MODULE 1:

NATURE OF ACADEMIC TEXTS

Name: ________________________________________________________ Date: ________________________

Grade/Section: _________________________________________________ Score:_______________________

In doing this module please follow these reminders…

1. Take the introductory activity before working or answering the module.

2. Perform the activities as suggested.

3. Answer all the exercises.

4. Take the Evaluation.

I. Topic: Reading Academic Texts

II. Objectives: After working on the activities in this module, you will be able to:

1. Differentiate language used in academic texts from various disciplines.

2. Recognize the meaning of the word using context clues.

3. Identify the meaning of a word through an analysis of its structure.

4. Give Examples of words with denotative and connotative meaning.

5. Transform formal languages to informal languages

III. Time Allotment: Quarter 1, Weeks 1-3

IV. Introductory Activity:

Activity 1:

As you move from one grade level to the next, you probably noticed how your textbooks change. Your preschool
textbooks had large-sized fonts and filled with colorful pictures, remember? Now, your high school textbooks are
mostly text and have smaller fonts and fewer pictures. Aside from these elements, the vocabulary has changed as
well –from one-to-two-syllable words in your early grades to three-to-five syllable words as you move to senior
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high school. You are able to cope with these changes in your reading materials because you have indeed matured
as a reader. Therefore, vocabulary used in various disciplines also differ from one another.

With these, think of words that are specific (jargon) to some of your high school subjects. Share your thoughts by
completing the table. Fill in the first column with your subjects in high school. In the second column, think of at
least five words or jargon that pertains to each specific subject. The first one has been done for you.

SUBJECT JARGON

English Infinitive, verbal, subject-verb agreement, context

clues, pronoun-antecedent agreement

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

V. Instruction:

Aids in Developing your Vocabulary

If you encounter a word you don’t understand, you would normally pause to think about it; this temporary pause
affects your reading speed and comprehension of the text. Thus, to enhance your comprehension of the text. Thus,
to enhance your comprehension, you should consciously continue to improve your vocabulary.

Here are some ways by which your vocabulary can be improved:

A. NOTECARDS: These pieces of paper used to track the improvement of your vocabulary. Here are basic
steps in creating notecards:

1. Use a ¼ index card for each word.

2. on one side of the card, write the word in big letters with a marker.

3. On the other side, write its pronunciation, other word forms, and meaning,

4. Write a sample sentence that makes use of the word.

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 Pronunciation: ǝ’mēly ǝ, rāt
Definition: make something better
AMELIORATE Sentence: Education can ameliorate one’s
poor living condition

(Back) (Front)

Note: It is best to keep your notecards with you often. Keep a blank or spare notecards. In case you encounter an
unfamiliar word, record it as a new entry in your notecard.

B. CONTEXT CLUES: These are words or sentences surrounding the unfamiliar word

that give hints on its meaning. This will also help you know the meaning of a word without consulting a dictionary.
There are also different types of context clues and how authors use them when writing academic texts. Based on
the hints from the sentences, write the meaning of the underlined words using context clues.

1. Example Clues- are the easiest to see. Examples are like, for example, for instance, and as illustration

2. Synonym or Definition Clues- meaning of an unfamiliar word is given in the sentence if a similar word is also
used to make the meaning clearer. Signal words for synonym clues are or, in other words, that is to say, and also
known as.

3. Antonym or Contrast Clues- the meaning of an unfamiliar word is given in the sentence if an opposite word is
used to suggest the meaning. Signal words for antonym are but, however, on the other hand, nevertheless, yet and
in contrast.

Activity 2:

Identify the meaning of the underlined words using context clues. Write your answers on the blanks.

1. Carbohydrates such as pasta, bread, and rice may contribute to weight gain.

______________________________________________________________

2. When the storm subsided, the residents came out to clean the mess on their yard.

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3. Grace had no choice but to acquiesce to the orders of her boss; otherwise, she might get fired.

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4. A theory is futile when it is not practiced.

