Diploma in English

Reading for Vocabulary and Language Development - DER 101

National Institute of Business Management

School of Language
Table of Contents

Lesson 01 - Understanding the Main Message of a Paragraph …………………03

Lesson 02 - The Supporting Ideas in a Paragraph ………………………………06

Lesson 03 - The Cohesive Devises in a Written Text ………………….……….09

Lesson 04 - Eliciting the Contextual Meaning of a Word ……………………….12

Lesson 05 - Words and Their Etymology ………………………………………..14

Lesson 06 - The Collocation of a Word ………………………………………….16

Lesson 07 - Concepts and Their Different Collocations …………………….…...18

Lesson 08 - Reading Lessons for Vocabulary Development …………………..…20

Understanding the Main Message of a Paragraph

Lesson 01
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Objective - By the end of the lesson the students will be able to identify the main idea of a
paragraph.

What is a paragraph?
A group or specially and intentionally related sentences that
revolve around a single idea.

Organization of a Paragraph
a) Statement of the main idea.
b) Elaboration of the main idea and supporting details.
c) Concluding sentence.

What is a main idea?

 The main idea is the central point or thought the author wants to communicate
to readers.
 It states the purpose and sets the direction of the paragraph or passage.
 The main idea may be stated in the first sentence of a paragraph and then be
repeated or restated at the end of the paragraph
 To find the main idea of any paragraph or passage, ask these questions:
 Who or what is the paragraph about?
 What aspect or idea about the ‘who’ or ‘what’ is the author
concerned with?

Where are the main ideas found?

It is easy to identify a main idea that is directly expressed in the text.
 Main ideas are often found at the beginning of paragraphs. The first sentence often
explains the subject being discussed in the passage.
 Main ideas are also found in the concluding sentences of a paragraph or even in the
middle.

The main idea is not always clearly stated. Sometimes it is inferred or implied.
It is stated indirectly.

Finding the Main Idea

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Example 1

Look at the following paragraph

"To many parents, the infant's crying may be mainly an irritation, especially if it continues for
long periods. But crying serves important functions for the child as well as for the
parents. For the child, crying helps improve lung capacity and the respiratory system.
Perhaps more important, the cry serves as a signal of distress. When babies cry, they
indicate that they are hungry or in pain, and this is important information for parents."

 The highlighted sentence is the topic sentence of the paragraph.

 It is the second sentence of the paragraph.

 In this paragraph “infant’s crying” can be identified as the key term.

 According to the second sentence ‘crying can be beneficial for the child as well as
the parents’.
 The third sentence says why crying is important to infants.
 The fourth and the fifth sentences say how crying helps the parents to understand
the infant.
 Thus, it is clear that this paragraph talks about infant’s crying and its importance.

Example 2

Study the paragraph given below and answer the questions.

Television can be an excellent teacher for everyone from very young children to the
oldest of viewers. Television entertains young children with educational programs and
songs. It can provide company for older viewers who are alone at home with no one to
talk to. New immigrants can learn the local language just by turning on the television. In
Step 1 -television
sum, Find the is
topic (person,
a good place,
learning toolobject
for allorpeople
idea) discussed
of all ages.in the paragraph.

1. What is topic of this paragraph?

…………………………………………………………………………………………

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Step 2 - Locate the most general idea of the paragraph (the idea that is common to most of
the text or what opinion all the parts support)

2. What does the author want you to know about the topic?
………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. Underline the topic sentence of the paragraph.

According to the above passage the topic of the passage is Television. The

author wants to emphasize that television is a good device for people to

learn things.

 Finding the main idea is a key to understanding what you read.

 The main idea ties all of the sentences in the paragraph or article together.
 Once you identify the main idea, everything else in the reading should click into
place.
 The rest of the reading is the evidence provided to support that main idea.

Activity 1

When the main idea of a paragraph is stated, it is most often found in the first sen-
tence of the paragraph. However, the main idea may be found in any sentence of
the paragraph

Underline the topic sentences of these paragraphs.

A. Advertising affects our lives every day. Brand names are common household words.
We start each day using the toothpaste, soap, and breakfast foods promoted by adver-
tisers. Ads have made the cars we drive signs of our success. Our choices of food,
dress, and entertainment are swayed by ads. Not one aspect of American life is un -
touched by advertising.

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 B. Americans like toast, eggs, and cereal. In China people eat congee, a thick rice. Peo-
ple in Japan often have a soup called miso. Pancakes made from lentil beans are
favoured in India. Bread and coffee with milk are the most popular breakfast foods in
France. Breakfast around the world is a matter of different tastes.

C. The United States seems to be in love with the idea of going out to eat. Because of
this, a real variety of restaurants has come about specializing in all kinds of foods.
McDonald’s is the king of a subgroup of restaurants called fast-food restaurants.
Chances are, no matter where you live, there is a McDonald’s restaurant near you.
There are even McDonald’s in the Soviet Union. Now McDonald’s is trying some-
thing new. It is called McDonald’s Express and there is a test site in Peabody, Massa-
chusetts. It is part of a Mobil gas station. This allows you to fill up with gas and fill up
on food at the same time. What will they think of next?

