UAE Edition UAE Edition

INTERACTIONS INTERACTIONS

NEW INTERACTIONS
NEW

NEW
READING AND WRITING · GRADE 12 ADVANCED 2021 - 2022

GRADE 12 ADVANCED
THE POWER TO PAVE YOUR OWN LEARNING JOURNEY
New Interactions is a fully revised and enhanced edition of the most trusted brand name in

GRADE 12 ADVANCED
English for Academic Purposes, the pioneer series Interactions/Mosaic. This new edition offers
powerful digital tools that support the content with relevancy and real-world application that is
crucial to learning in a fast-paced, global world.

• The classroom becomes a dynamic and flexible learning environment that can facilitate
lower-order thinking skills and promote higher-order reasoning.
Year 2021 - 2022
• A wealth of innovative and adaptive learning tools and materials provide each student with
a tailored learning journey. READING AND WRITING
• New Interactions: Listening and Speaking offers a variety of listening genres and
systematically guides students through strategies and critical-thinking skills that help
prepare them for academic achievement.
• New Interactions: Reading and Writing focuses on the writing process and the written
product; it presents reading skills and strategies that prepare students for academic

READING AND WRITING

achievement through a variety of themes and high-interest topics.
Edition UAE Edition

INTERACTIONS INTERACTIONS
NEW INTERACTIONS

NEW

LISTENING AND SPEAKING · GRADE 12 ADVANCED 2021 - 2022

GRADE 12 ADVANCED
THE POWER TO PAVE YOUR OWN LEARNING JOURNEY
New Interactions is a fully revised and enhanced edition of the most trusted brand name in
GRADE 12 ADVANCED

English for Academic Purposes, the pioneer series Interactions/Mosaic. This new edition offers
powerful digital tools that support the content with relevancy and real-world application that is
rucial to learning in a fast-paced, global world.

The classroom becomes a dynamic and flexible learning environment that can facilitate
lower-order thinking skills and promote higher-order reasoning.
Year 2021 - 2022
A wealth of innovative and adaptive learning tools and materials provide each student with
a tailored learning journey. LISTENING AND SPEAKING
New Interactions: Listening and Speaking offers a variety of listening genres and
systematically guides students through strategies and critical-thinking skills that help
prepare them for academic achievement.
New Interactions: Reading and Writing focuses on the writing process and the written
product; it presents reading skills and strategies that prepare students for academic
LISTENING AND SPEAKING

achievement through a variety of themes and high-interest topics.

UAE Edition

INTERACTIONS
NEW

GRADE 12 ADVANCED
Year 2021 - 2022
READING AND WRITING

Elaine Kirn
Pamela Hartmann
Brenda Wegmann
Miki Knezevic

22/07/2021 16:12:36

Judith Tanka
Lida R. Baker
Jami Hanreddy
Elizabeth Whalley

781447078227.indd 1 02/08/2021 11:18:22

Elaine Kirn
Pamela Hartmann
Brenda Wegmann
Miki Knezevic

NewInt_RW_Grade12Advanced_9781447078234.indd 1 02/08/2021 11:26:29

 INTERACTIONS
NEW
READING AND WRITING

12 Grade
Advanced

Elaine Kirn
Pamela Hartmann
Brenda Wegmann
Miki Knezevic

NewInt_UAE_Grade12_Adv_RW.indb 1 4/8/21 7:04 PM

 UAE Edition, New Interactions,
Grade 12 Advanced
Reading and Writing
By Elaine Kirn,
Pamela Hartmann, Brenda Wegmann,
Miki Knezevic, and
McGraw Hill Authors
New Edition Series Editor:
Danae Kozanoglou

Copyright © 2022 by McGraw Hill.

Published by McGraw Hill.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication

may be reproduced or distributed in any form
or by any means, or stored in a database
or retrieval system, without the prior written
consent of McGraw Hill, including, but not
limited to, in any network or other electronic
storage or transmission, or broadcast for
distance learning. Exclusive rights by McGraw
Hill for manufacture and export. This book
cannot be re-exported from the country to
which it is sold by McGraw Hill.

ISBN: 9781398913448

mheducation.com

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 Table of Contents
Scope and Sequence iv-vii

1 Pushing Boundaries 2

2 Milestones and Occasions 22

3 Rise to the Challenge! 42

4 Compete or Cooperate? 62

5 The Ties That Bind 82

6 Healthy Mind, Healthy Body 102

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 Scope and Sequence
Chapter Reading Writing

1
Previewing the topic and vocabulary Organizing, drafting, editing, writing, and
rewriting a blog
Identifying the main idea and details
Pushing Boundaries Free writing
Predicting the content of a reading
p2 text Conducting peer reviews

Distinguishing facts from

assumptions

2
Previewing the topic and vocabulary Organizing, drafting, editing, and writing a
compare-contrast essay
Predicting the content of a reading
Milestones and text Taking notes
Occasions
Understanding chronology Rewriting and finalizing
p22
Identifying the main idea and Conducting peer reviews
summarizing
Drafting an introduction and conclusion
Identifying opinions

3
Finding the main idea of a reading Organizing information using a graphic
text organizer (Venn diagram)
Rise to the Challenge! Identifying secondary ideas in Making notes to compare different
paragraphs situations
p42
Analyzing the title of a reading text Using details to support ideas

Making inferences from the text Using transition words and phrases to
connect ideas
Identifying the purpose of the author
Organizing, drafting, editing, and writing
a comparative essay about life in a
megacity and a small town or village

Writing a blog post about the types of

government in two countries

iv  R e a d i n g a n d Wr i t i n g

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 Critical Thinking Vocabulary Language Focus

Synthesizing and discussing ideas Previewing vocabulary Understanding words with similar
from a reading text meanings
Getting meaning from context:
Identifying inferences words with similar meanings

Identifying strong opinions Expressing facts and assumptions

Expressing strong opinions

Synthesizing and discussing ideas Previewing vocabulary Understanding symbols

from a reading text
Words and phrases related to Summarizing a whole reading text
Distinguishing facts from opinions ceremonies and celebrations

Conducting a survey

Making inferences

Reflecting critically on statements Getting meaning from context Understanding compound words

Synthesizing and discussing ideas Building new words with prefixes Analyzing words with prefixes and
from a reading text and suffixes suffixes

Reflecting on questions related to a Identifying compound words Words in phrases (lexical chunks)
topic
Identifying words in phrases (lexical Transition words and phrases (linking
chunks) words and phrases)

Identifying transition words and

phrases

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 Scope and Sequence
Chapter Reading Writing

4
Reading for details Connecting ideas without using transition
words
Finding the main idea of a reading
Compete or text Writing a blog post comparing furniture
Cooperate? stores
Distinguishing facts and opinions
p62 Writing a short article about failed dreams
Scanning for numbers in a text and ambitions

5
Identifying the main ideas of Making notes to compare different
paragraphs in a reading text situations
The Ties That Bind Making inferences about the Defining a clear thesis statement for an
relationship between people in a expository essay
p82 dialogue
Developing the topic for an expository
Identifying the different elements of essay in complete body paragraphs
an expository essay

6
Using the opening statement Using a Venn diagram to compare and
to predict the content of a contrast two ideas
paragraph
Healthy Mind, Healthy Writing an opinion essay on how customs
Body Paraphrasing the main idea of a and lifestyles in developed and
reading text developing countries affect happiness
p102
Identifying details supporting an Writing a blog post discussing your opinion
author’s opinions on various statements

Using headings to predict content

Identifying the point of view of a

reading text

Distinguishing between fact and

opinion

Identifying an opinion essay

Organizing information using a

continuum

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 Critical Thinking Vocabulary Language Focus

Interpreting the title of a reading text Getting the meaning of idiomatic Figuring out idiomatic expressions
expressions from context and specialized terms
Synthesizing and discussing points
from a reading text Getting meaning of specialized Understanding metaphors
terms from context
Using compound adjectives
Matching compound adjectives with
appropriate nouns

Inferring meaning of words in an

article and matching them with
their definitions

Synthesizing and discussing ideas Matching words and phrases with

from a reading text their definitions

Reflecting on questions related to a Using context to complete

topic sentences

Drawing conclusions about Identifying words from the same

characters in a novel based on its family
introduction
Scanning for words with specific
meaning

Synthesizing and discussing ideas Getting the meaning of idiomatic Recognizing synonyms
from a reading text phrases from context

Reflecting on questions related to a Identifying compound words

topic
Getting meaning of specialized
Ranking items using a continuum terms from context

Taking a stand on a topic

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 Chapter

1
Pushing
Boundaries

Chapter Goals
♦ Reading: Identifying topics, main ideas and details,
using prior knowledge and making predictions,
distinguishing facts from assumptions, thinking
critically and expressing opinion, understanding
words with similar meaning in context.
♦ Writing: Expressing strong opinion, stating facts,
giving examples, using arguments/evidence to
support opinion, free writing, concluding, drafting,
reviewing, editing and finalizing a text (blog).

Focus on the Images

♦ What are the people in the images doing? Are the
activities physically and mentally demanding? Why?
Why not?
♦ Which activities do most people tend to associate
with the mind?
♦ How does the human brain change as people get
older?

Brainstorm and Associate

♦ Words and phrases that come to mind about human
genius
♦ Ideas and feelings about discoveries

Think and Comment

“Follow your heart, but take your
brain with you.
Alfred Adler (1870–1937)
”
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 N e w I n t er ac t i o n s  3

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 Reading 1 The Human Brain

Before You Read

1 Topic  Think about and discuss the following:

1. Which areas of the brain do you think a person might use to compose music? To skateboard?
To do math? To paint a picture?
2. If you feel cold and want to put on a sweater, which area of the brain is probably active?
Chapter 1

3. Which area(s) of your brain might you be using when you have a memory of a beautiful
sunset? Of a tennis game that you played last week?
4. Do you think that teenagers’ brains are more similar to the brains of children or of adults?
5. Do you think there are any differences in the way of thinking between men and women?

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 Pushing Boundaries
2 Vocabulary  Read and listen to the following words and phrases and compare them with your list of
words from your brainstorming. Put a check mark (Q) next to the words you don’t know. Don’t use a
dictionary.

Nouns Adjectives Expression

blood vessels logic neuroscientists cognitive precise going into training
colleagues maturation origins logical repressed
hemispheres maturity toxins mature
intuition memory wiring

3 Thinking and predicting  Work with a partner or in small groups. Read the following questions and
suggest possible answers. Make notes under each question.
1. How are human brains different from animal brains?

2. Why do some people seem to be more creative than others?

3. What is the difference between the left and right sides of the brain?

4. How can we improve our memories?

5. What activities may make people less focused intellectually?

6. What activity may make people more relaxed?


4 Predicting topics and information  Look at the headings of the paragraphs in the reading text.
What is the topic of each paragraph? What kind of information do you expect to read about in each
paragraph? Make notes in the chart.

Headings Topic and Information

Paragraph New Discoveries 1.  ?
A 2.  ?

Paragraph Left Brain/Right Brain: Truth or 1.  ?

B Myth? 2.  ?

Paragraphs Memory: True or False? 1.  ?

C and D 2.  ?

Paragraph The Teen Brain 1.  ?

E 2.  ?

Paragraph Male versus Female Brain? 1.  ?

F 2.  ?

Paragraphs A Change of Mind? 1.  ?

G and H 2.  ?

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 While You Read
5 Reading  Read the article and compare your expectations in 4 with the content of each paragraph.

6 Reading again  Read the article again and compare your suggested answers in 3 with the
information in the article. Are there answers for all the questions in the article? Discuss with a
partner or in a group.

The Human Brain

New Discoveries
A Most of us learn basic facts about the human brain in our middle or high school biology classes. We study
the subcortex, the “old brain,” which is found in the brains of most animals and is responsible for basic
functions such as breathing, eating, drinking, and sleeping. We learn about the neocortex, the “new brain,”
which is unique to humans and is where complex brain activity takes place. We find that the cerebrum,
which is responsible for all active thought, is divided into two parts, or hemispheres. The left hemisphere,
generally, manages the right side of the body; it is responsible for logical thinking. The right hemisphere
manages the left side of the body; this hemisphere controls emotional, creative, and artistic functions.
And we learn that the corpus callosum is the “bridge” that connects the two hemispheres. Memorizing
the names for parts of the brain might not seem thrilling to many students, but new discoveries in brain
function are exciting. Recent research is shedding light on creativity, memory, maturity, gender, and the
possibility of changing the brain.

Left Brain/Right Brain: Truth or Myth?

B Scientists agree that the left hemisphere of the brain specializes in different areas or skills than
the right hemisphere. Up until recently, many believed that people were either left-brained (in
other words, more logical) or right-brained (in other words, more creative) depending on which
Chapter 1

hemisphere they used most. However, new research suggests that this is a myth and that dividing
creativity and logic into the right and left hemispheres is a simple way of looking at the human
brain, as well as the things a person can do. Rather than being separated, the two hemispheres
continually collaborate. Being able to solve a mathematical equation requires both logic and
creativity. So does producing a work of art. Therefore, scientists are now theorizing that any
type of activity requires the use of different parts of the brain both in the left hemisphere and the
right. The confusion was probably caused in the 1940s when doctors would surgically separate the

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 Pushing Boundaries
two hemispheres in patients suffering from seizures. After such an operation, the patient’s brain
seemed to function normally, but there were disruptions in perception and cognition which proved
that the left and right hemispheres were different.

Memory: True or False?

C In the 1980s in the United States, there were many cases of adults who suddenly remembered,
with the help of a psychologist, things that had happened to them in childhood. These memories
had been repressed – held back – for many years. Some of these newly discovered memories have
sent people to prison. As people remember crimes that they saw or experienced as children, the
police have reopened and investigated old criminal cases. In fact, over 700 cases have been filed
that are based on these repressed memories.

D However, studies in the 1990s suggested that many of these might be false memories. At a 1994
conference at Harvard Medical School, neuroscientists discussed how memory is believed to
work. It is known that small pieces of a memory (sound, sight, feeling, and so on) are kept in
different parts of the brain; the limbic system, in the middle of the brain, pulls these pieces
together into one complete memory. But it’s certain that people can “remember” things that
have never happened. Even a small suggestion can leave a piece of memory in the brain. Most
frightening, according to Dr. Michael Nash of the University of Tennessee, is that “there may be no
structural difference” in the brain between a false memory and a true one.
The Teen Brain
E Parents of teenagers have always known that there is something, well, different about the teen
years. Some parents claim that their teenage children belong to a different species. Until recently,
neuroscience did not support this belief. The traditional belief was that by the time a child was
eight to twelve, the brain was completely mature. However, very recent studies provide evidence
that the brain of a teenager differs from that of both children and adults. According to Jay Giedd
of the National Institute of Mental Health, “Maturation does not stop at age ten, but continues
into the teen years” and beyond. In fact, Giedd and his colleagues found that the corpus callosum
“continues growing into your 20s.” Because, it is believed, the corpus callosum is involved in

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 self-awareness and intelligence, the new studies imply that teens may not be as fully self-aware or
as intelligent as they will be later. Other researchers, at McLean Hospital in Massachusetts, have
found that teenagers are not as able (as adults are) to “read” emotions on people’s faces.

Male versus Female Brain?

F Watch a group of children as they play. You’ll probably
notice that the boys and girls play differently, speak
differently, and are interested in different things. Of course,
there are gender differences but do they really determine
the way male and female brains work? As with the left-
brain and right-brain theory, scientists in the past studied
the origins of these differences and proposed the theory
of male versus female brain. Some of their arguments
were interesting. For example, they suggested that men
were better at reading maps and fixing stuff, whereas
women were better at multitasking, using their intuition, or reading the emotions of people
in photographs. After further research, however, some scientists don’t agree with the male–
female distinction of brains. They believe that our brains are “plastic” and can change in many
different ways throughout our lives despite our gender. Although the debate over male and
female brains continues, it seems that they are more alike than we used to think.
A Change of Mind?
G We all know the expression “to change your mind”. But is it possible literally to change your mind
– or, to be more precise, to change your brain? Reports from 2005 say yes. First, the bad news, at
least for smokers: a study from the University of Aberdeen and the University of Edinburgh, in
Scotland, concludes that smoking makes people less intelligent. On cognitive tests (that is, tests
that involve judgment), smokers did significantly worse than non-smokers. The theory is that
toxins – poisons – in the smoke enter the blood and damage blood vessels providing the brain with
oxygen. And there is more bad news, for most of us: a study from the University of London says
that “infomania” – the constant flood of information from cell phones, emails, and text messaging
– can reduce intelligence by ten points on an IQ test.
Chapter 1

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 Pushing Boundaries
H However, there is also good news: meditation seems to change the “wiring” in the brain in several
positive ways. In a study that compared the brains of eight lifelong Buddhist meditators who
work with the Dalai Lama with the brains of beginner meditators, scientists discovered that there
were significant differences. The expert meditators had higher levels of gamma brain waves,
which improve memory, learning, and concentration. Meditation appears to do for the brain what
physical training does for the body. The researcher Richard Davidson said, “The trained mind,
or brain, is physically different from the untrained one.” Perhaps we should consider going into
training.

After You Read

7 Getting meaning from context  Find the words from the vocabulary in the reading text and try to
figure out their meaning from context.

blood vessels going into training maturation origins

cognitive hemispheres mature precise
collaborate intuition maturity repressed
colleagues logic memory toxins
disruptions logical neuroscientists wiring

Skills Focus
Strategy
Distinguishing Facts from Assumptions
Words or expressions in statements usually indicate the existence of facts – that is, information
that has been proven accurate. Here are some more words that indicate facts:
certain know positive scientific sure
clear objective prove show

Other words can indicate assumptions – that is, ideas that are believed by some people but
have not been proven to be true. Here are some more words that indicate assumptions:
(dis)agree imply possibly theorize
claim likely probably think
doubt possible subjective

8 Distinguishing facts from assumptions  For each statement, write fact or assumption, according to
the presentation of information in the reading selection The Human Brain. (You’ll need to look back
at the reading text for words that indicate fact or assumption.)

1. There’s no doubt that the left hemisphere is different to the right hemisphere.

2. A person isn’t just “left-brained” or “right-brained”.

3. The myth of left-brain and right-brain is due to scientific research conducted in the past.


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 4. A logical activity and an artistic activity require both brain hemispheres to be active.

5. Over 700 cases have been filed that are based on newly discovered memories.

6. Many newly discovered memories are false.

7. Small pieces of memory are kept in different parts of the brain.

8. People “remember” things that have never happened.

9. There is no structural difference between a false memory and a true one.

10. The brain of a teenager differs from that of both children and adults.


9 Thinking critically  If you want to improve your brain, what can you do? Turn back to the reading
text and find at least one way. In a small group, discuss your own ideas about what you can or will
do to improve your brain.

Reading 2 Personality: Nature or Nurture?

Before You Read

Chapter 1

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 Pushing Boundaries
1 Brainstorming  Focus on the images and the title of the article Personality: Nature or Nurture?
Brainstorm ideas, feelings, and words that have to do with teens, children, and adults.

Children Teenagers Adults

Feelings

Attitudes

Behavior

Personality

2 Thinking critically  Reflect on what you have already read about factors that determine our
personality. Recall issues you discussed in Chapter 8 and discuss the statements. Do you agree or
disagree? Give reasons for your answer.
1. Our personality is affected by the combination of chemicals in our body.
2. A person is born with a certain personality that cannot change.
3. Social and cultural factors have little influence on the development of one’s personality.

Tip When referring to people in general we can use “you” (or “one” in more formal or
written discourse) to mean any one person.

3 Thinking and predicting  Discuss the following questions in pairs.

1. Which plays a more important role in a person’s life – the environment in which they grow up
or the natural traits that they are born with?
2. How can identical twins help us understand what characteristics we inherit from our parents?
3. Do you think traits like optimism, anxiety, or shyness are heritable? (If not, how are they
developed in one’s personality?)
4. How do our genes affect our personality traits?
5. What do you think is the biggest difference between humans and animals?
6. What can parents do to raise their children the best way possible?

While You Read

4 Reading  Read the article and compare with your answers in 3. How many of your answers agree
with the ideas in the article?

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 5 Identifying topic, main ideas and details  Read each paragraph and answer the questions that
follow. Then combine the answers to express the main idea of each paragraph. Answers for
paragraph A are given as examples.

Personality: Nature or Nurture?

A The nature/nurture question is not a new one. Its roots go back at least several hundred years.
In the 1600s, the British philosopher John Locke wrote that a newborn infant was a “blank slate”
on which his or her education and experience would be “written.” In other words, Locke believed
that environment alone determined each person’s identity. In the 1700s, the French philosopher
Jean Jacques Rousseau claimed that “natural” characteristics were more important. Today,
we realize that both play a role. The question now is, to what degree? To answer this question,
researchers are studying identical twins, especially those who grew up in different environments.

1. What is the main topic of paragraph A?

A John Locke
B Jean Jacques Rousseau
C newborn infants
D the nature/nurture question
E identical twins
2. What details about the topic does the paragraph
provide? (Choose more than one answer.)
A People have just recently begun to discuss
the nature/nurture question.
B John Locke believed in “nurture.”
C Jean Jacques Rousseau believed in “nature.”
D Today, we know that both nature and nurture determine a person’s identity.
E Researchers are studying identical twins to learn the degree to which nature and nurture
determine personal characteristics.
3. The main idea of the paragraph is that both nature and nurture play a role in determining a
person’s identity, but the question is to what degree. .

B Jim Lewis and Jim Springer are identical twins who were separated five weeks after birth. They
grew up in different families and didn’t know about each other’s existence. They were reunited at
the age of 39. It is not surprising that they were physically alike – the same dark hair, the same
height and weight. They both had high blood pressure and very bad headaches. But they also
moved in the same way and made the same gestures. They both hated baseball. They both drank
the same brand of coffee, drove the same make of car, and spent their vacations on the same
small beach in Florida. They had both married women named Linda, gotten divorced, and then
married women named Betty. Studies of these and other separated twins indicate that genetics
(biology) plays a significant role in determining personal characteristics and behavior.
Chapter 1

1. What is the main topic of paragraph B?

A a reunion
B twins
C similarities in twins who grew up in different environments
D genetics
E personal characteristics and behavior

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 Pushing Boundaries
2. What details about the topic does the paragraph provide? (Choose more than one answer.)
A Jim Lewis and Jim Springer were identical twins who grew up together.
B Jim Lewis and Jim Springer were identical twins who grew up separately.
C They have similar physical characteristics, interests, and preferences for specific products.
D They married twin sisters.
E Their example indicates the significance of genetics in determination of identity.
3. The main idea of the paragraph is that  .

C Various research centers are studying identical twins in order to discover the “heritability”
of behavioral characteristics – that is, the degree to which a trait is due to genes (“nature”)
instead of environment. They have reached some surprising conclusions. One study found,
for example, that optimism and pessimism are both very much influenced by genes, but only
optimism is affected by environment, too. According to another study, genes influence our
coffee consumption, but not consumption of tea. Anxiety (nervousness and worry) seems to
be 40 to 50 percent heritable. Another study tells us that happiness does not depend much on
money or love or professional success; instead, it is 80 percent heritable! Among the traits
that appear to be largely heritable are shyness, attraction to danger (thrill seeking), choice of
career, and religious belief.

1. What is the main topic of paragraph C?

A research centers
B optimism and pessimism
C behavioral characteristics
D happiness
E heritability of behavioral characteristics
2. What details about the topic does the paragraph provide? (Choose more than one answer.)
A Researchers want to understand “heritability.”
B Researchers are studying identical twins.
C Most behavioral characteristics are the result of genes, not environment.
D A person who has money, love, and success will probably be happy.
E Examples of characteristics that are heritable to some degree are optimism, pessimism,
happiness, thrill seeking, and choice of career.
3. The main idea of the paragraph is that  .

