UNIT 3

SCANNING & UNDERSTANDING NOUN CLAUSES

Objectives:
1. to find the specific information
2. to locate the source of information

A. SCANNING TO FIND SPECIFIC INFORMATION

Scanning is another reading skill, besides skimming, that is very important. Unlike
skimming, scanning helps you to find specific pieces of information. It is a skill that
you can use when you want to know what information a text contains and when
you want to find answers to specific questions you have about the subject.

The scanning skill involves questions that refer to detailed information such as who,
what, which, why, etc. Besides the scanning skill, this unit also deals with questions
asking for implied details. This means that the information is not always stated in
the text, but it is drawn from conclusion.

Sample Passage

Scan the advertisement below and answer the questions that follow.

The Bali administration will introduce a bylaw on land protection in an

effort to curb the disturbing rate of rice field conversion, a senior official
said. It is estimated that up to 1,000 hectares of rice fields are converted
annually into tourism activities and housing development on the island.
5 Provincial agricultural agency, Made Putra Suryawan pointed out that
the bylaw would be the local implementation of 2009 Law on rice field
protection issued by the Central Government.

1. Where would this article probably appear?

2. What will be introduced?
3. Who stated this?
4. How big is the missing rice field every year?
5. Where did the 2009 Law come from?

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Grammar Points:

WH-Question is one type of question that mostly needs to be answered by using

scanning skills. Below are the review on WH-Questions

WH-Questions
Wh- Examples Answers Notes
questions
Who Who made that Picasso did. Asking for a
painting? subject/person
Who(m) Who(m) did you see I saw Tom. Asking for an
yesterday? object/person
What What made you cry? The onion. Asking for
What do you wear I wear a uniform. subjectS/things
everyday? or objectS/things
Whose Whose pen do you Yours. Asking for a possession.
borrow?
When When did you meet I met him last week. Asking for time.
him?
Where Where will you have On Wednesday. Asking for a place.
the meeting?
Why Why did you go to I wanted to buy a Asking for a reason.
Jakarta? radio.
Which Which do you want? The red one. Asking for a choice.
How How did she dance? Beautifully. Asking for
How much does it Fifty dollars. manner/prices/distance/l
cost? Half an hour. ength/
How long does it Ten km. quantity/etc.
take? Around twenty.
How far is it?
How many people are
there?

B. LOCATING THE SOURCE OF INFORMATION

Sample passage
Art Clokey has been delighting children with his animation techniques
since 1953. He uses a technique called stop-motion in which he films clay
figures, stops the filming, and then repositions the figures to continue the
film. When the film is completed, his clay figures move around to act out
5 his stories. Perhaps the best known of Clokey’s tridimensional animated
characters is “Gumby”, a little green slab clay who has been around since
1956.

Where in the passage does the author mention the first appearance of the clay
figure known as Gumby?

A. Lines 1-2 B. Lines 2-4 C. lines 3-4 D. Lines 5-7

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Exercise 1
Read the passage below, and answer the questions that follow.
Dissolved oxygen analysis measures the amount of gaseous oxygen
(O2) dissolved in an aqueous solution. Oxygen gets into water by diffusion
from the surrounding air, by aeration (rapid movement), and as a waste
product of photosynthesis.
5 Total dissolved gas concentrations in water should not exceed 110
percent. Concentration above this level can be harmful to aquatic life. Fish
in waters containing excessive dissolved gasses may suffer from “gas
bubble disease”; however, this is a very rare occurence.
Adequate dissolved oxygen is necessary for good water quality.
10 Oxygen is a necessary element to all forms of life. Natural stream
purification processes require adequate oxygen levels in order to provide
for aerobic life forms. As dissolved oxygen levels in water drop below 5.0
mg/l, aquatic life is put under stress. The lower the concentration, the
greater the stress. Oxygen levels that remain below 1-2 mg/l for a few
15 hours can result in large fish kills.

Where in the passage does the writer

1. discuss how water gets oxygen
2. mention the negative effect of too much dissolved gasses
3. explain the importance of oxygen in the water
4. mention when aquatic life experiences stress

C. THE NOUN CLAUSES

A clause is a group or words that contain subject predicate. There are two types
of clauses: main clause and sub-clause. A main clause is a clause that can stand
by itself, whereas a sub-clause is a clause that cannot stand by itself.

For example:

1. The book is interesting. (main clause)

2. The book is expensive because it has hard covers.

main clause sub-clause

There are three types of sub-clause:

1. Noun clause
2. Adjective clause
3. Adverb clause

This unit will only discuss the noun clause. The other sub-clauses will be treated
in other units.

