MIDTERM TEST (2) – CLASS EL204C

Time allowed: 60 minutes

DATE: 13 December, 2021
READING PASSAGE 1
Through the Eyes of a Child
Section I
A famous actor once said, “Play is the work of children. It is serious stuff.” He
couldn’t have been more correct. From a child’s point of view the world around
them is an endless playground. Everything is new and exciting, both visually and
emotionally. Although it may seem to most of us that children spend their time
aimlessly running around, screeching, or hiding, there is, in fact, a lot of skill
building, exploring, and problem solving going on at the same time.

Section II
Imagination at a very young age is free of any restrictions of social conformity. It
also has free reign over everything that surrounds them. Everyday objects can be
transformed in the blink of an eye to become a child’s prized possession. A simple
piece of wood can become a knight’s sword, a colorful flower a princess’s jewel.
This transformation doesn’t only stop at objects but extends into powerful role
playing, too. Becoming a brave knight or a princess is a child’s way of exploring
different scenarios and observing their outcome. These are the first steps they take
in attempting to socialize and gain social acceptance.

Section III
Most of us believe that gaining acceptance by a group, be it society in general or
the local tennis club, is mostly a phase teenagers go through. However, studies
have shown that toddlers, when in a group, often play together, even though they
are unable to communicate. This clearly indicates the need in all of us to join in
group activities. As children grow older and make use of their communication and
interactive skills, they often create storylines with individual roles for them to act
out. This is their way of exploring important social skills such as cooperating, ne-
gotiating, and sharing with others. Little do they know it at the time, but they will
use these skills throughout their lives.

Section IV
Other important skills children learn spawn from much more primitive urges, like
the urge to compete. Living species have competed with one another since the
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dawn of time, and humans are no exception. As we watch children at play we see
them competing with others as to who can climb the tallest tree, or which team can
run the fastest race. This is a prime example of developing their large motor skills
such as running or throwing, while their fine motor skills are not that far behind.
These skills include balance and hand-eye coordination, which is serious business
when attempting to scale a climbing frame in a playground.

Section V
However, there are also non-physical benefits from learning how to play with oth-
ers. Group leadership and devising winning strategies while playing games, en-
ables the young mind to learn social etiquette. This teaches them how to operate in
the best interest of a team rather than just looking out for themselves. Emotions
come into play when they are on the losing side as losing is learning to accept de-
feat. This is when children need extra guidance and attention to help them under-
stand that defeat is probably one of the hardest things to overcome not only in
childhood, but all through their lives.

Section VI
It is clear then that play isn’t that simple after all, and that it remains with us
through maturity. We never forget how to play, no matter how old we are. It’s just
that our toys become more sophisticated and our role playing more serious. So, the
next time you see a group of boisterous children at play, take heart! They are
simply preparing themselves for the future!

Questions 1-6: The reading passage has six sections I–VI. Choose the most
suitable heading for each section I–VI from the list below. Write the
appropriate letter (a–i) for each section.

1. Section I Heading: ____ a. The Importance of Play

2. Section II Heading: ____ b. Developing a Vivid Imagination
3. Section III Heading: ____ c. Learning the Game
4. Section IV Heading: ____ d. Team Sports
5. Section V Heading: ____ e. Playing on your Own
6. Section VI Heading: ____ f. Dealing with Emotions
g. Adults of Tomorrow
h. Playing and Socializing
i. It's All in the Game

Questions 7-12: Choose the best answer: A, B, C, or D

7. Section I suggests that

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 A. from a child's point of view a lot of work is done during playtime.
B. children run around aimlessly while screeching or hiding.
C. after playtime children often reflect on their skill building.
D. all children see is an endless playground around them.
8. It is important for children to role play because
A. it frees them from social conformity.
B. they can see different things when looking at everyday objects.
C. it broadens their imagination.
D. it is the first step in learning social acceptance.
9. It is observed that toddlers play together because
A. they lack the communication skills to do otherwise.
B. it is a phase they are going through.
C. they feel better when they have company.
D. they easily get bored playing by themselves.
10. We feel the urge to compete at a very young age because
A. we are constantly striving to become winners.
B. we are an exception in life's grand plan.
C. species have been doing it for millions of years.
D. we need to do things better than others.
11. Children need guidance and attention when playing games because
A. winning is the only way forward.
B. they need to accept defeat as part of a game.
C. they might never understand how to defeat their opponents.
D. losing is unacceptable.
12. Our ability to play
A. doesn’t disappear just because we get older.
B. stops when our childhood ends.
C. helps us remember our childhood dreams.
D. isn't that simple to do after all.

