ENG100 ENGLISH ENHANCEMENT COURSE

MODULE 2 – DEVELOPING YOUR READING SKILLS

At the end of the module, you should:
1. preread, scan and skim reading texts;
2. locate key details and specific information in reading texts;
3. find the main and implied ideas in reading texts;
4. draw inferences from readings texts;

Prereading
Reading is not simply identifying words on a page. It is connecting what is found on the
page with what is known. Certainly, you learn new things from your reading, but you also
learn them only by building on information and ideas you already have. Aware readers draw
on their prior knowledge, what they know of a topic before reading the selection. It is very
important to connect what you are reading with the word you are familiar with.
Prereading – thinking in advance about a topic before you read – helps you prepare for
the words on the page.

Reading
Certain reading tasks require the reader to skim material quickly. Skimming is reading
by the signposts or clues in the selection. It is fast reading in which the reader reads headings
and topic sentences and spot-reads parts of paragraphs. By identifying these markers, he skips
materials which are not of immediate interest to him. Skimming can also be very effective as a
preliminary step to reading a selection more thoroughly. It gives the reader an overview of the
material (Villamin, Salazar, & Gatmaitan, 1998).

Scanning, on the other hand, is glancing through a page to locate a particular kind of
information. For example, a traveler may scan the shipping or flight schedule to make travel
plans. Or a television viewer may scan the TV guide to be on time for a movie showing on HBO
or Cinemax. Scanning requires the reader first to identify the key words or phrases related to
the information sought and then to focus attention on just those words as he glances over a
page (Villamin, et al., 1998).

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 ENG100 ENGLISH ENHANCEMENT COURSE

EXERCISE 1. Directions. Lianne Isabelle and her cousins were scanning and skimming the
movie page of a newspaper. They wanted to watch a movie and here are the choices.

TRAILER A TRAILER B

Don’t miss it! See Dracula with his

Don “ The Dragon” Wilson “ highest
beautiful women as you have never
rated kickboxer of all times”
seen him before.

TRAILER C TRAILER D

LONG BEFORE THE WEST WAS A tough policeman teams up with a

WON, THERE WAS A LEGEND smart kid to solve a crime that
THAT HAS NEVER BEEN TOLD … revolves around hilarious
UNTIL NOW … situations …

TRAILER E TRAILER F

“ An absolutely unforgettable love

In the classic tradition of Walt Disney
story…an incredibly beautiful girl
Pictures comes a story of animal
turns the heart of a cynical
courage, adventure and friendship.
millionaire a-flutter”

TRAILER G TRAILER H

Strangely small, evil creatures who

WHAT YOU CAN’T HEAR COULD
come out at night…They’ll grip
KILL YOU!
you…

Now, identify the movie title, theme and director of each trailer. A sample has been done for
you.

Example: Trailer H comes from Leprechaun, a horror fiction about nocturnal evil dwarfs.
The director is Mark Jones, creator of terrifying movies.

MODULE 2 DEVELOPING READING SKILLS II PROF. MARIA CECILIA M. JALBUENA p. 2

 ENG100 ENGLISH ENHANCEMENT COURSE
MOVIE TITLE
1. Kung Fu Masters
2. Homeward Bound:
The Incredible Journey
3. Pretty Woman
4. Love Bites
5. Listen to Me
6. Spaghetti Western
7. Cop and a Half
8. Leprechaun
MODULE 2 DEVELOPING READING SKILLS II PROF. MARIA CECILIA M. JALBUENA
THEME
a. the story of a man who has
been dead for 300 years and
his romantic exploits
b. a film about a cowboy
hunted down by the law
c. a story about a kid’s
fantasy and a detective’s
nightmare
d. a martial arts movie
featuring flying kicks and
high-leaping stunts
e. the saga of a dog who
battles the elements to save a
puppy and a kitten
f. an account of love at first
sight between two vastly
different people
g. a horror fiction about
nocturnal evil dwarfs
h. a suspense thriller about a
deaf woman who witnesses a
crime
DIRECTOR
i. Martin Kove, whose
love scenes sizzle on screen
ii. Kimberly Foster, who
humorously depicted that
finding love can be a pain in
the neck
iii. Al Watson, who presents
a wholesome family saga of
canine devotion in
adventurous trek across the
snow
iv. Enzo Castellari, who
specializes in horseback
chases and shooting scenes
v. Burt Reynolds, who
delivers a delightful action
comedy for young and adults
alike
vi. Laura Mars, the master of
psychological suspense
classics
vii. Keith Sun, whose
expertise is the Asian action
movie genre
viii. Mark Jones, creator of
terrifying movies
p. 3
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Locating Key Details and Specific Information

To find key ideas and specific information in sentences while reading texts

• ask who or what the sentence is about.

