Reading Comprehension and Precis

Semester 1

Profs: Dr. Ouafae BOUZEKRI; Dr. Malika KHANDAGUI; Dr. Mustapha TALAY

Fall 2020

Avoid COVID-19: Stay Home! Stay Safe!

 Course description

Course title: Reading Comprehension

Semester: I

Instructors: Dr. Ouafae BOUZEKRI; Dr. Malika KHANDAGUI; Dr. Mustapha TALAY

Course description:
This course aims at improving students’ understanding of self-contained, well-structured passages, and
training them in understanding vocabulary in context and recognizing the main ideas of a passage. Briefly, reading
comprehension is the ability to understand a written text, whether that text is a news article, a short story, a poem, or
any other piece of writing. Given the unfortunate influence the Covid-19 pandemic is having on all of our lives these days,
you’ll need to take personal responsibility for your learning even more than usual. The online classes our university is
providing are meant to help you develop useful learning strategies. The effectiveness of these classes will depend on your
language skills (for example, your vocabulary level and your knowledge of English grammar) and the seriousness with
which you apply these skills to your work in class. To develop your comprehension of written (and spoken, for that matter)
texts you’ll need to apply your prior knowledge of the subject to help you understand the new material you’re reading
about. Questions to ask yourself while reading might be: Why is this important? What is the writer trying to get me to
believe/understand? Do these new ideas agree more or less with what I already know about the subject? Does the
author seem to know what she’s writing about? What makes me think this?

Course objectives:
To stimulate students’ curiosity and strengthen their knowledge about English as a foreign language
To initiate students to the basic techniques of reading and understanding a text
To encourage students to enhance their vocabulary knowledge and get familiar with different genre of
texts.
Course materials and requirements:
The course includes a variety of texts in the form of PDF. Each text includes a section on:
Vocabulary: Students are asked to define and/or give synonyms for words in the text. The idea is to
train students to be able to guess the meaning of the words from the context. When reading a text, students
may encounter unfamiliar words or phrases. One good strategy is to skip these at the beginning. They may
not be necessary to understand the meaning of a paragraph or the meaning of the whole text. However if the
students find that a paragraph is unclear when they skip difficult words or phrases, they should not rush
immediately to look up the words in the dictionary.
Advice to students: Don’t be or become a slave to a dictionary. First try to identify the part of speech of
the difficult words (nouns, adjectives, verb, adverb…). If the word includes a prefix or a suffix try to find
the root of the word (e.g. unbelievable → un-believe-able). Read what comes before and after the word you
don’t understand. This helps a lot in getting the meaning of the difficult word.
 Comprehension questions: By trying to answer comprehension questions, you test your understanding
of the ideas of the text. There are two techniques in reading: skimming and scanning. Both of these depend
on the purpose of your reading. Here, we invite you to train yourself to both techniques, because they are
very useful for your future in academia. Skimming means reading a text at a faster rate to be able to get the
gist of it. In other words what the text is about. To do this, we tend to preview the text quickly by:
 Reading the title and any subtitles;
 Reading the first sentence of each paragraph;
 Reading the last sentence of the text;
 Asking yourself what the text is about.

Scanning on the other hand implies a thorough reading of the text. We try to find specific and detailed
information about the text so as to be able to answer questions requiring facts that appear in the text.
Scanning requires the ability to scrutinize the text, to read between the lines, and to get a full understanding
of the text. To do this, you need to concentrate on what you are reading and not let your focus wander and to
try to connect the text with your previous knowledge or experience. You need to follow some steps like:
 Read each question carefully and completely before starting to scan. Choose your key words
from the question itself;
 Don’t rush. Look for answers to only one question at a time.
 When you locate a key word, read what comes before and after and see whether it is relevant
to the information needed;
 Always re-read the question and determine whether the answer you provided answers this
question.

Paraphrasing means to formulate and/or to explain the statement highlighted in the text using your own
words. It also entails that you rewrite the text without changing the original meaning or giving your point of
view. You should avoid using any wording similar to the original. To know how to paraphrase, you need to
follow certain steps:
 Read the text several times to get a full understanding of what the it’s about;
 Highlight the key words;
 Write your own version of the statement without looking or going back to the original. Then,
compare it with the original one and try to make adjustments to any words or phrases that remain
too similar.

In a nutshell, imagine your friend or your little brother or little sister asking you to explain to him or her a
sentence in Arabic or in French. Obviously you are not going to explain it using the same words, as they didn’t
understand those in the first place. You are going to simplify it and explain it in different words. Well, this is
paraphrasing.

Precis: A precis is a short summary of a paragraph or other piece of writing. But writing precis is more
than just making the paragraph short. Writing precis requires skill so that you do not miss out a point and capture
the essence of the original in one single small paragraph. Therefore, for writing a precis you need to follow a
particular set of rules, and that is why it is important to understand the Rules of precis writing (cf. rules of precis
in the following)

Evaluation:
Students will have to sit for an end-of-term written exam. A new text will be given at the end of the term
(Date to be announced by the administration). It will either include a section on vocabulary, on
comprehension questions, on paraphrasing and precis or multiple questions. The exam is graded out of /20.
 Students must have at least 10/20 in the total score to be able to pass. Students who get a grade lower than 10
will be required to sit for the make-up assessment to validate the module.

A general note to students:

The best way to succeed in this course:

 Follow these guidelines and the ones in the course description;
 Read the text and do the exercises every week;
 Then compare your work to the answer key that will be provided for each text.
 It would also be very useful if you try to enhance your reading skills (and vocabulary) by
reading in English during this pandemic. There are many sources (for free!) on the internet.

We hope that things work well for you.

Course content:
Introduction
Rules of precis I
Rules of precis II
Text 1: Shakespeare’s impact on English language

Text 2: What it means to miss New Orleans

Text 3: Black Friday

Text 4: Should I tell the truth about my past?