Activity 2

The main idea may be stated or it may be implied.

A. Can you name the planets in our solar system? Mercury is one of them. Like the other
planets, Mercury moves in a path around the sun. Mercury travels faster than the other
planets. It speeds along at about 107,000 miles an hour. Mercury is the planet closest
to the sun. Its days are very hot, and its nights are very cold. There is no water on
Mercury
a) the lack of water on Mercury
b) the planets in the solar system
c) what the planet Mercury is like

B. Do you wear glasses? Make sure your glasses fit well. The earpieces should be at eye
level. Don’t try to adjust the earpieces yourself. Take your glasses for adjustments to
the place you bought them. Keep your glasses in a case when you’re not wearing
them. This will prevent scratches. Keep the lenses clean. A soft cloth is best for clean-
ing.
a) taking care of your glasses involves many steps

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 b) reasons for wearing glasses
c) people wearing glasses

C. The fact that electronic computers are now used for data processing has led the gen-
eral public to believe that it is a mysterious, complicated science and that the comput-
ers are giant brains. Both of these ideas are false. A computer is basically just a high-
speed adding machine that performs the functions it is told to. If the input data are
varied even a little, the computer is unable to operate until it is programmed to accept
the variations. The business operations it performs are impressive only because of the
extremely high speed of manipulation, but most of these operations have been used
for decades. Unlike man, the computer performs repetitive calculations without get-
ting tired or bored.
a) A computer is a high-speed adding machine.
b) A computer is a mysterious giant brain.
c) A computer is superior to man in many ways.

The Supporting Ideas in a Paragraph

Lesson 02

Objective – By the end of the lesson the students will be able identify the supporting
ideas of a paragraph and different methods used to support the main idea
of a paragraph.

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 Types of Supporting Details
 Examples
 Explanations
 Reasons
 Descriptions

Source - https://human.libretexts.org/

Read the following paragraph study the underlined sentences.

If you had been alive in Canada 150 years ago, you would have probably been living
on a farm. Even 50 years ago, over 20 percent of Canadians worked and lived on
farms. Today the farm population is about 2.5 percent, feeding a much larger popula-
tion and producing food exports for the rest of the world. One reason for this change
is mechanization. A farmer with a tractor and other machines can do the work that
used to require dozens of farm hands. Another reason is chemicals, which can be
used to produce crops with higher yields and less spoilage.

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 When you read the above passage you will understand that the underlined sen-
tence and the words are the important details of the paragraph

Examples and some details are provided giving more information about those
main details.

The following paragraph will explain it further.

Gold
Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics. First of all,
gold has a lustrous beauty that is resistance to corrosion. For example, a Macedo-
nian coin remains as untarnished today as the day it was minted twenty three cen-
turies ago. Another important characteristic of gold is its utility in industry and
science. The most recent application of gold is in astronauts’ suits. Astronauts
wear gold-plated heat shields for protection when they go outside spaceships in
space. In conclusion, gold is treasured not for its beauty but also for its utility.

 Topic sentence
The topic sentence connotes that the paragraph is about ‘Gold’.

 Facts/ Characteristics
According to the topic sentence paragraph talks about two important characteristics of
gold. Accordingly, the two characteristics have been described starting with the phrases;
First of all…….
Another important characteristic …………

 Examples
Two examples have been included to provide evidence for the two facts.

 Further details

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 The second example has been described giving more information.

 Concluding Sentence
The paragraph has been concluded using the final sentence.

Activity 1
Read the given paragraphs and answer the questions.

In response to customers' bitter complaints about long lines, banks are trying new ways
to shorten the wait or at least to make it more pleasant. One bank provides coffee and
cookies so customers can munch while they wait. Other banks show action movies on a
large video screen. One daring bank in California will pay a customer five dollars if he
or she must wait more than five minutes for service. Still other banks offer the most ob-
vious solution of all...they simply hire more bank tellers.

1. What is the main idea of the paragraph?

………………………………………………………………………………………
2. Underline the topic sentence of the paragraph.

3. Mention three facts that the author has used to support the idea stated in the para-
graph.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………….

Studies reveal that people’s first names can have an influence on them. Some names
reflect on people in a positive way. For example, one survey showed that American
men consider them name Susan to be very sexy. And participants in a British study
thought Tony to be the name of someone very friendly. However, other names can
have a negative impact. In one study, for instance, teachers gave lower grades to essay
supposedly written by boys named Hubert and Elmer than to the very same essay when
they credited to boys with more popular names. Another study found girls with unpop-
ular names did worse on IQ and achievement tests than girls with more appealing
names.

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 i Underline the topic sentence.

ii What are the major details discussed in the passage?

…………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………..
iii Identify the minor details or types of supporting details used in the passage.
…………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………….

