Functional English for Undergraduate Students PDF

Code: 9382 FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH For Undergraduate Students Department of English ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY ISLAMABAD  FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH For Undergraduate Students Course Code: 9382 Units: 1–9 Department of English...

Code: 9382 FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH For Undergraduate Students Department of English ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY ISLAMABAD  FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH For Undergraduate Students Course Code: 9382 Units: 1–9 Department of English Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities Allama Iqbal Open University Islamabad  (All Rights Reserved with the Publisher) Printing Year..........................................2024 Typeset by............................................... M. Hameed Zahid Printing Incharge................................. Dr. Sarmad Iqbal Printer....................................................... Pakistan Post Foundation Press, Islamabad. Publisher.................................................. Allama Iqbal Open University, H-8, Islamabad ii  COURSE TEAM Chairman: Dr. Muhammad Kamal Khan Course Development Coordinator: Ms. Farzana Ursani Akbar Recompilation and Resizing: Dr Furrakh Abbas Editor: Ms. Farzana Ursani Akbar Producer: Mr. Muneer Malik iii  CONTENTS Page # Introduction of the Course vii Objectives of the Course viii Organization of the Course ix UNIT 1 Section A Function Asking and Answering Questions 1 Section B Structure Simple Present and Present Continuous Tenses Section C Reading Guessing the Meaning of Words Section D Writing Writing Connected Sentences Section E Listening Understanding Directions UNIT 2 Section A Function Seeking Confirmation 24 Section B Structure The Present Perfect Tense Section C Reading Synonyms and Antonyms Section D Writing Informal Letters Section E Listening Listening to a Lecture and Taking Notes UNIT 3 Section A Function Agreeing and Disagreeing 49 Section B Structure The Simple Past Tense Section C Reading Predicting the Content of a Book Section D Writing Letters of Apology Section E Listening Listening to the News iv UNIT 4 Section A Function Expressing Possibility and Impossibility 70 Section B Structure Modal Verbs Section C Reading Skimming and Scanning Section D Writing Letters Giving Advice Section E Listening Giving Advice UNIT 5 Section A Function Expressing Certainty and Uncertainty 91 Expressing Obligation Section B Structure Active and Passive Voice Section C Reading Functions in the Text Section D Writing Writing Formal Letters: Job Applications Section E Listening Listening to Job Interview UNIT 6 Section A Function Expressing Preference and Expressing Intention 110 Section B Structure Simple Future Tense Section C Reading Main Ideas and Supporting Details Section D Writing Paragraph Development Section E Listening Listening to Announcements UNIT 7 Section A Function Asking Giving and Refusing Permission 131 Section B Structure Future Continuous Section C Reading General Reading Exercises Section D Writing Writing an Essay Section E Listening Listening to a Speech v UNIT 8 Section A Function Expressing Appreciation, Admiration, 153 Pleasure and Gratitude Section B Structure Indirect or Reported Speech Section C Reading Making Inferences Section D Writing Descriptive Writing Section E Listening Listening to Descriptions UNIT 9 Section A Function Advice & Suggestions 167 Section B Structure Clauses: Main or Independent Clause Dependent or Subordinating Clause Section C Reading Facts and Opinions Section D Writing Narrative Writing Section E Listening Listening to a Story vi  INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE This course of Functional English is designed in view of the revised HEC undergraduate policy 2023. This course aims at equipping the learners with essential language skills for effective communication in diverse real-world scenarios. It focuses on developing proficiency in English language usage: word choices, grammar and sentence structure. In addition, the course will enable students to grasp nuanced messages and tailor their communication effectively through application of comprehension and analytical skills in listening and reading. Moreover, the course encompasses a range of practical communication aspects including professional writing, public speaking, and everyday conversation, ensuring that students are equipped for both academic and professional spheres. An integral part of the course is fostering a deeper understanding of the impact of language on diverse audiences. Students will learn to communicate inclusively and display a strong commitment to cultural awareness in their language use. Additionally, the course will enable them to navigate the globalized world with ease and efficacy, making a positive impact in their functional interactions. vii  OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSE Upon successful completion of the course, you will be able to: ▪ Perform various language functions like asking and answering questions, seeking confirmation, agreeing or disagreeing, expressing preference and intention, asking for permission and accepting or declining permission, expressing appreciation and gratitude, etc. ▪ Demonstrate knowledge of specific grammatical concepts. ▪ Read for specific purposes by skimming and scanning the texts, identifying main ideas and supporting details, making inferences, drawing accurate conclusions, and identifying author' s purpose. ▪ Write cohesive paragraphs and essays. ▪ Develop vocabulary skills through meaningful vocabulary development exercises. viii  ORGANIZATION OF THE COURSE As already mentioned, FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH” course comprises nine (9) units carrying three credit hours. Each unit has five sections that are: Section A Function Section B Structure Section C Reading Section D Writing Section E Listening Section A: Function: What is meant by "function"? It is the language that you need to participate or interact in a variety of everyday social and work related situations. "Function" therefore, means using the language suitable in situations or circumstances that we all encounter in our routine life. In this section, you are given ample opportunities to practise and perform functions such as asking questions, solicit permission, agree or disagree, express appreciation, and give advice and suggestions. All the above are the functions of a language and knowing and mastering these mean that you know how to express yourself correctly and carry out conversations in English in any kind of situation that you may face in everyday life. Many of the short dialogues or conversations in Section A are recorded on an audio cassette which accompanies this course. These dialogues are used to teach you important functions of the language and they also offer you excellent opportunities to practise listening and speaking skills. Section B: Structure This Section is basically a grammar section. In this section, you will learn to form and use important grammatical structures like: ▪ The Present Tense ▪ The Past Tense ix ▪ Reported Speech ▪ Active and Passive Voice ▪ Modals, etc. The exercises are designed to give you a generous practice in forming and using these grammatical structures in meaningful contexts. Section C: Reading The purpose of this section is to develop your reading skills. You are introduced and guided to apply a variety of reading techniques or Strategies and skills needed for reading any kind of text in English and in doing so you will, hopefully, become a fast, competent and a better reader. Most of the reading passages chosen are authentic texts taken from newspapers and magazines. The following are some of the important reading techniques given in this section: ▪ Skimming or reading a text to get a general overview ▪ Scanning or reading a text to get specific information ▪ Making inferences or making logical and reasonable guesses ▪ Guessing meaning from the context ▪ Comprehending main ideas ▪ Recognizing supporting details ▪ Identifying facts and opinions Section D: Writing Writing is one of the most important language skills to master. In this section, you are given sufficient practice to carry out practical writing tasks like: ▪ Writing informal or friendly letters ▪ Writing formal letters with specific focus on job application letters ▪ Writing effective paragraphs ▪ Writing descriptive and narrative essays ▪ Organising your essays, etc. x Section E: Listening In Section E of each unit you are given practice to listen to a variety of listening samples such as conversations, lectures, stories, and speeches that will help you improve your listening skills. You have to complete tasks and exercises that will test your general and specific listening competence. This section, therefore, gives you opportunities to: ▪ Listen and understand directions ▪ Listen to a lecture and take notes ▪ Listen to announcements ▪ Listen to descriptions ▪ Listen to a speech ▪ Listen to a story ▪ Symbols used in the course book There are three symbols used in the course book. These symbols are: Cassette a pointing hand a key The picture of a cassette along with the number of the recorded text or dialogue will alert you to listen to that particular dialogue or text and