Advanced Reading Power PDF

A cknowledgments The authors thank Laura Le Dréan , executive editor, whose feedback was invaluable as we developed A dvanced Reading Power, and Gosia Jaros-White, associate development editor, who helped us clarify our ideas and stay on schedule. We gratefully acknowledge the gentle pressure f...

A cknowledgments The authors thank Laura Le Dréan , executive editor, whose feedback was invaluable as we developed A dvanced Reading Power, and Gosia Jaros-White, associate development editor, who helped us clarify our ideas and stay on schedule. We gratefully acknowledge the gentle pressure from the many teachers who have wanted us to write an advanced level book for the Reading Power series. We have made every effort to respond to their concerns. We would also like to thank friends and colleagues, including Anita Belt and Jane Stevenson, for their helpful input and encouragement. We acknowledge the influence of Tom Cobb, Averil Coxhead, and I. S. Paul Nation, whose work was essential in planning the new vocabulary development units. Finally, we wish to thank Richard M. Ravin for his outstanding work in researching and drafting the reading passages in Part 4. The publisher would like to extend special thanks to the following individuals who reviewed A dvanced Reading Power and whose comments were instrumental in developing the book. Jennifer Altman, University of Washington English Language Program, Seattle, WA; Mary Hill, North Shore Community College, Danvers, MA; Helen Kallenbach, Sonoma State American Language Institute, Rohnert Park, CA; Alessandro Massaro, Bunker Hill Community College, Boston, MA; Susan Reynolds, Seminole Community College, Oviedo, FL; Ishida Saori, University of Hawaii at Manoa, NICE Program Outreach College, Honolulu, HI Advanced Reading Power: Extensive Reading, Vocabulary Building, Comprehension Skills, Reading Faster Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. Pearson Education, 10 Bank Street, White Plains, NY 10606 Staff credits: The people who made up the A dvanced Reading Power team, representing editorial, production, design, and manufacturing, are Christine Edmonds, Ann France, Gosia Jaros-White, Laura Le Dréan, Edith Pullman, Jennifer Stem, and Paula Van Ells. Text composition: Rainbow Graphics Text font: 10/14 Stone Serif Text, Illustration, and Photo credits: See page 311 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Mikulecky, Beatrice S. Advanced reading power : extensive reading, vocabulary building, comprehension skills, reading faster / Beatrice S. Mikulecky, Linda Jeffries. p. cm. ISBN 0-13-199027-6 (pbk.) 1. Reading (Higher education) 2. College reading improvement programs. 3. Vocabulary—Study and teaching. 4. Reading comprehension. I. Jeffries, Linda. II. Title. LB2395.3.M53 2007 428.4'3—dc22 2006032213 LON GM AN ON THE W EB Longm a n.com offers online resources for t eachers and st udent s. Access our ISBN - 13: 978-0-13-199027-2 Com panion Websit es, our online cat alog, ISBN - 10: 0-13-199027-6 and our local offices around t he world. Printed in the United States of America Visit us at I ongm a n.com. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10-VHG-11 10 09 08 Con t e n t s I nt r oduct ion Pa r t 1 : Extensive Reading Unit 1: Choosing a Book for Extensive Reading Unit 2: Reading and Discussing Nonfiction 12 Unit 3: Reading and Discussing Fiction 14 Unit 4: Responding to and Reporting on Your Extensive Reading Books 22 Pa r t 2 : Vocabulary Building 25 Unit 1: Strategies for Building a Powerful Vocabulary 26 Unit 2: Learning New Words from Your Reading 31 Unit 3: I nferring Meaning from Context 36 Unit 4: Word Parts 47 Unit 5: Collocations 62 Pa r t 3 : Comprehension Skills 73 Unit 1: Previewing 75 Unit 2: Making I nferences 88 Unit 3: Understanding Paragraphs 105 Unit 4: Patterns of Organization 134 Unit 5: Reading Longer Passages Effectively 155 Unit 6: Skimming 170 Unit 7: Study Reading 183 Unit 8: Summarizing 200 Unit 9: Critical Reading 216 Pa r t 4 : Reading Faster 239 Unit 1: Learning to Read Faster 240 Unit 2: New Technology and I ts I mpact Around the World 255 Unit 3: People Who Have Made a Difference 271 Unit 4: I nventions That Are Changing Our Lives 287 Appendix 1: List of 2,000 Most Frequent Words 303 Appendix 2: Academic Word List 308 Appendix 3: Record of Books Read 310 Cont ent s I ntroduction To the Teacher A dvanced Reading Power is unlike most other reading textbooks. First, the focus is different. This book directs students' attention to their own reading processes, while most other books focus primarily on the content. Second, A dvanced Reading Power is organized in a different way. It contains four separate sections that correspond to four important aspects of proficient reading, and therefore it is like four books in one. Teachers should assign work on all four parts of the book concurrently. The four parts of A dvanced Reading Power are: Part 1: Extensive Reading Part 2: Vocabulary Building Part 3: Comprehension Skills Part 4: Reading Faster A dvanced Reading Power was designed to meet the needs of students who are enrolled in pre-college programs, college bridge programs, or advanced reading classes at the post- secondary level. Consequently, emphasis has been placed on the development of skills necessary for academic success, including building academic vocabulary. The purpose of A dvanced Reading Power is to develop students' awareness of their own reading and thinking processes so that they can be successful in reading college-level texts. To accomplish this, the book addresses the various reading skills in a direct manner, calling students' attention to how they think as they read. Many students have a conceptualization of reading as translating, and that can interfere with their ability to read well in English. In A dvanced Reading Power, students acquire an accurate understanding of what it means to read in English and gain confidence in their ability to deal with college-level reading assignments. In order to allow students to focus on the process of reading, the lexical and syntactic content of some exercises has been controlled. In other exercises, however, students practice working with authentic texts of different types, including excerpts from college textbooks. Student awareness of reading and thinking processes is further encouraged in many parts of the book by exercises that require them to work in pairs or small groups. In discussions with others, students formulate and articulate their ideas more precisely and thus acquire new ways of talking and thinking about a text. When students are asked to write sentences or paragraphs, they are also asked to exchange their work with others and discuss it so they can experience the connections between reading and writing. The success of a reading class depends to a large extent on the teacher. You can enhance your students' learning while working with A dvanced Reading Power by providing the following: an anxiety-free environment in which students feel comfortable taking risks and trying new ways of reading. Introduction V  enough practice so the students can master new strategies. friendly pressure in the form of persuasion and timing. positive examples of how to approach a text. a model for the kind of thinking that good reading requires. an inspiring example of an enthusiastic reader. Note: A rationale for the approach taken in A dvanced Reading Power, specific suggestions for using it in the classroom, and a Sample Syllabus can be found in the A nswer Key booklet. For a more complete explanation of the theory and methodology see A Short Course in Teaching Reading Skills by Beatrice S. Mikulecky (Addison-Wesley, 1990). To the Student Usin g Adva n ce d Re a din g Pow e r Since this book is different from other reading textbooks, it must be used in a different way. A dvanced Reading Power is divided into four parts. Instead of working on one part at a time, as you would in most books, you should work regularly on all four parts of the book. Part 1: Extensive Reading. The more you read, the better you read. In Part 1, you will have an opportunity to develop the habit of reading extensively—that is, reading many books that you choose for yourself. This will help improve your reading fluency, increase your comprehension and expand your vocabulary. Part 2: Vocabulary Building. Research has shown that a strong vocabulary is an essential aspect of reading ability. In this part, you will develop strategies for expanding your knowledge of vocabulary, particularly words used often in academic texts. Part 3: Comprehension Skills. Reading is a complex activity that involves a wide variety of skills. Your ability to understand and remember what you read depends in large part on your ability to apply these skills to your reading. Each unit in Part 3 focuses on an essential reading skill for you to explore and practice. In the Focus on Vocabulary section at the end of each skills unit, you will also have the opportunity to learn some of the academic words from the unit. Part 4: Reading Faster. Reading rate (speed) is a crucial factor in academic performance, but one that is often overlooked. Reading faster allows you to save time on reading assignments. It also makes reading more enjoyable so you are likely to read more, and it leads to better comprehension. In this part of the book, you will work on improving your reading rate. Re a din g qu e st ion n a ir e s What is your experience as a reader? What do you know about reading? vi I nt roduct ion  Questionnaire 1 Reading in your native language ( For each statement, write T (true) or F (false). 1. It is always necessary to read every word of a passage. 2. It is a good idea to say the words aloud when you read. 3. Reading more slowly improves comprehension. 4. Knowing every word is necessary for comprehension. 5. As you read, you should always look up the meaning of words you do not know. 6. To read well, you need to know the pronunciation of every word. 7. Learning vocabulary is the only way to improve reading ability. 8. Learning grammar is the only way to improve reading ability. 9. You can read all kinds of texts (books, newspapers, etc.) the same way. 10. Reading in different languages requires some different reading methods. Questionnaire 2 Reading in English For each statement, write T (true) or F (false). 1. It is always necessary to read every word of a passage 2. It is a good idea to say the words aloud when you read. 3. Reading more slowly improves comprehension. 