey take from Murrayfield Drive to Trenton Hospital on a Saturday?

( ) 19 minutes

( ) 20 minutes

( ) 21 minutes

( ) 22 minutes

10.   If you need to be at Tilfield Park by 09.00 on a Thursday, which bus do you need to catch from Trenton Parade?

( ) 07.48

( ) 08.42

( ) 08.49

( ) 08.55

Chapter X

Descriptive Writing

The primary purpose of descriptive writing is to describe a person, place or thing in such a way that a picture is formed in the reader's mind. Capturing an event through descriptive writing involves paying close attention to the details by using all of your five senses.

In a descriptive paragraph, begin with an idea.

(You can write about what a person, object, place and so on)

Think about that idea.

Think in specific words and phrases as you write, using descriptive words.

Ask yourself questions about your idea, relating to the five senses.

                        What does it look like?

                        What does it sound like?

                        What does it smell like?

                        What does it taste like?

                        What does it feel like?

Examples:

1.     a paragraph describing what an alligator or a bat looks like.

2.     a paragraph about a special person in your life.

3.     a paragraph about a place that is worth seeing

After you brainstorm, focus and organize:

—  Write a topic sentence.

(What is the main idea you want to write about?)

—  List in order details relating to your topic sentence.

—  Write an organized and supported descriptive paragraph.

—  Revise and edit your paragraph.

—  Use Simple Present Tense (You can use Simple Past tense if you are describing a person in your past.)

Describing Character - What is he like? Is he nice???

careful, hard-working, worried, cheerful, active, curious,

generous, aggressive, careless, sensible, independent

creative boring, imaginative sensitive, gentle, loyal,

trusting, friendly stubborn, patient moody, optimistic,

energetic, confident, selfish, shy,

Examples:

1.     Our new teacher is so patient. If we don't understand something, she goes over it again and again until we do.

2.     Our English teacher at school is so creative. He is always coming up with new games that help make learning fun.

3.     Tim is so generous. He always helps out the poor people in our community.

My grandmother

      My grandmother was a very lovely woman. Her warm, loving smile always brightened my day. She was a thin, elderly woman in her 80s. She had wavy hair and big round blue eyes. Everything about her was tidy and comforting. When I was younger, I learned a lot from this energetic and inspiring woman.

Tips:

·         Always concentrate on the things around you and add lots of similes and metaphors describe what you can hear see, smell, feel, taste.

·         Avoid using words like "nice", "good", "pretty", or "awesome", as these do not render a vivid picture in the mind of the reader.

·         Use a simple, impactful sentence now and then!

·         Sounds can be difficult to describe, as well as tastes and smells. Use similes or metaphors that your reader can relate with to help them catch on to what you're experiencing, not to leave anything for them to determine.

·         Remember not to leave anything to the reader's imagination, especially when describing sound. Sentences like "The gentle breeze whispered past my ears, leaving a peaceful calm in the meadow" is a great sentence about what can be heard.

·         Use descriptive adjectives such as: subsequently.

Exercise

1.     Can you tell us about horses/elephants/lions? Describe.

2.     Can you tell us about the Indonesian culture? Describe.

3.     Can you tell us about your friend/your family/yourself? Describe.

Chapter XI

Persuasive Writing

Persuasive writing is writing where you try to convince someone to take a particular issue on a point of voice. Persuasive writing may be designed to convince the reader to take your position on a particular issue or may be designed to convince the reader to take a certain action.

Persuading Readers with Your Writing

Persuasive writing is very common in advertising where marketing professionals try to convince you to buy something. Persuasive writing can also be used in lots of other situations as well.

Here are some examples of persuasive writing. 

·         Brand of chips is the crispiest, crunchiest and most delicious brand of chips you will ever taste. Buy a bag today. 

·         A vacation to Florida is an experience you will never forget, offering sun, fun and beautiful beaches. Book your trip today. 

·         An ABC mattress is the most comfortable bed you will ever sleep on. You'll feel as if you are sleeping on a cloud. Give the bed a try today. 

·         XYZ dog food is sure to make your dog's tail wag. If you truly love your dog, you'll give this brand a try today. 

·         You don't want to make a mistake on your tax return. Trust the expert accountants at 123 Accounting with your taxes to ensure you get the most money back. 

·         Our injury attorneys have recovered millions of dollars for clients and we can take your case and represent your interests. Call us today to schedule a free consultation. 

·         Our store has the lowest prices and the best selection of all of the stores in the town. Visit us today to see our great selection. 

·         All of the cool kids are wearing clothes from XXX Store. If you want to fit in with the in-crowd, you should be sure to shop here too. 

·         Our headache medication will get rid of your headache for five hours with just one pill and has fewer side effects than other similar medications. Try it today. 

·         If you vote for me, I will make sure that your taxes are low and that you get the government services that you depend upon. Cast your vote today.

·         Mandatory minimum sentencing is wrong because it is a form of discrimination and many people receive very long sentences for minor crimes. We should overturn mandatory minimum sentencing rules and give judges more discussion.