then do the accompanying exercises. We strongly advise you to listen to these recorded texts and do. the exercises as without which you will not be able to understand the specific purpose or meaning of the unit. The instructions above each recorded text tell you to listen to the following dialogue (Recorded Text 12) on your cassette." You may listen to a recorded text as often as you wish. The more the better! xi  The symbol of the hand suggests that this is an explanation of an important point. If you still need help in understanding that point or concept, please ask your tutor for further explanation. As you go about the course you will notice that certain exercises have the symbol of a key. This tells you that the answers for these exercises can be found in the key section at the end of the book. If you want to seriously learn English language, we recommend that you should buy a good English language dictionary and a good grammar book. Also to practise communicating in English, you need to read English books and newspapers as much as possible. You should also try to listen to English language broadcasts on radio and on television. Assignments and Examination You are required to do two (2) assignments. Assignment 1 will be based on units 1–4 and assignment 2 will be based on units 5–9. At the end of the semester, you will be examined on the whole course. The assessment will be based partly on the assignments and partly on the final examination. We wish you all the success in your studies. Farzana Ursani  UNIT 1 Section A FUNCTION Asking and Answering Questions A young man Yaasir has been stopped for over speeding. A Policeman is asking him some questions. Listen to the conversation between them on your cassette recorder. Recorded Text 1 Policeman: May I know your name please, sir? Yaasir: What? 1 P: Your name, please? Y: Oh, yes. Yaasir Malik. P: And your address? Y: Hmmm? P: Your address, sir, where do you live? Y: Uh...... 45 Margalla Road. P: And your age? How old are you? Y: 21. P: Have you got your driving licence, sir? Y: No, not at the moment. Can I bring it to the police station later? It's at home. P: How long have you been driving? Y: About five years. P: Have you ever been stopped by the police before? Y: No, never. There are many ways of asking questions in English but the most frequently used questions asked in English language begin with the letters WH, except the question-word How? To ask a WH question correctly in English, we must put the WH word in front. Read these examples of WH questions: WHEN...? Time When did they go to Peshawar? - Last year. WHERE...? Place Where did they stay in Peshawar? – In a guest house WHY...? Reason Why did they go to Peshawar? - Because they wanted to visit some old friends WHAT...? Object What did they buy from Peshawar? – Some beautiful brass and copper items WHICH...? Choice of two 2  Which item did she like best? - The one that's made of copper WHOSE...? Possession. Whose bag was the heaviest? – Jamal’s WHOM...? Person /s Whom did they meet? – The Durrani’s WHO...? Person Who took their order at the restaurant? - The waiter ▪ HOW...? Manner Exercise A1 What questions will you ask to get the following answers? Question: ? Answer: In Peshawar. Question: ? Answer: 20. Question: ? Answer: Yes, she has finished college. Question: ? Answer: Yes, she will come and live in Lahore. Question: ? Answer: She is tall and slender and has long, black hair. 3  In this Unit we will look closely at eight different ways of asking questions in English. Let us first learn the rules. Question type I Statement: She is pretty. Question: Is she pretty? Please note that in this type of question, the subject ‘she’ of the statement and the verb to be ‘am, is, are, was, were’ are inverted, changed round or reversed. Exercise 2 Read the following answers and write appropriate questions by reversing the sentence structure. Follow the rule given above in question type 1. Question: ? Answer: They are English. Question: ? Answer: They were at home. Question: ? Answer: Salima was the best student. Be careful! We can say: ▪ He has a large house or ▪ He has got a large house But when we are talking about the past, we only use 'had' and not, ‘had got’. For example: ▪ We had a large house in Karachi, not 4  ▪ We had got a large house in Karachi Therefore, the question form must be: ▪ Did you have a large house in Karachi? but not ▪ He is having a big house Question type 3 Statement: Jamal told me about the film. Question: Who told you about the film? Who is used to ask about the subject of the sentence when the subject is human. Exercise 3 Now follow the question type 5 rule and form questions from the following statements: Question: ? Answer: Zayed ate all the cake. Question: ? Answer: My husband repaired the car. Question type 4 ▪ I met Ali’s father. Who did you meet? ▪ I met Ali's father. Whose father did you meet? ▪ I drove the office car. Which car did you drive? ▪ I spoke to Ali's father. To whom did you speak? Which, what, who, whose and whom can be used to ask about parts of the sentence other than the subject. Exercise A2 Follow the question type rule 8a carefully and then form questions for the following answers using the appropriate question form. 5  Question: ? Answer: He stole my father's watch. Question: ? Answer: Pakistan beat India by 94 runs. Question: ? Answer: He broke the world record ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Section B STRUCTURE The Simple Present and Present Continuous Tenses 1 The simple present is used to describe an action, an event, or condition that is occurring in the present, at the moment of speaking or writing. The simple present is used when the precise beginning or ending of a present action, event, or condition is unknown or is unimportant to the meaning of the sentence. Each of the highlighted verbs in the following sentences is in the simple present tense and each sentence describes an action taking place in the present: ▪ The wife waits patiently while the husband books the tickets ▪ The shelf holds three books and a vase of flowers ▪ The crowd moves across the auditorium in an attempt to see the film star ▪ Both sisters are very talented; Romana writes and Naumana paints 2 The simple present is used to express general truths such as scientific fact, as in the following sentences: ▪ Rectangles have four sides 6  ▪ Pakistan Day takes place on March 23 ▪ The moon circles the earth once every 28 days 3 The simple present is used to indicate a habitual action, event, or condition, as in the following sentences: ▪ My father goes to play tennis every Saturday evening ▪ My grandmother sends me new clothes each spring ▪ The play ends with applause by the crowd 4 progressive tense emphasises the continuing nature of an act, event, or condition. Each of the highlighted verbs in the following sentences is in the present continuous tense. ▪ Nauman is looking for the paperback editions of all of Harry Potter books ▪ Dolly is dusting all her book shelves ▪ The agitating factory workers are gathering in front of the factory ▪ FM 100 is broadcasting the hits of the 60s & 70s this evening 5 The simple present is used to express general truths such as scientific fact, as in the following sentences: ▪ Rectangles have four sides ▪ Pakistan Day takes place on March 23 ▪ The moon circles the earth once every 28 days 6 The simple present is used to indicate a habitual action, event, or condition, as in the following sentences: ▪ My father goes to play tennis every Saturday evening ▪ My grandmother sends me new clothes each spring ▪ The play ends with applause by the crowd 7 While the simple present and the present continuous tenses are sometimes used interchangeably, the present continuous or progressive tense emphasises the continuing nature of an act, event, or condition. 7  Each of the highlighted verbs in the following sentences is in the present continuous tense. ▪ Nauman is looking for the paperback editions of all of Harry Potter books ▪ Dolly is dusting all her book shelves The simple present tense is one of the most common tenses in English. There are only two basic forms for the simple present tense; one ends with -s and the other doesn't. Here are the rules, using the example verb ‘sing’: Subject Verb Form Example I simple form I sing You simple form You sing He Simple form + S He sings She Simple form + S She sings It Simple form + S It sings We simple form We sing They simple form They sing In other words, only third person singular subjects (he, she and it) have to have a verb with -S. -S or -ES? Exercise B1 Read a small passage about Ajmal and Shagufta who work in the same office. Choose the correct form of the simple present tense verbs that are given in the brackets. 