CRITICAL READING 2 - COMPREHENSION

OBJECTIVE

Students should be able to;

1. Read a passage and identify facts and opinions

CONTENT

The United States

In the Beginning

The United States as we know it today is a very young country. It was founded in 1776. "Founded" means that it became a new country.

In 1776 there were already a lot of people living in the United States. Many of these people were British or had British ancestors (people in their family like a parent or grandparent).

When they arrived in the United States, they met the Native Americans. The Native Americans were people who already lived in the United States. Native Americans belonged to many different tribes (a small group of people who live together) and spoke many different languages. They helped the British find food and wood to build their houses.

Today, Americans celebrate this friendship between the British and Native American each Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a holiday in November when all Americans get together with family and friends and share a big meal. The meal always has turkey, which is a bird that the Native Americans and British ate many years ago. This is a special day when Americans think about how thankful they are for their family, friends, and everything they have in their lives.

After the United States was founded, more and more people began coming to the country. Soon, there was not enough room in the cities for everyone. People decided that they would explore the land out to the west. "Explore" means go and visit.

In the 1800s, President Thomas Jefferson sent two men named Lewis and Clark to explore the western part of the United States. Lewis and Clark had an amazing journey (trip) and came back with stories of plains (flat, grassy areas), mountains, deserts, and another ocean.

 

They said that people could live in the west. So, new immigrants to the United States began to settle the West. An "immigrant" is a person from another country who goes to live in a new country. As more and more people arrived, they moved further and further west.

They found farmland, new kinds of animals, and many more Native American tribes. They also found gold in the land that is now California. From 1848-1855, people moved west quickly to try to find their gold. This was called the California Gold Rush.

By the late 1800s and early 1900s, many people were living in both the eastern and western United States. People wanted to make it easy to travel and transport (move) food and materials from one coast to the other. This is when the railroads were built.

The railroads connected big cities in the east like New York and Philadelphia to big cities in the west like San Francisco. Railroads changed the United States and made it into the country it is today.

Today, most Americans fly or drive around the country when they want to travel. But the railroads are still an important way for food and materials to move around the country.

The United States has grown a lot since the first settlers arrived. Those first people had no idea that the country they founded would become so large and be home to so many different people.

Vocabulary Questions

1. What does "founded" mean?

a) When something is lost

b) When something is bought

 

c) When something becomes a new country

d) When something becomes an old country

 

2. What is an "immigrant"?

 

a) A person who is born in a country

 

b) A person who travels to a country but doesn't stay

 

c) A person who never leaves their own country

 

d) A person who travels to a new country and stays to live there

 

3. What are "plains"?

 

a) flat, grassy areas

 

b) mountain

 

c) deserts

 

d) oceans

 

Grammar Questions

1. The Native Americans ________ the British find food and wood to build their houses.

 

a) help

 

b) helped

 

c) had helped

 

d) will help

 

2. Soon, there was not enough room ________ the cities for everyone.

 

a) in

 

b) at

 

c) on

 

d) by

 

3) To connect the east and west, the railroads ________ built.

 

a) was

 

b) were

 

c) had been

 

d) will be

 

 

THEME: WRITING

LETTER WRITING - INFORMAL

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE

Students should be able to;

1. Identify the formats of Informal letter

CONTENT

What is an Informal letter?

An informal letter, also referred to as a friendly letter, is a personal letter written to friends or relatives. It is written in a personal fashion. You can write it to anyone with whom you have a non-professional relationship, although this doesn't exclude business partners or workers whom you're friendly with either.

There are fewer formatting rules for informal letters than there are for business or formal letters. The letter can be used for some reasons like conveying message, news, giving advice, congratulate recipient, request information, asking questions, etc. It is a personal letter, written to whom you are familiar with, like friends, siblings, parents or any other closed one. While writing an informal letter, one can afford to be friendly, and make use of personal or emotional tone.

Format of Informal letter

There is no set format when writing an informal letter. But there is a general pattern, some conventions that people usually follow. We will be looking at this pattern and certain tips on how to write effective and attractive informal letters. These can act as guidelines when you are drafting a letter; they are not hard and fast rules. Let us begin.

