COLLEGE READING

upper-intermediate level

LESSON THREE
Instructor Nyamjav B.
 CHAPTER -1

Race and Ethnicity

Reading Assignment 3

Reading Selection 3: Life as an Alien

 Check your previous classwork
Exercise 10 (page 25-28)

Example 2, Step 3:
• The concept of race relies on dividing all people into racial groups.
• Those groups are based on skin color.
• The groups are also based on ancestral origin.

Example 3, Step 3:
• Assimilation occurs in two main but different ways.
• The first is called “a melting pot.”
• The second is called “a salad bowl.”
 Check your previous classwork
Exercise 14 (page 32)
Step 3:
The four aspects of minority groups are shared physical or cultural characteristics, ascribed status, group solidarity,
and endogamy.

Step 4:
c. Members of minority groups stick together and help each other, especially when they are being attacked by
others.

d. Because members of dominant groups do not want to join minorities and because minorities want keep their
groups together, minorities often marry members of the same groupage

Step 5: In this step, you should write and submit summaries which include the points given in steps 3 and 4. You
should also report the number of words in your summaries to compare with the 197 words in the original. Your
summaries should be less than half the length (98 words) of the original.
 Check your previous classwork
Exercise 15 (page 34) Possible answers for you
1.
• Sociology is the study of the social behavior of humans.
• According to Compte, sociologists look for patterns in group behavior.
• Sociology is similar to history, anthropology, psychology, economics, geography and political science because they all look at
aspects of society.

2.
• A dominant group is one that has the power in a society.
• Minority groups are groups which are controlled by dominant groups.
• In America, descendants of white Europeans have been the dominant group while American Indians, Blacks, Hispanics, and
others have been in the minority groupage

3.
• Sociologists look beyond the biology of race and see race as it relates to social structure.
• Sociologists rely on data gathered through the census bureau to define a person’s race.
• These categories depend on cultural factors rather than relying on a physical description a person might have.
• The concept of race becomes more complicated to a sociologist than it does to those who look only at inherited physical traits.
4.
• Cultural factors might be language, national origin, religion, norms, and values.
• Mexican people might be identified because most speak Spanish, belong to the Catholic Church, and strongly
value family relationships.
5.
• To retain their identities, ethnic groups must pass on their cultural beliefs from one generation to the next.
• Marry within the ethnic groupage
• Form friendships within the groupage
• Share the same religion.
• Eat the same kind of food.
• Enjoy the same art and entertainment.
• Examples: Italian food, Greek dancing, sharing the same Jewish faith
6.
• Minority group members share physical and cultural similarities. They may look alike and they also share similar
customs, religion, language, and ancestry.
• Minority group members have ascribed status. This means they are born into the groupage
• Minority group members form solidarity with other members of their groupage This means they support each
other and face the world together.
• Members of a minority generally marry other members of the same groupage This is called endogamy.
 Check your previous classwork
Exercise 16 (page 35) Possible answers for you
1. Meri Nana-Ama Danquah

2. The story is about the challenges faced by a mother and her daughter in assimilating into
American society.

3. The story was written in the 1990’s

4. The story takes place in Los Angeles.

5. The author wrote the story to explain what it is like to live as an “alien” in American society.
 Check your previous classwork
Exercise 17 (page 36) Possible answers for you

1. Ghana

2. She is an African-American

3. African-Americans are often defined by their skin color, yet they come from many differing
cultures.

4. She may have experienced some prejudice from the dominant culture and even from black
Americans who did not share her immigrant situation.

5. She may have been dominated, withdrawn, or she may have fought back against
discrimination.
 Checking your team’s comprehension

Exercise 18 (page 43)

Exercise 19 (page 44)

Exercise 20 (page 45)

Exercise 21 (page 46)

Mari Nana-Ama Danquah
 Keeping a Reading Journal

One of the best way to become more aware of

your own learning is to keep a reading journal.
As you work with this book, write the date
every time in the journal.

Keep the following information in your reading

journal:
• New words you have to learn, specially
Academic Word List (AWL)
• Notes on organizational patterns that
authors use.
• Reading strategies that work for you. ( types
of questions, what techniques have you
developed to learn and remember)
• Notes on learning preferences you
may have, such as the right time
and place to read.
• Take notes on your reading speed
and what kind information you
should and can read faster versus
which material you need to read
more carefully
 Homework

1. Memorize new words and phrases from this

assignment.

2. Answer the questions on page 49

3. Do the exercise 23 on page 50.