Sunday 8 January 2012

Reading Skills

Reading Skills

What is Reading?

Most of us think of reading as a simple, passive process that involves reading words in a linear fashion and internalizing their meaning one at a time. But reading is actually a very complex process that requires a great deal of active participation on the part of the reader.

To get a better sense of the complexity of reading, read what some experts in the field have said about the reading process: What do we read? The message is not something given in advance--or given at all-- but something created by interaction between writers and readers as participants in a particular communicative situation.- Roy Harris in Rethinking Writing (2000).

Reading is asking questions of printed text. And reading with comprehension becomes a matter of getting your questions answered.- Frank Smith in Reading without Nonsense (1997).

Reading is a psycholinguistic guessing game.
It involves an interaction between thought and language. Efficient reading does not result from precise perception and identification of all elements, but from skill in selecting the fewest, most productive cues necessary to produce guesses which are right the first time. The ability to anticipate that which has not been seen, of course, is vital in reading, just as the ability to anticipate what has not yet been heard is vital in listening.- Kenneth Goodman in Journal of the Reading Specialist (1967)

Literacy practices are almost always fully integrated with, interwoven into, constituted as part of, the very texture of wider practices that involve talk, interaction, values, and beliefs.- James Gee in Social Linguistics and Literacies (1996).As you can see, reading involves many complex skills that have to come together in order for the reader to be successful. For example, proficient readers recognize the purpose for reading, approach the reading with that purpose in mind, use strategies that have proven successful to them in the past when reading similar texts for similar purposes, monitor their comprehension of the text in light of the purpose for reading, and if needed adjust their strategy use. Proficient readers know when unknown words will interfere with achieving their purpose for reading, and when they won't. When unknown words arise and their meaning is needed for comprehension, proficient readers have a number of word attack strategies available to them that will allow them to decipher the meaning of the words to the extent that they are needed to achieve the purpose for reading. Reading is also a complex process in that proficient readers give to the text as much as they take. They make meaning from the text by using their own prior knowledge and experiences. Proficient readers are constantly making predictions while reading. They are continuously anticipating what will come next. Their prior knowledge and experiences with texts as well as with the world around them allow them to do this. It is this continuous interaction with the text that allows readers to make sense of what they are reading.

Types of reading

Survey reading

Let’s look at the basics of learning how to comprehend when reading.
Look at a book cover. What information is the author/publisher giving you about the story? What does the title suggest? Why did they use this particular graphic on the cover.

Read the Table of Contents. It’s an outline of the story.

Read the Introduction or Preface. It gives you a good idea owhere the author wants to take you.
Can you make any predictions about the story with this information alone?
Look at the back cover. What are the comments being made by critics who have read the book? What other clues can you pick up?
Preview the book to make sure it’s what you are looking for. Skim the headings and subheadings.
Remember that the first and last sentences of a paragraph give you the essence of that paragraph, especially when reading non-fiction.
What do you know about the subject? Prior knowledge will help you to fill in information, to understand vocabulary words and concepts the author wants you to know.

"People often read slowly and carefully, because teachers in elementary schools require students to sound and read the word aloud, which takes longer than "seeing" the word. As a young student matures he continues pronouncing each word in his mind as he reads" (Foster) Reciting the word in your head is called sub-vocalization and is what slows a reader down.

Scanning type of reading
Scanning is the first thing that you do when you select a resource. It answers the question: - Is this the right resource to help me find the answers to my questions? Will it give me the answers I want?

