5500 111 Experiential English I 1 Reading Supplement

(Required)
READING STRATEGIES
To read effectively, you may need some strategies to help you deal with the texts. The following
seven strategies are useful when you read:
I. Scanning
II. Skimming
III. Locating the main idea
IV. nderstanding references
V. !aking inferences
VI. Thinking logically
VII. "uessing meaning from contexts
I. Scanning
Scanning is very high-speed reading that you do when you are looking or a speciic
piece o inor!ation. #hen you scan, you have a $uestion in mind. %ou do not read every
word, only key words that will answer your $uestion. &ractice in scanning will help you learn to
skip over unimportant words so that you can read faster.
E"ercise #$
Instructions$ Scan the travel %rochure on the ne"t page and ind the answers to the
ollowing &uestions as &uickly as you can.
'( #here is Taman )egara )ational &ark*
+( #hat does ,-ngkor #at. mean*
/( #here is 0along 1ay*
2( #hich 3each in the &hilippines is on the list of the world4s 3est 3eaches*
5( #hich 3each in 1ali is famous for surfing and nightlife*
TIPS!
Make use of section
headings and capital
letters. For example,
you only need to scan
the Bali section to find
answers for questions
5 and !
5500 111 Experiential English I " Reading Supplement
(Required)
6( #hen was -ngkor #at 3uilt*
7( 0ow many islands are there at 0along 1ay*
8( #hich two 3eaches in 1ali do tourists go to for relaxation*
9( :or what purpose was -ngkor #at 3uilt*
10# #hich activity can you en;oy at <at 1a )ational &ark*
Southeast -sian Travel
Southeast $sia is one of the world%s fastest growing tra&el destinations! 'he area offers
e&erything from (eautiful tropical islands and pristine (eaches to thic) *ungles, di&erse
cultures, cuisines, and people! Southeast $sia has some of the (est national par)s and
reser&es in the world, an a(undance of fascinating +orld ,eritage sites, a &ariety of
spiritual places to &isit that represent the religions of the region li)e -uddhism, 'aoism,
Islam, and .hristianity, and it has a huge supply of (eaches and associated acti&ities!
Some of the many exciting Southeast $sian highlights include/
Taman )egara )ational &ark, !alaysia
'his lush par) is located on 0alaysia%s east
coast!
'he &ariety of plants and wildlife are ama1ing
and
the scenery includes la1y, winding ri&ers and
roaring waterfalls!
-ngkor #at, <am3odia
$ng)or +at, means 2.ity 'emple3, and is a complex of
ancient temples that is considered the most important
architectural site in Southeast $sia! It was (uilt in the 1"th
century to honor 4ishnu, the ,indu god!
1ali, Indonesia
5and of the -uddha6 7uta, 8(ud, $med, and Sanur are
all worth &isiting! For the (est surfing and nightlife, head
TIPS!
Make use of section
headings and capital
letters. For example,
you only need to scan
the Bali section to find
answers for questions
5 and !
5500 111 Experiential English I 9 Reading Supplement
(Required)
o&er to 7uta (each! For relaxation, head up to 8(ud, or
e&en $med if you%re really loo)ing for peace and quiet!
0along 1ay, Vietnam
,along -ay is one of the world%s natural wonders
made up of at least 9000 islands in the :ulf of 'on)in,
4ietnam! 'his is a +orld ,eritage site that offers
(reathta)ing &iews, many ca&es worth exploring, and
hi)ing in .at -a ;ational <ar)!
The &hilippines
In the <hilippines you%ll find (eautiful white (eaches li)e
-oracay,
which is on the list of the world%s (est (eaches! -ut there is
more
to the <hilippines than *ust the (eaches! 'he scenery also
includes
(reathta)ing waterfalls and miles of rice terraces!
E"ercise '
Instructions$ Scan the ollowing te"t a%out (un Sen) the *ri!e +inister o ,a!%odia)
and ind the answers to as !any &uestions %elow as possi%le in ' !inutes.
'( 0ow many years has 0un Sen 3een in office*
+( 0ow old was 0un Sen when he 3ecame &rime !inister*
/( #hat does <&& stand for*
2( #ho is the longest serving head of government in Southeast
-sia* 0ow long has he 3een in office*
5( 0ow many leaders have held office longer than 0un Sen*
6( #hich continent has the highest num3er of long=serving
leaders*
Source/ http/==www!pausethemoment!com="010=1"=15=>?highlights?southeast?asia=
TIPS!