Address

The first thing to write is your address, i.e. the address of the writer (basically, the sender’s address). We usually write the address on the left-hand side of the page at the very top. The address should be accurate and complete. Even when writing to close friends or relatives the address must be written, so they can reply to the letter with ease. If the recipient of the letter is in another country, do not forget to write your country as well in the address.

Date

Next just below the address we write the date. This allows the reader to have a reference as to when the informal letter was written. He can then relate better to the contents of the letter. The date, preferably, should be in expanded form.

Greeting

Now since you know the person you are writing to, the greeting can be informal as well. If it is a friend or someone close to your age you can greet them by their first name, like “Dear Alex”. If you are writing to your relative like your mother/father/aunt/uncle etc, you may greet them as such, for example, “Dear Mom”. And if you are writing to an elder person, someone you respect greatly you can address them as Mr or Mrs Like say for example you were writing a congratulatory letter to your teacher, it can be addressed as “Dear Mrs Alex”.

Introductory Paragraph

And now we begin writing the actual letter. The introductory paragraph sets the tone for the whole letter. You might begin by asking the recipient about their well being. Or you may say that you hope the letter finds them in good health and great spirits. The opening of informal letters should be casual and comforting. It must not be formal and direct as in business letters.

Body of the Letter

The letter overall should maintain a friendly tone. But you have to adjust the language and the wordings according to who you are writing to. With a friend, you can afford to be very casual and flippant even. But if you are writing to an elder relative, you must be extremely respectful and considerate.

One way to determine the tonality of your letter is to remember how you talk to the person in a conversation. And then apply the same syntax and sentiments to the letter.

Conclusion

In the conclusive paragraph sum up the reason for writing the letter, i.e. summarize the letter. Say a meaningful and affectionate goodbye to the reader. And do not forget to invite the reader to write back or reply to your letter. It shows an intention to keep the conversation going.

Signature

There is no one way to sign off informal letters. Since they do not follow a strict format, you may sign off as you please. Some commonly used phrases are

 

Lots of Love

Best,

Best Wishes,

Kind Regards,

Kindly,

Pick the one that best suits the occasion and then simply sign your name below the greeting.

THEME: SPEECH WORK

ORAL COMPREHENSION

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE

Students should be able to;

1. Identify writer's moods and intentions

CONTENT

Readout loud the passage carefully:-

Discipline for democracy, development and decency in public life needs no reiteration nor does it require an expert to espouse its cause for personal pose and social solidarity. Discipline should be the order in public life is the crying need of the hour more than ever before. Discipline stands for training, especially of the mind and character, aimed at producing self-control, obedience in the face of temptation or provocation.

Discipline in public life ensures peace and harmony, which in turn offer impetus to the forces of progress and prosperity. No country, big or small, can afford to play duck and drakes with the deity called discipline. All talk of equity or social justices becomes a cry in the wilderness or a pompous promise if the ‘powers that be’ fail to comprehend and carry out the dictates of discipline at all costs and in all situations. With discipline as a way of life, all plans, policies and programs are bound to bear fruit. Whenever people in public life or private enterprise dilute the demands of discipline, most aspirations and achievements.

THEME: GRAMMATICAL ACCURACY

ADVERBIALS 2

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE

Students should be able to;

1. Identify adverbials in a sentence

Make sentences with adverbials

CONTENT

Identify the adverbials from this passages

The foolish drunkard

Deesa was a foolish drunkard. When he had made much money through the strength of his elephant, he would get extremely drunk and give Moti Guj a beating with tent-peg over the tender nails of the fore-feet. Moti Guj never trampled the life out of Deesa on these occasions. He knew that after the beating was over, Deesa would embrace his trunk and weep. He would call him his love and give him some liquor which Moti Guj was very fond of.

Human rights

It may seem that development is concerned with the standard of living and quality of life, while human rights are derived from notions of civil liberties and individual freedom. However, if we look carefully, we find that development can be defined as an expansion of people’s capabilities and opportunities, and an increase in their freedom of choice to the lives they lead. Similarly, human rights are also not merely limited to civil liberties; economic rights and the right to development can be brought under this ambit. The role of the state goes beyond a protective one to a promotional one. Once it is realized that freedom does not simply mean freedom from something but it also means opportunities. The focus of attention becomes the domain of opportunities that have to grow and develop and to meet their needs and to realize their capabilities.