Scan - by zapping through the whole resource homing in on the important bits.
Scan before you start skimming.
Scanning gives you a feeling for the whole item.
Think about:
    * Is it relevant?
    * Is there anything in it that answers the target questions?
Look at:
    * Title page.
    * The contents page. Are there chapters or sections that you may want to read?
Are there maps, diagrams, pictures, captions? Do they look as if they would be helpful? Scanning involves running your eyes down the page looking for specific facts or key words and phrases.
Recall how you find a word in a vocabulary? You don't read any more than necessary to find the word you seek. Notice that you go directly down a column. Maybe you use your finger to guide your eyes. This type of reading is usually called scanning.
Scanning is a technique you often use when looking up a word in the telephone book or dictionary. You search for key words or ideas. In most cases, you know what you're looking for, so you're concentrating on finding a particular answer. Scanning involves moving your eyes quickly down the page seeking specific words and phrases. Scanning is also used when you first find a resource to determine whether it will answer your questions. Once you've scanned the document, you might go back and skim it.
When scanning, look for the author's use of organizers such as numbers, letters, steps, or the words, first, second, or next. Look for words that are bold faced, italics, or in a different font size, style, or color. Sometimes the author will put key ideas in the margin.
Reading off a computer screen has become a growing concern. Research shows that people have more difficulty reading off a computer screen than off paper. Although they can read and comprehend at the same rate as paper, skimming on the computer is much slower than on paper.
Similarly, scanning skills are valuable for several purposes in studying science. First, they are an aid in locating new terms, which are introduced in the chapter. Unless you understand the new terms, it is impossible to follow the author's reasoning without dictionary or glossary. Thus a preliminary scanning of the chapters will alert you to the new terms and concepts and their sequence. When you locate a new term, try to find its definition. If you are not able to figure out the meaning, then look it up in the glossary or dictionary. (Note: usually new terms are defined as they are introduced in science texts. If your text does not have a glossary, it is a good idea to keep a glossary of your own in the front page of the book. Record the terms and their definition or the page number where the definition is located. This is an excellent aid to refer to when you are reviewing for an examination, as it provides a convenient outline of the course).
Secondly, scanning is useful in locating statements, definitions, formulas, etc. which you must remember completely and precisely. Scan to find the exact and complete statement of a chemical law, the formula of a particular compound in chemistry, or the stages of cell division. Also, scan the charts and figures, for they usually summarize in graphic form the major ideas and facts of the chapter.
Just start
Scan how the page is laid out, and use bold headers and captions to get an overview of the ideas and themes.
* Use peripheral vision; don't focus only on the logical flow of the text. Observe what you're reading with a wide-angle scope, as if you were looking at an image rather than a block of text. Use the same wide-eye span as you do when driving, looking at all that surrounds you and heading your way.
* Using the wide-span approach, there are several methods in which you can "read" a page.
- Read paragraphs diagonally, and place emphasis on the key words.        - Read the page in a "Z"
- Read in a "U", moving down the page, and back up.
* Skim the text by reading the first sentence of each paragraph.
* Try to speed up your eye movements to take in more per reading, rather than stay fixated and focused on a word.
* Use the help of your index finger, by moving it at a slightly faster pace than your reading speed. When reading on the Internet, scroll down quicker than you actually read.

Skimming type of reading

Skim by zooming through the text quickly trying to spot key words. Don't start at the beginning and plod or shuffle through the text. After you have scanned the text and found the bits that you think look relevant and interesting then skim read. 
Concentrates keep your keywords and questions in your mind.
Skimming involves searching for the main ideas by reading the first and last paragraphs, noting other organizational cues, such as summaries, used by the author.
Skimming is used to quickly identify the main ideas of a text. When you read the newspaper, you're probably not reading it word-by-word; instead you're scanning the text. Skimming is done at a speed three to four times faster than normal reading. People often skim when they have lots of material to read in a limited amount of time. Use skimming when you want to see if an article may be of interest in your research.
There are many strategies that can be used when skimming. Some people read the first and last paragraphs using headings, summarizes and other organizers as they move down the page or screen. You might read the title, subtitles, subheading, and illustrations. Consider reading the first sentence of each paragraph. This technique is useful when you're seeking specific information rather than reading for comprehension. Skimming works well to find dates, names, and places. It might be used to review graphs, tables, and charts.
Skimming is when you "browse", or glance randomly through a book. It has great importance in learning and is emphasized as a strategy in speed reading particularly for exam taking. The purpose of skimming is to get an "overview" not the specific details of the material. We use it to decide if the book, article or report is worth our time, and has anything new and worthwhile to tell us. Why waste time if it is a rehash of stuff we already know?
Skim several times
When reading extensive material, you can first skim over the chapter and section titles to give you an idea of when the material is about. Then quickly scan through the material again to get a better idea of the topic. Finally, you read the assignment, but still reading rapidly.
 Skimming is a step you should always take before you read any article of factual or practical narrative. You will soon be able to detect most important facts, strange vocabulary, and words that are clues to important relationships.
It's a good practice to skim everything in mass media after reading the title and first paragraph. You may get all the information you want. This keeps your skimming skills from deteriorating, or will give you the practice you need to develop necessary skills.
Skim everything you intend to read before you make a final decision to read, discard, or study the material.
Skim all highlighting and develop a read-skim pattern to use for rapid review. And don't overlook this! Reviewing frequently and rapidly is the best way to memorize (or simply remember information) from notes and long text assignments.
... And then read
Some speed reading methods have you first skim-read the material and then read it over a second time more carefully, but yet still at high speed. In skim reading you often just scan through the material, letting your eyes catch key words that give you the crux of the written material.
Take some reading material and read it as fast as you can for a minute. When reading at this pace you do not have to understand a single word of what you are reading. Then start over for another minute and try to get to a further point that you did the last. Repeat this step over and over trying to beat the place where you got to last. Eventually time yourself for a minute and read for comprehension and you will see how fast you can really read.
Like scanning, skimming requires you to read quickly. When you skim a text, though, you are not looking for specific information, but rather, you are trying to get the main idea or point of the text you are reading. When skimming a reading selection, start with the title of the text, then read the topic sentence of each paragraph. Skimming is a skill that is especially suited for doing research. By skimming a few pages of a reference book or novel, you can generally tell if the book or novel will be useful for your research.
Light type of reading
Reading for leisure tends to be 'light':
    * Read at a pace which feels comfortable.
    * Read with understand.
    * Skim the boring, irrelevant passages.
An average light reading speed is 100-200 words per minute. This form of reading does not generally require detailed concentration.