Activity 2

Read the following sentences and arrange them in order to make a meaningful paragraph.

a. Another important change was that people had the freedom to live and work wherever they
wanted.
b. The earliest significant change was for farming families, who were no longer isolated.
c. The final major change brought by the automobile was the building of superhighways,
suburbs, huge shopping centres, and theme parks such as Disney World in Florida.
d. The automobile revolutionized the way of life in the United States.
e. The automobile enabled them to drive to towns and cities comfortably and conveniently.
f. In fact, people could work in a busy metropolitan city and drive home to the quiet suburbs.

Exercise
The end of the silver screen?

Cinema technology has remained much the same for a century, so when will it go digital?
Kevin Hilton views the projections.

A. Cinema is full of contradictions. It is high-tech and old-fashioned at the same time.

Today's films are full of digital sound and computer-generated special effects. Yet they are
still stored on celluloid film, the basis of which is more than 100 years old. They are also
displayed with projectors and screens that seem to belong to our great grandparents'
generation.
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B. Now that we are in the second century of cinema, there are moves to bring the medium
right up to date. This will involve revolutionising not just how films are made but also how
they are distributed and presented. The aim is not only to produce and prepare films digitally,
but to be able to send them to movie theatres by digital, electronic means. High-resolution
digital projectors would then show the film. Supporters say this will make considerable
savings at all stages of this chain, particularly for distribution.

C. With such a major technological revolution on the horizon, it seems strange that the
industry is still not sure what to call itself This may appear a minor point, but the choices,
'digital' cinema and 'electronic' cinema (e-cinema), suggest different approaches to, and
aspects of, the business. Digital cinema refers to the physical capture of images; e-cinema
covers the whole chain, from production through post-production (editing, addition of special
effects and construction of soundtrack) to distribution and projection.

D. And what about the effects of the new medium? The main selling point of digital cinema
is the high resolution and sharpness of the final image. But those who support the old-
fashioned approach to film point to the celluloid medium's quality of warmth. A recurring
criticism of video is that it may be too good: uncomfortably real, rather like looking through
an open window. In 1989, the director of the first full-length American digital high-definition
movie admitted that the picture had a 'stark, strange reality to it'.

E. Even the money-saving aspect of e-cinema is doubted. One expert says that existing
cinemas will have to show the new material and not all of them will readily or rapidly furnish
themselves with the right equipment. 'E-cinema is seen as a way of saving money, because
print costs a lot,' he says. Tut for that to work, cinemas have to be showing the films because
cinemas are the engine that drives the film industry.'

F. This view has prompted some pro-digital entrepreneurs to take a slightly different
approach. HD Thames is looking at reinventing the existing cinema market, moving towards
e-theatre, which would use digital video and projection to present plays, musicals and some
sporting events to the public. This is not that different from the large-screen TV system that
was set up in New York in 1930, and John Logie Baird's experiments with TV in the late
1920s and early 30s.

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The Reading Passage has six paragraphs A–F.
Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below.

List of Headings
i. Indecision about a name
ii. Current problems with distribution
iii. Uncertainty about financial advantages
iv. The contrasts of cinema today
v. The history of cinema
vi. Integrating other events into cinema
vii. The plans for the future of films
viii. An unexpected advantage
ix. Too true to life?

The Cohesive Devises in a Written Text

Lesson 03

Objective – By the end of the lesson the students will be able to use the knowledge on
cohesive devices to understand a written text

 Cohesive devices tell the reader what we are doing in a sentence and help to guide
them through the reading passage.
 They signal to the reader what the relationships are between the different clauses, sen-
tences and paragraphs.
 These devices help to set the flow of the reading passage.
 These assist the reader to comprehend the passage.

To improve the cohesion of a written text, the following can be done.

Use a pronoun reference

 Suitable pronouns can be used instead of repeating the same word.

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 “Medical researchers seek new discoveries in the treatment of human disease
by experimenting on animals. This practice is called inhumane by
antivivisectionists. Most doctors defend vivisection. They claim that the
practice is necessary if medicine is to make inroads upon human disease.”

Use the same subject in successive sentences

 This is to give much emphasis for the word used
“These particular train services are not used very much by commuters. As a
rule, commuters tend to travel much earlier.”

Repeat or use a synonym of some key word or phrase from the previous sentence
“What people want from the government is frankness. They should explain everything
to the public.”

Use enumerative devices

“His job involves a number of things. First, he is responsible for general
administration in the office. Secondly, he has to look after the financial side of the
business... Finally, he has been asked to build up outside contacts.”

Use a transitional word or phrase to indicate relationships between ideas

“As we move from small to large animals, from mice to elephants or small lizards to
Komodo dragons, brain size increases, but not so fast as body size. In other words,
bodies grow faster than brains, and large animals have low rations of brain weight to
body weight.”

