Reading Comprehension

Reading Comprehension

Within this page,the complex processes involved in reading comprehension are divided into three categories (much like the National Reading Panel Report). The categories include vocabulary instruction, text comprehension instruction, and teacher preparation and comprehension strategies instruction. You'll also find useful websites that students can visit to practice their use of comprehension strategies with fiction and non-fiction texts at a variety of reading levels.

Skimming

                                        Skimming

      

        is used to quickly identify the main ideas of a text. When you read the newspaper, you're probably not reading it word-by-word, instead you're scanning the text. Skimming is done at a speed three to four times faster than normal reading. People often skim when they have lots of material to read in a limited amount of time. Use skimming when you want to see if an article may be of interest in your research.

         There are many strategies that can be used when skimming. Some people read the first and last paragraphs using headings, summarizes and other organizers as they move down the page or screen. You might read the title, subtitles, subheading, and illustrations. Consider reading the first sentence of each paragraph. This technique is useful when you're seeking specific information rather than reading for comprehension. Skimming works well to find dates, names, and places. It might be used to review graphs, tables, and charts

Skimmimg Exercise
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/570/pulp/hemp1.htm

Predicting Outcomes

                               Predicting Outcomes
You can make a prediction when you use clues from the story, together with what you know from your own experiences, to figure out what will happen next.

                                                         Pre Test

http://www.shsu.edu/~txcae/Powerpoints/prepostest/predict1pretest.html

                                                         Post Test

http://www.shsu.edu/~txcae/Powerpoints/prepostest/predict1postest.html

Drawing conclusions

                        Drawing conclusions
refers to information that is implied or inferred. This means that the information is never clearly stated.

quiz
http://www.studyzone.org/testprep/ela4/h/inferencesp.cfm
Pre test
http://www.shsu.edu/~txcae/Powerpoints/prepostest/drawconclusionspretest.html
Post test
http://www.shsu.edu/~txcae/Powerpoints/prepostest/drawconclusionspostest.html

Page 31-32 Exercise Part C

Read each passage.Then read the conclusion drawn from the facts .Decide whether the conclusion is a good one based on facts.If.It is,write Good Conclusion on the line.If It not,write a conclusion that is reasonable.

1.The Venus flytrab is a plant eats insects;it is hence a carnivorous plant.Its main diet is flies,cater and spiders but it must be said that the plant will eat any small insect that is unlucky enough to get trapped that plant can use for nutrition.

Conclusion: Venus flytrab eats only flies,caterpillars and spiders.

Answer: Venus flytrab eat any small insects.2.There are numerous kinds of seashells.They

2. There are found all over the world.Some are as small as peas.The giant clam shell,though,is very big.It can be up to three feet wide.Over the years,shells have been used in many different ways.They have been used as tools,money,spoons and dishes
Conclusion: Shells come in all shapes and sizes.
Answer: Good Conclusion

3.The kiwi is a flightless bird found only in New Zealand.There are three main types of kiwi: brown,great spotted and little spotted.All kiwi species have declined since European settlement of New Zealand and the little spotted kiwi is most at risk.It survives only on one small island reservation,which was stocked with birds from the mainland.
Conclusion: The little spotted kiwi faces extinction and is hence protected.
Answer: Good Conclusion

4.Origami is the art of paper folding.It is an old Japanese skill.People can make birds,flowers and many other shapes from folded paper.From Japan,origami has spread to the West.All around hte globe,paper folding is thought of as a skill,an art or just plain fun.
Conclusion: It is very difficult to learn origami.
Answer: Origami is a skill, an art or just plain fun.

5.As with all ancient civilisations,the exact origins of the Incan civilisation are unknown.Their historic record,like that of all other tribes evolving on the planet at that time,would be recorded through oral tradition,stone,pottery,gold and silver jewellery,and woven in the tapestry of the people.
Conclusion: Their jewellery is one of the records historians had to rely on for most of the ancient civilizations.
Answer: Good Conclusion

Context Clues EX.

http://www.shsu.edu/~txcae/Powerpoints/prepostest/contextclues1pretest.html

context clue

WHAT ARE CONTEXT CLUES?
Text book writers usually know when they must use a word that will be new to their student readers. So they often include other words or phrases to help with the understanding of the new word. These words or phrases are referred to as context clues. They are built into the sentences around the difficult word. If you become more aware of the words around the difficult words you encounter in your reading, you will save your self many trips to the dictionary. You will be able to make logical guesses about the meanings of many words.
FOUR TYPES OF CONTEXT CLUES.

 1. examples
 2. synonyms and definitions
 3. antonyms and contrasts
 4. experience or sense of the sentence
WHAT ARE EXAMPLE CLUES
Using examples or illustrations, an author tries to show what a word means. A writer may give just one example or several. Remember that these examples are not synonyms. Look for words or phrases like "such as," "including," or "consists of." Colons (:) and dashes (-) can also signal examples.
HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES CLUES 
The river was full of noxious materials such as cleaning agents from factories and pesticides from the nearby farms.
This third grade was full of precocious children. One child had learned to read at two and another could do algebra at age 6.
When going to an office party you should show your bestdecorum, for example, dress your best, drink and eat moderately, and be sure to thank the host before you leave.