Word by word type reading
This type of reading is time consuming and demands a high level of concentration. Some material is not readily understood and so requires a slow and careful analytical read. People use this type of reading for unfamiliar words and concepts, scientific formulae. It can take up to an hour just to read a few lines of text.
Reading to study type of reading
A method of reading for study is called SQ3R2, (SQ3R, SQ4R, PSQ5R) the aim is to understand the material in some depth. The method involves five simple steps; Survey, Question, Read, Recall and Review.
    * Survey: skim through to gain an overview and not key points.
    * Question: devise questions you hope the text will answer.
    * Read: slowly and carefully.
    * Recall: from memory, write down the main points made by the chapter.
    * Review: revisit your questions - compare these to your recall and establish how well the text has answered them; fill in any gaps by further reading and note-taking.
Practice and speed reading
Question: I'm currently interested in speed reading, a possibly useful augmentation on my natural state, I'm not sure about its effectiveness (or even possible effectiveness). A bit curious about the experiences of others, and of possible studies into the subject.
So, the question is, do you happen to have some information that might help me?

Answer: A few things to look at:
1. How much do you read?
2. How often do you read?
3. How much do you enjoy reading?
Speed reading is a skill that is acquired after much reading. I started heavily reading at the age of 10 and by the time I was 12-13 I could speed read flawlessly. That skill has not degraded at all over the years. I think the more you read the more your mind adapts to it, to were eventually it will pick out the most important words, naturally to were with less words you understand it as well as if you read every word or the whole sentence.
SQ3R –A Reading Technique
SURVEY - gather the information necessary to focus and formulate goals.
Read the title - help the mind prepare to receive the subject at hand. 
Read the introduction and/or summary - how this chapter fits the author's purposes, and focus on the author's statement of most important points. 
Notice each boldface heading and subheading - order your mind before you begin to read - build a structure for the thoughts and details to come. 
Notice any graphics - charts, maps, diagrams, etc. are there to make a point - don't miss them. 
Notice reading aids - italics, bold face print, chapter objective, end-of -chapter questions are all included to help you sort, comprehend, and remember.
Survey the document: scan the contents, introduction, chapter introductions and chapter summaries to pick up a shallow overview of the text and form an opinion of whether it will be of any help.
QUESTION - help your mind to concentrate.
One section at a time, turn the boldface heading into as many questions as you think will be answered in that section. The better the questions, the better your comprehension is likely to be. You may always add further questions as you proceed. When the mind is actively searching for answers to questions it becomes engaged in learning.
Make a note of any questions that come to mind or particularly interest you about the subject as a result of your survey. Perhaps rescan the document to see if any questions stand out. These questions can be considered almost as study goals - understanding the answers can help you to structure the information in the mind.
READ - fill in the information around the mental structures you've been building.
Read each section (one at a time) with the questions in mind. Look for the answers, and notice if you need to make up some new questions.
Read the document. Read through it in detail, taking care to understand all the points that are relevant. In the case of some texts this reading may be very slow if there is a lot of dense and complicated information.
RECITE - retain your mind to concentrate and learn as it reads.
After each section - stop, recall the questions, and see if you can answer them from memory. If not, look back again (as often as necessary) but don't go on to the next section until you can recite.
Once you have read the document, or a section of it, run through it in your mind a number of times. Isolate out the core facts or the essential processes behind the subject, and then see how other information fits around them. Some things may require more recital than others for them to sink in.
REVIEW - refine your mental organization and begin building memory.
Once you've finished the entire chapter using the preceding steps, go back over all the questions from all the headings. See if you can still answer them. If not, look back and refresh the memory, then continue.
Once you have run through the exercise of recalling the information, you can move on to the stage of reviewing the information. This review can be by re-reading the document, by expanding your notes, or by discussing the material with someone else. A particularly effective method of reviewing information is to have to teach it to someone else!
SQ4R Reading 
The SQ4R Method will help you keep studying organized and efficient. The steps to SQ4R ( Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Record, Review) are explained in the steps below.
SURVEY
Glance over the material to get a feel for what you will be reading.
Survey the entire text
When you first receive the text, spend about 20 minutes skimming the entire textbook to acquire an overall understanding of how the book is organized.
   1. Read at the title page.
   2. Read at the copyright page.
   3. Read at the table of contents.
   4. Read the preface.
   5. Read at the ancillary material (appendix, glossary, bibliography, and index)
   6. Read at any illustrations (including charts, graphs, and tables)
 Survey each chapter
Survey a chapter assignment before you actually read it. Survey should tell the scope of the content, how different topics are organized, and what the author's purpose and point of view are. The chapter survey will also give you sufficient background information for class notes.
   1. Read the chapter title.
   2. Read the chapter objectives.
   3. Read the chapter summary or review.
   4. Read the major headings and subheadings.
   5. Read the visual aids.
   6. Read the italicized and/or underlined words and terms.
 Survey the illustrations
Our society is visually oriented; authors and publishers are well aware that effective use of illustrations in textbooks is more necessary than ever. Illustrations can literally replace hundreds of words and convey a message more dramatically and quickly than a comparable section of text. Formats range from equations, theorems, and formulas to tables and graphic illustrations.
QUESTION
 Ask questions before, during, and after reading the material
As you survey the material, ask the questions about what you will be reading and what you will try to answer. Turn the headings and subheadings into questions. These questions give you a real reason for reading and will help you concentrate on the subject you are reading.
Imagine, as you read the textbook, that the author is speaking directly to you. Question the author statements. Challenge the ideas presented. Textbooks are not the A final word, but are a means of actively involving you, the reader, in the learning process. Do not passively accept the author is presentation of material; look at it critically and read with a questioning and searching attitude. Ask the standard questions: what, why, and how.
Read
Read for the main ideas and organization
Now you should read actively with these certain questions in mind and attempt to answer the questions and organize the material. These answers will be the important facts and details. Read everything in a chapter including any of the visual aids such as picture captions, graphs, charts, etc. Note any words or phrases that are italicized, underlined, or in bold print (there=s a reason this material is highlighted!) The tendency in reading is to keep going, but you should stop at the end of each section to see if you can answer the questions you asked at the start of the section.
Find the main ideas in each chapter or section. Textbook authors write as you have been taught to write: they develop a topic sentence and/or paragraph, substantiate it, and draw conclusions.
Concentrate on what you are reading. Try to feel the rhythm of the author's prose (short, snappy sentences or long, labored explanations) and then "go with the flow." Note particularly the headings and subheadings; they indicate the relative importance of each topic.
Study the illustrations. These serve as "pegs" to help you remember the major points being discussed in the text.