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READING PASSAGE 2: QUESTIONS 13-25
READING COMICS IS GOOD FOR YOU
A. Since their first appearance on newsstands more than 75 years ago, comic books
have been blamed for a range of social problems including juvenile delinquency
and have been condemned and even censored. But in recent years comics have
gained an extraordinary level of recognition, being transformed into Hollywood
blockbusters, entering bestseller lists (as "graphic novels," the name for their more
grown-up version) and receiving literary awards from the Pulitzer Prize (for Art
Spiegelman's Maus) to the Guardian First Book Award for Chris Ware's Jimmy
Corrigan. But have comic books and graphic novels truly shaken off their image as
"low culture"? And if so, can they play a positive role in the development of young
people's reading skills?'
B. One common myth about comics is that reading them can replace the reading
of other types of reading materials. Research shows that worry is mistaken. Boys
who read comic books regularly also tend to read more text-based material and
report higher levels of overall reading enjoyment, compared to boys who do not
read comic books (Ujiie & Krashen, 1996). In fact, some evidence supports the
idea that comic books provide a "gateway" to other types of reading material. For
example, some researchers have argued that the language of comic books can help
young people make the change from informal everyday language to formal written
language (Krashen, 1993).
C. Another popular myth is that the visual element of comic books makes them
more suitable for immature readers. In fact, comics can help readers develop a
number of useful language and literacy skills. The extensive use of images in a
comic book requires readers to develop two kinds of literacy: visual literacy and
comics literacy. Visual literacy is the ability to interpret the meaning of various
kinds of illustrations (Fenwick, 1998). Comics literacy refers to the ability to
understand a sequenced events or images, to interpret characters' non-verbal
gestures, to understand a story's plot and to make inferences (Lyga, 2006).
D. Comic books allow children to develop many of the same skills as reading text-
based books such as connecting narratives to children's own experiences,
predicting what will happen next and working out what happens between
individual picture panels. Even before children are ready to read text, comic books
can give them practice in making meaning from material printed on a page,
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tracking left to right and top to bottom, interpreting symbols, and following the
sequence of events in a story (Edmunds. 2006). According to L. Starr (2004),
comic books have been shown to be useful for beginning readers, since the reduced
text makes the language manageable. Comics expand children's vocabulary by
giving contexts to words that the child would not normally have been exposed to
(Grant, 2006). New readers can also learn story elements through reading comics.
Like novels, comics have a beginning, middle and end, main characters that
develop through conflicts and story climax. Comics thus introduce the concepts of
narrative structure and character development (Grant, 2006).
E. Comic books can help children with learning or reading difficulties. Research
highlights how a number of the features found in comics can be of benefit to those
with dyslexia and similar challenges, particularly the left-to-right organization of
comics' panels, the use of upper case letters, and the use of symbols and context to
help with comprehension. As well, the research indicates that learners who can
read well and those with reading problems are equally attracted to comics.
Question 13-16
The reading passage has five sections, A-E. Choose the correct heading for
each section from the list below. Write the correct number, i-viii, next to the
sections.
List of Headings
i Different skills children learn from reading comics
ii How children with learning problems can benefit
from comics
iii An introduction to other types of reading through
comics
iv The social problems caused by reading comics
v A change in attitude towards comics
vi The importance of prediction in reading comics
vii The positive effect of images in comics
viii How reading comics affects second language learners

13.Section A …..
14.Section B …..
15.Section C …..
16.Section D …..

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 17.Section E …..
Questions 18-21: Look at the following statements (6-10) and the list of names
below. Match each statement with the correct name, A-E.
A. Ujiee & Krashen B Krashen C Fenwick D Edmunds E Starr

18. Comics help as an introduction to written texts.

19. Visual literacy means being able to interpret the meaning of different images.
20. It is possible that comics help children understand printed material before they
can read text.
21. Fewer words in comics make the language easier for new readers.
22. Boys who read comics generally enjoy reading.

Questions 23-25: Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

23. According to the writer in paragraph, comic books have been criticized for
A. causing social problems. C. making reading too easy
B. slowing down readers. D. making reading silly.
24. According to Fenwick, the comic images help the development of
A. many literacy skills. C. two types of literacy.
B. one type of literacy. D. no literacy skills.
25. According to Grant, comics help increase children's
A. grammar knowledge. C. reading speed.
B. confidence in reading D. vocabulary range.

THE END OF THE TEST

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