Text 5: Sport creates goodwill

Text 6: Winter time

Text 7: Muhammed Ali, the first “free” African-American champion

Text 8: Chess

Text 9: The canopy

 Introduction

What exactly is ‘reading comprehension’?

If we say that a student is ‘good at comprehension’, we mean that s/he can read accurately and
efficiently, so as to get the maximum of information from a text with a minimum of
misunderstanding. We may also mean (though this is not quite the same) that s/he is able to show
her/his understanding by re-expressing the content of the text – for instance, by writing sentences
or paragraphs in answer to questions, or by summarizing the text.
Language is not the only factor in successful comprehension: some students who speak and
write English very well are poor at this kind of work, and of course people may be bad at
comprehension even in their own tongue.
Some of the reasons for failure in comprehension are connected with defective reading habits.
Not all students read efficiently, even in their own language and there are several things that can
go wrong.

a) Some students find it difficult to ‘see the wood for the trees’. They may read slowly and
carefully, paying a lot of attention to individual points, but without succeeding in getting a
clear idea of the overall meaning of a text.
b) Other students (especially those who read quickly) do not always pay enough attention to
details. They may have a good idea of the general meaning of the text, but misunderstand
particular points. Sometimes, by overlooking an important small word (for instance a
conjunction, a negation, and a modal verb) they may get a completely false impression of
the meaning of a part of the passage.
c) Some students are ‘imaginative readers’: especially if they know something about the
subject, or have strong opinions about it, they may interpret the text in the light of their own
experience and ideas, so that they find it difficult to separate what the writer says from what
they feel themselves.

Other types of comprehension problem arise directly from the text.

d) Some writers favor a wordy and repetitive style; practice is needed to be able to ‘see through’
the words to the (often very simple) ideas which underlie them.
e) Words and expressions which the student does not know obviously present a problem
(unless the student is working with a dictionary). However, students do not always realize
how easy it is to guess many unknown words simply by studying the context. Some students,
indeed, are so disturbed by unfamiliar vocabulary that their comprehension of the whole
passage suffers as a result.

Finally, some ‘comprehension’ examinations test skills which go beyond the limits of
comprehension proper. Summary-writing is a good example of this: most students, even those
with a good knowledge of the language and adequate comprehension skills, need special training
in order to be able to summarize effectively.
 I. Precis Writing

A precis is a short summary of a paragraph or other piece of writing. But writing precis is more than just making
the paragraph short. Writing precis requires skill so that you do not miss out a point and capture the essence of
the original in one single small paragraph. Therefore, for writing a precis you need to follow a particular set of
rules, and that is why it is important to understand the Rules of precis writing.

The motive of writing a precis is to make the reader understand the main idea(s) of the paragraph in a shorter
format. For precis writing there are certain do’s and don’ts which will guide you into writing a better precis.

Rules of Precis Writing

Do’s of Precis Writing

 Start your precis with the main idea so that the reader can quickly understand the essence of the precis.
 He/she will know beforehand as to what they should expect in the written precis.
 As the main idea is established, you can follow it up with some methods, facts, points, etc.
 As a precis is concise, compress your writing and make sure that the length is available for you to retain
the important data, keywords, and concepts.
 Removing the irrelevant data or sentences is as important as writing the relevant points.
 Thus, identify the superfluous data and facts and keep the core idea of the work only in the precis.
 If you are mentioning anything related to history or any historical data, then make sure that it is written
in the past tense.

Don’ts of Precis Writing

 A precis is a formal way of writing a shorter form of a given paragraph.

 So, even though you have read and understood the precis well, do not form your own opinions.
 You cannot insert your own remarks and criticism in a precis.
 Always work with the facts and data that are given in the paragraph only.
 Also, during precis writing, you cannot insert a question. If for any reason you need to insert one, make
it in the form of a statement.
 In a precis, avoid using contractions and abbreviations; write the full form of any given words only.

What Constitutes a Good Precis?

Now that we have understood what things you should do and what things you shouldn’t while writing a precis,
let’s understand what a good precis is ? That is to say what things should be included for a good précis? A good
one should follow these rules :

 It should be precise and clear.

 Precis writing is not just lifting the words from the original paragraph.
 It should be written in a precise manner in your own words.
 It should be a summary or a miniature version of the original paragraph.
 The precis should be logically connected and should have a good flow of words.
 It should be coherent and for this, it can include linking words such as and, because, therefore, etc.
 The details found in the precis must match the details found in the paragraph.

When all of these above points are understood and used, a good precis is bound to be written.
 II. How to Write a Summary in 8 Steps

Writing a good summary demonstrates that you clearly understand a text...and that you can communicate that
understanding to your readers. A summary can be tricky to write at first because it’s tempting to include too much
or too little information. But by following this easy 8-step method, you will be able to summarize texts quickly
and successfully for any class or subject.

1) Divide…and conquer. First off, skim the text you are going to summarize and divide it into sections. Focus on
any headings and subheadings. Also look at any bold-faced terms and make sure you understand them before you
read.

2) Read. Now that you’re prepared, go ahead and read the selection. Read straight through. At this point, you
don’t need to stop to look up anything that gives you trouble—just get a feel for the author’s tone, style, and main
idea.

3) Reread. Rereading should be active reading. Underline topic sentences and key facts. Label areas that you want
to refer to as you write your summary. Also label areas that should be avoided because the details—though they
may be interesting—are too specific. Identify areas that you do not understand and try to clarify those points. It
is really important that you identify the MAIN points that the author is making to support the overall main idea
of the article or text. Usually you will not include things like statistics and examples in a summary, so avoid
including all the details. If you are still unclear on what you are reading and what are the main points you need to
include in your summary, re-read again. You can repeat this step as many times as you need to until you really
understand the text.