RECITE
Summarize aloud what you read
Recite the main ideas, in other words, aloud or to yourself, after finishing a page. Check the comprehension and make sure you have the correct information. Do the same for the major points after reading each section or chapter.
By reciting what you've read, you are able to see how much information you absorbed, areas you didn't understand and need to review, and answers to the questions you generated for yourself. If you cannot answer the questions, go back to the material and reread.

RECORD
Marking the textbook increases understanding of the material for the present and for future reference. The process of selecting and marking requires you to find the main ideas. Later, when you review the text for exam purposes, you will find that the textbook markings and highlights enable you to grasp the essential points without having to read entire paragraphs and chapters again.
Write down the central points for the chapter or section in the notebook. Do each assignment before class. This will prepare you to participate in class discussions which will, in turn, help you remember the material you have read and to put it into perspective.
Underline and make marginal notes
Underlining key words and sentences will make those items stand out in the mind.
Marginal notes give you the opportunity to question a statement or position taken by the author as well as making you select the key words or items you want to remember from the paragraph.
Summaries enable you to write a brief summation of a section in other words.
Develop your own system of reading. Use whatever facilitates your retention of the material and works best for you. You might use the following: a double underline for main ideas and a single underline for supporting points; a bracket to enclose several consecutive lines that are important, rather than underlining all of them; or a box or circle around key terms.
Read before you mark. Read a few paragraphs or sections and then go back over the material and underline those topics and/or words that you feel are important.
Be selective. Underline only those points that are clearly essential. You will then have a visible outline of the major points on a page.
Use other words. Marginal notations and summaries should be in other language so you can readily recall the original material as you review. Using the text in this manner enables you to extract all that the book has to offer you in a learning situation, now and in the future. You will be able to use the texts for review in later softwares in the same field or in an allied field, thus reducing the need to re-read the material. You will reap the most benefit from reviewing the notes in the text, rather than being distracted by notes you may find written by some other person in a used text.
Coordinate class notes and textbook notes
Read the textbook material on time and prior to the corresponding class or lecture if at all possible. You can then follow the instructor's thought more easily, separate important points from lesser details, and have class notes become more meaningful to you.
Develop your own note-taking technique for each class. Many students use only one side of the paper for class notes, leaving a 2- or 3-inch margin on the left side of the page for writing key words and labeling.
Combine the text notes and class notes. Do this by writing class notes on the right hand page of the notebook and transferring text notes to the appropriate left hand facing page. You can then easily review all the information gained from class and text reading.