• ask what the person or object is doing or what is happening to that object or
person.
• learn to separate minor details from the main idea. Many words in sentences
describe things about the subject of the sentence and merely add details around
it. If you ask when, what kind, where or why, you will find the details. This
makes it easier to separate the key idea.

The starting point for determining the key idea is finding out who or what the sentence
is about and what the person or object is doing. Now, read the following input text.

Che Che Lazaro’s 20-year journey

For veteran broadcast journalist, producer and educator Cecilia “Che Che” Lazaro, this
year’s recipient of the Gawad Plaridel Award, the 20-year trip where she now stands is all about
focusing on a goal holding on to beliefs and abiding by personal convictions.

My life as a communicator reflects my life as an independent producer. It started out as

a dream – a wish, if you will – to make a difference,” Lazaro said in a lecture on July 4 before
students and faculty members at the Cine Adarna of the University of the Philippines Film
Institute.

“In the end, I must say I got more than I bargained for,” she said.

Lazaro is the fourth recipient of the UP College of Mass Communication’s Gawad

Plaridel. The award is given out annually to a Filipino media practitioner who has excelled in
print, film, radio, television or the new media.

The driving force behind the first and longest-running investigative journalism TV
show, “The Probe Team,” Lazaro was cited for consistently upholding the highest standards of
professionalism and for guarding and promoting integrity in the broadcast industry, where
commercial ratings have time and again compromised both the content and form of television
shows, including news and current affairs.”

EXERCISE 2. Directions. On the blank, write the letter of the choice that will best complete
the sentence.

Example : Integrity in the broadcasting industry means B.

a. attacking and collecting c. garnering awards
b. being honest and straightforward d. being in primetime

MODULE 2 DEVELOPING READING SKILLS II PROF. MARIA CECILIA M. JALBUENA p. 4

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1. A personal conviction is a ______________.

a. doubt c. uncertainty
b. passion d. prison sentence

2. An award that is given annually is handed out _____________.

a. twice a year c. every five years
b. monthly d. once a year

3. Cheche Lazaro hosts the most durable television show in the country called __________.
a. The Probe Team c. Gawad Plaridel
b. Cine Adarna d. Film Institute

4. There were ___________ other previous winners of the Gawad Plaridel award
before Che Che.
a. four c. two
b. three d. many

5. “The Probe Team” is a show that specializes in _______________.

a. show business c. investigative journalism
b. news d. current affairs

6. As a media practitioner, Che Che Lazaro has excelled in ________________.

a. print
b. film c. radio d. television

7. Che Che Lazaro has been in the broadcast media for the last ___________ years.
a. twenty c. five
b. ten d. thirty

8. Too often, _____________ have influenced the content and form of TV shows.
a. commercial ratings c. advertisements
b. talents d. stars

9. The most important goal of any broadcaster is to uphold __________ in the industry.
a. talent fees c. ratings
b. integrity d. practice

10. The most important trait of a broadcaster is _____________.

a. attracting the viewers through scoops and exclusives
b. bargaining with ad agencies
c. leading a controversial life
d. living with one’s beliefs and personal convictions

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EXERCISE 3. Directions. Complete the sentence by filling in the blank with the appropriate
form of the capitalized word.
Example: CONTROVERSY She has never been a controversial broadcaster.

CONSISTENT 1. The company has ___________ upheld industry standards of ethics.

EXCEL 2. Gawad Plaridel encourages ____________ in the new media.
COMMUNICATE 3. Human _____________ can be expressed in various ways.
DRIVE 4. The __________ force of any company is its leaders.
DIFFER 5. The ___________ between you and me is superficial.
COMMERCE 6. ___________ airplanes may be rented in the island.
FORMAL 7. The speaker introduced the governor ____________.
JOURNAL 8. The best _____________ writes straight from the heart.
PRACTICE 9. My friend is a medical ___________ at Makati Medical Center.
RECEIVE 10. This year’s __________ of the Maria Clara Award is a farmer.

EXERCISE 4. Directions. Replace the underlined expression with an idiomatic expression.

Choose from the list below.