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 D It is not easy to discover the genes that influence personality. The acid that carries genetic
information in every human cell, DNA, contains just four chemicals: adenine, cytosine, guanine,
and thymine. But a single gene is “spelled out” by perhaps a million combinations. As the Human
Genome Project (which provided a “map” of human genes) was almost complete in the spring
of 2000, there were a number of newspaper headlines about specific discoveries: Gene Linked
to Anxiety and Thrill Seeking Due to Genetics. The newspaper articles led people to believe that
a single gene is responsible for a certain personality trait, in the same way a single gene can be
responsible for a physical characteristic or disease. However, one gene alone cannot cause people
to become anxious or thrill seeking. Instead, many genes work together, and they direct the
combination of chemicals in the body. These chemicals, such as dopamine and serotonin (which
affect a person’s mood), have a significant influence on personality.

1. What is the main topic of paragraph D?

A the Human Genome Project
B the effect of genes on personality
C chemicals
D DNA
E thrill seeking
2. What details about the topic does the paragraph provide? (Choose more than one answer.)
A It’s difficult to find out which genes influence personality.
B A single gene is responsible for each personality trait such as thrill seeking.
C Many genes work together.
D Genes direct the combination of chemicals in the body.
E Chemicals have a significant influence on personality.
3. The main idea of the paragraph is that  .

E If, indeed, personality traits are, on average, about 50 percent heritable, then environment still
plays an important role. Unlike other animals, human beings have choice. If our genes “program”
Chapter 1

us to be anxious, we can choose a low-stress lifestyle or choose to meditate or do relaxation

exercises. But because of the powerful influence of genes, most psychologists believe that there
is a limit to what we can choose to do. Thomas Bouchard, a psychologist and the director of one
twin study, says that parents should not push children in directions that go against their nature.
“The job of a parent,” he says, “is to look for a kid’s natural talents and then provide the best
possible environment for them.”

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 Pushing Boundaries
1. What is the main topic of paragraph E?
A the role of environment D psychologists
B personality traits E parenting
C anxiety
2. What details about the topic does the paragraph provide? (Choose more than one answer.)
A Environment still plays an important role.
B Human beings have choice.
C Human beings can choose to do anything they want.
D Psychologists say that parents should not push children against their nature.
E Parents should provide their child with the best environment for the child’s natural talents.
3. The main idea of the paragraph is that  .

6 Getting meaning from context  For each definition, find a word in the reading that has a similar
meaning and write it on the line.
Paragraph A
1. the origins of something = 
2. exactly the same = 
Paragraph B
3. come together again = 
4. important = 
Paragraph C
5. because of = 
6. can be passed on from grandparents and/or parents to children =
Paragraph D
7. excitement = 
Paragraph E
8. strong = 

7 Thinking critically: identifying inferences  Read the statements and on the next page about the
article Personality: Nature or Nurture? Put a check mark (Q) by the statements that you can infer
from the reading. Put an X by the other statements, even if you think they are true. Then, on the
lines after each inference, write the phrases from which you inferred the information. Leave the
other lines blank.
1. The philosophical question of nature/nurture is an old one.



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 2. The environments in which Jim Springer and Jim Lewis grew up had no effect on their
behaviors or personalities.


3. The goal of twin studies is to identify the amount of influence from genes, and the
amount from education and experiences, that determine our identity.


4. The possibility of being happy is mostly a result of our genes, not our situations in life.


5. A single gene determines each personality characteristic.


6. The genetic contribution to personality is complicated.


7. Human beings are able to change their family genetics.



After You Read

8 Understanding words with similar meanings  The words in each of the following groups have
similar meanings, but they are not exactly the same. Match the words with their definitions by
writing the letters on the lines. If necessary, check your answers in a dictionary.

1. brain A the faculty of thinking, reasoning, or feeling

mind B the ability to remember
memory C an organ of the body that controls thought and feeling

2. identity A the qualities of a person specific to him or her

personality B the way a person is recognizable as an individual or as a
behavior member of a particular group
C the way that someone acts

3. insight A thinking and reasoning with formal methods

knowledge B understanding that comes from experience and learning
logic C the power of using one’s mind (especially the right brain) to
Chapter 1

understand something suddenly

4. colleague A a person of equal status or age

peer B a person who works in the same place as another
co-worker C a person who works in the same profession as another

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 Pushing Boundaries
9 Thinking and discussing  Think about family members and other people you know. Discuss the
questions in small groups.

1. Do you know any identical twins? If so, how are they similar or different?
2. What characteristics are found in many of your family members or members of other families
you know well? Think of characteristics such as the following and make notes:
• interests • shyness • other (your ideas)
• health • thrill seeking • 
• optimism or pessimism • choice of career • 
• anxiety • religious belief • 
• happiness • artistic talent • 

10 Commenting  Comment on how one’s personality and behavior develop throughout their life. What
factors play a role in this development? Think about the following points.

• close family and relatives

• friendships
• teachers
• pleasant and unpleasant experiences
• surroundings, for example town, neighborhood, nature

Writing The Truth about Multitasking

1 Topic  Think about multitasking and discuss the questions in pairs or small groups.

1. Are you good at multitasking? Why? Why not?

2. Do you know people who can multitask successfully? Do you think it is actually possible to do
several things at the same time and do them well? Why? Why not?
3. Can you think of people you know who multitask all the time? If yes, give an example that
describes how many and what type of things they can do at the same time.

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 2 Vocabulary  Think about multitasking in different situations including studying. Brainstorm words
and phrases that you associate with multitasking and doing things efficiently and effectively. Make
notes.

3 Reading  Read the sentences and then the article that follows. Focus on meaning and look for
clues to help you complete the text with the sentences. Compare with a partner.

A Your productivity decreases when you constantly interrupt yourself by switching from task to
task.
B What surprised researchers was that there was a handful of individuals (2.5 percent)
who showed no decline in their performance, a few of whom actually showed improved
performance when the tasks were combined.
C They would be better off doing each task separately.

The Truth about Multitasking

Surprise: Very few people can actually multitask!
Those who can are the rare exception. Most people who think they are multitasking are actually just
shifting their attention rapidly from one thing to another, giving them the impression they are able to
do two or more things at the same time.
For the vast majority of people, performing two demanding tasks at once makes them do worse
at both tasks. (1) A 2010 University of Utah study investigated what happens to
participants’ driving ability when they attempt to do other things while driving (in this case,
memorize words and solve math problems). Researchers found that 97.5 percent of the 200
participants showed a significant decrease in both their driving abilities and memory skills when
multitasking. (2) Researchers dubbed this small number of participants “supertaskers.”
More research is needed: will those participants always be able to do well when performing the two
tasks at once? What about tasks other than the ones used in the study?
For most of us, multitasking is inefficient and stressful to the brain. Constantly shifting your attention
hurts your concentration and slows learning. (3) You fragment your attention. You lose
time.
Even though you may try to do several things at once, the brain does not like it and does not get used
to it. Research on university students’ media multitasking revealed that heavy multitaskers were less
competent at doing several things at once than light multitaskers. (In the study, media included such
things as print media, television, computer-based videos, such as YouTube, music, video games, email,
texting, cell phone use, web surfing, and other computer-based applications, such as word processing.
Students in the study were using these in various combinations.) As the study indicates, spending
time multitasking does not make you better at it – in fact, it’s just the opposite. The bottom line:
1. Do/Don't 
2. Do/Don't 
3. Do/Don't  …
Chapter 1

4 Reflecting and identifying  Reflect on how the writer:

• expresses opinion • gives examples
• states facts • presents arguments.
Is the writer’s opinion expressed in an explicit manner or implied? Did you have to infer? Give
examples.

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 Pushing Boundaries
Skills Focus Expressing Opinion in Writing
Strategy
Expressing Strong Opinion
Reflect on the type of expressions you might use to express opinion in writing. Add more
examples of expressions you would use to state your opinion in an appropriate manner.
In my opinion,… I think (that)…
Compare the examples and number them from 1 (the strongest, most direct) to 3 (the least
strong).
I don’t think many people can actually multitask
Very few people can multitask.
I think very few people can actually multitask.
If you constantly interrupt yourself, you fragment your attention.
Interrupting yourself constantly could fragment your attention.
Your attention might be fragmented if you interrupt yourself.
Always remember to go back and read what you have written for impact after you have
completed it. Think about your readers and how you want to express your opinion. Would you
choose to be more or less direct if you want to prompt an immediate reaction?

5 Identifying strong opinions  Read through the article and highlight sections that express strong
opinion.

6 Completing the text  Read the article again, focusing on the writer’s view. Write Dos and Don’ts to
provide the “bottom line”. Use some of the following words and phrases to help you.

attention concentration efficiency interrupt study

call distractions efficient interruptions turn off
cause effective fragment reduce turn on
concentrate effectiveness increase search

7 Thinking critically  Work with a partner or in a group. Consider an opposing view to the one
expressed in the text. Brainstorm words and ideas and make notes.

8 Free writing  Write for ten minutes using the words and ideas that you brainstormed. Don’t worry
about mistakes. You don’t have to show your writing to anyone. You can use it later to draft your
text.

9 Reading and responding  Read and respond to the statements in the chart. You can agree or
disagree with different points. Discuss your ideas with a partner and make notes. You will use your
ideas later to draft your own text.

Statements Your Opinion Examples/Evidence

Very few people can multitask.
Performing two demanding tasks at
once can lead to failure.
Multitasking is stressful to the brain.

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 Multitasking is an inefficient way of
doing things.
When you multitask you fragment
your attention.

10 Preparing to write  You are going to write a blog or article to be posted in a forum on multitasking.

Tip Remember… • to address and involve the reader

• that different views can be expressed implicitly or explicitly
• to express your opinion and provide examples, evidence, or
other supporting details
• to invite your readers to comment.

11 Drafting and editing 1: Peer review  Work in pairs. Use your outline and notes and draft your
text. Read your draft and make any necessary changes or corrections before you hand it over to a
fellow student. Exchange drafts with a partner and review each other’s writing. Use the following
guidelines to help you.

Content and Effect Form

• Is the writer’s opinion presented in an interesting way? • Punctuation, capitalization,
• Is it supported by reasons, argument, facts, and examples? other quotation marks
• Can you visualize what is being described in examples? • Spelling
• Should more supporting details be added? • Grammar (grammatical
accuracy)
• Are there too many redundant details?
• Vocabulary (lexical accuracy)
• Can facts, opinions, and feelings be presented differently
(more directly or indirectly)? • Variety of sentences
• Are there sections or sentences that need to be rewritten? • Transition (connecting
Please make suggestions. words)

12 Drafting and editing 2: Peer review  Read the comments on your first draft and make corrections.
Exchange second drafts with your partner. Review changes, corrections, and improvements.

13 Rewriting and finalizing  Rewrite and finalize all the parts of your blog or article.

14 Blogging  Post your blog or article on OUR BLOG or OUR BLOARD (a board or other surface in
class that you can post comments or other work on). Comment on each other’s ideas and opinions.

OUR BLOG Blog About me Gallery Contact

Chapter 1

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 Pushing Boundaries
SELF-EVALUATION
Reflect on your learning and assess your progress. Read and circle the number that represents
your progress. Use the key below.

5 outstanding 4 very good 3 satisfactory 2 limited 1 unsatisfactory

READING
I can interpret images and make creative and critical comments. 5 4 3 2 1
I can activate what I know about a topic and answer questions. 5 4 3 2 1
I can think critically and understand inferences. 5 4 3 2 1
I can brainstorm and recall words and phrases related to a topic. 5 4 3 2 1
I can read and identify topics, main ideas, and details. 5 4 3 2 1
I can get meaning from context. 5 4 3 2 1
I can complete a gapped text using clues from the surrounding text and context. 5 4 3 2 1
I can distinguish facts from assumptions. 5 4 3 2 1
I can reflect on previous knowledge to make predictions about a text. 5 4 3 2 1
I can think critically, respond to ideas in text, and express my opinion. 5 4 3 2 1
VOCABULARY
I can understand vocabulary from context. 5 4 3 2 1
I can understand and use words in context correctly. 5 4 3 2 1
I can identify words and phrases that signpost facts or assumptions. 5 4 3 2 1
I can understand and use appropriate expressions to express strong opinion. 5 4 3 2 1
I can understand and use words and phrases related to the human brain, 5 4 3 2 1
personality, characteristics, and identity.
GRAMMAR
I can use a wide range of verb forms and clauses to describe or comment on 5 4 3 2 1
something.
WRITING
I can read or think, discuss, and make notes. 5 4 3 2 1
I can brainstorm, make notes, and write a blog or article expressing my opinion on a 5 4 3 2 1
specific subject.
I can think critically, respond to ideas in text, and express my opinion. 5 4 3 2 1
I can identify facts, reasons, and examples supporting an opinion. 5 4 3 2 1
I can free write about a subject. 5 4 3 2 1
I can draft, edit, redraft, and finalize a text. 5 4 3 2 1
I can give examples and use arguments or evidence to support my opinion. 5 4 3 2 1
I can review and comment on written work. 5 4 3 2 1
RESEARCH AND DOCUMENT
I can search and find relevant sources on the Internet. 5 4 3 2 1
I can evaluate and select sources and data. 5 4 3 2 1
I can use data selectively to create my own document. 5 4 3 2 1

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 Chapter

2
Milestones
and
Occasions
Chapter Goals
♦ Reading: Identifying the main ideas and important
details, understanding chronology, distinguishing
facts from opinions, identifying words and phrases
that indicate symbols, interpreting symbols, using
prior knowledge and making predictions, thinking
critically and making inferences.
♦ Writing: Writing a whole text summary, writing a
compare-contrast essay, summarizing the main
ideas and details of a paragraph or text, making
notes in graphic organizers, comparing and
contrasting information and ideas, expressing
opinion and supporting it with facts or arguments,
drafting, reviewing, editing, and finalizing text.

Focus on the Images

♦ Which of these ceremonies do you celebrate more
in your country?
♦ Why are these ceremonies important?
♦ Which ceremony/milestone in life is the most
important to you? Explain why.

Brainstorm and Associate

♦ Words and phrases that come to mind about
ceremonies and celebrations
♦ Thoughts, dreams, or memories that come alive
about important events in your life

Think and Comment

“Imagination creates reality.
Richard Wagner, German composer (1813–1883)
”
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 Reading 1 Rites of Passage

Before You Read

1 Topic  Look at the images. Think about and discuss the following questions.

1. Why do you think people celebrate certain events?

2. Have such milestones in life remained the same through time? Why? Why not?
3. Is a wedding an important rite of passage today? Explain your opinion.
4. What do you think is the origin of the rites of passage in different cultures?
5. How do such ceremonies compare to milestones such as graduation, starting work, getting a
promotion?

2 Vocabulary  Read and listen to the words and phrases and compare them with your list of words
from your brainstorming. Circle the words that you know.

Nouns Verbs Adjectives Expression

Chapter 2

bride guidance rite of passage chant coming-of-age ask for (a

coffin incorporation ritual regain indigenous woman’s) hand
cremation monks scriptures vary nomadic
deceased negotiations taboos previous
delivery pregnancy trousseau
funerals proposal vision
groom pyre vision quest

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 Milestones and Occasions
3 Thinking and predicting  Read the section headings and think about information and ideas that
you expect to find in the text. Write at least two questions per section that you expect to find the
answers to in the text.
1. What Are Rites of Passage?

2. Birth Rituals in Korea

3. Islamic Weddings

4. Funerals in Thailand

5. The Timelessness of Rites of Passage


4 Thinking critically  Read the statements. Are they True (T) or False (F) in your opinion? Give
reasons. You will have the opportunity to check your answers after you read the article.
Your After You
Statements
Opinion Read
T F A Rites of passage are universal, found in all cultures, and mark T F
important stages of life, such as coming-of-age rituals and weddings.
T F B A rite of passage is a ritual that indicates a transition or a change of T F
status.
T F C A traditional wedding symbolizes the joining of two families in all T F
cultures.
T F D Stone Age writing in caves provide early evidence of rites of T F
passage in Europe.
T F E Indicating transitions (changes from one stage to another) is a T F
timeless, universal need.

While You Read

5 Reading  Read the article and find out how many of your questions in 3 are answered. Then read
again and compare your answers in 4 with the ideas and information in the article.

Rites of Passage
A Among many indigenous peoples of North America, a 16-year-old boy leaves his family and
experiences a ritual in which he spends four days and nights alone in a small cave dug into the
side of a mountain. He experiences cold, hunger, thirst, fear, and sleeplessness. He has with him
several objects of symbolic value. One of these is a pipe. The belief is that the smoke from the pipe
goes up to the spirit world and allows power to come down. His hope is to have a vision in which
he receives insight and guidance about his future direction in life. At the beginning of the ritual, he
is a boy, with a boy’s name. At the end, when he comes out of the cave, he is a man, with an adult
name, and he knows what his livelihood will be. This ritual, called a vision quest, is an example of
a rite of passage. Rites of passage are not found only in indigenous cultures. They are universal,
found in all cultures, and include certain birthdays, coming-of-age rituals, weddings, and funerals.

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 What Are Rites of Passage?
B Anthropologists use the term rite of passage for a ceremony or ritual of transition that marks
a person’s change from one status or social position to another. Although such rites differ in
details, they share certain characteristics. All rites of passage include three stages: separation,
transition, and incorporation of the person back into the society. In the first stage, the person is
separated from his or her previous status. Sometimes in this stage, as in a vision quest, the person
is separated from the community. In the transition stage, the person is in between – not in either
status. In the last stage, the person rejoins the society, now with the new status.
Birth Rituals in Korea
C Many cultures have a rite of passage
that marks the birth of a baby. In Korean
tradition, the rituals begin during the
woman’s pregnancy. Some of these rituals
are still practiced today, but some are
not. There are food taboos – certain foods
that pregnant women are not supposed
to eat. These include hot and spicy foods
and broken crackers or cookies. In the
past, close to the time of birth, there were
various symbolic actions that signified an
easy delivery of the baby. For example,
family members left doors open, and did
not repair rooms, doors, or fireplaces in the kitchen. Today, as in the past, there is special care to
keep the mother and baby well after the birth. The mother traditionally eats seaweed soup, full of
iron, to regain her strength. She is also not supposed to drink cold water for 21 days.
D At the age of 100 days, there is a special ceremony. Family, friends, and neighbors gather to
admire the baby, give thanks for the baby’s health, and have a big meal. More important is the
first birthday. At this time, the baby, dressed in a traditional outfit, is seated in front of a table
with all kinds of objects on it. For example, they may include a bow and arrow (which represents
the military), money (wealth), string (a long life), and a pencil and a book (knowledge). These
days, people can add any object, such as a baseball, if they want their child to be a great baseball
player. The parents encourage the baby to choose something. Everyone is very interested in
which object the baby reaches for because the belief is that this object indicates something about
the baby’s future. Now the baby is truly a person, a member of the family and the community.
Islamic Weddings
E A wedding in any culture is an important rite of passage. In Islam, the specific stages of a wedding
ceremony may vary from country to country, but most share certain characteristics. Typical is
the traditional wedding of the Bedouin – nomadic Arabs who move from place to place (although
these days many are settling in urban areas). A Bedouin wedding can last up to a week and
reflects the ancient Arab belief that marriage is not just a joining of two people; it is the joining of
two families.
Chapter 2

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 Milestones and Occasions
F The first step in a Bedouin wedding is the proposal, in which the father of the groom (the
man) and their close relatives visit the home of the bride (the woman) to ask for her hand
in marriage. The next step involves negotiations between the two families and a marriage
contract – a formal, legal agreement. The third step is the henna party, for just the bride and
her female friends and relatives. At this party, there is song and dance, and the bride’s hands
and feet are exquisitely decorated with henna, a dark brown paste. The henna is more than
just skin paint. It is associated with health, beauty, and luck. After this, the groom’s relatives
arrive at the bride’s house. Men perform a special dance with swords while women admire the
bride’s trousseau – the personal objects that she will bring to her marriage such as clothing,
gifts from the groom’s family, and jewelry. The jewelry is usually large, made of silver and
expensive stones, and decorated with calligraphy. In the fifth step, the men and women sit
separately, and guests bring gifts. In the last step, as the bride enters her new home, she and
her new husband meet for the first time. They are officially married. Actually, there is perhaps
one more step. One week after the wedding, the bride visits her parents and brings them gifts.
This is a symbol of her comfort in her new home.
Funerals in Thailand
G A person’s final passage is death. Every culture
has rituals in which the person and his or her
family make this transition. In Thailand, a
Buddhist country, people believe that after
death, the person is born again, in another
body. Everything the person did in life – both
good and bad – determines whether the next
life will be a good one or not. Of course, family
members and friends want to achieve a good
rebirth for the deceased, and this is a major
goal of a Thai funeral.
H As a Thai person is dying, the family members
encourage him or her to think about Buddhist scriptures – holy writing – or to repeat one of the
names of the Buddha. Then, after the person dies, the family takes the deceased to the temple.
They lay the body down, cover him or her, and place one hand outside of the blanket. The family
and friends show respect by washing the hand of the deceased. Then they put the body in a coffin.
Around the coffin, people burn candles and a substance that produces a strong, sweet smell, and
Buddhist monks come to chant – say prayers. In the next step, perhaps three days, one week, or
100 days later, friends, relatives, and monks take the coffin to the cemetery for the cremation, at
which there is more chanting. The coffin is placed on a funeral pyre. At this point, people come up
to it with white paper flowers, candles, and the sweet-smelling substance. One by one, they light
the pile of wood, and the body is burned. It is believed that when the body still exists, the spirit
can benefit from the chanting; however, when the body is burned, the spirit is cut off from the
world. After the burning, people go home. The family usually takes some of the ashes home, but
some families keep the ashes at the temple.
The Timelessness of Rites of Passage
I The origin of such rites of passage is unclear. However, there is reason to believe that such rites
existed long before the beginning of history, before there was any system of writing to record the
rituals. In caves and on rock walls all over the world, there are paintings from the Paleolithic Era
(Old Stone Age) – exquisite art that may have been part of the people’s rituals. In the graves of
even these very ancient people, objects have been carefully placed. Anthropologists believe that
this may be evidence of early religion and of the human need to mark the transitions from one
stage to another in their lives – a universal, timeless need.

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 6 Reading for the main ideas  Read the article again and make notes about the rites of passage in
the chart.

Rite of Passage Previous Status Transition New Status

Vision quest A boy Four days isolated in a A man with an adult
cave, not a boy or man name

7 Making inferences  Put a check mark (Q) next to each statement that you can infer from the
reading text. Do not check the other statements, even if you think they are true. Then, after the
checked statements, write the phrases from which you inferred the information.

1. In a vision quest, a boy finds out about his future career from his vision.


2. Korean parents might put a soccer ball in front of their one-year-old if they want him or
her to be a great soccer player.


3. The Bedouin marriage contract involves money.


4. People who put objects in the graves of the dead may have religious beliefs.


Chapter 2

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 Milestones and Occasions
After You Read

Skills Focus Understanding Chronology

Strategy
Time words show the relationship between events and their order in time. Here are just a few
examples.
after beginning last the next step
after that finally next then
at this point first second

8 Understanding chronology  Look back at Paragraph F. Search for time words and mark them as
you find them. Then use them to help you number these steps in chronological order from first to last.
1. Men and women sit separately and guests bring gifts.
2. The bride visits her parents and brings them gifts.
3. The father of the groom and close relatives visit the bride’s home to ask for her hand.
4. Men perform a special dance with swords while women admire the bride’s trousseau.
5. The bride enters her new home; she and her husband meet for the first time.
6. The two families negotiate and come to a legal agreement.
7. There is a henna party for the bride.

Language Focus Understanding Symbols

In certain fields, such as anthropology, psychology, and literature, academic readings frequently
include symbols. Symbols are actual, tangible objects; in other words, they are often something
that you can touch. They represent either a different object or – more often – an idea. For
example, a flag is a symbol of a country; a road is symbolic of a person’s life. Sometimes the
reading text interprets the symbols, but sometimes you, the reader, must make inferences and
figure out what the symbols mean.