This is a fruitful way to look at the concept of development in terms of opportunities, functioning, and capabilities. Amartya Sen has urged the adoption of a capability-based as against a Commodity-centred (or what he calls the ‘opulence’ approach) or even a utilitarian view of development. Looking at the concept of freedom in this manner, the notion of rights takes the form of right to something. Freedom is not just freedom from something; it can also mean freedom to do something or freedom to have access to something. This ‘something’ in our case is basic human needs.

Now along with oppression, deprivation, (or rather, its lack), has also been made a part of the concept of human rights. This is especially true in the case of economic rights. Here deprivation can be used in two senses – first, some individuals may be deprived of something, may lack something throughout; secondly, individuals may have had these things but have had these snatched away, taken away through exploitation or aggression. In this latter sense, deprivation becomes a part of the oppression.

THEME: LITERATURE

MYTHS AND LEGENDS 2

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE

Students should be able to;

1. Explain the theme of myth and legend

CONTENT

A myth is a traditional story, which may describe the origins of the world and/or of a people. A myth is an attempt to explain mysteries, supernatural events, and cultural traditions. Sometimes sacred, a myth can involve gods or other creatures. And, a myth represents reality in dramatic ways. Examples of Greek myth: Hercules, Hades, Achilles.

A myth is a traditional, typically ancient story dealing with supernatural beings, ancestors, or heroes that serves as a fundamental type in the worldview of a people. The purpose of myths is to account for the origins of something, explain aspects of the natural world, or delineate the psychology, customs, or ideals of society.

A myth is a story based on tradition or legend, which has a deep symbolic meaning. A myth ‘conveys a truth’ to those who tell it and hear it, rather than necessarily recording a true event. Although some myths can be accounts of actual events, they have become transformed by symbolic meaning or shifted in time or place. Myths are often used to explain universal and local beginnings and involve supernatural beings. The great power of the meaning of these stories, to the culture in which they developed, is a major reason why they survive as long as they do – sometimes for thousands of years.

A legend is a traditional tale handed down from earlier times and believed to have a historical basis. A legend is a story purported to be historical, but without substantiation. Examples are: King Arthur,  Robin Hood. Where evidence of the existence of actual historical figures exists, figures like King Richard are legends due in large part to the many stories that have been created about them.

Legend also refers to anything that inspires a body of stories, or anything of lasting importance or fame. The story is handed down from earlier times, but will continue to evolve with time.

 

A legend is a semi-true story, which has been passed on from person-to-person and has important meaning or symbolism for the culture in which it originates. A legend usually includes an element of truth, or is based on historic facts, but with ‘mythical qualities’. Legends usually involve heroic characters or fantastic places and often encompass the spiritual beliefs of the culture in which they originate.

Comparison between Legend and Myth     

     Legend                                                                             Myth

Evidence that events occurred / people existed?    Yes, but evidence may be insubstantial.     No

When and where did it happen?   Typically in more recent historical past. Usually from a specific culture.        Usually the ancient past from a specific culture.

 

Is it fact or fiction?      Facts are distorted or exaggerated. Some fiction.   No evidence to prove it as fact. Fictional stories explaining how “the world was created” or some type of natural situation that occurred on Earth.

Who are they about?   Notable people from history.        Gods, supernatural realm.

What are they about?  Often about heroic deeds, overcoming obstacles, but may also be about evildoing.     Traditional narrative that explains natural phenomena through symbolism and metaphor — often involves the gods of ancient cultures.

 

Features of Legend

1. Characters and Setting

 

Characters in a legend are limited to a small cast. They may be inanimate objects, gods, or humans with super traits. The gods are superheroes who may appear in human form, but maintain immortality and supernatural abilities. Legends typically take place in the past, and the setting is somehow relevant to the culture from which it derives.

Legends are usually based on real characters and events, even though these have been richly embellished and exaggerated over time. This gives the narrative an exciting quality because all the events seem to be within the realm of possibility even when the plot has become so widely adopted or updated that it is completely fictional.

2. Plot and Theme

A legend’s plot will include a lot of action, suspense and conflict. The characters of a legend are often faced with difficult obstacles to overcome, and struggle with their fate or destiny. Legends often explain natural phenomena, religious practices and human nature. They usually offer a straightforward moral or a lesson for life.