Make a mental note
of hat !ou are
looking for hile !ou
scan through the
te"t. For example, for
question 1/ Im looking
for a number (of
years).
5500 111 Experiential English I @ Reading Supplement
(Required)
7( 0ow many <am3odians were killed 3y the >hmer ?ouge*
8( #hen is the next election in <am3odia scheduled*
9( 0ow many government leaders were younger than 0un Sen
when they first came to power*
'@( #hen was <am3odia set up as a communist state 3y
Vietnam*
''( #ho is the president of the <&&*
'+( #here did 0un Sen make a speech on Aanuary '+*
'/( 0ow old was 0un Sen when he started a political career in
the ca3inet*
'2( 0ow long had 0un Sen 3een the Beputy &rime !inister
when he was nominated for premiership*
)um3ers of $uestions answered
)um3ers of correct answers
5500 111 Experiential English I 5 Reading Supplement
(Required)
:rom the article entitled To live and die with Hun Sen 3y &aul VrieCe
PHNOM PENH -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen
recently marked his 25th anniversary as the Southeast Asian nation's leader. First
appointed by the Cambodian National Assembly on January 14, 1985, he became at 33
years old the youngest Prime Minister in the world.
Hun Sen's journey from a communist leader to an elected head of government spans a
quarter of a century of civil war, domestic and international upheaval, a negotiated peace
and transition to democracy through which he and his Cambodia's People's Party (CPP)
have imposed themselves as the country's deliverers of stability and order.
By retaining the helm in Cambodia's fractious politics for 25 years, he now stands among a
unique category of leaders, ranking as the 11
th
longest ruling leader in the world. In
Southeast Asia, only the Sultan of Brunei, the number one longest serving government
leader since assuming office in 1967, has been in power longer than Hun Sen. Of the other
nine longer serving leaders, five are heads of governments in Africa and four are from the
Middle East.
Hun Sen reflected on his long political career and humble beginnings in a speech at the
National Institute for Education in Phnom Penh on January 12. "I became [foreign]
minister when I was 27 years old, Deputy Prime Minister when I was 29 years old and
Prime Minister at 33 years old," Hun Sen said of his appointments in the People's Republic
of Kampuchea the communist state set up by Vietnam in 1979 after it toppled the Khmer
Rouge, whose bloody regime caused the death of about 1.7 million Cambodians.
The prime minister went on to talk about his political future, confirming his intention to
run in the next election in 2013. "The party conference announced my candidacy for the
future prime minister and ... last week Chea Sim [president of the CPP] also reconfirmed
my nomination for the premiership," Hun Sen said before taking aim at opposition parties.
"Please do not try to limit the mandate of the premiership. You want the mandate limited
because you are worrying you will lose to me," he said, while also reminding the audience
he still had another three and a half years in office under the mandate of the last election,
5500 111 Experiential English I > Reading Supplement
(Required)
II. Ski!!ing
Ski!!ing is another high-speed reading techni&ue that can save you ti!e and help you
get through a te"t &uickly. %ou skim to get the general sense of a passage, not specific
details. #hen you skim, you should not read the whole text. %our eyes should move very
$uickly over the lines and you should read only the parts of the text that will help you answer the
$uestions.
The following passage a3out skimming shows the parts of a text that are usually most helpful.
These parts often give you the writer4s ideas or opinions. 0owever, every text is different. #hen
you are skimming, you need to 3e flexi3le. #hat you read will depend on the $uestion you are
asking and the way the passage is written. The following passage gives you an example of how
to skim.
Writers usually introduce their topic and their ideas about the topic right at the beginning of a text.
Read the first paragraph carefully. It will give you some idea of what the writer is going to say and how
the passage will be organized. This will help you decide what else to skim for.
If the text is long, you might also read the second paragraph. ometimes the first paragraph is
only an introduction and the second paragraph contains more useful information about the whole
text!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.....
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
"fter that, you should look at the beginning of each paragraph!!!!!!!!.
!!!!!!!!!!!maybe read a few words!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
!!!!!!...........in the middle!!!!!and note if there are lots of names or dates
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#sually, a topic sentence is at the beginning. $ut sometimes it may be at some point after the
beginning!!!..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.skip some
paragraphs!!!!!!!!!!!!.if they do not seem important.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
%owever, you should read the last paragraph carefully. The author may summarize the important
points at the end or come to a conclusion. These are the general rules about skimming and this is all the
text you need to read when you skim&
5500 111 Experiential English I A Reading Supplement
(Required)
E"ercise -
Instructions$ .ork as &uickly as you can / ski! the passage a%out Aung San Suu 0yi
and answer the &uestions that ollow.