Here are some words that indicate the inclusion of a symbol:

symbolizes is symbolic of is associated with represents stands for

9 Understanding symbols  Read the following questions. Look back at the reading text to find the
answers. Look for words that indicate symbols.
1. In a vision quest, what does the smoke from the pipe symbolize?
2. In a Korean home, what are some things that people might do as a pregnant woman nears the
time of delivery? List them. What do these actions symbolize?
3. In Bedouin culture, what does henna on a woman's hands symbolize?

10 Researching and presenting  Do research on the Internet and find information about a rite of
passage in a different culture that you find interesting, unusual, or surprising. Make notes and
present your findings to the class.

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 Reading 2 New Days, New Ways: Changing Rites of Passage

Before You Read

1 Brainstorming  Focus on the images. Brainstorm ideas, feelings, words, and phrases that have to
do with unusual choices for ceremonies, weddings, graduations, etc.

2 Thinking critically  Why do you think people go out of their way to be different and do something
memorable or outstanding? Why is it so important for some people to have lavish wedding
ceremonies that make them start married life in debt? Is it more about themselves or about their
guests?

3 Thinking and predicting  Read the sentences and circle True (T) or False (F) according to your
opinion. You will have the opportunity to check your answers and correct statements that are false
after you read the article.
1. Native American vision quests are available to anyone who is looking for a new
direction in life and is willing to pay a fee to a company or organization. T F


2. The bride pays the bill for a three-day Emirati wedding. T F


3. The Marriage Fund is available to all Emirati men. T F


4. Japanese couples prefer traditional Japanese wedding rituals. T F


5. Many couples choose to travel away from home in order to have a traditional Western
wedding. T F
Chapter 2



6. Wedding traditions vary from culture to culture. T F



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 Milestones and Occasions
While You Read
4 Reading  Skim each paragraph and compare with your answers in 3. Write the correct version of
each false statement.

5 Identifying the main idea  Read each paragraph and highlight the main idea and supporting
details in the article. Write the main idea and important details in as few words as possible. The
first is done for you as an example.

New Days, New Ways: Changing Rites of Passage

Vision Quests for Everyone
A For centuries, Native Americans have gone through vision quests in hopes of gaining guidance
and direction. Several companies and organizations are now offering a similar experience for non-
Indians. For a fee, anyone who is looking for a new direction in life can go to certain wilderness
areas in Canada or the United States and go through such a ritual. The details may vary from one
organization to another, but in most cases, experts in psychology or Native American culture help
to prepare the person in advance. This preparation usually lasts for several days and includes
meditation, natural vegetarian food, lessons in the meaning of a vision quest and perhaps dream
groups, in which the seeker of the vision discusses his or her dreams with psychological analysts.
As on a traditional vision quest, people on this new-age quest spend one to four days alone in the
wilderness. However, a difference is that they might choose to sleep in a tent and to bring drinking
water. Some Native Americans are angry that non-Indians are doing this. They see it as a fad and
say that the quest is meaningless to a person outside the culture, tradition, and religion.

Main idea:
Anyone can now experience a Native American vision quest, for a fee.
Summary:
Although some Native Americans do not approve, several companies and organizations are
offering non-Indians the opportunity (for a fee) to experience a vision quest that is similar to
the traditional one.

A New Emirati Wedding

B In the United Arab Emirates, on the Arabian Peninsula, the traditional
wedding seems to be changing, at least for some people. A typical Emirati
wedding is extremely lavish – elegant, expensive, and huge. There might
be 1,000 guests at the three-day celebration for the bride and groom. The
groom has to pay these bills, and after such a wedding, the couple begins
their marriage in terrible debt. Each wedding seems to be bigger than the
one before it. Several years ago, the government decided that things were
getting out of hand – out of control – so they started a Marriage Fund. This
is money for young Emirati men who agree to marry Emirati women, not
foreigners. Many of these men agree to have a group celebration. At one
such group celebration, at which the UAE president was the guest of honor,
there were several of the components of a traditional wedding: a lavish feast
of exquisite food and entertainment by Bedouin dancers waving their swords. The difference?
There were 650 grooms. It was, one person pointed out, “a symbol of a new spirit of economy.”

Main idea:


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 Summary:



Getting Married – Japanese Style?
C In Japan, too, weddings are different these days. A popular
wedding is a seiyaku, which means “sincere vow or promise.”
Although less than one percent of all Japanese are Christian,
80 percent choose this Western-style Christian wedding. It
certainly looks like a Western wedding; the bride wears a
white gown, for example, and the groom wears a tuxedo.
It also closely follows all the steps in a Christian wedding:
there is the processional (in which the bride walks down the
center aisle of the church to join the groom at the front),
hymns (religious songs), readings of Christian scriptures
(holy books), the exchange of vows, and of course the wedding kiss. In fact, some people say
that this new Japanese-Christian wedding is more traditional than most Christian weddings
in the West, except for the fact that the couple is usually careful to choose a “lucky day” for
the ceremony. So why do so many Japanese choose this style of wedding when the Japanese
culture already has rich, beautiful marriage traditions? One answer may be that this is a trend,
and the Japanese are somewhat famous for following new trends. Another reason may be that
traditional Japanese weddings are even more expensive than those in the Western style.

Main idea:

Summary:




Weddings Anywhere, Any Way

D While most Japanese weddings these days are in a traditional
Western style, many couples in Western countries are looking
for a non-Western wedding experience that expresses
something of their personal interests. It is now possible
to get married in a helicopter, on a ski slope, in the ocean
(with dolphins, in Florida), in a hot-air balloon, or in a
drive-through in Las Vegas (in which the couple stays in
their car for the ceremony). For couples who want both to
travel and have a traditional wedding (just not perhaps their
tradition), it is possible to have a Hindu wedding in Goa,
India. The groom wears an Indian kurta (loose shirt without collar), and the bride wears a red sari
Chapter 2

(dress with cloth wrapped around body) and traditional Indian jewelry, with her hands decorated
in henna. They walk around a pyre seven times and repeat their seven promises of love. The
ceremony is conducted by a Hindu priest, either at a temple or on a beach.

Main idea:


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 Milestones and Occasions
Summary:




Skills Focus Identifying the Main Idea and Summarizing

Strategy
Highlight the main idea and underline the supporting details as you read each paragraph in a
reading text. (You could highlight the main idea with one color and the supporting details with
another, if you prefer.)
Use your highlighted item and write the main idea in one sentence.
You can then summarize the paragraph by writing the main idea and adding the important
details in as few words as possible.

6 Getting meaning from context  Read the text again and figure out which words from the text match
the definitions.
1. = before, ahead in time (A)
2. = deep thought, concentration (A)
3. = trend, passing fashion (A)
4. = advice aiming to solve a problem (A)
5. = not inhabited, inhospitable place/area (A)
6. = wedding dress (C)
7. = marriage commitment, promise(s) (C)
8. = accessories, such as rings, bracelets, necklaces (D)

After You Read

Skills Focus Identifying Opinions

Strategy
It is important to be able to recognize the difference between facts and opinions. A
fact can be checked and proven, even if you aren’t sure if it is true or not. An opinion is an idea
that people might disagree with. An opinion expresses a belief, idea, or feeling. One way to
distinguish the two is to be aware of words that indicate an opinion. Some of these words are
modals (should, shouldn’t, ought to), but most are adjectives or adverbs.
Examples bad (-ly) exquisite good (well) surprising
beautiful favorite horrible too
brilliant fun interesting wonderful (-ly)
Alternatively, instead of looking for specific words when you are trying to recognize opinions,
you might try asking yourself, “Would some people disagree with this?” If your answer is yes,
then it might be an opinion.

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 7 Distinguishing facts from opinions  On the lines, write Fact or Opinion, according to what is stated
or implied in the sentence.
1. Non-Indians can go through a rite of passage similar to
the vision quest of Native Americans.
2. Non-Indians who go through a vision quest are not
respectful of Native American culture.
3. The government of the United Arab Emirates is trying to
encourage unmarried Emirati men to marry Emirati women.
4. Traditional Emirati weddings are too lavish.
5. Traditional Japanese weddings are more beautiful than
the new Western-style ones.
6. A majority of Japanese couples choose a Western-style
wedding.
7. Many couples in Western countries are looking for a
nontraditional wedding experience.
8. It’s very strange to get married in the ocean.

8 Conducting a survey  You are going to interview the students in your class and ask for their
opinions on weddings. Then record their answers on your notepad.
1. Before you begin, think about your own answers to the questions and write them in the chart.

Do you prefer traditional or nontraditional weddings?

Give reasons for your answer.

A. Traditional weddings B. Nontraditional weddings

Reasons:  Reasons: 
 
 
 

Why? What are your favorite parts of a What is your idea of a good nontraditional
traditional wedding? wedding? (What are the elements?)
 
 
 
Chapter 2

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 Milestones and Occasions
2. After you have decided on your own answers, pick up your notepad and move around the
room interviewing as many people as possible.
• Record how many people answer “traditional” and how many answer “nontraditional.”
• For students who answer “traditional,” ask them the question under A. Then record their
answers in note form.
• For students who answer “nontraditional,” ask them the question under B. Then record
their answers in note form.
3. When you finish, come together as a class and discuss your results. Do more people prefer
traditional or nontraditional weddings? Did any answers surprise you?

9 Blogging  Think about a nontraditional wedding or other nontraditional ceremony that you read,
heard about, or attended. What was the most original/surprising element? You can use the points
in the box or include others. Post your comments on OUR BLOG or OUR BLOARD (a board or other
surface in class that you can post comments or other work on).

decoration other place surprises

guests outfit process

Writing 1 A Whole Text Summary

1 Topic  Look at the images and try to recall ideas, facts, words, and phrases from Reading 1, Rites of
Passage. Then make notes in the following diagram.

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 3: Words
1: Ideas 2: Facts
and Phrases
Chapter 2

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 Milestones and Occasions
Language Focus Summarizing a Whole Reading Text

So far, you have written summaries of single paragraphs. Here are some suggestions for
summarizing a longer reading text.
• Begin by highlighting key parts of the original reading text. Mark the main ideas with one
color and important details with another (or underline the main ideas and circle important
details).
• Make sure that you truly understand the original reading text. It’s not possible to write a good
summary of something that you don’t understand.
• Choose the main idea of each section or paragraph to include in your summary. Also choose
a few of the most important details.
• Group some ideas from several sections or paragraphs together in one sentence.
• Remember that summarizing is not translation. It’s usually easier to write a good summary if
you put the original aside and don’t look at it while you are writing.
• In writing a summary, use your own words. Do not simply copy from the original.
To use your own words, follow these steps:
1. Change sentence structure whenever possible. For example, change the active voice to the
passive voice or the passive to the active.
• Active: Several companies and organizations are now offering a similar experience to
non-Indians.
• Passive: A similar experience is being offered to non-Indians by several companies and
organizations.
2. Use synonyms whenever possible.
• fad = trend
3. Do not try to find synonyms for technical terms, proper nouns, or for words for which there is
no synonym.
• calligraphy • Bedouin

2 Taking notes  Read the article Rites of Passage again and make notes in the chart. Look through
your notes in 6 in Reading 1 to help you.

Main Idea Important Details

What are Rites of Passage?

Birth/Korea

Wedding/Islamic

Funeral/Thai

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 3 Drafting your summary  Use your notes about the article and draft your summary of the article.
Remember to:

• only use your notes. Do not read and copy from the article.
• structure your summary in a way that will allow you to recombine and reorder information.

4 Drafting and editing 1: Peer review  Read your draft and make changes. Hand over your draft to
another student. Use the following guidelines and criteria to help you. Read through the sections of
your summary and check.

Content and Meaning Form

• Is the meaning clear? • Punctuation, capitalization
• Are main ideas and facts presented clearly? • Spelling
• Does the context flow? • Grammar (grammatical
• Do sentences follow on from one another? accuracy)
• Do you need to reorder, combine, or add information? • Vocabulary (lexical accuracy)
• Do you need to rephrase and connect things differently? • Transition (connecting words)

5 Drafting and editing 2: Peer review  Read the comments on your first draft and make corrections.
Exchange second drafts. Review changes, corrections, and improvements.

6 Rewriting and finalizing  Rewrite and finalize all the parts of your summary.

7 Blogging  Post your summaries on OUR BLOG or OUR BLOARD. Comment on each other’s
summaries.

OUR BLOG Blog About me Gallery Contact

Chapter 2

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 Milestones and Occasions
Writing 2 In Your Own Words

1 Brainstorming  Think about a traditional rite of passage in your culture and brainstorm ideas,
words, and phrases. Compare with a partner or in a group.

2 Thinking and making notes  Think about the traditional rite of passage that you have chosen and
make notes about each stage and step of the ritual. Think about:

1. The people involved:



2. The setting:


3. Actions:


4. Symbols:


5. Other details:



3 Identifying changes  Visualize the rite of passage or related ritual as it is performed today and
make notes.

1. The people involved:



2. The setting:


3. Actions:


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 4. Symbols:


5. Other details:



4 Comparing  After completing 2 and 3, use a Venn diagram to illustrate the similarities and
differences between the ritual as it was performed in the past and as it is performed in the present.

5 Drafting  Use your notes and draft your text comparing and contrasting the past and the present
version of the ritual that you have chosen.

6 Drafting an introduction  In a compare-contrast essay it is good to have the following criteria in
mind. Do:
1. engage the reader
2. introduce both subjects (ritual in the past/in the present)
3. provide a background (essential information for the reader to understand the main point of the
essay)
4. focus on the comparison or contrast depending on whether there are more similarities or
differences.

Tip In a compare-contrast essay it is better to avoid the obvious. If two subjects are
very similar, it may be easier to focus on the similarities but it is usually more
interesting to focus on the differences.

7 Drafting a conclusion  Make sure that your conclusion:

1. summarizes your main points
2. has a final statement, that may be your opinion.

8 Drafting and editing 1: Peer review  Read your drafts and make changes. Hand over your draft to
another student to review and comment.

9 Drafting and editing 2: Peer review  Read the comments on your first draft and make corrections.
Exchange second drafts with a partner. Review changes, corrections, and improvements.

10 Rewriting and finalizing  Rewrite and finalize all parts of your essay.

11 Blogging  Post your opinions about traditional and changing rituals through time on OUR BLOG or
OUR BLOARD. Comment on each other’s opinions.
Chapter 2

OUR BLOG Blog About me Gallery Contact

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 Milestones and Occasions
SELF-EVALUATION
Reflect on your learning and assess your progress. Read and circle the number that represents
your progress. Use the key below.

5 outstanding 4 very good 3 satisfactory 2 limited 1 unsatisfactory

READING
I can interpret images and make creative comments. 5 4 3 2 1
I can activate what I know about a topic and answer questions. 5 4 3 2 1
I can brainstorm and recall words and phrases related to a topic. 5 4 3 2 1
I can identify the main idea and supporting details in each paragraph. 5 4 3 2 1
I can distinguish facts from opinions. 5 4 3 2 1
I can understand chronology. 5 4 3 2 1
I can use prior knowledge and make predictions about a text. 5 4 3 2 1
I can get meaning from context. 5 4 3 2 1
I can think critically and make inferences. 5 4 3 2 1
I can identify and interpret symbols. 5 4 3 2 1
VOCABULARY
I can understand vocabulary from context. 5 4 3 2 1
I can understand and use words related to rites of passage in different cultures. 5 4 3 2 1
I can identify words and phrases that indicate symbols. 5 4 3 2 1
I can identify and use time words as chronology markers. 5 4 3 2 1
GRAMMAR
I can use alternative structures to summarize a paragraph or text. (passive to active, 5 4 3 2 1
etc.).
WRITING
I can summarize the main idea and most important details of a paragraph. 5 4 3 2 1
I can write my own opinion and support it with facts or arguments. 5 4 3 2 1
I can summarize a whole text. 5 4 3 2 1
I can use graphic organizers (e.g. charts, mind maps, flowcharts, etc.) to make notes. 5 4 3 2 1
I can compare and contrast information and ideas. 5 4 3 2 1
I can draft, edit, redraft, and finalize a text. 5 4 3 2 1
I can review and comment on written work. 5 4 3 2 1
RESEARCH AND DOCUMENT
I can search and find relevant sources on the Internet. 5 4 3 2 1
I can evaluate and select sources and data. 5 4 3 2 1
I can use data selectively to create my own document. 5 4 3 2 1
I can carry out a survey. 5 4 3 2 1

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 Chapter

3
Rise to the
Challenge!
Chapter Goals
♦ Reading: Finding the main idea of a reading text,
identifying secondary ideas in paragraphs, analyzing SHANGHAI
the title of a reading text, making inferences from
the text, identifying the purpose of the author.
♦ Writing: Organizing information using a graphic
organizer (Venn diagram), making notes to compare
different situations, expressing views on a topic,
using details to support ideas, using transition
words and phrases to connect ideas.

Focus on the Images

♦ L
ook at the images of Shanghai and Tokyo, two of
the largest cities in the world. What do you think
life is like in these cities? Name some reasons why
millions of people around the world choose to live
in very large cities.
♦ Do you believe people can be more creative or
inspired in large cities or away from them? Explain
your opinion.
TOKYO
♦ Look at the following Albert Camus quote. What is
the message? Why does he describe the beginning
of all great deeds and thoughts as ridiculous?

Brainstorm and Associate

♦ Words and phrases that come to mind about cities
containing too many people
♦ Thoughts and feelings that people experience in
large cities

Think and Comment

“All great deeds and all great thoughts
have a ridiculous beginning. Great
works are often born on a street
corner or in a restaurant’s revolving

door. ”
Albert Camus, French philosopher and writer

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 Reading 1 Overpopulation Fuels Megacities, for Better
or Worse

Before You Read

1 Topic  Look at the images and discuss the following questions with a partner or in a small group.

1. Look at the images of two of the world’s largest cities with a population of over 25 million.
What are some of the challenges that people have to deal with in such huge cities?
2. Think about some positive and negative aspects of living and working in a huge city like the
ones in the images.
Chapter 3

3. Reflect on and compare experiences that you, members of your family, or friends may have
had of working in a very large city.
4. Would you accept a job in a very large city if you were offered one by a multinational
company? Why? Why not?

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 Rise to the Challenge!
2 Thinking and predicting  Read the section headings and think about information and ideas that
you expect to find in the text. Write at least two questions per section that you expect to find the
answers to in the text.

1. The Urban Explosion



2. New Problems in Many Places


3. Looking to the Future



3 Thinking critically  Read the statements. Are they True (T) or False (F) in your opinion? Give
reasons. You will have the opportunity to check your answers and correct false statements after you
read the article.

Your After You

Statements Correct
Opinion Read
T F A More people are being born
now than in the past, but
people are not living as long.
T F B In 1950, there were no
megacities (cities with more
than 10 million inhabitants) in
the world.
T F C There may be more than 40
megacities in the world by
2030.
T F D Many people from the
countryside moved to cities
because the land couldn’t
feed them and their families
enough.
T F E India’s recent industrial
revolution is the most rapid
the world has ever seen.
T F F The highest rate of urban
migration is in Sub-Saharan
Africa (the part of Africa south
of Sahara).
T F G Well-designed smaller cities
can provide better quality for
urban life.

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 While You Read

4 Reading  Read the article Overpopulation Fuels Megacities, for Better or Worse and find out how
many of your questions in 2 are answered. Then read again and compare your answers in 3 with the
ideas and information in the article.

Overpopulation Fuels Megacities, for Better or Worse

In the next 30 years, the global population is expected to increase by 2 billion – from 7.7 billion in
2019 to 9.7 billion in 2050. Not only are more babies being born, but people in the 21st century are
healthier and they are living longer than ever before. Will we have the resources – food, water,
energy – to sustain this ever-growing population? Where are all of these people going to live?

The Urban Explosion

Well, not in the countryside. The speed of urbanization – the rate at which the rural population
of the world is moving to larger cities – is amazing. In 1950, only one in three people lived in urban
areas, while the rest lived on farms or in towns and small communities. At the same time, only two
cities in the world – Tokyo and New York City – were considered megacities: cities with a
population of over 10 million. Now, there are 33 megacities and more are being added yearly. Over
three million people every week migrate from rural areas to cities. The number of megacities is
projected to reach 43 by 2030. Already well on their way to becoming megacities are Beihai in
China, Palembang in Indonesia, Chittagong in Bangladesh, Toluca in Mexico, and Ghaziabad,
Surat, and Faridabad in India.
The traditional pattern has been that industrial revolutions prompt
people to abandon the countryside. North America and Europe
experienced their industrial revolutions in the 1800s. This was a time
when new machines for farming and manufacturing changed human
life forever. Farming became more mechanized and this mechanization
meant that fewer people were needed to run a farm. Many country
Chapter 3

dwellers moved to cities in search of better jobs, higher wages, and an

easier life.

New Problems in Many Places

In China, the recent industrial revolution is the most rapid the world has ever seen. The Chinese
economic explosion brought millions of people to the big cities. According to 2019 estimates, more
than half of China’s population is now urban: 59.7%, or 856.41 million, are living in cities, compared
to 578.46 million residing in rural areas. Chengdu, for instance, a smaller city that previously had

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 Rise to the Challenge!
been almost unknown except for its panda bears and teahouses, is now a thriving industrial and
business center of 14 million inhabitants and moving rapidly toward the 20-million mark.
Rapid urbanization creates problems related to housing, education, jobs, clean water supply,
sewage treatment, and crime. Infrastructure – such as roads, railroads, trains, and metros –
needs to be built or enlarged to move the ever-increasing population from place to place. Slums
have sprung up around many of the great cities of the world – Rio de Janeiro, Mexico City, Cairo,
Mumbai, Beijing – just to name a few places. An estimated one billion people – almost one-seventh
of the world’s population – live in shanty towns mainly in Africa, Latin America, and Asia.
The highest rate of urban migration is in Sub-Saharan
Africa. Due to armed conflicts among different groups,
failing crops, droughts, and floods, people are fleeing to
cities at twice the rate of other countries. Because they
are not economically sound, these cities are unable to
incorporate the huge populations moving into them.
In the United Nations Population Fund report released
in October 2011, editor Richard Kollodge had noted that
many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have high birth
rates but low economic growth rates. “The population
is growing faster than the government’s ability to meet
the need for services, education, and health. Economic
growth isn’t keeping up with population growth,”
Kollodge had said. This is true today, too. The result is
that the countries are rapidly becoming poorer.

Looking to the Future

Is there any hope for the future? Experts in many fields
are working on the problems of overpopulation and
overcrowded cities. The two problems are closely tied.
Education of women and access to birth control can
lead to fewer and healthier children. City planners and
architects can devise cities that make optimal use of
the finite land of the Earth. Engineers can work on ways
to develop new water sources and improve the infrastructure of cities and public transportation.
Scientists are finding new types of clean energy and ways to reduce carbon emissions.
Agricultural expertise can help grow the food to feed the masses. All of this will take international
cooperation and vast sums of money.
And how does all of this relate to megacities? Population expert Joel Cohen suggested that well-
designed smaller cities of about one million could provide a better future for urban life. But at
the rate the population is growing now, Cohen said, “We are going to need to construct a city of a
million people every five days for the next 40 years.”

Skills Focus Identifying the Main Idea of a Reading Text

It is often useful to find the main idea (the most important concept) of an article. Sometimes the
main idea is expressed right at the beginning in a topic sentence. Then the rest of the article
gives details to support the idea, or gives explanations or subordinate (secondary) ideas that
relate to it. Usually, however, the main idea is not stated in one sentence, and you have to read
through the whole article to find it. Do not confuse the main idea with a subordinate idea that
relates to only one part of the article.

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 5 Reading for the main ideas  Look at the following statements. Then choose the one that you
think best expresses the main idea of Overpopulation Fuels Megacities, for Better or Worse, and
mark it with M for Main Idea. Two of the statements express secondary ideas; mark those with S for
Secondary Idea. One of the statements expresses an idea that is not included in the article at all;
mark that one as NI for Not Included.