8  I and Shagufta (work) in the same office, but we are completely different. She (like) coffee, but I (love) tea. I (wash) my car every weekend, but she never (clean) hers. She (smile) all the time at work, but I (feel) miserable. I (complain) about the boss all the time, but she (think) the boss is a nice person. When I (finish) work, I like to go out with my friends, but Shagufta (go) straight back home. The boss (think) Shagufta is a good worker. The Present Continuous Tense [AM / IS / ARE] + [VERB + ing] ▪ I am watching TV ▪ He is learning the French language The present continuous tense is formed using two components: the verb BE in the present tense, and the -ING form of a verb. Here are the rules, using the example verb ‘sing’: Read the following rules carefully: Use 1 Now We use the present continuous tense to express an action that is happening now, at this very moment. It can also be used to show that something is not happening now. ▪ You are learning English now ▪ I am sitting 9  ▪ I am not standing ▪ They are reading their books ▪ They are not watching television ▪ What are you doing? ▪ Why aren't you doing your homework? Use 2 Longer Actions in Progress Now In English, ‘now’ can mean ‘this second’, ‘today’, ‘this month’, ‘this year’, ‘this century’ and so on. Sometimes we use the present continuous to say that we are in the process of doing a longer action which is in progress; however, we might not be doing it at this exact second. ▪ I am studying to become a doctor ▪ I am reading the book Gulliver’s Travels ▪ I am not reading any books right now ▪ Are you working on any special projects at work? ▪ Aren't you teaching at the University now? Use 3 Near Future Sometimes, speakers use the present continuous to indicate that something will or will not happen in the near future. ▪ I am meeting some friends after work ▪ I am not going to the party tonight ▪ Is he visiting his parents next weekend? ▪ Isn't he coming with us tonight? 1 To describe an event, activity or situation that happened in the past for a period of time. ▪ On Sunday, I was walking for three hours 2 To describe an event, activity or situation happening in the past at the same time as another event happened. ▪ Hamid was speaking to Masood when Javed arrived 3 To describe a scene or situation in a story or report. 10  ▪ It was snowing and the trees were looking beautiful when the accident happened. 4 To describe habitual or often repeated events. ▪ The tourists climbed K2 three times in three months 5 Verbs of ‘thinking’ such as: to believe, doubt, forget, know, mean, to think, remember, understand do not have an ‘ing’ in the end and they remain the same. ▪ I believed what he said ( NOT was believing) ▪ I remember the good old days often ( NOT was remembering) ▪ I know that person very well. ( NOT was knowing) 6 Verbs of ‘feeling’ such as: to dislike, hate, like, love, want, wish also do not have an ‘ing’ in the end and remain the same. ▪ While I was speaking to Javed, I wanted to be watch my favourite TV programme ( NOT was wanting) ▪ At the dinner party, I hate the noise sometimes people make (NOT was hating) 7 Verbs of ‘possession’ such as: to belong, have, own, want also do not have an ‘ing’ in the end and remain the same. ▪ When he was in America, Bilal owned a big car ( NOT was owning) ▪ All last year, sugar cost 45 Rs per kilo (NOT was costing) ▪ When I met my friend after ten years, I failed to recognize him (NOT was failing) Exercise B2 Create a sentence in the present continuous tense by arranging the words in a proper order. 1 She / wear / earrings 2 It / rain / today. 3 I / have / good time. 4 They / wait / train. 5 I / study. 6 We / walk. 11 7 We / plan / our work. Exercise B3 Which tense, simple present or present continuous tense will be suitable in the following sentences? 1 Right now Daniyal is. sleep sleeps sleeping 2 They to some music on the radio. are listening listening listen 3 in ghosts? Believe you Do you believe Are you believing Section C READING Guessing the Meaning of Words Many learners of English get worried or confused when they come across a difficult word. They want their teacher to translate or 12  explain every word they do not know, or they look up for meaning of every unknown word in a dictionary. Dictionary is a great tool! But if you rely too much on a dictionary then you would not be able to become an efficient and fast reader. You need to infer or guess the meanings of words through the context or situation in which it is placed. The meaning of many unknown words can be inferred or guessed from the context or perspective of the passage. It is very important to learn how to guess the meaning of unknown words when you read. If you do not, your reading will be slow and difficult and you may be so worried about the meaning of individual words that you may miss the general meaning of the paragraph or the passage that you are reading. Let us do some exercises that will help you learn to guess word meanings through context. Exercise C1 Here are some more sentences, in each sentence there is one word written in bold. These words or verbs are derived from very frequently used nouns. Guess their meaning. 1 The nurse wheeled the patient into the operating room. 2 It's very stuffy in here. I think we should air the room. 3 Thousands of people lined the streets. 4 It is not easy to bone a chicken before you actually cook it. 5 The president chaired the meeting. Exercise C2 Think of names for different parts of the body which can be used as verbs as well as nouns? For each word that you can think of, write two sentences. Example: Head ▪ He has a big head. (Noun) ▪ He heads a large company. (Verb) Exercise C3 Read an interesting personal account written by a young boy who had moved back to Pakistan after years of living in Dubai. As 13 you read it for the first time, underline any word that you find difficult to understand. Then try and guess the meanings yourself by finding clues from the context and finally look up the meanings of these words in the dictionary. When my father told me that we would be shifting to Karachi, Pakistan, I didn’t know how to react. As the day of departure loomed in front of me, my sentiments changed. Nostalgic memories of my past in Dubai started to linger in my mind. I was becoming homesick even though I was returning to my own country. My first impressions of Pakistan were not the best. I was taken aback by the garbage everywhere, paan stains and insects all around. This was something I had never seen in Dubai. Traffic jam, Karachi, Pakistan For the first time, I felt like a stranger even though this was my home country. I was overcome by the loud buzzing of rickshaws, the hoards of people clinging on to the back bumper of a bus, and the bumpy roads that jerked and jostled me all the way home. There was a hustle and bustle in this huge city (Karachi) which I hadn’t seen in Dubai. 14 I had always longed to stay with my relatives who were so loving and caring on our annual visits and now, since we had moved permanently, our home was swarmed by relatives. I couldn’t remember being patted and kissed as much as I was that day but the reality of Pakistan hit me when I began to speak to them. While speaking to them I had to explain myself in English, which was greeted by a few raised eyebrows. There was no doubt that I was welcomed but there was the feeling that I was less a Pakistani but more a pardesi. In many ways I lived a sheltered existence in Dubai. I had never seen drug addicts and beggars or even so many crippled people on the roads. In Pakistan I saw the reality of poverty for the first time. The pleas of people tapping windows and begging for a rupee were something that really bothered me. I felt an urge to do something to improve the situation. It was a significant experience as the sheltered idealist within me started to see the real world and the difficulties of everyday life. Life in Dubai was easy. I never had to worry about the quality of water, the availability of electricity, cleanliness or inflation. But in Pakistan, these are daily concerns. I realized that you can’t trust people to do their jobs, they have to be goaded, reminded and often bribed. After living in Karachi for six months, I am used to the social merry go around of weddings, parties and get togethers that have to be attended to maintain a footing in social circles. I’m now accustomed to the daily water and electricity problems and surprisingly, I’ve learnt how to solve or rather temporarily fix the problem. These daily frustrations still trouble me but I am grateful for being exposed to a real society with real problems. There’s a greater sense of freedom, belonging and community in your own country, sentiments that I had never acknowledged in my sheltered life in Dubai. In retrospect, living in Karachi has required an adjustment, a harsh reality check but what matters is that I’ve learned and become more in touch with the country I belong to. 15 Exercise C4 Let us move on from guessing the meanings of individual words to guess the meaning of longer sentences. Here are three longer passages taken from the above account. Try and make sense as what the writer means when he expresses such sentiments. Then read the three more passages (a, b, & c) that follow and match each passage with its original one. 1 As the day of departure loomed in front of me, my sentiments changed. Nostalgic memories of my past in Dubai started to linger in my mind. I was becoming homesick even though I was returning to my own country. 2 For the first time, I felt like a stranger even though this was my home country. I was overcome by the loud buzzing of rickshaws, the hoards of people clinging on to the back bumper of a bus, and the bumpy roads that jerked and jostled me all the way home. There was a hustle and bustle in this huge city (Karachi) which I hadn’t seen in Dubai. 