Connectives

Addition Summary Comparison Result Exemplific Contrast

Also In summary Compared Accordingly ation Besides
And In brief with Similarly As a result For But, Yet
In fact In short In comparison Then example However
Moreover In conclusion with Therefore For instance In contrast
Too On the whole In the same Hence Such as Whereas
In addition To sum up way Consequently Thus Nevertheless
Furthermore Likewise For that As On the contrary
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Activity 1

Complete the following paragraphs using the words given in the brackets.

One of the most wonderful inventions of modern times is television. It is now possible to sit
in the comfort of one’s home –––––– watch on a screen events –––––––– are happening
hundreds of miles away. We can –––––– get entertainment from films, dances, plays and
sports –––––– are shown on the screen. It is difficult to imagine ––––– life would be like
without television.
[What, and, also, that, which]

The methods of reading usually differ in accordance with the contents of books, –––––all
books should be read with equal seriousness. Amusement is not the main objective of reading
–––––– a good book, ––––– it is a novel or a biography or a drama, always deals with some
aspect of knowledge –––– helps us to know life better. It is ––––– said –––– books are the
best teachers.
[Therefore, because, but, whether, and, that]

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 Eliciting the Contextual Meaning of a Word
Lesson 04

Objective – By the end of the lesson the students will be able to demonstrate the abil-
ity to elicit contextual meaning

 Writers use many ways to convey the meaning of words and concepts. Some are obvi-
ous and some are subtle.
 In a reading passage is not really essential to know the meaning of each and every
word used in the paragraph.
 Reader should be able to understand the meanings of the unfamiliar words used in the
passage by understanding the context of the word.
 In fact, in reading, identifying the contextual meaning of the word is more important
than knowing the general meaning of the word.
 There are some clues that can be used to elicit the contextual meanings of the words
used.

Clues for Using Context to Find Meaning

Definition
The unfamiliar word is specifically defined in the sentence, or in the preceding or following
sentences.
Eg: - Sharks belong to the class of fish called Chondrichthyes or “cartilaginous
fishes”.
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Example
The unfamiliar word is illustrated by one or more examples.
Eg: Celestial bodies, including the sun, moon, and stars, have fascinated man
through the centuries.
“Celestial” objects are those in the sky or heavens.

Description
Characteristics or features of the unfamiliar word are described.
Eg: “Hydraulic systems use liquids under pressure to move many things. Huge
amounts of soil at a construction site can be moved with hydraulic machinery,
such as backhoes and excavators.”
Clarification
The meaning of the unfamiliar word is restated in slightly different language, summarized, or
paraphrased.
Eg: We learned about octagons, or 8-sided shapes.
Some birds like to build their nests in inconspicuous spots — high up in the
tops of trees, well hidden by leaves.

Parenthetical Note
The meaning of the unfamiliar word is provided in parentheses directly following the word.
Eg: “Oil from the tank is sent along a conductor (a hose or pipe) to a pump

Comparison
The meaning of the unfamiliar word is provided by contrasting or comparing it to another
word, phrase or concept.
Eg: “Oil from the tank is sent along a conductor (a hose or pipe) to a pump where
it is pushed into a cylinder or metal pipe. A cylinder is like a large syringe.”

Typography and Design

Design features draw attention to important words and concepts, and to their definitions.
Eg: The sense of smell, or olfaction, is powerful.

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Activity 1

Write the contextual meanings of the underlined words and state the clue that helped to find
the meaning.

What is sound?

The world around us is filled with sound. There are loud sounds and soft sounds. There are
pleasant sounds and unpleasant sounds. At this very moment, you are surrounded by sound.
Where does sound come from? How does it get to your ears? Why are there different kinds of
sounds? The study of these questions about sound is called acoustics.

Imagine a cymbal hit with a drumstick. The cymbal shakes rapidly and this vibration causes
the tiny particles called molecules bump into the air particles next to them and make them
vibrate. This spreading vibration moves outwards in every direction from the cymbal in
waves.

When a small object is made to vibrate, the sound waves move up and down very quickly.
This produces a high-pitched sound, like a high note in a song. When a large object is made
to vibrate, the sound waves move up and down more slowly. This produces a low-pitched
sound like low note in a song. Hitting a small cymbal makes a more high-pitched sound than
hitting a large cymbal.

The volume of a sound depends upon the amount of energy, or force, applied to the object
that is caused to vibrate. If the cymbal is hit very hard with the drumstick, the volume of the
sound is louder than if it is hit lightly. The sound wave created by a hard hit carries the
energy of the hit along with it. When a sound wave hits an object, the force that the sound

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wave carries causes movement in the object it hits. An extremely loud wave such as the
sound of thunder, can actually make the ground shake.

Word Meaning Clue

Unpleasant

Acoustics

Vibration

Molecules

High-pitched

Low-pitched

Volume

Energy

Extremely

Exercise

Read the paragraphs and underline the correct answer.