1. B ecause of armed conflicts and bad weather conditions, many people in Africa and
other parts of the world are leaving rural areas and going to live in cities that cannot
support them.
2. T he urbanization now happening in China is a great success because the country is
industrializing very fast, and so its cities have no slums around them and offer good
jobs for everyone.
3. In recent years, the world’s huge population is going through a time of rapid
urbanization that in many places is presenting new problems that need to be solved for
the good of humanity.
4. In 1950, there were just two megacities on the planet: New York and Tokyo; now there
are at least 33 and every year more are added.

Skills Focus Meaning from Context

Strategy
Understanding the Meaning of Words from Context
The context of something is the general situation that relates to it. The context of a word is
what goes before it and after it. You can often guess the meaning of a new word by reading
past it to the next sentence. If the meaning is still unclear, read the sentence before the word. If
necessary, read the whole paragraph. Then go back and try to understand the word again.

6 Understanding the meaning of words from context  Choose the best definition or synonym for
each of the italicized words. If necessary, go back to the article and read the word again in its larger
context. If you are unsure, try putting the synonym you have chosen into its place in the sentence
and see if it makes sense.

1. An estimated one billion people – almost one-seventh of the world’s population – live in
shanty towns… (Hint: How do people get a number like this?)
A a calculated C a large
B an exact D an imaginary
2. The traditional pattern has been that industrial revolutions prompt people to abandon the
countryside.
A appreciate C fear
B dislike D leave
Chapter 3

3. Slums have sprung up around many of the great cities of the world… (Hint: Look for a synonym
in the next sentence in the article.)
A vegetable gardens on very small parcels of ground
B free government housing developments
C high-tech companies offering low salaries
D extremely poor unplanned neighborhoods

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 Rise to the Challenge!
4. Due to armed conflicts…, failing crops, droughts, and floods, people are fleeing to cities…
(Hint: Notice that in a list the items belong to the same category and also, often two items of
opposite meaning are placed side by side to give a contrast.)
A bad politics and corruption C times with no rain
B times of confusion D unemployment
5. Because they are not economically sound, these cities are unable to incorporate the huge
populations…
A crowded C strong
B designed D weak
6. City planners… can devise cities that make optimal use of the finite land of the Earth.
A extended C unlimited
B limited D wild
7. Engineers can… improve the infrastructure of cities…
A defend C learn about
B destroy D make better
8. Agricultural expertise can help grow the food to feed the masses. (Hint: Think about the
meaning of the smaller word inside of expertise.)
A knowledge C machinery
B labor D wealth

7 Vocabulary  Read and listen to the words listed in the left-hand column. Read the article again and
use the context to work out the meaning of these words (provided in bold). Then match these words
with their definitions.

Words Definitions
1. resources Α to make someone decide to do something
2. urbanization Β in the countryside
3. rural C successful and developing well
4. migrate D something people have that they can use
5. prompt E people who live in an area
6. manufacturing F necessary systems and services for society to work effectively
7. dwellers G the best
8. thriving H to move from one place to another
9. infrastructure I creating goods and materials in large numbers
10. incorporate J the amount of something that is sent out into the air
11. optimal K the growth of cities from people that leave the countryside
12. emissions L to make someone or something part of a large group or area

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 After You Read
8 Thinking critically  Look at the images and, thinking critically, answer the questions.

1. What do you find most fascinating about big cities? Which one would you choose to study in?
Explain your reasons.
2. In your opinion, what should a big city be like in order to offer a good quality of life?
3. Would you choose a megacity to work or raise a family in? Explain your reasons for each.
4. In the future, do you think it is realistic to build many smaller cities (up to one million people)
instead of expanding overcrowded ones? Give reasons for your opinion.

Reading 2 My Roof is Alive!

Before You Read

Skills Focus Titles
Strategy
Analyzing the Title of a Reading Text
In general, a title has two purposes: to give you an idea of what the article is about and to
motivate you to read it by prompting your interest or curiosity. A good title is both informative
and interesting, and helps to set the stage (prepare your mind) for a good reading text. So,
before you start, analyze the title by following these steps:
1. Look at the title to see what information it gives about the reading. What points or
themes are mentioned? What parts aim to prompt interest or curiosity in the reader?
2. Decide what words or phrases you don’t understand and try to clarify them (make
Chapter 3

them clear). Sometimes they depend on prior knowledge (what a reader should
already know). In that case you may have to go to another source (dictionary, phrase
book, Internet) to get the meaning.
3. Finally, paraphrase the title (express it in your own words).

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 Rise to the Challenge!
1 Analyzing the title of a reading text  By yourself or with a partner, use the Strategy and analyze the
title of the article My Roof is Alive!

1. Write down the title. What do you think the article is about? Underline the words in the title that
helped you decide. Do you think the title is interesting? Why? Why not?

2. What do you think “My Roof is Alive!” means? Can you think of a friend or family member
whose roof is “alive”? Have you visited or seen images of places where buildings have roofs
that are “alive”? Where are they located? Is it possible to have a roof that is “alive” in the town
or city where you live?


3. Do you think people can create such roofs? What reasons might cause people to create such
roofs, if at all?



While You Read

2 Reading  Read the article and compare your ideas in 1 with the information in the article. How
similar or different were your ideas and expectations about roofs that are “alive”?

My Roof is Alive!

A Dense concrete jungles, crowned by tar and asphalt rooftops, cause a number of complex
problems. They raise temperatures in urban areas and cause stormwater run-off that can
overflow sewage systems and rivers. Living roofs offer simple solutions to these problems. A
living, or green, roof refers to a rooftop covered by water-absorbing plants like grasses and
succulents, which greatly reduce the temperature above and around the building and lead to
lower energy costs and significantly less stormwater run-off.
B The tradition of growing plants on rooftops can be traced back to prehistoric Scandinavia
where sod, or dirt, roofs provided greater insulation and reinforced the structural integrity of
humble dwellings. Homes in Norway can still be found where grass, plants, and even full-size
evergreens spring from the roofs, though the term “sod roof” is a misnomer. The roofs are
covered with a layer of birch wood that provides the waterproofing for the home below.
C In the 1970s, Germany developed the technology to create lightweight, low-maintenance
living rooftops over urban dwellings. The city of Chicago, which covered 20,000 square feet
above its City Hall with vegetation in 2001, led the new movement in North America. Officials
saw immediate benefits to their action when a 50 degree difference was recorded between

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 the green roof and a nearby black tar roof. In the ensuing years, the city estimates that it has
saved around $3,600 in annual cooling and heating costs. Officials believe that if all Chicago
rooftops went green, the reduction in energy demand would be equivalent to reducing demand
by 750,000 consumers and the load on the city’s sewer system would be slashed by almost 70
percent.
D The trend to install living roofs has spread across American cities. The new Washington D.C.
baseball stadium has one. The Target Center Arena in Minneapolis has one. The new Visitors’
Center at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden calls theirs “a rooftop meadow.” Many private and
public initiatives help families install their own living roofs, not just for the reduced energy
costs and conservation of stormwater but also for the creation of new natural wildlife habitats
and increased agricultural space. In addition, living roofs filter pollutants and carbon dioxide
out of the air and pollutants and heavy metals out of rainwater.
E The drawbacks of green roofs have to do with the expense of installing the technology on
existing structures. Though lightweight, they consist of many layers above the original roof,
including insulation, drainage, a root barrier, as well as a water seal, a growing system, and
then the plant life itself. The added weight may require additional structural support. But if
you can afford to install a living roof, the advantages seem to far outweigh the drawbacks.

3 Making inferences  Read the statements and put a check mark (Q) next to each statement that you
can infer from the reading text. If a statement cannot be inferred from the text, do not check it, even
if you think it is true. Then, after the checked statements, write the phrases from which you inferred
the information.

1. Roofs that have plants growing on them can help decrease temperatures in urban areas.
Dense
 concrete jungles… raise temperatures in urban areas… Living roofs offer simple
solutions to these problems.
2. F
 looding problems can be minimized in urban areas thanks to roof gardens that absorb
large quantities of rainwater.


3. In some places, people plant vegetables on their roofs in order to make a living.


4. T
 he benefits from the living rooftop on Chicago’s City Hall prompted others to adopt
the same practice.


5. If all Chicago rooftops were green, the energy consumption in this city would be
significantly decreased.

Chapter 3


6. It is easier to build a green roof from the beginning than to install the technology on
existing structures.



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 Rise to the Challenge!
7. If someone invests money to install a living roof, sooner or later the benefits will exceed
the construction costs.


8. S
 ome private and public organizations install living roofs in order to bring wildlife back
to the cities.



After You Read

Language Focus Compound Words

Strategy
Understanding Compound Words
Some English words are called compound words because they are composed (made up) of
smaller words joined together. Sometimes the smaller words are linked by hyphens, but most
of the time they aren’t. If you don’t know whether to use a hyphen or not, look the word up in a
dictionary or online.
To understand the meaning of compound words, break them into their smaller parts and look
at the context. Then you can usually guess their meaning. Here are two examples:
Baseball: The game played especially in North America by two teams of nine players, in which
a player hits a ball with a bat (= stick) and tries to run around four bases on a large field before
the other team returns the ball.
Water-absorbing: Something that absorbs, or takes in, water.

4 Understanding compound words  The compound words, written in italics, are taken from the
reading text. Guess the meaning of each word by breaking it into the smaller words inside of it. If
necessary, go back to the text and look for clues to the word’s meaning in its context. (The letter
of the paragraph is given for each word to help you to locate it.) Write the meaning on the line
underneath.

1. The tradition of growing plants on rooftops can be traced back to prehistoric Scandinavia. (B)
Rooftop means the outside part of the roof of a building.
2. A living, or green, roof refers to a rooftop covered by water-absorbing plants like grasses and
succulents, which lead to significantly less stormwater run-off. (A)

3. Homes in Norway can still be found where grass, plants, and even full-size evergreens spring
from the roofs, though the term “sod roof” is a misnomer. (B)

4. The roofs are covered with a layer of birch wood that provides the waterproofing for the home
below. (B)


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 5. In the 1970s, Germany developed the technology to create lightweight, low-maintenance
living rooftops over urban dwellings. (C)

6. Many private and public initiatives help families install their own living roofs, not just for the
reduced energy costs and conservation of stormwater but also for the creation of new natural
wildlife habitats and increased agricultural space. (D)

7. Living roofs filter pollutants and carbon dioxide out of the air and pollutants and heavy metals
out of rainwater. (D)

8. The drawbacks of green roofs have to do with the expense of installing the technology on
existing structures. (E)

9. But if you can afford to install a living roof, the advantages seem to far outweigh the
drawbacks. (E)


Language Focus Analyzing Words with Prefixes and Suffixes

A suffix is a group of letters added to the end of a word to make a new word. For example, take
the noun accident and add the suffix -al to it, and you get the adjective accidental, as in the
sentence: It was an accidental discovery. Take the verb read and add the suffix -er and you get
the noun reader.
Sometimes there is a spelling change. For example, if the word ends in a silent -e, sometimes
you drop the -e before adding the suffix. Sometimes you change the -e to -i before adding the
suffix. Take the noun finance and add the suffix -al, and you get the adjective financial.
Here are examples of some common suffixes:
-al comic + -al = comical; finance + -al = financial
-er teach + -er = teacher; write + -er = writer
-tion connect + tion = connection; educate + tion = education
-ation specialize + ation = specialization; realize + ation = realization

A prefix is a group of letters added to the beginning of a word (rather than to the end, like a
suffix). Like compound words, words with prefixes sometimes have hyphens and sometimes
don’t. Three prefixes occur in the reading text: di, over, and pre. Here are the meanings of these
three prefixes:
di – two, double. Dioxide means that there are two oxygen atoms in a molecule.
over – more than necessary, too much. Despite the stiff competition, she was overconfident
about getting into the school she wanted, so it was a big shock when she didn’t.
Chapter 3

pre – before. Pre-cooked foods help busy people save time when preparing meals.

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 Rise to the Challenge!
5 Building new words with suffixes and prefixes  Make words used in the reading by adding
prefixes and suffixes from the list in the Language Focus to the words in bold. In some cases, you
will have to make a noun plural or change a letter or two. Check your answers by finding the words
in the reading.

1. In Scandinavia people used to insulate the roofs and this insulation protected them
from weather conditions.
2. Urban areas are ideal places to conserve stormwater in order to avoid flooding. That is why
planted rooftops are so important; they promote stormwater .
3. The origin of this painting is unknown. How can you be sure that it is an Van
Gogh?
4. Is it possible to create habitats for wildlife in a large city? Experts say that the
of such habitats is possible by installing green roofs.
5. The structure of this building is magnificent. Who is responsible for this
miracle?
6. People in Norway lay birch wood on their roofs. This of wood makes their
roofs waterproof.
7. Modern architecture aims to reduce the energy costs of buildings. Sufficient insulation
contributes the most to the of energy demands.
8. When it rains heavily for long periods of time, rainwater will flow from small rivers to major
rivers, causing water levels to rise until the rivers .
9. Is there anything you would like to add to this plan? Any should be made
now.
10. We don’t only find out about our ancient history from written documents. There are also other
sources of information, such as cave paintings.

6 Identifying compound words  Look back at the Strategy box called “Understanding Compound
Words”. Go through the article on living roofs and find each compound word described here. Write
the word in the blank provided. Remember that some compound words have hyphens and some do
not. The words are presented here in the order of their appearance in the article.

1. a description of the rainwater that forms a stream rather than being absorbed by the ground
(paragraph A) run-off
2. something is as big as it should be (paragraph B)
3. something doesn’t need much care or money to stay in good condition (paragraph C)

4. a description of a roof that is usually flat and covered by a dark, thick substance that is
normally used for making roads (paragraph C)

7 Thinking critically  Think about and discuss your views on the questions in pairs or groups.

1. Would you choose a living rooftop or a roof with a solar panel to collect energy from the sun
for use in your home? Explain the reasons for your choice.
2. Have you ever seen roofs completely covered with vegetation? How does that make you
feel? Why?
3. What other technologies or actions do you know about that can offer environmental benefits
to cities?

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 Writing Two Different Styles of Democracy:
A Personal Viewpoint

1 Topic  Look at the images of places. Can you tell which are from the U.S. and which are from
Canada? Compare ideas with a partner.

2 Thinking and discussing  Reflect on what you know about the U.S. and Canada and make notes in
the chart. You don’t have to fill in all the sections. Compare information and ideas in your group.

U.S. Canada
Main cities
Capital
Language(s)
Nature
Government
Education
Products
Other

3 Thinking and predicting  Look at the following title and think about the kind of ideas and
information you would expect to find in the text. Make notes next to two or more of the listed items
Chapter 3

(A–D) and add your own ideas in E:

Two Different Styles of Democracy: A Personal Viewpoint

A Democracy in general 
B Government/administration 
C Objective comments 
D Subjective comments 
E Other: 

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 Rise to the Challenge!
4 Reading  Read the text and compare it with your ideas in 2 and 3.

Two Different Styles of Democracy: A Personal Viewpoint

After moving to Canada from the U.S., I was surprised to discover a system of government quite
different from that of my homeland. First of all, there is a Monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II
of England, who functions as a figurehead but has no real power, although her face appears on
Canadian currency.
Also, instead of just two major parties, there are usually three or four parties of
importance. Instead of a Congress composed of Congressmen and Congresswomen,
there is a Parliament made up of MPs (short for Members of Parliament). Like the U.S.,
Canada has a Senate, but it is only an advisory body, not the powerful institution I
was accustomed to, that can vote in or veto laws. Perhaps most strikingly, there is
no President; the most important person, the Executive, is the Prime Minister. These
differences, however, go deeper than just having distinct names because in Canada
people actually vote for the party, not the person, and the leader of the party that gets the
most MPs automatically becomes Prime Minister. The result? You never have the situation that so
often plagues and paralyzes any attempts at new laws and reform in the U.S. when the President is
from one party and the majority in the House of Representatives and the Senate are from another.
As a consequence of this difference, there is more possibility of change in the Canadian style of
democracy. Is this better or worse? That is something I am still trying to figure out!

5 Reading again  Read the text and identify features of government related to Canada and the U.S.
Put a check mark (Q) in the appropriate column.

Government Features U.S. Canada

1. ceremonial Monarch
2. Parliament made up of MPs
3. powerful Senate
4. congressmen and congresswomen
5. usually only two parties of importance
6. Executive role played by Prime Minister
7. Senate with little power
8. money with a royal’s face on it
9. Executive and Congress can be from different parties

Language Focus Words in Phrases (Lexical Chunks)

Chunks are groups of words that go together. A listener or reader usually uses chunks to help
them process written or spoken text. Learning words in phrases (word chunks) instead of single
words will help you learn and use words accurately and appropriately.
Examples: • N  oun phrase that can include adjectives and other words before or after the
noun: a different system
• Verb phrase that may include noun objects or adverbs: discuss a suggestion
• Prepositional phrase that begins with a preposition: in other words
• Infinitive phrase that begins with an infinitive and includes an object after the verb:
to save money

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 6 Identifying word chunks  Read the paragraph again and find and underline words that belong
together in phrases (word chunks). Look at the examples in the Focus box to help you.

7 Reflecting on the text  Read the text again and identify the purpose of the author. Put a check mark
(Q) next to the relevant items. You can also add your own ideas.

1. identify similarities 6. e xpress opinion/viewpoint

2. c ompare and contrast 7. r aise issues
3. p rovide information 8. m ake a recommendation
4. d efine terms 9. r each a conclusion
5. p resent an argument

Now think about how the author involves the reader. How does he or she do it?


Language Focus Transition Words and Phrases (Linking Words and

Phrases)

Transition words and phrases are important when you write essays because they connect one
idea to the next. They are used within your paragraphs as you move from one idea to another
and when you need to move to the next paragraph. This makes the text easier to read, and ideas
are presented in a clear and understandable way. In addition to connecting ideas, transition
words and phrases:
• show contrast (but, rather, on the contrary)
• add information (also, as well as, moreover)
• indicate similarity (like, as, in the same way)
• illustrate cause (due to, because of, if... then) and effect (as a result, for this reason,
consequently)
• elaborate on an idea (for instance, specifically, to demonstrate)
• indicate the sequence of events (first of all, next, last)
• conclude or summarize (generally speaking, in summary/conclusion, overall).

8 Identifying text features  Find and underline transition words and phrases in the text and write
what they signal (meaning) in the chart. Look at the Focus box to help you.

Transition Words and Phrases What They Signal (Meaning)

First of all sequence of events
Chapter 3

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 Rise to the Challenge!
Skills Focus Comparative Essays

Strategy
Writing a Comparative Essay
A comparative essay can be structured in different ways.
Option A: Organize the discussion of each aspect or subject in separate paragraphs. For
example, beauty in the past can be placed in one paragraph and beauty in the
present in another paragraph. This option is advisable for shorter, less complicated
essays.
Order of Paragraphs This is the typical order of paragraphs:
1. Introduction – Remember to use a “hook” to attract the reader’s attention. It can be a
strong statement, an anecdote, a question, a quote, a surprising or amazing fact, etc.
2. Main paragraph(s)
3. Conclusion
Option B: Alternate your discussion in paragraphs or sections of the same paragraph. For
example, in one paragraph discuss skin protection in the past and compare it to
skin protection in the present, and in the next paragraph compare eye makeup in
the past to modern eye makeup. This option is advisable for longer, more analytical
essays that require greater details.

Skills Focus Using Details to Support Your Ideas

Details are small points. They serve as examples or illustrations of a larger idea and make it more
convincing and understandable. For example, if you say, “Tornados can be very destructive,” you
can describe houses that have fallen down and trees with their roots in the air. These details
support your main idea.

9 Brainstorming and note-taking  Use your personal experience or imagination. You have just
moved from a small town or village to a big city to study. Brainstorm ideas about life in a megacity
and life in a rural town or village. Think about day-to-day routines, jobs, relationships, community,
transport, communication, buildings, etc. Make notes.

Skills Focus Organizing Information: Using a Venn Diagram

Graphic organizers are a way of organizing complex relationships and abstract ideas so that they
can be easily understood. A Venn diagram is a type of graphic organizer. It is used to compare
and contrast groups of things. In a Venn diagram, overlapping circles or other shapes are used to
illustrate the logical relationships between two or more sets of items, for example how the items
are similar and different.

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 10 Organizing your notes  Organize your notes in a Venn diagram to illustrate the similarities and
differences between the aspects of life in a megacity and life in a small town or village. Place
similarities in the center (where the circles overlap).

Life in a small town Both Life in the big city

11 Planning your introduction and conclusion  In a compare and contrast essay, it is good to have the
following criteria in mind. When writing your introduction, do:

1. engage the reader

2. provide a background
3. introduce important features/details of both aspects that you plan to comment on
4. focus on the comparison or contrast depending on whether there are more similarities or
differences.

When writing your conclusion, make sure that it:

1. summarizes your main points
2. has a final statement, which may be your opinion.

Tip In a compare and contrast essay, it is better to avoid the obvious. If two subjects
are very similar, it may be easier to focus on the similarities, but it is usually more
interesting to focus on the differences.

12 Drafting  Use your notes and draft your essay comparing and contrasting the aspects of life in the
city and life in a rural town or village. Remember to use transition words and phrases to connect
your ideas.

13 Drafting and editing 1: peer review  Read your drafts and make changes. Hand over your draft to
another student to review and comment.

14 Drafting and editing 2: peer review  Read the comments on your first draft and make corrections.
Exchange second drafts with a partner. Review changes, corrections, and improvements.

15 Rewriting and finalizing  Rewrite and finalize all parts of your essay.

16 Blogging  Post your opinions about the types of government in the two countries, the U.S. and
Canada, on OUR BLOG or OUR BLOARD (a board or other surface in class that you can post
Chapter 3

comments or other work on). Comment on each other’s opinions.

OUR BLOG Blog About me Gallery Contact

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 Rise to the Challenge!
SELF-EVALUATION
Reflect on your learning and assess your progress. Read and circle the number that represents
your progress. Use the key below.

5 outstanding 4 very good 3 satisfactory 2 limited 1 unsatisfactory

READING
I can interpret images and make creative comments. 5 4 3 2 1
I can activate and answer questions using what I know about a topic. 5 4 3 2 1
I can brainstorm and recall words and phrases related to a topic. 5 4 3 2 1
I can find the main idea of a reading text. 5 4 3 2 1
I can identify secondary ideas in a paragraph. 5 4 3 2 1
I can get meaning from context. 5 4 3 2 1
I can analyze the title of a reading text. 5 4 3 2 1
I can make inferences from a reading text. 5 4 3 2 1
I can identify the purpose of the author. 5 4 3 2 1
VOCABULARY
I can understand vocabulary from context. 5 4 3 2 1
I can identify word chunks. 5 4 3 2 1
I can understand the meaning of compound words. 5 4 3 2 1
GRAMMAR
I can analyze or build words with suffixes and prefixes. 5 4 3 2 1
WRITING
I can make notes to compare different situations. 5 4 3 2 1
I can use transition words and phrases to connect ideas. 5 4 3 2 1
I can use details to support my ideas. 5 4 3 2 1
I can express my views on a topic. 5 4 3 2 1
I can draft, edit, redraft, and finalize written work. 5 4 3 2 1
I can review and comment on written work. 5 4 3 2 1
I can organize notes using a Venn diagram. 5 4 3 2 1
RESEARCH AND DOCUMENT
I can search and find relevant sources on the Internet. 5 4 3 2 1
I can evaluate and select appropriate sources and information. 5 4 3 2 1
I can use information selectively to create my own document. 5 4 3 2 1
I can cite the references that I used in my research. 5 4 3 2 1

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 Chapter

4
Compete or
Cooperate?

Chapter Goals
♦ Reading: Finding the main idea of a reading text
and analyzing its title, distinguishing facts from
opinions, understanding metaphors, scanning for
numbers in a text.
♦ Writing: Noting facts and details in a paragraph,
connecting ideas without using transition words,
writing about failed dreams and ambitions.