3 I felt the urge to do something to improve the situation. It was a significant experience as the sheltered idealist within me started to see the real world and the difficulties of everyday life. Now read these passages and match them with the above original ones: a For me my native country appeared a bizarre place. I have never experienced such chaotic traffic, the crowds and the noise as I was driven home. This city is pulsating, full of life as compared top the quiet and peaceful Dubai. b I wanted to do something helpful to improve the situation but I was nervous because I have heard a lot of stories about how people cheat you. Nevertheless for me living here was different because back in Dubai I lived a much more comfortable and protected life and here the problems made me realize how people struggle to live. c The day I was to leave Dubai and board a plane for Karachi, I started to feel sad. 16  Section D WRITING Writing Connected Sentences We join sentences in many different ways. We use ‘and’, ‘but’, ‘however’, and many such connectors to join two shorter sentences and make them longer. In this section we are going to learn how to join sentences with linking words or conjunctions. In this unit you will learn about ‘conjunctions’. A conjunction is a connecting word that connects parts of a sentence. We will look at only two types of conjunctions: 1 Coordinating Conjunctions 2 Subordinating Conjunctions 1 Coordinating Conjunctions: Coordinating conjunctions join single words, or they may join groups of words, but remember that they always join similar elements, for example: ▪ subject +subject ▪ verb phrase +verb phrase ▪ sentence +sentence The following are some common coordinating conjunctions: Coordinating Conjunctions and but or yet for nor so Among the coordinating conjunctions, the most common are and, but, and or. Let us explore the uses of these three conjunctions further. The examples below illustrate use of these coordinating conjunctions: A ND ▪ Tahir sent in his applications and waited for a response ▪ Use your credit cards frequently and you'll soon find yourself deep in debt 17  ▪ Lilacs and violets are usually purple ▪ Nauman spent his summer vacations studying basic math and reading comprehension BUT ▪ Jamil lost a fortune in the stock market, but he is able to live quite comfortably ▪ This is a useful rule, but difficult to remember ▪ I love to drink tea, but hate soft drinks ▪ This job provides a lot of training opportunities, but offers a poor salary package OR ▪ You can study hard for this exam or you can fail ▪ We can eat chicken tonight, or we can just eat some Daal Chawal ▪ We can ask the locals to guide us, or we can buy a map of the area ▪ A lot of people believe in a motto: ‘Live free or die’ 2 Subordinating Conjunctions: A subordinating conjunction is sometimes called a dependent word or subordinator, and it comes at the beginning of a subordinate or dependent clause. Notice some of the subordinating conjunctions given in the table below: Common Subordinating Conjunctions After because although If Before since though Unless When now even only if that though While As whereas whether or not Since in While even if order that Until So in case (that) 18 Read some examples that illustrate the use of subordinate conjunctions: Conjunction Sample sentences After After we finish taking the test, we are going out to eat. Since Since we have lived in Lahore, we have gone to every historical sight While While I was waiting in line for the museum to open, I ate my lunch Although Although the line was long and the wait over two hours, the visit was worth it even if Even if you have already bought your ticket, you will still need to wait in line Because I love Guljee’s works because he uses colour so brilliantly Exercise D1 Which conjunction fits best in the sentence? 1 I am hungry I don't want to eat. but so after before or 2 Do you want pizza a burger? than so while as or 19  3 I would tell you I knew. than and unless if or Exercise D2 Here are ten sentences about Imran Khan. Join all these sentences to make a short paragraph. Use the linking word or conjunction ‘and’ wherever you think it is needed to join two sentences and making it one. 1 Mohammad Imran Khan Niazi, born November 25, 1952. 2 He is considered as one of the best and most popular captain of the Pakistani cricket team. 3 Khan is seen as Pakistan's finest ever all-rounder. 4 5 6 He was Captain of the Oxford University Cricket team in 1974. 20 7 8 He retired from Pakistani Test Cricket in 1992. 9 Khan is devoting most of his time to the Shaukat Khannum Memorial Hospital, a state-of-the-art charitable Cancer Hospital that he established in Lahore. 10 In recent years he has started a socio-political movement in Pakistan known as 'Tehrik-i-Insaf' or 'Movement for Justice'. 12 He became a Member of Parliament for Mianwali in the October 2002 elections. 13 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Section E LISTENING Understanding Directions When we are visiting a different city we normally face problems finding places where we want to go. So we usually ask people who live and know that city. And if we are visiting a foreign or an English speaking country, we have problems understanding or following directions in English. In this section we will try to help you understand directions given in English language. There are many different ways of asking for directions and these are: ▪ Can you tell me the way to.... ? ▪ Can you tell me how to get to... ? 21  ▪ I wonder if you could help me? I'm looking for... ? While giving directions, we need to express in these ways: ▪ Go up, down ▪ Go across the street ▪ Turn right, left ▪ Go along the street ▪ It will take you about..............minutes to get there ▪ It's (only) a...... minute walk Exercise E1 Saud is at loss! He wants to visit yet another place but does not know the way and Mustafa is once again helping him. In this exercise, you will just follow Mustafa’s directions and if you follow his instructions or directions correctly then you will reach the place Saud is looking for. So now switch on your cassette recorder and listen to recorded text 5 and listen to Mustafa’s directions and trace the route and find the place. Recorded Text 4 Saud: Mustafa can you also help me find the way to …….. (Bleep sound)? Mustafa: Yes sure. You are now near 70 Clifton, are you? Saud: Yes. Mustafa: Okay… Now come on the main road and go upwards on the Clifton roads….keep going straight for at least half a kilometer until you reach the round about of 2 Talwar. Are you with me? Saud: Of course I am. Tell me which road I should take? Shall I go straight towards Khayaban-e – Iqbal? Mustafa: No. From 2 Talwar go right a little and then take the first left turn…. A little more straight and you will see the Mid east Medical Centre. 22  UNIT 2 FUNCTION Seeking Confirmation Sometimes we want to know the truth behind what we hear or read. Sometimes we need to confirm or verify the doubts and thoughts in our minds and so we ask for confirmation. We need to know exactly what happened, who said something and what is being planned and for all these matters we need to seek confirmation. In this unit you will learn some of the ways in which we can ask for confirmation. Here is a situation. A high ranking government officer has been shot dead outside his house in Islamabad. A Newspaper Reporter is asking the Superintendent Police some questions about the incident. Listen to their conversation and notice how the reporter is asking questions to seek confirmation. Newspaper Reporter: SP Sahib, when exactly was Mr Butt shot? Superintendent Police: At 8.30 this morning. NR: Where did it happen? SP: Outside his house. He was leaving for work. He turned round to say goodbye to his wife and at that moment he was fired upon. 24 NR: What weapon was used? SP: An AK 47. NR: Was there anyone else in the street at the time? SP: Yes, there were a few witnesses. NR So you have a description? SP: Yes, a fairly good description. NR: SP Sahib, it’s unbelievable! How can a man shoot someone in broad day-light in the centre of Islamabad and get away with it? SP: Well, these criminals can do anything. The man who was wearing a grey Shalwar Kameez and a black shawl, walked past the minister's house, took the gun from under his shawl, fired at the minister indiscriminately as soon as he came out of his house and simply walked away. He didn't run. Those who saw the incident ran to help the minister. Nobody followed the man because he had a gun. NR He just walked away? SP: Yes, I believe so. NR: Incredible! SP: Yes, it is, isn't it? NR: Do you suspect any one or the motive behind the murder? SP: At the moment we are unable to make any conclusions. Here are some expressions from the dialogue: ▪ So you have a description? Confirmation ▪ He just walked away? Surprise The reporter did not say or used any question form ▪ Do you have a description? or ▪ Have you got a description? 25 He did not use the question form. Instead he used a statement form, because he actually knew the answer. He did not ask a real question but rather checked or confirmed the information that he already knew or had guessed. This brings us to study some more question types. We have finished 8 types of questions in unit 1, we will continue with type 9 questions. Question type 9 The reporter asked: ▪ So you have a description? He’s actually asking: ▪ So do you have a description? He was actually confirming what he has heard. And when the SP told him that the murderer walked away, the reporter expressed surprise and reconfirmed the information and said: ▪ He just walked away? He’s actually saying: ▪ Did he just walk away? Listen to the dialogue again and compare the tone of voice, stress and intonation of the two questions to understand this point. Exercise A1 Here are two short dialogues. Notice the questions being asked. They are actually not real questions but rather ' confirmation seeking’ questions. Rewrite these questions into real questions using the appropriate question form. Example: Inspector: And your identity card, please? Man: I have lost it. Inspector: Can I have your ID card, please? Or Can you give me your ID card, please? Or Can you show me your ID card, please? 