1. Helen’s attitude toward dealing with criminals has changed over the years. She
used to believe that everyone can change and deserves a second chance. She now be-
lieves that some crimes are so heinous that those responsible should be shown no mercy.
a. guilty b. terrible
c. accidental d. unimportant

2. There may be some parts of my plan to arrest the thieves that should be changed. But I feel
very strongly that renting the apartment over their headquarters is the linchpin of the scheme.
We must do that immediately!
a. part that everything else depends on b. piece of metal used to connect things
c. place where people live d. a computer designed for police work

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3. Amy was feeling low. Every business she tried lost money or made only pennies a day.
Her newest idea was selling chocolate covered baby shoes. She was convinced that it would
be a lucrative business. Her friends tried to warn her that it was not a certain road to riches.
a. tasting great with vanilla ice cream b. helping young feet to grow correctly
c. showing no careful thought d. bringing in a lot of money, or profit

4. The signal from the cable is too strong for our television. We’ll have to use a filter
to
attenuate it. When you attenuate something, you _______________.
a. watch it carefully b. take good care of it
c. make it be less d. get past it

5. “If you knew the gravity of the situation, you wouldn’t be laughing,” Mr. Farmer
said quietly. He didn’t have to say more to get everyone’s attention. What does “gravity”
mean in this context?
a. a force that draws different objects toward each other b. seriousness
c. humor d. enjoyable, or comfortable

6. Her cardinal rule is this: Be kind to others! She believes that everything else in
life will fall properly into place if one follows that rule.
What does “cardinal” mean in this context?
a. main, or most important b. red
c. like a bird d. not worth remembering

7. The owner of the restaurant wouldn’t allow Samantha to walk through the door.
“I’m sorry,” she said, “but you started a food fight the last time you were here. You may
not have ingress to my restaurant!”
What does “ingress” mean in this selection?
a. a kind of bird that lives by the sea b. any food that can be thrown
c. a good price for a meal d. the right to enter

8. Murphy Mole is the protagonist in the new novel by Trent Troll. Murphy must
stop Oscar Rat and Shrimpy Shark from enslaving the inhabitants of Lazy Woods Park.
He risks his life in a series of events that lead to a final battle between good and evil.
What is a protagonist?

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 a. the main character of a story b. an animal that lives underground
c. someone whose first and last names start with the same letter
d. someone with bad body odor

9. Don’t feel stupid. Yes, you thought this worthless replica was a valuable work of
art. But it even fooled a lot of experts. It certainly looked like the real thing!
A replica is __________.
a. a dishonest act b. something ugly
c. anything that has no value d. a copy
10. Your poster is very good. The drawing really lets people know what our club is all about.
I do think that you could enhance it by adding some more color. That will tend to grab
everyone’s attention.
When you enhance something, you __________.
a. draw it b. throw it out
c. ruin it d. make it better

Activity 2
Read the following sentences and write the contextual meaning of the word highlighted.

“Restrain”
Depending on context, restrain can mean several things:
 His classmates had to restrain him from eating the last cupcake.
 I wasn’t able to restrain my excitement upon winning the tournament – I threw my
ping-pong paddle into the crowd and hit my poor brother on the forehead, knocking
him out.
 The embargoes and tariffs were designed to restrain trade.
(To hold back physically, To control emotions, To limit)

“Discriminate”
Discriminate is often used in a negative way, but it also can be positive:
 Widespread racial discrimination led to the disenfranchisement of thousands.
 Death doesn’t discriminate between the sinners and the saints.
 The dolphin’s electroreception enables it to better discriminate between shrimp and
crayfish on the muddy river bottom.

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 (To judge, or make an unfair distinction about people based on their race, age or gender, To
tell apart, To note subtle differences)

“Compromise”
As a verb, compromise has three distinct meanings:
 My sister wanted to listen to hip-hop and my brother wanted to listen to bebop, so we
compromised and put on some R&B.
 I am willing to accept another motel room, but I’m not prepared to compromise on
hygiene.
 When Skywalker went along, he compromised the entire mission because Vader
could sense his proximity.
(To settle a dispute by mutual agreement and concession, To accept a standard that is below
what is required, To endanger by foolish behaviour)

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 Words and Their Etymology
Lesson 05

Objective – By the end of the lesson students will be able to understand the meanings of
different words through the etymology of the words.

 Etymology is the scientific study of the origin or history and derivation of words.

 When you know the meaning of a Latin or Greek root, prefix, or suffix; you can better
understand, and more easily remember, all the vocabulary words built on these ele-
ment that exists in English words.

 This knowledge will help the reader to understand a reading passage easily.

Read the following story.

Hermes was the god of mysterious sciences and alchemy. It is the alchemy part that allowed
his name to be applied to everything from home canning to top secret security spy type
treatment of information. By the mysteries of alchemy, people could melt closed glass or
metal openings in containers, and thereby, seal them completely. Perhaps this kind of sealing
by melting doesn’t seem so mysterious today, but you don’t tell a god that to his face,
especially one thrice great.