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5. A hushed and mournful milieu dawned inside the church as relatives viewed the deceased politician for the last
time.

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6. Among college freshmen, what happened in EDSA last 1986 seems to be recondite part of the Philippine
history. For example, when you ask them to name one thing EDSA is famous for, they will say, “Heavy
traffic!”

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7. I cannot bear working with a preposterous, that is to say, unreasonable colleague.

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8. I miss the halcyon, in other words, peaceful and undisturbed college days at the province.

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9. Contrary to the inane project that you first proposed, this one is so sensible and remarkable!

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10. I am often reticent when I am around new acquaintances and strangers. However, I am open and talkative
when I am around my old buddies.

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C. WORD STRUCTURE: This must be analyzed in order to understand many English words because the parts
of a word in English have meanings based on their origin, which could be Latin, Greek, and French.

1. Prefixes- words attached before a word

2. Suffixes- words attached after a word

3. Root words- the primary lexical unit of a word, and of a word family, which carries the most
significant aspects of semantic content and cannot be reduced into smaller constituents.

Activity 3:

Identify the root word from the given group of words. The first one has been done for you.

Root Word Meaning Sample Words

aud hear Audience, audible, auditorium,
audio-visual
belief, faith Credit, incredible, credulous
law legitimate, legislature
see, look Inspect, spectacle, circumspect

Voice, call vocal, vocation

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D. DENOTATION AND CONNOTATION: Denotation refers to the real meaning of the word while connotation
refers to the implied meaning of the word. Here are some examples:

Word Denotative meaning Connotative meaning

Snake A cold, scaly reptile Betrayal, danger
Fat, Excess flabby tissue Can be taken offensively
chubby, Still cute spite of being fat
obese Medical condition characterized by
excess fat in the body

Activity 4:

Read the statements carefully and answer the following questions to identify the meaning of each sentence.

1. “Son, what now is the condition of your heart?” asked the priest to the
remorseful, repentant sinner.

Does the sinner have a heart disease? What does the priest mean when he asked this questions? Explain.

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2. “This heart of mine is yours now and forever.”

Does one really take out his or her heart and give it to someone else? Explain.

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VI. Enrichment:

Analyze and transform the following informal statements to observe a more formal tone.

1. Long time, no see!

2. It doesn’t matter.

3. How are you going to fix this problem?

4. Please make sure you’ll arrive on time.

5. Can’t hear you!

6. Tell me why you’ve made this decision.

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7. Could you please talk some more about that subject?

8. He died as before the ambulance came.

9. I’ll go to the toilet later.

10. Sadly, I am unemployed at the moment.

VII. Evaluation:

You are chosen as the representative of the Philippines for an international English youth camp. You feel really
privileged and honored to represent your country because you will be interacting with many people from other
Southeast Asian Countries. However, in line with the preparation before attending the camp, you are tasked by
your English teacher to write a 500-word, five paragraph essay on how to expand one’s vocabulary. This essay
should help other learners of different nationalities to increase their vocabulary in English so that they can improve
their fluency in this language.

The first paragraph should serve as the introduction, containing the main point or thesis statement of your whole
essay. The second, third, and fourth paragraphs should contain the development of your supporting details, or steps
on how to improve one’s vocabulary. The last paragraph should conclude your main point and all the supporting
details that you have discussed in the previous paragraphs. You should write as if you are writing to other English
language learners like yourself.

The rubrics in the evaluation of your essay is as follows:

 Vocabulary = 30%
 Organization (grammar, spelling, punctuation marks) = 30%
 Clarity = 20%
 Coherence = 20%

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Note: Congratulations! You have successfully learned how to use this module. I hope you had a great time
answering. You can now submit your module to your subject teacher.

References:

A. Book

Remilyn G. Mondez. 2016. English for Academic and Professional Purposes. 120 Thailand Corner Legazpi
Streets, Legazpi Village, Makati City: DIWA Learning Systems, Inc.