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A Noun Clause can function as a subject, object or a complement in a sentence

a. A noun clause that functions as a subject:

E.g. Why he left the country was still a question.
That he accepted the proposal in the first place was a surprise.
What we are going to do next will be considered later.

b. A noun clause that functions as an object:

E.g. I don’t know when the TOEFL score will be announced.
We are wondering what will happen to them afterwards.
Does everybody realize why we have to reduce car emission in our
region?

c. A noun clause that functions as a complement:

E.g. My question is when we are going to get the promotion.

The problem is (that) we don’t have enough fund for such an event.

Exercises 1
Indicate whether the underlined words in the following sentences are noun
clauses or not. Click YES or NO.

1. One of the reasons for seeds not germinating is that badly drained soil
may lack sufficient oxygen.
2. Only a small percentage of the electromagnetic radiation that is emitted
by the sun is ultraviolet radiation.
3. When the sand had passed through the hourglass, the speed of the boat
was determined by counting the number of knots that had been let out.
4. It is a common knowledge that animals are selective in what they eat –
one man’s meat is another man’s poison.
5. What we are familiar with is only the upper surface of the skin, or crust.
6. With tomatoes, melons, and cucumber, it is the fruit that is eaten.
7. Researchers have proposed that certain synthetic waxes could be
prepared based on knowledge of desert plants.
8. My sister, when she is angry, will turn red in the face.
9. We need to find the restaurant where they asked us to wait.
10. The question is when the pandemic of COVID-19 stops.

Exercises 2
Climate is commonly defined as the weather average over a long
period of time. The standard averaging period is 30 years, but other
periods may be used depending on the purpose. Climate also includes
statistics other than average, such as the magnitudes of day-to-day or
5 year-to year variations.
The difference between climate and weather is usually summarized
by the popular phrase “Climate is what you expect, weather is what you
get.” Over historical time spans there are a number of nearly constant
variables that determine climate, including latitude, altitude, proportion of
10 land to water, and proximity to oceans and mountains. These change only
over periods of millions of years due to processes such as plate tectonics.

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 Other climate determinations are more dynamic. For example, the
thermohaline circulation of the ocean leads to a 5 °C (9 °F) warming of
15 the northern Atlantic Ocean compared to other basins. The ocean
currents redistribute heat between land and water on a more regional
scale. The density and type of vegetation coverage affects solar heat
absorption, water retention, and rainfall on a regional level. Alterations in
the quantity of atmospheric greenhouse gases determine the amount of
20 solar energy retained by the planet, leading to global warming or global
cooling. The variables which determine climate are numerous and the
interactions are complex, but there is general agreement that the broad
outlines are understood.

Indicate whether each of the following statements is TRUE or FALSE based

on the above passage.

11. The topic of the above passage is climate and weather.

12. In determining the climate, the standard averaging of 30-year period may
be used.
13. The controlling idea of paragraph two is popular.
14. In lines 6-8 the author outlines the factors that influence climate.
15. It is just in recent time that both latitude and altitude are used as climate
variables.
16. Constant variables are easily changed on a daily basis.
17. Plate tectonics can change in a relatively short time.
18. The topic sentence of paragraph three (lines 12- 23) is a statement of
opinion.
19. Global warming and global cooling are due to the amount of greenhouse
gases.
20. “a number of nearly constant variables that determine climate, is a
noun phrase”. True
21. “which determine climate” in line 20 is a noun clause. False

Exercise 3
Research has indicated that dyslexia has biological origins, and
most investigators now suspect that dyslexic children read poorly as a
result of unawareness. Dyslexic children cannot easily learn to read
because they have trouble associating printed letters with the sounds of
5 speech. A similar problem occurs in congenitally deaf people who have
mastered the linguistic complexities and subtleties of sign language but
have trouble learning to read.
Evidence also exists suggesting that the root cause for much
dyslexia is a problem with processing very rapidly changing sensory
10 stimuli. For example, studies have shown that dyslexic children have
trouble making accurate decisions between similar auditory signals. They
often cannot hear the difference between speech sounds such as “pah”,
“dah”, and “bah”. Recently, differences have been noted between the
visual pathways of dyslexics that suggest a comparable problem with fast-
15 changing visual stimuli. Researchers have also found several other
neuroanatomical abnormalities in the temporal lobe and in other areas of
the brain. All of these studies are extremely valuable in helping
researchers understand the mechanisms underlying reading problems so

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 20 that dyslexic children can be accurately identified and more efficiently
helped.

