UNIT 1

EXTENSIVE READING

Before we discuss about extensive reading, please answer

this questionnaire!

Questionnaire 1
1. How well do you read in your first language?
very well well average poorly very poorly

2. How well do you read English?

very well well average poorly very poorly

3. How fast do you read English?

Very fast fast average slowly very slowly

4. How well do you understand what you read in English?

Very well well average poorly very poorly

5. How well do you concentrate when you read English?

Very well well average poorly very poorly

6. Do you have to reread the material in order to

understand it?
often sometimes rarely

~ 1~
7. Do you get tired easily when you read English?
often sometimes rarely

8. Do you read English other than class assignments?

often sometimes rarely

Questionnaire 2
1. The best way to read is to…
a. Translate all the words from English into Indonesia
b. Use the dictionary frequently
c. Guess the word meanings

2. In order to understand what you read, you must…

a. Look closely at each word and translate it
b. Read one or more sentences at a time
c. Ask to your friend

3. In order to read well you must …

a. Know all the words on the page
b. Read easy books
c. Be able to guess what words mean by reading
several sentences

4. In order to concentrate well you must …

a. Read slowly and carefully
b. Read a little more quickly than you want to
c. Write the meanings of all the words on the page

5. Reading class is similar to vocabulary class T / F

6. There is only one way to read T / F
7. You always read every word on the page T / F
8. You should read newspapers the same way T / F
You read texts.
Adapted from Teaching Second Language
Reading for Academic Purpose

~ 2~
Reading Habits Lists
By doing this practice, you will realize your reading habits.
Write this list every day!

Did I read In what For how

Texts
this today language long?

Textbook

Newspaper

Magazines

Novel

Other
sources

Extensive Reading Definition

Richard Day stated:

“Extensive reading is an approach to language
teaching in which learners read a lot of easy material
in the new language. They choose their own reading
material and read it independently of the teacher.
They read for general, overall meaning, and they read
for information and enjoyment”.

They are encouraged to stop reading if

the material is not interesting or if it is
too difficult. They are also encouraged
to expand their reading comfort zone –
the range of material that can be read
easily and with confidence.

~ 3~
“An extensive reading program is a supplementary class
library scheme, attached to the English courses, in which
pupils are given the time, encouragement, and material
to read pleasurably, at their own level, as many books as
they can, without the pressures of testing or marks. Thus,
pupils are competing only against themselves, and it is up
to the teacher to provide the motivation and monitoring
to ensure that the maximum number of books is being
read in the time available. Books are selected for their
attractiveness and relevance to the pupils’ lives, rather
than for literary merit.” (Davis, 1995: 329)

Extensive reading: An alternative approach

another model for teaching reading exists. This is an
'extensive reading approach' and involves students reading
long texts or large quantities for general understanding,
with the intention of enjoying the texts.

Students are allowed to choose the books they read

depending on their interests, and there is not always a
follow-up discussion or work in class. In this way students
are encouraged to read for pleasure and should become
better readers.

SAVE  extensive reading

We can use acronym SAVE to summarize the main criteria

for choosing extensive reading materials:
S  Short The length of the book must not be
Intimidating.

A  Appealing The books must genuinely appeal

To the intended readers.

V  Varied there must be a wide choice suiting the

Various needs of the readers.

~ 4~
E  Easy the level must be easier than that of the
Current target language coursebook.

Taken from Teaching Reading Skills in a Foreign Language,

By Christine Nuttal.
What is the difference between intensive and extensive
reading?

Intensive reading - you read with concentration and great

care in order to understand exactly the meaning of what
you read. This is particularly necessary for legal
documents, financial documents, academic reports and
anything to do with business.

Extensive reading - you read as many different kinds of

books/journals/papers as you can, chiefly for pleasure,
and only needing a general understanding of the content.

Reading text books (academic) is Intensive reading.

Reading novels, thrillers is extensive reading. Extensive
reading is also referred as passive reading

Taken from: http://www.usingenglish.com

Exercise 1
Read this passage and answer the question!

Nasreddin's Visitors
One day a visitor came to Nasreddin's house. "I am your
cousin from Konya," he said, "and I have brought you a
duck to celebrate the visit." Nasreddin was delighted. He
asked his wife to cook the duck, and served the visitor a
fine dinner.

The next day another visitor arrived. "I am the friend of

the man who brought you the duck," he said. Nasreddin
invited him in and gave him a good meal. The next day

~ 5~
another visitor arrived, and said he was the friend of the
friend of the man who had brought the duck. Again
Nasreddin invited him in for a meal. However, he was
getting annoyed. Visitors seemed to be using his house as a
restaurant.
Then another visitor came, and said he was the friend of
the friend of the friend of the man who had brought the
duck. Nasreddin invited him to eat dinner with him. His
wife brought some soup to the table and the visitor tasted
it. "What kind of soup is this?" asked the visitor. "It tastes
just like warm water." "Ah!" said Nasreddin, "That is the
soup of the soup of the soup of the duck."
1. How many visitors came to see Nasreddin?
A. 2
B. 3
C. 4

2. How many of the visitors brought a duck?

A. 1
B. 2
C. 3

3. Did Nasreddin know the first visitor?

A. Yes
B. No
C. Doesn’t say

4. Why did Nasreddin get angry?

A. He did not like eating duck.
B. His cousin didn't bring him a duck.
C. The first visitor brought a duck, but the others
didn't bring anything.

5. How did Nasreddin solve the problem?

A. He served soup which tasted of nothing, so that no
more visitors would want to come to his house.

~ 6~
 B. He served excellent soup, so that everyone would
want to eat at his house.
C. He opened a restaurant.

UNIT 2
FINDING MAIN IDEA/ TOPIC

Main students’ difficulties are how to find out the main

idea and topic of the passage. In this section we will
discuss about main idea and topic. The Bold and
Underlined sentences are the Main Idea.

Passage 1
Hawks are generally regarded as ruthless enemies
of the farmer and are generally condemned to be shot on
sight. But as a rule, the hawk is the farmer’s friend, for he
feeds on rats, ice, gophers, locusts, and other pets. There
are many tall tales from nature which are widely

~ 7~
believed but without scientific foundation. There is the
belief that birds always return to the same nest each
spring, but, according to scientists, this is not true. Again,
owls have been called the wisest of birds, perhaps because
of their solemn expressions, but there is no scientific
evidence to vouch for their wisdom.
Passage 2
The sprained ankle is a highly popular complaint
since it has all the attractions of an illness and none of
the disadvantages.It never kills anyone and it always gets
better in a short time. It calls for sympathy and grants the
invalid a week’s leave from the office. Since there is
usually no pain except when the ankle is moved, it offers
its victims a perfect rest and a delightful reason to be
waited upon.

Passage 3
What, then, is amnesia? If you say only that it is
loss of memory, you include in the group of amnesiacs any
man who forgets his wife’s birthday or goes off to the
office without his wristwatch. Actually, amnesia is
something a bit more sinister. It is loss of memory, to be
sure, but it is of the sort brought on by injury,
overwork, worry, or a nasty blow on the head.

The paragraph can define as the Basic unit of

organization in writing and which a group of related
sentences develop one main idea usually stated in the
topic sentence.

The Step to find out the Main Idea:

1. Read the text

~ 8~
2. Find the Topic/ Subject
3. Look for important details about the topic/ subject
4. Use the important details abut the Topic/ subject to
help you Identify the Main Idea in the Text
5. Tell the Main Idea in Your Word

Recognizing the topic of a paragraph

Passage a
In the Trobriand Islands, people do not celebrate
birthday. When a boy is about 14 or 15, he moves out of
his parents’ house. Each canoe takes about 18 month to
make. Boys and girls may live together for periods of days,
weeks, or months. Most islanders have no idea when they
were born or how old they are. That way, they have a
chance to find out if they are right people for each other.
When it is finally finished, it is named and special
ceremonies are held to give it magic powers. This is also
about the age that he begins to work on his own garden.
Is this a paragraph?
Passage b
In the Trobriand Islands, the yam is both an
important food plant and an important part of the culture.
Every village has a “yam house” with a giant four-foot yam
hanging from the ceiling. It represents wealth and well-
being for the village, life and strength for the people.
Villagers take great pride in their gardens, especially their
yam plants. The yam harvest is one of the high points of
the year and also the focus for many traditions. For
example, the harvest is always carried out by women.
When they are bringing the yams in from the garden all
together, no man is supposed to meet them. Any man they
meet will be chased, attacked, and treated as a fool.
Is this a paragraph?

~ 9~
What is the difference between passage a and b?
A paragraph is a group of sentence that are all about the
same thing. That is, they all have the same topic. Passage
a is not a paragraph because the sentences are about
several aspects of life in the Trobriand Islands. Together,
the sentences are about the same aspects of life (yams) in
the Trobriand Islands.
Passage c
People have always been interested in bees. This interest
may have begun with the honey been make. In fact,
archaeologists have found evidence that people have been
eating honey for many thousands of years. In the more
recent past, people were interested in the way bees made
honey. They admired the way bees seemed to work so
hard. Some languages even developed expressions about
people working like bees. In English, for example, we talk
about a “busy bee”. Now scientists have a new reason to
be interested in bees. They have discovered that bees are
able to communicate with each other. Research has
revealed some surprising facts about this, but there are
still many mysteries.
What is this paragraph about?
a. Expressions about bees in the English language
b. The story of bees
c. People’s interest in bees

Passage d
Communication is also possible among bees through
their sense of smell. A group of bees, called a colony, uses
smell to protect itself from other bees. This is possible
because all the bees in a colony have a common smell.
This smell acts like a chemical signal. It warns the group of
bees when a bee from a different colony is near. This way,
bees from outside cannot enter and disturb a hive (the bee

~ 10~
colony’s home). If an outsider does try to enter, the bees
of that colony will smell it and attack it.
What is that paragraph about?
a. The chemical signals of bees
b. How bees live
c. How bees communicate through smell

How to instantly improve your reading efficiency

Before reading a difficult piece of writing, take a few
moments to close your eyes and relax while taking two or
three deep breaths. Say to yourself that you can read with
full concentration, recognize key information, and achieve
high comprehension quickly to accomplish your needs.
Believe you can, and you will.

This may simply sound like "positive mental attitude." Yet

if you do not purposefully affirm the positive, you may be
shutting off your true capacities by subtle anxieties about
the task.

For example, if the material is dense and difficult to read,

any anxiety about getting through it can cause lowered
performance. The secret is to see the material simply as
new and different, not dense and difficult...and be
relaxed about it. Early confusion can create curiosity that
guides you to search for and recognize the information you
need. Your comprehension and overall reading
performance can increase--all with just a few seconds of
preparation.

Read first sentence

~ 11~
Since often the first sentence of each paragraph states the
main idea of that paragraph, while the other sentences
elaborate on that idea, you can skim read by just reading
the first sentences. In some cases, you can get enough
information by only reading the first sentence from each
paragraph.
Unfortunately, some writers make their paragraphs so
long, that they have several ideas in them, and others
stick the important sentences in the middle. In such cases,
you can't use the first sentence method effectively.
Browse through the publication--frontwards or backwards--
so that you get to know what's in it and where it's located.
Notice the layout and how the information is presented.
Notice the table of contents and any special sections.
Don't be too serious--it's best to be playful.

Notice which articles pique your interest, but don't read

them yet. Catch titles, subtitles, pictures, and charts.
When you find something interesting, think of how you can
use it--reading for information should be a goal seeking
activity. Decide how much time you can afford, and then
go for it.

Follow this tip and your reading will become purposeful,

active, questioning and goal oriented...this means you
save time and get more information from the time you
spend reading!

Exercise 2
Choose the best answer from the passage below!

Many great inventions are greeted with

ridicule and disbelief. The invention of
the airplane was no exception. Although

~ 12~
many people who heard about the first powered flight on
December 17, 1903, were excited and impressed, others
reacted with peals of laughter. The idea of flying an
aircraft was repulsive to some people. Such people called
Wilbur and Orville Wright, the inventors of the first flying
machine, impulsive fools. Negative reactions, however,
did not stop the Wrights. Impelled by their desire to
succeed, they continued their experiments in aviation.