Aung San Suu Kyi went from a devoted Oxford housewife to the
champion of Burmese democracy - but not without great
personal sacrifice.
The daughter of a great Burmese hero, General Aung San, who was assassinated when she was only two,
Suu was raised with a strong sense of her fathers unfinished legacy. In 196 she was sent !y her
di"lomat mother to study #olitics, #hiloso"hy and $conomics at %&ford, where her guardian, 'ord Gore(
Booth, introduced her to )ichael Aris. *e was studying history at +urham !ut had always had a "assion
for Bhutan , and in Suu he found the romantic em!odiment of his great lo-e for the $ast. But when she
acce"ted his "ro"osal, she struc. a deal/ if her country should e-er need her, she would ha-e to go. And
)ichael readily agreed.
0or the ne&t 16 years, Suu 1yi was to su!limate her e&traordinary strength of character and !ecome the
"erfect housewife. 2hen their two sons, Ale&ander and 1im, were !orn she !ecame a doting mother too,
noted for her "unctiliously well(organised childrens "arties and e&3uisite coo.ing. )uch to the des"air
of her more feminist friends, she e-en insisted on ironing her hus!ands soc.s and cleaning the house
herself.
Then one 3uiet e-ening in 1944, when her sons were 15 and 1, as she and )ichael sat reading in %&ford,
they were interru"ted !y a "hone call to say Suus mother had had a stro.e. She at once flew to 6angoon
for what she thought would !e a matter of wee.s, only to find a city in turmoil. A series of -iolent
confrontations with the military had !rought the country to a standstill, and when she mo-ed into
6angoon *os"ital to care for her mother, she found the wards crowded with in7ured and dying students.
Since "u!lic meetings were for!idden, the hos"ital had !ecome the centre("oint of a leaderless re-olution,
and word that the great Generals daughter had arri-ed s"read li.e wildfire.
2hen a delegation of academics as.ed Suu to head a mo-ement for democracy, she tentati-ely agreed,
thin.ing that once an election had !een held she would !e free to return to %&ford again. %nly two
months earlier she had !een a de-oted housewife8 now she found herself s"earheading a mass u"rising
against a !ar!aric regime.
In $ngland, )ichael could only an&iously monitor the news as Suu toured Burma, her "o"ularity soaring,
while the military harassed her e-ery ste" and arrested and tortured many of her "arty mem!ers. *e was
haunted !y the fear that she might !e assassinated li.e her father. And when in 1949 she was "laced under
house arrest, his only comfort was that it at least might hel" .ee" her safe.
0or the ne&t fi-e years, as her !oys were growing into young men, Suu was to remain under house arrest
and .e"t in isolation. She sustained herself !y learning how to meditate, reading widely on Buddhism and
studying the writings of )andela and Gandhi. )ichael was allowed only two -isits during that "eriod.
9et this was a -ery "articular .ind of im"risonment, since at any time Suu could ha-e as.ed to !e dri-en
to the air"ort and flown !ac. to her family.
But neither of them e-er contem"lated her doing such a thing. In fact, as a historian, e-en as )ichael
agonised and continued to "ut "ressure on "oliticians !ehind the scenes, he was aware she was "art of
history in the ma.ing. *e .e"t on dis"lay the !oo. she had !een reading when she recei-ed the "hone call
5500 111 Experiential English I Reading Supplement
(Required)
summoning her to Burma. *e decorated the walls with the certificates of the many "ri:es she had !y now
won, including the 1991 ;o!el #eace #ri:e. And a!o-e his !ed he hung a huge "hotogra"h of her.
The 199< -isit was the last time )ichael and Suu were e-er allowed to see one another. Three years later,
he learnt he had terminal cancer. *e called Suu to !rea. the !ad news and immediately a""lied for a -isa
so that he could say good!ye in "erson. 2hen his a""lication was re7ected, he made o-er => more as his
strength ra"idly dwindled. A num!er of eminent figures , among them the #o"e and #resident ?linton ,
wrote letters of a""eal, !ut all in -ain. 0inally, a military official came to see Suu. %f course she could
say good!ye, he said, !ut to do so she would ha-e to return to %&ford.
The im"licit choice that had haunted her throughout those 1> years of marital se"aration had now !ecome
an e&"licit ultimatum/ your country or your family. She was distraught. If she left Burma, they !oth .new
it would mean "ermanent e&ile , that e-erything they had 7ointly fought for would ha-e !een for nothing.
