UNIVERSITI TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN

FOUNDATION IN SCIENCE - FHEL1012 ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC STUDY

ACADEMIC YEAR: 2013/14 SEMESTER: JAN 2014

FHEL1012 English for Academic Study

Lecture 1 (Worksheet)

1.0 Making Inferences and Drawing Conclusions

Read the passage below and answer the questions given during lecture

When the Barbie doll first appeared in prefeminist 1959, she had large breasts, a tiny waist,
rounded lips, shapely legs, and her little feet were shod in high-heeled shoes. Barbie wore heavy
make-up and her gaze was shy and downcast. She was available in only two options: airline
stewardess or nurse. .

In 1960, Barbie had her own car and house. A Barbie Goes to College play set was also
available. In 1967, Barbies face was updated to sport a more youthful, model-like appearance
with a direct and fearless gaze. .

By the 1970s, Barbies career options had expanded to include doctor and Olympic medalist. She
also got another facelift that left her with a softer, friendlier look. She now had a wide smile and
bright eyes. .

During the 1980s and 1990s, when girls were encouraged to grow up to be independent wage
earners, Barbies options increased even more to include professions such as business executive,
aerobics instructor and firefighter. Today, Barbie has a thicker waist, slimmer hips, and smaller
breasts and she comes in black, Asian and Latina versions.

Discussion Question.

Do you think women of today are more independent than before and enjoy
equal status with men?

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 UNIVERSITI TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN
FOUNDATION IN SCIENCE - FHEL1012 ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC STUDY
ACADEMIC YEAR: 2013/14 SEMESTER: JAN 2014

2.0 Identifying Themes and Main Ideas of Paragraphs

Read the texts below and identify the theme and main idea.

1. For a long time, scientists have speculated that birds might actually be descendants from
dinosaurs; but they have had no proof, at least not until recently. In 1998, diggers in
Chinas fossil-rich earth found dinosaur bones bearing feather- like markings. According
to paleontologist Philip Currie, the fossils are the evidence needed to prove the dinosaur-
bird connection. However, Larry Martin, a paleontologist at the University of Kansas, is
less convinced that the impression on the bones come from feathers. Still, he, like almost
everyone else who tries to reconstruct the past, is anxious to see the new fossils when
they go on display. From his point of view, seeing just may be believing.

Theme:________________________________________________________________

Main Point:_____________________________________________________________

2. The plant known as Kudzu was introduced to South America in the 1920s. At the time, it
promised to be a boon to farmers who needed a cheap and abundant food crop for pigs,
goats, and cattle. However, within half a century, kudzu had overrun seven million acres
of land, and many patches of the plant had developed root systems weighing up to three
hundred pounds. Currently, no one really knows how to keep kudzu under control, and it
is creating problems for everyone from farmers to boaters.

Theme:________________________________________________________________

Main Idea:______________________________________________________________

3. The web of some spiders contains drops of glue that hold their pray fast. Other webs
contain a kind of natural Velcro that tangles and grabs the legs of insects. Then, too,
spider webs do not always function simply as traps. Some webs also acts as lures. Garden
spiders use a special silk that make their intricate decorations stand out, and experiments
have shown that the decorated parts attract more insects. Other kinds of spiders, like the
spitting spiders, use webs as weapons. The web is pulled taut to snap shut when a fly
enters.

Theme:________________________________________________________________

Main Point:_____________________________________________________________

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 UNIVERSITI TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN
FOUNDATION IN SCIENCE - FHEL1012 ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC STUDY
ACADEMIC YEAR: 2013/14 SEMESTER: JAN 2014

4. Cleveland child psychologist Sylvia Rimm interviewed 5,400 children in eighteen states
about their worries, fears, relationships, and confidence. She also talked to another 300
children in focus groups. She discovered that overweight children felt less intelligent and
less confident than their normal-weight peers. Overweight children also worry more than
their slimmer peers. Rimm discovered as well, that heavier children are lonelier and
sadder than other kids, describing family relationship more negatively than average-
weight children describe theirs. Unfortunately, most overweight kids are forced to endure
their peers hurtful taunts and ridicule much more frequently than normal-weight kids do.

Theme:________________________________________________________________

Main Point:_____________________________________________________________