General Reading Skills_Second Term_Engaging into Reading_Week 7 - Lesson 11

Top-Down & Bottom-up

Reading Strategies in Action

A. Read the text below and then work on the given

assignments. Apply the strategies worked in the class.

Challenges Faced
Before the United States became a country,
immigration was a part of the American experience.
Tired of being persecuted for their religious beliefs,
the Pilgrims set sail from Plymouth, England, in 1620.
They did not seek martyrdom by leaving England to
settle in the New World, just the opportunity to freely
practice their religion. The 101 passengers faced
being destitute as they left in September with two
months of rough seas before them and arrival in a rugged, barely charted land as winter
approached. Still, like future immigrants, they felt the challenges were worth the
rewards. They took animals and seed to start a new colony, and despite many
hardships, they survived. A new country was set in motion, and settlers steadily
continued arriving. The nineteenth century was to see a period of mass migration. In
1846 the potato crop began to fail in Ireland, and economic and political problems hit
other European countries. Many Europeans saw America as a place for autonomy.

There they believed they would be free to start their own businesses or farms and make
their own religious and political decisions. Of course, many did not come without
ambivalence. It was difficult to leave family, friends, and a way of life they had known
for years. It was political oppression, starvation, and a hope for a better future for
General Reading Skills_Second Term_Engaging into Reading_Week 7 - Lesson 11
themselves and their children that induced most people to come to America. Records
show close to 24 million people arrived in the United States between 1880 and 1920.
An immigration period of such magnitude has not been repeated in the United States.
Most immigrants have done their utmost to find a place in American society. Balancing
a respect for their original country with their new homes has not always been easy.
Maybe one of the hardest aspects has been placating the second and third
generations who have not always understood the traditions of their parents and
grandparents as they try to fit into American life. Many young people wonder why they
must wear traditional clothing to celebrate holidays whose significance they don’t really
understand or why they must eat traditional foods when they want hamburgers and
French fries.

But these conflicts tend to resolve themselves with time as families ascertain how to
combine customs from the old country with new ones from America to form a
multicultural society, taking the best from the many lands that make up this New World.

Predicting

B. For each set, write the definition on the line next to the word to which it belongs. If
you are unsure, return to the reading on page 8, and underline any context clues you
find. After you’ve made your predictions, check your answers against the Word List on
General Reading Skills_Second Term_Engaging into Reading_Week 7 - Lesson 11
page 13. Place a checkmark in the box next to each word whose definition you missed.
These are the words you’ll want to study closely.

poor - having conflicting feelings - harassed - extreme suffering - independence

maximum - persuaded - calming - to find out definitely -

greatness in significance,size, or rank

1. Persecuted: Harassed
2. Martyrdom: extreme suffering
3. Destitute: Poor
4. Autonomy: Independence
5. Ambivalence: Having conflicting feelings
6. Induced:Persuaded
7. Magnitude: greatness in significance,size, or rank
8. Utmost: Maximum
9. Placating: Calming
10. Ascertain: To find out definitely

C. Finish these fictitious historical sentences. The year the sentence relates to is
given in parentheses. Use each word once.

1. The__martrydom______________ of the American colonists is over. Yesterday’s Boston Tea

Party shows the British what we think of taxation without representation. (1773)

2. Explorers Lewis and Clark report that the ____magnitude____________ of the West is
“amazing.” (1806)

3. President Lincoln has been trying h is______utmost __________ to keep the Union together.
(1860)

4. Sitting Bull leads_____destituted___________ Indians into battle at Little Bighorn. (1876)

5. Yesterday’s earthquake in San Francisco has left thousands of citizens ...persecuted... . (1906)

6. Another suicide has been____placated_________ by the recent stock market crash. A man
jumped to his death from a fifth-story window today. (1929)
General Reading Skills_Second Term_Engaging into Reading_Week 7 - Lesson 11
7. Sources have____ascertain____________ that Adolph Hitler’s ultimate goal is world
domination. The
United States prepares to enter the war. (1941)

8. Those involved in isolated incidents of bra burnings say that the act symbolizes women’s
autonomy___ . (1968)

9. The American people will not be ___induced_____________ by empty promises. Polls report
that
President Nixon must resign. (1974)

10. A recent study shows that the prevalence and sometimes misuse of cell phones and computers
haslead to a(n)___ambivalence_____________ in some Americans about the benefits of
technology. (2006)

D. Match the historical event to the rest of the sentence that completes the idea
about the event’s significance. You may need to do some research or consult
a dictionary.

1 h
General Reading Skills_Second Term_Engaging into Reading_Week 7 - Lesson 11
2 d
3 b
4 f
5 c
6 j
7 a
8 i
9 g
10 e

E. Look up the word meaning of the Highlighted words in the text

Pronunciation ----- definition ---- Create a sentence

WORD PRONUNCIATION DEFINITION YOUR SENTENCE

WORD PRONUNCIATION DEFINITION YOUR SENTENCE

Persecuted /pɜːrsɪkjuːt/ To treat (someone) The great magistrate was

cruelly or unfairly, esp. persecuted by the police
because of religion, race,
etc.:

Martyrdom /mɑːrtərdəm/ One who willingly suffers It is time to end all this
death rather than give up martyrdom.
his or her religion:

Destitute /dɛstɪtjuːt/ extremely poor and many destitutes people

lacking the means to were helped by the
provide for oneself. government.

Autonomy /ɔːˈtɒnəmi/ the right or condition of each government must

self-government. manage its rules and
autonomy

Ambivalence /æmˈbɪvələns/ uncertainty or indecision, the ambivalence of the

esp. when caused by the law is important to be
inability to make a choice clear
or by a desire to say or
do two opposite things at
the same time.
General Reading Skills_Second Term_Engaging into Reading_Week 7 - Lesson 11
Induced /ɪnˈdjuːs/ succeed in persuading or It is necessary to induce
leading (someone) to do a good analysis to
something. reassess the company

Magnitude /mægnɪtjuːd/ greatness of size or the magnitude of

amount. homeless people is
incredible

Utmost /ʌtməʊst/ The greatest or highest we have problems to

degree, quantity, etc. which we can put the
utmost importance

Placating /ˈpleɪkeɪtɪŋ/ to cause (someone) to it was necessary to

stop being angry, placated my boss's anger
resentful, etc., as by and provide solutions
giving in to his or her
demands; pacify;
appease:

Ascertain /æsərˈteɪn/ to find out definitely; It is good ascertain

get to know before doing any wrong
procedure