·         Raising taxes is wrong because people should be entitled to keep their own money and because an increase in tax revenue will be stifling to businesses. We should keep taxes low or even reduce tax rates to encourage growth.

·         Marijuana should be legalized because it is no worse for you than alcohol and because we are putting too many people in prison and spending too much money to incarcerate them for nonviolent crimes. 

·         Plastic, Paper, or Cloth? We have a big decision to make. We can use cloth, paper, or plastic bags. I choose cloth because paper uses trees, and plastic uses petroleum; so we should use cloth. Cloth bags are easy to take with you and use again and again. We need to keep our earth clean, so let’s use cloth. Remember, recycle and reuse.

In each of these examples, the writing is trying to get you to do something or support something by explaining a reason to do it or a benefit or advantage to taking an action

Exercise

Persuasive Writing

Introductory Paragraph Review

Directions: Read the introductory paragraphs. Based on the preview of main points, determine what the next paragraphs will be about.

1.     The other day when I was walking to school, I saw a street cleaner sit in the truck while his partner did all of the work. Both of those people were getting paid. People need to take street cleaning more seriously. Street cleaning is important because it decreases the pollution, it gives our city a better look, and it increases employment.

What will the first body paragraph be about? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What will the second body paragraph be about? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What will the third body paragraph be about? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2.     Do students learn more when they are hungry? I don’t think so. We should have a vending machine at our school because people get hungry in the middle of the day, it would raise money for sports and clubs, and students would learn more.

What will the first body paragraph be about?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What will the second body paragraph be about?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What will the third body paragraph be about?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 Practice Creating Persuasive Leads

Directions: create a lead (attention catcher) for each of the following topics. Persuasive Leads Anecdote: tell a short story (1-4 sentences) related to your topic. Question: ask a question that pushes the reader toward your position (don’t just repeat the topic)

1.     Should smoking cigarettes be banned in all public places?

2.     Should people be punished for illegally downloading movies and music?

3.     Should students be allowed to bring MP3 players and electronic devices to school?

4.     Should college be free?

5.   Should classes be separated into boys and girls?

Chapter XII

Expository Writing

Expository writing explains ideas.  It presents true and accurate information.  It gives directions. It tells:  how to do something,  how something works,  how to get from one place to another. It must be clear and well-organized. It must contain adequate information to support the main idea.

Here are a few guidelines to remember.

Expository writing is used to:

•          describe

•          inform

•          explain

Expository writing samples include:

•          autobiographies

•          biographies

•          informational reports

•          news reports

•          research reports

The Introductory Paragraph Should:

•          be catchy and make the reader want to read it

•          be very clear about the topic

•          provide good details in the last sentence that lead into the next paragraph

The body—3 –5 paragraphs:

•          each paragraph should focus on one of your key points and should

•          develop that key point, the final sentence of that key point should lead

•          into the next point which will become your next paragraph

•          each paragraph will need an introductory sentence, each paragraph

•          needs to stay on topic

The body—3 –5 paragraphs:

•          each paragraph should focus on one of your key points

•          always stay on topic

•          be sure to use great vocabulary, keep your reader engaged

•          be sure to back up all of your key points with supporting detail(s)

The Conclusion:

•          the conclusion is your final paragraph, it is where you re-state your topic

•          be sure to summarize all of your topics in each paragraph

•          finish with pizzazz! Leave your reader pleased and satisfied

Expository Writing Exercise

Be sure to include an introduction, 3-5 paragraphs and a conclusion.

1.     Write about your favorite holiday. Provide details about why is was your favorite holiday. Be sure to include an effective conclusion that makes others want to go.

2.     Write about your favorite movie or television show. Remember to include a new detail in each paragraph.

3.     Write about why a certain person you know should receive the ‘good character’ award.

4.     Write about your most embarrassing, happiest or saddest time.

5.     Write about what bugs you most.

6.     Write about making the world or school a better place.

7.     Write about your favorite season, sport or best friend.

8.     If you could change places with anyone in the world, who would it be?

9.     Write about where you should go on a school trip and why it would be a great place to go.

10.   You just won a million dollars and only have a week to spend it. Write about what you would do and why.

11.   Write about one of the most important characters in a book you read or a movie you saw

Chapter XIII

Figurative Language

Whenever you describe something by comparing it with something else, you are using figurative language.

How to identify figurative language?

The types of figurative language:

1.     Simile

A simile uses the words “like” or “as” to compare one object or idea with another to suggest they are alike.
Example:          -she is busy as a bee

-The metal twisted like a ribbon. 

-She is as sweet as candy.

2.     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.

-Time is money

-He has a heart of stone

3.     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.

-The sunlight danced.

-The streets are calling me.

4.     Alliteration

The repetition of the same initial letter, sound, or group of sounds in a series of words. Consonant sounds repeated at close intervals at the beginnings of words. Alliteration includes tongue twisters.
Example:          -She sells seashells by the seashore.

