MODULE IN ENGLISH

PRE-FINAL AND FINAL MODULE

ENGLISH SKILLS PROFICIENCY

Overview:
The subject of English Skills Proficiency is structured into main subject areas with
competence aims. The main subject areas supplement each other and must be considered
together. The subject of English Skills Proficiency is a common core subject for all the upper
secondary education programmes.
Learning in this subject shall therefore be made as relevant as possible for pupils by
adapting each subject to the different education programmes. The main subject deals with
understanding and using the English language by listening, speaking, conversing, reading,
writing and applying suitable communication strategies. The main subject area involves
listening to, understand and using English in different situations where communication needs
to be done orally.
The first part of this module, on listening skills which includes comprehension of gist
and detailed information. Communication skills, which cover communication situations.
Reading, which involves study of instructional business-related texts of topical relevance.
Writing skills, which have a specific focus on Art of Condensation. This subject helps
students converse better in day-to-day situations.

After reading this chapter, you will be able to:

• Understand the importance of reading in achieving success both in academic and
professional life
• Acquire the various types of reading skills that one may employ while reading different
kinds of text
• Learn the four basic steps in the process of reading; and
• Know the relation between speedy reading successes and also learn the ways to increase the
speed of reading.

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Indicative Content:

• Reading
• Speed of Reading
• Differences between Efficient and Inefficient readers
• Overcoming Common Obstacles
• Types of Reading
• Methods of Reading

PRE-FINAL
UNIT III (Module 3)
The Art of Effective Reading

Reading- is the process of looking at a series of written symbols and getting meaning from
them. When we read, we use our eyes to receive written symbols (letters, punctuation marks
and spaces) and we use our brain to convert them into words, sentences and paragraphs that
communicate something to us.
Reading can be silent (in our head) or aloud (so that other people can hear).
Reading is a receptive skill through it we receive information. But the complex process of
reading also requires the skill of speaking, so that we can pronounce the words that we read.
In this sense, reading is also a productive skill in that we are both receiving information and
transmitting it (even if only to ourselves).

SPEED OF READING
An average college student reads between 150 and 250 words per minute. A “good” reading
speed is around 250-400 words per minute, but some people can read even 1000 words per
minute or more. However, research shows that there is difference in the rate of reading for
different purposes.

Purpose of Reading Number of words (words per minute

/wpm)
• Reading for memorization • Fewer than 100
• Reading for learning • 100-200
• Reading for comprehension • 200-400
• Skimming • 400-700

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Differences between efficient and inefficient readers.

An Efficient Reader An Inefficient Reader
• Always read for ideas or information • Tries to read words
• Reads group of words/multi-phrases • Read word by word
• Quickly adjusts his/her speed of • Reads the text from the beginning
reading to the nature of the text until the end
• Sets the purpose of reading right in • Reads everything and deliberately
the beginning goes slow while reading
• Reads smoothly • Reads the information again and
again to figure out a clear
understanding of the text
• Visualizes ideas • Vocalizes or sub-vocalizes words
while reading
• Has a good vocabulary in that • Has limited vocabulary which
subject hampers his/her speed and
understanding
• Continuously keeps improving • Rarely attempts speed reading
his/her pace of reading
• Properly tries to sort out the material • Reads everything indiscriminately
as critical, interesting, analytical,
etc.

OVERCOMING COMMON OBSTACLES

• Lack of Concentration- Poor concentration directly emanates from poor reading
habits. If we are not used to reading, it often appears to be an unpleasant task when
we are forced to do it. It is in such circumstances that the mind begins to drift.
• Eye fixation- While reading, when one is unable to progress well beyond a thought,
expression, or word, it is regarded as eye fixation. This is often caused because many
of us are not rained for good reading ion schools. However, this really cripples our
reading efficiency. To overcome this, try to divide a sentence into certain thought
units, and don’t fixate on a particular word or expression for long.
• Regression- Just like eye fixation, regression too creeps into our reading habits
because of lack of training. When we are unable to understand an idea, we habitually
go back to the part where it occurs in a passage. It clearly suggest incompetence in
reading and comprehension skills. Enhanced reading habits with enthusiasm and
interest can help you overcome this problem.
• Indiscriminate Use of the Dictionary- Some damage to reading habits is also done
because of lack of guidance about the proper utilization of the dictionary. Look up the
meaning of all such words in the dictionary to understand their specific usage, and the
words similar and dissimilar to them.