Summarize the lesson (Linking words- cause and effect relationship)

Using Linking words

How to Use “Linking Words” to state Cause and Effect

Giving a reason (Cause)
Due to / due to the fact that
Owing to / owing to the fact that

Because
Because of
Since
As

Due to and owing to must be followed by a noun.

"Due to the rise in oil prices, the inflation rate rose by 1.25%."

"Owing to the demand, we are unable to supply all items within 2 weeks."

If you want to follow these words with a clause (a subject, verb and object), you must follow the words with the fact that.

"Due to the fact that oil prices have risen, the inflation rate has gone up by 1%25."

"Owing to the fact that the workers have gone on strike, the company has been unable to fulfil all its orders."

Because / because of

Because of is followed by a noun.

"Because of bad weather, the football match was postponed."

Because can be used at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence. For example, "Because it was raining, the match was postponed."

"We believe in incentive schemes, because we want our employees to be more productive."

Since / as

Since and as mean because.

"Since the company is expanding, we need to hire more staff."

"As the company is expanding, we need to hire more staff."

Giving a result (Effect)
Therefore
So
Consequently
This means that
As a result

Therefore, so, consequently and as a result are all used in a similar way.

"The company are expanding. Therefore / So / Consequently / As a result, they are taking on extra staff."

So is more informal.                                                                                                                         Review of Cause and Effect Linking Words

Bbefore you go on to work on the grammar and writing exercises in this unit, read through this brief review of linking words and phrases for cause and effect.There are three main types of linking words: conjunctions, transitions, and prepositions:

ANS.EXERCISE PAGE 18

Understanding Cause and effect

Read the cause and write an effect. Then write one full sentence that states

the cause and effect.

     1.   Cause:  A storm hit the city.

Effect:  All the residents fled.

Sentence:  A storm hit the city, so all the residents fled.

     2.   Cause: I planted some trees.

Effect: Trees grow.

Sentence: Trees grow because I planted some trees.

     3.    Cause: My sister stayed up past midnight.

Effect: She relax a little and sleep a little.

Sentence: My sister stayed up past midnight was the reason for the relax and sleep a little.

     4.   Cause: Lena missed school on Monday.

Effect: Lena don’t study on Monday .

Sentence: Lena don’t study on Monday was caused by the missed school on Monday.

     5.   Cause: David signed up for French classes.

Effect: David study French classes. David speaks French very well.

Sentence: David signed up for French classes were the cause of the study French classes. David speaks French very well because of the signed up for French classes.

ANS. EXERCISE PAGE 20

 Understanding Cause and effect

Read each sentence. Then complete the table.

1. Tony was away from school as he was in the hospital.
2. Pen-chan was scared, so she called for help.
3. There was a strike and the buses did not ply.
4. The plants died as there was no water.
5. Eric forget his swimsuit and therefore could not swim.
6. The street lights were switched on, so we could see our way.
7. The match was abandoned when it rained.
8. He lost control of his car as the brakes were faulty.

Cause	Effect	Linking word
1. he was in the hospital.	1. Tony was away from school.	1. as
2. Pen-chan was scared.	2. she called for help.	2. so
3. There was a strike.	3. the buses did not ply.	3. and
4. there was no water.	4. The plants died.	4. as
5. Eric forget his swimsuit.	5. could not swim.	5. and, therefore
6. The street lights were switched on.	6. we could see our way.	6. so
7. it rained.	7. The match was abandoned.	7. when
8. the brakes were faulty.	8. He lost control of his car.	8. as

Summarize the lesson (Understanding cause and effect)

A cause is something that makes something else happen.  Out of two events, it is the event that happens first. To determine the cause, ask the question"Why Did it Happen?" 

An effect is what happens as a result of the cause.  Of two related events, it’s the one that happens second or last.  To determine the effect, ask the question"What Happened?"

CAUSE	EFFECT
The boy kicked the ball.	The ball rolled.
The girl teased the cat.	The cat growled.
Sally studied hard for a test.	Sally earned an A on her test.
Joe became really tired.	Joe went to sleep early.

                                      

cause and effect relationship EX.

cause and effect relationship  exercise online

1.  http://a4esl.org/q/h/mb/adv_cause.html

Linking Words EX.

Linking Words exercise online

1. http://www.learn-english-today.com/lessons/lesson_contents/linking-words-ex.htm
2. http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/570/pulp/hemp7.htm

cause and effect EX.

cause and effect exercise online

1. http://www.studyzone.org/testprep/ela4/a/hp/causeeffect.htm
2. http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/570/pulp/hemp6.htm
3. http://www.shsu.edu/~txcae/Powerpoints/prepostest/causeeffect2.html