4) One sentence at a time. You should now have a firm grasp on the text you will be summarizing. In steps 1–3,
you divided the piece into sections and located the author’s main ideas and points. Now write down the main idea
of each section in one well-developed sentence. Make sure that what you include in your sentences are key points,
not minor details. Well-developed sentences are not necessarily long, but they are complete and tell the reader
clearly what the idea is. Here, you need to be using your own words as much as possible and not copying from
the original text.

5) Write a thesis statement (BIG main idea that says what the whole summary is about).This is the key to any
well-written summary. Review the sentences you wrote in step 4. From them, you should be able to create a thesis
statement in a sentence that clearly communicates what the entire text was trying to achieve – in this sentence
you should write what you think the overall main idea of the article or text is. What is the author trying to make
a point about? If you find that you are not able to do this step, then you should go back and make sure your
sentences actually addressed key points.
6) Ready to write. At this point, your first draft is virtually done. You can use the thesis statement as the
introductory sentence of your summary and your other sentences can make up the body. Make sure that they are
in order. Add some appropriate transition words (such as then, however, also, moreover) that help with the overall
structure and flow of the summary.

And once you are actually putting pen to paper (or fingers to keys!), remember these tips:

 Write in the present tense.

 Make sure to include the author and title of the work.
 Be concise: a summary should not be equal in length to the original text.
 If you must use the words of the author, cite them – put them in quotation marks and include a reference
in brackets (surname of author, date article was published/e.g, Clarence, 2014).
 Don't put your own opinions, ideas, or interpretations into the summary. The purpose of writing a summary
is to accurately represent what the author wanted to say, not to provide a critique.

7) Check for accuracy. Reread your summary and make certain that you have accurately represented the author’s
ideas and key points. Make sure that you have correctly cited anything directly quoted from the text. Also check
to make sure that your text does not contain your own commentary on the piece.

8) Revise. Once you are certain that your summary is accurate, you should (as with any piece of writing) revise
it for style, grammar, and punctuation. If you have time, give your summary to someone else to read. This
person should be able to understand the main text based on your summary alone. If he or she does not, you may
have focused too much on one area of the piece and not enough on the author’s main idea.
Rdg Comp, Text 1

Shakespeare’s impact on English language

For any Englishman, there can never be any discussion as to who is the world’s greatest poet and dramatist.
Only one name can possibly suggest itself to him: that of William Shakespeare. Every Englishman has some
knowledge, however slight, of the work of our greatest writer. All of us use words, phrases and quotations from
Shakespeare’s writings that have become part of the common property of English-speaking people. Most of the
time we are probably unaware of the source of the words we use, rather like the old lady who was taken to see a
performance of Hamlet and complained that ‘it was full of well-known proverbs and quotations’ !

Shakespeare, more perhaps than any other writer, made full use of the great resources of the English language.
Most of us use about five thousand words in our normal employment of English; Shakespeare in his works used
about twenty-five thousand! There is probably no better way for a foreigner (or an Englishman!) to appreciate the
richness and variety of the English language than by studying the various ways in which Shakespeare uses it.
Such a study is well worth the effort (it is not, of course, recommended to beginners), even though some aspects
of English usage, and the meaning of many words, have changed since Shakespeare’s day.

It is paradoxical that we should know comparatively little about the life of the greatest English author. We
know that Shakespeare was born in 1564 in Stratford-on-Avon, and that he died there in 1616. He almost certainly
attended the Grammar School in the town, but of this we cannot be sure. We know he was married there in 1582
to Anne Hathaway and that he had three children, a boy and two girls. We know that he spent much of his life in
London writing his masterpieces. But this is almost all that we do know.

However, what is important about Shakespeare’s life is not its incidental details but its products, the plays
and the poems. For many years scholars have been trying to add a few facts about Shakespeare’s life to the small
number we already possess and for an equally long time critics have been theorising about the plays. Sometimes,
indeed, it seems that the poetry of Shakespeare will disappear beneath the great mass of comment that has been
writen upon it.

A. Choose a synonym for each of the words given below. Each word has four choices beside it :
1. slight (pph 1) : important – bigger – small – educated

2. incidental (pph 4 ) : events – distinguished – repeated – unimportant

B. Give the meaning of the following words as they are used in the text :
1. employment (pph 2) : …………………………………………………

2. paradoxical (pph 3 ) : ………………………………………………….

PART TWO : COMPREHENSION

A- Using your own words, answer the following questions in complete sentences. Limit yourself to the
information contained in the text :

1. Name one of the things which all Englishmen possess?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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2. All the criticism about Shakespeare’s works may have a bad effect. Why?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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PART THREE: PARAPHRASE: Using your own words, rewrite the following sentences:

1. ‘Such a study is well worth the effort ( it is, of course, not recommended to beginners) …’ (pph 2)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. ‘… it seems that the poetry of Shakespeare will disappear beneath the great mass of comment that has
been written upon it’ (pp4)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

PART FOUR: PRECIS: Write a summary of paragraph 3

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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Rdg Comp, Text 2