4. Knowing every word is necessary for comprehension. 5. As you read, you should always look up the meaning of words you do not know. 6. To read well, you need to know the pronunciation of every word. 7. Learning vocabulary is the only way to improve reading ability. 8. Learning grammar is the only way to improve reading ability. 9. You can read all kinds of texts (books, newspapers, etc.) the same way. 10. Reading in different languages requires some different reading methods. Were your answers the same in both questionnaires? Compare your answers with those of another student. Do you agree? You should have written F for every question in both questionnaires! If you marked some answers T, then you may need to learn more about reading. In A dvanced Reading Power, you will discover more about the reading process and will have opportunities to re-evaluate your ideas about reading. Int roductio n VII PART Extensive Reading I ntroduction to Extensive Reading Qu e st ion n a ir e Answer the questions below on your own. Then form a group of two to four students and compare your answers. 1. Looking back at your childhood, what do you remember as your first reading experiences? 2. What kinds of reading material did your parents have in the house when you were young? 3. Do you remember having books or other materials read to you as a child? If so, what did you like best? 4. When you were able to read on your own, what did you enjoy reading? 5. Did your parents or other members of the family like to read? If so, what did they read? 6. What kind of reading is important in your life today? For example, do you read a lot for school or for your job? 7. About how many hours a week do you usually read materials of your own choice (magazines, newspapers, novels, nonfiction)? 8. Do you have a favorite writer in your first language? A favorite book? 9. What books have you read in English? 10. If you could easily read anything in English, what would you like to read? Would you like to..... read English faster with good comprehension?... increase your vocabulary in English?... improve your grammar in English?... improve your writing skills in English?... succeed in academic courses in English?... gain broad knowledge of the world? If you answered yes to these questions, then extensive reading is for you. 2 Ext ensive Reading W ha t is e x t e nsive r e a ding? reading a lot — at least one book every two or three weeks; choosing a book that is interesting to you; no tests on comprehension or vocabulary; reading at your own pace. You will benefit most from extensive reading if you follow these three essential rules: Rule 1: Enjoy! Rule 2: Enjoy! Rule 3: Enjoy! (Source: "Rules" adapted from J. Bamford and R. Day, Extensive Reading Activities for Teaching Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004, p. 5) Because extensive reading is enjoyable, you will read faster and more, which makes it more enjoyable, so you will read even faster and more. This is the cycle of positive reinforcement that leads to the positive effects on comprehension and general language skills listed on page 2. W ha t t he e x pe r t s sa y a bout e x t e nsive r e a ding "Extensive reading is the most efficient way to help students change old habits and become confident second language readers." Prof. Mary Lee Field, Wayne State University, Michigan "... reading for pleasure [extensive reading] is the major source of our reading competence, our vocabulary and our ability to handle complex grammatical constructions." Prof. Stephen Krashen, University of Southern California "Extensive reading may play a role in developing the capacity for critical thinking so important for success in higher education." Prof. Richard R. Day, University of Hawaii and Prof. Julian Bamford, Bunkyo University, Japan "It is clear from these studies that extensive reading can be a major factor in success in learning another language." Prof. I. S. P. Nation, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand Ext ensive Reading 3  Choosing a Book for UNIT Extensive Reading W he r e t o Find a Book Ask your teacher, classmates, or friends for suggestions, or look on best-seller lists or the Internet (http://www.NY Times.com or http://www.A mazon.com , for example) for titles that might interest you. Then go to a bookstore or library to see what is available. H ow t o Choose a Book 1. Choose a book that interests you. Your teacher and classmates may have good suggestions, but choose the book that is best for you, not for them. 2. Choose a full-length book, not a collection of articles or stories. Reading a whole book by a single author allows you to become comfortable with the writer's style and vocabulary. 3. Avoid a book whose story you are already familiar with because you have read it in another language or have seen the movie made from it. Knowing what will happen may make it less interesting for you. 4. Evaluate the book. To find out about the author and the genre (type of book), read the front and back covers. Read the first few pages, to find out about the style and subject. 5. Check the level of difficulty. If a book is too easy, it may be boring; if it is too difficult, you may become discouraged and stop reading. To find out how difficult the book is for you, count the number of unknown key words on a typical page. (A key word is a word you must know in order to follow the general meaning.) Five unknown key words on one page means the book is difficult for you. No unknown key words means the book is easy. H in t s for su cce ss in e x t e n sive r e a din g Set a goal for yourself. Decide how many books you would like to read during the semester. Make reading a part of your daily routine. Set a time and place for reading. Read for at least thirty minutes at a time so that you can become involved in your book. Carry your book wherever you go and read it whenever you have time. Keep a journal. Write about your reactions to the book or any thoughts that are stimulated by your reading. When you finish a book, complete a Book Response Form, following the form on page 24. Then make an appointment with your teacher for a book conference to share your thoughts and reactions to it. 4 Ext ensive Reading List of Recommended Titles The books on this list have been read and enjoyed by students around the world, but you may choose a title that is not on the list. What matters most is that you find a book at an appropriate level that interests you. (*) This author has written other books that might be of interest. (**) This book may be easier to read. Note: The number of pages is included to give you an idea of the approximate length. Other editions may be of slightly different length. Book List Fiction Things Fall A part. Achebe, Chinua. A classic African novel about how a Nigerian faces conflict within his society, as well as the effects of British colonialism. (215 pages) Little W omen. Alcott, Louisa May.* The classic novel of the joys and sorrows of the four March sisters and their mother in New England in the 1800s. (561 pages) If Street Could Talk.** Baldwin, James. A talented New York musician is falsely accused of a crime and put in prison. His girlfriend is determined to free him. (213 pages) Sacajawea. Bruchac, Joseph. A novel about a young Native American woman in the early nineteenth century who helped two explorers find a safe route across North America to the Pacific Ocean. (199 pages) My A ntonia.** Cather, Willa.* A young woman who is the daughter of an immigrant from Bohemia faces loneliness and other challenges as an early settler in the American West. (175 pages) Disgrace. Coetzee, J. M.* A brilliant tale of loneliness and violence in post-apartheid South Africa. (220 pages) The Chocolate W ar. Cormier, Robert.* A high school student fights against a secret society of other students and becomes a hero in the school. (191 pages) Bridget Jones's Diary. Fielding, Helen.* A funny and realistic novel (in the form of a diary) of the life of a single young woman today in search of self-improvement. (267 pages) Tender Is the Night. Fitzgerald, F. Scott.* Set in the 1920s on the French Riviera, this is the story of a psychiatrist and his wealthy wife, who is also his patient. (315 pages) Johnny Tremaine.** Forbes, Esther. The American Revolution and life in Boston in the 1770s, as seen through the experiences of a youth. (269 pages) A Lesson Before Dying. Gaines, Ernest J. The moving story of an unusual friendship between a young teacher and a man in prison for murder, waiting to be executed. (256 pages) Choosing a Book for Ext ensive Reading  Father Melancholy's Daughter. Godwin, Gail. A young woman's search for an understanding of the mother who left her when she was six years old and died soon after. (404 pages) Snow Falling on Cedars. Guterson, David. During World War II, the Japanese-American community on an island near Seattle is sent to a prison camp in Montana, and after the war, a young Japanese-American is accused of murder. (460 pages) The Friends.** Guy, Rosa.* A family moves to the United States from the West Indies and finds love and friendship. (185 pages) For W hom the Bell Tolls. Hemingway, Ernest.* This famous romantic novel is set during the Spanish Civil War, when a young American volunteer falls in love with a Spanish girl. (471 pages) Jazz Country. Hentoff, Nat.* A white youth in New York plays his trumpet in a jazz club in Harlem. (146 pages) A bout a Boy. Hornby, Nick. The hilarious account of a friendship between an adolescent and a thirty-six-year-old man. Through their relationship, they both grow up and learn to cope with their lives. (307 pages) The Kite Runner. Hosseini, Khalid. Narrated by a young Afghani, this novel gives a vivid picture of contemporary Afghanistan and the conflict and hardships endured by the Afghan people. (371 pages) A Pale View of Hills. Ishiguro, Kazuo. A novel that reflects the author's own experience as a Japanese person in England. The story shifts from Nagasaki and the atomic bomb during World War II to England twenty years later. (183 pages) The Metamorphosis. Kafka, Franz. The story of a young man who wakes up one morning to discover that he has turned into a beetle-like insect. (55 pages) Flowers for A lgernon. Keyes, Daniel. A sad tale of a mentally challenged man who is given an experimental drug. For a short time, he becomes normal. (216 pages) A nnie John.