UNIT 2

READING SIGNS AND NOTICES

Introduction
Reading signs requires practice and skill. Readers have to understand the symbols
that the sign is trying to convey, especially a symbol or drawing of street and highway sighs.
They carry important message for drivers. They tell them the traffic laws. They even direct
drivers to telephones, gas stations, and rest stops. Therefore, everyone should practice
reading signs and get familiar with them as it is useful.
1. Reading Signs
Warm – up activity: Match the sign with its meaning correctly.
1. a. No handicap barriers.

2. b. Slow down and watch for school children.

3. c. The fastest safe speed is 55 miles per hour.

1.1 Street and Highway Signs

Street and highway sighs are grouped in three different categories.
The first category is referred to as Regulatory Sighs.
These signs tell the readers about the speed limits and other traffic laws. Most of the
regulatory signs are white with black letters.

This sign means the drivers should keep to the right of an obstruction.

This sign refers that the drivers do not drive onto any street or enter any highway
with
 The second category is referred to as Warning Signs.
Warning signs are yellow with black letters. They are usually diamond – shaped.

Traffic island or obstruction ahead

Drive to either side.

This means pedestrian crossing, Watch out for people walking across
the highway.

Train may crossing highway, slow down and prepare to stop.

The third category is entitled Service and guide signs.

These signs tell you what to expect ahead. Guide signs are white and
green.

Route to the nearest hospital

Location of picnic label

Rest area

Exercise 1: Identifying regulatory signs. Match the signs with their meaning.

F G
_____1. No “U” turn.
_____2. No trucks allowed.
_____3. This sign means the opposite of “Go”
_____4. Slow down. Be prepared to stop for right-of-way drivers.
_____5. Turning lane.
_____6. Stay out!
_____7. Maximum safe speed is 55 m.p.h.
_____8. You’re driving in the wrong direction.
_____9. Drivers should keep to the right of an obstruction.
_____10. No right turn.
Exercise 2: Identifying warning signs. Match the signs with their meanings.

_____1. People crossing

_____2. Watch for bike riders.
_____3. Watch out for school children.
_____4. High way ahead has two-way traffic.
_____5. Watch for traffic moving into your lane.
_____6. Side road ahead. Watch foe vehicles entering highway.
_____7. Traffic light ahead. BE PREPARED TO STOP!
_____8. Rail Road Crossing.
_____9. Curve ahead.
_____10. Intersection ahead. Watch for vehicles entering, leaving, or crossing highway.
1.2 Language focus
Each sign has a purpose to convey the meaning to readers. There are many
purposes; to give information, to warn, to prohibit, or to command. This section will describe
about it in details.
1. Information signs: These signs are used on workplaces or factories to give
information of facilities. People might need them in case of fire and injury.

2. Warning signs: The signs often found on roads indicate the road or traffic situation.

3. Prohibit signs: Some signs order you not to do something.

 4. Rules or regulations signs: These signs are also widely used in workplace or
factories as rules or working regulation.

5. Order or command signs: Some traffic signs order you to do something.

1.3 Giving Instructions

Giving instructions is used for asking someone to do something and not to do
something as it might be dangerous of harmful. The way to give instructions is explained
below.
Positive
verb object adverbial
Wash This shirt In warm water
Shake Well before use

Negative
Do not/ Never verb object adverbial
Do not Feed infants
never expose to flame
Example
-call for an ambulance.
- Don’t put anyone injured out of a car.
- Always wear head protection.
1.4 Warning
There are different ways to express a warning. If you do not do as the warning tells
you, something bad may happen or you will be in danger. The structures used to express a
warning are shown below.
You must + verb = order
You should + verb = advice
Examples:
- You must fasten a safety belt while driving a car.
- You should follow the college regulations.
1.5 Ordering or Commanding
There are two ways to order or command which are using imperative sentence and
prohibition as the examples below.
Imperative
- Slow penguins crossing.
-Stop for police check.
Prohibition
- No smoking
- Don’t park here
Exercise 3: Look at these sighs and think where you can see it.
1 2 3 4

1……………………………………… 2……………………………………………
3……………………………………… 4……………………………………………
5……………………………………… 6……………………………………………
7……………………………………… 8……………………………………………
Exercise 4: Read the information below and match them with the sign
____1. MEN WORKING BELOW _____2. ROAD NARROWS
_____3. STOP _____4. NOT FOR TEENAGERS
_____5. PEDESTRAIN CROSSING _____6. FLAMMABLE
_____7. WEAR RESPIRATOR _____8. KEEP OFF THE GRASS
_____9. NO TRUCKS _____10. METERS HIGH

EFGH

Giving Giving Giving Regulation Giving order

Information warning prohibition

Exercise 5: Identify these signs

1…………shows you a sign for a handicap.
2…………suggest that “this area you cannot enter”
3…………shows you the way out.
4…………suggests you to be away from it.
5…………tells you not to smoke here.
6…………advises you not to cross the road.
7…………tells you that there is the room for rent.
8…………suggests you use the speed limit
9………..shows you where a library is.
10………tells you there is a woman in that room.

Exercise 6: Write the meaning of these signs in Thai.

1……………………………………… 2……………………………………………
3……………………………………… 4……………………………………………
5……………………………………… 6……………………………………………
7……………………………………… 8……………………………………………
9……………………………………… 10…………………………………………
Exercise 7: Complete the following using the words in the box.
always careful care open except

form proper to unplug clean

1. Please……………………..a queue.
2. Store cord in a ……………………. manner.
3. ………………….packing area.
4. Do not …………………. The valve.
5. ………………appliance when not in use.
6. ……………. Use a hammer of the correct size.
7. Be ………… not to break it.
8. Acid: Handle with ………………………
9. No admittance………………………….om business.
10. Please keep your room ……………………………. .

Exercise 8: Match the sign with its meaning.

Exercise 9: Read the notices and answer the questions that follow.
1. Which notices should each of these people ne attentive to ?
1.1 a bus driver ___________________
1.2 a visitor to a museum ___________________
1.3 a passenger getting on a but ___________________
1.4 a visitor to a public garden ___________________
1.5 a passenger on a plane ___________________
1.6 a car driver ___________________
2. Which notices tell you not to do something? ___________________
3. Which notices tell you to be careful ___________________
4. Which notices give information? ___________________
5. What to do these notices say?
5.1 NON-SMOKING AREA ___________________
5.1 MIND YOUR HEAD __________________
5.3 SPEED CAUTION __________________

Exercise 10: Explain the notices below. Where might you see each of these notices?

________________ _______________

________________ _______________

_________________ _______________
_________________ _______________

________________ _______________

Exercise 11: write a sign for each of the following situations.

1. If you do not want anybody to make a loud noise in the library.

What else can you say instead of “No Talking”?
_____________________________________________________________
2. If you do not want anybody to fish in your pond, what will you say?
_____________________________________________________________
3. What else can you say instead of “EXIT”?
_____________________________________________________________
4. You cannot take your dog to the public garden because there is a sign that says
____________________________________________________________
5. You are going to have a meeting with your staff in your office. You don’t want to be
interrupted, so you put up a sign the door. It says
____________________________________________________________
Bibliography
สาขาวิชาภาษาต่างประเทศ. (2540). การอ่านและการเขียนภาษาอังกฤษทั่วไป (Reading and Writing
for General Purpose).มหาวิทยาลัยราชภัฏสกลนคร.
Anonymous. Retrieved November 15, 2009, from http://www.nayoktech.ac.th/patima/
Communication2/14SignsAndNotices.pdf