Reader English III

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 FATIMA JINNAH WOMEN UNIVERSITY
RAWALPINDI
READER ENGLISH III
Table of Contents
S.No. Contents Page #
Reading.

▪ Objectives of reading.
▪ Reasons for reading.
▪ Reading for academic purposes
▪ Reading in real life situation.
1. ➢ Unit I Faulty reading habits, effective
reading, SQ3R. 1-44

With practice exercises.

Reading Comprehension

Skimming and Scanning exercises

➢ Unit II Organization of writing: Coherence,
2. 45-62
Cohesion
▪ Précis Writing: introduction to the
➢ Unit III technique of Précis writing. Tips to write
3. 63-70
précis effectively
▪ Practice of précis writing in class.
1. Introduction to techniques of letter
writing.

Informal letters
➢ Unit IV
4. 71-96
▪ Friendly letter
▪ Thank You letter
▪ Bread & Butter letter

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 Formal letters
▪ Letter of congratulations
▪ Letter of condolence

Formal letters
▪ Letter to persuade
▪ Letter of complaint
▪ Letter of thanks
Application writing.

▪ Techniques of application
writing.
➢ Unit V Application Writing: Practice
5. 97-98
(Applications for car stickers, extensions,
issuance of university cards, semester break
etc.)
➢ Unit VI Controlled & Guided Writing through grid,
6. 99-113
flow charts and mind maps…
1. Introduction to Report writing.
➢ Unit VII ▪ Types of Reports
7. 114-121
▪ General Reports Writing
2. Report Writing: Practice
8. Supplementary Material

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 Unit 1: Reading Purposes and Processes of Reading Comprehension

This document examines the processes of comprehension and the purposes for reading, however, they do
not function in isolation from each other or from the contexts in which students live and learn. The first
two aspects of reading literacy addressed by PIRLS, processes of comprehension and purposes for
reading, form the basis of the written test of reading comprehension. The last aspect, behavior and
attitudes, will be addressed by the student questionnaire.

Processes of Comprehension
Readers construct meaning in different ways. They focus on and retrieve specific ideas, make inferences,
interpret and integrate information and ideas, and examine and evaluate text features.
Transcending these processes are the metacognitive processes and strategies that allow readers to examine
their understanding and adjust their approach (Jacobs, 1997; Paris, Wasik, & Turner, 1996; VanDijk &
Kintsch, 1983). In addition, the knowledge and experiences that readers bring to reading equip them with
an understanding of language, texts, and the world through which they filter their comprehension of the
material (Alexander & Jetton, 2000; Beach &
Hynds, 1996; Clay, 1991; Hall, 1998).
The types of comprehension processes are described below. In thinking about assessment questions, there
is, of course, a substantial interaction between the length and complexity of the text and the sophistication
of the comprehension processes required.
It may initially seem that locating and extracting explicitly stated information would be less difficult than,
for example, making interpretation across an entire text and integrating those with external ideas and
experiences. All texts are not equal, however, varying enormously in numerous features such as length,
syntactic complexity, abstractness of ideas, and organizational structure.

Focus on and Retrieve Explicitly Stated Information

Readers vary the attention they give to explicitly stated information in the text. Some ideas in the text may
elicit particular focus and others may not. For example, readers may focus on ideas that confirm or

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contradict predictions they have made about the text’s meaning or that relate to their general purpose for
reading. In addition, readers often need to retrieve information explicitly stated in the text, in order to
answer a question they bring to the reading task, or to
check their developing understanding of some aspect of the text’s meaning.
In focusing on and retrieving explicitly stated information, readers use various ways to locate and
understand content that is relevant to the question posed. Retrieving appropriate text information requires
that the reader not only understand what is stated explicitly in the text,
but also how that information is related to the information sought.
Successful retrieval requires a fairly immediate or automatic understanding of the text. This process needs
little or no inferring or interpreting. There are no “gaps” in meaning to be filled – the meaning is evident
and stated in the text. The reader must, however, recognize the relevance of the information or idea in
relation to the information sought. Focus on the text typically remains at the sentence or phrase level in
this type of text processing. The process may require the reader to focus on and retrieve several pieces of
information; but in each case the information is usually contained within a sentence or phrase.
Reading tasks that may exemplify this type of text processing include
the following:
Å identifying information that is relevant to the specific goal of reading
Å looking for specific ideas
Å searching for definitions of words or phrases
Å identifying the setting of a story (e.g., time, place)
Å finding the topic sentence or main idea
(when explicitly stated)
Make Straightforward Inferences
As readers construct meaning from text, they make inferences about ideas or information not explicitly
stated. Making inferences allows the reader to move beyond the surface of texts and to fill in the “gaps” in
meaning that often occur in texts. Some of these inferences are straightforward in that they are based
mostly on information that is contained in the text: the reader may merely need to connect two or more
ideas or pieces of information. Although the ideas may be explicitly stated, the connection between them
is not, and thus must be inferred. Straightforward inferences are very much text-based. Although not
explicitly stated in the text, the meaning remains relatively clear.
Skilled readers often make these kinds of inferences automatically. They may immediately connect two or
more pieces of information, recognizing the relationship even though it is not stated in the text. In many
cases, the author has constructed the text to lead readers to the obvious or straightforward inference. For
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example, the actions of a character across the story may clearly point to a particular character trait, and
most readers would come to the same conclusion about that character’s personality or viewpoint. With this
type of processing, the reader typically focuses on more than just sentence- or phrase-level meaning. The
focus may be on local meaning, residing in part of the text, or on more global meaning, representing the
whole text. In addition, some straightforward inferences may call upon readers to connect local and global
meanings.
Reading tasks that may exemplify this type of text processing include
the following:
Å inferring that one event caused another event
Å concluding what is the main point made by a series of arguments
Å determining the referent of a pronoun
Å identifying generalizations made in the text
Å describing the relationship between two characters
Interpret and Integrate Ideas and Information
As with the more straightforward inferences, the reader engaging in this process may focus on local or
global meanings, or may relate details to overall themes and ideas. In any case, the reader is processing
text beyond the phrase or sentence level.
As readers interpret and integrate ideas and information in the text, they often need to draw on their
understanding of the world. They are making connections that are not only implicit, but that may be open
to some interpretation based on their own perspective. When they interpret and integrate text information
and ideas, readers may need to draw on their background knowledge and experiences more than they do
for straightforward inferences. Because of this, meaning that is constructed through interpreting and
integrating ideas and information is likely to vary among readers, depending upon the experiences and
knowledge they bring to the reading task.
By engaging in this interpretive process, readers are attempting to construct a more specific or more
complete understanding of the text by integrating personal knowledge and experience with meaning that
resides in the text. For example, the reader may draw on experience to infer a character’s underlying
motive or to construct a mental image of the information conveyed.
Reading tasks that may exemplify this type of text processing include
the following:
Å discerning the overall message or theme of a text
Å considering an alternative to actions of characters
Å comparing and contrasting text information
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Å inferring a story’s mood or tone
Å interpreting a real-world application of text information

Examine and Evaluate Content, Language, and Textual Elements

As readers examine and evaluate the content, language, and elements of the text, the focus shifts from
constructing meaning to critically considering the text itself. In terms of content, readers draw on their
interpretations and weigh their understanding of the text against their understanding of the world –
rejecting, accepting, or remaining neutral to the text’s representation. For example, the reader may counter
or confirm claims made in the text or make comparisons with ideas and information found in other
sources.
In reflecting on text elements, such as structure and language, readers examine how meaning is presented.
In doing so, they draw upon their knowledge of text genre and structure, as well as their understanding of
language conventions. They may also reflect on the author’s devices for conveying meaning and judge
their adequacy, and question the author’s purpose, perspective, or skill.
The reader engaged in this process is standing apart from the text and examining or evaluating it. The text
content, or meaning, may be examined from a very personal perspective or with a critical and objective
view. Here the reader relies on knowledge about the world or on past reading.
In examining and evaluating elements of text structure and language, readers draw upon their knowledge
of language usage and general or genre-specific features of texts. The text is considered as a way to
convey ideas, feelings, and information. Readers may find weaknesses in how the text was written or
recognize the successful use of the author’s craft. The extent of past reading experience and familiarity
with the language are essential to this process.

Reading tasks that may exemplify this type of text processing include the following:
Å evaluating the likelihood that the events described could really happen
Å describing how the author devised a surprise ending
Å judging the completeness or clarity of information in the text
Å determining an author’s perspective on the central topic

Purposes for Reading

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Reading literacy is directly related to the reasons why people read. Broadly, these reasons include reading
for personal interest and pleasure, reading to participate in society, and reading to learn. For young
readers, emphasis is placed on reading for interest or pleasure and reading to learn.
The assessment of reading literacy will focus on the two purposes that account for most of the reading
done by young students both in and out of school:
Å reading for literary experience; and
Å reading to acquire and use information
Because both types of reading are important at this age, the PIRLS assessment contains an equal
proportion of material assessing each purpose. Although the assessment distinguishes between purposes
for reading, the processes and strategies readers use for both purposes are perhaps more similar than
different.
Each of these purposes for reading is often associated with certain types of texts. For example, reading for
literary experience is often accomplished through reading fiction, while reading to acquire and use
information is generally associated with informative articles and instructional texts. However, purposes
for reading do not align strictly with types of texts. For example, biographies or autobiographies can be
primarily informational or literary, but include characteristics of both purposes. Because people’s tastes
and interests are so varied, almost any text could meet either purpose.
The content, organization, and style that may be typical of a particular text genre have implications for the
reader’s approach to understanding the text (Graesser, Golding, & Long, 2000; Kirsch & Mosenthal,
1989; Weaver & Kintsch, 1996). It is in the interaction between reader and text that meanings are made
and purposes are achieved. The early reading of most young children centers on literary and narrative text
types. In addition, many young readers also enjoy acquiring information from books and other types of
reading material.
The two purposes for reading and the different types of texts included within each are described in the
following sections.
Reading for Literary Experience
In literary reading, the reader engages with the text to become involved in imagined events, setting,
actions, consequences, characters, atmosphere, feelings, and ideas, and to enjoy language itself. To
understand and appreciate literature, the reader must bring to the text his or her own experiences, feelings,
appreciation of language and knowledge of literary forms. For young readers, literature offers the
opportunity to explore situations and feelings they have not yet encountered.
Events, actions, and consequences depicted in narrative fiction allow the reader to experience vicariously
and reflect upon situations that, although they may be fantasy, illuminate those of real life. The text may
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present the perspective of the narrator or a principal character, or there may be several such viewpoints in
a more complex text. Information and ideas may be described directly or through dialogue and events.
Short stories or novels sometimes narrate events chronologically, or sometimes make more complex use
of time with flashbacks or time shifts.

Reading to Acquire and Use Information

In reading for information, the reader engages not with imagined worlds, but with aspects of the real
universe. Through informational texts, one can understand how the world is and has been, and why things
work as they do. Readers can go beyond the acquisition of information and use it in reasoning and in
action. Informational texts need not be read from beginning to end; readers may select the parts they need.
Different organizations make different demands on the reader, although there are no hard and fast
distinctions. It also can be noted that despite their organization, informational texts may or may not have
headings or other types of textual organizers.
Informational texts ordered chronologically present their ideas as a sequence ordered in time. Such texts
may recount events, for example as historical facts or as diary entries, personal accounts, or letters.
Biographies and autobiographies, detailing the events of real lives, are a major group of texts of this type.
Other chronologically organized texts are procedural, for example recipes and instructions. Here, the
imperative form is often used and the reader is expected not just to understand but also to act in
accordance with what is read. Sometimes information and ideas are organized logically rather than
chronologically. For example, a research paper may describe cause and effect, articles can compare and
contrast such things as societies or the weather, and editorials may present arguments and counter
arguments or put forth a viewpoint with supporting evidence. Persuasive texts aim directly at infl uencing
the reader’s view as in the presentation of a problem and recommended solution. In discussion and
persuasion, the reader must follow the development of ideas and bring to the text a critical mind in
forming his or her own opinion.
Sometimes informational texts are expository, presenting explanations or describing people, events, or
things. In a thematic organization, aspects of a topic are clustered and described together in the text.
Finally, it should be observed that presentation of information need not be in the form of continuous text.
Such forms include brochures, lists, diagrams, charts, graphs, and those that call for actions on the part of
the reader like advertisements or announcements. It should be emphasized that a single informational text
often uses one or more ways of presenting information. Even informational pieces that are primarily text,
often are documented with tables or illustrated with pictures and diagrams.
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 The SQ3R Reading Method

Survey! Question! Read! Recite! Review!

Before you Read the chapter title, introduction, learning objectives,

read, summary and end of chapter questions.
Survey Also review bold face headings and subheadings,
the chapter: graphics, captions under pictures and italics throughout
the chapter.
This will provide an overview of the chapter and create a
mental framework for understanding the chapter more
thoroughly as you read.

Question Turn the title, headings, and/or subheadings into

while you are questions;
surveying: Read questions at the end of the chapters or after each
subheading;
Ask yourself, "What did my instructor say about this
chapter or subject when it was assigned?"
Ask yourself, "What do I already know about this
subject?"

Note: If it is helpful to you, write out these questions for

consideration.
When you Look for answers to the questions you first raised
begin to Answer questions at the beginning or end of chapters or
Read: study guides
Reread captions under pictures, graphs, etc.
Note all the underlined, italicized, bold printed words or
phrases
Study graphic aids
Reduce your speed for difficult passages
Stop and reread parts which are not clear
Read only a section at a time and recite after each
section

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 Recite Orally ask yourself questions about what you have just
after you've read and/or summarize, in your own words, what you read

read a section: Take notes from the text but write the information in your
own words
Underline/highlight important points you've just read
Use the method of recitation which best suits your
particular learning style but remember, the more senses
you use the more likely you are to remember what you
read.

TRIPLE STRENGTH LEARNING: Seeing, saying, hearing.

QUADRUPLE STRENGTH LEARNING: Seeing, saying, hearing,
and writing!!!

Review, After you have read and recited the entire chapter, write
an questions for those points you have highlighted or
ongoing underlined in the margins. If your method of recitation
process: included note-taking in the left hand margins of your
notebook, write questions for the notes you have taken.
Flip through the text and/or your notebook to re-acquaint
yourself with the important points. Cover the right hand
column of your text/note-book and orally ask yourself the
questions in the left hand margins. Orally recite or write
the answers from memory. Make "flash cards" for those
questions that give you difficulty. Develop mnemonic devices
for material that need to be memorized.
Alternate between your flash cards and notes and test
yourself (orally or in writing) on the questions you
formulated. Make additional flash cards if necessary.
Using the text and notebook, make a Table of Contents -
list all the topics and sub-topics you need to know from
the chapter. From the Table of Contents, make a Study
Sheet/ Concept Map. Recite the information orally and in
your own words as you put the Study Sheet/Map together.
Now that you have consolidated all the information you
need for that chapter, periodically review the Sheet/Map so that
at test time you will not have to cram.

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Are bad reading habits really bad?

I recently read a novel by Haruki Murakami and got totally lost in the story. I didn’t care about the
time I spent reading nor did I wanted to know how many words I read per minute. I often read a
sentence twice or was adding imaginary details to what had happened in the story; my mind was
constantly wandering around. Does this sound like bad reading habits? Not to me, I pretty much
enjoyed this style of reading.

In a few days, however, I want to read five or six essays about current trends in urban planning and
how technology actually impacts the way we use urban space. There’s a fair amount of
information to process and memorise. I also want to put the best ideas into one mind map to review
it again. I plan to preview and speed read those articles first, and then dip into interesting details to
complete missing links. I want to finish this project quickly, so reading for enjoyment isn’t a
priority here. The same reading style I used for novel reading would now actually hinder me
to read fast.

In terms of speed reading, the reading style we learned in school is often referred to bad reading
habits. Why bad? Because, if we’d changed them, we could read faster and probably retain more
information at all. Bad reading habits simply stand for less efficient reading techniques. Some
will be easy to change; some require more training and time.

Common bad reading habits are:

• One word at a time. Reading word by word resulting in too many focus stops
• Vocalisation. Moving lips or pronouncing words while reading
• Subvocalisation. Silent speech or pronouncing words in your head
• Skipping back. Re-reading of passages without need
• Skipping preparation steps such as previewing to get the main idea
• Lack of comprehension, e.g. little knowledge about the topic
• Loss of attention. Wandering mind, reading with little attention and concentration
• Environment. Reading when tired, in stressful or low light environments
• Individual Behaviour. Sceptical attitude against fast reading

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Bad reading habits that need little effort to change

1. Attitude. Develop a positive attitude towards speed reading. I regularly use positive
affirmations or simply visualise to read very fast. I visualise skimming material, reading chunks of
words or transforming words into pictures. I visualise all the techniques and tell my mind on what
to focus.

2. Convenient environment. A work space or room with bright light conditions will benefit your
reading experience and also protect your eyes. You can speed read everywhere, however, noises
and any kind of distraction tend to decrease your reading efficiency. Keep distractions on a
manageable level.

3. Attention and concentration. I still experience my mind wandering off and thinking about
subjects that have just sparked my interest. You probably know this kind of stuff when you had to
prepare for exams. Concentration is just about discipline unless you are very tired. If I lose
attention I will simply refocus and go back to the task or reading. If I lose attention again I will
refocus again.

Bad reading habits that need some effort to change

4. Word group reading. These habits may require some time to break them. For example, you
will need to invest some time to learn reading in groups of words. Once your brain has managed to
do so, you’ll actually have learned a powerful speed reading technique. Single words barley can
hold an idea; four, five or six words can carry a lot more of information. This technique will
improve reading speeds, decrease focus stops per line and also save your eyes from tiring.

