UNIVERSIDAD AUSTRAL DE CHILE

FACULTAD DE FILOSOFIA Y HUMANIDADES

CENTRO DE IDIOMAS
BAIN 039 - 2009
Prof. Sandra Obando O.

1. PREVIEWING

Looking at the text quickly to discover basic information before you begin reading.

Book Review
Success for Snide
Michael Snides new book, End
Game is simply wonderful. This is
a well-written story about the life of
a restaurant owner downtown Los
Angeles in the 1960s. Sounds
boring? Not at all Tony Ribson,
the owner of the restaurant, recalls
his childhood days full of

excitement and adventure. We find out

about his colourful friends and his
experiences working at the restaurant.
We also follow our hero through several
marriages and meet some of his more
unusual customers. Snides style of
writing is fast and funny; the story moves
as quickly as the train home.
(






)

How to preview

Read the title

Read any headings
Notice any names, dates, numbers, cognates, false cognates, charts, etc.
Study any pictures.
Notice the type of text (article, poem, etc)

Think
Where is the text from?
What is the topic?
What do I know about this topic?

Practice
Preview a text with your teacher.
What pictures are there?
What is the title of the main text?

2. IDENTIFYING COHESION
Understanding how sentences in the text join together.

The causes of cancer

One of the biggest killers in the world is cancer. There are many possible causes of
this terrible disease.

 Of all smokers, over half will die from tobacco if they dont stop.
 Radiation from the sun can cause skin cancer. Children especially may be
affected by this if their skin is not protected.
 Scientists estimate that thirty percent of all cancers are a result of poor diet.
They say a balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables is best.
 Being overweight can also cause cancer. Regular exercise and healthy
eating habits will help avoid this.
 People who drink too much increase their chances of dying from cancer.
 People who work with chemicals also risk getting cancer if they are
unprotected.

How to identify cohesion

Always notice pronouns such as I, you, he, her, this, those, etc.
Look back in the sentence to find what they refer to.
If necessary, look in previous sentences.
Dont look too far back.

Think
What does this word refer to?
What is the previous subject?
Is the subject the same?

Practice
Read this text. What do the 6 words in italics refer to?

Good news!
James, my best friend, phoned last night. 1He said he had some good news. I asked him
what 2it was, but he wouldnt say. He said he was at the airport and wanted me to pack
a bag and meet him 3there. I drove to meet him, and now 4 we are in Hawaii on a twoweek vacation! 5Its a fantastic place. What a wonderful 6present for my birthday!
1. ___________________________

4. ___________________________

2. ___________________________

5. ___________________________

3. ___________________________

6. ___________________________

3. INFERRING MEANING
Understanding information that is not in the text by reading between the lines.

A party?

Angela
likes Alan

The music was great and everyone in the room was dancing
and having fun. When Alan arrived wearing a new Armani
suit, everyone was amazed at the change in his appearance.
Angela smiled and asked him to dance. Then Sue and Mark
came in, but they werent smiling and didnt speak to each
other all night.

Alan normally
doesnt wear
expensive clothes

Had a fight?

How to infer meaning

Decide if adjectives are positive or negative.

Look for important verbs and think about their meaning.
Read the text as an observer.
Decide how the ideas relate to each other.

Think
Can you make any deductions from information in the text?
What is the writer really trying to say?
What impression do the words give?

Practice
Read this paragraph and underline the words that tell you
a.

June is unhappy.

b.

It is her birthday.

c.

She is married with children.

d.

They forgot her birthday.

A special day
June was crying in her room. Im thirty today, and no one cares, she thought. Her
husband, Steven, and their two boys were outside playing basketball. They were laughing
and having fun. They didnt know that today was a special day.

4. IDENTIFYING THE TOPIC

Understanding the main subject of the text.

Every year, Scottish people around the world celebrate the life of their great
poet, Robert Burns. He is famous for writing the traditional New Years Song,
Auld Lang Syne. On the evening of his birthday, there is a big party where
people eat traditional food and drink Scotch whisky.

Topic:
a.
b.
c.
d.

New Year in Scotland

Celebrating Burns Night
Traditional Scottish food
The history of whisky

How to identify the topic

Think about the meaning of the whole text.