26 1 A: Your name is Jameel Qureshi? B: Yes. A: You live near Netti Jetti Bridge? B: Yes, I do. A: You are the Managing Director of Allied Fittings Ltd? B: Yes, l ‘m. 2 A: You worked in Saudi Arabia for three years? B: That's right. I worked in Jeddah. A: You were working for the construction company, Al Jazeera? B: Yes. A: You were trained as an Accountant but I see here that you worked as a Personnel Manager in Saudi Arabia? Read the following confirmation seeking examples: A: I was born in 1965. B: So you are 42 years old? (It is 2007 now). A: I was born in Loralai. B: So you are from Balouchistan? Exercise A2 Suppose someone gives you the following information and you are surprised. How will you express your surprise and ask for confirmation? It will be useful for you if you do this exercise with a friend. A: Last year I visited Britain, France, Italy, Germany, India, Malaysia and the United States. You: You visited seven countries! (in a surprised voice) 1 A: He has six fingers in his left hand and seven in right hand. You: ? 2 A: I had walked all the way from Murree to Islamabad. You: 27  ? We are going to learn the last type of question. Question type 10 Read these examples: A: She's a beautiful girl, isn't she? B: Yes, she is. A: It’s such a pleasant weather, isn't it? B: Yes it is. These questions are called tag questions. We often use tag questions to seek agreement or confirmation. For example, I might say: ▪ It's a lovely day, isn't it? I expect the person I am talking to agree with me and say: ▪ Yes it is Or, if I say: ▪ It wasn't a good film, was it? I expect the answer: ▪ No it wasn't You must have noticed that sometimes, the tag question is in negative (isn't it) and sometimes it is in positive (was it). Let us tell you the rules about how tag questions are formed: Positive Statement (+) Negative Tag (-) ▪ It is a lovely day, isn't it? ▪ It’s such an expensive gift, isn’t it? 28  Negative Statement (-) Positive Tag (+) ▪ It wasn't a good film, was it? ▪ He’s not a good man, is he? If the statement is positive (+), then the tag is negative (-) You like ice-cream, don't you? (+) (-) If the statement is negative, (-) then the tag is positive (+) You don't like ice-cream, do you? (-) (+) Exercise A3 Complete the following statements adding an appropriate tag question. Notice carefully if the statement is in positive or in negative. 1 He didn't steal the money, ? 2 He failed the exam, ? 3 He won't come here to live, ? 4 You have started you new job, ? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Section B STRUCTURE The Present Perfect Tense In this unit we are going to study the Present Perfect Tense. Before we learn the rules, let us listen to a dialogue between Mr and Mrs Illahi Buksh who are about to go on holiday. They are standing outside their front door and talking to each other. Read the dialogue: 29 Mr Illahi Buksh: Have you switched off the gas? Mrs Illahi Buksh: Yes, I've switched off the gas and I've switched off all the lights. I've unplugged everything in the kitchen. Mr IB: What about the windows? Mrs IB: I've shut and locked all the windows. I've left a spare key with Mrs Karim next door. She'll check the house every day. Such a nice woman! Her husband has lost his job, you know. Now, let's see. Have I forgotten anything? I hope not. Mr IB: I've put the suitcases in the car. Come on, let's go. Mrs IB: I hope I haven't forgotten anything. Mr IB: Stop worrying now! Exercise 4 Imagine you are Mrs Illahi Buksh. Mr Buksh asks you whether you have done the following things. Answer his questions. Mr IB: Have you switched off the gas? Mrs IB: Yes, I've switched off the gas. Mr IB: Have you switched off the lights? Mrs IB:. Mr IB: Have you unplugged everything in the kitchen? Mrs IB:. Mr IB: Have you closed the windows? Mrs IB:. Mr IB: Have you locked the back door? Mrs IB:. Here is a brief overview of the form and function of the present perfect tense: 1 The present perfect is used when the time period has not finished. Example: I have seen three movies this week (This week has 30  not finished yet.) 2 The present perfect is often used when the time is not mentioned. Example: Junaid has failed his exam again 3 The present perfect is often used when the time is recent. Example: Maria has just arrived in Pakistan 4 The present perfect is often used with for and since. Example: They have lived here for 20 years. They have lived here since 1985. The present perfect simple is formed with the auxiliary verb followed by the past participle Present Perfect Simple = Auxiliary Verb + Past Participle has / have + the third part of a verb (went, gone) Examples: ▪ He has gone ▪ They have eaten their dinner ▪ I have done my homework ▪ I haven't done my homework (Negative) ▪ Have you done your homework? (Question) Exercise B1 Naheed is a Personal Secretary working for Lakhani Group of industries in Karachi. Every morning before Mr Lakhani comes to the office, she checks her boss's diary to make sure what are the official appointments, meetings, etc, scheduled. The things that Mr Lakhani has done are marked with a tick ( ). Let us try and see how Ms Naheed is confirming or making statements about what her boss has done or not done. Follow the example and then construct similar statements using the present perfect tense. 31 Examples: ▪ He has telephoned Peshawar ▪ He hasn't telephoned Lahore yet Exercise B2 Read the information given in the diary page again. Construct at least five questions and five answers about what Naheed’s boss has done and what he has not done yet. Follow the example given below. Example: Question: Has he telephoned the Peshawar office? Answer: Yes. he has. 1 Q: ? A:. 2 Q: ? A:. 3 Q: ? A:. 32  Section C READING Synonyms and Antonyms What are Synonyms and Antonyms? Synonyms are words with similar or identical meanings. Antonyms are words with opposite meanings. Read some examples of synonyms: ▪ baby and infant ▪ student and pupil ▪ pretty and attractive ▪ smart and intelligent ▪ funny and humorous The elephants are huge! The elephants are enormous. Read some examples of antonyms: ▪ dead and alive ▪ near and far ▪ tremendous and awful 33  Ugly Pretty Happy Sad Cold Hot Big Little Kind Mean 34  Start Finish Lose Find Exercise C1 Here is a synonym exercise. In each sentence there is word printed in bold followed by three choices (a-c). Choose the choice which is closest to the meaning of the bold word. 1 That is a giant ant! a monster b huge c pretty 2 I hate watching scary movies. a like b dislike c despise Exercise 7 Choose the correct antonym of the word printed in bold in each sentence. 1 We are certain that he is a dishonest salesman. a great b successful c truthful 2 She always pays attention when others are speaking. a often b usually c never 35 3 Read this short biographical account of Bapsi Sidhwa a noted Pakistani writer who writes in English. 4 Bapsi Sidhwa is the author of four internationally acclaimed novels. Her works have been widely applauded and has gained her a much admired status in the galaxy of writers from the sub continent who write in English. She lives in Houston, Texas, but was born in Karachi, Pakistan, and raised in Lahore. She graduated from Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore, and began writing in her twenties after the birth of two children. 5 In 1978, at a time when publishing in English was practically nonexistent in Pakistan, Sidhwa self published her first novel ‘The Crow Eaters’. Since then, ‘The Crow Eaters’ has been published and translated in numerous European and Asian countries and enjoys a plentiful readership who takes pride collecting her various novels. While ‘The Bride’ ’was the first novel Sidhwa wrote, it was the second to be published. ‘Cracking India’, Sidhwa's third novel, was declared a New York Times Notable Book for 1991, for which she triumphed to win the LiBerature Prize in Germany and was termed as a successful writer and was victorious to create a place for herself in a larger market. Sidhwa held a Bunting Fellowship at Radcliff, Harvard in 1986, and was a visiting scholar at the Rockefeller Foundation Center, Bellagio, Italy, in 1991. She was honoured with Sitara-i-Imtiaz, Pakistan's highest national tribute awarded in 1991, and was also decorated with the Lila Wallace- Reader's Digest Writer's Award In 1994. Sidhwa has worked on the advisory committee of Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto on Women's Development, and has taught at Columbia University, University of Houston, and Mount Holyoke College, USA. Reviewers have praised Bapsi Sidhwa's luminous prose that adds brilliance and sparkle in her writings. Her style of writing is earthy but also both delicate and precise with specific and explicit words chosen as carefully as pieces of inlay accurately placed in a marble wall. 36  Exercise C2 You must have noticed quite a few words that are given in bold in the above extract. Read more carefully and you would notice that each bold word has at least two synonyms around it. Identify those similar words or synonyms. Example: ▪ acclaimed applauded admired ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Section D WRITING Informal Letters Read the letter from Ahmed to his friend Hamid. 