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TYPES OF READING
Scanning
This reading mode is aimed only at finding the necessary information in the text. It does not
mean a complete immersion in the text and a deep comprehension of the facts, analysis of
grammatical constructions. Often in this mode, the text is viewed for the presence of
unfamiliar words, so that after their translation it will be easier to read the text fully. This
type of reading is also called «diagonal reading».
Skimming
This reading mode is used to get to know and understand if this information is useful to you
(you are viewing a book in a store or a magazine on the shelf before buying it). In this case,
the text is also viewed quickly, but not as carefully as in the previous case. The goal is not to
search for specific facts, but to evaluate the text for complexity, interest and a general
storyline.

Extensive reading
The purpose of this type of reading is to get acquainted with new information. In this mode,
people read art or scientific literature, without being distracted by new, unfamiliar words, if
their meaning can be approximately understood from the context.
This type of reading implies the mastering of the general image and the receipt of new,
unfamiliar information. It will be necessary to form and express your opinion about what you
read or answer the questions.

Intensive reading
Typically, this type of reading is used in the study of English in order to intensively parse the
proposed short, teaching text. With this type of reading, grammatical constructions,
unfamiliar words and phrases are intensively examined.

Type Purpose
Scanning Used to find a particular piece of
information
Skimming Used to understand the gist or main idea
Extensive reading Used for pleasure and general understanding
Intensive reading Accurate reading for comprehensive
understanding

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METHODS OF READING
Sub-vocalized reading- is a very common habit among readers. It involves saying words in
your head while reading and it's one of the main reasons why people read slowly and have
trouble improving their reading speed.
Speed Reading- Also known as rapid reading is basically a process that allows a person to
read a text at an increased speed. This can be done by skimming or selectively reading certain
words or phrases that are relevant to the text.
Photoreading- In this method, you use speed reading techniques with an additional
technique of photoreading to increase your reading speed, comprehension, and retention.
Proofreading- It is kind of reading for detecting typographical errors in printed text. One can
learn to do it rapidly, and professional readers typically acquire the ability to do so at high
rates, faster some kinds of material than for others.
Structure-proposition-evaluation (SPE) method - Popularized by Mortimer Adler in How
to Read a Book, mainly for non-fiction treatise, in which one reads a writing in three passes:
(1) for the structure of the work, which might be represented by an outline; (2) for the logical
propositions made, organized into chains of inference; and (3) for evaluation of the merits of
the arguments and conclusions. This method involves suspended judgment of the work or its
arguments until they are fully understood.
Survey-question-read-recite-review (SQ3R) method- often taught in public schools, which
involves reading toward being able to teach what is read, and is appropriate for instructors
preparing to teach material without referring to notes.[citation needed]
Multiple intelligences-based method- Which draw on the reader's diverse ways of thinking
and knowing to enrich appreciation of the text. Reading is fundamentally a linguistic activity:
one can basically comprehend a text without resorting to other intelligences, such as the
visual (e.g., mentally "seeing" characters or events described), auditory (e.g., reading aloud or
mentally "hearing" sounds described), or even the logical intelligence (e.g., considering
"what if" scenarios or predicting how the text will unfold base on context clues). However,
most readers already use several kinds of intelligence while reading. Doing so in a more
disciplined manner—i.e., constantly, or after every paragraph—can result in a more vivid,
memorable experience.

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 QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

Name: Date:
Section: Score:

1. What do you mean by effective reading skills? Discuss the major benefits of artful reading.

2. Differentiate the Efficient reader and inefficient reader in 150 words.

3. ‘Everybody knows how to read. But not everybody knows how to read skilfully and
artfully.’ Illustrate the statement and point out the major hurdles in effective reading.

4. Discuss The Art of Effective Reading.

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ACTIVITY

Name: Date:
Section: Score:
Directions: Answer the following questions.

1. What are the major faulty reading habits? Discuss them.

2. Suggest ways to increase the speed reading.

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College of Engineering, Architecture and

Technology
Module IV: The Art of Condensation
Course Title: English Proficiency
Course Number: ENG 101
Course Description: This is a course in listening, speaking, reading and writing in English.
The course serves students at various levels of English language proficiency, form high-
beginning to low- advanced. Emphasis is on the development of confidence, vocabulary,
conversation, reading comprehension, enjoyment, and writing. The course is open only to
students for whom English is a foreign language.
Total Learning Time: 18 weeks (54 hrs.)
Pre-requisites (if there’s any): None

Overview:
The subject of English Proficiency is structured into main subject areas with competence
aims. The main subject areas supplement each other and must be considered together. The
subject of English Proficiency is a common core subject for all the upper secondary education
programmes.
Learning in this subject shall therefore be made as relevant as possible for pupils by adapting
each subject to the different education programmes. The main subject deals with
understanding and using the English language by listening, speaking, conversing, reading,
writing and applying suitable communication strategies. The main subject area involves
listening to, understand and using English in different situations where communication needs
to be done orally.
The first part of this module, on listening skills which includes comprehension of gist and
detailed information. Communication skills, which cover communication situations. Reading,
which involves study of instructional business-related texts of topical relevance. Writing
skills, which have a specific focus on Art of Condensation. This subject helps students
converse better in day-to-day situations.