Choose the best answer

22. What is the purpose of this passage?

A. To change current ideas about dyslexia
B. To explore the causes of dyslexia
C. To distinguish between dyslexia and congenital deafness
D. To cite examples of dyslexic behavior

23. According to the passage, “phonological unawareness” means

A. trouble with hearing and sensory stimuli.
B. inability to distinguish between auditory signals.
C. problems associating printed letters and sounds.
D. abnormalities in the temporal lobe.

24. In what lines does the author state where neuroanatomical abnormalities
are located?
A. Line 4-7 C. lines 11-13
B. Lines 8-10 D. lines 15-17

25. The author compares the problems of dyslexic children with

A. dyslexic adults
B. the subtleties of sign language
C. the visual pathways of other dyslexics
D. the problems of congenitally deaf people

26. Both dyslexic people and deaf people have a problem with
A. hearing C. reading
B. speaking D. writing

27. How many noun clauses are there in paragraph 1?

A. None B. One C. Two D. More than two
28. “that dyslexic children have trouble making accurate decisions between
similar auditory signals” is a noun clause.
A. True B. False
29. “that suggest a comparable problem with fast-changing visual
stimuli” in lines 14-15 is a noun clause.
A. True B. False
30. “the mechanisms underlying reading problems” in line 18 is a noun
phrase.
A. True B. False

Exercise 4
Carbon is the 15th most abundant element in the Earth’s crust and
the fourth most abundant element in the universe by mass after hydrogen,
helium, and oxygen. It is present in all known life forms, and in the human

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 body carbon is the second most plentiful element by mass (about 18.5%)
5 after oxygen. This abundance, together with the unique diversity of
organic compounds and their unusual polymer-forming ability at the
temperatures commonly encountered on Earth, makes this element the
chemical basis of all known life.
There are several allotropes of carbon of which the best known are
10 graphite, diamond, and amorphous carbon. The physical properties of
carbon vary widely with the allotropic form. For instance, diamond is
highly transparent, while graphite is opaque and black. Diamond is among
the hardest materials known, whereas graphite is soft enough to form a
streak on paper. Diamond has a very low electrical conductivity, while
15 graphite is a very good conductor. All the allotropic forms are solids under
normal conditions but graphite is the most thermodynamically stable.
Itis widely known that all forms of carbon are highly stable, requiring
high temperature to react even with oxygen – called oxidation. The most
common oxidation state of carbon in inorganic compounds is +4, while +2
20 is found in carbon monoxide and other transition metal carbonyl
complexes. The largest sources of inorganic carbon are limestone,
dolomites, and carbon dioxide, but significant quantities occur in organic
deposits of coal, peat, oil and methane clathrates. Carbon forms more
compounds than any other element, with almost ten million pure organic
25 compounds described to date.

Choose the best answer. Cross (X) A, B, or C

31. According to the passage, the amount of oxygen in the universe is _____
carbon.
A. the same as B. more than C. not as much as

32. The controlling idea of paragraph two (lines 9-16) is ______

A. several B. carbon C. best

33. Which statement is NOT supported by the above passage?

A. Carbon cannot only be found in human body.
B. Carbon has the ability to form polymer.
C. Carbon’s organic compound is uniquely indifferent.

34. Where in the passage does the author discuss the famous carbon
allotropes?
A. Lines 3-5 B. Lines 9-10 C. 17-18

35. According to the passage, graphite is ______

A. not stable under normal condition. C. not as hard as diamond
B. not as good conductor as diamond.

36. The topic sentence of paragraph three is stated in the _______ sentence.
A. first B. third C. last

37. Carbons can _______ . Which statement is WRONG according to the

passage?

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 A. be very stable in their forms
B. reach high but stable temperature
C. react with oxygen when its temperature is high

38. How many noun clauses can be found in paragraph three?

A. None B. One C. Two

39. The topic sentence of paragraph 3 is a statement of NN

A. intent B. opinion C. intent and opinion

40. The word ‘it’ in line 17 refers to.............................

A. allotroph B. graphite C. nothing

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 Exercises for Tutorial Classes
(UNIT 3)
Exercise 1
Seaweeds, or algae, do not have roots like higher land plants.
Some of them attach themselves to stationary objects such as rocks or
piers by the suction of organs called holdfasts. This keeps them from being
swept out to open sea or washed ashore. Other free-floating algae, such
as Sargasso weed or giant brown kelp, live in colonies and travel with the
5 currents and tides.

Choose the best answer to each question.

1. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
a. Seaweeds and the Land Plants
b. Composition of Seaweeds
c. The Rootless Seaweed
d. Suction and the Seaweeds

2. Another general name for seaweeds is

a. suction weeds
b. sargasso plants
c. kelp
d. algae

3. Many seaweeds attach themselves to objects in order to

a. remain in one place
b. suck food from the water
c. wash themselves
d. form large group

4. According to the passage, which of the following is true of the free-

floating algae?
a. They are extremely large
b. They move with the water
c. They are frequent near rocks and piers
d. They resemble higher land plants.

Exercise 2

Because a large portion of the land in Hawaii is rugged and

mountainous, the state has little space to grow crops. Some areas are
covered with hard, black lava on which nothing can grow. Even so, Hawaii
produces large quantities of farm products. The volcanic soil in the valleys
5 and lowlands is very fertile, and the warm climate makes it possible to
grow crops all year long. Rainfall is plentiful on the northern and eastern
sides of each island. Much of the land on the southern and western sides
of each island receives too little rainfall for most crops to grow well.
However, in many places where rainfall is light, wells and mountain
10 streams supply water for irrigation.

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Choose the best answer to each question.
5. The main purpose of the passage is to describe the Hawaiian N..
a. geography
b. market system
c. farming condition
d. settlement pattern

6. Where is most of the farming done in Hawaii?

a. Along the coast
b. On the mountain slopes
c. On the rich lava beds
d. In the lowlands

7. When is the Hawaiian growing season?

a. Through the entire year
b. During all seasons except winter
c. Mainly in spring and summer
d. Only during the long summer months

8. How do dry areas in Hawaii get their water?

a. It is carefully collected when it rains
b. It is stored in mountain reservoirs
c. It is brought in from other areas
d. It is provided by wells.

9. Where can you find information about the condition of the volcanic soil?
a. Lines 1-2
b. Line 2-3
c. Line 4-6
d. Lines 7-8

Exercise 3
Indonesia’s forests represent 10% of the world’s remaining tropical
rainforests. By 2001 Indonesia had lost 99 million acres of forest during
the previous 32 years, which is equivalent to the combined size of Germany
and the Netherlands. The current rate of forest loss is accelerating.
5 Indonesia is one of the five most species-diverse countries in the
world, home to 12% of all mammal species, 16% of all reptile and
amphibian species, and 17% of all bird species. It also contains 33% of
insect species, 24% of fungi species, and 10% of higher plant species.
Tanjung Puting National Park (TPNP), site of Camp Leakey, is home to
10 more than 230 bird species, at least 17 reptile species, and 29 mammal
species.
After Malaysia and the United States, Indonesia has the third highest
number of threatened species with 772 species. However, Indonesia has
the absolute highest number of threatened mammal species with 147
15 species – an increase of seven species since the year 2000. According to
a recent article in the conservation journal Oryx, 1000 orangutans are lost
in Sumatra each year; in Borneo, the number is probably even higher.

Scan the above passage, and answer the questions below briefly.

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10. What is the text primarily concerned with?
11. What percentage of the world’s remaining tropical rainforests do
Indonesian’s forests represent?
12. How many bird species can we find in the TPNP?
13. How many threatened species are there in Indonesia?
14. According to the conservation journal Oryx, how many orangutans are lost in
Sumatra each year?

A. Indicate whether each of the following is TRUE or FALSE.

15. The topic of the above passage is the condition of Indonesia’s forests and
fauna.
16. By 2001, Indonesia, Germany and the Netherlands had the same amount of
forest loss.
17. The topic of the second paragraph is the diversity of Indonesia’s fauna’s
species.
18. According to the above passage, the number of forests has decreased
slowly.
19. Indonesia has 17% of bird species found in the world.
20. In Tanjung Puting National Park, we can find at least 17 mammal species.
21. Since 2000, there have been seven species of mammal that are threatened.
22. Malaysia has the third highest number of threatened species in the world.
23. The topic of the third paragraph is the highest number of species in the world.
24. The number of orangutans lost in Sumatra is higher than that in Borneo.