** Kincaid, Jamaica.* A young girl growing up on the Caribbean island of Antigua tries to escape from her close emotional ties to her mother. (148 pages) The Bean Trees. Kingsolver, Barbara.* Driving west to start a new life, Taylor stops for gas. A woman gives her a little girl. The touching story of how they grow to love each other. (323 pages) A Separate Peace.** Knowles, John. Friendship and tragedy in a private boys' school in New Hampshire during World War II. (186 pages) Being There. Kosinski, Jerzy. A simple gardener inherits a fortune, becomes adviser to the U.S. president and a popular TV personality. (140 pages) The Namesake. Lahiri, Jhumpa.* A sensitive and vivid account of how the son of a family from Bombay deals with the difficulties of being both Indian and American. (291 pages) 6 Extensive Reading To Kill a Mockingbird. Lee, Harper. Racism in the southern United States in the 1960s, as viewed by a young white girl, whose lawyer father defends a black man unjustly accused of a crime. (323 pages) The Grass Is Singing. Lessing, Doris. A novel about racism and the inability to accept another culture in white South Africa during the 1950s. (245 pages) The Call of the W ild.** London, Jack.* In this classic account of life in the Alaskan wilderness, Buck, a family pet, is kidnapped and taken to work as a sled dog. (143 pages) The Daydreamer.** McEwan, Ian. In his daydreams, a boy becomes a cat and then the dreams seem to become real. (137 pages) The Secret Life of Bees. Monk, Sue Ellen.* Lily Owens, a fourteen-year-old white girl from South Carolina, and Rosaleen, her family's black housekeeper, run away and are taken in by a family of beekeepers. (302 pages) A nne of Green Gables.** Montgomery, Lucy Maud. An orphan girl is accepted into a loving family and small community on Prince Edward Island, Canada. (309 pages) The Glory Field. Myers, Walter Dean. An African-American family's history from the time of slavery. Their farm unites them in this story of pride, determination, struggle, and love. (196 pages) Chain of Fire.** Naidoo, Beverley. The story of two young people who struggled against racist policies in South Africa under apartheid. (242 pages) Bel Canto. Patchett, Ann.* The complex relations that develop among a group of hostages, including illustrious foreign guests, and their terrorist captors in a South American country. (318 pages) The Bell far. Plath, Sylvia. In a semiautobiographical novel, a brilliant young woman slides into a depression that almost takes her life. (264 pages) A ll Quiet on the W estern Front. Remarque, Erich Maria. A classic antiwar novel that describes the horrors of trench warfare in Europe during World War I. (236 pages) A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Smith, Betty. The dreams and trials of a girl growing up in Brooklyn, New York, in a poor, but proud family. (483 pages) The Pearl.** Steinbeck, John.* A poor man finds a big pearl in the sea and hopes to get rich by selling it. Can a pearl bring happiness to his family? (118 pages) The Grapes of W rath. Steinbeck, John.* A poor farming family is forced in the 1930s to leave Oklahoma and move to California, where they face hardship and more poverty. (455 pages) The Kitchen God's W ife. Tan, Amy.* An immigrant from China tells her American daughter about her past, painting a vivid picture of Chinese life and tradition. (530 pages) Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant. Tyler, Anne.* Three siblings return home as their mother is dying, and they try to make sense of their past. (303 pages) Choosing a Book for Ext ensive Reading 7  The House of Mirth. Wharton, Edith.* Lily Bart, a poor relative, lives with rich New Yorkers at the end of the nineteenth century and learns to love luxury, but not the vulgar social values she finds. (354 pages) The Picture of Dorian Gray. Wilde, Oscar. Dorian Gray remains handsome and young, but his portrait, hidden in the attic, shows his age and the effects of his evil. (165 pages) M yst e r y a nd Suspe nse The Da Vinci Code. Brown, Dan.* A murder in a museum and a mysterious symbol lead Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu on a hunt to find a secret before it is lost forever. (467 pages) A nd Then There W ere None. Christie, Agatha.* Ten weekend guests who don't know one another meet on a private island. All they have in common is a secret, evil past. One by one, they die. (275 pages) W hiteout. Follett, Ken.* Samples of a deadly virus are missing, and scientists meet at a lonely cottage during a fierce snowstorm to find a cure amid jealousy, distrust, and attractions. (474 pages) A is for Alibi.** Grafton, Sue.* After serving a jail sentence for a crime she didn't commit, Nikki hires Kinsey Mulhone to find out who was really her husband's killer. (214 pages) The Tenth Man. Greene, Graham.* During World War II, men held prisoner by the Germans are told that three of them must die. One man trades his wealth for his life— and then has to pay. (149 pages) The Broker. Grisham, John.* A master of finance knows too many secrets. Released from prison by the American president, he flees to Europe and begins a new life in order to stay alive. (357 pages) Night Shift. King, Stephen.* Twenty short stories guaranteed to scare the reader: Hidden rats in deep lower cellars, a beautiful girl hanging by a thread above a hellish fate. (326 pages) The Night Manager. Le Cane, John.* After the end of the cold war, spy Jonathon Pine is enlisted to help bring down Roper, a notorious kingpin in the world of arms smuggling and drug dealing. (474 pages) Tunnel Vision. Paretsky, Sara.* Chicago private detective V. I. Warshawsky finds a prominent attorney's wife dead in her office while a homeless family disappears. She finds that these events are connected. (470 pages) The Rottweiler. Rendell, Ruth.* The killer is called "The Rottweiler" because he bites his victims when he murders them. A victim's belongings are found in an antiques shop and everyone who knew her is a suspect. (339 pages) The Sky Is Falling.** Sheldon, Sidney.* This thriller is about the mysterious death of Gary Winthrop, the last of five people in his family to die in a single year. (398 pages) 8 Ext ensive Reading  The No.1 Ladies' Detective A gency.** Smith, Alexander McCall.* As the first woman to run a detective agency in Botswana, Africa, Precious Ramatswe solves delicate and complicated mysteries. (235 pages) The Secret History. Tartt, Donna. As a new student at Hampden College, Richard is accepted by a circle of friends who share a terrible secret. (559 pages) Scie n ce Fict ion a n d Fa n t a sy I, Robot. Asimov, Isaac.* Tales about how robots can be developed and taught not to harm humans. Includes the "three laws of robotics." A classic. (224 pages) Fahrenheit 451. Bradbury, Ray.* A classic of science fiction about a society in which books are prohibited and television dominates people's lives. (180 pages) Island of the A unts.** Ibbotson, Eva.* Two children are snatched by three elderly aunts and taken to a distant island populated by mermaids and strange creatures whose mission is to swim the world humming and healing the oceans. (281 pages) The Left Hand of Darkness. LeGuin, Ursula K.* On a strange planet called Gethen, people do not see each other as men or women. This poses a challenge to an explorer from planet Earth. (304 pages) A nimal Farm.** Orwell, George.* The story of what happens when overworked, mistreated animals take over a farm. A story that reflects any place where freedom is attacked. (139 pages) Harty Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Rowling, J. K.* This book tells of the beginning of the many adventures of a young boy who goes to a school for wizards. (312 pages) Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Tolkien, J. R. R.* This is the first of three books in an epic tale about good against evil. A small creature with hairy feet has a gold ring that belongs to a creature called Gollum. (400 pages) N onfict ion Nonfiction books are factual. Books about history, biography, and science are examples of nonfiction. Reading nonfiction can help develop your vocabulary and knowledge in a specialized area. Biogr a ph y a n d Au t obiogr a ph y I Know W hy the Caged Bird Sings. Angelou, Maya. A prize-winning American poet writes about her childhood experiences and how she survived violence and racism. (246 pages) Go A sk A lice.** Anonymous. The true story in diary form of how a fifteen-year-old girl became addicted to drugs. (188 pages) Growing Up. Baker, Russell. The memoir of a journalist and humorist growing up in America during the Depression and World War II. (278 pages) Choosing a Book for Ext ensive Reading  J. R. R. Tolkien: The Man W ho Created the Lord of the Rings.** Coren, Michael. Tolkien's life experiences as an orphan, a scholar, a soldier, and a professor and how they helped him to create his famous trilogy. (125 pages) Boy.** Dahl, Roald. The funny and sometimes shocking childhood and school experiences of this famous writer of children's books. (160 pages) A n A merican Childhood. Dillard, Annie.* The author's childhood in 1950s Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, described in fond detail. (255 pages) Out of A frica. Dinesen, Isak. The author's experiences from 1914 to 1931 running a coffee plantation in Kenya, first with her husband and later alone. (288 pages) The Spirit Catches Y ou and Y ou Fall Down. Fadinan, Ann. A Hmong family settles in California and comes into conflict with American doctors. (300 pages) A nne Frank: The Diary of a Y oung Girl.** Frank, Anne. The diary kept by a thirteen-year-old Jewish girl hidden in an apartment with her family for two years in Amsterdam, Holland, during World War II. (308 pages) Homesick.** Fritz, Jean. The author's childhood in China and the dramatic escape of her family at the time of the Chinese Cultural Revolution. (140 pages) Seabiscuit: A n A merican Legend. Hillenbrand, Laura. The story of a racehorse named Seabiscuit who became a winner, and the people who believed in him. (377 pages) Mountains Beyond Mountains. Kidder, Tracy.* The inspiring life and work of Dr. Paul Farmer, who has dedicated himself to the idea that "the only real nation is humanity." (304 pages) Into the W ild. Krakauer, Jon.