Suu would call )ichael from the British em!assy when she could, and he was adamant that she was not
e-en to consider it.
0or many years, as Burmas human rights record deteriorated, it seemed the Aris familys great self(
sacrifice might ha-e !een in -ain. 9et in recent wee.s the military ha-e finally announced their desire for
"olitical change. And Suus 55(year -igil means she is uni3uely "ositioned to facilitate such a transition ,
if and when it comes , e&actly as )andela did so successfully for South Africa.
-dapted from The untold love story of Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi 3y ?e3ecca :rayn
Duestions
'( #hat is this passage a3out*
+( Boes this passage give a positive or a negative impression of
-ung San Suu >yi* 0ow can you tell*
/( #hat can you tell a3out -ung San Suu >yi as a person*
III. 1ocating the +ain Idea
5500 111 Experiential English I B Reading Supplement
(Required)
Ene useful way to understand the main idea of a paragraph is to start 3y identifying the
paragraph4s topic. A paragraphs topic is the subject under discussion. #hen identifying
the topic of a paragraph, remem3er that it should 3e general enough to cover the material in the
paragraph, 3ut not so general that the la3el could apply to many paragraphs.
Lets look at this paragraph to illustrate
$eginning in the late tenth century, many new cities and towns were founded,
particularly in northern 'urope. #sually, a group of merchants established a settlement
near some fortified stronghold, such as a castle or monastery. (astles were particularly
favored since they were usually located along ma)or routes of transportation or at the
intersection of two such trade routes* the lords of the castle also offered protection. If the
settlement prospered and expanded, new walls were built to protect it.

#hat is this paragraph a3out* The opening sentence tells us that it is a3out ,cities and towns. in
,Furope. in the ,late tenth century.. 1ut, is it a3out all towns in tenth=century Furope* )o. -s the
opening sentence esta3lishes, it is a3out the founding of new towns. The rest of the paragraph
contains specific details a3out how G3y merchants( and where Gnear castles and trade or
transportation routes( the new towns were esta3lished. The paragraph4s topic is the founding of
new towns in late tenth=century Furope.
Ence you have identified the topic of the paragraph, you can locate the main idea sentence 3y
looking for a statement which contains some ideasHopinions a3out the topic. This sentence,
however, must 3e 3road enough to include all other ideas in the paragraph. The main idea must
make the rest of the paragraph meaningful. It is the one idea that ties all of the other details
together.
The main idea is often found in the first sentence of a paragraphI however, you may find it in
other locationsI that is, in the last sentence, in the middle sentence, split 3etween the first and
the last sentences or not stated in the paragraph at all.
Study the sample paragraphs on the next page and notice the locations of the main idea and its
relationship with the other sentences in the paragraph.
A !ain idea in the first senten"e
$ main idea sentence (MIS) has two parts, usually called the
topic (T) and the controlling idea (#I)! If you li)e math, thin)
of it as an equation/ MIS $ T % #I
5500 111 Experiential English I 10 Reading Supplement
(Required)
You no doubt have an image of who you are: this is your self-concept. It consists of
your feelings and thoughts a3out your strengths and weaknesses, your a3ilities and
limitations. %our self=concept develops from at least three sources: G'( the image of you
that others have and that they reveal to you, G+( the comparisons you make 3etween
yourself and others, and G/( the way you interpret and evaluate your own thoughts and
3ehaviors.
B !ain idea in the last senten"e
The open self represents all the information that 3oth you and others know a3out
yourself. The #lind self represents all the things that you don4t know a3out yourself that
others do know. The hidden self contains all that you know of yourself and of others that
you keep secret. The unknown self represents truths a3out yourself that neither you nor
others know. Thus, your self-awareness is how much you now about yourself
according to the model of the four selves.
$ !ain idea in the middle senten"e
#hen you think you4re a failure, you4re more likely to act like a failure. #hen you think
you are successful, you are more likely to act like a success. #hen you feel good a3out
yourself J a3out who you are and what you are capa3le of doing J you will perform
3etter. !elf-esteem is very important because success breeds success. Increasing
self=esteem will, therefore, help you to function more effectively in school, in interpersonal
relationships, and in careers.
% &nstated main idea 'implied(
Sometimes the main idea is not stated in any particular sentence 3ut each sentence contains
details that lead to a common idea. In order to arrive at the main idea, you have to read every
sentence and figure out what they have in common.