REVIEW
Review constantly
Reviewing is an essential part of retention. Review the textbook notes shortly after you have written them and continue to review them periodically.
Spend a few minutes going over the earlier notes before beginning a new reading assignment. This will help you keep the overall picture of the author's development in mind and will let you place the new material properly within that arrangement.
Review any and all supplements to the text. These usually contain quizzes and self tests on material in the text which will prepare you better for examinations. Constantly review throughout the software will greatly reduce the time you will need to spend preparing for exams and will make that time less stressful ("cramming") and more relaxing ("reviewing").
Active Reading
Keep paper and pen within reach. Before beginning to read, think about the purpose for the reading. Why has the teacher made this assignment? What are you supposed to get out of it?
Use the cursor on computer like a magic wand as you read text. Underline reading text. The cursor becomes a finger, and instinct kicks in - your eyes follow for moving object. This increase information perception on 50%, and add that important 10% to memory and concentration.
So that's it, you're on the way to improved knowledge acquisition. Want to know why the most intelligent people hate reading? It slow and boring and their brain is moving at the speed of sound.
Use a guide (pencil, finger, ruler) to stop regression. Train yourself to bypass your automatic response to mentally speak each word. Reading groups of words and phrases at a time, using our peripheral vision. Specifically, taking in a sentence in three gulps, not ten, which is typical for educated professionals. But now you have the first two steps.
When you are reading it is often useful to highlight, underline and annotate the text as you go on. This emphasizes information in the mind, and helps you to review important points after you have finished studying the text. Active reading helps to keep the mind focused on the material and stops it wandering.
This is obviously only something to do if you own the document or book. If you find that active reading helps significantly, then it may be worth copying information in more expensive texts. You can then read and mark the photocopies.
Marking & Underlining in a Textbook
    * First read a section.
    * Review the section, marking and underlining selectively.
    * Underline information as if you were preparing brief notes from which you could study.
    * Underline all definitions of terminology.
    * Mark or label examples that represent main ideas.
    * Circle and box special vocabulary words and transitional words and phrases.
    * Number important or sequential ideas.
    * Jot down paraphrases, questions, and summaries in available space within the text.

Readers should use a pen or finger to trace each line of text as they move down the page to keep track of where they are reading.
Use index and middle fingers to run across the text. Switching fingers with each line previews the next, and you can grasp the information better. The eye sees the next line.
Subconsciously, the eye will skip around a page of text, which is why reading can take so much time.
Always read with a pen in your fist underlining each word of a sentence as you think. You will increase speed reading in 50%, and add 10% to concentration and memory. It's an instinct - our eyes follow a moving object. It's what saved our cave-dwelling ancestors from sneaky dinosaurs and enemies next door.
Exercise:
Read the following paragraphs and answer the questions given below:
1.         Thomas Alva Edison lit up the world with his invention of the electric light. Without him, the world might still be a dark place. However, the electric light was not his only invention. He also invented the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and over 1,200 other things. About every two weeks he created something new.
Thomas A. Edison was born in Milan, Ohio, on February 11, 1847. His family moved to Port Huron, Michigan, when he was seven years old. Surprisingly, he attended school for only two months. His mother, a former teacher, taught him a few things, but Thomas was mostly self-educated. His natural curiosity led him to start experimenting at a young age with electrical and mechanical things at home.
When he was 12 years old, he got his first job. He became a newsboy on a train that ran between Port Huron and Detroit. He set up a laboratory in a baggage care of the train so that he could continue his experiments in his spare time. Unfortunately, his first work experience did not end well. Thomas was fired when he accidentally set fire to the floor of the baggage car.
Thomas then worked for five years as a telegraph operator, but he continued to spend much of his time on the job conducting experiments. He got his first patent in 1868 for a vote recorder run by electricity. However, the vote recorder was not a success. In 1870, he sold another invention, a stock-ticker, for $40,000. A stock-ticker is a machine that automatically prints stock prices on a tape. He was then able to build his first shop in Newark, New Jersey.
Thomas Edison was totally deaf in one ear and hard of hearing in the other, but thought of his deafness as a blessing in many ways. It kept conversations short, so that he could have more time for work. He called himself a "two-shift man" because he worked 16 out of every 24 hours. Sometimes he worked so intensely that his wife had to remind him to sleep and eat.
Thomas Edison died at the age of 84 on October 18, 1931, at his estate in West Orange, New Jersey. He left numerous inventions that improved the quality of life all over the world.