Focus on the Images

♦ I n your opinion, what is the most important
quality for someone who wants to become a very
successful athlete?
♦ What is the most important quality for someone who
wants to succeed in business? Is it the same as for
an athlete? Why? Why not?
♦ Some say that both teamwork and competition are
crucial to success in sports and business. Do you
agree or disagree? Explain.
♦ In what other areas of life do you think teamwork
and competition play important roles? Why?

Brainstorm and Associate

♦ Words and phrases that come to mind about sports
and business
♦ Thoughts and feelings about successful athletes
and entrepreneurs

Think and Comment

“

Two heads are better than one.
English proverb
”
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 Reading 1 I Never Made it to the NFL
Before You Read

1 Topic  Look at the images and think about sports, star athletes, and top teams. Discuss the
questions with a partner or in a group.

1. What does it take for an athlete to get to the top of their chosen sport?
2. At what age do successful athletes begin to train?
3. How do they manage to combine a strict training schedule with studies or work?
4. Why do many children dream of becoming a champion or successful athlete or joining a top
team?
5. Which factors are key to the realization of a young person’s dreams in sports or other fields?
Chapter 4

2 Critical thinking  Read the following information and interpret the title of the reading text I Never
Made it to the NFL. Compare ideas with a partner or in a group.

You are going to read an excerpt from Professor Randy Pausch’s book The Last Lecture, titled
I Never Made it to the NFL. Professor Pausch had been asked to talk about the issues and
important lessons and thoughts that he would share if he knew that it was his last chance. The
book contained the information of his last lecture as well as additional thoughts and comments.

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 Compete or Cooperate?
Tip The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football
association that consists of 32 teams.

3 Thinking and predicting  Read part of the introduction to the main text and discuss the questions.

Professors are sometimes asked what they would say in a “last lecture.” In other words, what
wisdom and important life lessons would they share, if they knew it was their last chance?
When Carnegie-Mellon computer science professor Randy Pausch was asked to participate
in his university’s “last lecture” series, he was in a unique situation: He had recently been
diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. On September 18, 2007, he gave what would indeed
be his last lecture. Pausch, a married father of three young children, was only 46 at the time.
Since then, 10 million people have watched the video of his lecture, Really Achieving Your
Childhood Dreams (www.thelastlecture.com). In April 2008, the book The Last Lecture was
published. It contained the information in the lecture, as well as additional insights Pausch
wanted to share. The book immediately became a number-one bestseller. The following
selection is an excerpt from that book. Although Pausch reports in the book that he “never
made it to the NFL” (National Football League), a few months after his lecture, he was invited to
participate in a Pittsburgh Steelers practice.

1. Why do you think the professor chose to talk about the NFL? What can you infer about his
dreams and ambitions?
2. Would you expect his attitude and viewpoints to be optimistic or pessimistic? Give reasons for
your answer.
3. In your view, what was the impact of the Pittsburgh Steelers' invitation? How do you think it
made Professor Pausch feel?
4. What does this development (the invitation) imply in relation to dreams and their achievement?
Discuss your views.

While You Read

4 Reading  Read the text I Never Made it to the NFL and compare it with your ideas and expectations
in 2 and 3.

I Never Made it to the NFL

From The Last Lecture
By Randy Pausch with Jeffrey Zaslow

Professors are sometimes asked what they would say in a “last lecture.” In other words, what
wisdom and important life lessons would they share, if they knew it was their last chance?
When Carnegie-Mellon computer science professor Randy Pausch was asked to participate in
his university’s “last lecture” series, he was in a unique situation: He had recently been
diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. On September 18, 2007, he gave what would indeed
be his last lecture. Pausch, a married father of three young children, was only 46 at the time.
Since then, 10 million people have watched the video of his lecture, Really Achieving Your
Childhood Dreams (www.thelastlecture.com). In April 2008, the book The Last Lecture was
published. It contained the information in the lecture, as well as additional insights Pausch
wanted to share. The book immediately became a number-one bestseller. The following

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 selection is an excerpt from that book. Although Pausch reports in the book that he “never
made it to the NFL” (National Football League), a few months after his lecture, he was invited to
participate in a Pittsburgh Steelers practice. So in a different way from what he had envisioned
as a boy, Pausch did achieve his childhood dream of “making it to the NFL.” An award-winning
teacher and researcher, Pausch also led the Alice Project (www.alice.org), which uses
storytelling and interactive game playing in a 3-D environment to introduce young people to
computer programming. The software makes it easy for users to create animation. Professor
Pausch has also worked with Google, Adobe, Electronic Arts, and Walt Disney Imagineering
– achieving many of his childhood dreams along the way.
1 I love football. Tackle football. I started playing when I was nine years
old, and football got me through. It helped make me who I am today. And
even though I did not reach the National Football League, I sometimes
think I got more from pursuing that dream, and not accomplishing it,
than I did from many of the ones I did accomplish.
2 My romance with football started when my dad dragged me, kicking and
screaming, to join a league. I had no desire to be there. I was naturally
wimpy, and the smallest kid by far. Fear turned to awe when I met my
coach, Jim Graham, a hulking, six-foot-four wall-of-a-guy. He had been
a linebacker at Penn State, and was seriously old-school. I mean, really
old-school; like he thought the forward pass was a trick play.
3 On the first day of practice, we were all scared to death. Plus, he hadn’t
brought along any footballs.
4 One kid finally spoke up for all of us. “Excuse me, Coach. There are no footballs.”
5 And Coach Graham responded, “We don’t need any footballs.”
6 There was a silence, while we thought about that…
7 “How many men are on the football field at a time?” he asked us.
8 Eleven on a team, we answered. So that makes twenty-two.
9 “And how many people are touching the football at any given time?”
10 One of them.
11 “Right!” he said. “So we’re going to work on what those other twenty-one
guys are doing.”
12 Fundamentals. That was a great gift Coach Graham gave us.
Fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals. As a college professor, I’ve
seen this as one lesson so many kids ignore, always to their detriment:
You’ve got to get the fundamentals down, because otherwise the fancy
stuff is not going to work.
***
13 Coach Graham used to work me hard. I remember one practice in particular. “You’re doing
it all wrong, Pausch. Go back! Do it again!” I tried to do what he wanted. It wasn’t enough.
“You owe me, Pausch! You’re doing push-ups after practice.”
Chapter 4

14 When I was finally dismissed, one of the assistant coaches came over to reassure me.
“Coach Graham worked you pretty hard, didn’t he?” he said.
15 I could barely muster a “yeah.”
16 “That’s a good thing,” the assistant told me. “When you’re messing up and nobody says
anything to you anymore, that means they’ve given up on you.”
17 That lesson has stuck with me my whole life. When you see yourself doing something badly

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 Compete or Cooperate?
and nobody’s bothering to tell you anymore, that’s a bad place to be. You may not want to
hear it, but your critics are often the ones telling you they still love you and care about you
and want to make you better.
18 There’s a lot of talk these days about giving children self-esteem. It is not something you can
give; it is something they have to build. Coach Graham worked in a no-coddling zone. Self-
esteem? He knew there was really only one way to teach kids how to develop it. You give
them something they can’t do, they work hard until they find they can do it, and you just
keep repeating the process.
19 When Coach Graham first got hold of me, I was this wimpy kid with no skills, no physical
strength, and no conditioning. But he made me realize that if I work hard enough, there will
be things I can do tomorrow that I can’t do today. Even now, having just turned forty-seven,
I can give you a three-point stance that any NFL lineman would be proud of.
20 I realize that, these days, a guy like Coach Graham might get thrown out of a youth sports
league. He’d be too tough. Parents would complain.
21 I haven’t seen Coach Graham since I was a teen, but he just keeps showing up in my head,
forcing me to work harder whenever I feel like quitting, forcing me to be better. He gave me
a feedback loop for life.
***
22 When we send our kids to play organized sports – football, soccer, swimming, whatever –
for most of us, it is not because we’re desperate for them to learn the intricacies of the sport.
23 What we really want them to learn is far more important: teamwork, perseverance,
sportsmanship, the value of hard work, an ability to deal with adversity. This kind of
indirect learning is what some of us like to call a “head fake.”
24 There are two kinds of head fakes. The first is literal. On a football field, a player will move
his head one way so you’ll think he’s going in that direction. Then he goes the opposite way.
It is like a magician using misdirection. Coach Graham used to tell us to watch a player’s
waist. “Where his belly button goes, his body goes,” he’d say.
25 The second kind of head fake is the really important one – the one that teaches people
things they don’t realize they’re learning until well into the process. If you’re a head-fake
specialist, your hidden objective is to get them to learn something you want them to learn.
26 This kind of head-fake learning is absolutely vital. And Coach Graham was the master.

5 Reading for detail  Read the excerpt and answer the questions. Compare answers with a partner or
in a group.
1. What did Randy Pausch believe with regard to his childhood dream of playing in the NFL?
2. What does “head-fake learning” refer to?
3. Why would Coach Graham most likely not last long in one of today’s youth sports leagues?
4. What was Coach Graham’s approach to helping children gain self-esteem?
5. What is Pausch’s opinion about receiving criticism?

6 Critical reading  Read the excerpt again and answer the questions. Make notes and compare ideas
with a partner or in a group.
1. What is the author’s intended audience? (Children, adults, students, or other?)
2. What is the author’s point of view about:
• learning “fundamentals” • the purpose of organized sports for kids
• building self-esteem • “head-fake” learning?

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 After You Read

Language Focus Figuring Out Idiomatic Expressions and

Specialized Terms
An idiomatic expression is a group of words with a meaning that is different from the meaning
of each individual word, such as give up on someone/something, which means to “stop hoping
that someone or something will ever improve.” Learning expressions like these will help you to
understand conversations and read informal writing in English.
Specialized terms are the words associated with a particular area of knowledge, for example,
in this chapter, sports terms. Readings and discussions relating to sporting events include their
own specialized vocabulary. For example, you might hear in an American football game about a
forward pass, which means to “throw the ball towards the opponent’s goal.” Often you can figure
out the meanings of these words from their context.

7 Getting the meaning of idiomatic expressions from context  In the first reading, Randy Pausch and
his coauthor use a number of common idiomatic expressions. Find each idiomatic expression in the
text and try to figure out its meaning. (The relevant paragraph number is provided in parentheses.)
Then choose the definition that best fits the meaning.

1. got me through (1)

A helped me understand B taught me how to move C helped me survive
2. dragged me, kicking and screaming (2)
A made me behave badly B made me do something I didn’t want to do
C made a lot of noise
3. six-foot-four wall-of-a-guy (2)
A very stubborn B very tall and well built C very fat
4. old-school (2)
A he had traditional or old-fashioned ideas and methods
B he was born a long time ago C he was an old student
5. scared to death (3)
A afraid to die B very afraid C very anxious
6. to their detriment (12)
A to their good fortune B in a harmful way for them C by mistake
7. get the fundamentals down (12)
A master the fundamentals B put them on the ground C forget them
Chapter 4

8. you owe me (13)

A you have to give me money B you promised me something
C you will do something for me in the future
9. messing up (16)
A making something dirty B doing something incorrectly C making a mess

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 Compete or Cooperate?
10. stuck with me (17)
A had to go wherever I went B always remained in my memory
C was in one of my books
11. worked in a no-coddling zone (18)
A had no rules B was unfriendly C didn’t protect children too much
12. he just keeps showing up in my head (21)
A he visits me often B he is often on TV shows C I keep on remembering him
13. gave me a feedback loop (21)
A made me do the same thing repeatedly
B I gave away food I didn’t like
C motivated me constantly so that I would improve

8 Getting the meaning of specialized terms from context  Find each specialized term relating to
American football in the text and try to figure out its meaning. Then choose the definition that best
fits the meaning.

Μeaning Definitions
1. tackle football (1) Α a player who tries to stop players from the other team
from scoring by tackling them
2. linebacker (2) Β one of the players on the line of scrimmage at the start
of each play
3. trick play (2) C a game where you try to take the ball from an opposing
player by taking hold of him/her and making them fall
4. three-point stance (19) D a play made to fool opponents
5. lineman (19) E moving the head in a way that deceives an opponent as
to your intended direction
6. head fake (23) F a position in which a player has one hand touching the
ground and his other arm bent at the thigh/hip region

9 Discussing the excerpt

1. Look back at your notes about the author’s viewpoints in 6 and express your opinion. Do you
agree or disagree with the author’s viewpoints? Justify your answers and discuss them with a
partner or your group.
2. Reflect on your childhood dreams and ambitions and make notes. Then tell your partner or
your group about one of them.
My dream:

Developments (how I stuck to it or changed my mind):


Outcome (whether it was achieved or not/factors that affected the outcome):



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 Reading 2 Furnishing the Globe
Before You Read

1 Topic  Look at the images and discuss the following questions with a partner or in a small group.

IKEA, Moscow, Russia IKEA, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

The IKEA shopping experience IKEA, Batu Kawan, Penang, Malaysia

1. Why is it that you can walk into apartments or houses in Asia and see the same furniture that
you can see in European homes?
2. Do you think it is important for companies to support environmental and humanitarian causes?
Why? Why not?
3. Can you name the founders of at least two global businesses? What do you think contributed
to their success?

2 Thinking and predicting  Read the title and the section headings of the article about IKEA and its
founder in 5. Think about ideas and information you expect to read about in each section. Make
notes in the chart.

Title and Headings Content (Type of Information, Ideas)

Furnishing the Globe
Planting the Seeds of
Chapter 4

an Enterprise
Success Rooted in
Innovation
Cultivating Planet-
Friendly Attitudes

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 Compete or Cooperate?
3 Thinking and guessing  Read and complete the sentences. Circle the answer that is correct in your
view. You can check if your answers are correct after you have read the article.

1. IKEA has retail stores in countries around the world.

A 28 B 52
2. IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad was well known for his lifestyle.
A extravagant B simple
3. Ingvar Kamprad grew up .
A near Stockholm B near a small village
4. IKEA’s founder set up his business .
A at the age of 17 B just after graduating from university
5. The IKEA motto is “We side with .”
A the planet B the many people
6. IKEA’s main aim is to sell products that are .
A functional and stylish B easy to load into your car
7. IKEA has invested approximately two and a half billion euro in .
A natural materials B renewable energy

4 Figuring out meaning from context  Read the sentences and use the context to figure out the
meaning of the underlined words. Mark the correct answer.

1. IKEA is the largest and fastest-growing furniture retailer in the world.

A factory that makes products
B business that sells products to consumers
C business that sells products to stores
2. Swedish businessman Ingvar Kamprad was the founder and former chairman of IKEA.
A person in charge of a company
B manager of a store
C person who designs chairs
3. When he could no longer handle the distribution of goods himself, he started a mail-order
service.
A production
B storage
C delivery
4. He decided to diversify his product line by adding
furniture.
A increase the variety of
B increase advertising for
C replace completely
5. IKEA stays competitive by meeting market demands.
A increases in sales
B business requirements
C what consumers want to buy

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 6. With so many retail outlets, IKEA orders large volumes from its manufacturers.
A company managers
B places where products are stored
C factories that make products
7. In 2018, IKEA Group reported €38.8 billion in total sales revenues and, after operating costs
and taxes, net profits of €1.47 billion.
A expenses for business operations
B income after taxes and expenses
C income before taxes and expenses
8. In 2018, IKEA Group reported €38.8 billion in total sales revenues and, after operating costs
and taxes, net profits of €1.47 billion.
A income after taxes and expenses
B income before taxes and expenses
C expenses for business operations

While You Read

5 Reading  Read the article and compare your answers in 2 and 3 with the information in the article.
Discuss with a partner or in a group.

Furnishing the Globe

1 A What do many households in Montreal, Sydney, Berlin, Paris, Jeddah, and Shanghai have
in common? Perhaps a HOLMÖ floor lamp, a BJURSTA table, a KARLSTAD sofa, GRUNKA
kitchen utensils, DVALA bed linens, or one of the 203 million catalogs from IKEA. Since 1943,
IKEA has become a worldwide phenomenon selling low-priced furniture, home accessories,
5 household appliances, and kitchen products at 430 retail stores in 52 countries around the
globe. New stores are sprouting up annually, making it the largest and fastest-growing
furniture retailer.
B IKEA is the brainchild of Ingvar Kamprad, the company’s founder and former chairman.
He was one of the most successful and prosperous businessmen in the world. Despite his
10 enormous wealth, Kamprad was renowned for his down-to-earth lifestyle: living in a modest
bungalow, flying economy class, driving a 1993 Volvo (which he eventually gave up), and even
recycling tea bags. He died in 2018.

Planting the Seeds of an Enterprise

C Born in 1926, Kamprad grew up on a family farm named Elmtaryd, near the small village of
15 Agunnaryd, Sweden. Even as a young boy, he displayed the resourcefulness and savvy of
an entrepreneur. At the age of five, he started buying matches at bulk prices in Stockholm
and resold them to his neighbors at a good profit. He later expanded his enterprise to include
seeds, greeting cards, pens, and pencils, while reaching a wider public by bicycle. At 17,
Chapter 4

he was awarded a sum of money from his father for graduation and immediately set up a
20 business, which he called IKEA. The name derives from the initials of his name (IK), plus the
first letter of the family farm (E) and the nearby village (A).
D As his business grew, Kamprad could no longer handle the distribution of goods himself, so
he began a mail-order service and advertised in local newspapers, using a local milk van for
deliveries. Then in 1948, he decided to diversify his product line by adding furniture. A decade
25 later, the first IKEA store opened its doors in Älmhult, Sweden.

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 Compete or Cooperate?
Success Rooted in Innovation
E The IKEA motto is “We side with the many people – what is
good for people is also good for us in the long run.” In tough
economic times, IKEA is plowing through the competition
30 by meeting market demands of affordable, hard-wearing,
functional, yet stylish home furnishings. The company owes
much of its success to Kamprad’s innovative cost-cutting
ideas, such as flat-pack boxes and ready-to-assemble
furniture components, which benefit both the retailer and
35 the customer. Flat packaging greatly reduces the costs of
warehouse storage and transport. Meanwhile, consumers
can conveniently load boxes into their vehicle, thus
avoiding costly shipping fees. With so many retail outlets, IKEA orders large volumes from its
manufacturers, which slashes purchasing costs. In turn, this enables the company to sell items
40 for less, attract more customers, and increase its overall sales. In 2018, IKEA Group reported
€38.8 billion in total sales revenues and, after operating costs and taxes, net profits of €1.47
billion.

Cultivating Planet-Friendly Attitudes

F IKEA is more than a furniture retailer. It invests in the
45 environment and in people; it is committed to implementing
policies that reduce pollution, sustain natural resources,
and support human rights. In an effort to reduce carbon
emissions, IKEA has invested about €2.5 billion in renewable
energy. In 2018, 48 percent of the company’s total energy
50 consumption was generated by renewable sources, with
a total of 441 wind turbines and 900,000 solar panels. Its
long-term goal is to produce more renewable energy than it
consumes and to achieve 100 percent renewable energy for
all its buildings.
55 G IKEA is reportedly the world’s largest consumer of wood,
not to mention a huge consumer of cotton. Therefore, it is
in the company’s best interests to preserve such valuable
resources. In cooperation with the World Wildlife Federation
(WWF) and other international organizations, IKEA plays
60 an active role in setting standards for proper forestry
management and better cotton cultivation. All wood and cotton used for IKEA products has
to meet certain requirements, and its suppliers must comply with the company’s IWAY code of
conduct.
H The first item of IWAY states that “IKEA does not accept child labour.” For well over a decade,
65 the IKEA Foundation has funded children’s projects run by UNICEF, Save the Children, and
UNHCR (The UN Refugee Agency), which defend children’s rights, giving them access to
education, healthcare, and a stable home. In 2018 alone, the company donated €175 million.
Its annual “Soft Toys for Education” campaign, which donates €1 for every soft toy sold, has
raised more than €67 million. The campaign has reached more than 11 million children in 46
70 countries through 99 projects.

* Facts and figures in this article are from www.ikea.com, www.ikeafoundation.org, and www.statista.com.

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 Skills Focus Scanning
Strategy
Scanning for Numbers
Scanning is reading quickly to find particular bits of information. When you read for business,
numbers are important. You can pick up information about business by scanning for numbers
and seeing what they mean. To scan, follow these steps:

⊲ Think of what you are looking for.

⊲ Move your eyes quickly through the text until you find it. Do not pay attention to anything
else.
⊲ Stop and record the information.

6 Scanning for numbers  Scan the article in 5 for the numbers needed to fill in the following blanks.

1. In 2018, the IKEA Foundation donated € to charity.

2. IKEA published catalogs.
3. IKEA’s sales revenues for 2018 were € , and its net profits were
euro.
4. When the article was written, IKEA had retail stores in
countries.
5. In 2018, % of IKEA’s total energy consumption was generated by renewable
sources.
6. Ingvar Kamprad founded IKEA in the year when he was
years old.
7. IKEA has invested € in renewable energy sources.
8. In 2018, IKEA had wind turbines and solar panels to produce
renewable energy.
9. Donating € for each toy sold, IKEA’s “Soft Toys for Education” campaign has
raised over € .
10. The first IKEA furniture store was opened in Älmhult, Sweden, in the year .
(Hint: This answer requires some calculation.)

7 Selecting the main idea  Circle the number of the statement below that you think best expresses
the main idea of the article Furnishing the Globe. Why is it better than the other two? In pairs discuss
your answers.

1. IKEA, founded by Ingvar Kamprad in 1943, is the world’s largest and fastest-growing furniture
retailer with new stores opening up around the globe every year.
Chapter 4

2. The innovative ideas of Ingvar Kamprad helped him build a successful company that stays
competitive by meeting the needs of its customers and by investing in the future of the planet.
3. IKEA is a global success due to the innovative ideas of Ingvar Kamprad, which enable the
company to cut manufacturing costs and sell items at more affordable prices to consumers.

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 Compete or Cooperate?
After You Read

Language Focus Understanding Metaphors

Another aspect of reading texts that presents a challenge in a second language is the metaphor.
A metaphor is an implied (suggested) comparison made by using a word or phrase associated
with one thing to describe something completely different. For example, in the reading, it says
that “new stores are sprouting up annually.” Stores do not literally sprout up like seeds or plants,
of course. But the way the new stores are opening up is similar to the way that seeds sprout up
from the ground. The opening of new stores is being compared to sprouting seeds.
Another example is the sentence “it is in the company’s best interests to preserve valuable
resources.” The company is described as a person who has interests. Personification, presenting
a thing with the qualities of a person, is another type of metaphor.
Metaphors add interest and sometimes humor to writing.

8 Understanding metaphors  The following are examples of sentences showing the common usage
of certain verbs. These verbs are also used as metaphors in the article Furnishing the Globe. Work
alone or with a partner and find the examples from the reading selection using this same verb
as a metaphor. Look for the meaning in the surrounding sentences. Then explain what is being
compared to what. The first one is done as an example.

1. Common usage of sprout: We only put the seeds in the ground last week, and now the beans
are sprouting in the garden.
Usage in the article: New
stores are sprouting up annually. (line 6)
Metaphor: The opening of new stores is being compared to sprouting seeds.
2. Common usage of plant: You should plant the corn seeds in May when the soil is warm.
Usage in the article:  . (line 13)
Metaphor: is being compared to .
3. Common usage of root: If you take a plant and put it in water, it will root in about six weeks.
Usage in the article:  . (line 26)
Metaphor: is being compared to .
4. Common usage of plow: Farmers usually plow their fields before planting seeds.
Usage in the article:  . (line 29)
Metaphor: is being compared to .
5. Common usage of slash: Someone slashed my car’s tires.
Usage in the article:  . (line 39)
Metaphor: is being compared to .
6. Common usage of cultivate: People began to cultivate rice in China over 8,000 years ago.
Usage in the article:  . (line 43)
Metaphor: is being compared to .