Exercise 4
Indonesia is planning to produce more than 50,000 units of bird flu
vaccine to ensure that it is well prepared in case a pandemic occurs and
to assist foreign countries as well.
Indonesian Health Minister Nafsiah Mboi said that the country is
5 attempting to produce sufficient bird flu vaccine although the H5N1 virus
attacks had eased recently. She added that the country needs to remain
alert to possible risk as the virus has killed seven people in the country
in 2012. "The process of production has been done in Bandung. We
must be ready when pandemic take place. We need over 50,000 units
10 vaccines for it and to assist foreign countries," she said.
More than 6,000 chickens at a farm in a village in Luyang, a town in
Jingtai County, showed symptoms of suspected avian flu and 260 of
them have died, according to the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA). The
National Avian Influenza Reference Laboratory confirmed the epidemic
15 was H5N1 bird flu after testing samples collected at the farm, the MOA
said. Local authorities have sealed off and sterilized the infected area,
where a total of 18,460 chickens have been culled and safely disposed
of in order to prevent the disease from spreading. Bird flu, or avian
influenza, is a contagious disease of animal origin caused by viruses
20 that normally infect only birds and, less commonly, pigs. It can be fatal
to humans.
The watering system in your poultry house and how you manage it
are central to the quality of environment in which you raise your flock.
This is especially true during the critical first 24 hours of a chick’s life

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 25 and the following two weeks. Poor conditions during brooding will
damage the flock’s performance and negatively impact results at the end
of the grow-out. It is vital that new chicks have immediate access to
fresh, hygienic water and that their environment is as clean as possible.

A. Choose the best answer to each question.

25. The topic of the passage is NNN.

A. Avian influenza B. The Ministry of health C. Bird flu vaccine

26. How many units of bird vaccine is Indonesia going to produce?

A. 5,000 B. 50,000 C. unknown

27. Which is NOT the reason for producing the bird vaccine?
A. A pandemic B. Helping other countries C. Assistants

28. H5N1 is N..

A. a virus B. an attack C. a vaccine

29. The vaccine is produced NNN

A. In 2011 B. in Bandung C. significantly

30. How many chickens died in Luyang?

A. 260 B. 6,000 C. 9

31. Where can you find information about the place where the vaccine is
produced?
A. Lines 4-7 B. Lines 8-10 C. Line 16-18

32. Bird flu is also calledNNNN..

A. an outbreak B. a contagious disease C. avian influenza

33. Which can cause bird flu?

A. Hygienic water B. Poor brooding conditions C. Clean environment

34. The last paragraph discussesNNNN..

A. effects of bird flu B. preventive actions C. clean environment

Exercise 5
The wrasse is a small, brightly colored fish that has the habit of
picking parasites. As it swims toward such large fish as groups or moray
eels, it is recognized as a friend about two perform a useful function and
is allowed to come close. The wrasse than begins to gorge itself on
5 parasites that it picks from the bodies of the large fish. The association for
mutual benefit goes so far that when a wrasse nudges at a group’s gull
covers, the grouper obliges by extending them to give the picker access
to the delicate breathing organs underneath. Barracudas even permit the
spaces between their razor-sharp teeth to be cleaned without harm to the
10 dental assistant. Some other small fish have color patterns and swimming

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 habits that make them indistinguishable from the wrasse. The imposters
do not pick parasites; instead, they take bites from the soft tissue of the
unsuspecting fish.

35. What would be the most appropriate title for this passage?
A. Large fish and eels
B. Feeding habits of Barracudas
C. Parasite infestation of fish
D. Parasite pickers and imitators

36. Because of their size and appearance, one might expect that wrasses
could be
A. mistaken for parasites
B. eaten immediately by large fish
C. hidden by their protective coloring
D. known as slow swimmers

37. According to the passage, what benefit do larger fish gain by their
association with wrasses?
A. Removal of parasitic organism
B. A stable food supply
C. Protection from barracudas
D. Camouflage from enemies

38. According to the passage, larger fish may respond to the wrasse by
A. eating the parasites
B. retreating rapidly
C. opening vulnerable organs
D. breathing more quickly

39. By referring to “dental assistants” in the passage, the author is

suggesting that
A. wrasses can clean teeth
B. barracudas have to keep their teeth very sharp
C. parasites can clean teeth
D. wrasses like to have their teeth picked by parasites

40. According to the passage, the imposters resemble the real wrasses
because they
A. have the same diet
B. have the same coloration
C. are from the same family
D. share a common enemy

Exercise 6
Indicate whether the following sentences containing noun clauses are
correct or incorrect.

41. Whatever she does it is not important.

42. We have to do what the teacher told us last week.
43. The girls were interested in whom made the speech.
44. It has not been announced who will get the scholarships.

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45. Maybe we should find out who has donated such a big amount of money.
46. The man said that his wallet was lost on that street.
47. When will they have the meeting is not known yet.
48. Most students worried about whether they passed the test or not.
49. The scientist did not tell us how did he do the experiment.
50. Which movie they watched did not interest me.

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