5. Previewing. One of the first steps of speed reading is to preview material. It’s a useful
technique, because as a reader you want to know specifically what the main topic is about. Find
relevant information before reading page by page; determine whether the text is of value or should
go back on to the shelf. Previewing techniques include first sentence reading, name, number or
overview scans. Places to look at are the content page, the back page, graphs, images, diagrams or
headlines. To extract information quickly ask yourself six simple questions: Who, What, Where,
When, Why and How.

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6. Subvocalisation. Do you speak the word in your head as you read it. This is called
subvocalisation and (almost) everyone does it. Unfortunately, it slows down your reading speed as
you cannot read faster than you are able to speak. You can lessen this process by learning how to
read groups of words. Another method is to conceptualise words as objects so that when you read
them, the associated meaning will instantly come into mind without having to vocalise it.

7. Skipping back. I already have mentioned a sceptical attitude towards reading techniques as a
way to slow down reading speeds. You may have also experienced going back in text, because you
think you have missed something. Skipping back in text along with unconscious re-focusing are
probably the most common habits that keep readers from performing faster. Note: This is simply
discipline. Stop going back! If you do so get aware of it and simply continue reading. It is the same
method as with refocusing when losing attention. Stop it! Over the time you will realise you
actually have not missed anything and even if skip back occasionally you will get on track in the
next paragraph.

What does it mean to read actively?

Reading actively actually means a series of things. Perhaps most importantly is that active reading
means reading with an awareness of a purpose for reading. Far too often students read aimlessly,
hoping that the key ideas will somehow "sink in" and then eventually "surface" when they need to.
Having a purpose is another way of saying that you have set goals for your readings. In many
university textbooks, you may find chapters that begin with a brief note on learning goals, but you
may find that you pass over these goals in the rush to get to the end of the chapter. You can use
goals to focus your attention on specific aspects of a chapter that you are about to read. Without
setting goals you are, by default, saying that everything has the same value and that you want to
learn it all in the same depth and in the same detail. This can sound like an admirable way to
approach reading, but in practice this often leads to frustration when you forget large portions of
the text soon after reading. You may find that the information seems to resist structure and logical
organization because you have overloaded your mind with new information.

In addition to setting goals and purposes for reading, active reading may involve using the
structure of your reading to construct an overview of the material. The structures of the reading
materials vary almost as much as the readings themselves, but there are some common features
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associated with various kinds of readings that readers can make effective use of. Textbooks, for
example, usually contain chapter titles, introductions, headings, sub-headings, bold face or
italicized type, and conclusions. They may also contain chapter learning objectives, review
questions, summary sections, application sections, and notes and key words in the margins. Clearly
these are meant to be used and can go a long way to assisting a reader in understanding and
working with the information there. Even if a text has few headings, readers can rely on the
structures of the paragraphs contained in the text to access the same kind of information that the
more prominent markers indicate: that is, the main divisions of ideas and how the ideas are
elaborated. Novels and journal articles are bound by different structures, but an awareness of these
can assist in an intelligent approach to the reading of these differently organized texts. The
academic introduction to novels can provide a number of guidelines for how to read the novel, for
example, and the abstract of a journal article serves the function of summarizing the contents of the
article for the reader in simplified language. All of these structures assist the reader in developing
an overview of what is about to be read and this allows readers to guide themselves through the
text with a focus in mind.

Active reading is "thinking intensive"

Active reading also certainly means reading with a view to understand and relate the information
to other readings, ideas and themes from lectures, and to the goals of your course and your
learning. As well, in the manner we talked about becoming conscious of your approach to reading,
active reading involves checking your understanding, monitoring for difficulties, and checking for
ways to correct difficulties. It should be clear from these aspects of active reading that active
reading is brain intensive; that is, it involves thinking as you read and directing that thinking to
achieve certain reading goals. Some students make the mistake of assuming that this means that
active reading will be time intensive too and then use that as an argument against doing the work
of learning effectively through reading. It is important to know that in fact, active reading has been
shown to save time. It does take time to adjust to this new approach to learning, but active reading
helps to eliminate the wasteful and often mindless repetition that is necessitated by forgetting what
you have read. As well, an active approach to reading involves selecting information relevant to a
purpose, which may mean that you are reading only a percentage of what others might be
mindlessly reading and that you are reading with better results.

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Okay, so active reading involves using strategies or approaches to texts to meet certain goals and is
thinking intensive to facilitate learning. What else does the term active reading imply? Certainly
active reading involves thinking about what is read rather than simply trying to memorize it. Often
this thinking is aimed at mentally constructing a comprehension of the text by finding information
related to your goals. Active reading can also apply to that time just after a reading has been done,
during which time we should be asking analytical and critical questions about what we have read
(discussed below) because these questions enable us to think beyond simply summarizing and
repeating what an author has said. Though in some courses you may be able to get by summarizing
what the authors you read are saying, most certainly there will come a time when you will be
expected to offer your thoughts on what you have read. If you haven't read well enough to
summarize you won't be able to think about the reading -- active reading is a way of approaching
reading which goes beyond the bare minimum and engages you in the material in way which perks
your interest and drives your curiosity. In short, active reading assists you in doing what you came
to university to learn how to do -- think deeply about issues of importance to us in our society.

A final word on active reading

Some students try to make their approach to reading such that they will always read without
difficulty. No strategy can guarantee that reading will proceed without difficulty (some difficulty
may be a sign that you're working at the understanding). Remind yourself that it is important to
remain flexible in your approach to reading, for different kinds of information as well as for
different purposes. In this way you will allow yourself to approach readings in the ways most
suited to those readings.

Reading Exercises

Reading Passage 1 and Questions

Cultural Center Adds Classes for Young Adults The Allendale Cultural Center has expanded its
arts program to include classes for young adults. Director Leah Martin announced Monday that
beginning in September, three new classes will be offered to the Allendale community. The
course titles will be Yoga for Teenagers; Hip-Hop Dance: Learning the Latest Moves; and
Creative Journaling for Teens: Discovering the Writer Within. The latter course will not be held
at the Allendale Cultural Center but instead will meet at the Allendale Public Library. Staff

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member Tricia Cousins will teach the yoga and hip-hop classes. Ms. Cousins is an accomplished
choreographer as well as an experienced dance educator. She has an MA in dance education from
Teachers College, Columbia University, where she wrote a thesis on the pedagogical
effectiveness of dance education. The journaling class will be taught by Betsy Milford. Ms.
Milford is the head librarian at the Allendale Public Library as well as a columnist for the
professional journal Library Focus. The courses are part of the Allendale Cultural Center's Project
Teen, which was initiated by Leah Martin, director of the Cultural Center. According to Martin,
this project is a direct result of her efforts to make the center a more integral part of the Allendale
community. Over the last several years, the number of people who have visited the cultural center
for classes or events has steadily declined. Project Teen is primarily funded by a munificent grant
from The McGee Arts Foundation, an organization devoted to bringing arts programs to young
adults. Martin oversees the Project Teen board, which consists of five board members. Two board
members are students at Allendale's Brookdale High School; the other three are adults with
backgrounds in education and the arts. The creative journaling class will be cosponsored by
Brookdale High School, and students who complete the class will be given the opportunity to
publish one of their journal entries in Pulse, Brookdale's student literary magazine. Students who
complete the hip-hop class will be eligible to participate in the Allendale Review, an annual
concert sponsored by the cultural center that features local actors, musicians, and dancers. All
classes are scheduled to begin immediately following school dismissal, and transportation will be
available from Brookdale High School to the Allendale Cultural Center and the Allendale Public
Library. For more information about Project Teen, contact the cultural center's programming
office at 988-0099 or drop by the office after June 1 to pick up a fall course catalog. The office is
located on the third floor of the Allendale Town Hall.

1. The Creative Journaling for Teens class will be cosponsored by

a. The Allendale Public Library.

b. The McGee Arts Foundation.

c. Brookdale High School.

d. Betsy Milford.

2. The writing in this article is

a. emotionally charged.

b. literary.

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c. opinionated.

d. nonfiction.

3. According to Leah Martin, what was the direct cause of Project Teen?

a. Tricia Cousins, the talented choreographer and dance educator, was available to teach courses
in the fall.

b. Community organizations were ignoring local teenagers.

c. The McGee Arts Foundation wanted to be more involved in Allendale's arts programming.

d. She wanted to make the cultural center a more important part of the Allendale community.

4. Which of the following factors is implied as another reason for Project Teen?

a. The number of people who have visited the cultural center has declined over the last several
years.

b. The cultural center wanted a grant from The McGee Arts Foundation.

c. The young people of Allendale have complained about the cultural center's offerings.

d. Leah Martin thinks classes for teenagers are more important than classes for adults.

5. From the context of the passage, it can be determined that the word munificent most nearly
means

a. complicated.

b. generous.

c. curious.

d. unusual.

6. The title of the course "Creative Journaling for Teens: Discovering the Writer Within" implies
that

a. all young people should write in a journal daily.

b. teenagers do not have enough hobbies.

c. writing in a journal can help teenagers become better and more creative writers.

d. teenagers are in need of guidance and direction.

7. Which of the following correctly states the primary subject of this article?

a. Leah Martin's personal ideas about young adults

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b. The McGee Foundation's grant to the Allendale Cultural Center

c. three new classes for young adults added to the cultural center's arts program

d. the needs of young adults in Allendale

8. This article is organized in which of the following ways?

a. in chronological order, from the past to the future

b. most important information first, followed by background and details.

c. background first, followed by the most important information and details.

d. as sensational news, with the most controversial topic first

Reading Passage 2 and Questions

(excerpt from the opening of an untitled essay)

John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, published in 1939, was followed ten years later by A.B.

Guthrie's The Way West. Both books chronicle a migration, though that of Guthrie's pioneers is
considerably less bleak in origin. What strikes one at first glance, however, are the
commonalities. Both Steinbeck's and Guthrie's characters are primarily farmers. They look to
their destinations with nearly religious enthusiasm, imagining their "promised" land the way the

Biblical Israelites envisioned Canaan. Both undergo great hardship to make the trek. But the two
sagas differ distinctly in origin. Steinbeck's Oklahomans are forced off their land by the banks
that own their mortgages, and they follow a false promise—that jobs as seasonal laborers await
them in California. Guthrie's farmers willingly remove themselves, selling their land and trading
their old dreams for their new hope in Oregon. The pioneers' decision to leave their farms in
Missouri and the East is frivolous and ill-founded in comparison with the Oklahomans' unwilling
response to displacement. Yet it is they, the pioneers, whom our history books declare the heroes.

9. From the context of the passage, it can be determined that the word frivolous most nearly
means

a. silly.

b. high-minded.

c. difficult.

d. calculated.

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10. Suppose that the author is considering following this sentence with supportive detail: "Both
undergo great hardship to make the trek." Which of the following sentences would be in keeping
with the comparison and contrast structure of the paragraph?

a. The migrants in The Way West cross the Missouri, then the Kaw, and make their way overland
to the Platte.

b. The Oklahomans' jalopies break down repeatedly, while the pioneers' wagons need frequent
repairs.

c. Today's travelers would consider it a hardship to spend several days, let alone several months,
getting anywhere.

d. The Joad family in The Grapes of Wrath loses both grandmother and grandfather before the
journey is complete.

11. Which of the following sentences illustrates an important difference between Steinbeck's and
Guthrie's characters?

a. Steinbeck's and Guthrie's characters are primarily farmers.

b. Steinbeck's migration was forced, while the Guthrie farmers chose to leave their land.

c. They look to their destinations with nearly religious enthusiasm, imagining their "promised"
land the way the Biblical Israelites envisioned Canaan.

d. none of these

12. The language in the paragraph implies that which of the following will happen to the

Oklahomans when they arrive in California?

a. They will find a means to practice their religion freely.

b. They will be declared national heroes.

c. They will not find the jobs they were promised.

d. They will make their livings as mechanics rather than as farm laborers.

Reading Passage 3 and Questions

Bill Clinton's Inaugural Address

(excerpt from the opening)

When George Washington first took the oath I have just sworn to uphold, news traveled slowly
20
across the land by horseback and across the ocean by boat. Now the sights and sounds of this
ceremony are broadcast instantaneously to billions around the world. Communications and
commerce are global. Investment is mobile. Technology is almost magical, and ambition for a
better life is now universal.

We earn our livelihood in America today in peaceful competition with people all across the Earth.
Profound and powerful forces are shaking and remaking our world, and the urgent question of our
time is whether we can make change our friend and not our enemy. This new world has already
enriched the lives of millions of Americans who are able to compete and win in it. But when most
people are working harder for less; when others cannot work at all; when the cost of healthcare
devastates families and threatens to bankrupt our enterprises, great and small; when the fear of
crime robs law-abiding citizens of their freedom; and when millions of poor children cannot even
imagine the lives we are calling them to lead, we have not made change our friend.

13. What is the central topic of the speech so far?

a. how Americans can keep up with global competition

b. ways in which technology has undermined our economy

c. ways in which technology has improved our lives

d. how change has affected America and our need to adapt

14. By comparing our times with those of George Washington, Bill Clinton demonstrates

a. how apparently different, but actually similar, the two eras are.

b. how technology has drastically speeded up communications.

c. that presidential inaugurations receive huge media attention.

d. that television is a much more convincing communications tool than print.

15. Bill Clinton's inaugural address expresses which point of view?

a. first-person perspective

b. second-person perspective

c. corporate America's perspective

d. third-person perspective

16. Assuming that Clinton wants to add something about crime being a more serious threat in our
time than in George Washington's, which of the following sentences would be most consistent

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with the tone of the presidential speech?

a. If I'd been alive in George's day, I would have enjoyed knowing that my wife and child could
walk city streets without being mugged.

b. In George Washington's time, Americans may not have enjoyed as many luxuries, but they
could rest in the awareness that their neighborhoods were safe.

c. George could at least count on one thing. He knew that his family was safe from crime.

d. A statistical analysis of the overall growth in crime rates since 1789 would reveal that a
significant increase has occurred.

Reading Passage 4 and Questions

The Crossing--Chapter I: The Blue Wall

(excerpt from the opening of a novel by Winston Churchill)

I was born under the Blue Ridge, and under that side which is blue in the evening light, in a wild

land of game and forest and rushing waters. There, on the borders of a creek that runs into the
Yadkin River, in a cabin that was chinked with red mud, I came into the world a subject of King

George the Third, in that part of his realm known as the province of North Carolina. The cabin
reeked of corn-pone and bacon, and the odor of pelts. It had two shakedowns, on one of which I
slept under a bearskin. A rough stone chimney was reared outside, and the fireplace was as long
as my father was tall. There was a crane in it, and a bake kettle; and over it great buckhorns held
my father's rifle when it was not in use. On other horns hung jerked bear's meat and venison
hams, and gourds for drinking cups, and bags of seed, and my father's best hunting shirt; also, in a
neglected corner, several articles of woman's attire from pegs. These once belonged to my mother.
Among them was a gown of silk, of a fine, faded pattern, over which I was wont to speculate. The
women at the Cross-Roads, twelve miles away, were dressed in coarse butternut wool and huge
sunbonnets. But when I questioned my father on these matters he would give me no answers.

My father was—how shall I say what he was? To this day I can only surmise many things of him.
He was a Scotchman born, and I know now that he had a slight Scotch accent. At the time of
which I write, my early childhood, he was a frontiersman and hunter. I can see him now, with his
hunting shirt and leggings and moccasins; his powder horn, engraved with wondrous scenes; his
bullet pouch and tomahawk and hunting knife. He was a tall, lean man with a strange, sad face.

22
And he talked little save when he drank too many "horns," as they were called in that country.
These lapses of my father's were a perpetual source of wonder to me— and, I must say, of delight.
They occurred only when a passing traveler who hit his fancy chanced that way, or, what was
almost as rare, a neighbor. Many a winter night I have lain awake under the skins, listening to a
flow of language that held me spellbound, though I understood scarce a word of it.

"Virtuous and vicious every man must be, Few in the extreme, but all in a degree." The chance
neighbor or traveler was no less struck with wonder. And many the time have I heard the query, at
the Cross-Roads and elsewhere, "Whar Alec Trimble got his larnin'?"

17. Why did the narrator enjoy it when his father drank too many "horns," or drafts of liquor?

a. The father spoke brilliantly at those times.

b. The boy was then allowed to do as he pleased.

c. These were the only times when the father was kind.

d. The boy was allowed to ask about his mother.

18. Judging by the sentences surrounding it, the word surmise in the third paragraph most nearly
means

a. to form a negative opinion.

b. to praise.

c. to desire.

d. to guess.

19. The mention of the dress in the second paragraph is most likely meant to

a. show the similarity between its owner and other members of the community.

b. show how warm the climate was.

c. show the dissimilarity between its owner and other members of the community.

d. give us insight into the way most of the women of the region dressed.

20. It can be inferred from the passage that Alec Trimble is

a. a traveler.

b. a neighbor.

c. the narrator's father.

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d. the narrator.

21. What is the meaning of the lines of verse quoted in the passage?

a. People who pretend to be virtuous are actually vicious.

b. Moderate amounts of virtuousness and viciousness are present in all people.

c. Virtuous people cannot also be vicious.

d. Whether people are virtuous or vicious depends on the difficulty of their circumstances.