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 Language Focus Using Compound Adjectives

English has many compound adjectives: words made up of two or sometimes three smaller
words, often connected by a hyphen. Usually, you can guess the meaning by breaking the word
into smaller words. The article about IKEA uses several compound adjectives. For example,
it mentions household appliances. An appliance is a machine powered by electricity, and
household means “used in the home.” Can you name common household appliances?

9 Using compound adjectives  Match each compound adjective on the left with the noun it is
modifying on the right. You can scan the article to find each compound adjective and noun.

Compound Adjective Noun

1. cost-cutting A service
2. down-to-earth B home furnishings
3. fastest-growing C lifestyle
4. flat-pack D goal
5. hard-wearing E furniture components
6. long-term F boxes
7. low-priced G attitudes
8. mail-order H furniture retailer
9. planet-friendly I ideas
10. ready-to-assemble J furniture

10 Inferring meaning  The following words in the left-hand column are from the article in 5. Use the
context to work out their meaning and then match them with the definitions on the right. When you
finish, think about what clues you used to work out the meaning of these words.

Words from the Article Definitions

1. affordable A practical
2. bulk B allows
3. comply with C huge
4. components D parts of a larger construction
5. conveniently E wholesale
Chapter 4

6. enables F easily
7. enormous G meet specific standards
8. expanded H inexpensive
9. functional I made bigger

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 Compete or Cooperate?
10. innovative J intelligence
11. prosperous K secure and lasting
12. savvy L difficult
13. stable M quantities
14. sustain N maintain
15. tough O new and original
16. volumes P wealthy

11 Thinking and discussing  In small groups, discuss three of the following four topics. Write a group
opinion statement about them.

1. Ingvar Kamprad
What kind of a man was Ingvar Kamprad? What words are used in the article to describe him?
What other words could be used to describe his character? Where did he grow up? How did
his circumstances change during his lifetime? How was he different from many successful
businessmen? What do we know about his tastes and preferences? How do you think his
background and lifestyle affected the way he ran his business?
2. IKEA Stores and Products
Have you ever shopped at an IKEA store or browsed through one of their catalogs? What
items do you find most appealing? What items do you find least appealing? Explain. How is
IKEA different from other furniture stores? If you have never visited IKEA, do you think you
would like to shop there? What items do you think you would be most likely to buy?
3. IKEA’s Environmental Policies
What do you think of IKEA’s policies concerning the preservation of natural resources such
as wood and cotton? What is your opinion about its strategies on using renewable sources
of energy? Do you know of any other companies that have similar policies regarding natural
resources or which use renewable energy? Do you think there should be laws that require all
companies to invest a percentage of their profits in renewable energy?
4. Global Brands
Many people are critical of global brands and international companies such as IKEA,
claiming that they interfere with cultural traditions and put local industries at risk. What are
the advantages and disadvantages of global brands? Do you think international companies
create an atmosphere of healthy competition or do they cause harm to traditional and local
businesses? Do they create job opportunities or put local people out of work? Would you like
to work for a company like IKEA? Why or why not? Explain.

12 Blogging  Post your opinions on how IKEA is different from other furniture stores on OUR BLOG
or OUR BLOARD (a board or other surface in class that you can post comments or other work on).
Comment on each other’s opinions.

OUR BLOG Blog About me Gallery Contact

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 Writing Dreams and Ambitions

1 Topic  Look at the images and discuss the questions in groups.

1. How are the people in the images feeling? Why?

2. What do people usually dream about when they are young? What did you dream about when
Chapter 4

you were a young child?

3. Reflect on your childhood dreams that have come true.
4. Reflect on those childhood dreams that were never fulfilled. Why didn’t they come true?
5. What’s the difference between a dream you see in your sleep and a dream you wish to fulfill?

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 Compete or Cooperate?
2 Brainstorming  Think about your childhood dreams. Reflect on your most important dream and
whether it came true. Complete the following chart with information about your dream.

• Main idea 

• Supporting detail 1 
Your dream 

• Supporting detail 2 


• Your actions 

Your efforts to
fulfill your dream
• Other factors 


• Effect/result 

The result
• Cause/reason 


3 Thinking critically  Think back to what you read in the text I Never Made it to the NFL and make
notes on the following points:

• the writer’s childhood dream

• what he did to accomplish it
• what he learned that affected the process
• how he felt at different points
• the overall lesson he learned
• the outcome.

4 Reading again  Read the text I Never Made it to the NFL again and in pairs discuss your notes in 3.
Then with your partner or group, discuss and answer the following questions.

1. What is the author’s purpose?

2. What is the author’s tone in this selection?
3. What is his point of view about “fundamentals”? How does he emphasize it?
4. What is his point of view regarding organized sports for kids? Where does he state it?

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 5 Reading and noticing text features  The writer of the article organizes his information by
alternating facts and opinions. This involves narrative parts and direct speech, which gives his
article life. In pairs or small groups, identify how the writer has organized his paragraphs. Make
notes in the chart.

Paragraphs 1–2 Facts:

Opinions:
Paragraphs 3–12 Facts:
Opinions:
Paragraphs 13–17 Facts:
Opinions:
Paragraphs 18–21 Facts:
Opinions:
Paragraphs 22–26 Facts:
Opinions:

Tip Facts are statements that are backed by evidence, so they are considered to be
true. Opinions express what a person believes or thinks about something and
may or may not be based on facts.

Skills Focus Connecting Ideas

Strategy
Connecting Ideas Without Transition Words
Sometimes you do not need to use transition words to connect paragraphs. Alternating direct
speech with narrative sections or shifting time reference can be a way to connect your ideas.

6 Focusing on connecting ideas  Notice how the author connects his ideas and moves from one
paragraph to the next. Does he use transition words or does he start a new paragraph without
connection to the previous one? Can you think of reasons why?

7 Drafting an article  Use your notes in 3 and 5 to help you prepare to write a short article about a
dream or ambition you failed to accomplish. Reflect on how you can organize facts and opinions.
Decide on how you will alternate narrative parts and direct speech. Think about how you will
connect your ideas. Use the chart with your notes in 5 to help you.

8 Drafting and editing 1: peer review  Read your drafts and make changes. Hand over your draft to
another student to review and comment.
Chapter 4

9 Drafting and editing 2: peer review  Read the comments on your first draft and make corrections.
Exchange second drafts with a partner. Review changes, corrections, and improvements.

10 Rewriting and finalizing  Rewrite and finalize your article.

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 Compete or Cooperate?
SELF-EVALUATION
Reflect on your learning and assess your progress. Read and circle the number that represents
your progress. Use the key below.

5 outstanding 4 very good 3 satisfactory 2 limited 1 unsatisfactory

READING
I can interpret images and make creative comments. 5 4 3 2 1
I can activate and answer questions using what I know about a topic. 5 4 3 2 1
I can brainstorm and recall words and phrases related to a topic. 5 4 3 2 1
I can find the main idea of a reading text. 5 4 3 2 1
I can distinguish facts and opinions. 5 4 3 2 1
I can analyze the title of a reading. 5 4 3 2 1
I can understand metaphors. 5 4 3 2 1
I can scan for numbers. 5 4 3 2 1
VOCABULARY
I can understand vocabulary from context. 5 4 3 2 1
I can figure out idiomatic expressions. 5 4 3 2 1
I can identify specialized terms. 5 4 3 2 1
I can identify and use compound adjectives. 5 4 3 2 1
WRITING
I can make notes on information presented in the text. 5 4 3 2 1
I can note down facts and details found in a paragraph. 5 4 3 2 1
I can write about dreams and ambitions. 5 4 3 2 1
I can connect ideas without using transition words. 5 4 3 2 1
I can draft, edit, redraft, and finalize written work. 5 4 3 2 1
I can review and comment on written work. 5 4 3 2 1
RESEARCH AND DOCUMENT
I can search and find relevant sources on the Internet. 5 4 3 2 1
I can evaluate and select appropriate sources and data. 5 4 3 2 1
I can use data selectively to create my own document. 5 4 3 2 1
I can cite references that I used in my research. 5 4 3 2 1

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 Chapter

5
The Ties
That Bind
Chapter Goals
♦ Reading: Identifying the main ideas of paragraphs
in a reading text, making inferences about the
relationship between people in a dialogue,
identifying the different elements of an expository
essay.
♦ Writing: Making notes in order to compare different
situations, defining a clear thesis statement for
an expository essay, developing the topic of an
expository essay in complete body paragraphs.

Focus on the Images

♦ H
ow are families today different from families in the
past?
♦ In your opinion, have relationships between family
members changed in the last few decades? Explain
your answer.
♦ Do you believe that the roles of different members
within a modern-day family have changed in a
positive or negative way? Why? Why not?
♦ In your opinion, has our changing society made
communication between men and women better or
worse? Why? Why not?
♦ How do changes in society affect families and how
children are raised?

Brainstorm and Associate

♦ Words and phrases that come to mind about
families and relationships in the past and now
♦ Thoughts and feelings about raising a family

Think and Comment

“You have a lifetime to work, but

children are only young once.
Polish proverb
”
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 Reading 1 Who’s Taking Care of the Children?
Before You Read

1 Topic  Look at the images and discuss the following questions with a partner or in a small group.

1. How is the lifestyle of families in your culture today different from that of your parents and
grandparents?
2. What difficulties do parents face today and what difficulties did they face in the past in raising
a family?
3. Name some useful advice for a young couple raising children today.

2 Thinking and discussing  The article in 4 discusses child care today and makes some comparisons
with this situation in the past. Before you read, think about how young couples raise their children
and how this is different from the past. Make notes in the following chart and compare your ideas in
small groups.

Past Present
Chapter 5

 
 

 
 

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 The Ties That Bind
3 Finding the topic of an article  Before you read the following article, look at the title, headings,
images, and captions. What do you think the article is about? Make notes. Then compare your ideas
with a partner.



While You Read

4 Reading  Read the article and compare it with your answers to 2 and 3.

Who's Taking Care of the Children?

A Around the world, more and more women are working outside the home. In the United States,
just over 70% of women with children under the age of 18 have another job besides that of
mother and homemaker. The situation for European mothers is similar: around 71% of women
whose youngest child is 3–5 years of age also have other work, and this figure rises as their
children get older. Most women are employed in traditional fields for females, such as clerical,
sales, education, nursing, and service. However, a growing number choose a career that
necessitates spending many hours away from home. These women are engineers, politicians,
doctors, lawyers, and scientists, and a few have begun to occupy executive positions in
business, government, and banking, breaking through the so-called glass ceiling.
B Monetary factors are one of the considerations that influence women to work. With the cost of
living steadily increasing, one income in the household is simply not enough, so both parents
must work to support the family.
C A backward glance from this side of the new millennium reveals that the role of married
women in many countries has changed radically since the 1950s and 1960s, when it was
taken for granted that they would stay home and raise the children. This was the image often
portrayed in television series and advertising. In fact, the traditional combination of the
husband as exclusive breadwinner and the wife as a stay-at-home mom caring for one or two
children today only accounts for a small proportion of the population.
D Who, then, is taking care of the children?

Child Care Options

E When extended families – children, parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles – lived in the
same town and sometimes in the same house, a relative of the working parents took care of
the children. But since the advent of the Industrial Revolution, people have moved away from
farms and small towns to find better job opportunities in larger cities. Today, most households
consist of just the immediate family – mother, father, and children.
F So who watches the children while the parents work? Answers to
this question are varied:
• Some parents put children in public day-care facilities, such as
day-care centers, nursery schools, and preschools.
• Some parents prefer informal day care in the private homes of
relatives, friends, or neighbors.
• Companies and hospitals are realizing that providing day
care at the workplace makes for happier and more productive
employees.
• Couples that are wealthy enough may hire a nanny, a woman A nanny looks after children
who comes to care for the children in their own home. in their own home.

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 Sharing Household Responsibilities
G A trend that has emerged recently is the sharing of child care responsibilities between
husband and wife. Young couples will try to arrange their work schedules so that they work
opposite hours – day shift or evening shift – in order that one parent is always home with the
children. Since child care is expensive, this saves money for the young couple trying to
establish themselves and provide a secure environment for the family. Husband and wife may
also share household chores. Some fathers are just as capable as mothers at cooking dinner,
changing and bathing the baby, and doing the laundry.
H One positive trend is that fathers seem to be spending more
time with their children. In a survey, 41% of the children
questioned said they spend equal time with their mothers
and fathers. “This is one of our most significant cultural
changes,” says Dr. Leon Hoffman, who co-directs the
Pacella Parent Child Center at the New York Psychoanalytic
Society & Institute. In practice for over 40 years, Hoffman
has found a “very dramatic difference in the involvement
of the father – in everything from care taking to general
decision making around kids’ lives.” Today, parents share child
care responsibilities.
Alternative Work Arrangements
I Some working mothers are employed full time, some part time, and some seek creative
solutions such as flextime work schedules and job sharing. Both allow for more flexible
working hours and make it possible for mothers to be there when their young children need
them. Job sharing has the added advantage that people who share the job often cover for each
other if unexpected family needs arise.

A mother working at home while caring for her child

J Another factor has recently been added to the child care formula. In 2017, 5.2% of Americans
Chapter 5

worked from home, up from 5% in 2016 and 3.3% in 2000. Some were self-employed and
some worked for companies. In the European Union, 18.1% of self-employed people and 2.8%
of employees usually work from home. The accessibility of technology – computers, faxes,
teleconferencing – has made it easier for at-home workers to be constantly in touch.
K Will this new flexibility in the workforce bring a positive change for the well-being of children?
Only time will tell.

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 The Ties That Bind
Skills Focus Paragraphs
Strategy
Identifying the Main Idea of Paragraphs
The main idea of a paragraph is the most important point that the author wants to communicate
to readers about the topic of that paragraph. It is like a brief summary of the paragraph – it
tells you what the paragraph is generally about. Sometimes the main idea is stated directly, but
sometimes it is only implied. When that happens, look closely at specific words and sentences
that are used and repeated to help you decide what the author is trying to tell you.
To find the main idea of a paragraph, follow these tips:
1. Identify the topic. Who or what is the paragraph about?
2. Summarize the paragraph in your own words in one sentence.
3. Look at the first and last sentences of the paragraph. Authors sometimes state the
main idea in or near those sentences.
4. When paragraphs are difficult to summarize because they have a lot of information,
look for repeated words, phrases, and ideas.

5 Identifying the main idea of a paragraph  Read the paragraphs indicated in the following chart
and find their main idea. Use the guidelines in the Skills Focus box to help you. Then compare your
ideas with a partner or in a group.

Paragraph Topic Main Idea

A women working outside the More and more women around the world have
home jobs outside the home.

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 6 Vocabulary  Read and listen to the words and phrases listed in the left-hand column. Read the text
again and use the context to work out their meaning. Then match these words and phrases with
their definitions.

Word Definition
1. breadwinner A something that prevents someone, especially a woman,
from getting a more important position at work
2. clerical B changing arrival and departure times at work
3. extended family C one job performed by two people who each work part
time
4. flextime D completely, extremely
5. glass ceiling E able to contact each other regularly
6. immediate family F shown or represented as a particular type of character
7. in touch G person who earns money for a family to live on
8. job sharing H children, parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, and
other relatives like aunts, uncles, and cousins
9. nanny I parents, children, brothers, sisters, husband, wife
10. portrayed J a new development
11. radically K person who cares for children in their home
12. self-employed L concerned with work that is done in an office
13. shift M period of time during which a person works
14. trend N working for yourself

After You Read

7 Completing sentences  Complete the sentences with the right words or phrases from the chart.
Use the definitions to help you.

1. After many years of working for a big company, John decided to quit and start his own job as
a(n) accountant.
2. Jack’s business was not going well. The only option he had was to work harder because he
was the only in the family.
3. The main character in the movie is as a very unkind person.
4. His health condition deteriorated over the last month.
5. She was the first woman to break through the in the aerospace engineering
industry.
6. This is a photograph of my mother’s . You can see her parents, her brothers
and sisters, her grandparents, and one of her uncles.
Chapter 5

7. is a great solution for workers who want to work fewer hours to care for
someone at home, or who would simply like a lighter workload without quitting altogether.
8. Employees who struggle to manage their professional and personal lives based on a standard
9 to 5 work schedule are encouraged to ask for .
9. She does not want to quit her job to stay home with the children. She prefers to hire
a .

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 The Ties That Bind
10. Visits to seriously ill patients in hospital are limited to .
11. Moving around the city on a bicycle is the new .
12. If you get the factory job, remember that you may have a morning, afternoon, or
night .
13. Even though we won’t see each other often, we’ll still keep !
14. The sudden appearance of one million dollars in his bank account was unfortunately due to
a error.

8 Identifying words from the same family  Many words are members of a word family because they
have the same root and differ from the other because of a prefix or suffix. Fill in each blank with a
word from the reading text that is in the same family as the word in italics. The first sentence is done
for you as a model.

1. Today, more and more women are seeking employment outside the home. Many of them are
working mothers who are employed in traditional fields such as education, sales, clerical
work, and services.
2. It is necessary for some working parents to spend many hours away from home. This
making suitable arrangements for the care of young children.
3. Supporting a family today requires a lot of money. Therefore, factors are a
major influence in women’s decision to work.
4. Some parents seek formal solutions for child care such as public day-care centers and
nursery schools, while others prefer arrangements in private homes.
5. One positive trend is that fathers seem to be more actively involved in their children’s lives.
Their includes everything from child care to decision making.
6. Parents do not expect that their nanny will cancel or that their child will suddenly get sick.
What do they do about work when such family needs arise?
7. The majority of American homes have access to the Internet from at least one computer. The
easy of technology makes it possible for many employees to work at home.
8. More and more companies are offering employees a flexible work schedule. Is this
in the workforce beneficial for working mothers and their children?

9 Recalling information  Underline the correct word or phrase in parentheses to complete the
following sentences about the article.

1. According to the article, about (30 / 50 / 70) percent of American and European mothers work
outside the home.
2. In the 1950s and 1960s, it was often taken for granted that a woman would be a (child care
worker / breadwinner / stay-at-home mom).
3. In the past, it was common for a member of the (immediate family / extended family / day-care
center) to take care of young children while parents were at work.
4. With the advent of the Industrial Revolution, many people moved to (farms / small towns / large
cities) far away from their relatives.
5. A recent trend in family life is that fathers seem to be spending (more / less / equal) time with
their children.
6. Another recent factor that affects child care is that the number of people who work from home
is (increasing / remaining unchanged / radically decreasing).

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 10 Thinking and discussing  Read the following paragraph and in small groups discuss the questions
that follow.

Family-Friendly Companies
Some large companies have discovered that providing on-site day-care facilities can be cost-
efficient. Working parents are happier and more productive; they are less likely to arrive late,
leave early, be absent, or even quit. The company’s costs of absenteeism and training new staff
are greatly reduced. Who pays for it? It is subsidized by the employees and, surprisingly, most
non-parents are willing to chip in to raise morale.

1. How does on-site day care at work benefit parents?

2. Why do you think this arrangement increases the productivity of working parents?
3. What advantages are there for the company?
4. Why do you think non-parents are willing to pay for day-care facilities?
5. Why do you think a higher morale (greater enthusiasm and loyalty) at work is important?

Reading 2 Jane Eyre (Extract from the Classic English Novel)

Before You Read

1 Topic  Look at the images, reflect on the following questions, and discuss them with a partner or in
a small group.
Chapter 5

1. Do you read literature? If so, discuss the latest novel you have read with your classmates. If
not, explain why.
2. Why do you think people read literature? Reflect on three things that people enjoy in
literature.

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 The Ties That Bind
3. If you have to choose between Jane Eyre, a very famous novel of the 19th century, and the
biography of a pop star or an athlete, which one would you choose and why?
4. In your opinion, is there any difference between reading literature in a book or on the screen
of an electronic device like a tablet, laptop, or smart phone? Explain what you would prefer
and why.

2 Thinking critically  Read the introduction to an extract (part) from the famous 19th century novel
Jane Eyre. In pairs or small groups, answer the multiple choice questions about the personalities of
the two main characters, Mr. Rochester and Jane Eyre.

Introduction to Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre is a famous British novel published in 1847. It

has been immensely popular ever since and has served
as the basis for ballets, musicals, radio adaptations, TV
shows, and more than 15 movies (including one in 2011).
The story is told in the first person (using “I”) as if it were
an autobiography, and in fact, some parts really do reflect
the true experiences of the author, Charlotte Brontë.
The main character is an orphan (a person whose parents
die when he or she is a child) named Jane Eyre, who
suffers great difficulties in her childhood from poverty
to physical and emotional abuse by relatives and some
teachers. Nevertheless, Jane manages to do well in
school and gains employment at a wealthy estate called
Thornfield Hall as a governess (private female teacher) The writer Charlotte Brontë
for a young girl who is being raised by the eccentric owner,
a widower named Edward Rochester. The owner does not
abuse or look down upon Jane for being poor; instead, he spends time with her, conversing
about interesting subjects and sharing ideas and opinions. Jane enjoys this and subsequently
falls in love with her employer. Then she finds out something that threatens to change
everything!
One reason for the continuing appeal of this novel is the remarkable character of Jane.
Jane Eyre burst onto the literary world of the 19th century as a new kind of heroine (female
protagonist). Up to that point, female characters in novels were usually damsels in distress:
lovely, weak, and helpless creatures in need of rescue by a hero (a tradition that persists today
in many adventure movies). In contrast, Jane is strong and self-reliant and speaks her mind.
Some critics suggest that Jane Eyre represents an early version of the feminist woman.

1. What kind of character is Jane Eyre portrayed as in the introduction?

Α She is selfish and ambitious.
Β She is a smart and straightforward person.
C She is shy and scared.
2. What appears to have played an important role in forming Jane’s character?
Α her job as a governess at Thornfield Hall
Β her love for Mr. Rochester
C the difficulties she suffered in childhood

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 3. From his behavior toward Jane, as described in the passage, what kind of person does Mr.
Rochester appear to be?
Α He seems arrogant and bad tempered.
Β He seems kind and friendly.
C He seems snobbish and distant.

3 Thinking and predicting  Read the beginning of a dialogue between Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester,
the novel’s two leading characters. Then predict what will happen next.

“In about a month I hope to be a bridegroom,” continued Mr. Rochester; “and in the interim, I
shall look out for employment for you.”
“Thank, you sir; I am sorry to give –”
“Oh, no need to apologize! I consider that when a dependent does her duty as well as you have
done yours, she has a claim upon her employer for assistance. I have already heard of a place
that I think will suit; it is to undertake the education of the five daughters of Mrs. O’Gall of
Bitternutt Lodge, Connaught, Ireland.”
“It is a long way off, sir.”
“No matter – a girl of your sense will not object to the voyage or the distance.”
“Not the voyage, but the distance; and then the sea is a barrier –”
“From what, Jane?”
“From England; and from Thornfield; and –”
“Well?”
“From you, sir.”

How do you think the dialogue will continue? Work in pairs or groups and circle the answer that
seems the most reasonable to you. You may need to read the introduction again, too. What clues
have led you to this conclusion?
1. Jane will pack her things and leave Thornfield Hall because she feels that she doesn’t belong
there anymore.
2. Jane will burst into tears because she unexpectedly revealed her feelings to her employer.
3. Mr. Rochester will assure Jane that working at Mrs. O’Gall’s of Bitternutt Lodge is a really good
prospect for her.
4. Mr. Rochester will be flattered by Jane’s confession and change his mind about letting her go.

