UNIT 1 — MEETING 1

CELEBRATING INDEPENDENCE DAY:

WHAT’S THE FUSS?
SUBSKILLS: UNIT OF COMPETENCE:
Reading and Writing 1. Identify elements of a text
2. Mark important parts of a text
INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES:
After completing this meeting, students will be able to:
1. Explain key historical background that led to Indonesia’s Independence
2. Identify elements of a text to understand its content
LEARNING ACTIVITIES

A. ACTIVATING PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Watch the Unit Introduction video.

Answer the following questions:

1. Below are some significant historical events that led to Indonesia’s independence back
then in 1945. Number the following events so that they will be in a chronological order!

_____ Soekarno read the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence

_____ Preparatory Committee for Indonesian Independence was formed
_____ Hiroshima in Japan was bombed by the United States
_____ The United States called for the unconditional surrender of the Japanese armed
forces
_____ Nagasaki in Japan was bombed by the United States
_____ The declaration of Indonesian Independence was drafted

2. How does the community where you live celebrate Indonesia’s Independence Day?
Name some activities that people usually do to celebrate the Independence Day in your
city!
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3. What do you know about celebrations of Independence Day in other countries? Name
another country and write 1-2 sentences on how citizens of that country celebrate the
Independence Day!
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B. READING
Key Vocabulary
ceremony (n.) — a set of formal acts performed on important social or religious occasions
citizen (n.) — a person who is a member of a particular country and who has rights because
of being born there or because of being given rights
commemorate (v.) — to remember officially and give respect to a great person or event
diversity (n.) — a range of different things or people
oppression (n.) — a situation in which people are governed in an unfair and cruel way and
prevented from having opportunities and freedom
patriotism (n.) — the feeling of loving your own country more than any others and being
proud of it
revolution (n.) — a change in the way a country is governed, usually to a different political
system and often using violence or war

Reading Text
The following text discusses various activities that people usually do in different countries
to celebrate their country’s Independence Day. Read the following text.

CELEBRATION OF INDEPENDENCE DAY IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES

1Most countries in the world appoint one day in a year as the country’s Independence Day.
It is usually regarded as a national day and a holiday for all citizens in the country. As it is
a national day, Independence Day is considered an important and special day for all the
country’s citizens. Around the world, Independence Day is celebrated by citizens in various
ways to represent the countries’ histories, cultures and uniqueness.
2Australians commemorate the establishment of the first British settlement in the land
annually on January 26th. During this national holiday, also called Australia Day, the
Australians typically hold festivals, music concerts, picnics, barbecues, regattas and family
gatherings. Different cities in Australia have their own special ways to make the celebration
special. Perth in Western Australia, for example, is famous for its biggest colossal fireworks
that are often launched from skyscrapers, moving boats and bridges. Sydney, located in
the southeastern coast of the land, celebrates the national day by holding the world-
renowned boat races with around 700 boats taking part in the races. On the other hand,
Melbourne, also located on the southeastern coast, usually holds a People’s March, in
which people from diverse communities walk together in colorful costumes to represent
the diversity of the nation and to celebrate unity.
3South Korea’s Independence Day is celebrated on August 15. The Independence Day, also
known as Gwangbokjeol (meaning “the day when the light returned”) as its official name,
celebrates the Korean liberation from 35 years of oppression under Japanese rule. The

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public usually hangs the Korean flag on the streetlights and outside public buildings and
holds fireworks displays. The truly interesting part of Gwangbokjeol, however, is the very
literal way in which the country celebrates freedom. Every year on this special day, the
president grants special prison pardons in honor of the liberation day.
4Unlike some countries where Independence Day represents liberation, France’s
Independence Day rather marks the start of a republican form of its government. The day
is celebrated on July 14, and is known as Bastille Day to honor the storming and mobbing
of the thousands of people who took control of the castle after hours of fighting, proving to
France and the world that the monarchy was weak, and eventually leading to full-blown
revolution. The French celebrate the big day with fireworks displays, traditional military
parades, festivals and plenty of patriotism. During Bastille Day, it is also customary for
firefighters to organize dance parties that are open to the public in fire stations across
Paris. This is regarded as a unique way to bring communities together in celebration of
France.
5In Indonesia, Independence Day falls on August 17. On this national holiday, the national
flag is hung in every household, on the streets and in various public places, and the citizens
as well as the government usually hold a ceremony in the morning. Independence Day is
also celebrated lavishly with various traditional competitions that highlight the beauty of
the nation’s diversities across the country. For example, in Aceh, the most western province
in the country, there is a tradition of Tepat Kude Goya or horse race. In some other
provinces, such as Riau and South Borneo, the people hold sailboat and rowing race
competitions that require teamwork, which represents the struggles of the national heroes
who fought for independence in the past.

celebrations of Independence Day in various countries

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 Comprehension Check
Answer the following questions based on the reading text in the previous pages!
1. What is the text about?
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2. Why is Independence Day considered as a special and important day?