* How and why a young man walked into the Alaskan wilderness alone and died there. (207 pages) The A utobiography of Malcolm X. Malcolm X with Alex Haley. The dramatic life story of an important figure in African-American history, as told by Malcolm X himself. (350 pages) Long W alk to Freedom. Mandela, Nelson. Mandela's life story, written while he was in a South African prison. (544 pages) Rosa Parks: My Story. Parks, Rosa, with Jim Haskins. A key figure in the civil rights movement tells how she refused to give up her seat to a white man on a bus. (188 pages) I. K. Rowling: The W izard Behind Harry Potter.** Shapiro, Marc. This is the life story of one of the most successful writers of our time. (163 pages) Nisa: The Life and W ords of a !Kung W oman. Shostak, Marjorie. The remarkable story of an African woman and her people in the Kalahari Desert, as told by an anthropologist. (402 pages) A lmost Lost. Sparks, Beatrice.* The true story of an anonymous teenager's life on the streets of a big city. (239 pages) 10 Extensive Reading  Stephen Hawking: A Life in Science. White, M., and G. Gribbin. A biography of Stephen Hawking, the English scientist who is often considered the smartest man alive. (304 pages) Helen Keller: From Tragedy to Triumph.** Wilkie, Katherine E. Helen Keller became deaf and blind when she was a small child. This is the story of her success as a student, a writer, and a lecturer. (192 pages) Ot he r N onfict ion How Did W e Find Out A bout Outer Space?** Asimov, Isaac. Clear explanations of scientific principles, with references to mythology and literature by this famous writer. (59 pages) Bury Me Standing: The Gypsies and Their Journey. Fonseca, Isabel. A striking portrait of the life and history of the Roma (Gypsies) in Eastern Europe. (316 pages) A n Inconvenient Truth. Gore, Al. Pictures and text showing the consequences of climate change are accompanied by personal essays. Gore makes a complex and serious issue easy to understand. (327 pages) October Sky. Hickham, Homer. How Hickham and his friends were inspired in 1957 by Sputnik, the Russian satellite, to spend their lives working on rockets for space launches. (428 pages) Field Notes from a Catastrophe. Kolbert, Elizabeth. This book brings the science of climate change to life. The author describes how global warming threatens the traditional way of life in a small Alaskan village. (210 pages) Never Cry W olf. Mowat, Farley.* How a young scientist in northern Canada learns to respect and understand wolves. (242 pages) Homage to Catalonia. Orwell, George.* In 1937, Orwell joined the fight against Fascism in the Spanish Civil War and wrote this classic report of the ridiculous, pathetic, and, above all, tragic aspects of war. (232 pages) The Omnivore's Dilemma. Pollan, Michael. Pollan follows the journey of four meals from farm to table, weaving together literature, science, and hands-on investigation. This book shows the serious consequences of the way we eat. (464 pages) W hy Birds Sing. Rothenberg, David. This book explores the tweets, squawks, and flute-like songs of birds to investigate the scientific mysteries of bird song and how it sparks the human imagination. (256 pages) Choosing a Book for Ext ensive Reading 11  Reading and Discussing UNIT 2 Nonfiction In this unit, you will practice reading and discussing nonfiction with an article from the New Y ork Times, "Why the Internet Isn't the Death of the Post Office." Before you read the article, preview it. 1. Read the first paragraph. Can you tell what the article will be about? 2. Scan the article for names, dates, numbers, and boldface type. 3. Read the last paragraph on the next page. Now read the article all the way to the end. As you read, underline any unfamiliar words with a pencil but do not look them up in a dictionary now. (You can do that later.) W hy t he I nt e r ne t I sn't t he D e a t h of t h e Post Office and other businesses that did not ex- The harmful side of the Internet's by James Fallows ist before the Internet. impact is obvious but statistically less The eclipse of "snail mail" in the important than many would guess. Millions of people now rent their age of instant electronic communica- People naturally write fewer letters movies the Netflix way. They fill out tion has been predicted at least as of- when they can send e-mail messages. a wish list from the 50,009 titles on ten as the coming of the paperless To leaf through a box of old paper cor- the company's web site and receive office. But the consumption of paper respondence is to know what has the first few DVD's in the mail; when keeps rising. (It has roughly doubled been lost in this shift: the pretty they mail each one back, the next one since 1980, with less use of newsprint stamps, the varying look and feel of on the list is sent. and much more of ordinary office pa- handwritten and typed correspon- The Netflix model has been ex- per.) And so, with some nuances and dence, the tangible object that was haustively analyzed for its disruptive, internal changes, does the flow of ma- once in the sender's hands. To stay in new-economy implications. What will terial carried by mail. On average, an instant touch with parents, children it mean for video stores like Block- American household receives twice as and colleagues around the world is to buster, which has, in fact, started a many pieces of mail a day as it did in know what's been gained. si milar service? What will it mean for the 1970's. But even before e-mail, personal movie studios and theaters? What "Is the Internet hurting the mail, letters had shrunk to a tiny share of does it show about "long tail" busi- or helping?" asks Michael J. Critelli, a the flow. As a consultant, Fouad H. nesses—ones that amalgamate many co-chairman of the public-private Nader, wrote in a Pitney Bowes study, niche markets, like those for Dutch Mail Industry Task Force. "It's doing personal mail had "long ago been re- movies or classic musicals, into a sin- both." Mr. Critelli's day job is chief ex- duced to a minimum with the prolif- gle target audience? ecutive of Pitney Bowes—yes, that eration of telephone services in the But one other major implication Pitney Bowes, once known for its last SO years." has barely been mentioned: what this postage meters and now a "mail and Personal letters of all sorts, called and similar Internet-based businesses document management" company. "household to household" correspon- mean for that stalwart of the old In the last few years, it has also func- dence, account for less than 1 percent economy, the United States Postal tioned as a research group for the mail of the 100 billion pieces of first-class Service. industry, commissioning a series of mail that the Postal Service handles Every day, some two million Net- studies, available free at PostIn- each year. Most of that personal mail flix envelopes come and go as first- sight(q)PB.com , that contain startling consists of greeting cards, invitations, class mail. They are joined by millions findings about the economic, techno- announcements, and other mail with of other shipments from online phar- logical and cultural forces that affect "emotional content," a category that macies, eBay vendors, Amazon.com use of mail. is generally holding its own. 12 Ext ensive Reading  The same higher-income house- nies has risen about 10 percent a year. ability to send you only what's inter- holds that rely the most on e-mail cor- Americans' financial lives have be- esting to you, at a time when you're respondence also send and receive the come more complicated, in part be- interested in it," Mr. Critelli says. If most letters. Whatever shrinkage e- cause of choices created by the you have just moved, for example, mail has caused in personal corre- Internet. In turn, hanks, telecommu- that may mean mail from your new spondence, it is not likely to do much nication companies, insurance com- area's window-cleaning or handyman more. panies and investment houses send services. He says response rates to The Internet and allied technolo- more mail. these targeted mailings are better gies, meanwhile, are increasing the Third is the sleeper: the increasing than the dismal rates for the usual di- volume of old-fashioned mail in three sophistication of the Postal Service's rect-mail campaigns. ways. own technology. Everyone takes for The most touching artifact among The first follows the Netflix exam- granted that FedEx and the United these e-mail studies is a survey con- ple: Postal Service fulfillment of trans- Parcel Service can track the move- ducted by the Postal Service called actions made on the Internet. About ment of each item through their sys- "The Mail Moment." two million prescriptions a day— tems. The Postal Service has now "Two thirds of all consumers do roughly one-fifth of the total—are de- installed similar scanning equipment, not expect to receive personal mail, livered by first-class mail. EBay's and in principle it can bar-code and but when they do, it makes their vendors list five million new items scan every envelope or postcard and day," it concluded. "This 'hope' daily, and those that are sold ship know where it is at any time. In real- keeps them coming back each day." mainly by mail. One Pitney Bowes ity, it does this mainly for a fee, for Even in this age of technology, ac- study found that online retailers were businesses that want to know their cording to the survey, 55 percent of increasingly using paper catalogs sent material has reached the right audi- Americans said they looked forward through the mail to steer people to ence at the right time—for instance, to discovering what each day's mail their sites. the Thursday before a weekend sale at might hold. The second force also involves fi- a local store. Now I'll confess my bias. My first nance. Many studies conclude that In Internet terms, this and related real job was at the post office. On the people are more and more willing to improvements are intended to make day when 1 was paroled from the sort- make payments online, but that they advertising mail less like spam—un- ing floor to substitute for an absent strongly prefer to receive the original wanted and discarded—and more like letter carrier, I felt as if I were bringing bills on paper, by mail. embedded ads, tied to the content of "the mail moment" to people along Since the late 1980's, mail to a particular web site. the route. It's nice to think that such households from credit card compa- "Over time, there is an increasing moments will survive the Internet. (Source: The New York Times. September 4, 2005) A. Write any unfamiliar words that made comprehension difficult and write their dictionary definitions. Compare your words with those of another student. Do you have any of the same words? B. Discuss the article with another student. Consider these questions. 