What it means to miss New Orleans

You forget how much you love a place until you’ve been away. I hadn’t seen New Orleans in the
springtime for nearly a decade before I went back last April. The city is at its best then, so cool and fresh with
greenery and flowers everywhere. I drank it in, dazzled by the color and beauty and exoticness I had left behind
for a saner, more disciplined life. Perhaps I went back not just for springtime, but also to take a break from my
workaholic routine, to renew myself and relearn the art of savoring life.
I was born and raised in New Orleans—a fabulous gift of fate—and lived there until nearly fifteen years
ago. I adore it even more now that I live someplace else. When Louis Armstrong sings “Do you know what it
means to miss New Orleans?” I sometimes feel a little heartache and wonder why I left for San Francisco.
Before leaving, I never realized how lucky I was to be surrounded by Mardi Gras and jazz, to learn at a young
age that life is a party, reality is fantasy, and eccentricity is normal. New Orleans back then was called the
“City that Care Forgot”. No town ever had a greater genius for enjoying itself. The very things that drove me
away now coax me back: the delicious heat, the family ties, the Southern down-to-earthness that is so warm and
hospitable.
And where is that warmth more evident than in the French Quarter? New Orleans started down there in
the Vieux Carré, as the quarter was originally called in the 1700s. For me, the past became enchantingly alive
when I lived in a pink Creole cottage on St. Peter Street. Before that, I lived in a house with a view of the city’s
oldest cemetery. I still dream of having a second home in the Quarter where I could laze away the days on my
balcony, writing stories and gossiping with neighbors. People are easy to meet in New Orleans, especially in
the Quarter. I had a lovely taste of the kindness of strangers on Royal Street. A friend and I, out for a walk,
paused at a house with a ”For sale” sign and asked the owner if we could take a look inside. She gave us a tour,
followed by a chat on her front veranda that lasted straight through dinnertime, and then an invitation to a party
at a nearby house.
I’m reminded of a description I’ve read of early Creole culture. Creoles were marked by a “love of ease,
exaggerated self-esteem, prodigious self-indulgence, lavish hospitality, a refined and lively interest in the arts”.
This is still what it means to be Southern. I may just have to keep going back to New Orleans at every
opportunity.
Rebecca Burns

I. Vocabulary
Define, using your own words, the following words according to their context in the text
1. Decade: ________________________________________________________________________

2. Gift of fate: ________________________________________________________________________

3. Laze: ________________________________________________________________________
II. Comprehension
A. Answer the following questions using your own words
1. When did the writer return to New Orleans?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

2. What picture of the French Quarter does the author give?

____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

B. Say whether these statements are right or wrong and justify your answer
1. I lived in the city of New Orleans until I was 15 years old.
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

2. Today, I still own a second home in the quarter where I could laze away the days on my balcony ,
writing stories and gossiping with the neighbors.
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
III. Paraphrase
“She gave us a tour, followed by a chat on her front veranda that lasted straight through the dinner
time”:___________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
IV. Precis
Please, summarize the 1st paragraph: “You forget how much you love a place…… and relearn the
art of savoring life.”
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
Rdg Comp, Text 3

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow. Refer to the text
to check your answers when appropriate.

Black Friday
The day after Thanksgiving is the start of the holiday shopping season. Thanksgiving is always on a Thursday, so
the day after is a Friday. This day has come to be known as Black Friday. It has been the busiest shopping day of
the year since 2005.
Most stores offer great deals on Black Friday. They open their doors in the wee hours of the morning. They try
to attract shoppers with big discounts. Some items like TVs are much cheaper than usual. Stores may even lose
money on these items. They hope that shoppers will buy gifts for other people while they are in the store.
Black Friday is a great time to get good deals. The problem is that there are not enough low-priced items to go
around. Each store may only have a few. These items are in high demand. People stand in long lines to get such
great deals. They may line up hours before a store opens. They may be hoping to get a low price on a TV or
laptop, but not everyone who wants one will get one. Some people leave disappointed.
The situation can be tense. Some Black Friday events have been violent. Large, eager crowds have trampled
workers. Fights have broken out over toys or people cutting in line. People have shot one another over parking
spots. But most Black Friday events are safe and fun. Still, if you plan on going, expect large crowds and a bit of
shoving.
So where does the name "Black Friday" come from? It was first used in Philadelphia in the 1950s. The police
called this day Black Friday because of the heavy traffic it drew. In the 1960s, stores tried to rename the day "Big
Friday." It did not stick. The name "Black Friday" continued to spread across the country. It seems that it is here
to stay.

Now people all over the country take part in the event known as Black Friday. It is even spreading to other parts
of the world. Stores have held Black Friday events in the U.K., Australia, and Brazil since 2012. In Costa Rica
Black Friday is known as "Viernes Negro." And in Mexico, stores offer an annual weekend of discounts. They
call it "El Buen Fin," which means "the good weekend" in Spanish. I guess the language of savings is universal.

I-Vocabulary: choose the best equivalent of the following:

1. wee hours: ………………………………………………………………………….
2. low-priced: ………………………………………………………………………….
3. line up: ……………………………………………………………………………..
4. trampled workers: …………………………………………………………………
5. a bit of shoving: …………………………………………………………………….

II-Paraphrasing: Restate the following sentences in your own words:

1. They try to attract shoppers with big discounts
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. Black Friday is a great time to get good deals
………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. These items are in high demand
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. The situation can be tense
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
II-Comprehension: choose the correct answer
1. Why do stores set prices so low on some items that they lose money?
a. They want people to enjoy the holidays.
b. They hope people will buy other gifts while they are in the store.
c. They are in a giving mood because the holiday season is just beginning.
d. They are trying to get rid of old items from last year to make room for new items.

2. Which is not true about Black Friday?

a. Black Friday is always the day after Thanksgiving.
b. Black Friday is the busiest shopping day of the year.
c. Black Friday is a national holiday.
d. Black Friday is the start of the holiday shopping season.

3. Where does the name Black Friday come from?

a. The police called this day Black Friday because there is a lot of traffic.
b. The stores called this day Black Friday because it is a serious shopping day.
c. The police called this day Black Friday to remember the victims of violence.
d. The stores called this day Black Friday because they make a lot of money.

4. Which best explains the main idea of the third paragraph?

a. People stand in long lines on Black Friday.
b. Black Friday is the best time of the year to get good deals.
c. Black Friday is a really disappointing time of the year.
d. Black Friday deals are limited and not everyone will get one.