22. Which of the following adjectives best describes the region in which the cabin is located?

a. remote

b. urban

c. agricultural

d. flat

23. The author most likely uses dialect when quoting the question, "Whar Alec Trimble got his
larnin'?" in order to

a. show disapproval of the father's behavior.

b. show how people talked down to the narrator.

c. show the speakers' lack of education.

d. mimic the way the father talked.

Reading Passage 5 and Questions

(excerpt from a letter to a pet-sitter)

Dear Lee,

As I told you, I'll be gone until Wednesday morning. Thank you so much for taking on my
"children" while I'm away. Like real children, they can be kind of irritating sometimes, but I'm
going to enjoy myself so much more knowing they're getting some kind human attention.

Remember that Regina (the "queen" in Latin, and she acts like one) is teething. If you don't watch
her, she'll chew anything, including her sister, the cat. There are plenty of chew toys around the
house. Whenever she starts gnawing on anything illegal, just divert her with one of those. She
generally settles right down to a good hour-long chew. Then you'll see her wandering around
whimpering with the remains of the toy in her mouth. She gets really frustrated because what she
wants is to bury the thing. She'll try to dig a hole between the cushions of the couch. Finding that
24
unsatisfactory, she'll wander some more, discontent, until you solve her problem for her. I usually
show her the laundry basket, moving a few clothes so she can bury her toy beneath them. I do
sound like a parent, don't I? You have to understand, my own son is practically grown up.

Regina's food is the Puppy Chow in the utility room, where the other pet food is stored. Give

her a bowl once in the morning and once in the evening. No more than that, no matter how much
she begs. Beagles are notorious overeaters, according to her breeder, and I don't want her to lose
her girlish figure. She can share water with Rex (the King), but be sure it's changed daily. She
needs to go out several times a day, especially last thing at night and first thing in the morning.
Let her stay out for about ten minutes each time, so she can do all her business. She also needs a
walk in the afternoon, after which it's important to romp with her for awhile in the yard. The game
she loves most is fetch, but be sure to make her drop the ball. She'd rather play tug of war with it.
Tell her, "Sit!" Then, when she does, say, "Drop it!" Be sure to tell her "good girl," and then
throw the ball for her. I hope you'll enjoy these sessions as much as I do.

Now, for the other two, Rex and Paws… (letter continues)

24. Which effect is most likely to occur if the pet sitter does not supervise Regina and encourage
her to play with her chew toys?

a. Regina will get frustrated or damage her owner's personal property.

b. Regina will overeat and gain weight.

c. Regina will fight with her sister.

d. Regina will find something else to do.

25. If the pet-sitter is a businesslike professional who watches people's pets for a living, she or he
would likely prefer

a. more first-person revelations about the owner.

b. fewer first-person revelations about the owner.

c. more praise for agreeing to watch the animals.

d. greater detail on the animals' cute behavior.

26. The author uses the word children to describe his or her pets because

a. the author believes her pets possess childlike qualities.

b. the author has never had children and the pets are substitutes for the children she never had.

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c. she dresses them in clothing and indulges them with special foods.

d. her beagle has a girlish figure and the author calls her a "good girl."

27. The information in the note is sufficient to determine that there are three animals. They are

a. two cats and a dog.

b. three dogs.

c. a dog, a cat, and an unspecified animal.

d. a cat, a dog, and a parrot.

28. Given that there are three animals to feed, which of the following arrangements of the feeding
instructions would be most efficient and easiest to follow?

a. all given in one list, chronologically from morning to night

b. provided separately as they are for Regina, within separate passages on each animal

c. given in the order of quantities needed, the most to the least

d. placed in the middle of the letter, where they would be least likely to be overlooked

29. From the context of the note, it is most likely that the name Rex is

a. Spanish.

b. English.

c. French.

d. Latin.

30. If the sitter is to follow the owner's directions in playing fetch with Regina, at what point will
he or she will tell Regina "good girl"?

a. every time Regina goes after the ball

b. after Regina finds the ball

c. when Regina brings the ball back

d. after Regina drops the ball

Reading Passage 6 and Questions

(excerpt from a pro-voting essay)

Voting is the privilege for which wars have been fought, protests have been organized, and
editorials have been written. "No taxation without representation" was a battle cry of the
26
American Revolution. Women struggled for suffrage, as did all minorities. Eighteen-year-olds
clamored for the right to vote, saying that if they were old enough to go to war, they should be
allowed to vote. Yet Americans have a deplorable voting history.

Interviewing people about their voting habits is revealing. There are individuals who state that
they have never voted. Often, they claim that their individual vote doesn't matter. Some people
blame their absence from the voting booth on the fact that they do not know enough about the
issues. In a democracy, we can express our opinions to our elected leaders, but more than half of
us sometimes avoid choosing the people who make the policies that affect our lives.

31. This argument relies primarily on which of the following techniques to make its points?

a. emotional assertions

b. researched facts in support of an assertion

c. emotional appeals to voters

d. emotional appeals to nonvoters

32. Which of the following sentences best summarizes the main idea of the passage?

a. Americans are too lazy to vote.

b. Women and minorities fought for their right to vote.

c. Americans do not take voting seriously enough.

d. Americans do not think that elected officials take their opinions seriously.

33. By choosing the word clamored, the author implies that

a. 18-year-olds are generally enthusiastic.

b. voting was not a serious concern to 18-year-olds.

c. 18-year-olds felt strongly that they should be allowed to vote.

d. 18-year-olds do not handle themselves in a mature manner.

Reading Passage 7 and Questions

The Unconventional Lives of Famous Writers

Throughout the centuries, various writers have contributed greatly to the literary treasure trove of

27
books lining the shelves of today's libraries. In addition to writing interesting material, many
famous writers, such as Edgar Allan Poe, were larger-than-life characters with personal histories
that are as interesting to read as the stories they wrote. Poe's rocky life included expulsion from
the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1831 and an ongoing battle with alcohol.
Yet, despite heavy gambling debts, poor health, and chronic unemployment, Poe managed to
produce a body of popular works, including "The Raven" and "The Murders in the Rue Morgue."

Herman Melville, author of Moby Dick, once lived among the cannibals in the Marquesas Islands
and wrote exotic tales inspired by his years of service in the U.S. Navy. Dublin-born Oscar Wilde
was noted for his charismatic personality, his outrageous lifestyle, and creating witty catchphrases
such as, "Nothing succeeds like excess." D. H. Lawrence wrote scandalous novels that were often
censored, and Anne Rice led a double life writing bestselling vampire novels under her real name
and using the nom de plume "A. N. Roquelaure" for the lowbrow erotica novels she penned on
the side. Nonconformist author and naturalist Henry David Thoreau once fled to the woods and
generated enough interesting material to fill his noted book Walden.

Thoreau wrote on the issue of passive resistance protest in his essay "Civil Disobedience" and
served time in jail for withholding tax payments in protest of the United States government's
policy towards slavery. American short story writer O. Henry's colorful life was marred by tragic
events, such as being accused and sentenced for allegedly stealing money from an Austin, Texas
bank. Despite his success selling his short stories, O. Henry struggled financially and was nearly
bankrupt when he died.

As diverse as these famous authors' backgrounds were, they all led unconventional lives while
writing great literary works that will endure throughout the ages. The next time you read an
interesting book, consider learning more about the author by reading his or her biography so you
can learn about the unique life experiences that shaped his or her writing.

34. Select the word that best defines expulsion.

a. admittance

b. entry

c. ejection

d. inclusion

35. Based on the passage, select the best choice regarding the statement: "Edgar Allan Poe was a
commercially popular author."

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a. The statement is false.

b. The statement is an opinion.

c. The statement is factual.

d. The statement is fictional.

36. What can you infer from the following sentence? "D. H. Lawrence wrote scandalous novels
that were often censored, and Anne Rice led a double life writing bestselling novels under her real
name and using the nom de plume 'A. N. Roquelaure' for the lowbrow erotica novels she penned
on the side."

a. D. H. Lawrence and Anne Rice had similar writing styles.

b. Anne Rice used a pen name because her novels were more scandalous than D. H. Lawrence's
novels.

c. Anne Rice used different names when she wrote in different genres.

d. none of the above

37. Which statement is false?

a. Henry David Thoreau was passionately opposed to slavery.

b. Anne Rice used a pen name to disguise her true identity.

c. Herman Melville experimented with cannibalism during his naval service.

d. Edgar Allan Poe was an alcoholic.

38. Select the word that best defines marred.

a. improved

b. soaked

c. tarnished

d. ended

39. The main idea of this story is

a. Many famous writers lived nontraditional lives.

b. Writers are troublemakers.

c. All writers lead interesting lives.

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d. Writers' biographies are inspirational.

Reading Passage 8 and Questions

(excerpt from "First," a short story)

First, you ought to know that I'm "only" 14. My mother points this out frequently. I can make
decisions for myself when I'm old enough to vote, she says. Second, I should tell you that she's
right—I'm not always responsible. I sometimes take the prize for a grade-A dork. Last weekend,
for instance, when I was staying at Dad's, I decided it was time I learned to drive. It was Sunday
morning, 7 a.m. to be exact, and I hadn't slept well, thinking about this argument I'll be telling you
about in a minute. Nobody was up yet in the neighborhood, and I thought there would be no harm
in backing the car out of the garage and cruising around the block. But Dad has a clutch car, and
the "R" on the shift handle was up on the left side, awful close to first gear, and I guess you can
guess the rest.

Dad's always been understanding. He didn't say, like Mom would, "Okay, little Miss Know-It-All,
you can just spend the rest of the year paying this off." He worried about what might have
happened to me—to me, you see, and that made me feel guiltier than anything. Overall, I just
think he'd be a better number-one caregiver, if you get my drift. Of course I can't say things like
that to Mom.

To her, I have to say, "But Mom, Dad's place is closer to school. I could ride my bike." She
replies, "Jennifer Lynn, you don't own a bike, because you left it in the yard and it was stolen, and
you haven't got the perseverance it takes to do a little work and earn the money to replace it."

40. Which description best explains the structure of the story so far?

a. chronological, according to what happens first, second, and so on

b. reverse chronological order, with the most recent events recorded first

c. intentionally confused order, incorporating flashbacks to previous events

d. according to importance, with the most significant details related first

41. What device does the author use to illustrate the narrator's feelings about her mother and
father?

a. vivid and specific visual detail

b. rhetorical questions, which make a point but don't invite a direct answer
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c. metaphors and other figurative language

d. contrast between the parents' typical reactions

42. The narrator attributes her inability to sleep when staying at her father's house to

a. thinking about a disagreement with someone.

b. the uncomfortable quiet of an early Sunday morning.

c. the sore throat she had from shouting so much.

d. her accident with the car.

43. The first-person point of view in this story

a. obscures how the narrator's mind works.

b. illustrates the thoughts and personality of the narrator.

c. makes the narrator seem distant and rigid.

d. gives us direct access to the minds of all the characters.

44. When the narrator says she sometimes "take[s] the prize for a grade-A dork," the word choice

is intended to indicate

a. that she doesn't know proper English.

b. her age and culture.

c. that she is unable to judge her own actions.

d. that she thinks she's better than most others who might be termed "dorks."

45. Jennifer Lynn's mother and father differ because

a. they have very different temperaments.

b. her mother doesn't care about Jennifer Lynn as much as her father does.

c. she dislikes her mother and thinks her father is a better parent.

d. none of the above

46. Overall, this narrator's tone is best described as

a. emotional and familiar.

b. stuck up and superior.

c. argumentative and tactless.

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d. pleasant and reassuring.

47. In choosing to use the bike argument with her mother, the narrator is trying to appeal to her
mother's

a. compassion over her lost bike.

b. disregard for material objects.

c. laziness.

d. reason.

48. The main argument the narrator has been having with her mother is over whether she should

a. be allowed to date.

b. live with her mother or father.

c. be allowed to drive a car.

d. pay for things she breaks.

49. It appears that the mother has alienated her daughter by

a. being too busy to give her the attention she needs.

b. having divorced her father.

c. insisting too much on reasonableness.

d. valuing things over people and feelings.

50. What most likely happened with the car?

a. The narrator mistook first gear for reverse and ran into the garage wall.

b. The narrator stole it from her father and drove it over to her mother's.

c. The father left it in gear, and when the narrator started it, it leapt forward into the wall.

d. The narrator taught herself to drive in order to prove her mother wrong.
A Streetcar Named Desire - Passage 1

Passage 1

A Streetcar Named Desire is a classic of the American theater. Tennessee Williams’ landmark
work was a tour de force in its original stage production in 1947 and continues to resonate with
32
audiences and readers today despite—or perhaps because of—its simplistic though layered
story. A faded Southern belle, Blanche DuBois, arrives at her sister’s seedy New Orleans
apartment where she is tortured by her brutish brother-in-law, Stanley Kowalski. Blanche puts
on airs of class and happiness throughout the play, though internally she is miserable and
haunted by her tragic and scandalous past. Stanley forces Blanche to face her dolorous reality
with his vitriol and, finally, his act of sexual aggression, and in doing so, he causes her to lose
her tenuous grip on sanity. Most have argued (correctly) that the play is about the ways the past
haunts our present or (again correctly) that it is about the ways class and sexuality impact our
lives. However, few have seen the play for what it is: an allegory for the theater itself. Before
Williams wrote Streetcar, the theater had been dominated by melodrama. A brief interlude in
the 1930s brought political theater to center stage (pardon the pun), but by the 1940s, its
principal playwright, Clifford Odets, had left New York for Hollywood, and the sensationalized
and maudlin form of melodrama once again flourished. The theater was in limbo, and Williams
had a desire to bring something new to the world. It would bring the realism of the political
theater of the 1930s but without the political (read: socialist) underpinnings. To that end, he
created lifelike characters who spoke in realistic dialect. But to make his point that melodrama
was flawed, he added an equally unrealistic character. Blanche, unlike the other characters,
speaks theatrically, acts larger than life on stage, and uses floral language and heightened
mannerisms. Blanche is a character not to be trusted. She lies about everything, and the only
thing that finally exposes her lies is reality itself: Stanley. He finally forces her off the stage and
into the insane asylum by forcing himself on her sexually. And with that, realism forcibly
removed melodrama from the stage.

Passage 2

It is not possible to imagine A Streetcar Named Desire without the influence of Marlon Brando,
the actor who rose to fame playing Stanley Kowalski. On the page, the part is fairly simplistic.
Stanley is a monster and a beast without any redeeming qualities. But Brando and the play’s
original director, Elia Kazan, imagined the character as having a soft underbelly, rooted in his
own sorrow, insecurities, and soulful complexity. Brando’s Stanley is a brute, yes, but he is a
brute who hates the fact that he is so awful. He is also unable to control himself and his
passions, and this lack of control is equally embarrassing to him, even as it is also threatening to

33
Blanche and alluring to her sister Stella.

For instance, after he hits Stella, he comes back to her, famously begging for forgiveness by
shouting “Stella” outside their apartment. But in Brando’s depiction on the stage and later on the
screen, he is soaked from the rain and looks completely desperate, as though he needs Stella to
live. He looks and seems totally helpless and weak, the exact opposite of the brute he appears
later when he forces himself onto Blanche. The play is excellent and memorable, even when
read. But it is Brando’s interpretation of the male lead role that makes the play indelible.
Without Brando, the play would still have a deep meaning, but with Brando’s interpretation, the
play becomes even more profound.
Paragraph 1 of Passage 1 provides each of the following EXCEPT
A. a critical interpretation of A Streetcar Named Desire
B. an explanation of why modern audiences connect with A Streetcar Named Desire
C. a brief plot synopsis of A Streetcar Named Desire
D. background information on the times that produced A Streetcar Named Desire
E. the author’s main argument concerning A Streetcar Named Desire
2) It can be inferred from Passage 1 that A Streetcar Named Desire
A. was Tennessee Williams’ first play
B. is better on stage than in print
C. did not have socialist leanings
D. was not melodramatic
E. would not have been successful without Marlon Brando

3) According to Passage 1, the character of Blanche DuBois

A. is intentionally overdramatic and theatrical
B. has never been to the city of New Orleans before
C. is recently married to Stanley Kowalski
D. is brutally honest and frank during the play
E. is firmly rooted in realism and sanity
4) Passage 2 argues that Marlon Brando’s portrayal of Stanley Kowalski
I. earned the actor great fame
II. is more nuanced than the part that is written
III. is what really made A Streetcar Named Desire a classic

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A. I only
B. II only
C. I and II only
D. II and III only
E. I, II, and III

5) Both Passage 1 and Passage 2 argue that

A. the New York theater scene was blown away by A Streetcar Named Desire
B. Tennessee Williams wrote A Streetcar Named Desire to end melodrama
C. A Streetcar Named Desire has more than one true meaning
D. A Streetcar Named Desire only has power when performed on the stage
E. the character of Stanley Kowalski is simply a brute monster

6) The author of Passage 2 focuses on Marlon Brando’s portrayal of Stanley Kowalski as being
particularly memorable and powerful, whereas the author of Passage 1 focuses on Tennessee
Williams’ skilled writing. In your opinion, what makes for better drama: a high-quality script or
unparalleled acting? Can a drama be successful with one but not the other? Why?
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7) In paragraph 2 of Passage 1, the author suggests that drama in the 1930s was heavily
influenced by socialist playwrights and the politics of the era. In what ways do modern plays,

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shows, and films reflect modern politics, if at all? Do you see any current trends in today’s media?

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 SKIMMING AND SCANNING

Skimming and scanning are two specific speed-reading techniques, which enable you to cover a vast
amount of material very rapidly. These techniques are similar in process but different in purpose.
Quickly "looking over" an article is neither skimming nor scanning. Both require specific steps to be
followed.