Orville and Wilbur Wright had always had a compelling

interest in aeronautics and mechanics. As young boys they
earned money by making and selling kites and mechanical
toys. Later, they designed a newspaper-folding machine,
built a printing press, and operated a bicycle-repair shop.
In 1896, when they read about the death of Otto
Lilienthal, the brother's interest in flight grew into a
compulsion.

Lilienthal, a pioneer in hang-gliding, had controlled his

gliders by shifting his body in the desired direction. This
idea was repellent to the Wright brothers, however, and
they searched for more efficient methods to control the
balance of airborne vehicles. In 1900 and 1901, the
Wrights tested numerous gliders and developed control
techniques. The brothers' inability to obtain enough lift
power for the gliders almost led them to abandon their
efforts.

After further study, the Wright brothers concluded that

the published tables of air pressure on curved surfaces
must be wrong. They set up a wind tunnel and began a
series of experiments with model wings. Because of their
efforts, the old tables were repealed in time and replaced
by the first reliable figures for air pressure on curved
surfaces. This work, in turn, made it possible for them to

~ 13~
design a machine that would fly. In 1903 the Wrights built
their first airplane, which cost less than one thousand
dollars. They even designed and built their own source of
propulsion- a lightweight gasoline engine. When they
started the engine on December 17, the airplane pulsated
wildly before taking off. The plane managed to stay aloft
for twelve seconds, however, and it flew one hundred
twenty feet.

By 1905 the Wrights had perfected the first airplane that

could turn, circle, and remain airborne for half an hour at
a time. Others had flown in balloons or in hang gliders, but
the Wright brothers were the first to build a full-size
machine that could fly under its own power. As the
contributors of one of the most outstanding engineering
achievements in history, the Wright brothers are
accurately called the fathers of aviation.

1. The idea of flying an aircraft was ______to some

people.
A. boring
B. distasteful
C. exciting
D. needless
E. answer not available

2. People thought that the Wright brothers had ____.

A. acted without thinking
B. been negatively influenced
C. been too cautious
D. had not given enough thought
E. acted in a negative way

3. The Wright's interest in flight grew into a ____.

A. financial empire
B. plan
C. need to act

~ 14~
 D. foolish thought
E. answer not in article

4. Lilenthal's idea about controlling airborne vehicles was

___the Wrights.
A. proven wrong by
B. opposite to the ideas of
C. disliked by
D. accepted by
E. opposed by

5. The old tables were __ and replaced by the first reliable

figures for air pressure on curved surfaces.
A. destroyed
B. canceled
C. multiplied
D. discarded
E. not used

6. The Wrights designed and built their own source of

_______.
A. force for moving forward
B. force for turning around
C. turning
D. force to going backward
E. none of the above

~ 15~
 UNIT 3
READING STRATEGY

Before beginning to read any text - a book, a magazine or

journal article - you should ask yourself three questions:
• What am I reading about?
• Why am I reading?
• How am I reading?

Example: Reading a history book.

What : World War II.
Why : Looking for the causes of the war
How : From the first word to the last word.

Many students are only familiar with from the first word
to the last word strategy.

~ 16~
The other strategies that can be used for understanding a
text - a book, a magazine or a journal article – are:
1. Over-viewing a passage  previewing
2. Understanding the main point
3. Understanding relationships in passages
4. Checking references
5. Finding the information we need
6. Guessing the unknown word
Over-viewing a Passage
By over-viewing a passage, we should know:
1. The Topic: What is the passage about?
2. The Writer's purpose:
Is the writer, for example, describing a process, making
a comparison, or giving recommendation?

We do this strategy by:

1. Reading the tide and headings to understand what the
passage is about.
2. Looking at the titles of any diagrams, tables, graphs
and illustrations.

In this strategy, we do not need to:

1. Read word by word.
2. Follow the text with our finger or a pen.
3. Worry about words we do not understand.

Whether we are over-viewing a book, a magazine or an

article, we should never take more than two minutes.

Understanding the main point

One paragraph contains one main idea; and we can find
this main idea in a SUMMARY SENTENCE.The summary
sentence is frequently, though not always, the first or the
second sentence of the paragraph. To understand the main
points of a passage, we should LOCATE and UNDERLINE
THE SUMMARY SENTENCE IN EACH PARAGRAPH. The other
~ 17~
sentences in the paragraph expand, illustrate and/or
explain this main idea.

Understanding relationships in passages

There are relationships in words and phrases in a
sentence; between the sentences in a paragraph and
between whole paragraphs. Understanding and recognizing
these relationships helps us read more effectively. Some
of the most common types of relationship linking ideas in
passages are:
1. Addition:
Using and, as well, in addition to, besides, also,
another, the other, first, second, etc.

2. Consequence:
Using cause, lead to, result in, as a consequence,
consequently, therefore, hence, as a result.

3. Sequence:
Using then, after, later, until, when, before.

4. General and Particular:

Using such as, e.g., for example, for instance.

5. Contrast/comparison:
Using but (not), as opposed to, in contrast, on the
other hand, however.

Example:
1. A cactus does not need very much water,
ADDITION
In addition, it is well adapted to high temperatures.

2. Changes in temperature break rocks into pieces.

SEQUENCE
Then the wind blows the pieces away.

~ 18~
3. Temperatures in deserts are extremely high during the
day.
CONTRAS
However, at night they are often very low.

4. There is very little rainfall in deserts.

CONSEQUENCE
Therefore few plants can live there.
Checking References
In a set of statements, some of the words in one sentence
are often repeated in other sentence. In passages, we try
not to repeat words very often. We can refer back to
words used in other sentences, this relation is called
reference.

Study this short passage and notice the use of reference.

This use of reference is shown in the diagram.
Deserts are very dry regions. They have very little
rainfall. Few plants live there. Some specialized
animals do. Some deserts have a surface of sand.
The sand often forms dunes. These are created by
the wind. Others have stones or rocks.

Deserts are very dry regions.

They have very little rainfall.
Few plants live there. Some specialized animal do
Some deserts have a surface of sand. The sand often
Forms dunes. These created by the wind.

Others....... have................. stones rocks.

Others deserts have surface of stones rocks.

In order to read efficiently we also need to be able to

understand the way in which words can refer to other
words in a passage.

Finding the information we need

~ 19~
When our objective is to extract specific information, we
should use the following strategies:
1. Focus on our objective, ignoring irrelevant
information.
2. Look in likely places. Knowing the organization of the
text will help to decide which parts of the text are
more likely.
3. Run our eyes rapidly over the text, looking for words
and phrases associated with the target information.
4. Use print style to help us, such as names, numbers,
italics, bold. Remember that the information we need
to locate may be expressed in different forms.

Guessing the unknown words

In any comprehension text you will find words that you
don't know. You can look them up in a dictionary, of
course, but it's a good idea to get into the habit of doing
without a dictionary as much as possible, particularly if
you are preparing for an examination. In fact, if you read
the text carefully and think, it's usually possible to guess
the meaning of most of the words that you don't know.

Look at the context of each word-the sentence that it's in,

and the sentences that come before and after. Look to see
if the word is repeated later in the text; the more often
it's used, the easier it is to understand.

Don't expect to be able to guess all new words in a text.

There will be some that you can only get a vague idea, and
a few will be impossible. Don't waste too much time
worrying about these; the most important thing is to
understand the text as a whole as well as possible, and
one or two difficult words won't usually make much
difference.

Exercise 3

~ 20~
 Notes from the Sea
In 1956 a young sailor at sea was feeling
very far from his family and friends. He wrote a
note and put it into a bottle. Then he closed the
bottle and threw it into the ocean. The note in the
bottle asked any pretty girl who found it to write
to him.
Two years later a man was fishing on a
shore in Sicily. The fisherman saw the sailor’s
bottle and picked it up. As a joke, he gave it to his
pretty daughter. Still as a joke, the girl wrote the
lonely sailor a letter. More letters went back and
forth. Soon the sailor visited Sicily. He and the girl
were married in 1958.
This is one of the many stories about
drifting bottles that have changed people’s lives.
Strange as it may seem, a sealed bottle is a good
traveler at sea. It can travel safely through storms
that destroy ships. And glass will last almost
forever.
The speed of a drifting bottle changes with
the wind and the ocean current. A bottle drifting
in a quiet place may not move a mile in a month.
Another bottle may move 100 miles in a day. But
no one can be sure just where a bottle will go. For
example, two bottles of the same size, shape and
weight were dropped at the same time into the
ocean near Brazil. The first bottle drifted east for
130 days. It was found on a shore in Africa. The
second bottle went northwest for 196 days, and
was found in Nicaragua. Two other bottles, which
were thrown into the middle of the Atlantic
Ocean, landed 350 days later in France, only a few
yards from each other.

~ 21~
 Probably the longest trip ever made by a
bottle began in 1929. In that year, a bottle was
thrown into the South Indian Ocean. A note inside
the bottle could be read through the glass. The
finder was requested to report when and where he
picked it up, and then to throw the bottle back
into the sea without opening it. This bottle first
went east, to the southern tip of South America.
Someone found it, reported it and threw it back
into the sea. Then others found it, reported it and
threw it back. This happened several times. From
Cape Horn the bottle moved into the Atlantic
Ocean. Then went to the Indian Ocean again,
passing the place where it had first been dropped.
Finally, this bottle reached Western
Australia in 1935. It had traveled 16,800 nautical
miles in 2447 days. That was about 6.8 miles each
day.
Taken from Reader’s Digest, Reading, Book 4

State True or False for the statements below!

1. This story tells about a pretty girl who married a sailor.
2. Storms often destroy bottles.
3. All drifting bottles travel at the same speed.
4. Two bottles of the same size, shape and weight may
drift in different directions.
5. Probably no bottle has ever traveled for more than two
years.

~ 22~
 UNIT 4
TYPES OF READERS

According to Kylene Beers and Barbara Samuels in their

books Into Focus: Understanding and Creating Middle
School Readers, there are two types of readers: Avid and
Reluctant. Someone who is Avid, at something does it
often because he or she likes to. For example, most of my
students admit they are avid users of e-mail and
computer. Avid readers like to read and read often. Avid
readers read not because they have to but because they
like to. That doesn’t mean that an avid reader loves
everything that is read. But, an avid reader is a good
reader because he or she practices.

~ 23~
Then there is the reluctant reader. The reluctant reader is
the most complex and difficult to define. If someone is
reluctant to do something, it may be he or she doesn’t
want to, doesn’t like to, or simply can’t. For example,
someone will be a reluctant dancer because she doesn’t
like to dance. She can dance if she has to, but she rather
playing video game or basketball. Someone may be
reluctant tennis player because he hasn’t enough practice,
isn’t skilled enough at the games, and doesn’t want to
look foolish. Someone may be a reluctant swimmer
because she can’t swim and doesn’t want to drown.

Taken from Painless Reading

by Jones Darylin

The question is what about you? Are you an avid or

reluctant reader?

According to J.A. O'Brien, an expert in the field of reading

instruction, there are essentially three types of readers. In
this article, we will identify different kind of readers.

Motor Readers- Motor readers are lip movers or vocalizers.

Such readers are extremely slow readers as they
accompany their reading with various movements of the
muscles of articulation. As a result, their speed of reading
slows down because they artificially keep their speed
down to the rate at which they can pronounce words.
Moreover, since there is so much muscular activity
involved in their reading, motor readers tire quickly. Motor
readers make frequent regressions, for their eyes tend to
rush ahead and their voice stays behind. These readers
often take the help of their finger to keep a track of their
reading and to stay where on the word where there voice
is. All this leads to poor comprehension for their mind is as
much involved with the mechanics of reading as it is with
ideas.

~ 24~
Auditory Readers- Auditory readers "hear" the words they
read, but they do not sub-vocalize to themselves. They are
very much aware of saying words in their mind, although
their speech organs are completely at rest. This means,
that they do not actually pronounce each word aloud but
only imagine the pronunciation. Auditory readers are mush
more skillful and rapid. Auditory reading is faster than
motor reading.