5. Which country does not participate in Black Friday?

a. France b. Costa Rica c. Brazil d. United Kingdom

6. Which happened first?

a. Stores tried to rename the day after Thanksgiving "Big Friday."
b. Black Friday events began happening in Australia.
c. Police began calling the day after Thanksgiving "Black Friday."
d. Black Friday became the busiest shopping day of the year.

7. Which title best expresses the author's purpose in writing this text?
a. Black Friday: Stories from the Parking Lot
b. Black Friday: Why You Should Go This Year
c. Black Friday: The Stuff That You Should Know
d. Black Friday: How to Save Money on the Big Day

8. Which best describes the overall structure of the fifth paragraph?

a. chronological order b. problem and solution
c. compare and contrast d. order of importance

9. Which was not cited as one of the downsides of Black Friday?

a. Stores run out of high demand items quickly.
b. Nobody really saves any money on Black Friday.
c. There are large crowds and lots of shoving.
d. Sometimes violence occurs at Black Friday events.

10. Which best explains why Costa Ricans call Black Friday "Viernes Negro"?
a. Costa Rican stores don't want the shopping day associated with American violence.
b. Viernes Negro sounds more exotic and exciting than Black Friday.
c. Costa Ricans want to establish their own shopping tradition.
d. This is how you say "Black Friday" in Spanish, the language of Costa Rica.

IV-
Summary: Provide a one-paragraph summary of paragraphs 4 & 5 of the text
(about 50 words)
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Rdg Comp, Text 4

Sport creates goodwill

I am always amazed when I hear people saying that sport creates goodwill between the nations, and that if
only the common peoples of the world could meet one another at football or cricket, they would have no
inclination to meet on the battlefield. Even if one didn’t know from concrete examples (the 1936 Olympic Games,
for instance) that international sporting contests lead to orgies of hatred, one could deduce it from general
principles.

Nearly all the sports practised nowadays are competitive. You play to win, and the game has little meaning
unless you do your utmost to win. In a village, where you pick up sides and no feeling of patriotism is involved,
it is possible to play simply for the fun and exercise : but as soon as the question of prestige arises, as soon as
you feel that you and some larger unit will be disgraced if you lose, the most savage combative instincts are
aroused. Anyone who has played even in a school football match knows this. At the international level sport is
frankly mimic warfare. But the significant thing is not the behaviour of the players but the attitude of the
spectators: and, behind the spectators, of the nations who work themselves into furies over these absurd contests,
and seriously believe – at any rate for short periods – that running, jumping and kicking a ball are tests of national
virtue.

In England, the obsession with sport is bad enough, but even fiercer passions are aroused in countries where
games playing and nationalism are both recent developments. In countries like India and Burma, it is necessary
at football matches to have strong cordons of police to keep the crowd from invading the field. In Burma, I have
seen the supporters of one side break through the police and disable the goalkeeper of the opposing side at a
critical moment. The first bid footbal match that was played in Spain about fifteen years ago led to an
uncontrollable riot. As soon as strong feelings of rivalry are aroused, the notion of playing the game according
the the rules always vanishes. People want to see one side on top and the other side humiliated, and they forget
that victory gained through cheating or through the intervention of the crowd is meaningless.

George Orwell, Collected essays, Journalism and Letters, Vol. 4.

Part I : Vocabulary :

A- Choose a synonym for each of the words given below. Each word has four choices beside it :

1- Goodwill (pph1) a- friendly feelings b- tension c- wealth d- confusion

2- Disable (pp3) a- encourage b- arrest c- incapacitate d- chase away

B- Give the meaning of the following words as they are used in the text :

1- Pick up sides (pp1) : _________________________________________________________________

2- Rivalry (pp3) : _________________________________________________________________

Part II : Comprehension:

A- Using your own words, answer the following questions in complete sentences. Limit yourself to the
information contained in the text :

1- What is the author’s attitude to sporting contests?

_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

2- What is the difference between a sporting match in a village and one on the international scale?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

B- Paraphrase : Using your own words, rewrite the following sentences :

1- " … as soon as you feel that you and some larger unit will be disgraced if you lose, the most savage
combative instincts are aroused." (pph2)
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

2- "People want to see one side on top and the other side humiliated … " (pph3)
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

Part III : Precis :

A- Write a summary of paragraph one.

____________________________________________________________________________________
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Rdg Comp, Text 5

Muhammed Ali, the first “free” African-American champion

There is no doubt that white America will accept a Black champion, applaud and reward him or her, so long as
there is no “white hope” in sight. But what white America demands in her Black champions is a brilliant, powerful body
and a dull bestial mind—a tiger in the ring and a pussy-cat outside the ring. It’s a cruel mockery to crown a human being
in the boxing ring and then shove him about outside, going so far as to burn a cross on his front doorstep, as whites did
when Floyd Patterson tried to integrate a previously all-white neighborhood. ‘A man’s home is his castle’ is a saying not
meant for African Americans; a Black American’s castle exists only in his mind. And, for a Black king of boxing, the
boundaries of his kingdom are sharply circumscribed by the ropes around the ring. A slave in private life, a king in
public—this is the life that every Black champion has had to lead—until the coming of Muhammed Ali.

Muhammed Ali is the first “free” Black champion ever to confront white America. In the context of boxing, he’s
a genuine revolutionary—the Black Fidel Castro of boxing. To the mind of “white” white America, and “white” Black
America, the heavyweight crown has fallen into enemy hands, usurped by a pretender to the throne. Muhammed Ali is
conceived as “occupying” the heavyweight kingdom in the name of a dark, alien power, in much the same way as Castro
was conceived as a temporary interloper “occupying” Cuba. It made no difference that, when Patterson announced that
he would beat Ali and return the crown to America, Ali protested vigorously, asking ‘What does he mean? I’m an
American, too!’ Floyd Patterson was the symbolic spearhead of a counterrevolutionary community who inhabit the
white imagination, whose assigned task it was to liberate the crown and restore it to its ‘proper place’ in the free world.
Muhammed Ali, in crushing the rabbit in twelve rounds, showed the world that sports writers couldn’t rob him of his
victory. Essentially every Black champion until Muhammed Ali had been a puppet, manipulated by whites in his private
life to control his public image.