I. SKIMMING is a method of rapidly moving the eyes over text with the
purpose of getting only the main ideas and a general overview of the content.

A. Skimming is useful in three different situations.

• Pre-reading--Skimming is more thorough than simple previewing and can give a more accurate
picture of text to be read later.
• Reviewing--Skimming is useful for reviewing text already read.
• Reading--Skimming is most often used for quickly reading material that, for any number of reasons,
does not need more detailed attention.

B. Steps in skimming an article

• Read the title--it is the shortest possible summary of the content.
• Read the introduction or lead-in paragraph.
• Read the first paragraph completely.
• If there are subheadings, read each one, looking for relationships among them.
• Read the first sentence of each remaining paragraph.
a. The main idea of most paragraphs appears in the first sentence.
b. If the author's pattern is to begin with a question or anecdote, you may find the last sentence more
valuable.
6. Dip into the text looking for:
a. Clue words that answer who, what, when, why, how
b. Proper nouns
c. Unusual words, especially if capitalized
d. Enumerations
e. Qualifying adjectives (best, worst, most, etc.)

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 f. Typographical cues--italics, boldface, underlining, asterisks, etc.
7. Read the final paragraph completely.
C. Mastering the art of skimming effectively requires that you use it as frequently as possible.
D. Skimming can usually be accomplished at about 1000 words per minute.

II. SCANNING rapidly covers a great deal of material in order to locate a specific fact or piece of
information.

A. Scanning is very useful for finding a specific name, date, statistic, or fact
without reading the entire article.

B. Steps in scanning an article.

• Keep in mind at all times what it is you are searching for. If you hold the image of the word or idea
clearly in mind, it is likely to appear more clearly than the surrounding words.
• Anticipate in what form the information is likely to appear--numbers, proper nouns, etc.
• Analyze the organization of the content before starting to scan.
a. If material is familiar or fairly brief, you may be able to scan the entire article in a single search.
b. If the material is lengthy or difficult, a preliminary skimming may be necessary to determine which
part of the article to scan.
• Let your eyes run rapidly over several lines of print at a time.
• When you find the sentence that has the information you seek, read the entire sentence.

C. In scanning, you must be willing to skip over large sections of text without reading or
understanding them.

D. Scanning can be done at 1500 or more words per minute.

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44
45
Skimming a school prospectus

1. Is the prospectus aimed at children or parents?

46
___________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

2. Would you use the prospectus to:

a. find directions to the school? ____________________________________
b. find out what time the school opens? ______________________________
c. find out about school uniform? ___________________________________
3. As well as illness, which issues does the ‘Absence’ section deal with?
__________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________

4. Does the prospectus give details of the curriculum?

___________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________

5. You can find out about school clubs from this prospectus. True or false?

__________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________

6. The prospectus tells parents about the issues of bullying. True or false?
__________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________
7. Does the prospectus give parents information about school examinations?
__________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________

8. Does the prospectus tell parents how to purchase second-hand uniform?

__________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________
9. Does the prospectus tell you about school lunches?
___________________________________________________________________________________

10. The prospectus gives you the telephone number to call if your child is ill. True or false?

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 UNIT 2: TEXT ORGANIZATION

Organization is important to effective writing because it provides readers with a framework to help
them fulfill their expectations for the text. A well-organized piece of writing supports readers by
making it easy for them to follow, while a poorly organized piece leads readers through a maze of
confusion and confounded or unmet expectations.
Organization, simply put, is the logical progression and completeness of ideas in a text. Instruction
in organization focuses on two areas: text structures specific to the particular genre and
the cohesive elements that tie clauses, sentences, and paragraphs together into a cohesive whole.

Text structures

A text structure is the framework of a text’s beginning, middle, and end. Different narrative and
expository genres have different purposes and different audiences, and so they require different text
structures. Beginnings and endings help link the text into a coherent whole.

B E G I NNING S : H OO K ING YO UR RE ADE R

Where to begin is a crucial decision for a writer. Just as a good beginning can draw a reader into a
piece of writing, a mediocre beginning can discourage a reader from reading further. The beginning,
also called the lead or the hook, orients the reader to the purpose of the writing by introducing
characters or setting (for narrative) or the topic, thesis, or argument (for expository writing). A good
beginning also sets up expectations for the purpose, style, and mood of the piece. Good writers know
how to hook their readers in the opening sentences and paragraphs by using techniques such as
dialogue, flashback, description, inner thoughts, and jumping right into the action.

WH AT ’S IN T H E MIDDL E ?

The organization of the middle of a piece of writing depends on the genre. Researchers have
identified five basic organizational structures: sequence, description, cause and effect, compare
and contrast, and problem and solution.
Sequence uses time, numerical, or spatial order as the organizing structure. Some narrative
genres that use a chronological sequence structure are personal narrative genres (memoir,

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autobiographical incident, autobiography), imaginative story genres (fairytales, folktales, fantasy,
science fiction), and realistic fiction genres. Narrative story structures include an initiating event,
complicating actions that build to a high point, and a resolution. Many narratives also include the
protagonist’s goals and obstacles that must be overcome to achieve those goals.
As early as kindergarten, children can be introduced to basic informational genres that are
organized sequentially, including learning structures for writing instructions, experimental recounts
and experimental procedures. Older students can learn to use timelines to organize biographies, oral
histories, and recounts of current and historical events.
Description is used to describe the characteristic features and events of a specific subject (”My
Cat”) or a general category (”Cats”). Descriptive reports may be arranged according to categories of
related attributes, moving from general categories of features to specific attributes.
Children’s initial attempts at descriptive reports often are “All About” reports that have little
internal organization. Informational alphabet books and riddle books can be used to introduce
kindergarten children to the writing of descriptive reports through shared or interactive writing.
Older children can learn to develop categories of related attributes to organize their reports by using
webs, concept maps, and software such as Inspiration and Kidspiration. Expectation outlines
(Spiegel, 1981) are another strategy that can help students anticipate the categories of information
found in a report.
Cause and Effect structure is used to show causal relationships between events. Cause and
effect structures organize more sophisticated narratives as children become more adept at showing
the relationship between events. Young children also can begin to extend opinion essays by giving
reasons to support their opinions using the word because. Signal words for cause and effect
structures also include if…then, as a result, and therefore.
Comparison and Contrast structure is used to explain how two or more objects, events, or
positions in an argument are similar or different. Graphic organizers such as venn diagrams,
compare/contrast organizers, and data matrices can be used to compare features across different
categories. Primary grade children can begin to use words such as same and different to compare
things. Other words used to signal comparison and contrast organizational structures include alike, in
contrast, similarities, differences, and on the other hand.
Problem and Solution requires writers to state a problem and come up with a solution.
Although problem/solution structures are typically found in informational writing, realistic fiction
also often uses a problem/solution structure that children can learn to identify.

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 E NDI NG S : B E YO ND “H APPIL Y E VE R AFT E R”

Anyone who has watched a great movie for ninety minutes only to have it limp to the finish with
weak ending knows that strong endings are just as critical to effective writing as strong beginnings.
And anyone who has watched the director’s cut of a movie with all the alternate endings knows that
even great directors have trouble coming up with satisfying endings for their movies. Just like
directors, writers have to decide how to wrap up the action in their stories, resolving the conflict and
tying up loose ends in a way that will leave their audience satisfied. Student writers struggle with
writing strong endings, often relying on the weak “I had a lot of fun” summation or the classic “It
was just a dream” ending to rescue them from their stories.
The type of ending an author chooses depends on his or her purpose. When the purpose is to
entertain, endings may be happy or tragic, or a surprise ending may provide a twist. Endings can be
circular, looping back to the beginning so readers end where they began, or they can leave the reader
hanging, wishing for more. Endings can be deliberately ambiguous or ironic, designed to make the
reader think, or they can explicitly state the moral of the story, telling the reader what to think.
Strong endings for expository texts can summarize the highlights, restate the main points, or end
with a final zinger statement to drive home the main point to the audience.

Cohesion: the glue that holds the structure together

If narrative and expository structures are the framework, cohesive elements such as transition words
are the glue that holds these structural elements together. Transition words show the relationship
between different sentences and ideas. Poor writers tend to loosely connect their sentences
with and and then. Good writers use transition words that show causal and logical relationships
between words, sentences and paragraphs, such as because and after.

T RANS I T IO N WORDS

There are six categories of transition words:

1. Spatial order. Words used in descriptive writing to signal spatial relationships, such
as above, below, beside, nearby, beyond, inside, andoutside.
2. Time order. Words used in writing narratives, and instructions to signal chronological sequence,
such as before, after, first, next, then, when, finally, while, as, during, earlier, later, and meanwhile.

50
3. Numerical order. Words used in expository writing to signal order of importance, such
as first, second, also, finally, in addition, equally important, and more or less importantly.
4. Cause/effect order. Words used in expository writing to signal causal relationships, such
as because, since, for, so, as a result, consequently, thus,and hence.
5. Comparison/contrast order. Words used in expository writing to signal similarities and
differences, such as (for similarities) also, additionally, just as,as if, as though, like, and similarly;
and (for differences) but, yet, only,although, whereas, in contrast, conversely, however, on the other
hand, rather,instead, in spite of, and nevertheless.
6. General/specific order. Words used in descriptive reports and arguments to signal more specific
elaboration on an idea, such as for example, such as, like,namely, for instance, that is, in fact, in
other words, and indeed.

G UI DI NG Q UE S T IO NS FO R O RG ANIZ AT IO N

These guiding questions for organization can help students make sure that they have provided
coherent transitions between the ideas in their writing.

• Does your piece have a clear beginning, middle, and end?

• Does your piece have a strong beginning that hooks the reader?
• Does your piece have a strong ending that fits the focus?
• Are the ideas and actions connected to each other?
• Can your reader follow the piece logically from beginning to end?
• Is it complete? Does it feel finished?

Different Organizational Patterns

Text organization refers to how a text is organized to help readers follow and understand the
information presented. There are a number of standard forms that help text organization when
writing. This text organization guide will help you logically guide your readers through your text.

Text Organization: Referring to Ideas Already Presented

Pronouns and determiners are used to refer to ideas, points or opinions that you have previously
introduced, or will immediately introduce.

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Here is a quick review of pronouns and determiners with examples.

Pronouns

Remember that ideas, opinions and arguments are considered objects in English which take object
pronouns.

it / it / its -> singular

they / them / their -> plural

Examples:

Its importance can not be underestimated.

It now becomes clear that their role in production is vital.
The government has given it ample consideration, but rejected its validity.

Determiners

this / that -> singular

these / those -> plural

This is key: Children need to be encouraged in order to succeed.

Jefferson referred to those as unnecessary complications.

Make sure that pronouns and determiners are clearly defined either before, or immediately after their
introduction in order to avoid confusion.

Examples:

The need for economic growth is vital to any society. Without it, societies become defensive and ...
('it' refers to 'need for economic growth)
These are vital for any job: interest, skills, manners... ('these' refers to 'interest, skills, manners')

Text Organization: Providing Additional Information

A number of forms are used to provide additional information in text organization. These forms are
used at the beginning of a sentence to link text to the previous sentence:

52
In addition to X, ...
As well as X, ...

Examples:
In addition to these resources, we will require a further investment of ...
As well as his difficulties in childhood, his continuing poverty as a young adult caused many
problems.
These phrases can be used in the middle of a sentence or a phrase to provide additional information
in your text organization:

also
as well as

Examples:
Our commitment to the cause, as well as our financial resources, will make this possible.
There was also time considerations to take into account.
Sentence Structure: Not only ... but also
The sentence structure 'Not only + clause, but also + clause' is also used to provide additional
information and emphasize the later point in your argument:

Examples:
Not only does he bring experience and expertise to the company, but he also has an outstanding
reputation.
Not only are the students improving scores, but they are also having more fun.
NOTE: Remember that sentences beginning with 'Not only ...' use inverted structure (Not only do
they do...)

Text Organization: Introducing a Number of Points

It's common to use phrases to signify the fact that you will be making different points in your text.
The simplest way to indicate that you will be touching on a number of different points is to use
sequencers.

53
The appearance of sequencers indicates that there are points to follow or that precede your sentence.
For more information on sequencers, continue on to the section on sequencing your ideas for text
organization.

There are also some set phrases that point to the fact that there are a number of points to follow.

Here are the most common:

There are a number of ways / means / manners ...

The first point to make is ...
Let's begin with the assumption that / the idea that / the fact that ...

Examples:
There are a number of ways we can approach this problem. First, ...
Let's begin with the assumption that all of our courses are necessary for our students.
Other phrases are used to indicate that one phrase is related to another in an additional sense. These
phrases are common in text organization:

For one thing ...

and another thing / and for another ...
besides that ...
and besides

Examples:
For one thing he doesn't even believe what he's saying.
..., and another thing is that our resources can't begin to meet the demand.

Text Organization: Contrasting Information

There are a number of ways to contrast information in text organization. In most cases, two clauses
are used: one with the most important information, as well as a clause introduced with a word or
phrase showing contrast. The most common of these are 'although, though, even though, but, yet'
and 'despite, in spite of'.

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Although, Even Though, Though
Notice how 'though, even though' or 'although' show a situation which is contrary to the main clause
to express conflicting information.

'Even though', 'though' and 'although' are synonymous. Use a comma after beginning a sentence with
'although, even though, though'. No comma is required if you finish the sentence with 'although,
even though, though'.

Examples:
Even though it was expensive, he bought the car.
Though he loves doughnuts, he has given them up for his diet.
Although his course was difficult, he passed with the highest marks.
Whereas, While
'Whereas' and 'while' show clauses in direct opposition to each other. Notice that you should always
use a comma with 'whereas' and 'while'.
Examples:
Whereas you have lots of time to do your homework, I have very little time indeed.
Mary is rich, while I am poor.
Whereas, While
'But' and 'yet' provide contrary information that is often unexpected. Notice that you should always
use a comma with 'but' and 'yet'.

Examples:
He spends a lot of time on his computer, yet his grades are very high.
The research pointed to a specific cause, but the results painted a very different picture.
Text Organization: Showing Logical Connections and Relations
Logical consequences and results are shown by beginning sentences with linking language indicating
a connection to the previous sentence (or sentences).
The most common of these include 'as a result, accordingly, thus, hence, consequently'.

Examples:
As a result, all funding will be suspended until further review.
Consequently, the most important elements combine to provide a rich tapestry effect.

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Text Organization: Sequencing Your Ideas
In order to help your audience understand, you need to link ideas together in your text organization.
One of the most important ways to link ideas is to sequence them. Sequencing refers to the order in
which events happened. These are some of the most common ways to sequence in writing:

Beginning:
Firstly,
First of all,
To start off with,
Initially,

Examples:
Firstly, I began my education in London.
First of all, I opened the cupboard.
To start off with, we decided our destination was New York.
Initially, I thought it was a bad idea, ...
Continuing:
Then,
After that,
Next,
As soon as / When + full clause,
... but then
Immediately,

Examples:
Then, I started to get worried.
After that, we knew that there would be no problem!
Next, we decided on our strategy.
As soon as we arrived, we unpacked our bags.
We were sure everything was ready, but then we discovered some unexpected problems.
Immediately, I telephoned my friend Tom.

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Interruptions / New Elements to the Story:
Suddenly,
Unexpectedly,

Examples:
Suddenly, a child burst into the room with a note for Ms. Smith.
Unexpectedly, the people in the room didn't agree with the mayor.
Events Occurring at the Same Time
While / As + full clause
During + noun (noun clause)
Examples:
While we were getting ready for the trip, Jennifer was making the reservations at the travel agent's.
During the meeting, Jack came over and asked me a few questions.
Ending:
Finally,
In the end,
Eventually,
Lastly,

Examples:
Finally, I flew to London for my meeting with Jack.
In the end, he decided to postpone the project.
Eventually, we became tired and returned home.
Lastly, we felt we had had enough and went home.

Transition word exercise

Always ask yourself what the exact relationship is between the sentences or parts of sentences. Are
you leading to the result of something? Are you making a deduction? Are you introducing some
contradictory evidence or ideas? Your choice of word or phrase obviously depends on this. And
always check in a good dictionary if you're not quite sure about a word's use or its position in a
sentence. Remember that punctuation will affect what you use.

57
Insert the best alternative

1 Polls show that Tony Blair is the most popular Prime Minister this century. ______________ ,
there are even members of his own party who are uneasy with his approach.

In particular However For instance

2 There are some slight variations in temperature, but ________________ 26 to 27ºC should be
expected.

consequently otherwise as a rule

3 The two main Channel Islands, ________________ Jersey and Guernsey, are much closer to
France than to England.

for example namely in particular

4 It was announced that nurses' working hours would be increased by 25%. ______________ , even
fewer trainee nurses are expected to join the profession.

As a result So that Likewise

5 Sales of CDs have experienced a small but steady fall over the past 12 months. _____________ ,
vinyl records have seen an increase in their share of the market, up to 1.7%.

Above all Correspondingly In contrast

6 The Vice Chancellor explained that in light of the current financial climate and because of
unexpected bad debts, it would be necessary to peg salary levels at their current level for all grades
of staff. ______________ , no-one was getting a pay rise.

Nevertheless In other words Similarly

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7 It is clear, therefore, that the situation in Brazil will improve only slowly. ______________ the
economic problems being experienced in Japan, the outlook is slightly more optimistic.