Visual Readers- Visual reading is the fastest. Visual

readers do not "hear" what they are reading. They simply
see a word and understand its meaning. Visual readers
understand words and phrases without saying and hearing
them. They read with their eyes and mind, not with their
mouths or ears.

Taken from: http://www.ideamarketers.com/?

Types_Of_Readers

There are two types of readers: good and bad. They are
determined by how well they score on reading tests, if
they enjoy reading books, etc. Good readers are smart and
good at reading and bad readers are smarts, just don't
understand all words.

http://www.gotoquiz.com/what_kind_of_reader_are_you_

10 Tips to Improve Reading Speed & Reading

Comprehension

by Speed Reading Expert, Richard Feldman, Ph.D.

(Columbia University)

1. Read Early in the Day

Many people can double their reading speed and
improve their concentration by reading the material
that's important to them early in the day.
~ 25~
2. Prioritize Your Reading
Create three piles for your reading materials -
important, moderately important, and least important.
Then read the material in their order of importance.
You'll improve your reading speed by doing this, and
improve your reading comprehension by getting to the
important material first, when your mind is clear and
sharp.
3. Skim Material First for Main Ideas
Speed read for main ideas in nonfiction works like how-
to books and educational texts. Scan the table of
contents and first and last sentences of each
paragraph. You'll improve your reading speed and
comprehension if you understand a book's structure
first. This will help you know which parts of the book
to skim and which parts to read more carefully.

4. Form a Question
Improve your reading comprehension, reading speed,
and concentration by turning headings and subheadings
in textbooks and other nonfiction books into questions.
Then scan the text for the answers. Your reading speed
improves by doing this, and you become focused on
your material.

5. Read in the Proper Environment

Prop your book or magazine using a bookstand - angling
your reading material at 45 degrees improves your
reading speed and reduces eyestrain. Avoid reading
difficult or important material in bed, where your mind
and body tend to relax. You'll stay alert if you sit at a
desk instead.

6. Write a Course of Action on Correspondence

Improve your reading speed and avoid re-reading
correspondence by jotting brief notes immediately
after reading each piece of correspondence. Simply
~ 26~
 refer to your notes on each piece when you're reading
to respond some time later.

7. Avoid Highlighting
Although readers believe that highlighting in yellow (or
any other color, for that matter) improves their
reading speed and comprehension, the reverse is
actually true. Highlighting simply means they don't
want to bother learning the material right now. The
result: They end up reading the material twice, and
possibly not understanding or remembering it either
time!

8. Preview Before Reading

Look through material first to get a sense of what's
interesting and important to you, and what you might
be able to skip. Then focus on the sections that you
need to understand and remember, and skim or skip
the rest.

9. Use a Flexible Reading Speed

Some reading material must be read slowly and
carefully: legal contracts, mathematical equations,
and poetry are a few examples. Other reading material
can be read at much faster speeds: newspapers,
magazines, and novels. Adjust your reading speed to
the type of reading material and your reading purpose.

10. Enroll in a Speed Reading Class

Avoid on-line speed reading courses and do-it-yourself
speed reading software. They don't work. Speed
reading is best learned in a speed reading class taught
by a knowledgeable, experienced, speed reading
expert. If you are in New York, New Jersey or
Connecticut, I'd love to see you in one of my public
speed reading classes!

~ 27~
 Taken from
http://www.learningtechniques.com/speedreadingtips.htmlSP

Exercise 4
Choose the most correlate and synonymous!

1. I wrote in my journal every day, hoping in the future to

author a book about my trip to Paris.
a. notebook
b. chapbook
c. diary
d. ledger

2. The thief jostled me in a crowd and was thus able to pick my

pocket.
a. mugged
b. bumped
c. assailed
d. hindered

3. While we traveled in Italy, we stayed in an inexpensive

hostel.
a. inn
b. compound
c. home
d. four-star hotel

4. My friend asked me to lie for her, but that is against my

philosophy.
a. principles
b. regulations
c. personality
d. introspection

5. My brother drives us crazy by crooning in the shower.

~ 28~
 a. hooting
b. bellowing
c. crying
d. shouting

6. The emotional fallout from a natural disaster canadversely

affect the residents in a community for years.
a. conflict
b. issues
c. relationship
d. consequences

7. The air in the rainforest was humid, making the heat seem
even more smothering than before.
a. hot
b. damp
c. hazy
d. volatile

8. The balloon, loose from its string, rose up into the sky, a
shiny purple sphere.
a. circle
b. globe
c. ovoid
d. nodule

~ 29~
 UNIT 5
READING SOLVING

Reading Passage Strategies

1. Skim the reading passage to determine the main idea
and the overall organization of ideas in the passage.
2. Look ahead at the questions to determine what types
of questions you must answer.
3. Find the section of the passage that deals with each
question.
4. Choose the best answer to each question from the four
answer choices listed in your test booklet.

~ 30~
SKILL 1:
RECOGNIZE THE OVERALL ORGANIZATION OF A PASSAGE
The first time you look at a reading passage, do not read
each detail carefully. Just look for the main idea and the
overall organization of details.

SKILL 2: RECOGNIZE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF

QUESTIONS
DIRECTLY INDIRECTLY
ANSWERED ANSWERED
QUESTIONS QUESTIONS
ABOUT THE What is the main What is the tone?
WHOLE PASSAGE idea?
What is the
What is the topic? author’s purpose?
What is the In which course
subject? …?
What is the best The passage
title? suggests that …
ABOUT PART OF According to the It can be inferred
THE PASSAGE passage … that …
It is indicated It is implied that
that … …
It is stated that … What most likely
happened?
Which is not true?
What does this
word mean?
What probably
came
before/later?

~ 31~
SKILL 3: FIND DIRECT ANSWERS ABOUT THE WHOLE
PASSAGE
 STRATEGIES FOR ANSWERING DIRECT QUESTIONS
ABOUT THE WHOLE PASSAGE
1. information about the whole passage is generally given
in the first sentence (the topic sentence) of each
paragraph, and
2. the incorrect answers are often true details from the
passage.

STRATEGIES, DIRECT QUESTION ABOUT THE WHOLE

PASSAGE

Read the first sentence of each paragraph carefully

to determine the topic and main idea of the passage.

Pass your eyes quickly over the rest of the passage to

check that the first sentence is the topic sentence of
the passage.

Eliminate any definitely wrong answers and choose

the best of the remaining ones.

~ 32~
SKILL 4: FIND DIRECT ANSWER ABOUT PART OF THE
PASSAGE

Decide where to look in the passage for the correct answer, based on
your understanding of the organization of details in the passage and
1 the knowledge that questions are generally answered in order in the
passage.

Eliminate any definitely wrong answers and choose

2 the best of the remaining ones.

If the question says NOT or EXCEPT, choose the answer that

is not true or not stated in the passage. Answers that are
3 according to the passage are not correct in this type of
question.

SKILL 5: FIND INDIRECT ANSWER ABOUT PART OF THE

PASSAGE
Strategies:
1. Decide where to look in the passage for the correct
answer based on your understanding of the
organization of details in the passage and the
knowledge that questions are generally answered in
order in the passage.

~ 33~
2. Draw a conclusion from the information that is given to
answer the question. Do not expect to find a direct
answer to the question.

Exercise 5
Read this short story and then make the summary!

Waqidi - who was one the greatest scholars during the

time of Abbasid Caliph Mamun Rashid - narrates the
following incident:

I had two friends, one of who was a Hashemite. Our

friendship was so sincere, that we were in fact one soul in
three bodies!

Once during Eid Festival season, I had no money. My wife

said to me, "You and I can tolerate these hardships.
However, I am very much grieved because our children
see other children wearing new dresses and adorning
themselves for Eid Festival, whereas their own clothes
are old and torn. See if you can get some money so that I
can make new clothes for them."

I could not think of any solution to the problem, so I

wrote a letter to my Hashemite friend and requested him
to assist me.

My Hashemite friend sent me a sealed bag and informed

me that it contained 1000 dirhams. I had not yet opened
the sealed bag when someone who was sent by my other
friend came. He informed me about my friend's financial

~ 34~
difficulties and sought help from me. I gave him the same
sealed bag to take it to my other friend. I then went to
the mosque with a heavy heart. As I felt ashamed to face
my wife, I spent the night there. When I went home in the
morning, to my surprise, she received me with a cheerful
face and was pleased at my having done well to my friend
and having considered his needs before considering my
own.

In the meant time, my Hashemite friend arrived at my

house and asked me curiously, "Tell me the truth. What
have you done with the bag of money which I had sent to
you yesterday?"

I told him the whole incident. After hearing me out, he

bowed his head down for a moment and then said,
"Yesterday when you sent me a message and asked for
help, I had no money except this sealed bag. I sent it to
you and wrote a letter to our other friend seeking his
help. He sent me my own sealed bag and I could not
understand the matter till you just explained it to me."

Waqidi says, "The three of us divided the money among

ourselves and one hundred dirhams out of it was given to
my wife. When Abbasid Caliph Mamun Rashid heard about
this strange incident he sent me and enquired about the
matter. I related the entire incident to him. Abbasid
Caliph Mamun Rashid then ordered that 2000 dinars
should be given to each one of us and 1000 dinars to my
wife as a gift."

Taken from http://www.ezsoftech.com/stories

~ 35~
 UNIT 6
GUIDELINES FOR READING
FASTER

Every body read in different reading rate. Some of them

read very fast, fast and some another read very slow.
Therefore as good reader we must know well our speed
reading rate before we understand about the meaning and
understand comprehensively at the text.

This is the guidelines for reading faster:

~ 36~
1. Set a reading rate goal for yourself. If you have a
personal goal, you will push yourself more to reach
that goal.
Your current reading rate : _____ wpm
Your personal goal : _____ wpm
2. Answer the questions without looking back at the text.
3. Check your answer. If you have some incorrect
answers, look back at the text to find out why.
4. Find your reading rate on the Reading Rate Table on
the next page.
5. Record your reading rate, comprehension score (the
number of correct answer) and the date.
6. After you have read four or five passages, note any
changes in your reading rate or comprehension score.
Your aim should be to gradually increase your reading
rate, while keeping your comprehension score at six or
seven correct answer.

If your reading rate stays the same, that means you need
to push yourself more. If you miss more than three
questions, you might be pushing yourself too much. Try to
slow down a little and concentrate better.

Reading Rate Table

All the passages are about 500 words long.
Reading Time Rate (Words per
(Minutes: Seconds) minute)
1:00 500
1:05 463
1:10 429
1:15 400
1:20 375
1:25 353
1:30 333
1:35 316
1:40 300
1:45 286

~ 37~
 1:50 273
1:55 261
2:00 250
2:05 240
2:10 231
2:15 222
2:20 215
2:25 207
2:30 200
2:35 194
2:40 188
2:45 182
2:50 176
2:55 172
3:00 166
3:15 154
3:30 143
3:45 135
4:00 125
4:15 117
4:30 111
4:45 105
5:00 100

The main purpose for reading is to comprehend the ideas

in the material. Without comprehension, reading would be
empty and meaningless. In our practicum, we have all
witnessed cases where students are capable of reading the
words, but face much difficulty in expressing their
comprehension of the main ideas. An example of this
occurrence was a second grade boy named Reggie who
loved to read but had difficulty in comprehending what he
read. Reggie would eagerly read to an audience since he
had a solid grasp of phonemic awareness (sounding out
words) and social discourse (reading with expression).
When tested by the Reading Specialist, Reggie was placed

~ 38~
in a relatively low level reading group. This was due to his
inability to demonstrate comprehension of the reading
material. This was shocking to the teacher, as he appeared
to be a strong reader.

How to speed read is a question most of us have asked

ourselves, especially when faced with a large amount to
read.