Try to identify a theme that connects each sentence.
Look for examples that may explain the topic.
Dont focus on individual words.

Think
What is the text about?
What topic connects the important words?
Are any ideas repeated or developed?
Is the topic the same for all sections of the text?

Practice
Read this paragraph and identify the topic.

Opened in 1973. the Sydney Opera House is one of the most famous buildings
in the world. Its design, by Danish architect Jorn Utzon, is still considered very
modern. Sydney Harbor Bridge, located nearby, is another fantastic attraction
adding to the opportunity of this wonderful part of the city.

a.

Sydney Harbor

b.

Modern architecture

c.

The Sydney Opera House

d.

The history of Sydney

5. SCANNING
Looking through a text quickly to find specific information.

Cityworld Cinemas

www.cineworld.com

10 screen cinema
Bay View Plaza, Houston

name of movie theater

Friday 16- Thursday 22 November

Harold Pitter - 10.40 am/ 1.10 pm / 3.15 pm
Dragon Kid 2 - 9.15 am
American Hero - 11.15 am / 6.45 pm
The Lost Empire 2.20pm / 5.30 pm / 9.45 pm
Dead or Alive 2.50 pm
special sections

Movies for Kids

Saturday 10.00 am
Dogs and Cats
Life on Earth
The Game
All movies just $4 / children under 7
must be with adult

Super screen
My life with Charlie 10.30 an / 5.30 pm / 7.30 pm
Wednesday Special
Vive la France! 7.30 pm

Program information and reservations

Tel: 985-4384
more info
Booking fee $1 per ticket

How to Scan

Look for headings so you can get to the right section quickly.
Keep reading. Do not read every word.
Read carefully only when you find important information.
As soon as you have the information you want, stop.

Think
What information do I want to find?
Is this the right place to look?
What words or phrases can help me find the information I want?

Practice
Look quickly through the advertisement above to find answers to these questions. ( 2 minutes)
a.

How many screens does the movie theatre have?

____________________________

b.

How many movies for children are there?

____________________________

c.

How many times is Dragon Kid 2 on?

____________________________

d.

How many movies are repeated three times a day?

____________________________

e.

What is the website address?

____________________________

f.

How much does it cost to reserve a ticket?

____________________________

g.

What time does American Hero begin in the evening?

____________________________

6. IDENTIFYING TEXT ORGANIZATION

Understanding how texts are organized.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Time order
Mike moved to Hong Kong in December, 1999. After three months, he found a job working for a
computer company. Then, in 2002, he got married and
Description
It was a bright, sunny day, and everyone seemed happy. As I walked through the beautiful streets, I
listened to the birds singing in the trees
Comparison / contrast
Rome is more romantic than Paris, and smaller than many capital cities.
Cause / effect
Because I ate too much chocolate last night, I felt sick and couldnt sleep. So I was really tired this
morning and got up late.
Listing
You are fired! First, you arrive late for work. Second, you dont do any work. And finally, you are
rude to the customers. Goodbye!
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
How to identify text organization

Time order: look for dates, times, and words like then, before, after, next.
Description: look for adjectives and adverbs.
Comparison/Contrast: look for comparatives, superlatives and words like whereas, although, on the other hand.
Cause/effect: look for words like because, because of, so, therefore, as a result.
Listing: look for words like first, then, last, finally, in addition.

Think
What words tell me how this text is organized?
How many different sections are there?
Are all the sections organized in the same way?

Practice
Read these texts and decide how is each one organized.
a.

People have many reasons for being vegetarian. First, some feel it is wrong to kill animals. In addition, some say
that eating meat is unnecessary. Finally, they argue that vegetarianism is healthier.

b.

It was raining this morning, so I took my umbrella, but because I missed my bus, I arrived later for work, and as a
result, my boss was mad.

7. UNDERSTANDING THE MAIN IDEA

Understanding the writers main message.

Topic: The ozone layer

The ozone layer protects the earth from the suns harmful radiation. In 1995,
scientists discovered the first signs that greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide
were destroying the ozone layer. In 1998, satellites showed that the gap in
the ozone layer over Antarctica was an astonishing 27.2 million square kilometres.
Main idea:
a. Scientists want to stop global warming
b. Pollution causes greenhouse gases.
c. The destruction of the ozone layer is happening extremely quickly.