37  The Address Ahmed has written this letter so he is the sender, Note carefully the position of Ahmed's or the sender’s address. ▪ The sender's address should be put in the top right-hand corner of the letter. Every letter must have the sender's address. Now look closely as how each item in the address is written: ▪ The house number: House 51/4 ▪ The street number or name (if any): Naurus Colony ▪ The town or city: Rawalpindi ▪ The name of the country: Only put the name of the country if you are sending the letter abroad. If it is sent within the country, there is no need to write the country’s name. ▪ The date follows after the full address is complete. Personal letters, also known as friendly letters, normally have five parts: 1. The Heading: This includes the address, line by line, with the last line being the date. The heading is indented in the right side of the page. If using preaddressed stationery, just add the date. 2. The Greeting or Salutation: The greeting always ends with a comma. The greeting begins with the word "dear" and using the person's given name or relationship. ▪ Formal: Dear Uncle Shahid, ▪ Informal: Hi Ruby, Hello Vicky, 3. The body: Also known as the main text, it includes the message you want to write. Normally in a friendly letter, the beginning of paragraphs is indented. If you don’t want to indent, make sure to skip 38 a space between paragraphs. Also leave out a line after the greeting and before the close. 4. The complimentary close. This short expression is always a few words on a single line. It ends in a comma. It should be indented to the same column as the heading. Skip one to three spaces (two is usual) for the signature line. 5. The signature line. Write or type your name. The handwritten signature goes above the typed name. If the letter is quite informal, you may omit the signature line as long as you sign the letter. Postscript. If your letter contains a postscript, begin it with P.S. and end it with your initials. Skip a line after the signature line to begin the postscript. Format for a Friendly or Personal Letter The following picture shows what a one-page friendly or personal letter should look like. The horizontal lines represent lines of type. 39  Punctuation in Informal or Personal letters Notice the punctuation in the address of the above letter. Each line ends with a comma except the last line before the date which ends with a full stop. Use commas after the greeting or salutation in a personal letter and after the complimentary closing in all letters. ▪ Greeting: Dear Faraz, My dearest Eman, ▪ Closing: Sincerely, Truly yours, The Date There are many ways of writing the date; the first two are probably the most common ways. 14 February, 2005 14th February, 2005 14 Feb. 2005 February 14th 2005 14/2/05 14. 2. 05 Greetings and Closings In a personal letter we can start with: ▪ Dear +first name (informal, to a friend) or ▪ Dear + Mr Shah (family name) ▪ Dear Mrs Shah ▪ Dear Miss Shah ▪ Dear Dr Shah ▪ Dear Professor Shah We can end a personal letter in a number of ways: ▪ Love, (very informal, to a relative or very  Saira close friend, especially from a girl or woman to another girl or woman who is a close friend) ▪ Yours, (informal, to a friend or close acqu- Saira aintance) ▪ Yours sincerely, (slightly more formal, to someone Saira you do not know very well) Opening Sentences If someone has already written to you, this is a common way of starting a letter. We can say: ▪ Many thanks for your letter ▪ Thanks for your letter ▪ Thank you for your letter. ▪ Thank you very much for your letter ▪ Thank you so much for your letter Exercise D1 Choose one of the two subjects and write a letter to a friend or family member. 1 Write a letter to a friend you haven't seen or spoken to in a long time. Tell him / her about what you have been doing and ask them how they are and what they have been up to recently. 2 Write a letter to a cousin and invite them to your wedding. Give them some details about your future husband / wife. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Section E LISTENING Listening to a Lecture and Taking Notes Listening is an active process that needs our concentration. Listening to a lecture and taking notes require you to actively listen and participate. If you are good at taking notes then you will understand and remember the content of lectures fairly well. You have to listen to lectures especially at the college level. They can provide you with most of the material you'll need for the tests and exams. A lot of students think that lectures are often more valuable than the textbook since the lecturer is usually explaining in great detail. So listening to a lecture and taking notes will be really beneficial in the long run. What is note taking? Note taking involves listening to the lecture and summarizing in your own words what is said during the lecture. In most lectures, you cannot write down everything that is said, nor should you strive to do so. Remember, your task should be to note down the essential and key points and not just to receive it passively without understanding it. Although you cannot write as quickly as the lecturer talks, you can think faster. Good notes depend on fast thinking and concentration, not on fast writing. Your aim should be to select, summarize, classify, and organize. Taking notes helps you focus! Speakers tend to repeat and summarize their points often during the lecture. You can use such times to write down your ideas while keeping one ear open for any new point. If you miss a point, leave some space and consult with another student or the professor after class. Here are some useful tips that can help you become an effective listener and note taker: Before you listen to the lecture: ▪ Develop a proper mind-set toward listening that is prepare yourself towards listening to the lecture Enhance your physical and mental alertness by sitting in the front and/or center of the room, and develop an eye contact with the speaker ▪ Choose a nice looking notebook that will encourage you to take  notes ▪ Number the pages or important points ▪ Do some prior reading, if you can, about the topic being presented in the lecture. While you listen to the lecture: ▪ Pay attention to the speaker for verbal, postural, and visual clues to what's important ▪ Resist distractions or boredom ▪ Label important points ▪ If your lecturer has an accent you find hard to understand or has mannerisms you find distracting, relax and attend even more carefully to the content of the lecture ▪ When possible, translate the lecture into your own words, but if you can't, don't let it worry you ▪ Be consistent in your use of abbreviation, etc. ▪ Add visual clues to identify parts of your notes - for example, using underlining, asterisks, arrows, boxes, bubbles, colour highlights etc. ▪ Ask questions if you don't understand After you listen to the lecture: ▪ Review your notes ▪ Fill in missing points or misunderstood terms from text or other class fellows ▪ Edit your notes, labeling main points, remember clues and questions that may need further answers ▪ Make up your own possible test questions Remember! ▪ to identify as early as possible, the main purpose of the lecture ▪ to differentiate between main points and supporting details ▪ to review your notes ▪ to ask lots of questions during and after lecture to be selective in what you write, you don't have to write everything down!  Recognising lecture structure and taking notes The list below show some of the most common signals used in lectures to indicate lecture structure. But in this unit we will only give you practice in understanding only six signals. If you follow the guidelines and listen to the recorded texts carefully then you will be able to take notes efficiently. 1 Introducing 2 Giving background information 3 Defining 4 Enumerating/Listing 5 Giving examples 6 Showing importance/Emphasising 7 Clarifying/Explaining/Putting it in other words 8 Moving on/Changing direction 9 Giving further information 10 Giving contrasting information 11 Classifying 12 Digressing 13 Referring to visuals 14 Concluding 1 Introducing: At the beginning of a lecture, the lecturer will give you some idea about the structure of the lecture. Listen for these introductory signals as it will help you understand what the lecturer is saying. ▪ What I intend to say is…………….. ▪ What I'd like to discuss…………… ▪ What I intend to explain…………. ▪ In my talk today…………………. ▪ My topic today is……………….. ▪ Today, I'm going to talk about…. ▪ In this talk, I would like to concentrate on…. ▪ The subject of this talk is…………………… ▪ The purpose of this talk is to………………… 2 Giving background Information The lecturer will often either refer back to a previous lecture or gives you some background information. Normally the lecturer uses these expressions: ▪ As we know………………… ▪ As we have already seen….. ▪ As we have all read………… ▪ It's clear that………………… ▪ It goes without saying……... ▪ We all understand……..….. ▪ It is understood………….. 