There are several methods of speed reading.  Here are 10

simple tips on how to speed read:

 Start with books that have large fonts. When you start
speed reading, you should choose books with larger
fonts; if you are reading eBooks, then customize your
font to 14pt or 16pt. The reason is that the eyes follow
larger print more easily than smaller print and you
reduce the habit of skipping lines.
 Read books or articles that you have read before. You
already have a general idea about the contents and the
ideas presented, so it will be easier for you to follow
the text and practice skipping non-essential words.
 Use your hand, finger, or a pencil, when reading; and
move your pacer device more quickly than your normal
eye reading speed. This will stimulate your eyes and
you will get used to reading at a faster pace.
 Take breaks. You should not strain your eyes too much;
a short five minute break every 30 minutes of reading
will help you improve your reading speed as well as
your comprehension.
 Think about what you read. There are different reading
speeds for different genres. For example, essays can
often be read faster because you need only understand
the main ideas. By contrast, poetical works, where

~ 39~
 words and language hold a certain beauty, are better
savored than rushed.
 Make a reading card. Cut into a slim board of carton a
gap of 1 to 10 lines of the book you are reading. By
obscuring the other lines, your concentration level and
reading speed will increase because you will perceive
the text differently and you will start seeing the text
as groups of words (rather than as individual words).
And if you want to improve your 2-3 word perception
span, you can make a card with exactly the desired
width, which you can move along the lines.
 Read for at least 10 minutes a day, be it the daily
paper, an article, or a chapter of a book.
 Balance the speed of your reading with your
comprehension. You need to understand the text you
read and not merely read words mechanically. If you
notice that your comprehension level drops, then you
should lower your reading speed.
 Sleep well. A good night’s sleep clears your mind,
improves your concentration levels, and helps your
eyesight.
 Use speed-reading software. The fastest speed reading
method is via speed reading software. But make sure
you choose good speed reading software, such as the
popular 7-Speed Reading program.

So, if you are wondering how to speed read, try practicing

the above tips and monitor your progress.

How to increase the speed read

In this activity students have 60 seconds to read as much
material as they can. They are then given an additional 60
seconds to read again from the beginning of the text. They
must read more material during the second 60-second
period than in the first. The drill is repeated a third and
fourth time.

~ 40~
Simple speed reading experiments
Two vertical lines
If you use a glass 'anti-glare' screen, draw 2 vertical lines
in felt-tip, 5 cm. apart, so that you have a strip 5 cm.
wide located over the middle of the text you are reading.
Now move your eyes in a 'Z' pattern down this central
strip, at a speed faster slightly faster than is comfortable.
Because your Mind is not reading each word, it is forced to
'fill in the gaps'. This engages much more of the Mind, since
it has to build associations and patterns in the written
material. This in turn leads to greater comprehension and
increased memory of what was read. This technique takes
advantage of the fact that much of written English is
highly redundant; a lot of words can be skipped without
any loss of meaning.

If you want to increase your reading speed and improve

your comprehension, you can take a speed reading course,
buy speed reading software, and read speed reading
books. You can also try some simple speed reading tips
that you can easily do by yourself and which will help you
boost your reading speed:

 When you start a speed reading program, first

determine your actual reading speed and test your
comprehension level so that you can monitor your
progress.
 Take a positive attitude to what you are about to do. A
way to achieve this is to use your speed reading
techniques on simple text, such as an adventure book,
a comedic novel, or a mass-market romance novel.
Reading simple prose will keep you interested and you
will not feel the strain of reading that some beginners
feel.
 Determine the contents of the material you are about
to read. See whether you need to read the material in

~ 41~
 detail or whether you just have to get the gist of the
text. Look at the chapters as well as the structure of
the first chapter so that you can determine your
reading strategy.
 Use your hand to guide you through your reading. Your
eyes are stimulated by movement and by using your
hand slightly in advance of your eyes, you will be able
to read faster.
 Cover the text you have just read. Most of us have the
habit of rereading the text that we have just read. To
avoid these so-called “regressions”, simply cover the
text you have already read.
 Concentrate on the important parts. Not all the text in
a book is vitally important, especially in newspapers
and magazines. Skim though the text and read the
important ideas. You can also use a marker to highlight
the main ideas, which you can review later to refresh
your memory.
 When you are reading, focus your eyes on groups of
words instead of one word at a time. Use your
peripheral vision.
 Be persistent. Do not expect too many instant
improvements.

Here are some simple tips on increasing your reading

speed, especially when reading non-fiction material such
as text books.

1. Improve your vocabulary. Studies have shown that

increasing your reading speed depends heavily on
increasing your vocabulary. For example, research by
Holmes and Singer, as reported by James I Brown, shows
that vocabulary contributes 51% to reading speed — far
more than any other first-order factor (Brown, p 3). The
reason vocabulary is so important to reading speed is
simple: the more words you know, the faster and better
you receive the author's message: "Unknown words or

~ 42~
known words in unsuaul contextual settings prevent rapid
reading" (Bond, 102). Try learning at least one word a day.
Use software such as the popular Ultimate Vocabulary.*

2. Know what you want from the book. Before you read a
book, article, or other source, know what you are reading
the source for. Clarify in your own mind what you already
know about the topic, and what more you need to know
from the source.

3. Browse the table of contents. Browse the book's table

of contents before reading the rest of the book. If you
know a book's structure before you start reading the book,
then you will speed-up your reading and improve your
comprehension. You will also have a better idea about the
parts of the book that you can skim read and the parts of
the book that you must read more carefully.

4. Read the topic sentences. If the writer of the book or

other source has been considerate, then they will have
used "topic sentences". Topic sentences are sentences that
explain the main point of the paragraph. Read the first
and last sentences of each paragraph to get a basic idea of
the text. You will then sense whether you should read the
text in detail.

5. Read not in words but in phrases. Increase the number

of words that you read in one go:

The   /  word-  /   by-   /   word  /   reader   /  reads  /

like  /   this.

But the phrase reader     /    would read the line     /

like this.

Regularly practice the skill of reading in phrases.

~ 43~
6. Read it, don't say it. Try not to "say" the words to
yourself as you read. This tip will increase your reading
speed markedly. Try these speed reading exercises.

7. Ask questions as you go. Although you want to read

quickly, also make sure you comprehend the material. You
will waste your time if you have to reread the material
later on. To make sure you comprehend what you are
reading, ask yourself questions about the material as you
go.

8. Read actively, not passively. Do not read passively.

Rather, visualize the people and events you are reading
about. Creating mental pictures of the facts and events
that you are reading about will improve your
comprehension and improve your memory of the reading
material.

9. Don't look back. Looking back at what you have already

read is called "regressing". Do not allow regressions to
impede your pace: "Discipline yourself to read
unswervingly ahead. Even if you feel for the moment, at
least, that you have lost the continuity of the thought,
compel yourself to read on. Do not regress. Soon you will
break the habit entirely" (Leedy, 7).

http://www.research-one.com.au/for-lawyers/search-the-
law/read-more-quickly/how-to-speed-read.html

Exercise 6
Read this passage and count your time!
English as a National Foreign Language

India has two national languages for central

administrative purposes: Hindi and English. Hindi is the
national, official, and main link language of India. English

~ 44~
is an associate official language. The Indian Constitution
also officially approves twenty-two regional languages for
official purposes.
Dozens of distinctly different regional languages
are spoken in India, which share many characteristics such
as grammatical structure and vocabulary. Apart from
these languages, Hindi is used for communication in India.
The homeland of Hindi is mainly in the north of India, but
it is spoken and widely understood in all urban centers of
India. In the southern states of India, where people speak
many different languages that are not much related to
Hindi, there is more resistance to Hindi, which has
allowed English to remain a lingua franca to a greater
degree.
Since the early 1600s, the English language has had
a toehold on the Indian subcontinent, when the East India
Company established settlements in Chennai, Kolkata,
and Mumbai, formerly Madras, Calcutta, and Bombay
respectively. The historical background of India is never
far away from everyday usage of English. India has had a
longer exposure to English than any other country which
uses it as a second language, its distinctive words, idioms,
grammar and rhetoric spreading gradually to affect all
places, habits and culture.
In India, English serves two purposes. First, it
provides a linguistic tool for the administrative
cohesiveness of the country, causing people who speak
different languages to become united. Secondly, it serves
as a language of wider communication, including a large
variety of different people covering a vast area. It
overlaps with local languages in certain spheres of
influence and in public domains.
Generally, English is used among Indians as a ‘link’
language and it is the first language for many well-
educated Indians. It is also the second language for many
who speak more than one language in India. The English
language is a tie that helps bind the many segments of

~ 45~
our society together. Also, it is a linguistic bridge
between the major countries of the world and India.
English has special national status in India. It has a
special place in the parliament, judiciary, broadcasting,
journalism, and in the education system. One can see a
Hindi-speaking teacher giving their students instructions
during an educational tour about where to meet and when
their bus would leave, but all in English. It means that
the language permeates daily life. It is unavoidable and is
always expected, especially in the cities.
The importance of the ability to speak or write
English has recently increased significantly because
English has become the de facto standard. Learning
English language has become popular for business,
commerce and cultural reasons and especially for internet
communications throughout the world. English is a
language that has become a standard not because it has
been approved by any ‘standards’ organization but
because it is widely used by many information and
technology industries and recognized as being standard.

Time: _____

~ 46~
 UNIT 7
ACTIVE READING

When you are reading a document in detail, it often helps

if you highlight, underline and annotate it as you go on.
This emphasizes information in your mind, and helps you
to review important points later.
Doing this also helps to keep your mind focused on the
material and stops it wandering.

~ 47~
This is obviously only something to do if you own the
document! If you find that active reading helps, then it
may be worth photocopying information in more expensive
texts. You can then read and mark the photocopies.
If you are worried about destroying the material, ask
yourself how much your investment of time is worth. If the
benefit you get by active reading reasonably exceeds the
value of the book, then the book is disposable.

Breathing and reading

Breathing is also a good way to improve your rate in which
you read. Try to take solid deep breaths instead of short
quick breaths. This will allow you to calm down and try to
read with more concentration.

Think for a moment, what were the best

You were taught to read with your tongue because you
were taught to read by being taught to speak. Want to
enjoy what you read? Think for a moment, what were the
best books you've ever read in your life? The ones you
enjoyed the most?
I'm going to bet they were the best books for you because
your imagination was totally engrossed in the book. Thus
your brain was working at a much higher capacity when
you were using your imagination.

Reading is not just pronouncing words—it requires

understanding. Most experienced readers use a variety of
strategies to understand text. Research has shown that
teachers can, and should, teach these strategies to
beginning readers. The following strategies can help
students understand any text in any subject.

~ 48~
Make Predictions

Predictions encourage active reading and keep students

interested, whether or not the predictions are correct.
Incorrect predictions can signal a misunderstanding that
needs to be revisited. Instruct students:

 Look at the pictures, table of contents, chapter

headings, maps, diagrams, and features. What subjects
are in the book?
 Write down predictions about the text. During reading,
look for words or phrases from those predictions.
 While reading, revise the predictions or make new
ones.

Visualize
Many students think visually, using shapes, spatial
relationships, movement, and colors, and can benefit
greatly from this strategy. Instruct students:

 Imagine a fiction story taking place as if it were a

movie. Imagine the characters' features. Picture the
plot in time and space.
 Imagine processes and explanations happening visually.
Use nouns, verbs, and adjectives to create pictures,
diagrams, or other mental images.
 Use graphic organizers to lay out information. Make
sketches or diagrams on scrap paper.

Ask and Answer Questions

Having students form their own questions helps them

recognize confusion and encourages active learning.
Instruct students:

~ 49~
 Before reading, think about the subject based on the
title, chapter heads, and visual information. Make note
of anything you are curious about.
 While reading, pause and write down any questions. Be
sure to ask questions if there is confusion.
 Look for the answers while reading. Pause and write
down the answers.
 Were all the questions answered? Could the answers
come from other sources?

Retell and Summarize

Relating the text in students' own words clears up

language issues. Retelling challenges them to aim for
complete retention. Summarization allows students to
discriminate between main ideas and minor details.
Instruct students:

 During reading, note the main ideas or events. Put a

check mark in the book or write a note to point out a
main idea.
 At the ends of chapters or sections, review the
information or story. Note main ideas or events and
the details that support them.
 After reading, retell or summarize the text. Focus on
the important points, and support them with relevant
details.
 Refer to the book to check the retelling or
summarization.