1.         Thomas Edison did things in this order: 
a.         he became a telegraph operator, a newsboy, and then got his first patent
b.         he became a newsboy, got his first patent, and then became a telegraph operator
c.         he got a patent, became a telegraph operator, and then became a newsboy
d.         he became a newsboy, a telegraph operator, and then got a patent
2.         Edison considered his deafness: 
a disadvantage
b. blessing
c.         something from a priest
d.         a necessity
3.         Of all the inventions, __________ was probably the most important for civilization.
a.         the vote recorder
b.         the stock ticker
c.         the light bulb
d.         the motion picture camera
4.         The main idea of this passage is:
a.         Thomas Edison was always interested in science and inventions, and he invented many important things.
b.         Thomas Edison could not keep a job.
c.         Thomas Edison worked day and night on his experiments.
d.         Deaf people make good inventors because they can focus without the distraction of spoken conversation.

5.                  Summarise the above passage.
6.                  His mother, a former teacher, taught him a few things, but he was mostly self-educated.
a.         taught himself
b.         born a genius
c.         loved school
d.         thought of himself
7.                  His natural curiosity soon led him to start experimenting with electrical and mechanical things at home.
a.         experiencing
b.         inventing
c.         making tests and playing with
d.         ignoring
8.                  He left numerous inventions that improved the quality of life all over the world.
a.         numbered
b.         many
c.         none
d.         modern
9.                  Sometimes he worked so intensely that his wife had to remind him to sleep and eat.
a.         passionately and with great focus
b.         carelessly and with many distractions
c.         hard
d.         problems
10.       Make notes of the above passage.

II.    In Glacier National Park, which is in the Rocky Mountains of Montana, there once roamed a little deaf Indian boy. He loved to wander in the forest, and made friends with the animals who lived there. Since he loved animals, he would observe them intently and learn their habits. This little Indian boy's name was John Lewis Clarke.
John Lewis Clarke's grandfather was a graduate from West Point and a captain in the U.S. Army. He was married to the daughter of a Blackfoot Indian Chief and adopted by the tribe. His son, John Lewis Clarke's father, also married an Indian princess, the daughter of Chief Stands Alone. Sadly, John's grandfather was later killed by Indians of another tribe near Helena, Montana.
ohn Lewis Clarke was not born deaf. He became ill at a young age with scarlet fever. Though he survived, he could no longer hear the sounds that the forest animals made. He could not hear his Indian friends when they called to him. Scarlet fever had caused him to lose his hearing. His Indian friends gave him the name Cutapuis (Cu-ta-pu-ee) which means, "man who talks not."
Because John could not talk, he could not tell his parents about his many animal friends in the forest and the exciting things that he saw, but he found another way to express himself. He made figures of them out of clay from the river banks. Later, when he was older, he learned to carve things out of wood. He loved to carve animals. With an axe and a pocket knife, he carved a life-sized image of a bear from a cedar trunk. The bear looked so real, the only thing missing was its growl.
When John was old enough to go to school, his parents sent him to the Fort Shaw Indian School. However, since he needed special education, he was transferred to a school for the deaf at Boulder, Montana. He also attended the School for the Deaf at Devil's Lake, North Dakota. When he was older, he enrolled at St. Francis Academy in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he studied wood carving.
While he was still in his teens, John returned to Montana and opened a studio. He began to carve all the animals he had known very well in his childhood, and offer them for sale. He made models of animals out of wood, clay, and stone. He painted pictures using water colors and oils, and did excellent pen and ink drawings. He began to make a name for himself as an artist.
John spent most of his 89 years at his home studio in Glacier Park. Every year when the park season was over, he continued his work in Great Falls, Montana, his second home. Many important people bought John's work. John D. Rockefeller, Jr., the famous multimillionaire, was one of them. John's work was on exhibit in many places in this country. John died on November 20, 1970. In his life-time, he literally carved his way to fame.
1.         John probably started to use American Sign Language as soon as:
a.         he became deaf.
b.         he entered a school for the deaf.
c.         he could make figures out of clay.
d.         his Indian friends taught him.
2.         The subject of his artwork was mostly animals. This is most likely because:
a.         the environment he grew up in influenced him.
b.         he was an Indian.
c.         it was his way of expressing ideas.
d.         he did not like people.
3.         "The bear looked so real. The only thing missing was its 'growl.'" This phrase means:
a.         John forgot to add one more thing.
b.         the bear was missing.
c.         the bear missed growling.
d.         the bear looked perfect except that it could not make any sound.
4.         During the course of his education, John attended:
a.         two schools.
b.         only a residential school for the deaf.
c.         four different schools.
d.         a school in Maine.
5.         Because John could not talk, he could not tell his parents about his many animal friends in the forest and the exciting things that he saw, but he found another way to express himself. He made figures out of clay.
a.         speak with voice
b.         be quiet
c.         communicate
d.         write his thoughts
6.        The bear looked so real. The only thing missing was its growl.
a.         snarl
b.         growth
c.         mouth
d.         talking back
7.      Since he needed special education, he was transferred to a school for the deaf at Boulder, Montana.
a.         traveled by train
b.         moved to
c.         kept at
d.         transformed
8.          John's work was on exhibit in many places in the country.
a.         sale
b.         loan
c.         walls
d.         display
9.         In his lifetime, he literally carved his way to fame.
a.         in action
b.         really
c.         probably
d.         supposedly
10.       Many important people bought John's work. John D. Rockefeller, Jr., the famous multimillionaire, was one of them.
a.         someone who has many millions of dollars
b.         someone who has a million dollars
c.         someone who gives a lot of money to charity
d.         someone who doesn't care about money
III.       People can lose their hearing at any age - before they are born, as infants, during childhood, or as _____1_____. Each age of onset has a different name and the deafness may have different origins.
Prenatal deafness means that a baby is born deaf. There are several reasons why this can happen. If parents are deaf, they may have a deaf baby. There are genes related to deafness that hearing parents can also pass on to their child. Genes control the way we look and all of our characteristics. If the baby gets the right genes from hearing parents, it will be born deaf. Other prenatal _____2_____ of deafness can include: accidents; medicine or drugs that the mother takes; illnesses; and genetic syndromes.
Genetic syndromes are a group of characteristics that a child inherits from its parents. There are two very common types of genetic syndromes related to deafness. One is Waardenburg's Syndrome. Its characteristics are very ____3______. The person may have pigment disorders: a streak of white hair; two different color eyes; or streaks of white in a man's _____4_____. Most residential schools have children with these characteristics. It is possible to have the physical traits of Waardenburg's Syndrome but not be deaf.
Usher's Syndrome is also fairly common. Children with Usher's Syndrome are born with a hearing loss and later lose their vision. The first symptoms of this genetic syndrome occur at _____5_____. A person with Usher's Syndrome will experience problems seeing well in the dark. Later, they will lose their peripheral vision and see only within a tunnel area in front of them. This is called "tunnel vision." Persons may eventually lose more and more of their vision and become blind or partially blind.
If you notice that a deaf person does not see you when you stand at his or her _____6_____, that person may have this syndrome. The best way to communicate with a person who has Usher's Syndrome is to stand directly in front and to sign _____7_____.                 
“Adapted from Deaf Heritage: A Student Text and Workbook.  National Association of the Deaf.’’