While You Read

4 Reading  Read the whole extract and compare it with your answers in 2 and 3.
Chapter 5

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 The Ties That Bind
Jane Eyre (Extract from the Classic English Novel)*
“In about a month I hope to be a bridegroom,” 1
continued Mr. Rochester; “and in the interim, I shall
look out for employment for you.”
“Thank, you sir; I am sorry to give –”
“Oh, no need to apologize! I consider that when 5
a dependent does her duty as well as you have
done yours, she has a claim upon her employer for
assistance. I have already heard of a place that I
think will suit; it is to undertake the education of the
five daughters of Mrs. O’Gall of Bitternutt Lodge, 10
Connaught, Ireland.”
“It is a long way off, sir.”
“No matter – a girl of your sense will not object to the voyage or the distance.”
“Not the voyage, but the distance; and then the sea is a barrier –”
“From what, Jane?” 15

“From England; and from Thornfield; and –”

“Well?”
“From you, sir.”
I said this almost involuntarily; and my tears gushed out. I did not cry so as to be heard,
however; I avoided sobbing. The thought of Mrs. O’Gall and Bitternutt Lodge struck cold to 20
my heart; and colder the thought of all the brine and foam, destined to rush between me and
the master, at whose side I now walked; and coldest at the remembrance of the wider ocean –
wealth, caste, custom – between me and what I loved.
“It is a long way,” I again said.
“It is, to be sure; and when you get to Bitternutt Lodge, I shall never see you again, Jane; that’s 25
certain. I never go over to Ireland. We have been good friends, Jane, have we not?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And when friends are on the eve of separation, they like to spend the little time that remains to
them close to each other. Come, we’ll talk over the voyage and the parting quietly, half an hour
or so, while the stars enter into their shining life up in heaven; here is the chestnut tree: here 30
is the bench at its old roots. Come, we will sit there in peace to-night, though we should never
more be destined to sit there together.” He seated me and himself.
“It is a long way to Ireland, Janet, and I am sorry to send my little friend on such weary travels;
but if I can’t do better, how is it to be helped? Are you anything akin to me, do you think, Jane?”
I could risk no sort of answer by this time; my heart was full. 35

“Because,” he said, “I sometimes have a queer feeling with regard to you, especially when
you are near me, as now; it is as if I had a string somewhere under my left ribs, tightly and
inextricably knotted to a similar string situated in the corresponding quarter of your little

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 frame. And if that channel, and two hundred miles or so of land, come between us, I am afraid
that cord of communion will be snapped; and then I’ve a notion I should take to bleeding 40
inwardly. As for you, you’d forget me.”
“That I never should, sir –”.
“Jane, do you hear that nightingale singing in the wood? Listen!”
In listening, I sobbed convulsively; for I was shaken from head to foot with acute distress. When
I did speak, it was only to express an impetuous wish that I had never been born, nor come to 45
Thornfield.
“Because you are sorry to leave it?”
The vehemence of emotion, stirred by grief and love within me, was asserting a right to
predominate – to overcome, to live, rise at last; yes, and to speak.
“I grieve to leave Thornfield; I love Thornfield; I love it, because I have lived in it a full and 50
delightful life. I have not been trampled on. I have not been buried with inferior minds. I have
talked, face to face, with what I reverence; with what I delight in, with an original, a vigorous,
and expanded mind. I have known you, Mr. Rochester; and it strikes me with terror and anguish
to feel I absolutely must be torn from you forever. I see the necessity of departure; and it is like
looking on the necessity of death.” 55

“Where do you see the necessity?” he asked, suddenly.

“Where? You, sir have placed it before me.”
“In what shape?”
“In the shape of Miss Ingram; a noble and beautiful woman, your bride.”
“My bride! What bride? I have no bride!” 60

“But you will have.”

“Yes; I will! I will!” He set his teeth.
“Then I must go; you have said it yourself.”
“No; you must stay! I swear it, and the oath shall be kept.”
“I tell you I must go!” I retorted, roused to something like passion. “Do you think I can stay to 65
become nothing to you? Do you think I am an automaton? – a machine without feelings? Do
you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think
wrong! I have as much soul as you, and full as much heart! I am not talking to you now through
the medium of custom, conventionalities, or even of mortal flesh; it is my spirit that addresses
your spirit; just as if both had passed through the grave, and we stood equal – as we are!” 70

“As we are!” repeated Mr. Rochester – “so,” he added, enclosing me in his arms, gathering me to
his breast; “so, Jane!”
Chapter 5

“Yes, so, sir,” I rejoined; “and yet not so; for you are a married man, or as good as a married
man, and wed to one inferior to you – to one with whom you have no sympathy – whom I do not
believe you truly love; for I have seen and heard you sneer at her. I would scorn such a union; 75
therefore I am better than you – let me go!”
* This extract is taken directly from the novel. It has been shortened by omitting a few phrases and sentences, but it
has not been adapted or simplified; not one word has been added or changed.

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 The Ties That Bind
Skills Focus Making Inferences
Strategy
Making Inferences About a Relationship from Dialogue
By reading the exact words two people speak to each other, it is possible to make inferences
(draw conclusions) about their relationship. Do they talk to each other as equals, or is one
dominant (superior) and the other subordinate (inferior)? Are they both involved in the
conversation, or is one person interested and the other indifferent? As you read, look for
words that show what emotions each person feels. For example, do they express fondness,
admiration, love, hatred, annoyance, or disdain (looking down on someone)?

5 Making inferences about a relationship from dialogue  Read the following excerpts from the
conversation between the young governess, Jane Eyre, and her middle-aged employer, Mr.
Rochester. Choose the correct options from the words in bold and complete the statements that
follow. Reflect on what clues you used to help you.

1. (Jane speaking) “It is a long way off, sir.”

“No matter – a girl of your sense will not object to the voyage or the distance.”
“Not the voyage, but the distance; and then the sea is a barrier – ”
“From what, Jane?”
This shows that the two characters are equal / not equal socially because Jane Eyre calls Mr.
Rochester “ ” and he calls her “ .” Therefore, in the society of
that time Jane is dominant / subordinate and Mr. Rochester is dominant / subordinate.
2. (Mr. Rochester speaking) “… especially when you are near me, as now; it is as if I had a string
somewhere under my left ribs, tightly and inextricably knotted to a similar string situated in
the corresponding quarter of your little frame. And if… two hundred miles or so of land come
between us… that cord… will be snapped; and… I should take to bleeding inwardly. As for you,
you’d forget me.”
“That I never should, sir –.”
This shows that Mr. Rochester feels there is a connection / barrier between Jane and him like
a string which goes from one head / heart to the other. However, he believes that if they were
to part, he would be happy / suffer and Jane would too / not. Mr. Rochester’s words imply
that he feels for Jane.

6 Scanning for words with a specific meaning  Be a word detective and read the following clues
about nine key words in the reading selection. Review the scanning strategy (Chapter 2, Reading 2)
if necessary and use it to find those words. Write each word in the blank beside its description. The
words are asked for in the order of their appearance in the text.

1. a word that begins with b and means “a man who is going to be married soon” bridegroom
2. a word meaning “employee” that begins with d
3. a word beginning with b that means “an obstacle or difficulty that is in the way”

4. a word beginning with s that means “crying in a loud or noisy way”

5. a descriptive word that starts with a and means “similar in thoughts and feelings”

6. a word beginning with n that is the name of “a European bird known for its beautiful song”

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 7. a word that begins with o and means “a vow or serious promise”
8. a word beginning with a that means “a robot or machine that acts like a person but has no
emotions”
9. an action word that starts with s and means “express disdain or contempt (looking down on
someone as worthless and inferior)”

7 Reading again  Read the last part of this extract again. What does the heroine mean when she says
“therefore I am better than you”? How is this connected with her personality as you have seen it in
the introduction? Note down your ideas. Then discuss with a partner or in a small group.

“Yes, so, sir,” I rejoined; “and yet not so; for you are a married man, or as good as a married
man, and wed to one inferior to you – to one with whom you have no sympathy – whom I do not
believe you truly love; for I have seen and heard you sneer at her. I would scorn such a union;
therefore I am better than you – let me go!”






After You Read

8 Recalling information  Underline the correct phrase in parentheses to complete the following
sentences about the extract.

1. Mr. Rochester informs Jane that he has found employment for her (with a rich family that lives
nearby / with a lady who lives across the sea).
2. Jane begins to cry because (she does not want to be separated from her employer / she
loves England and hates the idea of leaving it).
3. Mr. Rochester tells Jane that they (have a good working relationship / have been good
friends).
4. He suggests that they can have a talk together (at the dining room table / outside under the
stars).
5. Jane expresses the wish that she had never come to Thornfield Hall because (she is now very
sad about leaving it / she has always hated being there).
6. She describes the mind of her employer as (inferior and not open to communication / original,
strong, and expanded).
7. Jane insists that it is necessary for her to leave Thornfield because (she cannot be happy if Mr.
Rochester’s bride lives there / she wants a better job that pays more).

9 Thinking and discussing  Read the dialogue to yourself and think about the character in the
Chapter 5

story who is speaking. What emotions is he or she feeling? Reflect on the clues (punctuation and
vocabulary) that you can use to identify their feelings.

Then read the dialogue aloud with a partner. Try to project those emotions into your voice (for
example by sobbing or shouting). Then discuss with your partner why the characters are feeling like
this.

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 The Ties That Bind
Writing A Difficult Balance of Work and Life

1 Topic  Read the title of this section and look at the images. How are they connected with each
other?

2 Thinking critically  Think about working women in your home country and answer the following
questions. Then compare your answers in a small group.

1. How much do women working in a particular field earn compared to men in that field? Why do
you think this is the case?
2. Is it easy for women to attain high-ranking positions in their chosen career? Why? Why not?
3. Do most women carry on working after they have children, or do they choose to leave their
jobs to take care of their growing family? In your opinion, do they make the right choice? Why?
Why not?
4. Is it easier for men in your country to balance their work and personal lives than it is for
women? Why? Why not?

3 Reading  Read the text about work-life balance in the U.S. and compare it with your notes in 2.

A Difficult Balance of Work and Life

A In the early years of the 21st century, American women were in a position of power they
had never before experienced in the history of western civilization. They were graduating
high school, college, and professional schools at unprecedented rates, leaving their male
counterparts far behind. When they entered the working world they took their place in the
most competitive of fields such as medicine, banking, business, law, politics. The gender
ratios were not in their favor and women still earned 80 cents for each dollar their male
counterparts made, but the gains and rewards looked clear: independence, power, wealth.
Yet this same generation of women, those who reaped the most from the strides their
mothers, grandmothers, and great grandmothers took in the past century, made an unusual
decision when they themselves became mothers. In greater numbers than ever before, they
decided to quit their high-powered jobs and stay at home to take care of their children.

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 This surprising choice to shift their focus to their families at that stage of their careers
ultimately increased these successful career women’s sense of self-worth.
B The job-quitting trend was recognized after the 2000 census, a yearly questionnaire about
U.S. citizens’ family lives, identified a significant spike in single-income families among
the wealthiest, most educated households in the nation. It became a widely discussed and
debated national phenomenon after Lisa Belkin wrote an article in The New York Times
Magazine called The Opt-Out Revolution in 2003. The women Belkin interviewed for her
essay, all graduates of Princeton University, saw it as their prerogative, after climbing the
career track and “having it all” in their 20s and early 30s, to dedicate themselves to their
domestic lives. They no longer wished to work in a corporate environment that they found
personally restrictive, professionally stifling and threatening to their domestic stability.
They were convinced that they would achieve more satisfaction by devoting themselves to
the emotional and physical well-being of their children and partners, who were still scaling
the corporate heights.
C The 2010 census saw a marked decrease in the earlier trend. Many pundits attributed the
change to the 2008 financial crisis. Another article in the Times magazine, titled The Opt-
Out Generation Wants Back In, documented the changes the same class of women – and
some of the same women from the earlier article – faced ten years later. They were dealing,
by and large, with a failing economy, unhappy marriages, and a decade of disappointed
expectations by trying to go back to work. However, these women’s attitude in the face of
these problems was surprising. Though competition in the market, gaps in their resumes,
and advancements in their original fields made it impossible to start at the level where they
had left their careers, or even dream of getting back there, they didn’t regret their choice.
The experience only confirmed the fact that balancing the demands of work with the
demands of children and home contributes to a necessary sense of self-worth.
D Many books and articles have since been written on the subject of work-life balance. Men
too struggle to balance work and family life. It seems clear that both genders need to be
valued for their contributions to society as well as their contributions to the home in order to
attain a sense of individual happiness.

4 Reading again  Read the text about work-life balance again. In pairs, identify and match the topic
with its respective paragraph.

Topic Paragraph
The choice made by successful career women
The importance of work-life balance for both genders
Women’s motivation for quitting their jobs
Attitudes of the same women a decade later

Skills Focus The Structure of an Expository Essay

Chapter 5

An expository essay is used to investigate an idea, discuss evidence, and present arguments in
a clear and concise way. This can be done by comparing and contrasting, showing cause and
effect, or defining and explaining information.
A good expository essay has:

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 1. a clear and concise thesis statement in the introductory paragraph of the essay. The thesis

The Ties That Bind

statement often appears at the end of this paragraph. It is usually expressed in one sentence
and provides a summary of the main point or claim of the essay.
2. logical transitions between the paragraphs making up the introduction, body, and conclusion
of the essay.
3. body paragraphs that provide evidence to support the main idea of the essay. Each
paragraph should focus on one general idea and must have a logical connection to the thesis
statement in the opening paragraph.
4. a conclusion that completes the essay not just by repeating the main idea, but also by
readdressing it based on the information provided.

5 Identifying the structure of an expository essay  Read the essay again and complete the following.
Use your notes in 4 and the information in the Skills Focus box to help you.

Paragraph A Thesis statement:

(introduction)
Main idea:
Paragraph B
(body)
Paragraph C
(body)
Paragraph D
(conclusion)

6 Brainstorming  You are going to write your own expository essay. Think about an aspect of modern
life (for example child care) and how it affects relationships between family members. This is going
to be the topic of your essay. Reflect on experiences relating to this aspect either in your immediate
or extended family, or in your friends’ families. Complete the mind map by noting down ideas,
words, and phrases related to your chosen topic.

Topic:


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 Skills Focus The Writing Process for an Expository Essay
Strategy
Planning and Writing an Expository Essay

1. Choose a topic you find interesting, which isn’t too general or too narrow in scope.
2. Do research on your topic and collect the facts related to it.
3. Define your thesis statement.
4. Create a basic outline of your essay and group your facts in paragraphs (which make
up the body of the essay).
5. Use transition sentences between paragraphs to connect your ideas in a logical and
coherent way.
6. Write your conclusion.

7 Drafting your essay  Use your notes in 6 and the guidelines and steps outlined in the Skills Focus
boxes to write your expository essay. Read through your draft and make corrections.

8 Drafting and editing 1: peer review  Work with a partner. Exchange drafts to review and edit. When
reading your partner’s draft, consider the following points:

Content and Meaning Form

• Are the writer’s points expressed clearly? • Punctuation
• Are they supported by details and examples? • Spelling
• Should more supporting details be added? • Grammar
• Are there too many redundant details? (grammatical
• Can sentences or content be presented differently (combined accuracy)
differently)? • Vocabulary (lexical
• Are there sections or sentences that need to be rewritten? accuracy)
Please make suggestions.

9 Drafting and editing 2: peer review  Read the comments on your first draft and make corrections.
Exchange second drafts and review changes, corrections, and improvements.

10 Rewriting and finalizing  Rewrite and finalize your essay.

11 Blogging  Post your essay on OUR BLOG or OUR BLOARD (a board or other surface in class that
you can post comments or other work on). Comment on each other’s opinions.
Chapter 5

OUR BLOG Blog About me Gallery Contact

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 The Ties That Bind
SELF-EVALUATION
Reflect on your learning and assess your progress. Read and circle the number that represents
your progress. Use the key below.

5 outstanding 4 very good 3 satisfactory 2 limited 1 unsatisfactory

READING
I can interpret images and make creative comments. 5 4 3 2 1
I can answer questions using what I know about a topic. 5 4 3 2 1
I can brainstorm and recall words and phrases related to a topic. 5 4 3 2 1
I can identify the topic of a reading text. 5 4 3 2 1
I can identify the main ideas in a paragraph. 5 4 3 2 1
I can make inferences about the relationship between people from a dialogue. 5 4 3 2 1
I can recall information from the texts I read. 5 4 3 2 1
I can identify the elements of an expository essay. 5 4 3 2 1

VOCABULARY
I can understand vocabulary from context. 5 4 3 2 1
I can identify words with a specific meaning. 5 4 3 2 1

GRAMMAR
I can identify and use words from the same family. 5 4 3 2 1

WRITING
I can make notes in order to compare different situations. 5 4 3 2 1
I can use my knowledge to answer questions. 5 4 3 2 1
I can use an effective thesis statement in my expository essay. 5 4 3 2 1
I can use transition sentences to connect the paragraphs in my essay. 5 4 3 2 1
I can efficiently support the main idea of my essay with details. 5 4 3 2 1
I can draft, edit, redraft, and finalize written work. 5 4 3 2 1
I can review and comment on written work. 5 4 3 2 1

RESEARCH AND DOCUMENT

I can search and find relevant sources on the Internet. 5 4 3 2 1
I can evaluate and select sources and data. 5 4 3 2 1
I can use data selectively to create my own document. 5 4 3 2 1
I can cite references that I used in my research. 5 4 3 2 1

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 Chapter

6
Healthy Mind,
Healthy Body
Chapter Goals
♦ Reading: Using the opening statement to anticipate
the content of a paragraph, paraphrasing the main
idea of a reading text, using headings to predict
content, understanding point of view, recognizing
synonyms, distinguishing between opinions and
facts, identifying an opinion essay, organizing
information using a continuum.
♦ Writing: Developing arguments in favor of an
opinion, supporting the main idea of an opinion
essay, using a Venn diagram to compare and
contrast two ideas.

Focus on the Images

♦ H
ow do you think the people in the pictures are
feeling? Why?
♦ What are the most important things you need to
be happy? Are they material things, like money or
possessions, or non-material, like family, health, or
friendship? Explain your views.
♦ They say that money can’t buy happiness. Do you
agree? Why? Why not?
♦ What about your health? What things affect it?
Are they the same things that affect your state of
happiness? Why? Why not?

Brainstorm and Associate

♦ Words and phrases that come to mind about being
well and happy
♦ Thoughts and feelings about choices people make
that affect their health and happiness

Think and Comment

“A good laugh and a long sleep are the

best cures in the doctor’s book.
Irish proverb
”
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 Reading 1 Fun? It’ll Cost Ya
Before You Read

1 Topic  Look at the images and discuss the following questions with a partner or in a small group.

1. What are the people in the images doing? What do they all have in common?
Chapter 6

2. How are the people in the images feeling? Do you think they will be feeling like this in a few
years’ time? Why? Why not?
3. Does eating junk food and watching TV or playing video games late into the night always
affect your health? Are there cases in which it does not? Explain your answer.
4. Make a list of other things you do in your everyday life that can harm your long-term health.
Can they be avoided? Why? Why not?

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 Healthy Mind, Healthy Body
2 Thinking and predicting  Read the first paragraph of the article Fun? It’ll Cost Ya and answer the
question. Select A, B, C, or D.

Oh, finals week. With it comes crowded libraries, sleep-deprived kids, and those therapeutic
dogs we pet to relieve stress. As always, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and the
University will be in full force trying to help balance our stress, even bringing out massage chairs
for us. While there’s a large focus on resources to relieve our stress, no one seems to be asking
about the negative effects of getting stressed out in the first place.

1. The columnist has written this article to

A discuss final exams at college.
B give advice on how to succeed in exams.
C present the negative consequences of stress on people’s lives.
D discuss the effects of sacrificing our health to entertain and enjoy ourselves.

Skills Focus Anticipating Paragraph Content from the Opening

Sentence

One way of predicting the topic of a paragraph is to read the opening sentence, or its first
few words. The first sentence of a paragraph introduces or summarizes the main point(s) to
be discussed in that paragraph. Reading it will therefore give you a good idea of what type of
information to expect. An opening sentence can therefore be used to anticipate a paragraph’s
content and facilitate reading comprehension.

3 Predicting information from the opening sentence  The following chart contains the first few
words of some of the paragraphs from the article Fun? It’ll Cost Ya. Read these phrases and
sentences and predict what each paragraph will be about. Make notes in the chart and compare
your predictions with a partner or in a small group.

Opening Phrase or Sentence Paragraph Content/Topic

I think it goes without saying
that stress…
In October, The New York Times
published a profile of a small
island in Greece…
Many of us eat food that’s
simply terrible for us, sleep only
a few hours most nights, …
In some instances, we make
choices that sacrifice our health
for our enjoyment.
Recent studies have
increasingly suggested that…
Our ambitions and dreams, as
much as they drive us, may very
well be our downfall.

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 While You Read

4 Reading  Read the article Fun? It’ll Cost Ya and compare it with your answers in 2 and 3.

Fun? It’ll Cost Ya

By James Brennan
James Brennan was a columnist for The Michigan Daily, the University of Michigan’s student
newspaper, and a student at the University of Michigan when he wrote this article. It was published
in The Michigan Daily on April 7, 2013.
A Oh, finals week. With it comes crowded libraries, sleep-deprived kids, and those therapeutic
dogs we pet to relieve stress. As always, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and
the University will be in full force trying to help balance our stress, even bringing out massage
chairs for us. While there’s a large focus on resources to relieve our stress, no one seems to be
asking about the negative effects of getting stressed out in the first place.
B I think it goes without saying that stress is a major detriment to one’s health. Physically, it
can contribute to heart problems, headaches, and high blood pressure, among other issues.
Even worse are the effects of stress on mental health, which can contribute to anxiety and
depression. In fact, lifelong mental illness is considered to be largely contingent on high levels
of stress in a person’s life.
C In October, The New York Times published a profile of a small island in Greece called Ikaria,
famous for its residents’ excellent health and long lives. The article attempts to explain exactly
what it is about Ikaria that is so good for human health by looking into the average Ikarian’s
lifestyle. According to the article, people in the Greek islands typically eat a Mediterranean diet
with lots of organic vegetables, olive oil, and honey, and very little dairy or meat; sleep over
eight hours every night, and walk essentially everywhere. Furthermore, they spend much of
their day outdoors, and avoid white flour and refined sugar.

D The people of Ikaria live very simply, with few cares, worries, or sources of stress. In almost all
aspects, students at a school like Michigan have a lifestyle that is completely at odds with the
interest of their long-term health.
E Many of us eat food that’s simply terrible for us, sleep only a few hours most nights, spend a
great deal of our time being stressed about the future. We can exercise, pet dogs, and talk to
people at CAPS during finals week all we want, but our long-term health problems won’t just go
Chapter 6

away. The food will still poison our bodies and the stress will still eat away at our mental health.
F In some instances, we make choices that sacrifice our health for our enjoyment. If someone was
willing to give up a few years of their life to be able to eat whatever they want, then that’s fine.
We all make trade-offs – as comedian Bill Maher is fond of saying, “Fun costs ya’.” However,
that doesn’t mean we should just do what we want all the time. Good health is an undervalued
commodity and something we believe comes from doctors and medication. The best medicine

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 Healthy Mind, Healthy Body
isn’t something a doctor and pharmacist doles out – the best medicine is self-prescribed, and it
certainly doesn’t require good insurance.
G Recent studies have increasingly suggested that a diet with less meat and dairy does wonders
for one’s physical and mental health, while the same results come from a good night’s sleep and
lower levels of stress. Incorporating these adjustments into a daily routine could significantly
improve a person’s long-term health.
H At this critical junction in our lives, when many of us decide on a
path that may end up as our personal norm for decades, we need
to also consider how to manage our health in the long run. If you
take the dream job that pays six figures but requires sixty-plus
hours a week, what will the rest of your life look like? Consider
how often you’ll be eating fast food, how much you’ll sleep, and
how much time you’ll spend emotionally drained from stress.
For some individuals that’s all a part of their dream, and they’ll
gladly make the sacrifice. Many students that work hard enough
to get into the University and succeed here probably want that
life to some extent. The question is, is it worth it?
I Our ambitions and dreams, as much as they drive us, may very well be our downfall. As we
continue to sacrifice more just to get ahead, we’re essentially setting ourselves up for a Faustian
bargain. We might get what we want – the grades, the job or acceptance to graduate school –
but lose ourselves as we do it. I want to live a long life, and I want to be healthy and happy for
the duration of it. If that means giving up the corner office, I guess that’s a sacrifice I just have
to be willing to make.
Maybe.