Match each sentence with the correct definition of hermetic.

1. Christendom had its own long tradition of interest in the occult, the hermetic philosophy,
and the magical powers. (………)
2. The container has a hermetic seal, which helps keep its contents fresh. (………)

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3. For the next 20 years, he lived a hermetic life in a faraway desert. (………)

a. away from outside influences – solitary

b. airtight – completely closed
c. relating to an ancient Greek god, Hermes Trismegistus – cryptic or beyond comprehension.

The word hermetic is taken from the name of a Greek god, Hermes Trismegistus, who was
famous for alchemy, which helped people pack things tightly by melting metal or glass
openings.
Thus it is clear that the meanings of the words derive from ‘Hermes’ are based on this
mythological story. Having some knowledge about the origin of words helps to figure out the
meanings of different words.

Study the following words and their meanings.

Meanings in relation to Immature means not mature Mono means one

Prefix
the Greek/ Latin origin. Meaning
Impossible meansSuffixnot Meaning
Auto means self
possible
Non-, Un-, Im-, In-, Not , Opposite -er, -or Biowho;
One meansorlifeshowing a
Against
Il-, Ir- – anti Impolite means not polite Graph means write
comparison
Time – chron
Re- Again, Impatient
Back means-able,
not patient
-ible Chrome
Capable means colour
of being
Body – phys
Mis- Wrong, Not -d, -ed Forming the past tense; or
Heat – therm having the quality of
Death – mort
De- Reverse, Remove, -ing Forming the gerund
Build – struct Out of meaning an “act of” or the
present participle
Co-, Com- Con- With together -ment The act, state or result of
an action
Dis-, Dif-, Di- Separation, Away, -ive Having the quality of
Apart
Activity 1

Write the meanings of the words given using the meaning of the root word.

i. ‘Cogn/i’ is the Latin root for ‘know’.

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Guess the meanings of ‘Incognito’ - …………………………….

ii. ‘Chrono’ is the Latin root for ‘Time’.

Guess the meaning of ‘Chronology’ - ……………………………
‘Chronometer’ - ……………………………

iii. Meaning of ‘Hydro’ is ‘Water’.

Guess the meaning of ‘Hydrology’ - …………………………….
‘Hydrologist’ - …………………………….

iv. Meaning is ‘Cide’ is to ‘Kill’.

Guess the meaning of ‘Insecticides’ - ………………………………..
‘Weedicides’ - ………………………………..

v. Meaning of ‘Derm’ is ‘Skin’

Guess the meaning of ‘Dermatologist’ - ……………………………….

vi. Meaning of ‘Therm’ is ‘Temperature’

Guess the meaning of ‘Thermometer’ - …………………………………

vii. Meaning of Ped is Feet

Guess the meaning of ‘Biped’ - ………………………………..
‘Centipede’ - ……………………………

viii. Meaning of ‘Dict’ is ‘Speak’

Guess the meaning of ‘Predict’ - ……………………………….

ix. Meaning of ‘Graph’ is ‘Writing’

Guess the meaning of ‘Autobiography’ - …………………………………

The Collocation of a Word

Lesson 06

Objective – By the end of the lesson the students will be able to understand the
collocation of words and their meanings.
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Learning collocations is really advantageous because they can:
 Give you the most natural way to say something
 Give you alternative ways of saying something, which may be more colorful/ex-
pressive or more precise
 Improve your style in writing
 Help develop language proficiency

A collocation is a sequence of words (word pairings or word groupings) that appear

frequently together.

"I would like a cup of strong coffee," strong coffee is a collocation.

Although powerful is a synonym of strong, it would not make much sense to use
powerful in the place of strong.
He is a powerful politician.
In the above sentence powerful is more appropriate than strong.

Types of collocation

 Adverb + adjective: completely satisfied (NOT downright satisfied)

They are happily married.

 Adjective + noun: heavy rain (NOT large rain)

Emma always wears red or yellow or some other bright colour.

 Noun + noun: a surge of anger (NOT a rush of anger)

Every parent feels a sense of pride when their child does well or wins
something.
 Noun + verb: lions roar (NOT lions shout)
The company launched the product in 2012. [Introduced the product]
 Verb + noun: commit suicide (NOT undertake suicide)
She made a mistake, although she knew well about her new manager.

 Verb + expression with preposition: burst into tears (NOT blow up in tears)

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 As Jack went on stage to receive his gold medal for the judo competition you
could see his parents swelling with pride. [Looking extremely proud]

 Verb + adverb: wave frantically (NOT wave feverishly)

She smiled proudly as she looked at the photos of her new grandson.

A good learner’s dictionary will give you information on collocations. Sometimes the
information is highlighted in some special way. In other cases, the examples used in the
dictionary include the most common collocations.

Following are some examples from Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary.

Concepts and Their Different

Collocations
Lesson 07

Objective – By the end of the lesson the students will be able to improve the vocabulary
and be familiar with the collocations related to different concepts

The usage of different words differs according to different concepts.