1          People can lose their hearing at any age - before they are born, as infants, during childhood, or as __________.
                                   adults
                                    friends
                                    relatives
                                    students
                                    citizens
2.          Other prenatal __________ of deafness can include: accidents; medicine or drugs that the mother takes; illnesses; and genetic syndromes.
                                    benefits
                                    causes
                                    degrees
                                    tests
                                    results
3          The characteristics of Waardenburg's Syndrome are very __________.
                                    rare
                                    valuable
                                    old-fashioned
                                    obvious
                                    dangerous
4          The person may have pigment disorders: a streak of white hair; two different color eyes; or streaks of white in a man's __________.
                                    smile
                                    clothing
                                    picture
                                    glasses
                                    beard
5          The first symptoms of the Usher's Syndrome occur at __________.
                                    night
                                    home
                                    dinner
                                    rest
                                    recess
6          If you notice that a deaf person does not see you when you stand at his or her __________, that person may have this syndrome.
                                    window
                                    rear
                                    side
                                    door
                                    mirror
7          The best way to communicate with a person who has Usher's Syndrome is to stand directly in front and to sign __________.
                                    politely
                                    clearly
                                    quickly
                                    quietly
                                    English
8.                  Make notes of the above text and give suitable title to it.

IV.       In cobra country a mongoose was born one day who didn't want to fight cobras or anything else. The word spread from mongoose to mongoose that there was a mongoose who didn't want to fight cobras. If he didn't want to fight anything else, it was his own business, but it was the duty of every mongoose to kill cobras or be killed by cobras.
      "Why?"asked the peacelike mongoose, and the word went round that the strange new mongoose was not only pro-cobra and anti-mongoose but intellectually curious and against the ideals and traditions of mongoosism.
      "He is crazy," cried the young's mongoose's father.
      "He's sick, "said his mother.
      "He is a coward,"shouted his brothers.
      "He's a mongoosexual,"whispered his sisters.
      Strangers who had never laid eyes on the peacelike mongoose remembered that they had seen him crawling on his stomach, or trying cobra hoods, or plotting the violent overthrow of Mongoodia.
      "I am trying to use reason and intelligence,"said the strange new mongoose.
      "Reason is six-sevenths of treason,"said one of his neighbours.
      "Intelligence is what the enemy uses,"said another.
      Finally the rumour spread that the mongoose had venom in his sting, like a cobra, and he was tried, convicted by a show of paws, and condemned to banishment.
Moral: Ashes to ashes, and clay to clay, if the enemy doesn't get you your own folks may.
Exercise:
THE PEACELIKE MONGOOSE
       The only question in the whole text is___________ and it is asked by the _________ mongoose. The fact that a mongoose must inevitably cobras ____________   isn't obvious to him so he wants to know the ____________ for such behaviour. However, this is interpreted by his fellow mongooses as ___________ . If you look closely at the words "reason"and "treason" you will find out they have letters ____________ in common, that is why the author refers to reason being of treason.
       The other mongooses have never asked themselves questions about ____________ and they have been ____________ to think that this is the only way to ____________. This blind acceptance of ideals and traditions has led them not only to constant ____________ against cobras with no hope of an end but also ____________ towards anyone who ____________ such behaviour. They have not been taught to use either ____________ or intelligence.
Can you relate the story and its moral to any particular historical event? If you do, write a short paragraph describing it, making a parallel between both stories and send it to us.
V.        English as a National Foreign Language
India has two national languages for central administrative purposes: Hindi and English. Hindi is the national, official, and main link language of India. English is an associate official language. The Indian Constitution also officially approves twenty-two regional languages for official purposes.