After reading this chapter, you will be able to:

• Understand the purpose and significance of the art of condensation;
• Know the major forms of condensation such as précis, summary, abstract,
and synopsis; and
• Develop adequate knowledge of précis writing techniques.

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Indicative Content:

• Major Forms Of Condensation

• Art Of Condensation---Some Working Principles

FINAL

UNIT IV (Module 4)
The Art of Condensation
Summarizing, condensation, or précis writing is an art. It aims at squeezing the meaning of a
text into the fewest words.
• Condensation means process of making a book shorter by taking out anything that is not
necessary. The process of condensation in creative writing is synonymous to précis writing.

Major Forms of Condensation

• Précis
• Summary
• Abstract
• Synopsis
• Paraphrasing

PRECIS
Among all the major forms of Condensation, the précis is most commonly required 2to be
read and written, both by a student and a professional. It is a short and concise account of
some text, which gives all its important points but none of its details. Since the purpose of a
précis is to briefly restate the idea expressed in the original write-up, it does not include any
superfluous or illustrative material which may be a part of the original. A précis follows and
maintains the view of the author. It records in minimum words the central idea which has
been presented in detail in the original piece of wring. Since you will be required to write a
précis quite often in your career. It has been discussed at length later on in this chapter.

SUMMARY

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A summary is often written and included in the reports prepared by professionals summaries
are also written to briefly present the main findings of a study, a journalistic article, or a
geographical survey. Whatever may be the purpose, a summary is quite useful as it presents
the entire matter in a nutshell. While writing a summary, the author does not add, develop, or
delete arguments and conclusions of the original. More often than not, it follows the sequence
for the ideas as expressed in the original and detailed work.

ABSTRACT
Shorter than a summary, an abstract is written to highlight the purpose, scope, and
significance of a work. It is often preferred to a summary in technical and specialized forms
of communication. Therefore, you often come across an abstract published along with a
research article in journals and magazines. In order to understand the features of the abstract
and the summary and to figure out the differences between them in detail.

SYNOPSIS
A synopsis is a condensed and shortened version of an article, research paper, a chapter of the
book, a report, or a book itself. A synopsis highlights in brief all the essential features of the
original document. Normally, a synopsis is required to be submitted to universities when
research proposals, dissertations, and theses are proposed to be written by researchers. In a
synopsis, the researcher is required to highlight the purpose, scope, and significance of the
research. A synopsis also includes a reference to the methods adopted for data collection and
the research gap that determines the objective of the research. A synopsis also provides the
general plan of the entire work and tries to establish its importance in the relevant field.

PARAPHRASING
Although paraphrasing is not necessarily a condensed form of the original document, it is
often believed to be one. Therefore, it is advisable to understand the nature and purpose of a
paraphrased text. The purpose of a paraphrase is to reproduce the author’s ideas in your own
words. So, you may employ as many words as the author has chosen to express
himself/herself. Paraphrasing of write-ups is done in order to convey to the reader in simpler
terms an idea which, otherwise, appears to be ambiguous, arcane, philosophical, or poetic to
follow. Many a time, you come across a paraphrased text of a classic. It is meant to bring the
texts written in different times and languages to readers who can only follow a simpler and
familiar version of it.