-If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, how many

 pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick?

5.     Onomatopoeia

The use of a word to describe or imitate a natural sound or the sound made by an object or an action.
Example:          -the bees buzz angrily when their hive is disturbed

                        -the sack fell into the river with a splash.

                        -he looked at the roaring sky.

6.     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.

-I will love you forever.

-My house is a million miles from here.

7.     Understatement/litotes

Basically it is the opposite of hyperbole.  Often it is ironic.

Example:          -I’ll be there in one second.

EXERCISE:

Which figurative language is used in this sentence.

1.     Alright, the sky misses the sun at night.

2.     The poorest man is the richest, and the rich are poor.

3.     Hear the mellow wedding bells.

4.     Out of reach, I pull out with a screech.

5.     I move fast like a cheetah on Serengeti.

6.     The sun greeted me this morning.

7.     Her head was spinning from all the new information.

8.     The toast jumped out of the toaster.

9.     I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.

10.   The radio stopped singing and stared at me.

11.   The Sea lashed out in anger at the ships, unwilling to tolerate another battle.

12.   The Redcoats are coming!

13.   She is as thin as a toothpick.

14.   I’ve told you million times to clean your room!

15.   Betty bought butter but the butter was bitter, so Betty bought better butter to make the bitter butter better.

16.   The buzzing bee flew away.

17.   The moan of doves in immemorial elms, and murmuring of innumerable bees.

18.   My love for you is a deep as the ocean.

19.   Hark, hark, the watch-dogs bark!

20.  Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.

21.   Your eyes are a shadowy sea in the starry darkness of night.

22.  The burning wood hissed and crackled.

23.  They fought like cats and dogs.

24.  Her home was a prison.

25.  John is a real pig when he eats.

Read these poems then analyze the Figurative Language that used.

1.

There was an old lady who swallowed a cow.

I don’t know how she swallowed a cow!

She swallowed the cow to catch the goat.

She swallowed the goat to catch the dog.

She swallowed the dog to catch the cat.

She swallowed the cat to catch the bird.

She swallowed the bird to catch the spider

That wriggled and jiggled and wiggled inside her.

She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.

But I dunno why she swallowed that fly.

Perhaps she’ll die.

There was an old lady who swallowed a horse –

She’s dead, of course.

2.

Said the Table to the Chair

“You can hardly be aware

How I suffer from the heat

And from chilblains 1 on my feet. 4

If we took a little walk,

We might have a little talk;

Pray let us take the air 2,”

Said the Table to the Chair.

3.

Sometimes some students

Decide to stand instead of

Sitting, to speak when

Someone is speaking and

Simply act silly

4.

Your teeth are like stars

They came out at night

They come back at dawn

When they’re ready to bite

            Your feet smell so bad

            Just like limburger cheese

            That I’m holding my nose tight

            Between my two knees

5.

Here lies a poor woman who was always tired,

She lived in a house where help wasn't hired:

Her last words on earth were: “Dear friends, I am going

To where there's no cooking, or washing, or sewing,

For everything there is exact to my wishes,

For where they don't eat there's no washing of dishes.

I'll be where loud anthems will always be ringing,

But having no voice I'll be quit of the singing.

Don't mourn for me now, don't mourn for me never,

I am going to do nothing forever and ever.”

Quiz

Directions: Read the following examples of figurative language. Identify the poetic device being used. Write the letter of your answer on the line to the right.

1.     The streets were strange and still, / Through the doors of the open churches The organs were moaning shrill.

a.     Simile                     c.    metaphor

b.     Hyperbole              d.   personification

2.     Chicago is a city that is fierce as a dog with tongue lapping for action.

a.     enjambment            c.   simile

b.     metaphor                d.   onomatopoeia

3.     She soothed her secret sorrow.

a.     hyperbole               c.   metaphor

b.     alliteration             d.   simile

4.     Silver bells!... How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle in the icy air of night.

a.     simile                     c.   onomatopoeia

b.     hyperbole               d.   alliteration

5.     He answered her he knew not what: / Like shaft from bow at random shot,

a.     Simile                     c.   repetition

b.     personification       d.   metaphor

6.     Chant in a wail / that never halts, / pace a circle and pay tribute / with a song.

a.     rhyme                     c.   personification

b.     simile                     d.   hyperbole

7.     Vague pageants woven on a web of dream! And we, pushing and fighting in the turbid stream / Of modern life

a.     simile                     c.   understatement

b.     metaphor                d.   hyperbole

8.     He would contemplate the distance / With a look of pensive meaning, As of ducks that die in ill tempests.

a.     simile                     c.   personification

b.     metaphor                d.   onomatopoeia

9.     And I will return, my love, / even if it were a million miles.

a.     personification       c.   hyperbole

b.     onomatopoeia         d.   simile

10.   Women under the gas lamps luring the farm boys.

a.     onomatopoeia         c.   personification

b.     hyperbole               d.   alliteration

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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