Dozens of distinctly different regional languages are spoken in India, which share many characteristics such as grammatical structure and vocabulary. Apart from these languages, Hindi is used for communication in India. The homeland of Hindi is mainly in the north of India, but it is spoken and widely understood in all urban centers of India. In the southern states of India, where people speak many different languages that are not much related to Hindi, there is more resistance to Hindi, which has allowed English to remain a lingua franca to a greater degree.
Since the early 1600s, the English language has had a toehold on the Indian subcontinent, when the East India Company established settlements in Chennai, Kolkata, and Mumbai, formerly Madras, Calcutta, and Bombay respectively. The historical background of India is never far away from everyday usage of English. India has had a longer exposure to English than any other country which uses it as a second language, its distinctive words, idioms, grammar and rhetoric spreading gradually to affect all places, habits and culture.
In India, English serves two purposes. First, it provides a linguistic tool for the administrative cohesiveness of the country, causing people who speak different languages to become united. Secondly, it serves as a language of wider communication, including a large variety of different people covering a vast area. It overlaps with local languages in certain spheres of influence and in public domains.
Generally, English is used among Indians as a ‘link’ language and it is the first language for many well-educated Indians. It is also the second language for many who speak more than one language in India. The English language is a tie that helps bind the many segments of our society together. Also, it is a linguistic bridge between the major countries of the world and India.
English has special national status in India. It has a special place in the parliament, judiciary, broadcasting, journalism, and in the education system. One can see a Hindi-speaking teacher giving their students instructions during an educational tour about where to meet and when their bus would leave, but all in English. It means that the language permeates daily life. It is unavoidable and is always expected, especially in the cities.
The importance of the ability to speak or write English has recently increased significantly because English has become the de facto standard. Learning English language has become popular for business, commerce and cultural reasons and especially for internet communications throughout the world. English is a language that has become a standard not because it has been approved by any ‘standards’ organization but because it is widely used by many information and technology industries and recognized as being standard. The call centre phenomenon has stimulated a huge expansion of internet-related activity, establishing the future of India as a cyber-technological super-power. Modern communications, videos, journals and newspapers on the internet use English and have made ‘knowing English’ indispensable.
The prevailing view seems to be that unless students learn English, they can only work in limited jobs. Those who do not have basic knowledge of English cannot obtain good quality jobs. They cannot communicate efficiently with others, and cannot have the benefit of India’s rich social and cultural life. Men and women who cannot comprehend and interpret instructions in English, even if educated, are unemployable. They cannot help with their children’s school homework everyday or decide their revenue options of the future.
A positive attitude to English as a national language is essential to the integration of people into Indian society. There would appear to be virtually no disagreement in the community about the importance of English language skills. Using English you will become a citizen of the world almost naturally. English plays a dominant role in the media. It has been used as a medium for inter-state communication and broadcasting both before and since India’s independence. India is, without a doubt, committed to English as a national language. The impact of English is not only continuing but increasing.
1.         According to the writer, the Indian constitution recognises
22 official languages 
Hindi as the national language 
2 national, official languages 2 national languages

2.         English's status as a lingua franca is helped by
its status in northern India
the fact that it is widely understood in urban centres
the fact that people from the south speak languages not much related to Hindi
it shares many grammatical similarities with Hindi

3.         In paragraph 3, 'toehold' means that English
dominated India
changed the names of some cities in India
has had a presence in India
has been in India longer than any other language

4.         Hindi-speaking teachers
might well be heard using English
only use English
only use English for instructions
do not use English

5.         In paragraph eight, it says 'the prevailing view', which suggests that
the view is correct
the view is held by the majority
the view is incorrect
the view is held by the minority

6.         English in India
is going to decrease
has decreased since independence
causes disagreement
is going to have a greater importance

7.                  Summarise the above text into one third of it.
8.                  Make the note points of the text given above.