5 Getting meaning from context  Guess the meaning of the idiomatic phrases in the chart from
their context and then match them with their definitions on the right. Each phrase is located in the
paragraph shown in the parentheses.

Phrase Definitions
1. in full force (A) A obvious, doesn’t need any explanation
2. in the first place (A) B find out about, examine
3. go without saying (B) C give freely
4. be contingent on (B) D with everyone present in large numbers
5. look into (C) E to begin with
6. be at odds with (D) F over a long period of time into the future
7. eat away at (E) G help or improve greatly
8. dole out (F) H become successful
9. do wonders for (G) I depend on something in order to happen
10. in the long run (H) J a choice focusing on present rewards or advantages
without considering the future consequences
11. six figures (H) K very different from, not in agreement with
12. get ahead (I) L slowly destroy
13. Faustian bargain (I) M high salary, over $100,000

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 6 Identifying compound words  Read the following definitions and find the compound nouns or
adjectives in the article. The corresponding paragraph is indicated in parenthesis.
1. not getting enough sleep (A) 
2. continuing throughout your life (B) 
3. giving up some things in return for other advantages (F) 
4. not considered to be very important (F) 
5. given by yourself (F) 

Skills Focus Paraphrasing
Strategy
Paraphrasing Main Ideas
Learn to express the main ideas from readings in your own words, simply and clearly. This is
sometimes called paraphrasing. You can use words or short phrases taken directly from the
author but not long phrases or sentences.

7 Paraphrasing main ideas  Read and respond to the following items. Use your own words.
1. The main idea of the article is given in simple terms in the title and is better explained in
paragraph F. In your own words, which is the main idea of this article?

2. Another key idea is the relationship between lifestyle, stress, and health. The article illustrates
this by referring to the people of Ikaria. Explain how lifestyle affects stress and health, and use
the Ikarian and modern-day urban lifestyles to illustrate it.
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8 Identifying supporting details  The writer of the article states opinions, which he supports with
details or facts. In pairs, find the information supporting the author’s opinions and make notes in the
chart.
Opinion Supporting Details
I think it goes without saying that can contribute to heart problems, headaches, and
stress is a major detriment to one’s high blood pressure
health. can affect mental health, which can contribute to
anxiety and depression
However, that doesn’t mean we
should just do what we want all the
time.

At this critical junction in our lives,

when many of us decide on a path
that may end up as our personal norm
for decades, we need to also consider
how to manage our health in the long
run.
Our ambitions and dreams, as much
as they drive us, may very well be our
downfall.

After You Read

9 Thinking critically  Answer the questions and discuss your opinions in pairs or in a small group.
1. Corner offices are desirable because they have more windows, unlike typical offices, which
have only one or even no windows at all. Since corner offices are mainly given to senior
executives in a company, they are a symbol of success. With this in mind, what does the
author mean when he writes about “giving up the corner office”?
2. How does the author feel about this? What word or phrase tells the reader how he feels?

10 Thinking and discussing  Work in groups and answer the questions.

1. Read the list of everyday habits that have been proven to or may be detrimental to your long-
term health. Then add your own ideas.
• eating junk food • staying up late • using cell phones

2. Decide which one of these habits you would be willing to give up to have a healthier life.
Discuss your choice and give reasons for your answer.
3. Brainstorm healthier activities or habits that could replace the ones you are willing to give up.
Discuss the pros and cons of these alternative activities.

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 Reading 2 Delicious Food, Deadly Stoves
Before You Read

1 Topic  Look at the images, think carefully about them, and discuss the following questions with a
partner or in a small group.

1. Have you ever thought about the way that you cook can have a negative impact on the
environment? In what way can cooking affect the environment?
2. According to research, animal products have a high environmental impact because of the
large amounts of water, land, and food required to produce them. Which kinds of food can
Chapter 6

have a low environmental impact? Give some examples.

3. The food we eat is responsible for almost a third of our global carbon footprint (measurement
of the amount of carbon dioxide that a person’s activities produce). Which ways of cooking do
you think are most responsible for that?
4. In your opinion, how important is people’s awareness of planning, shopping, preparing, and
cooking their food in an environmentally friendly way? Explain your views.

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Skills Focus Headings
Strategy
Using Headings to Predict Content
Identifying the headings in an article is one form of predicting content. It improves
comprehension by helping you see the organization and major ideas. Headings are usually
two kinds: they present or illustrate the main idea of a section or give a small detail to attract
the reader’s attention. The ones that tell the main idea are the most helpful.

2 Using headings to predict content  Read the headings in the body of the article Delicious Food,
Deadly Stoves and answer the questions.
1. List the two headings in the body of the article.
A 
B 
2. Which heading tells the main idea of the section? Circle A or B.
3. Which heading gives a small detail to attract the reader’s attention? Underline A or B.
4. Judging from the headings, what do you think you will read about in those sections?
5. Which kind of heading is the article’s main title, Delicious Food, Deadly Stoves? Based on the
title, what do you expect to read about?

Skills Focus Point of View

Strategy
Understanding Point of View
A piece of writing presents ideas about a certain subject. It may also present a certain attitude
or point of view about the subject. The point of view may be positive, in favor of the person,
place, or thing being talked about. On the other hand, it may be negative, against it. The
third possibility is a point of view that is somewhere in between and shows both positive and
negative aspects of the subject.

3 Skimming for the point of view  The title of the following article suggests that we will read about
food and the dangers of certain cooking equipment. But what point of view does the article express
about these dangers? Skim the reading text to identify its point of view. Then put a check in front of
the statement below that best expresses the article’s point of view.
1.  ttempting to help people in developing countries by supplying new cookstoves
A
benefits the environment and the women cooking for their families.
2. Attempting to help people in developing countries by supplying new cookstoves has
proved to be more harmful to the environment and has no benefit for the women
cooking for their families.
3. Attempting to help people in developing countries by supplying new cookstoves
may or may not have the intended benefits for the environment and locals, but is
nevertheless an honorable goal.

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 While You Read

4 Reading  Read the article Delicious Food, Deadly Stoves. Then reflect on and compare your
answers in 2 and 3 with the information in the article.

Delicious Food, Deadly Stoves

A Many savvy travelers and food connoisseurs appreciate international cuisine and the people
who keep the methods of preparation alive, both in world capital restaurants and their regions
of origin – the more obscure the better. Not many know that, in developing countries, where
many of our most delicious dishes originate, those making the food are often, just by dint of
being in the kitchen, in grave danger. Just under 40% of the world’s population, about three
billion people, cook indoors using open fires or other elementary techniques, often burning
wood, charcoal, or dung (the undigested waste of plant-feeding animals) for fuel. These
traditional cookstoves, utilizing inefficient combustion methods, lead to smoky kitchens and
smoky lungs. Pneumonia, lung cancer, heart disease, and other ailments caused by indoor
air pollution kill four million people every year, according to the World Health Organization,
about as many as malaria and tuberculosis combined. The number disproportionately affects
women, who do most of the cooking, and the children whose care they are responsible for.
B In 2010, urged by such high-profile advocates as then Secretary of State Hillary Rodham
Clinton and actress Julia Roberts, the United States pledged in the years that followed $105
million to combat the problem. The Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves distributed most of
these funds to public health workers to replace traditional cookstoves with “clean cookstoves,”
fitted with chimneys that direct smoky air out of the kitchen.

The Pros of Clean Cookstoves

C After supplying the clean cookstoves, which cost $100 to $150 each – more than the average
annual per capita income in many poor villages – researchers collected data about the use and
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effects of the new stoves. The studies tracked emissions by testing the air around the stove for
the presence of carbon. They also tested efficiency by calculating how much wood the new
stove burned. Researchers found evidence of reduced carbon emissions, which could lessen
the effects of climate change, including decreased rainfall and rapidly melting glaciers. The
new stoves might also require less wood to be burned, thus enabling women to spend less time
gathering wood and other biomass fuels, and tending to personal and social needs that allow a
family to prosper.

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Good Intentions Up in Smoke
D Unfortunately, studies that challenge the value of clean cookstoves have also been released.
One entitled “Up in Smoke” by a team of researchers from Harvard University and MIT, which
studied the habits of 2,600 households in 44 Indian villages, claims to have found evidence that
clean cookstoves release more pollutants into the air than the ones they seek to replace. The
study also discovered that the clean cookstoves, which are quite expensive, are not used often
and are sometimes discarded entirely when they are merely in need of simple repairs.
E It is difficult to judge the habits of other cultures especially when it comes to issues of health,
but it is a noble goal to want to address the hardships of those in need.

5 Getting the meaning of specialized terms from context  Read the phrases from the reading text in
the column on the left. Match the underlined words with the correct definition in the column on the
right.

Phrases Definitions
1. These traditional cookstoves, utilizing A for each person
inefficient combustion methods, lead to
smoky kitchens and smoky lungs.
2. Pneumonia, lung cancer, heart disease, and B substances that harm the
other ailments caused by indoor air pollution environment
kill four million people every year…
3. After supplying the clean cookstoves, which C the process of burning
cost $100 to $150 each – more than the
average annual per capita income in many
poor villages…
4. … enabling women to spend less time D plant waste used as fuel
gathering wood and other biomass fuels...
5. … clean cookstoves release more pollutants E illnesses
into the air than the ones they seek to replace.

After You Read

6 Recalling information based on what you have read  Complete the sentences with the missing
words from the text.
1. Many of our delicious dishes originate in .
2. About three billion people cook using open fires or other elementary
techniques.
3. Diseases caused by indoor air pollution affect mainly who do the
cooking or stay around the kitchen.
4. Researchers who collected data from the use of new stoves found that reduced carbon
emissions will lessen the effects of .
5. Studies found that release more pollutants into the air than expected.

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 Language Focus Recognizing Synonyms

Synonyms are words with similar meanings like fast and quick. You can enrich your vocabulary by
learning and using synonyms. This will also add variety and interest to your speech and writing.

7 Recognizing synonyms  Read the words and find their synonyms in the article. Can you use these
synonyms in a sentence?

Vocabulary Word Synonyms

1. sharp, smart (A) 
2. unknown (A) 
3. excessively (A) 
4. supporters (B) 
5. promised (B) 
6. succeed, thrive (C) 
7. thrown away (D) 
8. honorable, worthy (E) 

Skills Focus Continuum
Strategy
Organizing Information Using a Continuum
One way of organizing information is to rank it (put it in order) by showing the relationship
between different items on a continuum. A continuum is a diagram, like the one shown in
the following activity, which shows different amounts or degrees of something; in this case, it
illustrates the degree of danger in different cooking modes.

8 Ranking cooking equipment on a continuum  Work with a partner to rank the following indoor
cooking equipment from least dangerous to most dangerous for people’s health. Write them on the
continuum. Then compare your work with that of the rest of the class.
• Wood, charcoal, or dung-burning cookstoves with a chimney
• Traditional cookstoves that burn dung
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• Traditional cookstoves that burn charcoal or wood

• Cookstoves that burn liquid fuels
• Electric stoves

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1 
Least
dangerous
2 

3 
dangerous

4 
Most

5 

9 Take a stand: agree or disagree?  Work in a small group. Read the following statements and
choose one that you all have the same opinion on (either for or against). With your group, write a
list of reasons that support your stand on the statement. Be prepared to defend your position to the
class.

1. People in the developing world should be left to cook their food using any equipment they
want.
2. The cooking methods and equipment of developed countries are more harmful to the
environment than those of less developed countries.
3. The only option that benefits both people’s health and the environment is to eat raw food
such as fruit and nuts.
4. Microwave ovens are the best alternative for cooking food.

Writing Habits of Happiness

1 Topic  Look at the images. Reflect on what you see and discuss the following questions.

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 1. What do these images have in common?
2. What situations make you feel happy, anxious, depressed, or sad?
3. Do you think people from different cultures measure happiness differently? Why? Why not?
4. In your culture, do people value most their individual desires or the common good? How
would you explain that?

2 Thinking and predicting  Look at the following title and think about the kind of ideas and
information you would expect to find in the article. Make notes next to two or more of the listed
items (A–D) and add your own ideas in E.
A happiness in Western cultures 
B happiness in Eastern cultures 
C depression 
D globalization 
E other: 

3 Reading  Read the article and compare it with your ideas in 1 and 2.

Habits of Happiness
1 A Happiness is measured differently by different cultures, we are told. Traditional Eastern
cultures value the group more highly than the individual self and children are raised to believe
that they will be happy once they learn to place social harmony over their own individual
desires and ambitions. In the West, and other advanced societies, happiness is perceived as an
5 individual pursuit, a reward for self-actualization. However, I don’t believe the situation is as
clear-cut as all that.
B Western Washington University professor Dana Jack, who has conducted extensive research
into the field of depression and gender, has discovered a surprising constant across cultures.
A great majority of people all over the world, across cultures, in the West and the East have
10 been found to suffer from depression for similar reasons. Jack’s findings are derived from
a scale she devised after studying clinically depressed women. The scale, which has been
administered to women in many languages across various national and ethnic groups,
asks subjects to identify instances in which they feel they present false notions of the self,
especially for the sake of a family member, peer, spouse, or child. Across the board the
15 subjects who admit to presenting a sense of falseness, which Jack describes as “silencing the
self,” also exhibit signs of clinical depression.
C Perhaps such a cross-cultural consistency is the mark of a newly globalized age when no
matter where we live, we find ourselves subjected to the same barrage of advertising images,
through television, movies, and billboards. Perhaps cultural differences are eroding and we
20 all live in the same globalized village, filling out the same Facebook pages and Instagram
messages. Or perhaps there has always been more consistency in the habits of happiness than
we assumed.
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D Even in the West, researchers have found that happiness is derived, first and foremost,
from close, loving relationships. People are, for the most part, happier in a group than by
25 themselves. Yet being with others is not always easy or emotionally healing. Conflicts arise;
sickness and misfortune may debilitate those to whom you wish to be close. Such incidents
drain your own energy and happiness, unless perhaps there is a cross-cultural version of
happiness that is based on the concept of self-sacrifice.

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4 Reading again  Read the text in 3 again. Then reflect on and answer the following questions. Work
in pairs or in small groups.
1. What question is the article trying to answer?
A Can people be happy in our days?
B Is happiness culture-bound?
C Can happiness be easily measured?
2. What is the topic of paragraph B?
A research findings on the source of women’s depression
B the role that family members play in depression
C the signs of clinical depression

5 Reading and writing the topic  Now write the topic of the next two paragraphs in the text in your
own words. Compare your answers with a partner or in a group.

Paragraph C: 
Paragraph D: 

Skills Focus Distinguishing Between Fact and Opinion

The distinction between fact and opinion is not often clear. Events taken to be common
knowledge (Earth revolves around the sun), statements supported by scientific evidence (some
studies show that vitamin C may be good for our health), or statements about something that
can be confirmed (Bangkok is the capital of Thailand) are generally taken to be facts. Beliefs
expressed by only one person are usually considered to be opinions, unless the person is
judged to be an expert or authority on the matter (hamburgers are unhealthy).

6 Distinguishing between fact and opinion  Which of the following statements from the article do
you think are facts and which ones are opinions? Why? Write F in front of the facts and O in front of
the opinions. Compare your answers with those of your classmates. Line numbers are given so you
can examine the contexts.
1. Traditional Eastern cultures value the group more highly than the individual self. (lines 1–2)
2. In the West, and other advanced societies, happiness is perceived as an individual pursuit, a
reward for self-actualization. (lines 4–5)
3. However, I don’t believe the situation is as clear-cut as all that. (line 6)
4. Western Washington University professor Dana Jack, who has conducted extensive research
into the field of depression and gender, has discovered a surprising constant across cultures.
(lines 7–9)
5. Perhaps cultural differences are eroding and we all live in the same globalized village, filling
out the same Facebook pages and Instagram messages. (lines 20–21)
6. Or perhaps there has always been more consistency in the habits of happiness than we
assumed. (lines 21–22)
7. Even in the West, researchers have found that happiness is derived, first and foremost, from
close, loving relationships. (lines 23–24)
8. Yet being with others is not always easy or emotionally healing. (lines 26–27)

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 7 Thinking critically  Consider the following and make notes in your notebooks.
1. What words or phrases does the author of Habits of Happiness use to:
• express opinion? • state facts? • mention other viewpoints?

2. What is the main point the author is trying to make? Is his or her opinion expressed explicitly
(obviously) or implicitly (suggested but not given directly)? Did you have to infer meaning?
Explain.
3. What arguments does the author present to support his or her point of view?
4. Does the author provide details to support his or her arguments? What are they?

Skills Focus The Structure of an Opinion Essay

Writing an Opinion Essay

An opinion essay is written for one reason – to state an opinion and prove it.
Your opinion essay should have the following structure:

1. an introductory paragraph that states the main idea of your essay, in other words the point
you are trying to prove. This paragraph should include your thesis statement and your
arguments (the reasons why you believe this statement is true).
2. a main body that consists of three or four paragraphs. Each paragraph should present one
of the arguments you stated in your opening paragraph and should include details and
examples that support the argument.
3. a conclusion that summarizes or restates your thesis statement, or opinion, using different
words to highlight your agreement or disagreement with the topic.

8 Identifying an opinion essay  Use the features provided in the Skills Focus box to identify which of
the following introductions belong to an opinion essay.
A I get the feeling that every girl’s dream is to become a model. They wish to be as attractive as
the models they see on different online and offline channels. Young girls usually get obsessed
by this desire and treat being thin as a very important feature of who they are. Most of them
go through the teen years aiming to look this way. They exercise and try different diets, and
compete with each other to see who lost the most weight in the least amount of time. Young
girls’ obsession with their looks has resulted in several eating disorders. More and more
health professionals are trying to treat the lack of self-esteem in young girls and other related
issues.
B Many of today’s health problems can be summed up under one umbrella: obesity. Obesity
is linked to heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and even cancer. So what can
be done? Experts have given many suggestions, ranging from increasing physical activity
to eating different food combinations or eating at specific times of the day. But I, for one,
agree with those who argue in favor of less fast food. The processed ingredients in fast food
increase obesity. Their additives have been said to increase appetite. Then there is the whole
Chapter 6

fast food culture, which encourages people to eat fast and hence more. Therefore, the best
way to combat obesity is to reduce fast food consumption.
C Friendship is changing. It is different from what it was just a decade or so ago. In this
modern, connected age with its interactive games and social media, there are many exciting
opportunities to meet potential new friends or stay in touch with old ones. But are these digital
friendships the real thing? Well, they have one thing in common with the traditional friendships
we know: just like them, they have their pros and cons.

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Skills Focus The Writing Process for an Opinion Essay
Strategy
Planning and Writing an Opinion Essay
1. Work with a partner and brainstorm to find all the ideas you can on the topic. Make
a list of them in any order.
2. Use a graphic organizer to organize these ideas and clarify your thoughts on the
topic.
3. Choose the idea you like best, the main idea that expresses your opinion on the
topic, and write one sentence that states this opinion clearly.
4. Make a list of at least three arguments that support or illustrate your opinion.
5. Research evidence to support each of your arguments.
6. Devote one paragraph in the body of your essay to each argument. Start each
paragraph with a topic sentence that sums up your argument.
7. Use the appropriate linking words/phrases to connect your ideas and sentences.
8. Include a paragraph presenting the contrasting viewpoint, and explain why it isn’t
convincing enough.
9. Plan the introduction and the conclusion of your essay.

9 Brainstorming  You are going to write an opinion essay about how the customs and lifestyles of
people in developed and developing countries may affect their happiness. Brainstorm ideas and
make notes in the mind map.

Factors
Affecting
Happiness

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 10 Using a Venn diagram  Organize your notes from 9 in a Venn diagram. Write how customs and
lifestyles in developing countries affect happiness in the left circle and how customs and lifestyles
in developed countries affect it in the right circle. If you think there are facts that both groups share,
put them in the middle. Discuss the similar points.

Developing Countries Both Groups Developed Countries

11 Drafting your essay  Use your notes in 9 and 10 and the guidelines and steps outlined in the Skills
Focus boxes to draft your opinion essay. Read through your draft and make corrections.

12 Drafting and editing 1: peer review  Read your own draft once again before you hand it over to
your fellow student. Exchange drafts with a partner to review and edit. Use these steps to help you.

Content and Meaning Form

• Is the writer’s opinion on the topic presented clearly? • Punctuation
• Does the writer have clear arguments that support or illustrate • Spelling
his or her opinion? • Grammar (grammatical
• Are the arguments supported by facts and examples? accuracy)
• Are the sentences linked to each other with the appropriate • Vocabulary (lexical
linking words? accuracy)
• Can you move easily from one idea to the other? • Variety of sentences
• Should more supporting details be added? • Transition (connecting
• Does the conclusion summarize or restate the writer’s opinion? words)
• Are there sections or sentences that need to be rewritten?

13 Drafting and editing 2: peer review  Read the comments that your partner has made on your
first draft and make corrections. Exchange second drafts and review changes, corrections, and
improvements.

14 Editing, rewriting, and finalizing  Check through your second draft, rewrite, and finalize your
essay.

15 Thinking critically  Think about the following statements. Do you agree or disagree? Please use
reasons, examples, or evidence to support your opinion.
• There are only moments of happiness in life.
• Happiness comes from within.
• You are responsible for your own happiness.

16 Blogging  Post your opinions on OUR BLOG or OUR BLOARD (a board or other surface in class that
you can post comments or other work on). Comment on each other’s opinions.
Chapter 6

OUR BLOG Blog About me Gallery Contact

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SELF-EVALUATION
Reflect on your learning and assess your progress. Read and circle the number that represents
your progress. Use the key below.

5 outstanding 4 very good 3 satisfactory 2 limited 1 unsatisfactory

READING
I can interpret images and make creative comments. 5 4 3 2 1
I can answer questions using what I know about a topic. 5 4 3 2 1
I can brainstorm and recall words and phrases related to a topic. 5 4 3 2 1
I can use the opening statement to understand the topic of a paragraph. 5 4 3 2 1
I can paraphrase the main idea of a reading text. 5 4 3 2 1
I can identify compound words. 5 4 3 2 1
I can identify supporting details. 5 4 3 2 1
I can use headings to predict content. 5 4 3 2 1
I can distinguish between opinions and facts. 5 4 3 2 1
I can skim to find the writer’s point of view. 5 4 3 2 1
I can organize information using a continuum. 5 4 3 2 1
I can identify an opinion essay. 5 4 3 2 1
VOCABULARY
I can understand vocabulary from context. 5 4 3 2 1
I can get the meaning of specialized terms from context. 5 4 3 2 1
I can recognize synonyms. 5 4 3 2 1
GRAMMAR
I can effectively connect sentences to each other using grammatical (and lexical) 5 4 3 2 1
cohesion.
WRITING
I can paraphrase main ideas. 5 4 3 2 1
I can structure an argument in favor of my opinion. 5 4 3 2 1
I can use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast two items or ideas. 5 4 3 2 1
I can efficiently support the main idea of my opinion essay with arguments and 5 4 3 2 1
details.
I can draft, edit, redraft, and finalize written work. 5 4 3 2 1
I can review and comment on written work. 5 4 3 2 1
RESEARCH AND DOCUMENT
I can search and find relevant sources on the Internet. 5 4 3 2 1
I can evaluate and select sources and data. 5 4 3 2 1
I can use data selectively to create my own document. 5 4 3 2 1
I can cite references that I used in my research. 5 4 3 2 1

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