The plot of a legend usually focuses on an individual character, a cultural hero or a person respected and remembered (Jason, King Arthur, Robin Hood, William Tell, Roland) but there are also legends about places (Atlantis, Shangri-La), objects (the Holy Grail, the Philosopher’s Stone) and legendary animals (the Yeti, Loch Ness monster, Sasquatch, Chupacabra).

They also convey meaning about the way we live our lives that make them relevant and interesting across cultures and time. This makes them worth repeating through generations and publishing as new versions or adaptations for twenty-first-century readers

Legends employ many of the typical themes of traditional stories:

5. good and evil
5. friend and foe
5. magic
5. the supernatural
5. rich and poor/rags to riches/riches to rags
5. wise and foolish
5. strong and weak
5. just and unjust
5. a quest or search
5. a journey
5. trials and forfeits.

Legends, like myths, reveal information about the way people lived, what they believed, what was important to them, what they valued and what they were afraid of.

3. Point of View  

Legends are written from the third person point of view. A legend will reflect upon a society’s culture, values and beliefs and the frail nature, or weakness, of human beings. Readers of the legend will believe that the main character is capable of overcoming any obstacles in his path, and root for him to succeed.

4. Generations

Legends are usually passed down through generations. Before printing, legends were passed orally to teach the younger generation a certain set of values.

5. Structure and style

 

Structure is usually episodic, as in the phases of a journey over several years or the stages of a great battle. Some legends tell the entire life story of their hero as a series of linked episodes, each one a story in its own right, as in the King Arthur stories and the sagas of German-speaking and Northern European countries.

Common structures include:

5. chronological episodes;
5. journey stories;
5. sequential stories;
5. life stories and community histories.
5. Like myths, legends sometimes use a more literary style than fairy tales or fables.

For example:

5. rich, evocative vocabulary
5. memorable language use
5. use of rhythm and repetition techniques
5. formulaic openings and endings
5. imagery: simile, metaphor and symbolism

Features of Myths

Purpose

The usual purpose of a myth is to explain the origins of phenomena (thunder, day and night, winter) by telling the story of how they came to be. Most cultures used myths, handed down orally from generation to generation from an anonymous source, to explain the world and its mysteries, so mythology from different regions usually reflects the wonders that people saw around them in their environment.

Myths often provide narrative clues that help to build a picture of the beliefs, lifestyles and ideology of the people who first told them.

Themes

Myths are set in the past, usually a distant and non-specific past, and are presented as something that happened. There is evidence that the content of some myths is based on real events and places that may have existed.

Myths explain why the world is the way it is and, for this reason, they reflect the basic principles of the religion or spirituality of the people. For example, Norse and Greek myths narrate what the gods did and how they interacted with humans.

Opposites occur frequently in myths as themes, including:

5. good and evil;
5. night and day;
5. calm and storm;
5. wise and foolish;
5. old and young;
5. beautiful and ugly;
5. mean and generous;
5. just and unjust.

Like other traditional stories, myths use quests, journeys and trials as themes. The hero or heroine often has to undergo some kind of test (the trials of Hercules) or set off on a long and difficult journey where dangers arise at each stage (the Odyssey).

Plot and structure

The plot of a myth usually includes incredible or miraculous, supernatural and superstitious events, where characters behave in superhuman ways using unusual powers or with the help of superhuman beings.

Characters

Characters typical of traditional stories appear in myths (talking animals, rich kings, foolish young men, clever villains) although the ‘trickster’ character is often a mischievous god (Loki, for example). The most notable character types in this sub-class are classic heroes and supernatural beings. Characterisation is an interesting focus for composition when children write their myths or retell versions because the characters need to be awe-inspiring and larger-than-life.

Style

Rich, evocative vocabulary and use of imagery are typical but the style is often more literary than other types of tales so that some versions offer a more challenging read for children. Myths often include a very vivid description of characters and settings (dense, mysterious rainforest or icy, mist-shrouded mountain peaks) and fast-moving narration of action. They tend to make less use of dialogue and repetition than some other types of traditional story. Simile is used widely to help convey grand settings and describe awe-inspiring characters.