Furthermore In comparison With reference to

8 In order to try to reduce car use in the inner cities, the government has announced new restrictions
on company parking spaces and ______________ , a new tax on individual car use.

as well as in addition in the same way

9 Essays must be handed in by the deadline, ______________ they will not be marked.

obviously otherwise as a result

10 ______________ it has been shown that fractures can occur at even relatively low pressures, the
use of the material should not be completely discounted.

Nevertheless Because Even though

Revising for Style: Cohesion and Coherence

Our handout on clarity and conciseness focuses on revising individual sentences. This handout moves
from the sentence-level to the paragraph, offering tips on revising paragraphs for
maximum readability.
Cohesion
Sense of sentence-by-sentence flow by which the reader moves through a passage, with
each sentence connecting to the previous one and the one that follows

The beginning of a sentence is its topic: it’s what the sentence is about
The end of a sentence is its stress: it’s what the sentence delivers, what’s most important
about it
Coherence
Coherence refers to the overall sense of unity in a passage, including both the main point

59
 of sentences and the main point of each paragraph.
Coherence focuses the reader’s attention on the specific people, things, and events you
are writing about

To Improve Cohesion

For Cohesion in Sentence Beginnings . . . Put the OLD FIRST

Begin your sentences with information familiar to your readers
Don’t begin a sentence with a bit of new information
Don’t begin a sentence with a bit of technical information
Use your openings to refer back to previous material or gently introduce a new topic

For Cohesion in Sentence Endings . . . Put the NEW LAST

End your sentences with new information your readers cannot anticipate Don’t end a sentence
with old information
Put the new, technical, and difficult information at the end of the sentence
Use transitions to convey the connections between the ideas in your sentences

What Readers Remember From Sentences

First: the sentence ending

Second: the sentence beginning
Last: the sentence middle

To Improve Coherence

Coherence is established in two ways:

1. Topics of individual sentences are clear

2. Topics of paragraphs are clear

A paragraph is much more than a group of sentences set off by an indentation. If you can’t quickly and
succinctly say what a paragraph’s main point is, it lacks coherence.

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Here’s an example passage:

As a reminder, please promptly return the lecture notes you borrowed. Slide the notes
under my door if I am not there. I may become agitated if you are late, much like my
Uncle Chester after several eggnogs on Christmas Eve. Most Christmases I liked to stay
up and open my stockings after midnight. Staying up late was exciting and would be
repeated a week later at New Year’s. So would Uncle Chester’s disgraceful behavior.

The passage is cohesive.

Each sentence connects with the next and the previous. Sentences begin with familiar
information.
Sentences end with new information.

But the passage is not coherent.

The topic of each sentence is different from the previous. Thus, the paragraph lacks focus.

Why Are Cohesion and Coherence Important?

Cohesion is important because it allows us to make multiple references to people, things, and events
without reintroducing them at each turn. If we had to repeat these every time we wanted to refer to them,
the text would be very tedious to read.

A coherent passage focuses the reader’s attention on the main ideas and the specific people, things, and
events you are writing about.
Emphasis in Sentences
We all know that in writing an essay, the organization of ideas and paragraphs is important.
However, organization is important even at the sentence level. If you can control the emphasis in
your sentences, your writing will be much more clear and persuasive.
Organization of Phrases
You can use the position of words or phrases in a sentence to create varying degrees of emphasis.
Words placed at the end of the sentence are in the most emphatic position because they are most

61
easily remembered. The next most emphatic position in the sentence is at the beginning. Words in
the middle of the sentence are most easily forgotten.1 Consider the following example.
My friend Sam commented, “The movie Captain America is thrilling.”

“The movie Captain America is thrilling,” my friend Sam commented.

In the first sentence, the word “thrilling” is in the position of emphasis. The sentence is a strong
endorsement of the film. The reader’s response might be to look up the show times at the nearest
theatre. The second sentence has less impact because it ends with the word “commented.” The
power of the word “thrilling,” hidden in the middle, has diminished by the end of the sentence. The
reader will perhaps wait for the movie to come out on DVD.
Sentence-level emphasis can be useful in helping to persuade the reader. Compare the following
two sentences.
Let’s celebrate our technical triumph and forget about how long we took to get here.
Let’s forget about how long we took to get here and celebrate our technical triumph.
In the second sentence, the reader’s final thought is about the ultimate triumph not the long, arduous
journey, making that sentence more effective.

Organization of Information
You can also use emphasis effectively in expository writing. Place information such as new
technical terms and complex, difficult-to-understand phrases and clauses at the end of the sentence.2
Consider the following two sentences.
A description of the impact of Teddy Roosevelt’s political tactics on the conservation movement at
the turn of the twentieth century was the main goal of this study.

The main goal of this study was to describe the impact of Teddy Roosevelt’s political tactics on the
conservation movement at the turn of the twentieth century.
The first sentence is more difficult to read because of the long, complex opening. In the second
sentence, the introductory phrase tells the reader the significance of the information which follows.
The reader can then focus on and more easily remember the information itself.
In scientific and technical writing, placing the most complicated information at the end of the
sentence improves readability. Compare the following two sentences.

62
An increase in glucose intolerance in people over sixty-five as well as people with a high body
mass index is a common assumption in diabetes research.

A common assumption in diabetes research is that glucose intolerance increases in people over
sixty-five as well as in people with a high body mass index.

In the second sentence, the information itself is in the position of emphasis, making it more
memorable. Consequently, keeping in mind sentence-level emphasis is extremely useful in technical
and instructional writing.
Key Points and Guidelines
The end of the sentence is the most emphatic position.
The beginning of the sentence is the next most emphatic position.
Place the most persuasive part of a sentence at the end of the sentence.
Start a sentence with old information, and end it with new information.
Begin a sentence with simple information, and end it with complex information.

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64
65
 UNIT 3: Precis Writing

What is a Precis ?

A precise is like a miniature portrait of the passage, it retains the absolute essential points
accompanied with the mood and tone of the author of the passage. The one aspect one has to be
careful about is that one should not add one’s subjective interpretation or comments to the précis and
should try to retain the original author’s voice and opinions. As far as the writing style is concerned,
one must ensure that one write clear and effective sentences (no rambling) and one’s diction is
flawless. Ultimately, it the coherence of the views that you presented in the précis that matter, and
this can be achieved by making sure that one is precise and to the point in one’s approach.
Unnecessarily long sentences or rambling thoughts are not required in précis writing, and one should
make sure that one sifts from one point to another in a smooth matter. At the end of the day, the
précis should make sense and be logical in its presentation.

Thus a precis is not:

simply a summary of a passage.

simply an abstract of a passage.

an outline of a passage.

a mere selection of a few important sentences from a passage.

a collection of disconnected facts and statements.

Features of a Good Precis

A good Precis:

◦ is marked by clarity, brevity and precision.

◦ is not just lifting of the sentences from the original. It should be written in the precis
writer's own words.
◦ is a miniature version of the original passage.
◦ must have a logical order and be well-knit and well connected.

66
 ◦ must have coherence; must use linking devices such as so, therefore, and, because
further etc. and must follow the
◦ order of ideas of the original.
◦ must have a title.
◦ is written in reported speech.
◦ must not contain any details not found in the original.

Do's in a precis:

◦ Start your précis by highlighting the main idea of the passage and you should create
contextual environment where you can place the necessary points.

◦ Once the main idea is established in the précis, you can present the methods, points,
facts etc. used by the author of the passage.

◦ Compress and clarify a lengthy passage, article, or book, while retaining important
concepts, key words, and important data.

◦ Remove what is superfluous and retain the core essence of the work.

◦ Always remember that mentions about history/writing about history should be advisably
done in the past tense.

◦ State the purpose of the research or piece of writing (why was it important to conduct this
research or write on this topic?)

67
Don'ts in a précis:

◦ Do not express your own opinion, wish, remark or criticism.

◦ Do not insert any question in your précis. Its significance, if essential, may
be expressed by a statement.
◦ Do not use abbreviations or contractions.
◦ Do not be jerky. This suggests that most probably, you have not
understood the sense of the passage properly.

Precis in the making

When one is writing a précis, one should take care of a few essential points. The first thing is that
one needs to convey the general idea of the argument with absolute clarity. The second thing that
you need to do is to make sure that all the important points of the original passage are included in the
precis. Lastly, make sure that the language of the précis is clear, crisp and concise, and follows the
rule for correct diction.

The following rules are general guidelines you should follow while writing a précis:

• Closely read the passage, and identify the central idea of the passage. It is vital to identify the
general idea of the passage and incorporate it in one’s précis.
• Look-out for the total number of words. If the number is not provided, quickly calculate the
number using approximations.
• A precis is 1/3rd of the original text.
• In order to understand the passage clearly, make sure that you read the passage closely, and
give it a couple of reads before you start writing the précis.
• Highlight the most important points in the passage, and make notes. Leave out all non-
essential information from the précis.
• Provide an apt heading to your précis.
• Note making is an essential task for writing précis. You should try to arrange the points in
most logical order, and ensure the order of thought is the same as the original.

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 • The three grammatical rules you need to follow while writing a précis are: write it in third
person, indirect form and appropriate past tense.
• Make sure you review your rough draft, remove the chinks and ensure that you have made no
language related errors.
• Before writing your précis, make sure you have a glance over the original to make sure you
have not missed anything.
• Finally, a wise policy would be to count the words of your precis and put them down in a
bracket at the end.

Writing a Precis of a given passage

Sample Passage:

There is an enemy beneath our feet - an enemy more deadly for his complete impartiality. He
recognizes no national boundaries, no political parties. Everyone in the world is threatened by him.
The enemy is the earth itself. When an earthquake strikes, the world trembles. The power of a quake
is greater than anything man himself can produce. But today scientists are directing a great deal of
their effort into finding some way of combating earthquakes, and it is possible that at some time in
the near future mankind will have discovered a means of protecting itself from earthquakes.An
earthquake strikes without warning. When it does, its power is immense. If it strikes a modern city,
the damage it causes is as great as if it has struck a primitive village. Gas mains burst, explosions are
caused and fires are started. Underground railways are wrecked. Buildings collapse, bridges fall,
dams burst, gaping crevices appear in busy streets.If the quake strikes at sea, huge tidal waves sweep
inland. If it strikes in mountain regions, avalanches roar down into the valley. Consider the terrifying
statistics from the past 1755: Lisbon, capital of Portugal - the city destroyed entirely and 450 killed.
1970: Peru: 50,000 killed.In 1968 an earthquake struck Alaska. As this is a relatively unpopulated
part, only a few people were killed. But it is likely that this was one of the most powerful quakes
ever to have hit the world. Geologists estimate that during the tremors, the whole of the state moved
over 80 feet farther west into the Pacific Ocean. Imagine the power of something that can move an
entire subcontinent! This is the problem that the scientists face. They are dealing with forces so
immense that man cannot hope to resist them. All that can be done is to try to pinpoint just where the

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earthquake will strike and work from there. At least some precautionary measures can then be taken
to save lives and some of the property. (330 Words)'

Step 1:

Based on the above paragraph, we-arrive at the following theme sentences for the precis:

• Earthquake - the deadly enemy of mankind.

• Damage caused by an earthquake in general.
• Damage caused by an earthquake-in particular,
• What can the scientists do?
Step 2:

The above four theme sentences can be developed into the following outline:

Earthquake - the deadly enemy of mankind:

◦ Earthquake strikes all without a distinction of national boundary or

political affiliation.
◦ The power of a quake is greater than that of a man-made weapon of
destruction.
◦ Scientists are trying to find out means to combat earthquakes; they will
find some way to protect themselves from earthquakes.
Damage caused by an earthquake in general:

◦ Strikes without warning.

◦ Modern city when struck reduced to a primitive village.
Damage caused by an earthquake in particular:

◦ Quake strikes plains, seas and mountains causing all round destruction.
◦ In 1755, Lisbon destroyed, 450 killed.
◦ In 1970, Peru struck, 50,000 killed.

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What can the scientists do ?

◦ In 1968, Alaska hit, subcontinent moved 80 feet into the Pacific Ocean.
◦ Scientists cannot resist the powerful earthquake.
◦ They can predict the place of origin of the quake so that precaution can be
taken to save man & property.
Step 3:

Based on the above outline, we can make the following rough draft:

Earthquake- The Great Destroyer

Earthquake is the deadly enemy of mankind. Earthquake strikes all without distinction of
nationality or political affiliation. The power of a quake is greater than that of any man made
weapon of destruction. An earthquake strikes mankind without a warning. A modern city when
struck is reduced to a rubble. A quake strikes plains, seas and mountains causing all round
destruction. The quake struck Lisbon in 1755 killing 450; Peru in 1970 killing 50,000; Alaska in
1968 moving it 80 feet into the Pacific Ocean. Scientists are trying to find out means to combat
earthquakes and they are able to predict at least where the earthquake will hit so that precaution
can be taken to save man and property from destruction. (121 words)

Step 4:

As the number of words in the rough draft is more than required we shall have to reduce it
further without reducing the ideas. The final draft would look as follows:

Earthquake - The Great Destroyer

Earthquake is the mankind's deadly enemy. Earthquake strikes all without a distinction of
nationality or political affiliation. The power of a quake is greater than that of any man made
weapon of destruction. An earthquake strikes mankind without a warning. A modern city when
struck is reduced -to a nibble. A quake strikes plains, seas and mountains causing all round
destruction. The quake struck Lisbon in 1755 killing 450; Peru in 1970 killing 50,000; Alaska in
1968 moving it 80 feet into the Pacific Ocean. Scientists are trying to find out means to combat

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earthquakes, to predict the origin of the quake so that precaution can be taken to save man and
property from destruction. (115 words)

Precis: Practice Exercises

Passage 1:

A drop of water fell out of the cloud into the sea, and finding itself lost in such an immensity of
fluid matter, broke out into the following reflection: ‘Alas! What an inconsiderable creature am
I in this prodigious ocean of waters: My existence is of no concern in the universe; ‘I am
reduced to a kind of nothing, and am the least of the works of God’. It so happened that an
oyster which lay in the neighborhood of this drop chanced to gape and swallow it up in the
midst of this his soliloquy. The drop, say the fables, lay a great while hardening in the shell,
until by degrees it was ripened into a pearl, falling into the hands of a diver, after a long series
of adventures, is at present that famous pearl which is fixed on the top of the Persian diadem.
(147 words)

Passage 2:

We all know what we mean by a "good" man. The ideally good man does not drink or smoke,
avoids bad language, converses in the presence of men only exactly as he would if there were
ladies present and holds the correct opinion on all subjects. He has a wholesome horror of
wrong-doing and realizes that it is our painful duty to castigate sin. He has a still greater horror
of wrong thinking, and considers it the business of the authorities to safeguard the young
against those who question the wisdom of the views generally accepted by middle-aged
successful citizens. Apart from his professional duties, at which he is assiduous, he spends
much time in good works: he may encourage patriotism and military training; he may promote
industry, sobriety and virtue among wage earners and their children by seeing to it that failures
in these respects receive due punishment; he may be a trustee of a university and prevent an ill-
judged respect for learning from allowing the employment of professors with subversive ideas.
Above all, of course, his "morals" in the narrow sense must be irreproachable. (186 words)

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Passage 3:

One of our most difficult problems is what we call discipline and it is really very complex. You
see, society feels that it must control or discipline the citizen, shape his mind according to
certain religious, social, moral and economic patterns.

Now, is discipline necessary at all? Please listen carefully. Don’t immediately say YES or NO.
Most of us feel, especially while we are young, that there should be no discipline, that we
should be allowed to do whatever we like and we think that is freedom. But merely to say that
we should be free and so on has very little meaning without understanding the whole problem
of discipline.

The keen athlete is disciplining himself the whole time, isn't he? His joy in playing games and
the very necessity to keep fit makes him go to bed early, refrain from smoking, eat the right
food and generally observe the rules of good health. His discipline and punctuality is not an
imposition but a natural outcome of his enjoyment of athletics. (171 words)

Passage 4:

Prevention is better than cure. It is recognised that the only way to get rid of malaria completely is o
get rid of the mosquitoes which cause it. Malaria is always associated with damp and marshy land.
This is not because the land is damp, but because the static water is the breeding place of the
mosquitoes which begin their life as a larva in the water. Malaria does not frequently occur in dry
desert countries because mosquitoes cannot breed there. The only way to destroy mosquitoes is to
prevent their breeding in static water. This can be done by draining all ponds and pools. And by
keeping them covered in the breeding season with a film of kerosene oil which by depriving the
larva of air, kills them. (130 words)

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 UNIT 4: Letters

Returns address + date

Greeting “Hello

Body “message”

Closing “goodbye”

Signature “of Author”

THANK YOU LETTER

INSTRUCTIONS

Thank you letters are a critical part of your job search and a critical step in the interviewing process. It is
important to send a thank you letter immediately after an interview. However, keep in mind, interviews are
not the only occasions to send thank you and follow-up letters. It is recommended that you send a thank you
to anyone who assists you in your career development including individuals that you meet a job fairs or
networking events. When writing, let these simple steps guide you:

Always use the name of the person you are thanking.

State your thanks.

Discuss what you are thanking them for, and why it is special to you.

Mention something about your relationship with the person.

Say thanks again.

Sign off, and sign your name

Format for Thank You Letters

Use formal letter formatting.

The letter should be 2 -3 paragraphs and include three parts: Introduction - Express your appreciation for the
time the person spent with you. Mention the time and place where you spoke with the individual.

74
Body –

Reiterate certain points discussed with the contact person, as appropriate to the discussion. Mention any
important items you may have omitted. Ask any remaining questions you may have, and expand upon things
mentioned during the discussion.

