Reviewing and reciting the text.

Take 5-6 minutes to review and recite the text with the help of the following context clues:

a) Numerical statements, such as "There are two reasons...".

b) Rhetorical questions.

c) Introductory summaries: "Let me first explain..."; "The topic which I intend to discuss is interesting because...".

d) Development of an idea, signalled by statements such as: "Another reason..."; "On the one hand..."; "Therefore..."; "Since..."; "In addition..."; etc.

e) Transitions, such as "Let us turn our attention to..."; "If these facts are true, then..."; etc.

f) Chronology of ideas, signalled by "First... "; "The next..."; "Finally...,"; etc.

g) Emphasis of ideas, such as "This is important because..."; "The significant results were..."; "Let me repeat..."; etc.

h) Summary of ideas, signalled by "In conclusion...; As I have shown... "; etc.

 

6. What circumstantial evidence can be inferred from the following paragraph:

A few decades ago it would be possible to predict with some degree of certainty what a 14-year old grade school student in, for instance, Berlin would be like – looks, mother tongue, religious affiliation, cultural preferences, musical taste, and in other ways. The range of resources available to and employed by 14-year old grade school students in Germany was limited compared to what we observe today - none of this can today be predicted with any substantial degreee of certainty.

Which of the following best describes the organization of the passage?

The organization of the passage is: (A) too specific; (B) too general; (C) incorrect, (D) irrelevant; (C) correct.

8. The tone of the passage could best be described as: (A) objective;(B) optimistic; (C) angry; (D) humorous.

9. What is the author's attitude toward superdiversity and languaging? Answer choices:

The author's opinion of superdiversity and languaging is best described as (positive, favorable, optimistic, amused, pleased; negative, respectful; critical, outraged, worried, unfavorable, angry, defiant; neutral, objective, impersonal, humorous.

The author's attitude toward superdiversity and languaging could best be described as one of (a researcher interest, approval, indifference, curiosity, etc.)

 

Section 2. Grammar workout

Incorrect verb forms

Some of the verb errors are errors in form. Most verb form problems involve main verb forms: An -ing form may be used in place of a past participle, a past participle in place of a past tense form, a simple form in place of an -ing form, etc. Some involve irregular verbs that have different forms for the past tense and the past participle— took and taken —for example. The following information may help you choose the correct form of the main verb.

The bare infinitive follows all modal verbs.

might be can remember should study

must know could go may follow

(Certain similar modal verbs and word combinations require infinitives.)

ought to attend used to play have to hurry

The past participle is used after a form of have in all perfect forms of the verb,

has done had called should have said

have run will have read could have made

The -ing form is used after a form of be in all progressive forms of the verb.

is sleeping has been writing should have been wearing

was working had been painting will be waiting

The past participle is used after a form of be in all passive forms of the verb.

is worn has been shown would have been lost

is being considered had been promised might have been canceled

were told will have been missed

Verb form problems may also involve auxiliary verbs: has may be used in place of did, is in place of does, and so on.

 

Problems involving subject-verb agreement. Underline the form that correctly completes each sentence. Then circle the subject with which the underlined verb agrees. The first one is done as an example.

The first bridge to be built with electric lights (was /were) the Brooklyn Bridge..

Ethics (is/are) the study of moral duties, principles, and values

There (is/are) two types of calculus, differential and integral.

George Gershwin, together with his brother Ira, (was/were) the creator of the first musical comedy to win a Pulitzer Prize.

In a chess game, the player with the white pieces always (moves/move) first.

The Earth and Pluto (is/are) the only two planets believed to have a single moon.

A number of special conditions (is/are) necessary for the formation of a geyser.

Each of the Ice Ages (was/were) more than a million years long.

The battery, along with the alternator and starter, (makes/make) up the electrical system of a car.

Teeth (is/are) covered with a hard substance called enamel.

The more-or-less rhythmic succession of economic booms and busts (is/are) referred to as the business cycle.

The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom (varies/vary) from element to element.

All trees, except for the tree fern, (is/are) seed-bearing plants.

Fifteen hundred dollars a year (was/were) the per capita income in the United States in 1950.

Everyone who (goes/go) into the woods should recognize common poisonous plants such as poison ivy and poison oak.