Connect the Text to Life Experiences, Other Texts, or

Prior Knowledge

Connecting a text to students' experiences and knowledge

helps students personalize the information. It also helps

~ 50~
students remember information when they link it to their
lives. Instruct students:

 Is the subject familiar? Do the characters resemble

familiar people? Have you learned about the concept
from school, home, or other experiences?
 Is the style or genre familiar? Does it resemble other
texts? Television shows, movies, and games can be
considered "texts."
 Write down similarities between the current text and
experiences, knowledge, or other texts.

When you are reading a document in detail, it often helps

if you highlight, underline and annotate it as you go on.
This emphasizes information in your mind, and helps you
to review important points later.

Doing this also helps to keep your mind focused on the

material and stops it wandering. This is obviously only
something to do if you own the document! If you own the
book and find that active reading helps, then it may be
worth photocopying information in more expensive texts.
You can then read and mark the photocopies.

If you are worried about destroying the material, ask

yourself how much your investment of time is worth. If the
benefit you get by active reading reasonably exceeds the
value of the book, then the book is disposable.

How to study different sorts of material

Different sorts of documents hold information in different

places and in different ways. They have different depths
and breadths of coverage. By understanding the layout of
the material you are reading, you can extract useful
information much more efficiently.

~ 51~
Reading Magazines and Newspapers:
These tend to give a very fragmented coverage of an area.
They will typically only concentrate on the most
interesting and glamorous parts of a topic - this helps
them to sell copies! They will often ignore less interesting
information that may be essential to a full understanding
of a subject. Typically areas of useful information are
padded out with large amounts of irrelevant waffle or with
advertising.

The most effective way of getting information from

magazines is to scan the contents tables or indexes and
turn directly to interesting articles. If you find an article
useful, then cut it out and file it in a folder specifically
covering that sort of information. In this way you will build
up sets of related articles that may begin to explain the
subject.

Newspapers tend to be arranged in sections. If you read a

paper often, you can learn quickly which sections are
useful and which ones you can skip altogether.

Reading Individual Articles:

Articles within newspapers and magazines tend to be in

three main types:

 News Articles:
Here the most important information is presented first,
with information being less and less useful as the article
progresses. News articles are designed to explain the key
points first, and then flesh them out with detail.

 Opinion Articles:
Opinion articles present a point of view. Here the most
important information is contained in the introduction and

~ 52~
the summary, with the middle of the article containing
supporting arguments.

 Feature Articles:
These are written to provide entertainment or background
on a subject. Typically the most important information is
in the body of the text.

Tips for reading magazine:

1. First, be sure you know the name of the magazine. It's

on the cover near the top. The picture on the cover
may grab your attention first and give it away as a
surveying magazine. If you see an immodest girl or an
impressive garden, it probably is not. Some print, bold
and in color, usually goes along with the picture and
provides a more specific clue to the contents of the
magazine. By all means, scan the cover, but then look
back at the name on top. Not keeping it straight can
put you in a quandary, if you ever want to check on
something later; you won't remember where it
appeared. Not keeping it straight can also lead to
embarrassment. I don't know how often I have been
told by someone that he (it always seems to be a male)
saw an article of mine in a magazine for which I do not
write. Being particular about my association, I tend to
correct the person.

2. Second, take a peek at the table of contents. Magazine

editors are very good at flashing the content (if you
don't mind me saying it that way). They usually add a
short come-on to the title and author of the features;
they must figure that the departments are self-
enticing. Sometimes an issue has a theme, such as
education. In that case, identify the aspect of the
subject covered in each article. In any case, get a good

~ 53~
 enough sense of the contents to figure out what turns
you on.

3. Third, skim the editorial. Don't skip it. It generally

reveals what went into the current issue. It provides a
personal touch and sometimes expresses editorial
policy. On occasion, it contains an appeal to readers
(don't forget to renew your subscription) or a comment
on professionalism (take off your cap indoors). The
editorial is seldom long, and seldom requires analysis.
Speed-read it, but it's your loss if you don't read it at
all.

4. Fourth, spend no more than five minutes leafing

through the magazine. If you have the time, read the
magazine from cover to cover. But you can seldom do
it right away. The magazine comes in the mail with the
checks, bills, solicitations and review letters etc. Take
care of the mail in that order - instantly. Then give
yourself a break. Whatever you do, don't put the
magazine on the pile you reserve for times when you
are waiting for something else to happen. That pile
only gets bigger and bigger, and when you do get to it,
you can't possibly concentrate on the reading. Besides,
every magazine has a transient appeal. Some of the
content of a surveying magazine, of course, is never
outdated (e.g. historical material). But, on the whole,
it isn't a reference work, and should be read in a
timely manner. Pick out what interests to you most,
and plan to give it your full attention over lunchtime or
in the evening at home.

5. Fifth, at some point dig into the magazine. Consider it

part of your continuing education. Over a period of
time, a surveying magazine covers pretty much all the
facets of surveying, and each issue covers, in one way
or another, some part of its many facets. A word or

~ 54~
 two about the title of an article and its author: a title
is a word or phrase that forms part of a sentence. If
you can finish the sentence, you will have given a
succinct summary of the article. And authors generate
feelings when they publish their thoughts. Sometimes
familiarity with the author breeds contempt. No
author, however, should be dismissed only on
emotional grounds.

Without fuss, get to the meat of an article. Read

critically. At the same time, judge how well the article
is written. Don't get hung up on words. Follow the way
they are strung together. Each sentence expresses a
thought. Each paragraph should develop a point, and
the paragraphs together should make an argument.
The expository form of writing is more evident in a
scholarly article, but it has to be there in a magazine
article as well. Some really well educated writers for
surveying magazines just let the words spill on the
page and count on the sympathy of readers to make
sense of their writing. If you get confused or lost
reading an article, it probably isn't worth reading. On
the other hand, if you want to know where an article is
headed, read the conclusion first, then immerse
yourself in the argument. Finally, if you take issue with
anything you read, write the editor. If you like
something, compliment the author. Otherwise, the
readership is like a black hole.

6. Sixth, don't ignore the ads. The fl ashy ones throughout

the magazine promote good surveying as much as any
written material. Though we can't always buy the
latest equipment as soon as the manufacturers
publicize it, we must periodically upgrade or fall
behind, and the ads keep us abreast of developments.
The classified ads give a clue to what is happening in
the profession. We can't keep track of all that is

~ 55~
 happening, but we can gauge ourselves only by
knowing what other surveyors are doing.

After all that, if you don't know how to read a book and
want to learn, I'll gladly help you. I'll tell you, though, that
it isn't much different from reading a magazine (except for
the pictures). And if you are, as I suspect, the self-help
type, you might just look for a copy of the book and teach
yourself.

Taken from http://www.profsurv.com/magazine

Exercise 7

Read this passage carefully, then choose the best

answer of each question below!

Questions 1 – 4
The American architect and engineer,
Buckminster Fuller, was born in 1895 in
Massachusetts. He devoted his life to the
invention of revolutionary technological
designs to solve problems of modern
living. He is best known for his
development of the geodesic dome, which is an extremely
light and yet enormously strong spherical structure
composed of triangular pieces. The geodesic dome is an
application of his principle of deriving maximum output
from a minimum input of material and energy. In the
1950s many of these domes were built for military and
~ 56~
industrial uses. A considerable number of homes also have
been built using geodesic dome structures. Fuller was also
a controversial writer.

Among his many books are Nine Chains to the

Moon (1938), Ideas and Integrities (1963-an
autobiography), Utopia or Oblivion (1970), and Earth, Inc.
(1973).

Questions 5 – 10
Water on the earth is being recycled continuously in a
process known as the hydrologic cycle. The first step of
the cycle is the evaporation of water in the oceans.
Evaporation is the process of water turning into vapor,
which then forms clouds in the sky. The second step is the
water returning to the earth in the form of precipitation:
either rain, snow, or ice. When the water reaches the
earth's surface, it runs off into the rivers, lakes, and the
ocean, where the cycle begins again. Not all water,
however, stays on the surface of the earth in the
hydrologic cycle. Some of it seeps into the ground through
infiltration and collects under the earth's surface as
groundwater. Groundwater is extremely important to life
on earth, since 95 percent of the earth's water is in the
oceans and is too salty for human beings or plants. Of the
5 percent on land, only .05 percent is above ground in
rivers or lakes. The rest is underground water. This
groundwater is plentiful and dependable, because it
doesn't depend on seasonal rain or snow. It is the major
source of water for many cities. But as the population
increases and the need for water also increases, the
groundwater in some areas is getting dangerously low.
Added to this problem is an increasing amount of pollution

~ 57~
that seeps into the groundwater. In the future, with a
growing population and more toxic waste, the hydrologic
cycle we depend on could become dangerously
imbalanced.

Questions
1. Which of the following would be the most appropriate
title for this passage?
A.  The Geodesic Dome
B.  An American Architect
C.  American Architecture
D.  Revolutionary Designs

2. Which statement best describes the dome?

A. It uses a lot of material, but takes less energy to
construct than traditional structures.
B. It takes a lot of energy to build.
C. It is very spacious.
D. It takes less material and energy than traditional
structures.

3. A geodesic dome is closest in shape to ………….

A. a tube
B. the end of a box
C. a half of a ball
D. the tip of a triangle

4. Fuller wrote about his life in his book ………….

A. Ideas and Integrities
B. Utopia or Oblivion
C. Nine Chains to the Moon
D. Earth, Inc.

5. Clouds are formed from ……….

A. water vapor
B. evaporation
C. the hydrologic cycle
~ 58~
 D. groundwater

6. Water returns to the earth by ………

A. infiltration
B. pollution
C. precipitation
D. evaporation

7. Groundwater _____
A. depends on seasonal rain
B. comes from toxic waste
C. is .05 percent of all water
D. collects under the earth

8. The amount of groundwater is ……….

A. about 95 percent of all water
B. less than 5 percent of all water
C. .05 percent of above-ground water
D. 95 percent of above-ground water

9. The supply of groundwater is getting low because of

…………
A. conservation
B. toxic waste
C. pollution
D. population increase

10. The best title for this passage is ……….

A. Water Conservation
B. The Hydrologic Cycle
C. Underground Water
D. Polluted Groundwater

~ 59~
 UNIT 8
READING NOVEL

Reading novels is great for building your vocabulary and

enhancing your own writing abilities. It's also a pleasant
way to pass the time when traveling (and can help keep
strangers from speaking to you if you're feeling anti-
social).
~ 60~
1. Read the "blurbs" on the inside and outside covers of
any book to familiarize yourself with the subject and
the author of the novel.
2. Glance through the table of contents to determine how
many chapters there are and how long each one will
be, especially if you are reading for a class.
3. Write a list of all the characters as they appear in the
story since relatively unimportant characters often
resurface at the end of the book. You can do this on
the inside cover of the book or on a small card you use
as a bookmark.
4. Read with a highlighter or pen in hand, marking
particularly interesting, important or repeated points.
5. Look for points at which the narrator is making some
sort of evaluation or judgment about the characters.
It's important to note whose "side" the narrator is on -
it may not be the side you would take.
6. Pay attention to dialogue: characters reveal many
things about themselves in their conversations with
others.
7. Make notes on what characters actually do in
comparison to what they say. They may reveal their
vices or virtues through actions that don't match their
words.
Taken from http://www.ehow.com/how_3649_read-novel.html

Novel example:

~ 61~
Tips and warning

 Keep your novel handy so that when you find yourself

with a few minutes of time (on the bus, waiting for a
friend, eating lunch alone) you can get back to the
story.

 Read several novels at once: keep one on the

nightstand, one in the car, and one in your purse or
briefcase.

 Good settings for reading novels include rainy days at

home and sunny days at the beach.

 Keep a good, unopened novel on hand for sick days.

 For a "good read," gather provisions such as snacks and

cold or hot drinks, put on your most comfy clothes,
kick off your shoes and recline somewhere quiet.

Exercise 8

~ 62~
Make a group, and then find out one novel. Discuss it
with your friend and present the novel in the class!

Read short story below and answer the question!