Closing –

In your conclusion, thank the individual again for their time and, if following an interview, reiterate your
interest in the position.

E-mail vs. Mail

Thank-you letters can be typed and mailed, handwritten or e-mailed. Each method has advantages and
disadvantages so be sure to think about which format is most appropriate for your situation. Hard copy, typed
letters are most formal and always appropriate. Handwritten letters are more personal and are most
appropriate for brief notes to individuals who you’ve met briefly or who helped you along your job search.
Do not send a handwritten note if you have illegible handwriting and be sure to use professional notecards or
stationary. E-mail is now widely accepted as an appropriate way to send a thank you letter. However, it is
important to write the e-mail in a formal, business tone; slang and casual greetings (e.g. “hey”) should be
avoided. Sending an e-mail can be useful for getting your correspondence to an employer quickly, particularly
if you expect to hear back from the employer soon after the interview. In this type of situation, a hard-copy
letter might not arrive before a decision is reached. The content of an e-mail thank you is the same as a hard-
copy letter. However, there are three important formatting differences. First, in an e-mail, your contact
information should be placed below your name at the bottom of the e-mail. This is called a “signature block.”
Further, you should not include the date in the body of the e-mail or the address of the person you are e-
mailing the letter to.

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 EXAMPLE THANK YOU LETTER – AFTER INTERVIEW

Dottie Dorian

1 UNF Drive, Apt 17

Jacksonville, FL 32244

(904) 620-2067

[email protected]

October 3, 2013

Mr. Mark Hargis

Store Team Leader

Target Stores, Inc.

685 North Glebe Road

St. Augustine, FL 32215

Dear Mr. Hargis:

Thank you for interviewing me on campus at the University of North Florida on September 28; our meeting
has solidified my interest in working as an intern for Target.

After speaking to John Smith who interned at Target last summer, attending the Target information session on
campus and speaking with your colleagues at the Osprey Career Fair, I have come to the conclusion that
Target is an excellent company that offers the long term career potential I am seeking in an internship
position. I am confident that my previous work experience in retail and the knowledge I have gained through
my coursework at UNF would enable me to contribute to your cohesive and professional team of retailers.

Again, thank you for your time and consideration. If you need any additional information please feel free to
contact me. I look forward to hearing from you in the next few weeks.

Sincerely,

Andrew D. Carter

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EXAMPLE THANK YOU LETTER – NETWORKING OR INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW

John D. Laney

1 UNF Drive, Apt 17

Jacksonville, FL 32244

(904) 620-2067

[email protected]

December 31, 2013

Ozzie Osprey

University of North Florida

1 UNF Drive

Jacksonville, FL 32224

Dear M. Osprey:

Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me last Wednesday at the Coggin College of Business
“Speed Networking” event. I really enjoyed meeting you and learning more about your career path and your
work at Alpha, Beta and Associates. This is an important time in my life as I try to find my first accounting
internship and I truly value the advice that you provided me.

I am also grateful for the contacts you suggested to me, and will let you know what happens when I follow up
with them. I look forward to talking with you again in the future. Again, thank you.

Sincerely,

(Handwritten signature)

John D. Laney

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• Letter of complaint
Letters of complaint usually include the following stages:

1. Background

Complaint Letters

Introduction

Letters of complaint usually include the following stages:

1. Background
2. Problem - cause and effect
3. Solution
4. Warning (optional)
5. Closing

Background
This section describes the situation; e.g.

▪ I am writing to inform you that the goods we ordered from your company
have not been supplied correctly.
▪ I attended your exhibition Sound Systems 2016 at the Fortune Hotel (22-25
January) and found it informative and interesting. Unfortunately, my
enjoyment of the event was spoiled by a number of organisational problems.
▪ I am a shareholder of Sunshine Bank and I am very concerned regarding
recent newspaper reports on the financial situation of the bank. Your company
is listed as the auditor in the latest annual report of the bank, so I am writing to
you to ask for an explanation of the following issues.
▪ I am writing to inform you of my dissatisfaction with the food and drinks at
the 'European Restaurant' on 18 January this year.
6. Problem
Cause:

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 ▪ On 7 October 2016 we placed an order with your firm for 12,000 ultra super
long-life batteries. The consignment arrived yesterday but contained only
1,200 batteries.
▪ Firstly, I had difficulty in registering to attend the event. You set up an on-line
registration facility, but I found the facility totally unworkable.
▪ You sent us an invoice for $10,532, but did not deduct our usual 10%
discount.
▪ We have found 16 spelling errors and 2 mis-labelled diagrams in the sample
book.

Effect:

▪ This error put our firm in a difficult position, as we had to make some
emergency purchases to fulfil our commitments to all our customers. This
caused us considerable inconvenience.
▪ Even after spending several wasted hours trying to register in this way, the
computer would not accept my application.
▪ I am therefore returning the invoice to you for correction.
▪ This large number of errors is unacceptable to our customers, and we are
therefore unable to sell these books.
7. Solution
▪ I am writing to ask you to please make up the shortfall immediately and to
ensure that such errors do not happen again.
▪ Could I please ask you to look into these matters.
▪ Please send us a corrected invoice for $9,479
▪ I enclose a copy of the book with the errors highlighted. Please re-print the
book and send it to us by next Friday.

8. Warning (optional)
▪ Otherwise, we may have to look elsewhere for our supplies.
▪ I'm afraid that if these conditions are not met, we may be forced to take legal
action.

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 ▪ If the outstanding fees are not paid by Monday, 24 October 2016, you will
incur a 10% late payment fee.

9. Closing
▪ I look forward to receiving your explanation of these matters.
▪ I look forward to receiving your payment.
▪ I look forward to hearing from you shortly.

Politeness
The tone of complaint letters should not be aggressive or insulting, as this would annoy the reader
and not encourage them to solve the problem. In addition, questions such as 'Why can't you get this
right?' should not be included.

Content

o The content should contain enough details so that the receiver does not have to write back
requesting more.
o Legal action is not normally threatened in the first letter of complaint, unless the situation is
very serious.

Example letters

Fortune Goods
317 Orchard Road
Singapore

14 October 2016

Attn: Mr David Choi

Sales Manager
Everlong Batteries
171 Choi Hung Road
Hung Hom
Hong Kong

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Dear Mr Choi
Re. Order No. 768197

I am writing to inform you that the goods we ordered from your company have not been
supplied correctly.
On 7 October 2016 we placed an order with your firm for 12,000 ultra super long-life
batteries. The consignment arrived yesterday but contained only 1,200 batteries.
This error put our firm in a difficult position, as we had to make some emergency purchases to
fulfil our commitments to all our customers. This caused us considerable inconvenience.
I am writing to ask you to please make up the shortfall immediately and to ensure that such
errors do not happen again. Otherwise, we may have to look elsewhere for our supplies.
I look forward to hearing from you by return.

Yours sincerely

J. Wong
Purchasing Officer

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 Flat 303 Lucky Mansions
856 Cheung Sha Wan Road
Cheung Sha Wan
Kowloon

13 October 2016

The Administrative Officer

Exhibition Services
Exhibitions International
33 Kadoorie Avenue
Kowloon

Dear Sir/Madam

I attended your exhibition Sound Systems 2016 at the Fortune Hotel from 3 - 6 October and found it
informative and interesting. Unfortunately, my enjoyment of the event was spoiled by a number of
organisational problems. I explain each of the problems below.

Firstly, I had difficulty in registering to attend the event. You set up an on-line registration facility,
but I found the facility totally unworkable. Even after spending several wasted hours trying to
register in this way, the computer would not accept my application. I eventually succeeded in
registering by faxing you.

Secondly, the exhibition was held at one of Hong Kong's most prestigious hotels, but frankly the
venue was better suited to a medium-sized business conference than to a large exhibition open by
registration to the public. The lack of space led to serious overcrowding in the venue, particularly at
peak visiting times (i.e. lunch times and early evening). On one or two occasions I was also seriously
concerned about the physical safety of attendees.

The final point I want to make concerns product information. It is very enjoyable to see and test a
range of excellent sound systems, but it is also important to be able to take away leaflets on
interesting products, so that more research can be done before deciding which system to buy.
However, by the time I attended the exhibition all the leaflets had been taken.

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Could I please ask you to look into these matters - not only on my behalf but also on behalf of other
attendees, and in fact on behalf of your company, too.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully

Michael Leung

Michael Leung

Condolence Letter

When to Write a Condolence Letter

Many of us can not be with a loved one during the entire grieving process. The grieving process can
take up to a year, and sometimes longer. If we live nearby we want to visit every day, but our
employment, household chores and family time takes up almost all of our time. If we live in a
separate state or a different country the distance is just too far, and the cost to travel is just too
expensive. That doesn’t mean that we are not thinking of our loved one, caring about them, or
wanting to help them through this difficult time.

What Do You Need to Write a Condolence Letter

1. Typing a letter on your computer and printing black ink on a plain piece of white paper isn’t very
personal or heart felt. Select some stylish stationery or perhaps a handsome note card. Matching
envelopes are an elegant touch.

2. Make sure you have a good working pen that has plenty of ink. You don’t want to run out of ink
half way through your letter and have to start all over again. Using two different ink pens or a pen
that blots or skips will look sloppy and thoughtless.

The Basic Parts of a Condolence Letter

Your condolence letter should contain seven parts.

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1. Start your condolence letter with a heartfelt, personal greeting and the person’s first name.
2. Acknowledge the loss of the deceased and express your sympathy for the bereaved while referring to the
deceased by name.
3. Write about the special qualities and accomplishments of the deceased that come to mind.
4. Include a loving memory of the deceased.
5. Remind the bereaved of the inner strength they can derive from their faith.
6. If you live a far distance away, suggest a time when you will be able to visit. If you live near enough to
help out in some way, offer something more specific.
7. End your condolence letter with a Christian inspirational wish for the bereaved and your deepest sympathy.

Examples for Writing a Condolence Letter

How do you express your feelings and what do you say that will actually help someone who is
grieving? You want to write words of condolence that come from your heart. You also want to write
complimentary words about the deceased that will be meaningful to the grieving person. To sum up,
your condolence letter should be both a comfort to the bereaved and a tribute to the deceased.

1. Eamples of Personal Greetings:

My Beloved Mother,
My Best Friend ______,
My Dearest Sister ______.

2. Acknowledge the Loss, Express Your Sympathy, Refer to the Deceased by Name:
Example A:
I wanted to write and tell you how deeply sad I am to hear about the passing of _____________.
Example B:
I know how much you loved _____________ and what a great loss you must endure.
Example C:
I'm praying our Lord's love is comforting and strengthening you since the loss of _____________.

3. Write Something About the Deceased:

Example A:
_____________ was a very respected person who served many years as a deacon in the church.
Example B:
_____________ was such a giving person. She supported many charities.

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Example C:
_____________ spent so much time doing things for others.

4. Include a Loving Memory of the Deceased:

Example A:
Until _____________ became sick, he never missed being an usher at Sunday service.
Example B:
Whenever the pastor announced that the food pantry was low on something, _____________ would show up
the next Sunday with two full shopping bags.
Example C:
I remember Christmas Eve of 2008 when _________ spent the entire day going from nursing home to nursing
home reading the story of the birth of Christ from the Bible to the elders.

5. Remind the Bereaved of the Power of Their Faith:

Example A:
I know your faith is strong. God's love will strengthen you.
Example B:
I know you have a personal relationship with our Savior. Christ’s peace will comfort you.

6. Offer a Visit or Your Help:

If you live far away:
At times like these, I wish the miles between us were not so great. I am hoping to visit this summer and spend
as much time with you as possible.
If you live nearby:
I know _____________ drove you to the food store every Thursday night. I’d love to help out with that duty
for a while. I can be there to pick you up at 6:30 PM.

7. Ending Your Letter:

Example A:
May the Lord be your rock in whom you take refuge,
My deepest sympathy,
________________
Example B:
May the Lord be the strength of your heart,
Our deepest sympathies,

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The ___________ Family
Example C:
May the Lord be your light during this dark time,
Our deepest sympathies,
John & Elaine _______________

The Salutation

The Salutation sets the tone for a condolence letter. The most popular forms it takes are listed below.
After you select your greeting, you can choose condolence phrases from subsequent sections to build
a complete letter.

• Dear _______,
• Dear Mr. _______,
• Dear Mrs. _______,
• Dear Mr. and Mrs. _______,
• Dear Aunt _______,
• Dear Uncle _______,
• Dear Aunt _______ and Uncle _______,
• Dear Cousin _______,
• My Dear Friend _______,
• Dear Rabbi _______,
• Dear Father _______,
• Dear Pastor _______,
• Dear Reverend _______,
• Dear Reverend and Mrs. _______,
• My Dear Friends _______ and _______,
• Dearest _______,
• Dearest _______ and _______,
• Dear _______ and Family

Selected Opening Phrases Fro Our Sample Letters of Sympathy and Condolences

It is important to convey compassion at the start of your letter. Some traditional ways to do so are:

86
 • I am so sorry to hear about the loss of _____________. He/she was a fantastic individual who will be
greatly missed everyone who knew him/her.
• We just heard the sad news of ______’s passing, and want you to know that our thoughts and prayers
are with you.
• I am very sad to hear of ______’s sudden death.
• It was painful to learn of _____'s death. I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to you and
your family at this time.
• I was devastated to hear the news of _______’s death. Please know that my thoughts and prayers are
with you.
• Please accept my sincere and heartfelt condolences at this most difficult of times and please pass
these feelings onto your family.
• I was absolutely saddened to hear of your uncle _______’s passing. He was a great guy and I’ll
always remember the many times he made us all laugh.
• I just heard of your husband’s sudden death. I am so very sorry, and am praying for you and your
children at this time.
• We are all shocked to hear of the sudden death of your nephew. Please accept our deepest and
heartfelt condolences.
• I would like to express my sincerest condolences on the passing of your loving partner ________.
• Thank you for calling to tell me the sad news about ________. I really liked him/her and my thoughts
and prayers are with you and the children.

Special Thoughts

Next add a special thought about the deceased such as:

• There is a great emptiness left by _____________’s passing, but I am certain that the strength of the
love that you and your family share for each other and for _____________ will get you through this
difficult time. May that love honor their memory and may you cherish the time you had together.
• I especially remember _____________’s gentle spirit and loving nature. They will always be
remembered as an especially giving person of great character.
• I often recall when we first moved into the neighborhood. _____________ came right over and
helped us carry our things into our new house. After he/she brought us over a home cooked meal.
That was a wonderful act of kindness which we’ll never forget, and which demonstrates the type of
person that _____________ was.

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 • May the outpouring of love you have received since _____________’s parting serve as a reminder to
you and your family of how much she/he was loved by all who knew him/her.
• I'm sorry I never got to meet _________. Everyone says she/he was a loving and caring person.
Though you may have been kept apart physically by the miles between you, the emotional bond and
love between you was as strong as if you were living in the same city.
• _______ was a valuable and highly respected member of our team here at (name of company or
business). The effects of his/her loss are being felt already by those of us who had the honor and
pleasure of working with him/her.
• I’m so sorry I could not be there in person to convey my condolences. Though I may be far away,
know that my spirit and prayers are with you. I will give you a call next week to talk.
• As you requested, I’ve made a donation to the Cancer Society in ________’s name.
• I will miss ________ so much. He/she was a dear friend whose company I cherished.

It is Appropriate to Offer Help to the Bereaved

In our sample letters of sympathy and condolences we offer help to the bereaved such as:

• I have included a box of those cookies you enjoy so much; I baked them fresh for you.
• I’ll be doing my weekly grocery shopping on Wednesday so I’ll pick up a few things for you and the
kids and make a couple of casseroles that you can just throw in the oven or microwave to warm up.
• If you’d like, I’ll take your kids to soccer practice on Tuesday then after they can come with us for
burgers. It might do them some good to spend a bit of time with someone their own age.
• I’ll accompany you later to the funeral home in case you’d like some help making the arrangements.
• I’ve recently learned how to build websites and would like to make one dedicated to_______. I'm off
every Friday so maybe we can get together and talk about what we can put on the site; maybe go
through some old photos to put online.
• I hope we can get together for a chat soon. I’ll give you a call next week and maybe we could go for a
coffee or something.
• I’d love to sing at the funeral if that’s okay with you. Would you be able to put me in touch with
whoever is making the arrangements?
• I will be honored to be a pallbearer. ________ was always there for me; to carry him/her to his/her
final resting place is the least I can do.

Sometimes We Use Quotes by Famous individuals in Our Sample Letters of Sympathy and
Condolences

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 • "Death is not extinguishing the light; it is putting out the lamp because dawn has come.” -
Rabindranath Tagore
• “While we are mourning the loss of our friend, others are rejoicing to meet him behind the veil.” -
John Taylor
• "Oh heart, if one should say to you that the soul perishes like the body, answer that the flower
withers, but the seed remains." - Kahlil Gibran
• Life is eternal, and love is immortal, and death is only a horizon; and a horizon is nothing save the
limit of our sight.- Rossiter Worthington Raymond
• "As you comprehend this profound loss, let yourself cry knowing each tear is a note of love rising to
the heavens." - Author Unknown
• "He spoke well who said that graves are the footprints of angels." - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
• “Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendor in the grass, of glory in the flower, we will
grieve not; rather find strength in what remains behind. - William Wordsworth

Bible Verses Make Excellent Condolence Phrases

Some of our sample letters of sympathy and condolences use biblical verses and religious sayings to
deliver words of condolence. Some are:

• Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. - Mathew 5:4
• The LORD is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. – Psalm 9:9
• Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. - Matthew 11:28
• You light a lamp for me. The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness. - Psalm 18:28
• Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. - Peter 5:7
• Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time. But no one seems to care or wonder
why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come. For those who
follow godly paths will rest in peace when they die. Isaiah 57:1-2
• The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. – Psalm 34:18
• Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.- Galatians 6:2
• Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. – 1 Peter 5:7
• Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles. - Psalm 119:50

These are Sample Letters of Sympathy and Condolences for Social Media

Some short condolence phrases you can use for texts, emails, tweets, and Facebook are:

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 There are no words to express my sorrow for your loss.