1. Where does the writer tell you what this article is about? 2. What do you already know about this? 3. Were there any parts of the article that you did not understand? C. Read the article again. Then discuss these questions with a group of three or four students. 1. Why does the writer believe that the Internet is not the death of the Post Office? 2. Do you agree with the writer? Why or why not? 3. What evidence does the writer give to support his ideas? 4. How do you use the post office? 5. Do you ever buy things over the Internet? Reading and Discussing Nonfiction 13 " Reading and Discussing UNIT 3 Fiction In this unit you will practice reading and discussing fiction with a short story titled "All Summer in a Day," by Ray Bradbury. Before you read, discuss these questions with another student. 1. Have you ever heard of this author? Have you read any of his stories or books or seen movies made from them? 2. Ray Bradbury's other books include Fahrenheit 451 and The Martian Chronicles. Do these titles help you to guess what kind of fiction Bradbury writes? 3. Think about the title of this story, "All Summer in a Day," and try to imagine what the title might refer to. Guess what type of story this will be. Read the story all the way to the end. As you read, underline any unfamiliar words with a pencil but do not look them up in a dictionary now. Mark any confusing parts of the story with a question mark (?). Make notes in the margin about your reactions. Then complete the exercises that follow. All Summer in a Day Read y ?" Ready." " Now?" "Soon." " Do t he scient ist s really know? Will it happen t oday, will it ?" "Look, look; see for yourself! " The children pressed t o each ot her like so m any roses, so m any weeds, int erm ixed, peering out for a look at t he hidden sun. I t rained. I t had been raining for seven years; t housands upon t housands of days com pounded and filled from one end t o t he ot her wit h rain, wit h t he drum and gush of wat er, wit h t he sweet cryst al fall of showers and t he concussion of st orm s so heavy t hey were t idal waves com e over t he islands. A t housand forest s had been crushed under t he rain and grown up a t housand t im es t o be crushed again. And t his was t he way life was forever on t he planet Venus, and t his was t he schoolroom of t he children of t he rocket m en and wom en who had com e t o a raining world t o set up civilizat ion and live out t heir lives. " I t 's st opping, it 's st opping! " "Yes, yes! " Margot st ood apart from t hem , from t hese children who could never rem em ber a t im e when t here wasn't rain and rain and rain. They were all nine years old, and if t here had been a day, seven years ago, when t he sun cam e out for an hour and showed it s face t o t he st unned world, t hey could not recall. 14 Ext ensive Reading  Som et im es, at night , she heard t hem st ir, in rem em brance, and she knew t hey were dream ing and rem em bering gold or a yellow crayon or a coin large enough t o buy t he world wit h. She knew t hey t hought t hey rem em bered a warm ness, like a blushing in t he face, in t he body, in t he arm s and legs and t rem bling hands. But t hen t hey always awoke t o t he t at t ing drum , t he endless shaking down of clear bead necklaces upon t he roof, t he walk, t he gardens, t he forest s, and t heir dream s were gone. All day yest erday t hey had read in class about t he sun. About how like a lem on it was, and how hot. And t hey had writ t en sm all st ories or essays or poem s about it : I think the sun is a flower, That blooms for just one hour. That was Margot 's poem , read in a quiet voice in t he st ill classroom while t he rain was falling out side. " Aw, you didn't writ e t hat ! " prot est ed one of t he boys. " I did," said Margot. " I did." " William ! " said t he t eacher. But t hat was yest erday. Now t he rain was slackening, and t he children were crushed in t he great t hick windows. " Where's t eacher?" " She'll be back." " She'd bet t er hurry, we'll m iss it ! " They t urned on t hem selves, like a feverish wheel, all t um bling spokes. Margot st ood alone. She was a very frail girl who looked as if she had been lost in t he rain for years and t he rain had washed out t he blue from her eyes and t he red from her m out h and t he yellow from her hair. She was an old phot ograph dust ed from an album , whit ened away, and if she spoke at all her voice would be a ghost. Now she st ood, separat e, st aring at t he rain and t he loud wet world beyond t he huge glass. " What 're you looking at ?" said William. Margot said not hing. " Speak when you're spoken t o." He gave her a shove. But she did not m ove; rat her she let herself be m oved only by him and not hing else. They edged away from her, t hey would not look at her. She felt t hem go away. And t his was because she would play no gam es wit h t hem in t he echoing t unnels of t he underground cit y. I f t hey t agged her and ran, she st ood blinking aft er t hem and did not follow. When t he class sang songs about happiness and life and gam es her lips barely m oved. Only when t hey sang about t he sun and t he sum m er did her lips m ove as she wat ched t he drenched windows. And t hen, of course, t he biggest crim e of all was t hat she had com e here only five years ago from Eart h, and she rem em bered t he sun and t he way t he sun was and t he sky was when she was four in Ohio. And t hey, t hey had been on Venus all t heir lives, and t hey had been only t wo years old when last t he sun cam e out and had long since forgot t en t he color and heat of it and t he way it really was. But Margot rem em bered. " I t 's like a penny," she said once, eyes closed. " No, it 's not ! " t he children cried. " I t 's like a fire," she said, " in t he st ove." " You're lying, you don't rem em ber! " cried t he children. But she rem em bered and st ood quiet ly apart from all of t hem and wat ched t he pat t erning windows. And once, a m ont h ago, she had refused t o shower in t he school shower room s, had clut ched her hands t o her ears and over her head, scream ing t he wat er m ust n't t ouch her head. So aft er t hat , dim ly, dim ly, she sensed it , she was different and t hey knew her difference and kept away. Reading and Discussing Fict ion 15  There was t alk t hat her fat her and m ot her were t aking her back t o Eart h next year; it seem ed vit al t o her t hat t hey do so, t hough it would m ean t he loss of t housands of dollars t o her fam ily. And so, t he children hat ed her for all t hese reasons of big and lit t le consequence. They hat ed her pale snow face, her wait ing silence, her t hinness, and her possible fut ure. " Get away! " The boy gave her anot her push. " What 're you wait ing for?" Then, for t he first t im e, she t urned and looked at him. And what she was wait ing for was in her eyes. " Well, don't wait around here! " cried t he boy savagely. " You won't see not hing! " Her lips m oved. " Not hing! " he cried. " I t was all a j oke, wasn't it ?" He t urned t o t he ot her children. " Not hing's happening t oday. I s it ?" They all blinked at him and t hen, underst anding, laughed and shook t heir heads. " Not hing, not hing! " " Oh, but ," Margot whispered, her eyes helpless. But t his is t he day, t he scient ist s predict , t hey say, t hey know, t he sun..." All a j oke! " said t he boy, and seized her roughly. " Hey, everyone, let 's put her in a closet before t eacher com es! " " No," said Margot , falling back. They surged about her, caught her up and bore her, prot est ing, and t hen pleading, and t hen crying, back int o a t unnel, a room , a closet , where t hey slam m ed and locked t he door. They st ood looking at t he door and saw it t rem ble from her beat ing and t hrowing herself against it. They heard her m uffled cries. Then, sm iling, t hey t urned and went out and back down t he t unnel, j ust as t he t eacher arrived. " Ready, children?" She glanced at her wat ch. " Yes! " said everyone. Are we all here?" " Yes! " The rain slackened st ill m ore. They crowded t o t he huge door. The rain st opped. I t was as if, in t he m idst of a film concerning an avalanche, a t ornado, a hurricane, a volcanic erupt ion, som et hing had, first , gone wrong wit h t he sound apparat us, t hus m uffling and finally cut t ing off all noise, all of t he blast s and repercussions and t hunders, and t hen, second, ripped t he film from t he proj ect or and insert ed in it s place a peaceful t ropical slide which did not m ove or t rem or. The world ground t o a st andst ill. The silence was so im m ense and unbelievable t hat you felt your ears had been st uffed or you had lost your hearing alt oget her. The children put t heir hands t o t heir ears. They st ood apart. The door slid back and t he sm ell of t he silent , wait ing world cam e in t o t hem. The sun cam e out. I t was t he color of flam ing bronze and it was very large. And t he sky around it was a blazing blue t ile color. And t he j ungle burned wit h sunlight as t he children, released from t heir spell, rushed out , yelling, int o t he springt im e. " Now, don't go t oo far," called t he t eacher aft er t hem. " You've only t wo hours, you know. You wouldn't want t o get caught out ! " But t hey were running and t urning t heir faces up t o t he sky and feeling t he sun on t heir cheeks li ke a warm iron; t hey were t aking off t heir j acket s and let t ing t he sun burn t heir arm s. " Oh, it 's bet t er t han t he sun lam ps, isn't it ?" " Much, m uch bet t er! " They st opped running and st ood in t he great j ungle t hat covered Venus, t hat grew and never 16 Ext ensive Reading st opped growing, t um ult uously, even as you wat ched it. I t was a nest of oct opi, clust ering up great arm s of flesh- like weed, wavering, flowering in t his brief spring. I t was t he color of rubber and ash, t his j ungle, from t he m any years wit hout sun. I t was t he color of st ones and whit e cheeses and ink, and it was t he color of t he m oon. The children lay out , laughing, on t he j ungle m at t ress, and heard it sigh and squeak under t hem , resilient and alive. They ran am ong t he t rees, t hey slipped and fell, t