A Friend of the Wind

(The Jakarta Post – July 31, 2005)

“Mom, can you tell me again about daddy?” begged

five-year-old Fayi, asking again about where her
father had gone.
Laela took a deep breath. She felt utterly
bewildered every time Fayi asked the question. So
as not to disappoint her beloved daughter, Laela
had made up a story about Fayi’s father, Har, and
that he had gone to a place far above in the sky.
“Who did he go with, Mommy?” Fayi’s voice was
slowing, a sign that she was getting sleepy.
“He went there with the wind.”
“Can I be the wind’s friend, too? So I can go to
daddy? I miss his Cinderella,” said Fayi.
Hearing this, Laela was deeply touched. She
wanted to cry, but she held it in, not wanting to
shed tears in front of her daughter.
“You certainly can, honey. But wait until you can
fly a plane like your daddy.” Laela touched Fayi’s
hair tenderly. After Har’s death, Fayi was the only
one Laela cared about – her life was dedicated to
Fayi.
“Can I fly a plane like daddy some day?”
“Of course dear, but you have to promise Mommy
to be a good girl and study hard. So later, when
you fly a plane, the wind won’t disturb you
because it is your friend.”
“I will, Mom.”
Fayi stretched and yawned.
“Now, it’s time for bed,” Laela cooed.
~ 63~
Her eyes half open, Fayi murmured, “I want to
hear about Cinderella. I want to hear about her
beautiful glass shoes.”
Laela gave in to her daughter’s wish and picked up
a book from the nightstand. She opened it and
started to read in a soft voice.
About twenty minutes later, Fayi’s breathing
became heavy, and she fell into a deep slumber.
Slowly, Laela put the book back on the nightstand.
She tucked a striped blanket around Fayi and gave
her a good-night kiss on the brow. Then she turned
off the lights, leaving Fayi with her beautiful
dream about the wind.
It was the dead of night, but Laela could hardly
close her eyes. An image of Har seemed to float on
the bedroom ceiling. It was so clear, as though he
was trying to contact her.
She tried to concentrate, making an effort to
follow the image as it moved to and fro. Har’s face
was so calm and peaceful. He even looked more
handsome than in life. Laela’s eyes were glued to
the pattern it made on the ceiling. Strangely, it
left a faint trace of words, a farewell.
Quick as a flash, she got up. Was it just a dream?
But why was it so clear?
***
She recalled a moment with Har, in a fancy
restaurant at five-star hotel, celebrating their
second anniversary. Har didn’t talk much then,
and simply said that he was deeply in love with
her.
“Will you love me for the rest of your life?” Har
asked.
“Yes, of course Mas. I loved you from the first
moment I love you,” Laela said.
Har didn’t reply, but his eyes shone with
happiness, and he took something out of his
pocket. It was a diamond ring.
~ 64~
“This is the gift for being my soul mate,” he said.
Laela was surprised and overjoyed. “Ooh, Mas Har,
it is really beautiful.”
It fit her finger perfectly.
“Mas, I’d like to tell you something – something
I’ve been hiding from you,” Laela teased.
“What is it, dear?”
“I’m two months pregnant.”
“What?? Really?? Oh, bless the Lord. I’m going to
be a father!”
Unable to control his joy, Har clasped his wife’s
hand and kissed her long. It was absolute
happiness. Life was so good.
Seven months later, Laela delivered a healthy
baby girl, whose nose was pointed like her
mother’s, and her round eyes took after her
father’s. They named her Fayi, which was Arabic
for sweet fragrance. Laela and Har wanted her to
grace those around her with her sweetness.
As she grew, they could see Fayi was a smart child.
During his days off, Har spent all his time with
Fayi, reading Cinderella to her.
Life is like a rainbow, thought Laela – full of bright
colors, beauty and mystery. We cannot touch it, no
matter how hard we try. In the end, it disappears,
its cheerful and lively colors gone for good.
***
Day by day, Fayi grew under her parents’
undivided attention, and had already started
kindergarten.
One week before the shocking news came, Laela
often caught sight of Har, who had become fond of
watching Fayi as she slept. Laela was curious about
this, but she was reluctant to find out what had
caused the change of behavior.
Another unusual thing she noticed was Har’s face.
It looked sallow and drawn, loosing its radiance. It
was like the moonlight, how it disappeared
~ 65~
gradually as the morning sun rose to show off its
power.
The day before he was to fly, Hardid’t say goodbye
as he usually did. Kissing his wife on the forehead,
he then drew Laela to his chest, whispering in her
left ear. “Please take care of Fayi and be strong.”
That was the last thing he said. It sounded strange
to her, but Laela just nodded, as a loyal wife
should. Then Har went to Fayi’s bedroom and
kissed her goodbye on both cheeks. Two days later,
Laela’s life was shattered: Jumbo jet flown by
Capt. Hariman falls into Indian Ocean. The cause
was a violent storm. Everyone on the plane was
missing.
Why did this happen to me? Not now, it’s too soon.
We’ve just started to be a family, facing our
future together. He is a good husband, and
Fayistill needs a father who can drive away the
evil spirits at night. She still needs Cinderella,
and...and...
Be strong Laela, his words reverberated in her
ears.
Days went by without Har. Silent, gloomy, dull.
Like a sunrise that was too shy to rise and erase
the night, in her heart, Laela was unwilling to let
Har go. She was afraid whether she could raise
Fayi on her own. What she should answer when
Fayi asked about her father. Doubt cast a shadow
over Laela’s future.
Be strong Laela. There it was again.
***
Leaving Fayi’s bedroom relieved Laela for a
moment. It had taken several times for her to
compose the story about Har’s journey to the sky
with the wind. Fayi never tired of listening to the
same story, again and again, and she seemed to
have become obsessed with the wind ever since
she heard the story.
~ 66~
 Laela went into the living room, gazing at the big
family portrait of the three of them, Fayi in
between her and Har, smiling her childish smile.
Laela stepped closer to it and touched the figures
in the picture one by one, including herself. That
time was all too brief, but it was full of happiness.
Touching Har’s face, Laela’s spirit revived
gradually. She remembered her last promise to
him. Let the past be buried. The future was for
Fayi and Laela. From this point forth, Laela vowed
in front of Har’s smiling, nothing would separate
them.
A sudden loud noise came from Fayi’s bedroom.
Laela came back to herself, waking from her
thoughts. Hurrying, she went into her daughter’s
room to see what was going on. Stopping just
inside, Laela couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
The window was wide open, the wind gently
blowing into the room. Fayi was on her bed, her
arms stretched out, and the wind surrounded her
as though it was protecting her from the dark
night and evil spirit.
Now Laela knew that Fayi was really a friend of
the wind.

Questions:
1. Who is Fayi?
2. Who is another names include in the short story?
3. In what Genre is this short story?
4. What the ending of the story?
5. What is the story talking about?

~ 67~
 UNIT 9
READING SCRIPT

How to Read a Script Quickly and Efficiently

~ 68~
A script is the structural bones of a film, television
program or stage production. A script or screenplay has
dialogue, scene descriptions and directions. It does not
have the same descriptive components like a novel.
Similar to an outline, a script needs to be read as
something that will be performed. If you are working on a
production or deciding whether you want to work on it
yourself read a script quickly and efficiently by first
understanding its format.

Instructions:

1. Understand the basic format of a script. A script has

acts, which break it up into a beginning, middle and
end. The acts are broken into scenes, where the action
takes place, and the scenes contain short descriptions
and dialogue from the characters. Writers may also add
directions for the actors. Once you understand the
format, you can read it more quickly.

2. Read the first ten pages and the last ten pages of the
script first. By reading the beginning you understand
the set up of the film. Then read the last few pages so
you understand what the outcome is. It will help you
read the middle section more efficiently. You will look
for the plot structure that leads you towards the
finale.

3. Pinpoint turning points in the screenplay and mark

them in the script with a pen. Turning points are when
something happens in the plot to change its direction.
For example, in the movie "Erin Brokovich," the first
turning point is when she forces Ed Masry, the lawyer
to give her a job. This creates an opportunity for her
and it changes the direction of the story. Hollywood
scripts usually have five turning points. Marking them,
helps you break down the script for easier reading.

~ 69~
4. Read through the scene descriptions and dialogue
carefully. Visualize as you read the script. Using care
to read it the first time through means you will not
have to reread any sections you skimmed over. You will
lose out on important details when you skim to quickly.

5. Write notes in the margins of the script rather than

separately. This will help find your notes more quickly
rather than using a notebook or scrap paper would.
Choose a pen color that stands out against the black
print of the script, such as red.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2171578_read-script-quickly-
efficiently.html

Exercise 9
Read and act this script in front of the class!

THE KING'S SPEECH

Written by
David Seidler

OPEN ON:

1 INT. BATHROOM, YORK HOUSE, LONDON - DAY

(MID-1930'S)

A shimmering surface of cold water - held in an immense, free

standing, white enamelled bathtub with gilded lion's legs -
bulges in SLOW MOTION to the chords of Handel's "Trumpet
Volunteer".

~ 70~
 A head emerges.

White gloved hands, in livery, rush to envelope the surfacing

naked wet body in white towels.

2 INT. DRESSING CHAMBER, YORK HOUSE - DAY

The ritual continues with crisp military precision.

CLOSE ON the Royal Coat Of Arms stamped in gold: lion and

unicorn embrace a shield divided into four quarters with harp,
thistle, and more lions denoting England, Ireland, Scotland and
Wales. The shield is surmounted by a crown.

This emblem is on a cuff-link fastened on a starched white

shirt.

Trousers, pressed to a knife-edge, are held for stockinged feet

and gartered legs to be inserted.

Mirror-polished boots are laced tight.

Jacket, held ready. Arms, shoulders, chest received.

Glistening medals attached to front of jacket create a dazzling

field of ribbons and medallions.

Epaulets, edged with gold braid tassels, are adjusted.

Polished buttons are fastened.

Multi-coloured collar clasped shut.

White ostrich feathers, topping a tri-corner hat, are fluffed

and placed upon brilliantined hair.

~ 71~
 PAN DOWN to the handsome features of Albert, Duke of
York, knownto his family as BERTIE. He's in his late thirties, the
secondson of King George V, the reigning King of England. He
conveys asensitivity which appears in conflict with the manner in
whichhe's been bedecked.

Reflected in a full length mirror, Bertie tells himself:

TKS/Seidler/09/17/08 3.

BERTIE
You look like a Christmas tree.

He smiles wanly.

3 EXT. INNER COURTYARD, YORK HOUSE, 145

PICADILLY - DAY

THE ROYAL STANDARD flaps atop a gleaming chrome grill.

Liveried footmen open the doors of a stately Austin Princess.

Bertie exits York House with his young wife - ELIZABETH -

considered by all to be one of the loveliest women in the land,
truly an English rose. Golden Labradors and Corgis appear
from all directions, weaving between them, barking boisterously,
creating a happy chaos.

Elizabeth and Bertie glance upwards and wave.

Two little girls, LILIBET and MARGARET ROSE, aged eight

andfour, wave back from their nursery window.

~ 72~
4 INT/EXT. AUSTIN PRINCESS, HYDE PARK CORNER
- DAY

Bertie nervously lights a cigarette. Elizabeth pats his hand.

ELIZABETH
Buck up, Bertie. The BBC said it wouldn't
rain.

BERTIE'S POV - Speaker's Corner with its assortment of

orators,prophets, protestors, and onlookers gathered around
soapboxs, agreeing, disagreeing, shouting comments. Others carry
placards, sing protest songs. A miners' strike is the focus of
the day.

A large, rather untidy workingman with a florid rosacea nose

spots the passing Austin and stares at the occupants.

REVERSE ANGLE - Bertie's face stares back.

The first drops splatter against the glass. Elizabeth sighs.

ELIZABETH (CONT'D)
Never trust the wireless.