You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Don’t forget how much we love and care about you.

Please know that I am thinking of you and the rest of your family at this time

My heart is heavy as I think of your Mom/Dad and the blessing she/he was to me.

May the love of your family comfort you in the days ahead.

Praying that the Lord will give you strength during this difficult time.

Please accept my deepest sympathies for your loss; my prayers are with you and your children during this
difficult time.

My sincere condolences. May you find comfort and the strength to cope

Our condolences to you at this sad time.

Closing Thoughts from Our Sample Letters of Sympathy and Condolences

The closing of your letter is as important as any other part. Some special words of sympathy to close
with are:

• With deepest sympathy,

• My/Our sincerest condolences,
• May God bless and comfort you and your family,
• Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family,
• Thinking of you during this time and always,
• _____’s memory will be forever in our hearts,
• With all my love and condolences,
• With love and sympathy,

Don’t make these common spelling mistakes if substituting your own words for the phrases
from our sample letters of sympathy and condolences:

• Sympaty
• Simapthy

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 • Simpathy
• Simpathie
• Sympothy
• Simpothy
• Simpothie
• Condolenses
• Condulescense

Letter of accomplishment

A letter of accomplishment is a letter that recognized a specific accomplishment made by somebody. This
type of letter is used in business, in academics, and in everyday life. A letter of accomplishment is a great,
formal way to show how much you appreciate the accomplishments the recipient has made.

Letter of Accomplishment Sample

Helen J. Vazquez
312 Armory Road
Wilmington, NY 28403

Dear Helen,

Everyone at the New York Urban School Board wants to congratulate you on your recent acceptance
to Harvard University.No one in the history of our school board has ever been admitted into an Ivy
League school. We have worked hard to get many students into very respectable schools, but you are
the first student who has made it to the #1 ranked school in America.

You are obviously an intelligent student who has put in an extreme amount of hard work and has
shown qualities we wish all our students possessed. Your dedication and perseverance has
manifested itself into an acceptance into one of the best schools in America, and you should be
proud of yourself.

We wish you all the best with your future education and hope you prosper as much in the future as
you have in the past.

Cordially,

Everyone at the New York School Board

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Letter of Accomplishment for Employee Sample

Dear George,

Park & Smith would like to recognize your outstanding work this year restructuring the MBU
Haulage accounts in the face of great pressure. It was a daunting task when it arrived and you
managed to break it down and get the work done with superb leadership skills, and time to spare.

Myself as senior partner, and Alex and Julie from office 4, are proud to announce that you have been
awarded Accountant of the Year. Congratulations on your accomplishment, the award is well
deserved.
Best Regards,

Eric Hammer
Senior Partner

persuasive request letters

If your job involves business correspondence, then you certainly write request letters, occasionally or on a
regular basis. This could be a job request, promotion or meeting requests, request for information or referral,
favor letter or character reference. Such letters are difficult to write and even more difficult to write in such a
way that encourages recipients to respond willingly and enthusiastically.

As to request for money letters, all sorts of sponsorship, donation, or fundraising requests, you would agree
that it often requires a miracle to get a response : ) Of course, I cannot guarantee that our tips and letter
samples you will do the miracle, but they will definitely save you some time and make your writing job less
painful.

In the article you will find:

Business letter format

Tips for writing persuasive request letters

Sample request letters

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Business letter format

A business letter is a formal way of communication and that is why it requires a special format. You may not
care of the letter format too much if you are sending an e-mail, but if you are writing a traditional paper
business letter, the below recommendations may prove helpful. It is considered a good practice to print out a
business letter on standard 8.5" x 11" (215.9 mm x 279.4 mm) white paper.

Sender's Address.

Usually you start by typing your own address. In British English, the sender's address is usually written in the
top right corner of the letter. In American English, the sender's address is placed in the top left corner.

You needn't write the sender's name or title, as it is included in the letter's closing. Type only the street
address, city, and zip code and optionally, phone number and email address.

If you are writing on stationery with a letterhead, then skip this.

Date. Type a date a few lines below the letterhead or return address. The standard is 2-3 lines (one to four
lines are acceptable).

Reference Line (optional).

If your letter is related to some specific information, such as a job reference or invoice number, add it below
the date. If you are replying to a letter, refer to it. For example,

Re: Invoice # 000987

Re: Your letter dated 4/1/2014

On-Arrival Notices (optional).

If you want to include a notation on private or confidential correspondence, type it below the reference line in
uppercase, if appropriate. For example, PERSONAL or CONFIDENTIAL.

Inside Address.

This is the address of the recipient of your business letter, an individual or a company. It is always best to
write to a specific person at the company to which you are writing.

The standard is 2 lines below the previous item you typed, one to six lines are acceptable.

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Attention Line (optional).

Type the name of the person whom you're trying to reach. If you wrote the person's name in the Inside
Address, skip the Attention Line.

Salutation.

Use the same name as the inside address, including the title. If you know the person you are writing to and
usually address them by the first name, you can type the first name in the salutation, for example: Dear Jane.
In all other cases, it is a common practice to address a person with the personal title and last name followed
by a comma or colon, for example:

Mr. Brown:

Dear Dr. Brown:

Dear Ms. Smith,

If you do not know the recipient's name or are not sure how to spell it, use one of the following salutations:

Ladies

Gentlemen

Dear Sir

Dear Sir or Madam

To Whom it May Concern

Subject Line (optional):

Leave two or three blank lines after the salutation and type the gist of your letter in uppercase, either alighted
left or centered. If you have added the Reference Line (3), the Subject line may be redundant. Here are a few
examples:

LETTER OF REFERENCE

COVER LETTER

REQUEST FOR PRODUCT REPLACEMENT

JOB INQUIRY

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Body.

This is the main part of your letter, usually consisting of 2 - 5 paragraphs, with a blank line between each
paragraph. In the first paragraph, write a friendly opening and then state your main point. In the next few
paragraphs, provided background information and supporting details. Finally, write the closing paragraph
where you restate the purpose of the letter and request some action, if applicable. See tips on writing
persuasive business letters for more details.

Closing.

As you know, there are a few generally accepted complementary closes. Which one you choose depends on
the tone of your letter. For example,

Respectfully yours (very formal)

Sincerely or Kind regards or Yours truly (most useful closings in business letters)

Best regards, Cordially yours (slightly more personal and friendly)

The closing is typically typed at the same vertical point as the date and one line after the last body paragraph.
Capitalize the first word only and leave three or four lines between the closing and the signature block. If the
salutation is followed by a colon, add a comma after the closing; otherwise, no punctuation after the closing is
required.

Signature.

As a rule, a signature comes four blank lines after the Complimentary Close. Type your name below a
signature and add a title, if needed.

Enclosures. This line tells the recipient what other documents, such as a resume, are enclosed with your letter.
The common styles follow below:

Encl.

Attach.

Enclosures: 2

Enclosures (2)

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Typist Initials (optional).

This component is used to indicate the person who typed the letter for you. If you typed the letter yourself,
omit this. Usually the identification initials include three of your initials in uppercase, then two or three of the
typist's in lowercase. For example, JAM/dmc, JAM:cm. But this component is quite rarely used these days, in
very formal business letters.

10 tips to write persuasive request letters

Below you will find 10 strategies to write your request letters in such a way that they convince your reader to
respond or act.

Know your addressee.

Before you start composing you request letter, ask yourself these questions. Who is my reader and how
exactly can they help me? Are they decision makers or will they just pass along my request to a senior
officer? Both the style and contents of your request letter will depend on the reader's position.

Do not be verbose.

Be clear, brief and to the point. A rule of a thumb is this - don't use two words when one would suffice. Just
remember the famous quote by Mark Twain - "I didn't have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one
instead". A person in his position could afford that, and... he was not requesting anything : )

Make your letter easy to read.

When writing a request letter, don't digress and don't confuse your reader by drifting off your main point.
Avoid long, crammed sentences and paragraphs because they are intimidating and hard to digest. Use simple,
declarative sentences instead and break long sentences with commas, colons and semicolons. Start a new
paragraph when you change a thought or idea.

Here's a very poor example of a cover letter:

"In every regard, my qualifications appear to be consistent with the desires expressed by your advertisement
and based on the voice of your company's blogs, I really think that I was meant to be a [Position] in your
company."

And this is a good one:

"I have good skills and experience in [Your area of expertise] and I would be most grateful if you consider me
for any suitable position."

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Remember, if your request letter looks easy to read, it has a better chance to be read!

Add call to action.

Put action in your request letters wherever is possible. The easiest way is to use action verbs and the active
voice rather than passive.

Convince but do not demand.

Do not treat your addressees as if they owe you something. Instead, catch the reader's attention by mentioning
common ground and emphasize the benefits of acting.

Do not be burdensome.

Give readers all the information needed and tell what exactly you want them to do. Simplify the job for the
person to respond - include contact information, direct phone numbers, give links or attach files, whatever is
appropriate

Write in a friendly way and appeal to the reader's feelings.

Though you are writing a business letter, don't be superfluously businesslike. Friendly letters make friends, so
write your request letters in a friendly way as if you are talking to your real friend or an old acquaintance. We
are all humans, and it may be a good idea to appeal to humanity, generosity, or sympathy of your
correspondent.

Remain polite and professional.

Even if you are writing an order cancellation request or complaint letter, remain polite and courteous, simply
state the issue(s), provide all relevant information and be sure to avoid threats and calumny.

Mind your grammar!

Rephrasing a well-known saying - "grammar counts for first impressions". Poor grammar like poor manners
may spoil everything, so be sure to proofread all business letters you send.

Review before sending.

When you have finished composing the letter, read it aloud. If your key point is not crystal clear, write it over.
It's better to invest some time in re-writing and get a response, than make it fast and have your letter thrown
away in a bin straight away.

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And finally, if you've got a response to your request letter or the desired action is taken, don't forget to thank
the person. Here you can find sample thank you letters for all occasions.

Karen Underwood
17 Clear Branch Drive
Springtown, LA 39612

January 17, 2013

Premier Financial - Facilities Department

Attn: Jim Loudon, Supervisor
100 Corporate Drive
Springtown, LA 39612

Dear Mr. Loudon,

I have been an account representative at Premier Financial since 2009 and am writing you on behalf
of the deteriorating state of the employee parking area outside the west entrance to the building. I, as
well as many of my coworkers, have concerns with the safety of the parking lot that we would like
your department to address.

The first of our concerns is the general upkeep of the lot itself. There are many areas where the
concrete is cracked or uneven, presenting a trip-and-fall hazard. This is problematic for both the
safety of the employees, as well as the liability exposure of the company. A second area of concern
is the lack of adequate security. This is an even greater issue due to the increasing number of thefts
in the area surrounding the office. While a single guard does patrol the parking lot until the office
closes at 5:00 p.m., there are often employees working late who consequently have no protection as
they walk to their vehicles under even more dangerous conditions than those who left on time. This
directly relates to the third item, which is the inadequate lighting. Many employees have noticed
that, of the twelve security lights spread throughout the parking area, there are usually no more than
seven that are in operation. Whether due to needed repairs or simply a light bulb that has burned out,
this seems to be a simple way to greatly increase parking lot safety.

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I am also expressing my concerns to Premier’s Corporate Facilities Department at the company
headquarters. I anticipate a response by February 1, 2013, detailing how the Facilities Department
plans to address these issues for the short- and long-term. I know that Premier values the health and
safety of its employees, and I look forward to the solutions you will propose. Please contact me if I
can be of further assistance.

Sincerely,

Karen Underwood

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 UNIT 5: Application Writing

What is an Application?

An application is a formal request to an authority. There are different kinds of applications:

Leave Application Letter

A leave application letter is written in general to apply for a leave of absence from the university or
office for certain period. The leave application letter should contain a valid reason to apply for the
leave, which should convince the employer and make him to grant you leave. A sample leave
application letter can be seen below where you can see the format, content and how one should
present his reason to their employer

Sender’s Address

Date

Receiver’s Name and Address

Subject: Application for leave

Dear Madam,

I am a student of class---------and would like to apply for leave from the university.

My father is experiencing severe head pain due to brain tumor, which doctors diagnosed last week.
Doctors also said that he must undergo a major surgery in order to remove the tumor.The operation
is on 18th December and my father wants me to be with him till he recovers from this. Since we have
no one here to support us, I am the responsible person to stay with him.

I shall be grateful if you would sanction me leave for one week, that is, 26thSeptember to 3rd October
2016. If there are any changes, I will inform you at the earliest.

I would appreciate your viewing my application favorably.

Yours sincerely,
Name
Class &Section

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Application for Grant of Fee Concession
Sender’s Address
Date
The Vice Chancellor
Fatima Jinnah Women University
Rawalpindi
Subject: Application for Grant of Fee Concession
Madam,

With due respect it is stated that I am a student of (class, discipline). I passed (which class)
and achieve (which place) in all the sections. My father is a (Father’s job and position) in
(department). He is not able to support our whole family by his salary. My grandparents also depend
on him. My other two sisters are already studying in this University. In this situation he is not in a
position to pay my fee.

Kindly grant me full fee concession, otherwise I will not be in a position to continue my studies
further. Please consider my problems sympathetically.

Yours sincerely,
Name….
Sec….roll……

Application for Hostel Allotment

Sender’s Address
Date
The Vice Chancellor
FJWU, Rawalpindi

Subject: Application for Hostel Allotment

Madam,
Most respectfully it is stated that I am Sana Shah and I have applied for my BS program in this
University. Fortunately, I am on merit in BS. (Hons.) Pharmacy, IPS Department. It is requested that
I belong to Quetta and since I don’t have any relatives in this city, l need to have a room in
University Hostel.
Madam, I request you to kindly, allot me a hostel room so that I won’t suffer from any transportation
or other problems. I assure you that I will show good manners. Attached is the filled form for hostel
allotment. It would be a huge favor for me and I shall be thankful to you.
Yours Sincerely,
Sana Shah

Practice:

Write applications for the issuance of car stickers or university cards, extension for leave or any late
submissions, etc.

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 UNIT 6: The Process of Writing

Using Mind Maps

Mind maps can be used for a multitude of purposes. This article outlines how they can effectively
be used to help support and develop students' writing skills.

A mind map is ...

A mind map, or spidergram, is a strategy for making notes on a topic, prior to writing. It is a

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structured strategy, which shows the (hierarchical) relationship of ideas, as opposed to an
unstructured strategy, such as brainstorming, in which students produce notes at random on paper.

Having an organized display of information from the outset of the writing process may help some
students, as it is more easily converted into a draft, whereas in brainstorming, the random recording
of ideas might lead to problems with the structure of students' texts.

The advantages of mind maps

Making a mind map should be a spontaneous pre-writing activity. Students start with a topic at the
centre and then generate a web of ideas from that, developing and relating these ideas as their mind
makes associations.

Mind maps work well as their visual design enables students to see the relationship between ideas,
and encourages them to group certain ideas together as they proceed. Mind maps work especially
well when created in groups, since the discussion this engenders aids the production of ideas, and
makes the task livelier and more enjoyable.

How to make mind maps with your students

Choosing a topic
Traditionally, students are given a topic to write on by the teacher. However, with certain classes,
students may prefer to nominate the topic themselves. This can lead to greater interest in the task on
the part of the student, as well as, perhaps, greater knowledge of the topic under study.

The mind map strategy can be used to explore almost any topic, though discursive essays and
narrative work particularly well as they front students' ideas and lend themselves to discussing ideas
in groups.

I usually start by writing the topic on the board. In the last writing class I taught, with a group of
upper-intermediate students, I chose a discursive essay with the title "Why do people start
smoking?"I chose this genre as we had recently been looking at the language used to give reasons
and explanations. The discursive text is useful in highlighting this feature of English, and in raising
awareness of the noun phrase, a particularly tricky area for intermediate students.

Note making
Once the topic has been introduced, I encourage my students to close their eyes and think about it for

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a minute or two, in silence. They then have two minutes in which to note down their ideas. If they do
not know a word in English, they can write it in L1 at this stage, as dictionaries or too much teacher
intervention tend to halt and inhibit the creative flow.

Then, working in groups, they can compare and discuss their ideas, perhaps adding to their mind
maps as they go. This stage also provides the opportunity for peer teaching, as other students may be
available to provide the English word for the idea that was noted down in L1.

Feedback
The next stage, in which the teacher makes a collective mind map on the board, is optional, but is
useful for students who are new to the idea of mind maps, or for weak classes. It is also in this
feedback stage that any remaining language problems can be ironed out. As the teacher elicits
students' ideas, and reformulates expressions or corrects, students will learn how to express their
ideas in English. Such personalisation is said to aid vocabulary learning.

The map is fluid and changeable, and new connections or subgroups can be made, or branches
added, as the students make suggestions. The end result should be an organised display of
information, showing the central topic, and a number of subtopics and further points that stem from
it.