The heavy weight champion is a symbol of masculinity to the American male. And, a Black champion as long as
he’s fettered in his private life, is a fallen lion at every white man’s feet. Through a curious psychic mechanism, the
puniest white man experiences himself as a gigantic powerhouse, the Black champion tamed by the white man and led
around on a leash. But, when the Black ape breaks away from the leash, beats with deadly fists upon his massive chest
and starts to boast, annihilating every gun bearer the white hunter sics on him, the white hunter asks himself, “If that
Black ape is a man, then what am I?”

I. Vocabulary
Define, using your own words, the following words as they are used in the text
1. Vigorously: ________________________________________________________________________
2. restore: ________________________________________________________________________
3. tamed: ________________________________________________________________________

Multiple choice questions

1. Shove: a. push b. elect c. praise d. follow

2. Circumscribed : a. cut b. limited c. forbidden d. prescribed
3. To boast: a, complain b. show off c. warm up d, frightened

II. Comprehension
A. Answer the following questions using your own words
1. How did white Americans behave towards Black champions before Mohammed Ali?
____________________________________________________________________________________
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2. In what way Mohammed Ali is similar to Fidel Castro?
____________________________________________________________________________________
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3. In what sense would Patterson return the crowd to America?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

C. Say whether the following statements are right or wrong. Justify using your own words
1. In America a Black man’s home was not his castle.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
2. Mohammed Ali had a rabbit killed to celebrate his victory over Patterson.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

III. Paraphrase
1. “But what white America demands in her Black champions is a brilliant, powerful body and a dull bestial
mind—a tiger in the ring and a pussy-cat outside the ring.”
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
2. “But what white America demands in her Black champions is a brilliant, powerful body and a dull bestial
mind—a tiger in the ring and a pussy-cat outside the ring.”
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
IV. Precis
Please, summarize the 1st paragraph: “Muhammed Ali is the first “free” Black champion ever to confront
white America... life to control his public image.”

____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Rdg Comp, Text 6

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow. Refer to the text to check your
answers when appropriate.

Wintertime
Brrrr. Winter is cold in some places. Many plants do not grow during winter. Some plants die. Snow and ice may
cover the ground. It can be hard for animals to find food during winter. Animals get through this time in many
ways.
Birds and butterflies can fly. Many of them do not stick around for the winter. They leave. They go to a place
with nice weather. Then they come home in the spring. We call this migration. Migrating is a good way to avoid
the cold.
Another good way to avoid the cold is to sleep through it. Many animals hide during the winter. Their bodies
slow down. They save their energy. They do not eat. They live off of their fat. They do this until food returns. We
call this hibernation. Snakes, frogs, and bears hibernate.
Some animals store food in their homes. They do not sleep all winter, but they do much less. They live on what
they saved in the summer and fall. This is what squirrels, beavers, and raccoons do. Skunks do this too.
Other animals tough it out. They do not leave. They do not hide. They must survive. Sometimes nature helps
them out. Some animals grow thicker coats in the winter. Other animals change colour. The arctic fox is brown
in the summer. His coat turns white in the winter.
Winter may be pretty. It is nice to see snow on the trees. But it is dangerous too. People are also at risk. You can
get frost bitten or worse. How do you beat the winter? Do you wear a thick coat? Do you stay inside? Or do you
live somewhere warm?

I- Vocabulary: choose the best equivalent of the following words from the text.
1. Stick around: ……………………………………………………………………………
2. Live off: …………………………………………………………………………………
3. Hibernate: ………………………………………………………………………………
4. Tough out: ………………………………………………………………………………
5. Turns: …………………………………………………………………………………...

II- Paraphrasing: Restate the following sentences in your own words:

1. Animals get through this time in many ways

…………………………………………………………………………………………

2. Another good way to avoid the cold is to sleep through it

 ………………………………………………………………………………………….

3. Sometimes nature helps them out

………………………………………………………………………………………….

III. Comprehension Questions:

A. Choose the best answer
1. Which of these animals migrates during the winter?
a. foxes b. snakes c. bears d. butterflies

2. Which of these animals survives winter by eating stored food?

a. bears b. raccoons c. frogs d. birds

3. Why does the arctic fox's coat change white during winter?
a. The white coat is prettier and attracts mates b. White absorbs the sun and is warmer
c. The white coat helps him blend with the snow d. His body saves energy by reducing hair colour.

4. Which does not hibernate?

a. skunks b. frogs c. snakes d. bears

5. Why is winter a difficult season in some places?

a. There is less food b. It is colder c. Snow and ice cover the ground d. All of these

6. What does it mean to migrate?

a. To grow a thicker coat b. To move somewhere warmer for a season
c. To enter a long sleep and survive off of body fat d. To change colours

7. What is the main idea of this text?

a. Animals do funny things b. Most flowers do not grow during the wintertime
c. Animals survive the winter in many ways d. We must prepare for the dangers of winter
8. How does a hibernating animal survive?
a. A hibernating animal lives off of stored food b. A hibernating animal lives off of body fat
c. A hibernating animal lives somewhere warm d. A hibernating animal lives off of the land.

9. How would a thicker coat help an animal survive winter?

a. A thicker coat would help an animal hide better
b. A thicker coat would protect an animal against attacks
c. A thicker coat would help an animal stay warm
d. A thicker coat would help an animal migrate

10. Which title would best describe this text?

a. Winter: a time to migrate b. Hibernation: sleeping it off
c. How animals beat the winter d. Birds and butterflies: nature's movers and shakers

IV. Précis: Provide a one-paragraph summary of paragraphs 3, 4 & 5 in no more than 50

words. State the number of words used at the bottom.
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Rdg Comp, Text 7

Should I tell the truth about my past?