hey pushed each ot her, t hey played hide- and- seek and t ag, but m ost of all t hey squint ed at t he sun unt il t ears ran down t heir faces, t hey put t heir hands up t o t hat yellowness and t hat am azing blueness and t hey breat hed of t he fresh, fresh air and list ened and list ened t o t he silence which suspended t hem in a blessed sea of no sound and no m ot ion. They looked at everyt hing and savored everyt hing. Then, wildly, like anim als escaped from t heir caves, t hey ran and ran in shout ing circles. They ran for an hour and did not st op running. And t hen— I n t he m idst of t heir running one of t he girls wailed. Everyone st opped. The girl, st anding in t he open, held out her hand. " Oh, look, look," she said, t rem bling. They cam e slowly t o look at her opened palm. I n t he cent er of it , cupped and huge, was a single raindrop. She began t o cry, looking at it. They glanced quiet ly at t he sky. "Oh. Oh." A few cold drops fell on t heir noses and t heir cheeks and t heir m out hs. The sun faded behind a st ir of m ist. A wind blew cool around t hem. They t urned and st art ed t o walk back t oward t he underground house, t heir hands at t heir sides, t heir sm iles vanishing away. A boom of t hunder st art led t hem and like leaves before a new hurricane, t hey t um bled upon each ot her and ran. Light ning st ruck t en m iles away, five m iles away, a m ile, a half m ile. The sky darkened int o m idnight in a flash. They st ood in t he doorway of t he underground for a m om ent unt il it was raining hard. Then t hey closed t he door and heard t he gigant ic sound of t he rain falling in t ons and avalanches, everywhere and forever. " Will it be seven m ore years?" " Yes. Seven." Then one of t hem gave a lit t le cry. " Margot ! " " What ?" " She's st ill in t he closet where we locked her." " Margot." They st ood as if som eone had driven t hem , like so m any st akes, int o t he floor. They looked at each ot her and t hen looked away. They glanced out at t he world t hat was raining now and raining and raining st eadily. They could not m eet each ot her's glances. Their faces were solem n and pale. They looked at t heir hands and feet , t heir faces down. " Margot." One of t he girls said, " Well... ?" No one m oved. "Go on," whispered t he girl. They walked slowly down t he hall in t he sound of cold rain. They t urned t hrough t he doorway t o t he room in t he sound of t he st orm and t hunder, light ning on t heir faces, blue and t errible. They walked over t o t he closet door slowly and st ood by it. Behind t he closet door was only silence. They unlocked t he door, even m ore slowly, and let Margot out. Reading and Discussing Fict ion 17 EXERCISE 1 A. Write any unfamiliar words that made comprehension difficult and write their dictionary definitions. Compare your words with those of another student. Do you have any of the same words? B. Discuss these questions with another student. You may look back at the story if necessary. 1. Did you enjoy reading the story? Explain your answer. 2. Were there any parts of the story that you did not understand? Which ones? 3. Were there any unfamiliar words that you need to look up in order to understand the story? 4. Why do you think the author decided to call this story "All Summer in a Day"? C. Read the story a second time. Then, working with two or three other students, retell the story to each other in your own words. EXERCISE 2 A. In this exercise you will analyze the story for the way the writer sets the scene and tells us "who," "when," and "where." (This is called the "exposition.") Working with another student, look back at the first part of "All Summer in a Day" and fill in the table. Main characters (list and describe): Setting (time): Setting (place): B. Compare your work with that of another pair of students. If you disagree, look back at the story to check your answers. 18 Ext ensive Reading EXERCISE 3 A. Listed below are the events that make up the plot of "All Summer in a Day." Working with another student, put the events in chronological order by numbering them from Ito 11. a. They let Margot out of the closet. b. The children stood at the window waiting for the sun. c. The children remembered that Margot was in the closet. d. All day the children read and wrote about the sun in class. e. The teacher left the classroom. f. The children put Margot in the closet. g. William and the children began to mistreat Margot. h. The whole world seemed silent and the sun came out. i. Raindrops began to fall and a boom of thunder startled the children. j. The children went inside. k. The children ran and played in the sunlight. B. Compare your answers with those of another pair of students. If you disagree, look back at the story to check your answers. EXERCISE 4 A. In the chart below you will find the terms that are often used to discuss the main elements of the plot in a work of literature. Look again at the events listed in Exercise 3 and decide where they belong in the chart. Write the letters (a-k) of the events in the appropriate box. The first one has been done for you. Note: Like many other stories, this story can be interpreted in several different ways, depending on the reader's point of view. Therefore, a variety of different answers is possible in this chart. Be prepared to explain your choices. Exposition (Where the writer provides essential information about the story: "who," b "where," "when," and "what.") Complicating action (Often involving a conflict between two characters.) Climax (The moment of greatest tension, usually also the turning point in the story.) Resolution (The ending, which may or may not be happy, and may even be left open for the reader to imagine.) Reading and Discussing Fict ion 19  B. Compare your answers in the chart with those of two or three other students. If the answers are different, explain them to each other. C. Discuss these questions with two or three other students. 1. Did the children have any doubts about whether or not they should be locking Margot in the closet? How can you tell? 2. How do you think Margot feels being locked in the closet? 3. Was the author trying to teach a lesson to the readers of the story? If so, what was the lesson? 4. How would you describe the ending of this story? Happy, sad, or inconclusive (incomplete)? Explain. 5. Could this story have an alternate ending? Try to imagine one and describe it. EXERCI SE 5 A. In "All Summer in a Day" Bradbury used rich descriptive language. Working with another student, look back at the story to find examples of the way he used words to create images and tell the story. 1. The setting (when and where) a. a raining world b. c. d. 2. Margot a. pale snow face b. c. d. 3. The children a. running and t urning t heir faces up t o t he sky b. c. d. 4. William a. cried savagely b. c. d. 20 Ext ensive Reading  5. The sun a. flam ing bronze b. c. d. 6. The rain a. the drum and gush of wat er b. c. d. 7. The sky a. st ir of m ist b. c. d. B. Compare your answers with those of another pair of students. If you disagree, look back at the story and explain your choices. Reading and Discussing Fict ion 21  Responding to and Reporting on Your 4 Extensive Reading UNIT Book s Sharing your experience of reading with others can benefit you in several ways. First of all, your reading comprehension improves when you talk about what you read. And second, sharing ideas and information about your book with others is enjoyable, and this enjoyment can motivate you to read more. This unit gives you suggestions for how to share books with your classmates and teacher. Book Confe r e nce s A book conference is a one-on-one conversation about your book with the teacher. Since a book conference is not a test, you will not need to remember details from the book. There is no need to prepare notes in advance of the conference. Your teacher may ask various questions, including: Why did you choose this book? What was your reaction? Did you enjoy it? What do you already know about the subject? Does the book relate in any way to your own life? If so, how? What are your favorite characters in the book? What was your favorite part? Re a ding Cir cle s A reading circle is a small group of four to six students who meet regularly to talk about their extensive reading books and compare reading experiences. Instructions for Reading Circles 1. Form a group with about four other students. 2. Take turns telling the other students in your group briefly about your book (not more than five minutes). Include the following: Title, author and genre (fiction, non-fiction, biography, etc.); Publication date; Number of pages; Reaction so far (Does it seem interesting or involving?); Level of difficulty for you (Are there many new words? Is the subject familiar or new for you?); Predictions about the book (What might happen next?). 3. One student in the group should time the student who is talking. 4. While each student is talking, the others should listen carefully, take brief notes, and ask questions afterward. 5. Follow the same procedure for each meeting of your group. Include the following in your talk: number of pages read so far; your reaction at this point (Are you enjoying it so far?); difficulties or problems in reading. Read aloud to your reading circle a short passage (about half a page) that you especially like or that you find surprising. 6. When you finish a book, tell your teacher and schedule a book conference. 22 Ext ensive Reading Book Presentations A book presentation is a brief (about five minutes) oral report to the class about a book that you have finished reading. To prepare a presentation, make five note cards, one for each of the following points. 1. About the book and the author: Title, author, and year first published; information about the author (from the back of the book or the Internet); genre and number of pages 2. Difficulty: Language (use of technical or unusual vocabulary, use of dialect, complicated sentences); plot or point of view (multiple points of view or multiple time frames) 3. Key elements of the plot (very briefly) 4. Your reaction to the book: Did you enjoy it? Why or why not? Would you read another book by the same author? Would you recommend this book to your classmates? 