Bertie's face is obliterated by the increasingly heavy

downpour,which segues into a GARGLING sound.

http://www.imsdb.com/scripts/King%27s-Speech,-The.html

~ 73~
 UNIT 10
CRITICAL READING

4 LEVELS OF READING COMPREHENSION SKILL:

1. LITERAL UNDERSTANDING
2. INTERPRETATION
~ 74~
3. CRITICAL READING
4. CREATIVE READING

CRITICAL READING SKILL IS A PROCESS OF QUERYING AND

EVALUATING A TEXT WHICH SURPASSES THE SKILLS OF
INTERPRETING THE TEXT LITERALLY.

CHARACTERISTICS OF CRITICAL READERS:

Understand how to ask, analyze, and evaluate

Critical readers start to develop their critical reading

skill by conducting a questioning habit to critically
interpret the writer’s ideas.

TECHNIQUES OF DEVELOPING STUDENTS’ CRITICAL

READING SKILL:
1. EVALUATING THE CONTENTS OF A READING TEXT
2. IDENTIFYING FORMS OF CRITICAL READING TEXTS
3. DETECTING TECHNIQUES OF PROPAGANDA
EVALUATING THE CONTENTS OF A READING TEXT:
• What do I know about the writer?
• Is the writer an expert on the substance of the text
s/he wrote?
• How recent is the text?
• What public policy does the issue of this text bring?
• Where was this text written?
• Do I have the background knowledge that suits the text
so that I can make a brilliant evaluation on it?
• What reasons does the writer have in writing his/her
text?
• What emotion contains in the text?
• Is there any hidden motive that the writer has in
writing the text?
• In what aspect does the text relate to my need?
• Is the information given complete?
• Are the facts described true?
• Are the reasons presented logical?
• Are the conclusions provided reasonable?
~ 75~
IDENTIFYING FORMS OF CRITICAL READING TEXTS:
1. Distinguishing between Factual and Opinion Information
• I believe, he thinks, apparently, it seems as
though, probably, may, should, it appears that, in
the author’s judgment, chances are, obviously,
possibly, it is likely, it sounds as if, they say that,
it seems that.

2. Emotion Provoking Words

• overwhelmingly, savagely, shocking, brutal,
tremendously, devastatingly, plunge, and destroy.

3. Slogan Effects
• What are they really saying?, Are there facts to
support the claims?, What is the slogan trying to
make you do?, etc.

4.Being Aware of Incorrect Logic

DETECTING TECHNIQUES OF PROPAGANDA
1. Name calling
e.g. slacker, lazybones, two-faced, parasite,
communist, un-American, scrawny, skinny, skeletal, bony,
poor sport, undernourished, famished, weak. a two-faced
politicianliving like a parasite.

2. Glittering generality
e.g., American, Uncle Sam, freedom, truth, good
looks, motherhood, dan beauty.

3. Transfer
e.g. Medica Company claims Calso Capsules will
cure the common cold.

4. Testimonial
e.g. A famous celebritySophia Latjuba says Orang
pintar minum Tolak Angin (Smart people take Tolak Angin)

5. Plain folks
~ 76~
 e.g. Bob Wilson, candidate for mayor, was seen
playing basketball at school.

6. Card stacking
e.g. This car is the latest thing in speed, power,
and luxury.

7. Band wagon
e.g. All young people are using Klenzo toothpaste.
You try it too!

CRITICAL READING SKILL IS THE THIRD LEVEL IN THE

READING COMPREHENSION CATEGORY. IT IS CUMULATIVE-
ONE CATEGORY DEPENDS ON THE OTHER.A CRITICAL
READER:
- KNOWS HOW TO ASK, ANALYZE, AND EVALUATE
- CAPABLE OF IDENTIFYING THE DIFFERENCES OF FACTS
AND OPINIONS
- BECOMES OPEN-MINDED
Exercise 10
Example of a Critical Reading Exercise
Last week, Rahman’s wife had an accident.
Rahman’s youngest child, Yusof, was at home when it
happened. He was playing with his new toy car. Rahman
had given it to him the week before, for his third birthday.
Suddenly Yusof heard his mother calling “Help!
Help!” He ran to the kitchen. His mother had burnt herself
with some hot cooking oil. She was crying with pain and
the pan was on fire.
Rahman had gone to his office. Both the other
children had gone to school. Yusof was too small to help
his mother, and she was too frightened to speak sensibly
to him. But he ran to the neighbor’s house and asked her
to come and help his mother. She soon put out the fire and
took Yusof’s mother to the clinic.
When Rahman came home, his wife told him what
had happened. He was very proud of his son.”When you
are a man, you will be just like your father,” he said.
~ 77~
Read the facts stated below. Choose which facts can be
inferred from the text.
1. Rahman had three children.
2. Yusof was three years old.
3. Yusof was playing in the kitchen.
4. Rahman’s wife was frying something.
5. Rahman was a clerk.
6. Yusof had a brother and a sister.
7. Yusof help his mother alone.
8. Rahman’s house was not isolated.
9. The neighbor was a nurse.
10. Yusof’s mother needed medical treatment.

EXERCISES

TOEFL PowerPrep
1. W : I’ve been looking all over for Peter. I've got a
book of his that he left behind in the cafeteria.
He might need it for his test tomorrow.
M : I met him a few minutes ago, and he said he was
headed for the study hall at the student center.
Q : What will the woman probably do next?
a) Begin studying for a test.
b) Go to the student center.
c) Go to the cafeteria.
d) Try to find her book.

2. M : At this rate, I don't think I'm ever going to get

better at writing. My composition marks
have been the same all semester, straight C's.
W : What does your instructor say is keeping
your marks down?
Q : What does the woman assume?
a)Most of the students are getting low grades.

~ 78~
 b)The instructor is not very helpful.
c)The man has spoken to his instructor about his
work.
d)The man will not be able to improve enough
to raise his marks.

3. W : Did you hear that a real professional theater

company has scheduled a performance right here
on campus.
M : You bet I did. I haven't been this excited about
a campus performance since the musical
two years ago.
Q : What does the man mean?
a) He is looking forward to seeing the play.
b) He is not that excited about the performance.
c) He had not heard about the performance.
d) He is hoping to try out for the musical.

4. W : Kate's been working night and day to finish

her documentary for film class.
M : She could’ve been done by now. But she insisted
on being so independent.
Q : What does the man imply Kate should do?
a) Get someone to help with the film.
b) Ask for an extension of the deadline.
c) Concentrate harder on her schoolwork.
d) Stop complaining about her schedule.

5. M : Could I borrow your notes from this morning's

biology lecture? I'm so mad at myself because
I stayed up late studying and then overslept.
W : Well, if it makes you feel any better, you were far
from being the only one who didn't make
it this morning.
Q : What does the woman imply?
a) There were many people absent.
b) Her notes are incomplete.
c) The man should have gone to bed earlier.
d) She is mad at her biology Professor.

~ 79~
6. W : Oh, Richard, I didn’t expect to see you today.
I thought you work at the bookstore on
Thursday afternoon.
M : I do, but I’m switching days with someone else
so I can finish my lab report. I’ll be there on
Saturday instead.
Q : What does the man mean?
a) He was too ill to go to work.
b) He wants to quit his job.
c) He changed his job schedule.
d) He will be in the lab on Saturday.

7. M : I heard that modern art exhibition at

the university museum’s great. I've been trying
to get there, but I am so busy with papers
for my classes.
W : Well, It won't be here much longer. You really
ought to make time for it.
Q : What does the woman suggest the man do?
a) Ask her friends about the exhibition.
b) See the exhibition next time it comes to campus.
c) Spend some time studying about the exhibition.
d) Go to the exhibition soon.

8. M : I don't know how I'm going to get all of this done

tonight. I've got two chapters of history to read
and thirty calculus problems to finish for tomorrow.
And boy, do I have trouble with calculus.
W : Well, you know, it's usually best to get the hardest
work done first.
Q : What does the woman suggest the man do?
a) Get some help with the calculus problem.
b) Study his favorite subject first.
c) Start by doing the calculus problems.
d) Study more than he usually does.

9. W : Did you notice that the student concert is next

week?
M : Notice? I’m the one from the choral club who
will be taking tickets.

~ 80~
 Q : What does the man mean?
a) The concert conflicts with a club meeting.
b) He will not be able to attend the concert.
c) He will be in his music class then.
d) He will be working at the event.

10. M : You know, the smell of chemical preservative

from our biology lab gives me a headache.
Doesn’t it bother you, too?
W: Not any more. I have come to realize that
there are just certain things that biology majors
have to put up with.
Q : What does the woman imply?
a) The smell is intolerable.
b) She has gotten used to the smell.
c) She uses a different chemical than the man.
d) She is considering changing her major.

For reading aloud practice, read this article in front of

the class!

PUBLIC SPEAKING

Nothing will relax you more than to know you are properly
prepared. Below are 10 steps you can take to reduce your
speech anxiety.

1. Know the room - become familiar with the place in

which you will speak. Arrive early and walk around the
room including the speaking area. Stand at the lectern,
speak into the microphone. Walk around where the
audience will be seated. Walk from where you will be
seated to the place where you will be speaking.
2. Know the Audience - If possible, greet some of the
audience as they arrive and chat with them. It is easier

~ 81~
 to speak to a group of friends than to a group of
strangers.
3. Know Your Material - If you are not familiar with your
material or are uncomfortable with it, your
nervousness will increase. Practice your speech or
presentation and revise it until you can present it with
ease.
4. Learn How to Relax - You can ease tension by doing
exercises. Sit comfortable with your back straight.
Breathe in slowly, hold your breath for 4 to 5 seconds,
then slowly exhale. To relax your facial muscles, open
your mouth and eyes wide, then close them tightly.
5. Visualize Yourself Speaking - Imagine yourself walking
confidently to the lectern as the audience applauds.
Imagine yourself speaking, your voice loud, clear and
assured. When you visualize yourself as successful, you
will be successful.
6. Realize People Want You To Succeed - All audiences
want speakers to be interesting, stimulating,
informative and entertaining. They want you to
succeed - not fail.
7. Don't apologize For Being Nervous - Most of the time
your nervousness does not show at all. If you don't say
anything about it, nobody will notice. If you mention
your nervousness or apologize for any problems you
think you have with your speech, you'll only be calling
attention to it. Had you remained silent, your listeners
may not have noticed at all.
8. Concentrate on Your Message - not the medium -
Your nervous feelings will dissipate if you focus your
attention away from your anxieties and concentrate on
your message and your audience, not yourself.
9. Turn Nervousness into Positive Energy - the same
nervous energy that causes stage fright can be an asset
to you. Harness it, and transform it into vitality and
enthusiasm.
10. Gain Experience - Experience builds confidence, which
is the key to effective speaking. Most beginning
~ 82~
 speakers find their anxieties decrease after each
speech they give.

Reading Short story

Before the Appointed Time

(The Jakarta Post – February 25, 2007)

The night advanced slowly, signaled by the absence of

fried-rice vendor hitting a piece of bamboo with a wooden
stick, a summons to his customers. Quiet approached, covering
the hustle and bustle of the day, like a soundless lullaby.
Malida was still wide awake, she waited and waited,
waiting to hear the clock strike midnight. She had waited since
this morning.
She had decided to end all the problems and mental
sufferings of this life. She felt she could not bear the thought
of being neglected by the people she knew, people she had
taken care of, and people who should have loved and been close
to her because she already sacrificed everything for them.
Midnight was the right time. She didn’t want to see the
sunrise anymore and feel its warmth. It was too painful too
painful for her. It would simply bring back her severe pain. She
wanted to move to another part of life. She thought this world
was no longer a comfortable place in which to live. She felt
alone; lonely and useless.