For instance;

Sunny day
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Sunny smile
The first meaning of sunny is connected with the weather, so we talk about a sunny day.
However, sunny can also be used in expressions like a sunny smile, to mean happy; in these
collocations sunny is used in a metaphorical way.

Strong wind

Heavy rain

Although both the pictures are related to weather two different adjectives have been used to
describe them.
We usually don’t say ‘heavy wind’ but ‘strong wind’ and it is not ‘strong rain’ but ‘heavy
rain’.
Thus, the collocations differ with the concepts and also the meaning.

Weather conditions

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Books, audiobooks and e-books

Illnesses and injuries

Source - https://www.cambridge.org/gb/cambridgeenglish/catalog/grammar-
vocabulary-and-pronunciation/english-collocations-use-intermediate
Activity 1

Find the verb which does not collocate with the noun in bold.

1. acknowledge, feel, express, make, hide, overcome, admit shame

2. apply for, catch, create, get, hold, hunt for, lose, take up job
3. acquire, brush up, enrich, learn, pick up, tell, use language
4. assess, cause, mend, repair, suffer, sustain, take damage
5. beg, answer, kneel in, offer, say, utter prayer
6. brush, cap, drill, fill, gnash, grit, wash teeth
7. derive, enhance, find, give, pursue, reach, savour, pleasure
8. disturb, interrupt, maintain, observe, pierce, reduce to, suffer silence

Which word collocates with all the words given?

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(fish, coat, criminal, stadium)

1. fried, poached, fresh, raw, frozen, grilled, smoked _________________

2. summer, warm, winter, tatty, shabby, trendy, second-hand _____________
3. dangerous, desperate, common, born, hardened, master _______________
4. massive, huge, crowded, packed, outdoor, indoor, sports _______________

Correct the eight collocation errors in this text. Use a dictionary to help you if necessary.

In the morning I made some work in the garden, then I spent a rest for about an hour before
going out to have some shopping in town. It was my sister’s birthday and I wanted to do a
special effort to cook a nice meal for her. I gave a look at a new Thai cookery book in the
bookshop and decided to buy it. It has some totally easy recipes and I managed to do a good
impression with my very first Thai meal. I think my sister utterly enjoyed her birthday.

Choose the correct collocation.

1 The dentist told me to shut / close my mouth.

2 I didn’t know what to do when I got into my car and couldn’t start / begin the engine.
3 I want to buy a sweater for my dad. He needs one in a big / large size.
4 I haven’t finished / ended my essay yet. I can’t decide how to finish / end it.
5 At what time do you plan to shut / close the conference?
6 All societies develop their own stories about how the world started / began.
7 It’s far too big / large a problem for you to solve on your own.
8 It’s never easy to finish / end a relationship.

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 Reading Lessons for Vocabulary Development
Lesson 08

Objective – By the end of the lesson the students will be able to develop the vocabu-
lary through reading and use reading skills to understand the text

The Meaning and Power of Smell

The sense of smell, or olfaction, is powerful. Odours affect us on a physical, psychological

and social level. For the most part, however, we breathe in the aromas which surround us
without being consciously aware of their importance to us. It is only when the faculty of
smell is impaired for some reason that we begin to realise the essential role the sense of
smell plays in our sense of well-being

A - A survey conducted by Anthony Synott at Montreal’s Concordia University asked

participants to comment on how important smell was to them in their lives. It became
apparent that smell can evoke strong emotional responses. A scent associated with a good

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experience can bring a rush of joy, while a foul odour or one associated with a bad memory
may make us grimace with disgust. Respondents to the survey noted that many of their
olfactory likes and dislikes were based on emotional associations. Such associations can be
powerful enough so that odours that we would generally label unpleasant become agreeable,
and those that we would generally consider fragrant become disagreeable for particular
individuals. The perception of smell, therefore, consists not only of the sensation of the
odours themselves, but of the experiences and emotions associated with them.

B-
Odours are also essential cues in social bonding. One respondent to the survey believed that
there is no true emotional bonding without touching and smelling a loved one. In fact, infants
recognise the odours of their mothers soon after birth and adults can often identify their
children or spouses by scent. In one well-known test, women and men were able to
distinguish by smell alone clothing worn by their marriage partners from similar clothing
worn by other people. Most of the subjects would probably never have given much thought to
odour as a cue for identifying family members before being involved in the test, but as the
experiment revealed, even when not consciously considered, smells register.

C - In spite of its importance to our emotional and sensory lives, smell is probably the most
undervalued sense in many cultures. The reason often given for the low regard in which smell
is held is that, in comparison with its importance among animals, the human sense of smell is
feeble and undeveloped. While it is true that the olfactory powers of humans are nothing like
as fine as those possessed by certain animals, they are still remarkably acute. Our noses are
able to recognise thousands of smells, and to perceive odours which are present only in
extremely small quantities.

D - Smell, however, is a highly elusive phenomenon. Odours, unlike colours, for instance,
cannot be named in many languages because the specific vocabulary simply doesn’t exist. ‘It
smells like . . . ,’ we have to say when describing an odour, struggling to express our
olfactory experience. Nor can odours be recorded: there is no effective way to either capture
or store them over time. In the realm of olfaction, we must make do with descriptions and
recollections. This has implications for olfactory research.

E - Most of the research on smell undertaken to date has been of a physical scientific nature.
Significant advances have been made in the understanding of the biological and chemical

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 nature of olfaction, but many fundamental questions have yet to be answered. Researchers
have still to decide whether smell is one sense or two - one responding to odours proper and
the other registering odourless chemicals in the air. Other unanswered questions are whether
the nose is the only part of the body affected by odours, and how smells can be measured
objectively given the nonphysical components. Questions like these mean that interest in the
psychology of smell is inevitably set to play an increasingly important role for researchers.

F - However, smell is not simply a biological and psychological phenomenon. Smell is

cultural, hence it is a social and historical phenomenon. Odours are invested with cultural
values: smells that are considered to be offensive in some cultures may be perfectly
acceptable in others. Therefore, our sense of smell is a means of, and model for, interacting
with the world. Different smells can provide us with intimate and emotionally charged
experiences and the value that we attach to these experiences is interiorized by the members
of society in a deeply personal way. Importantly, our commonly held feelings about smells
can help distinguish us from other cultures. The study of the cultural history of smell is,
therefore, in a very real sense, an investigation into the essence of human culture.

1.1 Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings
below.

i. The relationship between smell and feelings (…….)

ii. The role of smell in personal relationships (…….)

iii. The interpretation of smells as a factor in defining groups (…….)

iv. Future studies into smell (…….)

v. Why our sense of smell is not appreciated (…….)

vi. The difficulties of talking about smells (…….)

1.2 Fill in the blanks with only one word from the passage.

1.2.1 It is only when the sense of smell is ……………………. for some reason that
we begin to realize its significance.

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 1.1.2 According to the survey conducted by Anthony Synott, smells can evoke strong
………………… responses.
1.1.3 Smells can be regarded as essential cues in social ……………………

1.1.4 Those who use certain languages have difficulty describing smell since they lack the
appropriate ………………………

1.1.5 The faculty of smell is a…………………….. of interacting with the world.

1.3 Circle the most appropriate letter (A, B, C or D) in the following. (Underlined
words are highlighted in the passage).

1.3.1 According to paragraph A, which of the following is true about smell?

A. A scent related to a good experience may make us grimace with disgust.

B. An odour associated with an unpleasant experience can bring a rush of joy.
C. A fragrance associated with a good experience can bring happiness.
D. None of the above.

1.3.2 The word olfaction in the passage means

A. disgust
B. experience
C. recollection
D. smell

1.3.3 According to paragraph B, all of the following are true of the smells except

A. Infants can identify the smells of their mothers soon after birth.
B. Infants can identify the smells of their fathers soon after birth.
C. Adults can often recognize their spouses by scent.

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 D. Adults can often recognize their children by scent.

1.2.4 Why does the writer state that smell is perhaps the most undervalued sense in many
cultures?

A. because the human sense of smell is feeble and undeveloped

B. because the human sense of smell is remarkably acute
C. because the human sense of smell is important to our emotional lives
D. none of the above

1.2.5 The word those in paragraph C refers to:

A. humans
B. animals
C. olfactory powers
D. emotional associations

1.2.6 Based on the information in paragraph D, which of the following best explains the
term elusive?
A. can be named and recorded easily
B. can be expressed clearly
C. cannot be named and recorded
D. can be captured effectively

1.2.7 Which of the sentences below best expresses the information in the highlighted state-
ment in the passage?

A. The biological and chemical nature of olfaction remains unexplored.

B. Many fundamental questions related to the chemical nature of smell have al-
ready been answered.
C. Though the biological and chemical nature of olfaction has been explored
over the years, many fundamental questions still remain unanswered.
D. Many fundamental questions regarding the biological nature of smell have
been answered because of the significant advances made in olfactory research.

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 1.2.8 In paragraph F, why does the writer mention that smells which are considered to be
unpleasant in some cultures may be completely tolerable in others?

A. to show that smell is a biological phenomenon

B. to demonstrate that smell is a psychological phenomenon
C. to show that smell is a cultural phenomenon
D. to demonstrate that smell is a physical phenomenon

1.2.9 The word interiorized in the passage means

A. invaded
B. internalized
C. inspired
D. introduced

1.2.10 Which of the following statements most accurately reflect the writer’s opin-
ion
about smell?
A. The writer believes that the sense of smell is the most powerful sense.

B. The passage deals with the importance of olfactory powers to certain animals.

C. The writer states that smell affects human beings on a physical, psychological and social
level.

D. According to the passage, the human sense of smell is valued in many cultures

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