Organising mind maps

In the next stage the students organise their mind maps into a linear format to decide the best way in
which to present their points. They should first think about the overall structure, i.e. the order in
which to relay the information, and then focus on the precise function each paragraph will have in
their final text, as this helps to clarify their writing. This can be done in groups, or as a class with the
teacher leading the discussion.

However it is carried out, it is important to provide a context and audience. I told my class, who
were writing about drugs, that they were writing for their college magazine. Having an audience in
mind helps students to decide which ideas are most important, and also helps students to choose the
appropriate style.

Writing
Students should then begin to write their compositions, working in pairs if they wish. After two

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paragraphs, they should exchange their compositions, so they become readers of each other's work.
This allows for feedback, and possible re-writing. Once they have finished, they should again
exchange their texts. This gives their texts a communicative purpose, as well as developing an
awareness of the fact that a writer is always producing something to be read by someone else, rather
than for the display of writing alone.

Mind Map

Example: How I use a mind map to build stories

A mind map is a means to visually represent ideas and their relationship to one another. It's a
brainstorming tool frequently used in education, the business world, and the entertainment industry -
often in collaborative projects.

In principle it's meant to more accurately represent mental associations than an outline can. Fiction
writing is less frequently collaborative. But a mind map template can become an effective
composition tool.
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In my experience, outlining stories can be a big help, but writing an outline often frustrates my
efforts to develop a story from scratch. They're too linear for my associative thought process, end up
full of gaps and feel less natural than a mind map.

Since a mind map is not linear, blank spaces are not only forgivable, they become compelling
reasons to think more about the story you're developing. Here's a guide to how a mind map can be
used as a composition tool.

Starting out

I start with general ideas and get more and more specific as my story develops. I have a template
layout containing four elements that every story will involve. Whenever I open a fresh mind map,
this is what goes up first:

I label these nodes like this because when I have an idea it involves at least one of these story
elements. I can focus on what I have then start adding my story's specifics as they occur to me. It
means I don’t struggle through outline points that aren't ready to be fleshed out yet.

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Introducing and expanding ideas

Let's take a specific example. Say a story occurred to me based on an argument between a stepson
and his nosy stepfather.

I've got a single complete scene in which the stepfather asks the stepson's friends about his
girlfriend. Sensing there's more to the story, I can use the template above to develop it.

I fill in all the elements of the scene that I know. In this instance, I've got my main players, their
characteristics and the gist of the scene.

With this material on screen, some questions naturally arise.

How do we know the stepfather's a liar and not just concerned? He should have someone to talk to.

How does the son demonstrate his narcissism? He should also have someone to confide in.

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Now I've got two new characters and will need two new scenes. I should create two new nodes
subordinate to ‘Plot’ and elaborate on the son's character subordinate to the ‘pouty, narcissistic’
node.

Every node can be joined by siblings (like the two additional 'Plot' nodes) or beget infants (like the
supporting details about the son's narcissism). The beauty of a mind map is that it can continue
expanding whenever a new element occurs to you.

The advantage of the layout I introduced in my first step is that it leaves open space on the other side
of the mind map to fill in more details.

Crossing the map

I left ‘Setting’ and ‘Timeline’ blank on the opposite end of the map. Now that I have additional
‘Plot’ and ‘Character’ elements, they will help fill in those blanks.

Questions that will help develop ‘Setting’:

Where did the son's encounter with his ‘friends’ take place? The yard.

Where did the stepfather's conversation with his lackey take place? His study.

Questions that will help develop ‘Timeline’:

What happened before the scene I have? The son's father died.

In what order do these events take place in the story? The step-father will talk to his lackey, the
friends will quiz the son, the son will talk to his best friend.

What will I choose not to show? The stepfather asking the son's friends to find out about the
girlfriend.

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Now I know where and when my three scenes take place. I like to use arrows to reinforce
particularly important connections. I'll insert an arrow using the colour of the region that inspired the
thought, so I can keep track of where my ideas came from.

For instance, the son's attitude towards his duplicitous friends influenced my decision to describe the
yard in which that scene is set as ‘lifeless’. Since that description occurred to me as a result of what I
wrote in the ‘Characters’ node, I used a red arrow.

You can see a fully expanded version of the mind map below.

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Using the mind map, I've developed a lot of material from a single scene. I think using arrows is
important because it reminds me that each node can lead someplace else. That this is an organic
process and space that's undeveloped is asking for attention.

My goal when using a mind map is to fill empty space as soon as possible. Images, links, symbols,
and even sound files can be inserted into a map's nodes to help you along.

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111
 TECHNIQUES IN USING CONTROLLED WRITING

WHAT IS CONTROLLED WRITING?

▪ Raimes (1983) – “all the writing for which a great deal of the content and/or form is
supplied.”
▪ Opposite to free writing; similar to guided writing (not the same though).
▪ Compared to free writing, more is given to the students:
• an outline to complete
• a paragraph to manipulate
• a model to follow
• a passage to continue, etc.
▪ Silva (1990) still considers it as effective tool in helping learner put down words on paper.

WHAT IS CONTROLLED WRITING?

▪ A useful tool at all levels of composition teaching.
▪ Controlled writing tasks give students focused practice in:
1. Getting words down on paper.
2. Concentrating on one or two problems at a time.
▪ Students are spared the complexity that is free writing.
▪ Can fit into a writing curriculum at any level of student ability in these places:
1. Before free writing – students practice a grammatical point or syntactic structure
within a text and not just as a sentence exercise.
2. After free writing – when we determine what problems students may face and assign
a guided task to give them practice with the problematic areas.

PROS OF CONTROLLED WRITING

▪ A practical process of reinforcing grammar, vocabulary and syntax in context (Raimes,
1983).
▪ When the students write the passages, conventions of written English (indentation,
punctuation, connecting words, spelling etc.) are used.
▪ Can be used with different levels.

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 ▪ Provide learners with ample writing practice using correct grammar forms compared to free
writing.
▪ Allows learners to monitor their own progress within the parameters provided.
▪ Can be prepared and corrected quickly – reduces burden on the teacher.
▪ Helps to systematically and gradually cover different teaching points (Paulston, 1972).
five
FREQUENTLY ASSIGNED TASKS

CONTROLLED COMPOSITION, QUESTION AND ANSWER, GUIDED

COMPOSITION, PARALLEL WRITING, & SENTENCE COMBINING
CONTROLLED COMPOSITION
▪ Students are given a passage to work with; they do not have to be concerned with things like
content, organization, finding ideas and forming sentences.
▪ Usually writing down the passage and making a few specified changes of a grammatical or
structural nature.
▪ Students make changes to the passage given to them, but will not add anything of their own
to it.
▪ Example:
• Rewrite a passage describing a man to one that describes two men (singular/plural
changes).
• Rewrite a present tense passage in the past.
• Rewrite direct speech into indirect speech.
• CONTROLLED COMPOSITION
Example:
Everyday Alice wakes up at 6.
She prepares breakfast for the whole family before preparing herself to go to work.
She drives to her workplace which is twenty minutes away.
She takes a coffee break at 10 a.m.
Instruction: Describe Alice’s routine last Monday, and change the report. Start with “Last Monday,
Alice woke up at 6.”
More examples can be found in Techniques in Teaching Writing by Ann Raimes (pg. 98 – 101)

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 QUESTION AND ANSWER
▪ This format allows students a little more freedom in structuring sentences.
▪ Students are not given actual text they are going to write, but rather are given a series of
questions, the answers to which form the text.
▪ Carefully constructed questions will produce a coherent text.

QUESTION AND ANSWER

Example:
Abu’s daily morning routine
6:00 wake up
6:05 shower
6:10 put on school uniform
6:20 eat breakfast
6:35: put on shoes
6:40 say goodbye to Mom and walk to school
Instruction:
By answering the following questions with complete sentences, write a paragraph that describes
Abu’s daily morning routine.
1. When does Abu wake up?
2. What does he do first?
3. What does he do next?
4. What does he do then?
5. When does he eat his breakfast?
6. What does he do after breakfast?
7. What does he do before walking to school?
More examples can be found in Techniques in Teaching Writing by Ann Raimes (pg. 101 – 103)

GUIDED COMPOSITION
▪ It is an extension of controlled composition.
▪ Less controlled than the previous ones – provides only some of the content and form of the
sentences students will use.
▪ Finished products will be similar but not exactly alike.

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 ▪ Students are given a first sentence, a last sentence, an outline to fill out, a series of questions
to respond to, or information to include in their writing.
▪ Students can discuss, make notes, share findings and plan strategies before they begin to
write.
GUIDED COMPOSITION
Example:
Students are shown a picture. They are to write 3 paragraphs about the picture.
a. Begin by telling the reader that the picture shows__________. Then go on and describe the
________ of the _________.
b. Start your second paragraph by saying something about the ________ in the picture.
Describe ________ in detail.
c. Start your third paragraph with “Other than that, the ______________ is also
__________.”. Go on and describe the rest of the characteristics of __________.

More examples can be found in Techniques in Teaching Writing by Ann Raimes (pg. 98 – 101)
SENTENCE COMBINING
▪ It is the combining of “base” or “kernel” sentences into one longer compound or complex
sentences.
▪ Researchers found that sentence-combining exercises improve students’ sentence structure,
length of sentence, and sentence variety.
▪ A good way of introducing new language structures without the complicated explanations
and jargons.
▪ Content is given – does not provide students opportunity to formulate ideas, but does provide
plenty of practice with syntactic structures that are more common in writing than in speech.
▪ Gives students chance to use grammatical knowledge they have to make choices about
structures.
SENTENCE COMBINING
Example:
He didn’t get to eat his breakfast this morning.
He woke up late this morning.
Combine the sentences to form a new sentences using the correct conjunction(s).
More examples can be found in Techniques in Teaching Writing by Ann Raimes (pg. 107 – 109)

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 PARALLEL WRITING
▪ The freest kind of controlled writing.
▪ Students read and study a passage and then write their own on a similar theme – use as a
guide the vocabulary, sentence structure, cohesive device and the organization of the model
passage.
Thus, parallel writing can best be described as rewriting with different basic information,
which again is provided.
Different
Example:
Steve: I’m leaving for swimming practice, Mom. See you later.
Mom: Okay. Please close the front gate behind you when you leave.
Rewrite the dialogue into a narrative.
More examples can be found in Techniques in Teaching Writing by Ann Raimes (pg. 109 – 113)

USING CONTROLLED WRITING IN TANDEM WITH THE PROCESS APPROACH

USING CONTROLLED WRITING IN TANDEM WITH THE PROCESS APPROACH
 The best way of integrating controlled writing and the process approach is to design the
writing activity around one step in the writing process.
 Through this simple organizational routine we break the writing process down into bite-sized
chunks which can easily be handled both by the teachers and the students.
USING CONTROLLED WRITING IN TANDEM WITH THE PROCESS APPROACH
Thus brainstorming and different types of brainstorming can be turned into controlled writing
activities by, for example, inserting blanks into lists.
Students could have to revise or fix up thesis statements/topic sentences.
Even outlining can easily be turned into a controlled writing activity.

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 UNIT: 7 Report writing

What is a report?

A report is a systematic, well organized document which defines and analyses a subject or problem, and
which may include:

the record of a sequence of events

interpretation of the significance of these events or facts
evaluation of the facts or results of research presented
discussion of the outcomes of a decision or course of action
conclusions
recommendations

Reports must always be:

accurate
concise
clear
well structured

Types of Reports:

• annual reports
• auditor's reports
• book reports
• experience report
• inspection reports
• military reports
• police reports
• policy reports
• progress reports
• recommendation reports

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 • investigative reports
• scientific reports
• trip reports
• appraisal reports
• Workplace reports etc.

Initial preparation

Always analyze your brief carefully, making sure that you fully understand the topic, question or case,
that you know what the purpose of the report is, and who it is being written for. The clearer these things
are in your mind, the easier the report will be to write and the more effective it will be.

When you are researching, planning and eventually writing, continually ask yourself what the main
purpose of the report is, what your objective is in writing it: is it to inform; to argue; to persuade; to
evaluate? What does your reader want to see in the report and what will they do with it?

You first need to decide your basic framework. With your main topic or question as a central focus, jot
down your initial thoughts and start to group these together. You may find the Mind Mapping technique
useful. Start to divide key ideas from subsidiary information, and continually ask yourself if everything
is relevant; if it isn’t, then delete it.

From your prior knowledge (from reading and lectures), you should be able to put together a fairly basic
structure.

You will now be able to plan your research. Ask yourself what you need to find out, maybe in the form
of questions that need to be answered, then approach your reading from this starting point. If you have
specific information to look for, it will make your reading easier and less time consuming.

Try not to gather too much information. Again, keeping your topic or question in mind, reject anything
which is not 100% relevant. When you’re making notes, always try to summarize the main points as
concisely as possible. Remember to make a comprehensive record of any sources consulted in order to
be able to correctly reference these.

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Unlike essays, reports are written in sections with headings and sub-headings, which are usually
numbered.

Consider the following questions:

1. Who am I writing for? [Audience]

• They could be the public, principal, teacher, friend, company manager, town council
etc.
Why am I writing this? [Purpose]
• To give an account of something I witnessed, to complain about something, to
explain, inform. instruct, convince and persuade, sell, etc.
How is this piece to be written? [Format]
• Report, letter, account, article. statement, review. speech etc.
What is the tone I should use? [Language]

Formal, informal, persuasive, informative, argumentative etc.

Example:

A report to the Vice Chancellor

This kind of report is a formal account of an incident which happened in University. The
purpose of this report is to inform the Vice Chancellorso that she can carry out an
investigation and take action. Thus, the report is addressed to the Vice Chancellor.

Format

Step 1: Address the Receiver, write down the Name of Vice Chancellor and the University as
well.

Step 2: Next Line, write down the Name of the Sender

Step 3: Next Two Lines, the Subject and Date of the Report.

Step 4: Write your Report in Paragraphs.

Step 5: It is mostly written in past tense. Do remember that, you are reporting.

Step 6: End your Report with a Clear Ending, by Making an Inference/ Suggestion.

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 To: (name of person the report is sent to)

From: (writer of report)

Date: (date the report was written)

Main Body

1. The first paragraph should tell what the report is about. If you are reporting about an event
then in the first paragraph you should also inform the reader when and where the event took
place.
2. The second paragraph should tell how the entire event took place and some eye
catching relevant incidents worth mentioning must be added.
3. The last paragraph should add some suggestions and concluding remarks from your side. But
keep in mind that it should be entirely objective. Sometimes in the question the examiner
asks the candidate to provide some suggestions, in that case you are free to add subjective
remarks.
4. End by writing ‘signature’ and your name.
5. Keep your language simple and use passive voice to give an impersonal tone to your report.
For example, ‘ it was observed’ instead of stating “I saw” or ‘I observed’
6. The use of ‘I’ pronoun is permitted unless the event is witnessed by you. On the contrary, ‘I’
pronoun is not generally used in reports as it adds a personal shade to your reporting. Thus,
the candidate needs to be careful in its use and choose appropriate words to maintain an

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impersonal tone.

Check before you submit:

Careful checking of your report before you print off the final version can make a big
difference.
General layout
Text organization
Coherence
Grammar, spelling and punctuation
Style

And finally overall, does the report fulfil its purpose? Does it do what you’re being asked to
do and what you say you’re going to do in your introduction? Are you pleased with it? If you
can’t confidently answer “yes” to these questions, then you may need to do some major
editing and rewriting.

EXERCISE #1:

Many of your university fellows are not interested in sports. You have carried out a survey
on the reasons for their lack of interest. Based on your findings, write a report to the Vice
Chancellor regarding the matter. In your report, give reasons for the lack of interest in sports
and provide suggestions to overcome the problem.

Use The Following Notes To Write Your Report.

Reasons: Parents, Facilities, Students Emphasis on academic performance, Insufficient spots,

Equipment, poor condition – field and courts, lack of time.

Suggestions: Stress its importance, Organize more events, Improve facilities of sports,
Dialogue with parents, Employ qualified trainers, Offer attractive prizes.

Exercise #2: You have been asked to organize an end-of-term outing. Write a report to the
director students affairs suggesting her the following:

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 What kind of activities would be suitable?
Will any special clothes or equipment be needed?
What food will be required?
What transport will be necessary?
How much will the outing cost?

Exercise#3

You are the secretary of the English dramatic society. The editor of the University magazine
has asked you to write an annual report on your society.
Useful Words and Phrases
1. To indicate more info
• besides
• furthermore
• in addition
• indeed
• in fact
• moreover
• secondly, thirdly, etc.
To indicate an example
• for example
• for instance
• in particular
• particularly
• specifically
• to demonstrate
• to illustrate
To indicate a cause or reason
• as
• because
• because of
• due to
• for the reason that
• since
To indicate a result or effect
• accordingly
• finally
• consequently
• hence
• so
• thus
• therefore

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To indicate a purpose or reason why
• for fear that
• in the hope that
• in order to
• so
• so that
• with this in mind
To compare or contrast
• although
• however
• in comparison
• in contrast
Addition
• also
• again
• as well as
• besides
• coupled with
• furthermore
• in addition
• likewise
• moreover
• similarly
Consequence
• accordingly
• as a result
• consequently
• for this purpose
• hence
• otherwise
• subsequently
• therefore
• thus
• thereupon
Generalising
• as a rule
• as usual
• for the most part
• generally
• generally speaking
• usually
• ordinarily
Exemplifying
• chiefly
• especially
• for instance
• in particular

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 • markedly
• namely
• particularly
• including
• specifically
• such as
Illustration
for example
• for instance
• for one thing
• as an illustration
• illustrated with
• as an example
• in this case

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