&eople in the nited States disclose more than those in "reat 1ritain, "ermany, Aapan,
or &uerto ?ico. -merican students also disclose more than students from nine different
!iddle Fast countries. Singaporean=<hinese students consider more topics to 3e ta3oo
and inappropriate for self=disclosure than their 1ritish colleagues. In Aapan it is
considered undesira3le to reveal personal information whereas in much of the nited
States it is not only considered desira3le, it is expected.
:rom the a3ove paragraph, you can notice that all of the sentences are a3out ,self=disclosure..
-lso, you can see that the su3;ect of each sentence is people from different countries and
cultures. Fach sentence talks a3out how much people from different cultures are willing to tell
a3out themselves. If you put all this information together, you can come up with a main idea
sentence such as "#eople from different countries have different degrees of self-
disclosure.$
5500 111 Experiential English I 11 Reading Supplement
(Required)
E"ercise 2
Instructions$ .rite the !ain idea o the ollowing paragraphs.
+. ,uang -rabang has both natural and historical sites. "mong the natural tourism sites are the
.uang i /alls and -ak 0u (aves. Tourists may also ride elephants. "t the end of the main street
of ,uang -rabang is a night market where stalls sell shirts, bracelets and other souvenirs. The
%aw .ham Royal -alace 1useum and the Wat 2ieng Thong temple are among the most well3
known historical sites. "long with the magnificent temples, a significant part of the old town4s
appeal is the many /rench provincial style houses.
!ain idea K LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
5. /ood sits at the very center of 6ietnamese culture7 for every significant holiday on the
6ietnamese cultural calendar, all the important milestones in a 6ietnamese person4s life, and
indeed, most of the important day3to3day social events and interactions 3 food plays a central role.
pecial dishes are prepared and served with great care for every birth, marriage and death, and
the anniversaries of ancestors4 deaths. 1ore business deals are struck over dinner tables than over
boardroom tables, and when friends get together, they eat together. -reparing food and eating
together remains the focus of family life.
!ain idea K LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
8. ingapore has four official languages7 'nglish, (hinese, 1alay, and Tamil.

'nglish is the
common language of the nation and is the language of business, government and the medium of
instruction in schools.

-ublic organizations in ingapore conduct their businesses in 'nglish, and
official documents written in a non3'nglish official language such as (hinese, 1alay or Tamil
typically have to be translated into 'nglish to be accepted for submission. The ingapore
(onstitution and all laws are written in 'nglish, and translators are also re9uired if one wishes to
address the ingaporean (ourts in a language other than 'nglish.

%owever, 'nglish is the native
tongue for only one3third of all ingaporeans, with roughly a third of all ingaporean (hinese, a
9uarter of all ingaporean 1alays and half of all ingaporean Indians speaking it as their native
tongue.
!ain idea K LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
:. ;ue to its long history as a tributary state of (hina, as well as several periods of (hinese
occupation, 6ietnamese culture is heavily influenced by that of outhern (hina, with
(onfucianism forming the basis of 6ietnamese society. The 6ietnamese language also contains
many loan words from (hinese, though the two languages are unrelated. $uddhism remains the
single largest religion in 6ietnam, though like in (hina but unlike in the rest of northern
outheast "sia, the dominant school of $uddhism in 6ietnam is the 1ahayana chool.
!ain idea K LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
5500 111 Experiential English I 1" Reading Supplement
(Required)
I3. 4nderstanding Reerences
A. #ronoun
#riters use pronouns instead of repeating the same word or name many times. &ronouns can
3e singular or plural. This means they can replace a single nameHidea or a group of
namesHideas.
)*ample+
!odern technology has dramatically changed the way we view the world. #ith air travel,
satellite communications, and computers, it seems a much smaller place these days.
The word 5it6 refers to %the world.
E"ercise 7
Instructions$ .rite down what each underlined pronoun reers to.
The Problem of Old Computers
Approximately 10 million computers are thrown away each year! Because most unwanted
computers are sent to a dump, (1) they have caused a problem. The computer industry and
the overnment are wor!in on ways to solve (") it. (#) They have concluded that there must
be chanes in the way computers are built. ($) They must be made in ways that will allow
their parts to be recycled. (%) These include the electronic parts, the lass screen o& the
monitor, and pieces o& the printer.
(1) they ' (((((((((((((((((((((((((((( ($) They ' ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((
(") it ' (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( (%) These ' (((((((((((((((((((((((((((
(#) They ' (((((((((((((((((((((((((((
A new company has started to recycle computer parts. )hen old computers and computer
parts are received at the company, (1) they are care&ully bro!en down into parts. (") These
include circuit boards, bits o& aluminum, old, and electronic chips. *ometimes it ta!es an
hour to brea! an old personal computer down into its parts. +ventually, (#) they are all
care&ully sorted. Then the company sells ($) them to the many customers (%) it has &ound &or
used parts.