3 Defining In a lecture, it is often necessary to define the terms that will be used. The lecturer may use some of these expressions to define terms: ▪ Is called……….. ▪ Is known as……. ▪ May be defined as……… ▪ This term is used generally to mean………. ▪ The term refers to……….. 4 Enumerating/Listing The lecturer will often be explicit about the order in which new points will be presented. To make the order clear they use various connectives, such as:  ▪ Firstly….. ▪ Secondly……. ▪ Next…………. ▪ Thirdly……… ▪ Lastly………. ▪ Finally… 5 Defining In a lectur0e, it is often necessary to define the terms that will be used. The lecturer may use some of these expressions to define terms: ▪ Is called……….. ▪ Is known as……. ▪ May be defined as……… ▪ This term is used generally to mean………. ▪ The term refers to……….. 6 Enumerating/Listing The lecturer will often be explicit about the order in which new points will be presented. To make the order clear they use various connectives, such as: ▪ Firstly….. ▪ Secondly……. ▪ Next…………. ▪ Thirdly……… ▪ Lastly………. ▪ Finally… Exercise E1 Listen carefully to the recorded text and write down what words Speaker uses to list new ideas. Recorded Text Mrs Waseem: ‘That brings me to itemize the different social status and roles women play in different provincial set ups. As we have already seen that Pakistani women live in the most diversified tribal, feudal or urban  environments. She can be a highly qualified and self-confident professional or a bold peasant toiling along with her men-folk. Firstly in the areas like NWFP and Balochistan, life is governed and regulated by strict tribal beliefs. A woman has no say in any aspect of her life, including her marriage. Secondly, in the populated provinces of Sindh and Punjab, women’s roles are dominated by the feudal system. But in all these set ups, women strongly claim that the society usually adopts a hostile attitude towards them’. 7 Giving Examples In lectures, it is common to support generalisations with examples. These signals can help you to understand the examples that are going to follow: ▪ For example………. ▪ For instance………. ▪ such as…………… ▪ Let me give you some examples….. Exercise E2 Listen to the recorded text and list the words that the speaker uses to indicate that an example will follow. Recorded Text Speaker: ‘However their development in society is hindered due to many factors. For example most of women in rural areas have to bear double burden of domestic and outside work. For instance, they are the first to rise and last to bed. Let me give you some more examples of rural working woman who contributes immensely to the society, such as……’ 8 Showing importance/Emphasising When you are taking notes, you cannot write down every word. You need to distinguish between important and less important information. The lecturer can use these signals to draw your attention to the important points. ▪ I want to stress……….. ▪ I want to highlight………. ▪ I'd like to emphasise………. ▪ It's important to remember……… ▪ We should bear in mind ………… ▪ The crucial point is………………. ▪ The essential point is…………… ▪ The fundamental point is…………  UNIT 3 Section A FUNCTION Agreeing and Disagreeing Whenever we have a conversation or discussion, we spend a lot of time, agreeing or disagreeing with the ideas, opinions or arguments of the person or people we are talking to. In this section we will learn some of the ways of agreeing and disagreeing in English. Two friends, Kashif and Basim are discussing about one of their courses at college. Listen to their conversation and notice how they agree with each other. Recorded Text 13 Kashif: Our course on Business Management is too theoretical. It should be more practical. Don't you think so? Basim: I couldn't agree with you more. I'm just doing the course to get my degree. I don't think that it’s going to help me in practical life after I leave college. K: Exactly. And I can't understand most of the theories that are discussed. I just learn my notes by heart. B: So do I. We should complain to the head of the department. K: I think you're right. I suggest that we see him as soon as possible and request him to add some practical aspect in it. 49 B: I agree, but don't you think that we should also talk to other class fellows and ask their opinion as what they think about the course? K: Good idea. Let's ask them tomorrow. B: Absolutely. You must have noticed as how Kashif and Basim agree with each other in the dialogue. There are many ways of expressing agreement in English, such as: ▪ I agree with you ▪ yes I quite agree ▪ I absolutely agree ▪ I couldn't agree with you more ▪ You are right ▪ You are quite right ▪ You are absolutely correct Exercise A1 Express your agreement about the following issues. Choose different expression each time from the ones given above. 1 Buy land to build a house in Islamabad. I think you are right. We need to build a house in Islamabad because most of our family members live here. 2 Get a CNG kit fitted in the car.. 3 Plant more trees in the residential area.. 4 Administer polio drops to all children in the country.. Here is another situation where Amir and Jehangir are talking about cricket. When you listen to their conversation, pay attention to how they are disagreeing with each other. 50  Recorded Text 15 Interviewer: Sir, being the DG of the Pakistan Environment Protection Agency what would you like to say about the increasing environment degradation and desertification in the country. DG: Increasing environment degradation in the country! This is an absolutely incorrect statement. But you are quite right that desertification is increasing. Desertification is like a cancer that's spreading around the world. And we in Pakistan are very conscious about this fact and are taking measures to ensure proper steps. Interviewer: Sir it is believed that the Pakistan Environment Protection Agency is doing nothing to safeguard our environment. How would you like to comment on this? DG: Rubbish! These are just rumours. We are doing everything in our power to safeguard our environment. Interviewer: But sir we hardly see any improvement in the environment conditions. DG: Oh come on! You see changes everywhere. You need to have a sharp eye to notice the difference in all these sectors. We have taken steps for environmental planning, measures to curb pollution, preserve ecology, physical planning and human settlements, urban water supply sewerage and drainage. Interviewer: There’s one common view about the agency that they have failed in their tree plantation targets? How would you like to comment on this? DG: You must be joking! Who has given you these false ideas? Let me put the facts straight. Tree planting campaigns are launched at the national level during Spring and Monsoon seasons. During tree planting campaigns all the government departments, private organizations and NGOs are involved in planting 51  activities. The achievements made since 1990 are tremendous. Yes there is some truth in the fact that at times the target of forestation is not what we predict. Interviewer: One last question sir and I hope you will agree with me that drought still prevails in some parts of the country. DG: Absolutely. Desertification has become the greatest threat to humanity. We have taken measures to reduce and reverse the effects of drought and other forms of land degradation. Exercise A2 You must have noticed that the DG has used certain expressions that convey strong agreement or disagreement. Listen to their conversation again and then list all those statements which express strong agreement and strong disagreement. Example: ▪ This is an absolutely incorrect statement. ▪ You are quite right when you said that desertification is increasing. Exercise A3 Listen to the conversation between two friends Sobia and Hina. Hina is agreeing with everything Sobia says. When you listen to the conversation notice the long pauses. Try and construct your own responses or expressions of agreement. Think how Hina would agree with Sobia’s statements. Then continue listening to the conversation and notice how both friends are agreeing with each other. Recorded Text 16 52  Sobia: Isn’t it fun to watch TV these days……so many channels and such a variety of interesting programmes. Hina: …………………(Pause)Yes you are absolutely right. I also like to watch TV these days……so many interesting programmes! Sobia: You must have noticed the topics in discussion programmes and talk shows; they are now discussing all kinds of topics that we never ever imagined will be discussed so openly and publicly. Hina:............................................. (Pause)Yes I couldn’t agree with you more. I think it is a good move because people should know the realities of life and how to handle them. These programmes are quite educative also. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Section B STRUCTURE The Simple Past Tense We use past tense to tell about something that happened at a specific time in the past. The simple past tense is one of the most common tenses in English. When you talk about an event that happened in the past, it is very natural to tell your listeners or readers when it happened. Past tense is usually formed by adding -ED to the verb. Let us learn some basic rules about how to form the past tense. Simple Past VERB+ed Now let us learn where and when we can use the past tense: USE 1 Completed Action in the Past 53 Use the simple past to express the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in the past. Examples: ▪ I saw a movie yesterday ▪ Last year, I traveled to Japan ▪ He washed her car USE 2 A Series of Completed Actions We use the simple past to list a series of completed actions in the past. These actions happen in a sequence, such as first, second, third, finally... Examples: ▪ First I finished work, then walked to the market, and finally reached home ▪ I arrived from the airport at 8:00, secondly checked into the hotel at 9:00, and met the other colleagues at 10:00 USE 3 Single Duration The simple past can be used with a duration which starts and stops in the past. A duration is a long action often used with expressions like ‘for two years’, ‘for five minutes’, ‘all day’ or ‘all year’. Examples: ▪ I lived in Gilgit for two years ▪ Samina studied Arabic for five years ▪ They sat at the beach all day ▪ We talked on the phone for thirty minutes ▪ We waited for them for one hour 54  USE 4 Habit in the Past The simple past can also be used to describe a habit which stopped in the past. It can have the same meaning as ‘used to’. To make it clear that we are talking about a habit we often use expressions such as ‘always’, ‘often’, ‘usually’, ‘never’. Examples: ▪ I studied French when I was a child ▪ He usually played the violin ▪ He often performed as the theater artist after work ▪ They never went to school, they always skipped Forming the simple past tense With most verbs, the simple past is created simply by adding –ED and these are called ‘regular verbs’. However, with some verbs, you need to add -ES or change the ending a little. Here are the rules: How to make the simple Verb ending in... Examples past live - lived E Add –D date - dated Consonant + y Change y to i, then add – try - tried ED cry - cried One vowel + one tap - tapped Double the consonant, consonant commit - (but NOT w or y) then add –ED committed boil - boiled [anything else] Add –ED fill - filled hand - handed Although many verbs in English form their past tense with -ED, some do not. These are called irregular verbs. The three most important irregular verbs are 55 BE, HAVE, and DO. BE is the most difficult, because its forms are different depending on the subject: Verb BE Pronoun Verb BE I was You were He / she / it was We were They were HAVE and DO Base form Past Tense have had do did Other irregular verbs fall into three main categories Category Examples cut - cut Verbs which don't change hit - hit fit – fit 56  get - got Verbs which change their vowel sit - sat drink - drank catch - caught Verbs which change completely bring - brought teach - taught Exercise B1 Here is an easy exercise that will help you choose the correct simple past tense verb from the verbs given in the box. Saw work studied visited taught bought fought read invited worked 1 I was to the birth day party of my niece. 2 My brother a new motorcycle last week. 3 Amina recently her old teacher after years. 4 Junaid and Laila the report. 5 I a beautiful ready to wear dress at the shop. 6 The friends are not talking these days because they have recently with each other. 7 Mahmood part time to make some money. 8 My elder sister for years at a college. 9 My children really hard for theior exams. 10 I my friend after ten years. Exercise B2 Here is an exercise that will give you practice in forming the simple past tense of regular verbs. 57 My grandfather had a very exciting life. When he was young, he live) on a farm in the country. His parents (raise) cattle, and he (look) after the cows. When he was eighteen, he went to university, where he (study) Philosophy. He also (play) the piano in a popular band. He (try) to join the Air Force, but he (end) up in the Navy. In the Arabian Ocean, during the war, a torpedo (rip) a hole in the side of his ship, and the ship (destroy). Only five men (escape). They (sail) in a lifeboat back to the shore. A young boy Bilal is asking his Grandfather a lot of questions. Read the conversation between them and notice that some expressions are in the present perfect tense and some are in the simple past tense. Bilal: Grandfather, have you ever seen a lion? Grandfather: Yes I have. B: When did you see a lion? GF: When I was in Africa. B: Grandfather, have you ever been to England? G: Yes I have. B: When did you go to England? G In 1960. Exercise B3 Now read another dialogue between Bilal and his Grandfather. Bilal is asking his Grandfather questions about his journey to Nanga Parbat. Read it carefully and then pick out all the expressions that are in present perfect tense and in simple past tense and write them down separately. Bilal: Now grandfather tell me about your journey to Nanga Parbat. When did you go there and what did you do there? Grandfather: Well…I went on an expedition to Nanga Parbat in 1962. I have never been there before so I was very excited. Bilal: Was it scary, were you frightened? 58 Grandfather: Of course not! I wasn’t frightened at all but yes I was too eager to be a part of the team of adventure seeking climbers. It has remained one of the most memorable journeys that I had ever taken. Bilal: How many people were there in the group? Grandfather: Six. But two left the group half way up and I was the only one who was given the medal by the government. Recorded Text 18 Salman: I'm fed up. I want to leave college and get a job. Mother: You know Salman, you really are unfair. Your father and I’ve done everything for you. We've brought you up well. We've spent as much time as we could with you. We've sent you to the best schools. We've given you everything you wanted. S: I know that but............................. M: We haven't had a holiday for years. We haven't been able to buy a car. Everything has gone towards your education. S: I know that and that's why I want to leave school and start earning some money. M: What money? As a road sweeper or petrol pump attendant! When you’ve finished your education, you’ll earn ten times more than you can now. S: Look at Mr Malik. He hasn't read a book in his life and he's a millionaire. M: He's also a big crook! He has earned these millions through cheating people. Salman did not listen to his mother's advice. He left college and started work. One year later, his mother complains to her husband. She says: ▪ I don't understand that boy. We did everything for him. We brought him up well...... Notice that she now uses the simple past tense and not the present 59  perfect. Why? Because she is now talking about a particular time in the past when Salman was living at home. Exercise B4 Read what Salman’s Mother has said earlier. Now rewrite what she has said using the simple Past tense. ‘Your father and I have done everything for you. We've brought you up well. We've spent as much time as we could with you. We've sent you to the best schools. We've given you everything you wanted. We haven't had a holiday for years. Everything has gone towards your education’. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Section C READING Predicting the Content of a Book When we read, we usually read for a particular purpose. For instance, we read the front page of a newspaper to find out what the latest news is; we read a train time-table to find out when trains leave and arrive, we read a telephone directory to find out someone's telephone number. What about books? We read books for different purposes. We read a novel for enjoyment; we read a travel book either for enjoyment or to find out about a country we want to visit; we read a textbook to learn the subject we are studying, and so on. When we go to a bookshop to buy a book and when we select one, how do we know that it will be interesting and serve our purpose? How do we know that it will satisfy or answer our requirements? We do not have to read the whole book to find out what it is about. We can get a good idea about the book when we read its: ▪ Title ▪ The publisher's description about the book ▪ The foreword or preface ▪ The contents page ▪ The index 60  ▪ The review (what critics have written about the book in newspapers or magazines or sometimes these reviews are printed on the jacket of the book Exercise C1 Let us first of all look at the front and back cover of a book. The title, of course, is on the front cover and the publisher's description is on the back cover. What do these tell you about the book? Here are some statements about the book. PREDICT what do you think the boot is about? What does it contain? At the end of the each statement, write R for the statement that you think may be right; W for wrong, P for perhaps. FRONT COVER Indus Journey Author: Imran Khan Publisher: Chatto and Windus 1 The book is about travelling to Pakistan on foot. 2 The book is about Imran Khan’s life style. 3 The book is about mountains. 4 The book is about tourists sights in Pakistan. 5 The book is about the author’s trip in the whole country. 6 This book is Imran Khan’s autobiography. 61 Now read the back cover of the book which has a brief description written by the publisher. BACK COVER Indus Journey is a splendid personal view of Pakistan seen through the eyes of one of its most illustrious countrymen. Imran Khan in this book introduces foreign visitors, as well as fellow countrymen to the geographical, cultural and chronological changes that Pakistan undergoes while travelling from North to South. It gives readers an idea of the diversified cultures that Pakistan is made up of and an outline of the subtle changes in lifestyle