5. One or two of the following topics: A part of the book or one of the characters that interests you particularly; one of the characters that you like and identify with; personal experiences or thoughts related to the book; larger issues that are dealt with in the book (e.g., racism, poverty, war, etc.) Here is an example of a note card for the first point. Tit le: Mount ains Beyond Mount ains, by Tracy Kidder ( 2004) Tracy Kidder graduat ed from Harvard and st udied at t he Universit y of I owa... served in t he arm y during t he Viet nam War.. has won m any prizes including t he Pulit zer and t he Nat ional Book Award.. lives in Massachuset t s and in Maine Ot her books include The Soul of a New Machine and Hom e Town Genre: Biography ( of Or. Paul Farm er) 301 pages When you have completed the note cards, try out your presentation aloud several times to practice the way you will present your ideas. Time yourself to see how long the presentation takes. If it takes more than five minutes, cut out some parts and try again. If it takes less than five minutes, think of more information to add to some of your note cards. Your Ext ensive Reading Books 23 Book Response Form When you finish reading a book, complete a copy of this form and give it to your teacher. Book Re sponse For m Book t it le: Aut hor: Publisher: Dat e published: Num ber of pages: Genre ( Type of book) —Circle one: novel m yst ery science fict ion rom ance biography hist ory science/ t echnology ot her: Why did you decide t o read t his book? Were you glad t hat you decided t o read it ? Explain. What did you like best about t his book? What did you like least ? Would you recom m end t his book t o a friend? Explain. On a scale of 1- 10, how difficult was t his book for you? ( 1 = easy, 10 = difficult ) Why? 24 Ext ensive Reading Vocabulary Building  Strategies for Building UNIT 1 a Pow erful Vocabulary Good reading comprehension depends on understanding the words you are reading. The more words you recognize and understand in a text, the better your comprehension will be. What do you do when you encounter (meet) a new word in your reading? Ask another student about the meaning. Try to guess the meaning of the word from the context. Look up the definition in a dictionary. Skip over the word and continue reading. Analyze the word for clues to its meaning. Compare your answers with those of another student and discuss these questions: When do you use these strategies? What are the advantages or disadvantages of each? In fact, a good reader does all of the above at different times, depending on the word, the text, and the reason for reading it. In this unit you will learn and practice five important strategies for building your vocabulary. St r a t e gy 1 : Ch e ck you r k n ow le dge of t h e w or ds u se d m ost fr e qu e n t ly in En glish Advances in computer technology have made it possible for researchers to analyze thousands of English-language texts containing millions of words. From this research they have learned that a small percentage of words—about 2,000—are used much more frequently than all the other words. In fact, these 2,000 most frequent words account for almost 80 percent of most texts. If you know these words, you have a much better chance of understanding what you read. EXERCI SE 1 A. Before you look at the list of the 2,000 most frequent words in English, answer this question: How many unfamiliar words do you think you will find on the list? (Make a guess.) B. Now turn to the list of the 2,000 most frequent words in Appendix 1 on page 303. Read through the list and mark all the words you DO NOT recognize. How many of these words did you mark? Compare this number with your guess in Part A. Did you have a good idea of the extent of your vocabulary? If you have marked many words on this list, you probably have some difficulty understanding what you read. You need to spend extra time working on your vocabulary. 26 Vocabulary Building Strategy 2: Focus on the w ords used in academic texts Research on academic texts (textbooks and academic journals) has shown that certain words are used very frequently in these texts, regardless of the subject matter. These words allow academic writers to explain or generalize their ideas or research, and to compare them with the work of others. Learning these 570 academic words can improve your comprehension of academic materials. EXERCI SE 2 A. Before you look at the Academic Word List, answer this question: How many of the words on the list do you think you will recognize? (Make a guess.) B. Turn to the Academic Word List in Appendix 2 on page 308. Read through the list and mark the words that you DO recognize. How many of these words did you mark? If you have marked some of the words in the Academic Word List, you have a good start on building your academic vocabulary. In Part 2 and in the Focus on Vocabulary sections in the units in Part 3, you will work on learning more words from this list. Strategy 3: Use the dictionary effectively Along with the definition, a dictionary provides a great deal of other information about a word. It tells you the part of speech of the word (noun, verb, adjective, etc.), how to pronounce it, and how to divide it into syllables. An example sentence is often included as well. Strategies for Building a Powerful Vocabulary 27 EXERCISE 3 A. Use this dictionary page to answer the questions. 1. How many syllables are there in scrutinize? scr u b' iskrAb/ v. 1 [I,T] to rub somefhing hard, espe- cially with something rough, in order to clean it: The kitchen floor needs to be scrubbed and waxed. I The children's freshly-scrubbed faces beamed up at us. 2 [T usually passive] INFORMAL, fo decide not to do 3. What part of speech is scrupulous? something that you had planned, especially because there is a problem: Y esterday's shuttle launch was scrubbed just ten minutes before liftoff scr ub up phr. v. [I] to wash your hands and arms before doing a medical operation scr u b 2 n. 1 [U] low bushes and trees that grow in 4. When your teacher scrutinizes your very dry soil 2 scr u bs [plural] INFORMAL a loose green shirt and pants worn by doctors during work, how do you feel? medical operations scr ub be r PskrAtvri n. [C] a plastic or metal object or a brush that you use to clean pans or floors scr u b br u sh l'skrxh-brat/ n. [C] a stiff brush that you use for cleaning things --see picfure at BRUSH' 5. What else can you scrunch besides a scr u b b y l'skrAbi/ adj. covered by low bushes: scrubby terrain napkin? scr ub la nd i'skrAblamdi n. [U] land thaf is covered with low bushes scr u ff /skrAf/ n. by t he scr uff of t he ne ck if you hold a person or animal by the scruff of their neck, you hold fhe flesh, fur, or clothes at the back of the neck 6. What food do you consider scr uffy i'sk r Afil adj. scruffier, scruffiest dirty and messy and not taken care of very well: a scruffy scrumptious? sweatshirt scr u m /skram/ n. [C] an arrangement of players in the game of RUGBY, in which they are pushing very close together scr um p t ious PskrAmpios1 adj. INFORMAL food that is scrumptious tastes very good: scrumptious cheese- 7. When pronouncing the word cake scr u n ch /skrAnt [7 v. [T always adv./prep.] scrutinize, where should you place MAL to crush and twist something into a small round INFOR- the emphasis? shape: [scrunch sth up/into etc.] She tore out the pages and scrunched them up into a ball. scr unch ie J'skrAntli/ n. [C] a circular rubber band that is covered with cloth, used for holding hair in place scr u p le ' Pskrupol n. [C usually plural] a belief , 7. How do you spell the past tense of about right and wrong that prevents you from doing something bad: He has absolutely no scruples about the verb scrub? claiming other people's work as his own. FORMAI, to be will- scr u ple 2 v. not scr uple t o do st h ing to do something, even though it may have harm- ful or bad effects: They did not scruple to bomb innocent civilians. scr u pu lou s i'skrupy3k s," adj. 1 careful to be , honest and fair. and making sure that every detail is correct: The finance department is always scrupulous about their bookkeeping. --opposite J:NSCRUPULOLS 2 done very carefully so that every detail is correct: This job requires scrupulous attention to detail. - scrupulously adv.: Employees' hands must he kept scrupulously clean, -- scrupulousness n. [U] scru t i nize i'sk rut n,a17./ v. [T] to examine someone or something very thoroughly and carefully: Detec- tives scrutinized the area. looking for clues. (Source: Longman Advanced American Dictionary. White Plains, NY: Pearson Longman, 2005) B. Compare your answers with those of another student. 28 Vocabulary Building St r a t e gy 4 : Ke e p a voca bula r y not e book When you encounter new words, write them in a notebook that you use only for vocabulary and not for other course work. (A small notebook is preferable so you can carry it around with you.) This notebook will help you study vocabulary more effectively. With all your words in one place in the notebook, you can easily check your knowledge of words you have studied before. How to organize and use the notebook 1. Decide on a method for putting words in order. Many students prefer alphabetical order, though you may also order words according to other categories, such as topic or source (words from extensive reading books, words from A dvanced Reading Power, and words from other course books). 2. Use two pages in the notebook. On the left-hand page, write a word, the part of speech, and the word in syllables. Under the word, write the sentence in which you found it. Then, on the right-hand page, write the meaning. (Note: If you can learn the words more quickly using definitions in your native language, and your teacher agrees, you may write the meanings in that language.) 