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3. In what ways do the four countries mentioned in the text are similar and different in
celebrating their own Independence Day?
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C. READING AND WRITING SKILLS 1: IDENTIFYING ELEMENTS OF A TEXT

Watch the Reading and Writing Skills 1 Lecture Video.

In order to comprehend the content of a text, we need to take a closer look at its topic,
main ideas and supporting details.

Topic
Topic is the general theme of a text. It gives information about the overall subject of the
text. One text usually contains only one topic. The topic can be identified by reading the text
thoroughly from the very beginning until the end, and summarizing the particular idea that
is being mentioned and discussed repeatedly in the text. In addition, another way to identify
a topic of a text is by doing an isolated reading, in which you read only some specific parts
of the text instead of the whole text, i.e., the first sentence and the last sentence of each
paragraph, or the first and the last paragraphs in the text, and then summarizing the
particular idea that is being mentioned and discussed repeatedly in those parts of the text.

Main Idea
Main idea is the focus, key concept or main point of the writer’s thought that is being
communicated to the reader. Main idea is more specific than the topic. In English academic
text, one main idea is usually elaborated in one paragraph. Therefore, if a text consists of
multiple paragraphs, there are usually more than one main idea being discussed in the
whole text. The main idea of each paragraph is commonly found to be stated explicitly in
one specific sentence in a paragraph. This specific sentence that introduces the main idea
of the paragraph is called a topic sentence.

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 Supporting Details
Supporting details are the various details that provide more specific information about the
main idea being discussed in a paragraph. Supporting details can be in the forms of
example, explanation, facts, or evidence. Supporting details are the rest of the sentences
after the topic sentence in a paragraph.

Relationship between topic, main idea and supporting details

In a text, supporting details support the main ideas, and the
main ideas are built around a topic. Understanding these
elements is helpful to enhance your reading comprehension
of academic text.

D. READING AND WRITING SKILLS 1 EXERCISE

Identifying Topic, Main Ideas and Supporting Details

Reread the reading text “Celebration of Independence Day in Various Countries”:

a. Identify the main idea of each paragraph!
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b. Identify the supporting details of each paragraph and their form: is it an explanation,
fact, evidence, or example?
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c. Read the first and last sentence of each paragraph. What do you think is the topic of the
text?
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 d. Organize the main ideas and supporting details that you have identified in the following
diagram:

Topic:

…………………………………………………………………..
……………

Main Main Main Main Main

Idea 1: Idea 2: Idea 3: Idea 4: Idea 5:

Details: Details: Details: Details: Details:

e. Share your diagram above with a partner. Is the content of your diagram similar with
your partner’s? In what ways is it similar or different?
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E. LEARNING REFLECTION
Think about your learning in this meeting, and answer the following questions!

1. In scales 1 (poor) to 5 (very well), how well do you understand the overall materials in
Meeting 1? Tick one box that is suitable to your evaluation.

1 2 3 4 5

2. Put a checklist next to the statement below that you think is true.
_____ I can tell some historical background that led to Indonesia’s Independence
_____ I can understand the text that I read

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 _____ I can identify the main idea, supporting details and topic of a text

3. Describe briefly particular points that you have learnt as Indonesian citizen from Meeting
1 materials (100-150 words).
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4. Describe briefly particular points that you have learnt about the Reading and Writing
Skills 1 (100-150 words).
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F. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Blancard, K. & Root, C. (2005). Get Ready to Read: A Skills-Based Reader. New York: Pearson
Education, Inc.
Cambridge Online Dictionary. (n.d.). Accessed July 26, 2022 from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/
Dummett, P., Stephenson, H., & Lansford, L. (2016). Keynote Intermediate Student's Book. London:
Cengage.
Grammer, M. F. & Ward, C. S. (2011). Q: Skills for Success: Reading and Writing 3. New York: Oxford
University Press.
Oshima, A. & Hogue, A. (2014). Paragraph to Essays. New York : Pearson Education.
Phillips, D. & Oshima, A. (2004). Longman Introductory Course. New York: Pearson Education.