SPICK AND SPAN

Example: My room is my refuge, I try to keep it as neat as possible.

icing on the cake go from bad to worse egging them on

was in the red spick and span hang out
down in the dumps free and easy watch your step
over and out man to man an early bird
at face value fair game at the end of one’s tether

1. Because of the interviewee’s hostile comments, the broadcaster is about to lose his temper.

2. When we left the interview area, it was immaculately clean.

3. According to the latest newsroom bulletin, his condition seems to be deteriorating.

4. “I got your message very clearly, goodbye for now.”

5. The news anchor has always been unconcerned about social convention.

6. Che Che Lazaro is always ahead; she’s always one of the first to arrive for an appointment.

7. News analysts want to talk with their subjects openly and sincerely.

8. Because he lost his top rated show he was severely depressed.

9. The international award for Probe is a pleasant surprise to all its staff.

10. Before the businessman killed himself, his company was having liquidity problems.
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11. Oftentimes, news reporters can’t help associate with shady characters.

12. Documentary writers are not easily taken in by what appears to be on the surface.

13. The commentator was advised to be more careful about his actions or he might get in
trouble.

14. Unsuspecting women are easily taken unfair advantage of through Internet scams.

15. Bullying in campus, the news team found out, consists of urging students to try drugs.

Implied Main Idea

When the writer has not stated a main idea, but instead suggests the idea to you
through information in the paragraph, the idea is implied. An implied main idea is one
that is suggested.

Here is how to state the main idea in your own words:

• Try to figure out what all the details in the paragraph are trying to show,

not just a few of them.

• Make a complete sentence that names a person or an object and tells what

the person or object is doing.

• Do not look at just a few sentences in the paragraph to find out the main idea.

• Do not offer a statement that is too general as the main idea.

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Exercise 5. In each of the following selections, the main idea is implied. Read the
selections and the statements that follow. Then put a check mark next to the
statement that you think best gives the implied main idea most clearly.

1. The desire to escape the hard life and unemployment plaguing Philippine
society has driven women to contract marriage with foreigners they have never seen.
Brochures marketing Filipino mail-order brides insult not only Filipino women but also
white women. One brochure, for example reads” “Are you sick and tired of dominant
liberated white women? Do you want a sweet, docile wife who will be your mistress
and your maid? Go to the Philippines.” Another brochure even gives three months’
guarantee – that if the customer is not satisfied, he can return the woman!
Mananzan, M. J. The woman question

_____ a. Germany is a good place to find wives.

_____ b. Filipino and white women are victims of mail-order bride companies.

_____ c. Mail-order brochures give honest portrayals of the women.

_____d. White women are as insulted as Asian women in mail-order brochures.

2. Fish and seafood are excellent sources of protein in our diet, and most varieties
are also rich in vitamin B12. At the same time, fish is generally very low in fat, and even
the oily varieties of fish, such as salmon, trout, mackerel, sardines, herring and
anchovies, contain unsaturated fats which, unlike saturated animal fats, can be health-
promoting.
Verlag, C. Fish and seafood

______ a. Fish and seafood have the added benefits of being quick to cook.

______ b. Fish diets are easy on the digestive system.

______ c. Fish and seafood diets are beneficial to health.

______ d. Fish are very versatile in a whole range of dishes

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3. Parents may think spanking is effective because it seems to silence the child
right away, but ”it is usually effective only for the moment because the child is scared,”
explains a child psychologist. “He stops what he’s doing because he doesn’t want to get
hurt.” Spanking may work in the short term but it often begets long-term failure.
Uy, V. C. The case against spanking, Good Housekeeping

______ a. Spanking usually puts an end to the immediate problem.

______ b. Spanking works as a long-term solution to discipline children.

______ c. Punishment prevents children from resolving conflict effectively.

______ d. Children who are often spanked misbehave more.

4. Space is a dynamic thing. There’s the actual physical space between people –
and then there’s such a thing as emotional or personal space. A substantial part of
getting along with others is respecting and not violating each other’s space. Any kind of
staring whether at strangers or acquaintances is an outright violation of a person’s
space.
The concept of space, Cosmopolitan

______ a. The concept of space may be physical or emotional.

______ b. Physical display of affection is a violation of others’ space.

______ c. The concept of space differs from one person to another.

______ d. We should respect other people’s need for space.

5. Women who take excessive amounts of vitamin A early in pregnancy can

cause serious birth defects in their unborn children according to a Boston University
School of Medicine study. Researchers found that the babies of women who daily
consumed more than 10,000 international units (IUs) of vitamin A from supplements
were more likely to be born with malformations of the head, face, heart and brain.
When taken correctly during pregnancy, vitamin A is an essential nutrient in the baby’s
development.
Bray, J. E. Vitamin alert!, Reader’s Digest

______ a. Mothers who take wrong dosage of vitamin A may have defective babies.

______ b. Vitamin A is good for unborn children.

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______ c. The right dosage of vitamin A intake is 10,000 IUs.