~ 83~
 Malida had two teenage children. One was a boy, the
other a girl. She still remembered delivering the babies. It was
like a struggle between life and death and she would have done
anything to bring them into the world. Seeing their cute faces
and hearing their cries, Malida was very relieved, forgetting
the distress of pregnancy.
However, what had they done to their mother?
The boy had become a drug addict since going to
university. He lost his radiant face. He had sunken cheeks with
eyes curving inward, making him look like a ghost. He often
played hooky, and after that he completely dropped out of
school.
Malida had done everything to help him, but it seemed
her efforts were in vain. Finally, she sent the boy to a
rehabilitation center, but he’d not made good progress until
now.
Just like the boy, the girl had also left Malida in an
ocean of tears. She cried day and night, questioning why the
only daughter she had was like a wild horse. The girl had no
respect for her mother. She always went out at night and got
back drunk. Once Malida tried to talk to her, wanting to know
what was the problem. The response stunned Malida. The girl
said she had found happiness outside. When Malida raised her
voice, the girl did the same. Sometimes their conversation
ended up as an unpleasant row.
***
Malida felt as though she had no children anymore. Two
people coming from her own womb had turned out to be foes.
Now and then, there was a feeling of remorse for having them
in her life.
Problems emerged, one after another, endlessly. Then,
her husband, Birman, hurt her deeply. She could hardly believe
it when she found out that he had an affair with a young
woman. The woman came to Malida’s house looking for Birman,
saying she was pregnant.
Malida’s knowing about the affair did not make Birman
change his behavior. He did not seem to be concerned about his
family. He was like a man of violent passion. His passion for
young women made him blind to everything else. The latest
gossip said that Birman had had the affair with his new
secretary.

~ 84~
 Malida and Birman often had angry quarrels, sometimes
in front of the children. This was possibly the cause of the
children’s rebellion. Not getting attention from their father,
they protested by doing whatever they liked, finally bringing
them to the brink of ruin.
Home did not feel like a home any longer. It had turned
into a rumbling crater, ready to vomit forth its lava that could
destroy everything in sight. The family was in danger of
collapse because the main pillars of the household were so
brittle.
Malida did not know what to do. She simply cried – for
her family that had fallen to pieces, at being unable to manage
the family, for failing to be a good mother and wife, and for
being incapable of becoming a role model for her children. She
felt she was of no benefit to anyone, especially people living
under the same roof.
It was a useless existence.
Seeing a couple, or a mother and her daughter or son at
shopping malls, made Malida feel extremely envious. She
always wondered why it did not happen to her. Seeing family
together at a food court or a husband and a wife buying a gold
ring at a jewelry shop would drive Malida to tears. She would
quickly run away from the place, trying to soothe her
tormented heart.
Malida was unable to face life.
She was still waiting for the midnight. She wanted to
bring death on, a decision that she had thought about for
weeks. She had given up. Life had treated her unfavorably,
repeatedly tearing the happiness she imagined she had at the
beginning of her marriage.
She wanted to die in the middle of the night in order
that her soul could rise upward to the sky in silent darkness.
She wanted to meet her Creator directly, asking why she did
not find happiness I the world. Was happiness only for the
privileged few? Was she curse with bad luck? She wanted to call
God’s right and fair treatment into question.
Night showed its might. No sound was heard. Dark,
quiet, empty, frozen, cold, gloomy. Malida was ready,
imagining her long sleep. She would never wake up, slumbering
for good.
***

~ 85~
 Suddenly, the grandfather clock chimed twelve. Its
pendulum swung in harmony with the clock’s ticking, breaking
the silence of the night, the sign for Malida to get started. She
knew it, she did. Yes, this was the right time to close her eyes,
to shut out all memories of life, and to leave her problems
behind.
She swallowed some pills, many more than the
suggested dose. She was so calm. Then she combed her hair and
made the bed. Slowly, she set on the bed and put her body in a
resting position. She was ready for a journey, to the hereafter,
to the world without end. She took a deep breath, and then
closed her eyes submissively. She started counting. A few
minutes later, she was unconscious.
Suddenly, her body – covered by a thin bank of clouds –
was so light that it floated in the wind. It billowed higher and
higher, seemingly trying to touch unlimited sky. It kept moving
slowly upward to find a place on which to stand – a place where
there were no materials, individual or sexual desires, a
peaceful place.
Finally, she stopped at a vast ocean of cloud.
Everything was white, even the color of her dress. A gentle
breeze was blowing, swaying her hair slightly. From a distance,
a dot was visible.
Malida gazed at the dot that gradually became bigger
and bigger. It suddenly changed into a figure, a somewhat scary
figure. It looked like a man; she was dazed for a moment.
“Why have you come here?” He asked.
“I need a peaceful place.”
“Why do you need it?”
“The world does not give me peace. Children I used to love and
care for do not respect me anymore and the husband to whom I
am loyal does not care about me and ignores me.”

“It is not the time for you to be here, not yet.”

“Why?”
“You mustn’t know. I’m acting on a command.”
“What if I insist?”
“You will be put over there because you committed suicide.”

He pointed to his left side. Suddenly there was a

picture of something. She saw it clearly. A strong flame shone

~ 86~
fiercely. She could feel its intense heat, as though it would
sallow her whole.
Malida felt horrified by what she saw. She closed her
eyes as quickly as she could. She sweated profusely, her body
trembling with fear. When she finally opened her eyes, it was
gone.
“May I know who you are?” Malida asked. Her voice sounded
shaky.
He observed her intently. Then he spoke in a husky
voice. “I am The Angel of Death.”
His words mystified her. She felt as though she had no
bones. She knelt down on the ground, sobbing. The Angel of
Death came close to her. This time his face was not as fearsome
as it was, and his voice spoke with a gentle rhythm.
“Please go home, my child. When the moment has come for you
to be here, I will fetch you. It is not time yet. There are still
many things to do to help your beloved family. Believe me,
they need your assistance, and you will be successful at driving
the problems off. You are a strong woman.”
Then, he was gone, together with the white clouds
surrounding the place.
***
Malida opened her eyes, a tear rolling down her cheek. She was
lying on the bed. She saw the picture of her family hanging on
the wall in front of her. There they were: Birman, Malida, her
son and daughter, all smiling. Suddenly, a pledge formed in her
conscience. “I promise. I will keep the family intact.”

~ 87~
TOEFL Preparation

Scottish Independence

The majority of people in Scotland are in favour breaking

away from the rest of the UK and becoming independent,
according to a poll taken just before the 300th anniversary
of the Act of Union, which united Scotland and England.

A pair of Acts of Parliament, passed in 1706 and 1707 that

came into effect on May 1, 1707, created Great Britain.
The parliaments of both countries were dissolved, and
replaced by a new Parliament of Great Britain in
Westminster, London.

The poll showed support for independence for Scotland is

running at 51%. This is the first time since 1998 that
support for separation has passed 50%, and the first time
since devolution gave power to the country in 1999. Six
months before elections for the Scottish Parliament, these
poll results come as good news to the Scottish Nationalist

~ 88~
Party, who are hoping to make progress against Labour and
further the cause of an independent Scotland.

Many people have become disillusioned with devolution,

and believe that the Scottish Parliament has failed to
deliver what they had hoped it would; only a tenth have
no opinion. In fact, only 39% of those polled want to keep
things as they are.

1. Scotland and England……

A. have always been united.
B. want to break up the union.
C. have been united for a long time.
D. were united by war.

2. Great Britain……
A. was formed by an Act of Parliament in 1706.
B. was formed by two Acts of Parliament in 1707.
C. was formed by an Act of Parliament that came into
effect on May 1st 1707.
D. was formed by Acts of Parliament that came into effect
on May 1st 1707.

3. People who want indepence for Scotland……

A. are the vast majority.
B. are in the minority.
C. are the slight majority.
D. have decreased in number since devolution.

4. The majority of people wanted independence for the first

time.
A. before devolution.
B. in 1999.
C. after devolution.
D. before and after independence.

5. The results of the poll are good news

A. for Labour.

~ 89~
 B. for both parties.
C. for the Scottish Nationalist Party.
D. for devolution.

6. Most people's opinions of devolution

A. have gone up.
B. have gone down.
C. are the same.
D. make progress against Labour.

7. The number of people who want to keep things as they are

A. is greater than those that don't know.
B. is smaller than those that don't know.
C. is increasing.
D. is the majority.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

____________. 2005.Reading Comprehension Success in 20

minutes, New York: Learning Express, Inc.
Alderson, J. Charles. 2000. Assessing Reading. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
Beatrice & Linda. 2004. More Reading Power, New York:
Pearson Education.
Davies, Florence. 1995. Introducing Reading, London:
Penguin Group.
Day, Richard R. 1993.New Ways in Teaching Reading,
Virginia: TESOL, Inc.
Dubin, F. et. al. 1986. Teaching Second Language Reading
for Academic Purpose. Reading: Addison-wesley
Publishing Company.
Gilbert, Doris W. 1984.Breaking the Reading Barrier, New
Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Grellet, Francoise. 1981. Developing Reading Skills.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

~ 90~
Hartoyo. 1998.Individual Differences in Computer –
Assisted Language Learning (CALL), Semarang:
PelitaInsani.
Hornby, AS. 1987.Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of
Current English, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Husnaida, Nida. 2003.Reading IV, Jakarta: UIN Sahid
Jakarta.

Jones, Darolyn. M.S. 2004. Painless Reading

Comprehension. New York: Barron’s.

Michael A. Pyle and Mary Ellen Page. 1995. TOEFL

Preparation Guide, Nebraska: Cliffs Notes.
Nuttall, Christine. 1996. Teaching Reading Skills in Foreign
Language. Oxford: Heinemann English Language
Teaching.
Philliphs, Deborah. 2001. Longman: Complete Course for
the TOEFL Test. New York: Pearson Education
Company.
Poedjosoedarmo, Gloria. 2005. Innovative Approaches to
Reading and Writing Instruction. Singapore:
SEAMEO Regional Language Centre.
Oshima, Alice and Hogue, Ann. 1999. Writing Academic
English, Third Edition, New York: Longman.
Smith, Frank. 1978. Reading. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.

~ 91~
 READING IV
ADVANCE READING

(Extensive Reading and TOEFL preparation)

~ 92~
 Naf’an Tarihoran
Miftahul Rachmat

RI National Library Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Naf’an Tarihoran &

Miftahul Rachmat

READING IV
Advanced Reading (Extensive Reading
and Preparation for TOEFL)
……..Press, Serang, 2012
iii-91

ISBN: ………………………

~ 93~
“Reading is a source of learning and a source of
enjoyment”. (Paul Nation)

~ 94~
 PREFACE

Reading is one of the language skills and concurrently of

the basic subjects of the English Department. This subject
is given in the second semester of the study program until
the fifth semester and it’s usually given by different
lecturers in different semesters.

Experiences have shown that one of the constraints faced

by both lecturers and students in the teaching-learning
process is the absence of the definitive teaching materials
in the form of textbooks officially used in the program. As
we all may know, the existence of designated textbooks is
crucial to guarantee continuity of a program and proper
gradation and selection of the teaching materials.

~ 95~
This textbook of reading is compiled to help both lecturers
and students in the teaching-learning process so as to
avoid them picking up any materials which are available
but which may not be properly selected and graded.

It is hoped that this book will serve its purpose.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface i
Table of Contents ii

Unit 1 Extensive Reading 1

Unit 2 Finding Main Idea/ Topic 7
Unit 3 Reading Strategy 16
Unit 4 Types of Readers 23
Unit 5 Reading Solving 30
Unit 6 Guidelines for Reading Faster 36
Unit 7 Active Reading 47
Unit 8 Reading Novel 60

~ 96~
Unit 9 Reading Script 68
Unit 10Critical Reading 74
Exercises 78

Bibliography 90

Reading IV

(Extensive Reading and TOEFL preparation)

“Reading is a skill—and the more you use it, the better you
get at it. Conversely, the less you use it, the more difficult
it is.” (Jim Trelease’s stated)

S
ome students think that reading in English language is
very difficult for them, because it is not their native
language. The answer is most definitely: No! Reading
in English is like reading in your native language. This
means that it is not always necessary to read and
~ 97~
understand each and every word in English. Remember
that reading skills in your native language and English are
basically the same.

This book provided the material of reading for Extensive

Reading and TOEFL Preparation for student who study in
the university. The aspect that include in this book is
about the type of readers, active reading, critical reading
and so on. The materials were taken from various sources
in order to enrich students’ knowledge and to increase
student’s reading comprehension and speed reading, also
for students TOEFL preparation as one of the
competencies in language teaching learning.

It is hope this book has numerous function for increasing

students reading skills.

~ 98~