How to understand the main idea.

First, look for the topic. The main idea will be the authors thoughts, feelings, opinions, or ideas
about the topic.
In long texts, the main idea may be in the first or final sections, or both.
Look for words or ideas that are repeated often in a text. They may help you identify and understand
the main idea.

Think
What is the topic?
What is the writer saying about the topic?
Does the writer give an opinion?

Practice
Read this paragraph and identify the main idea.
Topic: Global warming
Scientists predict that by the year 2100, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere could increase by
over forty percent, and the average global temperature could rise by as much as 3.5 degrees Celsius. The
burning of oil, gas and coal, together with the destruction of the tropical forests are to blame. If this
happens, millions of people around the world will be affected by food shortages and widespread flooding.
Main idea:
a. If global warming is not stopped, many people will suffer.
b. Carbon dioxide is the main cause of the problem.
c. Its important to make predictions.

8. SKIMMING
Quickly looking through a text to get a general idea of its content.

You dont need to read everyword to understand what a text is about!

More and more people around the world are deciding not to eat meat. These
people are called vegetarians. They may eat fruit, vegetables and other foods
but not meat.

The beginning
tells you a lot.

Theres more to the vegetarian diet than just salad. X xxxxx xxx xxxxxx x xx
xxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xx xxxxxxxxxx xx x xxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxxx xxx
xxxxxxxx. Xxxx xxxx xx . Xxxxx xxx xxxxx xxxxxx. Xxxxxxxxxx xxx
xxxxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx. Xxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxx.

The beginning of
each paragraph
often contains
a topic sentence.

Vegetarians say that meat is often diseased and its healthier not to eat it.
Xxxxxx xx xxxx. Xxxxx xx xxxx xxx xxxxx xx. Xxxxxxx xx xxx xxxxxx xxx
xxxxxx xxxx. Xxxxx xx xxxxxx. Xxxxxxx xxx xx xxxxxxxxx.

The last paragraph

may contain the
main idea.

Although some people think being a vegetarian is unhealthy, it is not. We

dont need meat to have a balanced diet. We all have a choice.

How to skim

Read the first paragraph.

Read the first sentence of the next paragraphs.
Read the last paragraph.
Dont read everything.
Dont worry about what you miss.

Think
What is the general topic of the text?
What is the subject of each paragraph?
Is this an important section?

Practice
Look again at the incomplete text at the top of this page. Then answer the three questions under
Think, above.

9. SEPARATING FACT AND OPINION

Telling the difference between the truth and the writers personal viewpoint.
Fact. No one can say that it is not.

London is the capital of England.

Fried fish is delicious.

Opinion. Some people may disagree.

How to separate fact and opinion

Dont believe that everything you read is true or correct.

Remember that some writers try to make their opinions look like facts.
Look at the words the writer uses. Words showing that something may be a fact: evidence, fact, prove,
certain, positive, sure.
Words showing that something may be an opinion: think, believe, claim, perhaps, suggest, possible,
may, might, could.

Think
Could anyone disagree with this statement?
Is this something that is always true?

Practice
Read these statements and write F (fact) or O (opinion).
a.

__________ Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was the British writer of the famous Sherlock Holmes stories.

b.

__________ He is the greatest detective writer in the world.

c.

__________ His first story with Sherlock Holmes was A Study in Scarlet, published in 1887.

d.

__________ The Bulls are better than the Knicks.

e.

__________ That picture is by Rembrandt.

f.

__________ The written component of the driving test must be completed before the practical component.

g.

__________ Access courses are designed to prepare students for higher education.

h.

__________ Country living is the only way to live.

i.

__________ If you live in the London Borough of Harrow - you can pay your council tax online.

j.

__________ Finding a place to live is a long and frustrating process.

k.

__________ Reading a good book is better than watching a good soap opera on television.

l.

__________ There are 646 Members of Parliament in the UK House of Commons.

m. __________ English professional football puts too much emphasis on money.