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ART OF CONDENSATION---SOME WORKING PRINCIPLES

In this section, we will look at some principles of the art of condensation.
Be brief and precise- Writing a précis is like reproducing the soul of the matter. Therefore, it
needs to be concise, precise, and focused. In any case, it cannot take more or even as many
words as the original piece of writing does. Normally, the length of the original passage is
reduced to a one-third in its précis version.
Be complete- While reproducing an idea, we cannot leave out any of its vital aspects.
Therefore, before we launch ourselves into writing a précis, we must carefully read the
passage, notice all the important points, and incorporate all of them in our précis. A précis
should, in fact, bas a complete and comprehensive as the original one, albeit it should be
expressed in a less number of words. Remember, not incorporating any important point given
in the original piece of writing would render the précis incomplete and flawed.
Be choosy- Although it is not possible for us to leave out any important idea from the
original, it is required that we carefully choose only the material that is an indispensable part
of the whole argument. In order to achieve a good précis of the original, we need to discard
all the extraneous and superfluous material present in the form of examples, illustrations,
instances quotations, citations, anecdotes, parables, and any other such material that is
included in the original to substantiate the basic idea.
Be original- Although précis writhing is often seen as copying from the original, it is not the
case. A good précis is both creative and original. Of course, while writing a précis, you are
not expected to distort or modify the author’s view. You are also not expected to add any idea
of your own or leave out some important idea of the author, but the same time, you are
required to express the author’s view in your words. Therefore, try to use your own
expressions while rewriting what the author has expressed in the original.
Be coherent- Normally, while writing a précis, we follow the order the author has chosen to
arrange his/her ideas. However, since a précis is not a pale imitation of the original, a good
précis always has a coherent structure of its own. In any case, it should not look as though
some unrelated and disjoined sentences have been yoked together. Remember, the purpose of
a précis is to help the reader gather the whole idea in a compact, complete, and coherent way.
An incoherent or incomplete imitation of the original would, therefore, be of little worth to
the reader.
Be clear- Just like completeness and coherence, clarity too is an important attribute of a well-
written précis. At times, however, while writing a précis, it is lost. This happens as in our zeal
to reduce the length of our précis to one third of the original, we start using words just as
skinflints use their pennies. Hence, we tent to overemphasize the need to compress the ideas
expressed in the original. This, at times, leads to obscurity in expression, which befuddles the
reader. However, since the précis has to serve as a substitute for the original, we cannot
afford any type of vagueness to punctuate the reader’s comprehension of our précis.

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SEVEN-STEP LADDER TO WRITING AN EFFECTIVE PRECIS

Having learnt some essential features and principles that characterize a good précis, let us
focus on the process of writing a précis. Writing a précis has come steps and stages. Follow a
seven-step ladder, as discussed below, to be able to produce an effective précis.
1. Read and comprehend- For writing a précis, we have to first of all read and understand
the original piece of writing. Therefore, read the original piece of writing as many times as
you require, ensuring that you have understood what the author has expressed his/her words.
2. Prepare a skeleton of the man ideas- Every piece of writing has a main and some
subordinate ideas. Having read and understood a passage, you need to identify all of these
ideas and jot them down one by one. This gives you a clear view of all the ideas that re to be
incorporated while writing the précis.
3. Assimilate the essentials- As already suggested, a good précis is more than an exact
reproduction of the ideas expressed by the author. It is basically to recapture the soul of what
the author has said in your own words. For this, you need to not only understand the original
passage and jot down its main points, but also to assimilate the whole thought embedded in it.
To achieve this, you need to focus on each of the points noted down by you and rephrase
them in your words. This will help you reshape the overall idea of the original passage in
your words without distorting or losing its sense.
4. Think of a title- Once you have understood the passage, take down all its important points
and rephrase them in your own words. It is now possible for you to focus on the central idea
and think of a suitable title based on it. Thinking of a title and assigning it to a passage is
essential as it keeps your thoughts focused on the core of the issue.
5. Prepare the first draft- Having successfully stepped this on the ladder of identifying the
main argument in the passage and having assimilated its nuances, it is time for you to go
ahead and prepare the first draft of your précis. While doing so, remember to neither delete
any important nor add anything of your own. Focus on the ideas observed and assimilated
thus far and try to capture the spirit of the original in as few words as possible.
6. Review and compare- Just by writing once, you normally don’t achieved the desired
compactness and finesse in a précis. Therefore, having written it once, you need to read your
version with a view to observing whether it matches the original. At this stage, you can also
count the number of words used in your précis. Compare the length of your passage to that of
the original. See if you can manage to do away with some more words or add a few more,
depending upon whether it sounds redundant or obscure.
7. Edit and revise- Having reviewed your first effort critically, you can now revise your draft
and shape it as the final version of your précis. At this final step of précis writing, incorporate
all the alterations, modifications, and changes you thought of while reviewing your first draft.

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 QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

Name: Date:
Section: Score:
1. Define a ‘précis’ and discuss its characteristics features.

2. Distinguish each of the following in about 100 words:

a. Summary

b. Synopsis

3.’The Art of Condensation is an essential element in our writing skills.’ Discuss and
substantiate.

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ACTIVITY
Name: Date:
Section: Score:
Directions: Condense each of the following small passages retaining the main idea and using
a minimum number of words.

1. 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, attends church regularly 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.

Answer:

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2. 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, and 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 underpopulated 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 earthquake
will strike and work from there. At least some precautionary measures can then be taken to
save lives and some of the property.

Answer:

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REFERENCES:

• Communication Skills by Sanjay Kumar and Pushp Lata; 1st Edition published in
2011 by Oxford University Press
• https://www.howtolearn.com/2012/08/different-reading-techniques-and-when-to-use-
them/