3. Check your knowledge of the words by covering one of the pages and trying to remember the information on the other. Example: 1. assum pt ion—noun ( as- sum p- t ion) 1. Som et hing t hat you t hink is t rue o How could you m ake an assum pt ion alt hough you have no proof about t heir fam ily wit hout m eet ing t hem ?., , St r a t e gy 5 : Use st udy ca r ds Study cards can help you review words and make them part of your permanent vocabulary. When you have made a set of cards, carry them with you and test yourself often. Add new words that you encounter and want to learn. You should not remove a word from your set until you are completely sure of the meaning and can recall it instantly. To make study cards, you will need small, blank cards (3 x 5 inches or about 7 x 12 cm). Example: On one side of the card write a word, the part of speech, the word in syllables, and the phrase or sentence in which you found the word. vary ( verb) va - ry I deas of beaut y vary fr om one cult ur e t o anot her. Strategies for Building a Powerful Vocabulary 29  On the other side of the card, write the dictionary definition of the word as it was used in the passage. t o differ from ot her t hings of t he sam e t ype EXERCI SE 4 Choose five words that you have encountered in your reading (in this textbook or any other book). Fill in the information for five study cards, following the example. Side A Word and part of speech: Word in syllables: Sentence: Side B Dictionary definition: Gu ide lin e s for Usin g St u dy Ca r ds Go t hrough all your cards t wice on your own: Look at each word and say it aloud. I f you rem em ber t he definit ion, say it aloud, t oo. I f you do not rem em ber t he definit ion, look at t he back of t he card. Then say t he word and t he definit ion aloud. Go t hrough t he cards again wit h anot her st udent : Ask him / her t o read each word t o you. Tell him / her t he definit ion. I f you do not rem em ber it , ask him / her t o t ell you. Then repeat it aloud. Rearrange your cards each t im e you use t hem , so t hey are in a different order. Put cards for especially difficult words in a separat e group and quiz yourself on t hem. Then ret urn t he cards t o t he large group. Use t he words on t he st udy cards in conversat ion and in writ ing. Carry your cards wit h you and review your words whenever you have a few spare m om ent s. 30 Vocabulary Building  Learning New Words UNIT 2 from Your Reading To learn words from your reading: Read a lot. Research has shown that in order to learn a word, you must encounter it many times. Each time you see the word in context, you build up a stronger sense of its meaning. The best way to increase the number of encounters with words and to learm how words are used is by reading extensively. Work with a new word in a way that requires active thinking. Simply noticing the word and looking up the meaning is not enough. You need to analyze the word and use it in speaking and writing. Note how a new word is used. If you look closely at the context and write down the sentence where you found the word, you are more likely to remember it. Choosing W or ds t o Le a r n Since it would be impossible to learn all the new words you encounter in your reading, you should decide which ones would be the most useful for you and try to learn those. A word will be useful for you if it is included in one of the word lists (Appendices 1 and 2), or if you have encountered it several times and think you will encounter it again. In this unit you will practice selecting words from short passages. Example: A. Read the excerpt from a textbook and complete the tasks that follow. Why Is Reading in a Second Language Sometimes Difficult? Cross-cultural research shows that cultures have in text organization between English and the varying attitudes about language in general and Korean, German, Japanese, Arabic, and that these differences are reflected in the printed Athabaskan languages. It is logical to conclude word. As a result, the way ideas are organized in from this that when people read in a second expository writing (e.g., in essays) varies across language they comprehend best the texts that cultures. Originally called to our attention by meet their beliefs and expectations about the Kaplan (1966), this suggestion has inspired patterns of written language. To the extent that research in several different languages. Ostler, the patterns in the text of a second language are for example, found that the patterns of different from those of the first language, the expository writing in a language "reflect the reader is likely to have difficulty patterns valued in the native culture." comprehending. Researchers have found significant differences Learning New Words from Your Reading 31  Mark each statement T (true) or F (false). 1. Texts such as essays have the same form in every language. F 2. Different cultures have different ways of organizing texts. T 3. When you read in a second language, you can find the same patterns as in your first language. 4. It is easier to read in a language that has text patterns similar to those in your first language. Compare your answers with those of another student. B. Read the passage again and underline the words that are new to you. C. Look at the word lists in Appendices 1 and 2 (pages 303 and 308) for the words you underlined. Choose two of your underlined words that are on the lists and write them below. Then write the part of speech and the dictionary definition that best fits each word as it is used in the passage. Word Definition 1. r esear ch ( noun) serious st udy of a subj ect t o learn new fact s about it 2. varies ( verb) t o change 3. 4. — EXERCISE 1 -- A. Read the excerpt from a newspaper article and complete the tasks that follow. How Culture Molds Habits of Thought egorization and an urge to understand situations and By Erica Goode events in linear terms of cause and effect. Recent work by a social psychologist at the University For more than a century, Western philosophers and of Michigan, however, is turning this long-held view of psychologists have based their discussions of mental life mental functioning upside down. In a series of studies on a cardinal assumption: that the same basic processes comparing European Americans to East Asians, Dr. Richard underlie all human thoughf, whether in the mountains of Nisbett and his colleagues have found that people who Tibet or the grasslands of the Serengeti. grow up in different cultures do not just think about dif- Cultural differences might dictate what people thought ferent things: they think differently. about. Teenage boys in Botswana, for example, might dis- " We used to think that everybody uses categories in the cuss cows with the same passion that New York teenagers same way, that logic plays the same kind of role for every- reserve for sports cars. one in the understanding of everyday life, that memory, But the habits of thought—the strategies people perception, rule application and so on are the same," Dr. adopted in processing information and making sense of Nisbett said. "But we're now arguing that cognitive the world around them—were, Western scholars assumed, processes themselves are just far more malleable than the same for everyone, exemplified by, among other mainstream psychology assumed." things, a devotion to logical reasoning, a penchant for cat- (Source: The New York Times, August 8, 2000, excerpt, p. D1) 32 Vocabulary Building Mark each statement T (true) or F (false). 1. People think about different things depending on where they live. 2. People all think in the same way. 3. A social psychologist has come up with a new idea about how we think. 4. Logic is the same in every culture. Compare your answers with those of another student. B. Read the passage again and underline the words that are new to you. C. Look on the word lists in Appendices 1 and 2 (pages 303 and 308) for the words you underlined. Choose five of your underlined words that are on the lists and write them below. Then write the part of speech and the dictionary definition that best fits each word as it is used in the passage Word Definition 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. D. Write a new sentence for each word above. The sentences should show that you understand the meaning of each word as it is used in the passage. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. E. Ask another student to read your sentences. Then discuss these questions. 1. Do the sentences make sense? 2. Do the sentences show the meaning of the words? Learning New Words from Your Reading 33  EXERCI SE 2 A. Read the excerpt from a textbook and complete the tasks that follow Symbols Reality for human beings is not action or feeling of the power of symbols; culture shock is but meaning. Humans are symbolic creatures; a nothing more than the inability to "read" symbol is anything that carries a particular meaning in one's surroundings. We feel lost, meaning recognized by the people who share unsure of how to act, and sometimes culture. A whistle, a wall of graffiti, a flashing frightened—a consequence of slipping outside red light, a fist raised in the air—all serve as the symbolic web of culture. symbols. We see the human capacity to create Culture shock is both what travelers and manipulate symbols in the various ways a experience and what they inflict on others by simple wink of the eye can convey interest, acting in ways that may offend them. For understanding, or insult. example, because North Americans consider We are so dependent on our culture's dogs to be beloved household pets, travelers to symbols that we take them for granted. Often, the People's Republic of China might well be however, we gain a heightened sense of the appalled to discover people roasting dogs as a importance of a symbol when someone uses it wintertime meal. On the other hand, a North in an unconventional way, say when a person in American who orders a hamburger in India a political demonstration burns a U.S. flag. causes offense to Hindus, who hold cows to be Entering an unfamiliar culture also reminds us sacred and thus unfit for human consumption. ( Source: John J. Macionis, Societ y: The Basics, 4t h Edit ion. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prent ice Hall, 1998) Mark each statement T (true) or F (false). 1. A symbol is usually written. 2. We always notice the symbols of our own culture. 3. In an unfamiliar culture, we feel confused by the symbols. 4. Culture shock is mostly about food. Compare your answers with those of another student. B. Read the passage again and underline the words that are new to you. C. Look on the word lists in Appendices 1 and 2 (pages 303 and 308) for the words you underlined. Choose five of your underlined words that are on the lists and write them below. Then write the part of speech and the dictionary definition that best fits each word as it is used in the passage. Word Definition 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 34 Vocabulary Building  D. Write a new sentence for each word above. The sentences should show that you understand the meaning of each word as it is used in the passage. 1 2. 3. 4. 5. E. Ask another student to read your sentences. Then discuss these questions.