(1) they ' (((((((((((((((((((((((((((( ($) them ' (((((((((((((((((((((((((((
(") These ' ((((((((((((((((((((((((((( (%) it ' ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((
(#) they ' (((((((((((((((((((((((((((
5500 111 Experiential English I 19 Reading Supplement
(Required)
&. !ubstitution '!ynonyms(
#riters make their writing interesting and en;oya3le to read 3y using a variety of words. They
may use different words or phrases to name the same thing. It is important to remem3er that
even though two different words are used, they refer to the same thing.
)*ample+
!any Fstonians have country ho!es on the near3y island of Saaremaa in the 1altic
Sea. They visit their simple cottages often and plant large gardens there.
The word %cottages refers to homes.
- pedica% is a small ca3 that is pulled 3y a 3icycle. This hu!an-powered
transportation has 3een popular in -sian countries for many years.
The phrase %human-powered transportation refers to pedicab.
E"ercise 8
Instructions$ ,ircle the word or phrase which has the sa!e !eaning as the underlined
word9phrase in each o the ollowing sentences.
VIETNAM
+. ;uring its history, 6ietnam was invaded by (hina, /rance and the #.. <evertheless, this outheast
"sian nation still boasts patriotism and a rich cultural heritage.
5. The 6ietnamese are especially proud of their historic capital city. The old 9uarter of %anoi dates back
to the ++
th
century
8. %anoi=s peaceful >6an 1ieu=, or Temple of ,iterature, is 6ietnam=s oldest educational institution. The
(onfucius inspired university was established for the education of mandarins.
:. "round the central courtyard of 6an 1ieu stand ?5 stone tortoises. These beautiful ancient sculptures
were built to honor the men who received doctorates in triennial examinations.
@. 'very year, the celebration of the ,unar <ew Aear, >Tet=, is held near %oan .iem ,ake. This festival
is a centuries3old tradition much en)oyed by everyone, locals and tourists included.
B. While most tourists neglect 6ietnam=s fourth3largest city in favor of nearby %uC and %oi "n, ;anang
has considerable charm in its own right.
D. "nother tourists= favorite is aigon which was renamed %o (hi 1inh (ity following its fall in +ED@.
%owever, the old name is still used by both 6ietnamese and foreigners, especially when referring to
the most central part of the city.
?. The 6ietnamese love a good cup of coffee. In the central market of aigon, many small shops offer
samples of this favorite beverage, individually brewed with a small metal /rench drip filter, and
served with condensed milk.
5500 111 Experiential English I 1@ Reading Supplement
(Required)
Source/ 5onely <lanet C4ietnam%
3. +aking Inerences
The process of putting pieces of information together so that they make sense is called maing
an inference. In other words, when you :iner; something, you are drawing an unstated
conclusion from the information that you already have.
0ere is a postcard from a friend. The postcard was damaged so you can4t read the postmark or
the first line. ?ead the postcard and discuss the $uestions that follow with your classmates.
'. #hich country did the sender go to on vacation* 0ow can you tell*
+. 0ow can you tell that the sender is not in the S-*
iful, charming place. Not much of a
nightlife in this area though. I wish there
was at least a night market. Everyone here
is friendly and polite. Were surprised that
they all speak good English. Now were heading
south back to the capital city. The scenery
is ust lovely. !ou should see "acob with his
camera# $es taken hundreds of pictures.
Its sad that we have to leave the %and of
&miles in a few days but it will be good to
return home and see you again.
'iss you.
Edward
(ella &wan
)* +alomino &t.
"uare,, T- ./0)1
2&3
5500 111 Experiential English I 15 Reading Supplement
(Required)
/. #hat can you tell a3out the writer who sent the postcard and the person he is traveling
with*
Success at making inferences depends on the 3ackground knowledge and the facts given in the
text. Logical reasoning will help you to make inferences a3out ideas or concepts that the author
has not directly stated. Thus, while you are reading, look at the important details and think of
them as clues or evidence that will support your inferences or conclusions.
Look at the example 3elow to try to find clues in the facts given and use these to make
inferences.
Situation$ !ike is a student in &rofessor 1rown4s 3iology class. <lass starts at 9 a.m. It is now
9.'5 a.m. and &rofessor 1rown is speaking to the class. !ike opens the door and walks into the
classroom.