The most promising interview took place in Mohammed Ali’s birthplace, Louisville, Kentucky. One of my former
classmates had gotten a job at the Louisville Courier-Journal and told me they were hiring. I went through the usual
battery of interviews. When the day ended, I was drained, but confident that I’d landed the gig. They asked how soon I
could start and told me to report the next day to complete my application.

The following day, when filling out the application, I came across the question that always haunted me. “Have
you ever been convicted of a felony? If the answer is yes, please explain.” That queasy feeling returned to my stomach.
I hadn’t told them about my rap sheet, and I had another full year left on probation. What should I do? If I don’t tell,
I’ve got this gig in the bag. I left the question blank. When the personnel director picked up the application, I stopped
her and whispered, “Excuse me. May I speak with you a moment?”

A middle-aged woman with an easy smile, the director said, “Sure, what do you need?” “I need to explain
something to you. I left this question blank for a reason,” I said, pointing to the application. “I’ve a criminal record. I
served time for armed robbery.”

She stiffened and looked at me. “Oh…Well, I’ll need to talk with someone else about this…wait right here. I’ll be
right back.”

I squirmed in my hallway seat for more than an hour, trying to picture the high level discussions that were
probably going on. When the personnel director came back, she forced a smile. “OK, we’re all done…We’ll be in touch
with you soon.”

She didn’t offer to tell me what was said by her higher-ups, and I didn’t ask. But her tone and expression gave
her away. I knew the lowdown. I knew I wouldn’t get the job.

On the flight home, I cursed myself for letting them put me through that dog and pony show. I kept asking
myself over and over, why do you take yourself through this nonsense?

I didn’t get the job, of course. I don’t remember what, if any, reason they gave for not hiring me, but I’m sure it
was because I came clean. I couldn’t handle that, I’d served my time. I’d been punished for the crime and had suffered,
I thought, more than enough. I wondered: why do I have to keep paying for it, and what benefit is there in telling
interviewers the truth?

That’s when I decided to take a more realistic tactic when dealing with white folks, including my parole officer,
who insisted I tell the truth about my record when seeking jobs. I decided that from now on, I’d get my foot in the door
first and prove myself. Then maybe…maybe…I’d tell them about my past.

V. Vocabulary
Define, using your own words, the following words according to their context in the text
4. Convicted of a felony: ______________________________________________________
5. Whispered: ______________________________________________________________
6. handle: _________________________________________________________________
VI. Comprehension
D. Answer the following questions using your own words. Limit yourself to the text
3. What did the narrator decide to do? What were the consequences
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________
4. What explains the decision made by the firm that was going to hire him?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________
5. Is the man in the story white? Justify your answer
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
II. Paraphrase
1. “I was drained, but confident that I’d landed the gig”:
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
“I hadn’t told them about my rap sheet, and I had another full year left on probation”.
2. _________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
VII. Precis
Please, summarize the 1st paragraph:
“I didn’t get the job, of course.……Then maybe…maybe…I’d tell them about my past”
_________________________________________________________________________________
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Rdg Comp, Text 8

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow. Refer to the text to check your
answers when appropriate.

Chess
Chess is called the game of kings. It has been around for a long time. People have been playing it for over 500
years. Chess is based on an even older game from India. The chess we play today is from Europe.
Chess is a two-player game. One player uses the white pieces. The other uses black pieces. Each piece moves in
a special way. One piece is called the king. Each player has one. The players take turns moving their pieces. If
a player lands on a piece, he or she takes it. The game ends when a player loses his or her king. There are a few
more rules, but those are the basics.
Some people think that chess is more than a game. They think that it makes the mind stronger. Good chess players
use their brains. They take their time. They think about what will happen next. These skills are useful in life and
in chess. Chess is kind of like a work out for the mind.
You don't always have lots of time to think when playing chess. There is a type of chess with short time limits.
It's called blitz chess. In blitz chess, each player gets ten minutes to use for the whole game. Your clock runs
during your turn. You hit the time clock after your move. This stops your clock. It also starts the other player's
clock. If you run out of time, you lose. Games of blitz chess are fast-paced.
Chess is not just for people. Computers have been playing chess since the 1970s. At first they did not play well.
They made mistakes. As time went on they grew stronger. In 1997, a computer beat the best player in the world
for the first time. It was a computer called Deep Blue. Deep Blue was big. It took up a whole room. By 2006 a
cell phone could beat the best players in the world. Chess sure has come a long way. Don't you think so?

I- Vocabulary: choose the best equivalent of the following words from the text.
1. Take turns: a) to line up b) to turn away c) to play in turns
2. Lands on: a) stops on b) ends in the place of c) takes the land of
3. The basics: a) essentials b) principles; c) basements
4. Fast-paced: a) face to face b) played quickly c) peaceful
5. Has come a long way:
a) has walked a long distance b) has travelled a long distance; c) has developed a great deal

II- Paraphrasing: Restate the following sentences in your own words

1. It has been around for a long time.
………………………………………………………………………………………….

2. Chess is a two-player game.

………………………………………………………………………………………….
 3. If you run out of time, you lose.
………………………………………………………………………………………….

III- Comprehension: choose the best answer

1. What is the author's purpose in writing the second paragraph?
a. To explain the rules of chess
b. To compare different types of games
c. To talk about game pieces
d. To persuade people to play chess

2. Which is not a reason that chess is a good workout for the mind according to the text?

a. Good chess players think about what will happen next.

b. Good chess players take a lot of risks.
c. Good chess players take their time.
d. Good chess players use their brains.