______ d. Overdose of Vitamin A causes birth defects in the head, face, and heart.

6. Cross training used to be a word that was confined to the world of sports. Not
anymore. These days, the term is heard more frequently among high-flying career
people and professionals who are always on the lookout for better job opportunities.
Just as athletes today know that they can not just be mere runners, or weightlifters to
remain competitive, so do today’s crop of professionals, particularly those in the more
developed countries. The key is flexibility and skills upgrading to cope with multi-
tasking on the job.
Arceo-Dumlao, T. Developing a new breed of professionals,
Philippine Daily Inquirer

______ a. Professionals limit their chances when they are stuck in their jobs.

______ b. Many business opportunities are available in the global market.

______ c. The new breed of professionals is smart.

______ d. It pays to invest in knowledge and skills.

7. The world knows Pope John Paul II as a powerful religious leader with a
savvy command of the media. But the man who lives in the rarefied world of the
Vatican used to be an obscure but brilliant young Pole whose tragedy-clouded youth
was to haunt him for the rest of his life; an intellectual with little appetite for affairs of
state who learned to be a master of geopolitics. Above all, he was a man of prayer, but
one who worked closely with the top echelons of U. S. intelligence to save his homeland
and shape modern history in many interesting ways.
Bernstein, C., & Politi, M. John Paul II and the hidden history
of our time, Reader’s Digest

______ a. Pope John Paul II was well known when he was elected to the papacy.
______ b. Karol Wojtyla is a non-Italian pope.
______ c. The pope is media-shy.
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______ d. The pope worked to liberate Poland from communism.

8. Growing up without siblings is now the norm in some places. More parents
than ever are having just one child, whether by necessity or by choice. Better
contraception, delayed childbearing, more women in the workforce and the widespread
migration from rural to urban areas have all played a role. There’s another reason for
having fewer kids that today’s exhausted, overworked parents may be reluctant to
admit: it’s easier. And cheaper. “It increasingly results from a compromise between an
individual’s hopes for himself or herself and the dream of a family. With one child, it’s
more feasible, fiscally as well as emotionally for a family.”

Susan H. Greenberg, S. H. The rise of the only child, Newsweek

______ a. Around the globe, birthrates are falling.

______ b. Economically, having one child is advantageous.
______ c. Many parents want an only child to save on space.
______ d. Contraceptives dictate the number of children in many families.

9. In the United States alone, the total hardware and software market for
videogames is about $10.3 billion this year – on par with Hollywood, depending on
how you crunch your numbers. For the moment, most of those games are played in
front of a TV or a computer, or on a handheld Game Boy. A host of new or modified
game consoles built to take advantage of high-speed Internet connections are just
hitting the market. As software firms design more games for these machines, revenues
from online gaming, a paltry $2.5 million this year and $ 138 million next year, are
expected to soar to $ 2.3 billion by 2005.

Dickey, C. Let the games begin, Newsweek

______ a. Videogames now compete with Hollywood-made movies.

______ b. Videogames will grow as a competitive sport with a global following.
______ c. Videogames can be accessed via the Internet.
______ d. Videogames are a national pastime in most countries.

10. There’s no polite word for it, judging from what one hears or reads in the
media these days. Almost every Filipino – from the struggling poor, the educated
professional, to the plain rich – wants to get out of the country and seek greener
pastures abroad. If they can’t do it legally, they’ll do it in the time honored TNT (tago
ng tago) way. What makes this new diaspora alarming is that it includes Filipinos who
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previously never even thought of immigrating. It does not help that celebrities known
for their patriotism say that they, too, contemplate the option, if it means making a
better life for their children.

Llamas C. Exodus, Metro

______ a. Most Filipino immigrants are patriotic.

______ b. It’s all right for Filipinos to immigrate.
______ c. Many Filipinos leave the country.
______ d. Most Filipinos leave for greener pastures.

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