$lues+ !ike is a student in &rofessor 1rown4s 3iology class.
<lass starts at 9 a.m.
!ike walks into the classroom at 9.'5 a.m.
,nferen"e+ !ike is late for class.
E"ercise <
Instructions$ Study the acts ro! each situation. 4nderline the clues to help you !ake a
logical inerence or draw a reasona%le conclusion. Do not read the
ollowing passage until you inish the one %eore.
'. Situation$ The ticket line for the flight to >uala Lumpur was long. &loy was standing in line
ahead of <hai. The ticket agent sold &loy the last ticket.
Inerence$ LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
+. Situation$ <hai stood at the window, watching the flight to >uala Lumpur depart with &loy
on 3oard. 0e desperately needed to get to >uala Lumpur that night. 0owever, there were no
more flights availa3le until the next morning. 0alf an hour passed as he sat in the passenger
hall of Suvarna3humi -irport, wondering what to do. Suddenly, &loy walked down the hall,
waving to him.
Inerence$ LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
/. Situation$ &loy explained that one engine of the plane had caught on fire and they were
forced to return to 1angkok. The crew was now getting another plane ready to go to >uala
5500 111 Experiential English I 1> Reading Supplement
(Required)
Lumpur. -lthough the flight to >uala Lumpur had originally 3een full, there were many seats
availa3le now. Some passengers had missed their connections, while others decided not to
fly at all. 0owever, <hai was not afraid.
Inerence$ LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
3I. Thinking 1ogically
#hen you are reading, understanding the words is not enough to understand the whole text.
%ou need to 3e a3le to make logical connections 3etween the ideas and information in your
reading. This means using the information you already know to reach a conclusion. In other
words, you need to think logically.
E"ercise =
Instructions$ ,hoose the %est possi%le ending or the ollowing paragraphs.
'. Imagine a 3a3y a3out five months old. It can cry and smile, and it can eat and sleep. Bo you
know a 3a3y can also count at this age* -ccording to new psychological research, a small
3a3y can even add and su3tract small num3ers of o3;ects. &eople generally think that these
a3ilities are learned much later, 3ut in fact they are LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL.
a. not present until adulthood 3. learned only 3y five=month=old 3a3ies
c. already present in small 3a3ies d. very difficult for children to learn
+. In many countries, text3ooks for children in elementary school give a false picture of
women4s lives. They often show women only as mothers and housewives. The women are
seen caring for their families or doing simple tasks around the home. In reality, in many
countries, the ma;ority of women work outside the home. They may also have children and
do housework, 3ut at the same time, they have ;o3s. Their lives can 3e $uite complicated as
they try to 3alance their responsi3ilities at home and at work. Their situation is nothing like
the situation shown in the school 3ooks. Some educators 3elieve that these 3ooks
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL.
a. help girls prepare for their future 3. give girls a good idea of their future
c. show women in many complex situations d. do not show enough pictures of women
/. Sociologists and psychologists have argued for centuries a3out how a person4s character is
formed. The argument has long 3een known as ,nature versus nurture,. descri3ing the two
main opposing theories. The first theory says that character is formed genetically 3efore
3irth. -ccording to this theory, nature J through genetics J determines what a person will 3e
like. The other theory says, on the contrary, that a new3orn 3a3y has no definite character.
The child4s character develops as he or she grows up, and the development of that
character is influenced 3y the child4s family and social environment. Thus, according to the
second theory, the most important factors are LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL.
a. natural and genetic 3. scientific and theoretical
5500 111 Experiential English I 1A Reading Supplement
(Required)
c. psychological and physical d. cultural and social
3II. Guessing +eaning ro! ,onte"ts
#hat do you usually do when you come to a word you do not know while reading*
Bo you a( look it up in the dictionary*
3( ask your teacher*
c( ask a friend*
d( try to guess what it means*
-dvantages of guessing
It is fast 3ecause you don4t have to interrupt your reading.
It helps your comprehension 3ecause you stay focused on the general sense of what
you are reading.
It helps you remem3er words within their contexts.
It allows you to en;oy your reading more 3ecause you don4t have to stop often.
#hen you try to guess the meaning of an unknown word, you use the text surrounding the word
Jthe contextJ to provide you with clues. Sometimes you can guess the meaning of a word from
other words within the sentence 3ut sometimes you may need to read several sentences in
order to find the clues.
E"ercise >
Instructions$ In the paragraphs %elow) one word has %een replaced with a nonsense
word. 4se the conte"t to guess what the underlined nonsense word !eans.