3. How long have people been playing chess?

a. Over 100 years b. Over 500 years
c. Over 1000 years d. Over 5000 years

4. Where did the game that chess is based on come from?

a. Europe b. America c. India d. All of these
5. Which best describes the main idea in the fourth paragraph?
a. This paragraph argues that players should think less.
b. This paragraph explains how blitz chess is played.
c. This paragraph explains time clocks work.
d. This paragraph describes many different ways to play chess.

6. How does a game of chess end according to the text?

a. One player takes all of the other player's pieces.
b. One player makes it to the end of the board.
c. One player becomes king.
d. One player loses his or her king.

7. Which happened first?

a. Computers did not play chess well.

b. Deep Blue won an important game.
c. Cell phones got good at playing chess.
d. Deep Blue took up a whole room.

8. How is blitz chess different from regular chess?

a. Each player has two kings.
b. Players are blindfolded.
c. Players only have ten minutes to play.
d. Players start from a random position.

9. If it's your turn in blitz chess, what happens when you hit the clock?
a. Both your clock and the other person's clock keep running.
b. The other person's clock stops running and yours starts.
c. Both clocks stop running.
d. Your clock stops running and the other person's clock begins.

10. When did a computer first beat a strong human player in chess?

a. 2006 b. 1997 c. 1970 d. 1976

IV. Précis.
Provide a one-paragraph summary of the last three paragraphs of the text (about 50
words)
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Rdg Comp, Text 9

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow. Refer to the text to check your
answers when appropriate.

The Canopy

The canopy, the upper level of the trees in the rain forest, holds a plethora of climbing mammals of moderately large
size, which may include monkeys, cats’ civets and porcupines. Smaller species including such rodents as mice and
small squirrels are not as prevalent overall in high tropical canopies as they are in most habitats globally.
Small mammals, being warm-blooded, suffer hardship in the exposed and turbulent environment of the uppermost
trees. Because a small body has a more surface area per unit of weight than a large one of similar shape, it gains or
loses heat more swiftly. Thus in the trees where shelter from heat and cold may be scarce and conditions may
fluctuate, a small mammal may have trouble maintaining its body temperature.
Small size makes it easy to scramble among twigs and branches in the canopy for insects, flowers or fruit, but small
mammals are surpassed, in the competition for food, by large ones that have their own tactics for browsing among
food-rich twigs. The weight of a gibbon (a small ape) hanging below a branch arches the terminal leaves down so that
fruit-bearing foliage drops towards the gibbon’s face. Walking or leaping species of a similar or even a larger size
access the outer twigs either by snapping off and retrieving the whole branch or by clutching stiff branches with their
feet or tail and plucking food with their hands.
Small climbing animals may reach twigs readily, but it is harder for them than for large climbing animals to cross the
wide gap from one tree crown to the next that typify the high canopy. A macaque or gibbon can hurl itself farther
than a mouse can: it can achieve a running start and it can more effectively use a branch as a springboard, even
bouncing on a limb several times before jumping. The forward movement of a small animal is seriously reduced by
the air friction against the relatively large surface area of its body. Finally, for the many small mammals they
supplement their insect diet with fruits and seeds, an inability to span open gaps between tree crowns may be
problematic, since trees that yield these foods can be sparse.

II. Vocabulary
1. The word ‘plethora’ is closest in meaning to
a. few b. amalgam c. abundance d. handful

2. The word ‘prevalent’ is closest in meaning to

a. abundant b. frequent c. regular d. prepared

3. The word ‘fluctuate’ is closest in meaning to

a. vary b. swing c. balance d. be harsh

4. The word ‘scramble’ is closest in meaning to

a. jump hurriedly b. swing hurriedly c. play joyfully; d. move hurriedly
5. The word ‘clutching’ is closest in meaning to
a. gripping tightly b. breaking c. biting d. cracking

6. The word ‘typify’ is closest in meaning to

a. resemble b. protect c. characterize d. divide

7. The word ‘hurl’ is closest in meaning to

a. manage b. throw c. support d. jump

8. The word ‘supplement’ is closest in meaning to

a. control b. replace c. look for; d. add.

II- Paraphrasing: Restate the following sentences in your own words

1. A small mammal may have trouble maintaining its body temperature.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

2. Small mammals are surpassed, in the competition for food, by large ones
……………………………………………………………………………………………….

3. A macaque or gibbon can hurl itself farther than a mouse can

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

1. Comprehension questions:

1. The passage answers which of the following questions?

a. How is the rain forest different from other habitats

b. How does an animal’s body size influence an animal’s need for food.
c. Why does rain forest provide an animal variety of food for animals.
d. Why do large animals tend to dominate the upper canopy of the rain forest.

2. Which of the following animals is less common in the upper canopy than in other environment?
a. Monkeys b. cats c. Porcupines d. Mice.

3. The word ‘they’ refers to

a. trees b. climbing mammals of moderately large size
c. small species d. high tropical canopies.

4. According to paragraph 2, which of the following is true about the small mammals in the rain forest?
 a. They have body shapes that are adapted to life in the canopy.
b. They prefer the temperature and climate of the canopy to that of other environments.
c. They have difficulty of the changing conditions in the canopy.
d. They use the trees of the canopy for shelter from heat and cold.

5. In discussing animal size in paragraph 3, the author indicates that

a. Small animals require proportionately more food than larger animals do.
b. A large animal’s size is an advantage in obtaining food in the canopy.
c. Small animals are often attacked by larger animals in the rain forest.
d. Small animals and large animals are equally adept at obtaining food in the canopy.

6. According to paragraph 4, what makes jumping from one tree crown to another difficult for small mammals?

a. Air friction against the body surface.

b. The thickness of the branches.
c. The dense leaves of the tress crown.
d. The inability to use the front feet as hands.

III. Précis.

Write a one-paragraph summary of the last two paragraphs of the text in no more than 50 words.
State the number of words used in your summary at the bottom.

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