'. -ll tourists visiting Thailand should first get a svip. They will not 3e allowed to enter at all
without one. Travelers without a svip will 3e sent 3ack where they came from. - svip can 3e
given on the spot if they arrive 3y plane or 3y car. 0owever, they may have to wait a long
time for one. This can 3e avoided 3y getting a svip 3efore they leave their countries.
#hat is a ,svip.* -nswer: LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
+. Various kinds of wrooms are availa3le in Singapore. Some are for one trip only, some are
for a day, some for three days. The three=day wroom is useful for tourists who want to visit
different parts of the city. It allows them unlimited travel for three days on the local 3uses
+hen doing this exercise, you need to use critical thin)ingD
that is, you will loo) for the ways that each ending may or may
not ma)e sense in the paragraph! The &est ending ala!s
follos logicall! from the information in the paragraph!
:uessing will help you get a
rough idea a(out the word while
you are reading! Eou(le chec)
with the dictionary (efore you
memori1e the meaning and the
usage of the word6
5500 111 Experiential English I 1 Reading Supplement
(Required)
and underground trains. #rooms J and timeta3le for 3uses and trains J are availa3le at all
tourist information centers.
#hat is a ,wroom.* -nswer: LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
/. In 0anoi, it is wise to get yourself a wup as soon as possi3le. It is very easy to get lost if you
leave the main streets. %ou can get free wups at a tourist information center, 3ut they are
not complete. 1etter wups can 3e found in the 3ookstores. These have more details, and
they provide names of all the streets.
#hat is a ,wup.* -nswer: LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
E"ercise #?
Instructions$ Read the ollowing paragraphs and answer the &uestions a%out the
underlined nonsense word.
'. -s the harmful effects of mropping on health have 3ecome widely known, many cities and
some countries have passed laws that limit where it is allowed. In many places, mropping is
no longer permitted in the restaurants and 3ars. Ewners of restaurants and 3ars were
against prohi3itory laws 3ecause they 3elieved that their 3usinesses would suffer, 3ut that
lasted only for the first few months. -fter that, 3usiness returned to normal. The laws have
also had another positive effect, apart from making the air cleaner for everyone: !ore
people have given up mropping altogether.
#hat does ,mropping. mean*
#hich words or phrases give a clue to the meaning of ,mropping.*
#hat part of speech is ,mropping.* 0ow do you know*
+. ThereMs a misconception that a person who o3tains a &h.B. must 3e swelch. This canMt 3e all
true. NSwelchN $ualities like 3rilliance and $uick=thinking are irrelevant in &h.B. level studies.
Let there 3e no dou3t: 3rilliance and $uick=thinking are valua3le in other pursuits. 1ut,
theyMre neither sufficient nor necessary in doing &h.B. research. <ertainly, 3eing swelch
helps. 1ut, it wonMt get the ;o3 done.
#hat does ,swelch. mean*
#hich words or phrases give a clue to the meaning of ,swelch.*
#hat part of speech is ,swelch.* 0ow do you know*
5500 111 Experiential English I 1B Reading Supplement
(Required)
/. In many countries, there are electronic signs along roads that Coop drivers a3out dangers or
pro3lems ahead. These may 3e short=term dangers, such as an accident or 3ad weather, or
longer=term pro3lems, such as roadwork. Studies have shown, however, that drivers do not
always notice these signs. To 3e sure that drivers are Cooped a3out the condition of the
road, the highway management service in Scotland has developed a new electronic system
that sends messages directly to special electronic systems 3uilt into cars. Bo these systems
work 3etter to Coop drivers than roadside signs* It is too soon to tell. The results of the first
studies will 3e pu3lished next year.
#hat does ,Coop. mean*
#hich words or phrases give a clue to the meaning of ,Coop.*
#hat part of speech is ,Coop.* 0ow do you know*
TIPS!
How to guess
meaning from context
Eetermine the
part of speech!
5oo) at the
words that are
used with it!
'hin) a(out
the meaning of
the sentence!
<ompiled and adapted from: LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
!c#horter, >. G+@@5(. -ctive ?eading Skills. )ew %ork: &earson Longman.
!ikulecky, 1. O Aeffries, L. G+@@2(. !ore ?eading &ower. )ew %ork: &earson
Longman.
!ikulecky, 1. O Aeffries, L. G+@@7(. -dvanced ?eading &ower. )ew %ork:
&earson Longman.
%aworski, A. G+@@6(. "etting -head: :undamentals of <ollege ?eading. )ew
%ork: &earson Longman.
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL