improve your english skills - dsaf.psau.edu.sa · 3 amani alwashali improve your english skills...

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Improve Your English Skills اإلنجليزية اللغة في مهاراتك طوري

Improve Your English Skills

طوري مهاراتك في اللغة اإلنجليزية

إعداد المدربة

أ/ أماني الوشلي

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Improve Your English Skills

Introduction

The world is becoming one big global village and English is its official

language. Being a native English speaker is thus a really big advantage, but

only a small percentage (approximately 5.5 %) of the world’s population are

native English speakers.

The rest of us have to work hard and try to develop English skills that are

as close as possible to the ones of native speakers; even more so if you don’t

speak any of the other big languages like Mandarin, Arabic, Spanish, Hindi

and so on.

Let’s look now at some semi-efficient and very efficient ways of really

improving your English as well as at some additional general advice, no

matter if you want to improve your reading, writing, speaking or listening

skills.

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Part 1:

listening

7 Ways to Hear English Everywhere

Two simple definitions

to hear: to receive sound with the ears

to listen: to try to hear

You are very good at languages. That's obvious, because you already speak one language very

well - your own! And if you can learn and speak one language well, then you can certainly

learn and speak one or more other languages.

But did you ever ask yourself: "How did I learn my own language?" In fact, you never really

"learned" it at all - you just started speaking it. One day, when you were about two or three

years old, you started speaking your language. A few words at first, not full sentences. But

you spoke. And very soon you made progress without even thinking about it. It was like

magic!

But it wasn't magic. It was the result of hearing. For two to three years before you spoke, you

heard people speaking your language all day, and maybe all night. You heard people

speaking your language. Maybe you listened to people, but more importantly

you heard them. Then, as if by magic, you started to speak. All that hearing was necessary for

you to start speaking. For two to three years words went IN to your head. Then words came

OUT of your head! That is why hearing (and listening to) English as much as possible is so

important to you now. The more English you put in, the more you'll get out!

So how can you hear a lot of English when you're not in an English-speaking country or

family? Fortunately, there are many ways of hearing English in almost all countries of the

world.

1. Listen to English Radio

You can receive English-language radio in most countries. Two international networks are

the BBC World Service (from the UK) and Voice of America from (USA). Both of them have

special programmes for learners of English. You can find information about times and

frequencies for your country on their websites.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldserviceradio

http://www.voanews.com/

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2. Watch English Television

TV is an excellent resource for hearing and listening to English. The pictures help you

understand what is being said. If you don't have access to English-language TV, you may be

able to watch TV on Internet.

3. Watch/Listen to English by Internet

It is now a lot easier to hear English by Internet. If you're reading this at your computer or

mobile device, you can probably listen to some English-language radio news right now,

without even moving! And of course you can find endless videos in English on YouTube and

similar websites (although the English is not always easy to follow). Check out our page

on links to radio by Internet.

4. Listen to Songs in English

Songs in English are everywhere, even on foreign-language radio and TV stations. Listen to

them often. Buy some MP3s or CDs, or make recordings, and try to write the words for an

entire song. But choose one that is not too difficult. That means it should be reasonably slow,

and with real words sung clearly. Some pop songs are very unclear and are difficult even for

native English-speakers to understand fully! Here are some easy songs for English learners.

5. Go to Cinemas with English-language Movies

Outside the English-speaking world, many large cities have cinemas that show films in

English, usually with sub-titles. Make it a habit to go to these films. If you need to read the

sub-titles, at least you'll be hearing English even if you don't understand it.

6. Use Video for English Listening Practice

You can use video to watch films from Internet or that you buy or borrow. If there are

subtitles, you can cover them with paper (which you can remove if you really don't understand

after listening several times). And sometimes you can use video to record programmes from

television and then watch them several times to improve your understanding. EnglishClub

has video just for learning English.

7. Get English-speaking Friends

Try to make friends with English-speaking people so that you can practise your English

through conversation. Of course, this will improve your speaking as well as your listening.

And if you don't have a lot of time to go out and meet people, at least you can chat a little by

telephone.

Finally, don't worry if you don't understand everything you hear. Hearing comes first!

Understanding comes next!

Using Listening Strategies

https://www.englishclub.com/listening/radio.htm


https://www.englishclub.com/songs/index.htm

https://www.englishclub.com/esl-videos/index.htm

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Supporting Good Strategy Use

Help students talk about the listening strategies they are using so that they can build an

awareness and more intentionally choose when, where, and how to draw upon their repertoire.

Pre-listening Strategies You might get ready to listen by thinking about:

The speaker and the speaker’s purpose: Who is the speaker? What do you think they want

you to know or do?

Your purpose for listening: What do you want? To find out specific information? The gist?

The speaker’s mood? To support the speaker?

Your knowledge/experience: Think about what you already know about the subject, the

situation, and the language you will be hearing

How you would listen in your native language: How would you make sure you

understood? How would you listen actively?

Limiting or removing distractions

Predict what you will be hearing by considering:

The language you will hear: key words or phrases, the grammar tenses, etc.

The information or opinions you expect to hear

While-listening Strategies While you listen you’ll need to use strategies to comprehend:

Use visual clues to help you understand: the setting, body language, facial expressions

Do targeted listening for specific information

Listen for key words that you know

Listen for clues (verb endings, intonation, sequence words) that help you understand

Take notes to help you organize and remember what you hear

Pause periodically to ask yourself, “Does this make sense to me?”

Decide what is and is not important to understand; what you can “skip”

Ask for help if you do not understand

- Ask for clarification or repetition from the speaker or ask if what you understood is

correct

- Ask additional questions to flesh out your understanding

Post-listening Strategies After you listen these strategies might help you synthesize, interpret and evaluate what you’ve

heard:

See if you can restate, paraphrase, or summarize what you heard

Consider what you heard and how it fits with what you know

Check the accuracy of your predictions

Discuss or respond to what you heard through writing, drawing, drama, etc.

Identify facts vs. opinions, more and less important details, supported vs. unsupported

ideas

Decide whether your listening purpose has been met and what else you need to do

Think about the process and strategies you used to listen – which worked well?

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Exercises

2

?1. Person A works and watches TV all day. What is he starting to think about

His health

Playing basketball

The next great movie

Work he didn't finish yet

de to get more exercise?2. What suggestion is ma

Running or Jogging

Doing more outdoor activities

Going to the local gym

a health club membershipGeting

3. What type of lessons are they considering?

Music lessons

Piano lessons

Tennis lessons

English lessons

4. For $120, how often will they meet?

Everyday for a month

Once a week for two months

Twice a week for one month

8 Weeks

3

1. What is the main topic of discussion?

Work

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Television

Exercise

Restaurants

2. How long ago did he join the health club?

1 year ago

1 month ago

2 months ago

Last week

3. How long does he lift weights for?

30 minutes

45 minutes

1 hour

2 hours

usually do before lifting weights? 4. What does he

Stretch

Walk around

Jump rope for 15 minutes

Bicycle for 30 minutes

4

1. What topic are they talking about?

Weather and rain

Shopping at the mall

Comedy movies at the theater

Sports and activities

2. If they get bored at the mall, what will they do?

Watch a movie

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Buy a game to play

Go home and watch TV

Go to the gym

3. What word is used to describe the weather?

Amazing

Depressing

Great

Terrible

4. What was mentioned in the weather report?

It will stop raining in three days

It will stop raining in eight days

stop raining on Friday It will

I will be sunny over the weekend

5

1. What university class are they talking about?

Biology

Chemistry

History

Geography

2. How did the student describe the professor?

Smart and fun

Easy and boring

Demanding but an easy grader

Easy but a hard grader

3. How did one student get an A- grade but all his scores were lower than that?

The professor liked the student

The professor graded on a curve

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The student did extra assignments

The student talked to the professor

4. How did one student feel after hearing about the professor from the other student?

The student felt worried

The student felt relieved

The student felt like crying

The student felt angry

6

1. Who are these two people talking about?

A mutual friend

Person A

rOne person's fathe

One person's brother

2. Why is that person always feeling weak?

He is sick with a virus

He didn't take care of himself when he was young

He got food poisoning

He never exercised

3. How long has it been since one person met his friend's father?

3 months

9 months

2 years

5 years

4. What did the doctor say about the father's condition?

He has cancer

He has a fever but will get better

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His depression is making him tired

Couldn't find anything specific

7

1. What does limping mean?

wlTo cra

To cringe due to pain

Walk that is unbalanced from injury or pain

Walk that is faster than normal

2. Why was Sarah limping?

She was running late for class and was in a hurry

She went snowboarding and had body aches

She was looking for her contacts that fell to the ground

She was practicing a martial arts move

3. What would happen in the past when Matt walked too fast?

He would trip and fall

His leg would cramp

He would start running

He looked goofy walking fast

4. What is Sarah's impression on snowboarding?

Loves it and wants to go again

Loves it but it is too expensive

Not sure yet so she will try again

Hates it and doesn't want to think about it

8

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1. What is the general mood of the ladies?

Happy

Sad

Lonely

Angry

2. Why is Jane enjoying married life?

Husband makes a lot of money

Husband is loving and caring

Husband is supportive and helpful

Husband is smart and handsome

3. What do Jane and her husband do in the evenings?

Go bowling for fun

Take walks around the neighborhood

Have a nice dinner together

Watch TV together

4. What is one thing that Jane and her husband do NOT do together on the weekend?

Go out to the beach

Go to a nice restaurant

Go to watch a movie

Go to a nice cafe

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Part 2:

Grammar

Sentence contains of…….

Subject +verb

Subject= Noun & pronoun (I, you, he, she, it, we, they, this, these…

Verb= verb be (is-are-am-was-were) & main verb

For example:

I am Mona.

She is gorgeous.

The sky is blue.

Please; play football outside.

Sentences

A sentence is the written expression of a complete thought. In most sentences the reader is

given one complete piece of information. This unit teaches you how sentences work and how

to write a good sentence.

A sentence needs to contain the following:

a capital letter at the beginning and a full stop at the end

a subject (person / people or thing(s) that is / are doing something)

a verb (action or doing word).

Example

There are three main types of sentences:

1. A simple sentence has one independent clause and expresses one idea.

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Example

2. Compound sentence This sentence is composed of two simple sentences joined

together by a comma and a joining word(coordinating conjunction). We could also

describe a compound sentence as two independent clauses joined by a conjunction.

There are seven coordinating conjunctions:

(And- Or- For- But – Nor – So- Yet.)

3. Complex sentence patterns, the third type of sentence is the complex sentence.

Complex sentences contain 2 parts – the independent clause and the dependent clause.

These parts are joined by a linking word (subordinator) or conjunction.

Subordinating conjunction is:

after how till ( or 'til)

although if Unless

as In as much Until

as if in order that When

as long as lest whenever

as much as now that Where

as soon as provided (that) wherever

as though since While

because so that

before than

even if that

even though though

http://englishplus.com/grammar/00000236.htm




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********

Past Tense

The past simple is formed by adding -ed:

Call >> called; want >> wanted; work >> worked

But there are a lot of irregular past tenses in English. Here are the most common

irregular verbs in English, with their past tenses:

Infinitive Irregular

past

Infinitive Irregular past Infinitve Irrgular past

be Was/were come came feel felt

begin began cost cost find found

break broke cut cut get got

bring brought do did give gave

buy bought draw drew go went

build built drive drove have had

choose chose eat ate hear heard

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Use

We use the past tense to talk about:

something that happened once in the past:

I met my wife in 1983.

They got home very late last night.

something that happened again and again in the past:

When I was a boy I walked a mile to school every day.

They always enjoyed visiting their friends.

something that was true for some time in the past:

I lived abroad for ten years.

She played a lot of tennis when she was younger.

we often use phrases with ago with the past tense:

I met my wife a long time ago.

Questions and negatives

We use did to make questions with the past tense:

When did you meet your wife?

Did you live abroad?

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Past continuous

The past continuous is formed from the past tense of be with the -ing form of the verb:

Use

We use the past continuous to talk about the past:

for something which continued before and after another action:

The children were doing their homework when I got home.

Compare:

I got home. The children did their homework.

and

The children did their homework when I got home.

This use of the past continuous is very common at the beginning of a story:

The other day I was waiting for a bus when …

Last week as I was driving to work …

for something that happened before and after a particular time:

It was eight o’clock. I was writing a letter.

.to show that something continued for some time:

My head was aching.

Everyone was shouting.

for something that was happening again and again:

I was practicing every day, three times a day.

They were meeting after school.

with verbs which show change or growth:

The children were growing up quickly.

Her English was improving.

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Past perfect

We use the verb had and the past participle for the past perfect:

I had finished the work.

She had gone .

Use

The past perfect is used in the same way as the present perfect, but it refers to a time in the

past, not the present.

We use the past perfect tense:

for something that started in the past and continued up to a given time in the past:

She didn’t want to move. She had lived in Liverpool all her life.

We often use a clause with since to show when something started in the past:

I was sorry when the factory closed. I had worked there since I left school.

when we are reporting our experience and including up to the (then) present:

My eighteenth birthday was the worst day I had ever had.

I was pleased to meet George. I hadn’t met him before, even though I had met his wife

several times.

for something that happened in the past but is important at the time of reporting:

I couldn’t get into the house. I had lost my keys.

Teresa wasn’t at home. She had gone shopping.

We use the past perfect to talk about the past in conditions, hypotheses and wishes:

I would have helped him if he had asked.

It was very dangerous. What if you had got lost?

I wish I hadn’t spent so much money last month.

*********

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Present tense

Present simple

The present tense is the base form of the verb: I work in London.

But the third person (she/he/it) adds an -s: She works in London.

Use

We use the present tense to talk about:

something that is true in the present:

I’m nineteen years old.

I’m a student.

something that happens again and again in the present:

I play football every weekend.

(We use words like sometimes, often. always, and never (adverbs of frequency) with

the present tense:)

I sometimes go to the cinema.

She never plays football.

something that is always true:

The adult human body contains 206 bones.

Light travels at almost 300,000 kilometres per second.

something that is fixed in the future.

The school term starts next week.

We fly to Paris next week.

Questions and negatives

Look at these questions:

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Do you play the piano?

Where do you live?

Does Jack play football?

Do Rita and Angela live in Manchester?

With the present tense, we use do and does to make questions. We use does for the

third person (she/he/it) and we use do for the others.

We use do and does with question words like where, what and why:

But look at these questions with who:

Who lives in London?

Who plays football at the weekend?

Look at these sentences:

I like tennis, but I don’t like football. (don’t = do not)

I don’t live in London now.

With the present tense we use do and does to make negatives. We use does not

(doesn’t) for the third person (she/he/it) and we use do not (don’t) for the others.

Present continuous

The present continuous tense is formed from the present tense of the verb be and the present

participle (-ing form) of a verb:

Use

1. We use the present continuous tense to talk about the present:

for something that is happening at the moment of speaking:

I’m just leaving work. I’ll be home in an hour.

Please be quiet. The children are sleeping.

for something which is happening before and after a given time:

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At eight o’clock we are usually having breakfast.

When I get home the children are doing their homework.

for something which we think is temporary:

Michael is at university. He’s studying history.

I’m working in London for the next two weeks.

for something which is new and contrasts with a previous state:

These days most people are using email instead of writing letters.?

to show that something is changing, growing or developing:

The children are growing quickly.

Your English is improving.

for something which happens again and again:

It’s always raining in London..

George is great. He’s always laughing.

Note: We normally use always with this use.

2. We use the present continuous tense to talk about the future:

for something which has been arranged or planned:

Mary is going to a new school next term.

What are you doing next week?

Present perfect

The present perfect is formed from the present tense of the verb have and the past

participle of a verb:

Use

We use the present perfect tense:

for something that started in the past and continues in the present:

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They’ve been married for nearly fifty years.

She has lived in Liverpool all her life.

for something we have done several times in the past and continue to do:

I’ve played the guitar ever since I was a teenager.

He has written three books and he is working on another one..

We often use a clause with since to show when something started in the past:

I have worked here since I left school.

when we are talking about our experience up to the present:

Note: We often use the adverb ever to talk about experience up to the present:

My last birthday was the worst day I have ever had.

Note: and we use never for the negative form:

Have you ever met George?

Yes, but I’ve never met his wife.

for something that happened in the past but is important at the time of speaking:

I can’t get in the house. I’ve lost my keys.

Teresa isn’t at home. I think she has gone shopping.

We use the present perfect of be when someone has gone to a place and returned:

A: Where have you been?

B: I’ve just been out to the supermarket.

A: Have you ever been to San Francisco?

B: No, but I’ve been to Los Angeles.

But when someone has not returned we use have/has gone:

A: Where is Maria? I haven’t seen her for weeks.

B: She's gone to Paris for a week. She’ll be back tomorrow.

We often use the present perfect with time adverbials which refer to the recent past:

just; only just; recently;

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Scientists have recently discovered a new breed of monkey.

We have just got back from our holidays.

or adverbials which include the present:

ever (in questions); so far; until now; up to now; yet (in questions and negatives)

Have you ever seen a ghost?

Where have you been up to now?

Have you finished your homework yet?

No, so far I’ve only done my history.

WARNING:

We do not use the present perfect with an adverbial which refers to past time which

is finished:

I have seen that film yesterday.

We have just bought a new car last week.

When we were children we have been to California.

But we can use it to refer to a time which is not yet finished:

Have you seen Helen today?

We have bought a new car this week.

*********

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Future tense

We use will to talk about the future:

Use

When we make predictions:

It will be a nice day tomorrow.

I think Brazil will win the World Cup.

To mean want to or be willing to:

I hope you will come to my party.

George says he will help us.

To make offers and promises:

I'll see you tomorrow.

We'll send you an email.

To talk about offers and promises:

Tim will be at the meeting.

Mary will help with the cooking.

3. We use (be) going to:

To talk about plans and intentions:

I’m going to drive to work today.

They are going to move to Manchester.

When we can see that something is likely to happen:

Be careful! You are going to fall.

Look at those black clouds. I think it’s going to rain.

4. We often use verbs like would like, plan, want, mean, hope, expect to talk about the future:

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What are you going to do next year? I’d like to go to University.

We plan to go to France for our holidays.

George wants to buy a new car.

5. We use modals may, might, and could when we are not sure about the future:

I might stay at home tonight, or I might go to the cinema.

We could see Mary at the meeting. She sometimes goes.

6. We can use should if we think something is likely to happen:

We should be home in time for tea.

The game should be over by eight o’clock.

7. Clauses with time words:

In clauses with time words like when, after, and until we often use a present tense form to

talk about the future:

I’ll come home when I finish work.

You must wait here until your father comes..

8. Clauses with if:

In clauses with if we often use a present tense form to talk about the future:

We won’t be able to go out if it rains.

If Barcelona win tomorrow they will be champions.

WARNING: We do not normally use will in clauses with if or with time words:

I’ll come home when I will finish work.

We won’t be able to go out if it will rain rains.

But we can use will if it means a promise or offer:

I will be very happy if you will come to my party.

We should finish the job early if George will help us.

9. We can use the future continuous instead of the present continuous or going to for

emphasis when we are talking about plans, arrangements and intentions:

They’ll be coming to see us next week.

I will be driving to work tomorrow.

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Part 3:

Reading

Guide to Reading for English Learners

Do you want to become a better reader? Many English learners have this goal in mind. This

guide to reading can help you.

In this guide you will learn about: reading and why it matters; reading materials for English

language learners; typical tasks found in English-language reading tests; general reading tips

to become a stronger reader; where you can find reading materials; reading strategies for

better comprehension; and common reading categories to choose from. You can also look at

the reading glossary for any words about reading that you don't understand.

What is Reading?

"Reading" is the process of looking at a series of written symbols and getting meaning from

them. When we read, we use our eyes to receive written symbols (letters, punctuation marks

and spaces) and we use our brain to convert them into words, sentences and paragraphs that

communicate something to us.

Reading can be silent (in our head) or aloud (so that other people can hear).

Reading is a receptive skill - through it we receive information. But the complex process of

reading also requires the skill of speaking, so that we can pronounce the words that we read. In

this sense, reading is also a productive skill in that we are both receiving information and

transmitting it (even if only to ourselves).

https://www.englishclub.com/reading/guide-glossary.htm

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Reading is an essential skill for language learners. When your reading skills improve, your

listening, speaking and writing skills improve too. Here are some of the specific reasons why

English learners are encouraged to read in English:

The constant repetition of words and patterns in reading helps you learn and remember

vocabulary and grammar structures.

Reading helps you become familiar with the rhythm of English. Over time it will start

to feel natural and you will notice when a sentence or phrase doesn't seem right.

Unlike conversation, reading is something you can do on your own.

Reading is not expensive, often free.

Good reading skills can improve your other language skills. You need to learn to read

before you can write.

Reading is the best way to learn and remember the proper spelling of words.

Listening as you read aloud can help you improve your pronunciation skills.

If you want to improve your English, learn to love reading in English. The best readers often

get the best grades, jobs and opportunities.

There are two important things in deciding what to read:

It should interest you, so that the reading is fun and not boring.

It should be at a level that is not too difficult for you.

Here are some types of reading material to try:

books (including children's books and graded readers)

newspapers

online news articles (try EC's easy news)

online blogs about topics that interest you (search for "top 10 blog" lists by topic)

letters (personal and commercial)

transcripts (of some online videos) and sub-titles on films

short stories (try these on EC)

poetry

proverbs

cartoons and jokes

recipes for cooking

advertisements and brochures

https://www.englishclub.com/reading/guide-levels.htm

https://www.englishclub.com/reading/guide-levels.htm

https://www.englishclub.com/efl/category/listening-news/

https://www.englishclub.com/learning-english-video/index.htm

https://www.englishclub.com/reading/short-stories.htm

https://www.englishclub.com/esl-jokes/index.htm

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Exercises:

The last prophet (PBUH)

Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) was born in Makkah in 57AD. He was an orphan .

His father , Abdullah ,died before he was born . His mother, Amena ,died when he was a child

of six . He lived with his grandfather , Abdul Muttaleb , and then with his loving uncle , Abu

Taleb .

Mohammad ( peace be upon him ) was poor and he worked as a shepherd to help his uncle .

Later he looked after his uncle`s trade . He was always honest and people called him The

Truthful (Al Sadiq Al Ameen )) .When he was twenty –five years old ,he got married to a rich

widow , Khadija bint Khuwailed . When he was forty ,he became the messenger of Islam . He

started spreading the message of Islam in Makkah . The first few years were very difficult for

the prophet . In 622 AD ,Allah ordered him to move to Al Madinah . He lived in Al Madinah

for eleven years . The people of Al Madinah supported him a lot . He died on the 12th of

Rabei Al Awal , Hijra ( 633 AD ) in Madinah .

1-Answer the following question:

a - Where was prophet Mohammed born ?

…………………………………………………………………………………………

b- Was he poor?

…………………………………………………………………………………………

2-Read the passage Guess from the sentences, what these words mean .

1- An orphan is a child who doesn’t have …………….

a- mother

b- father

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c- uncle

2- A shepherd is a person who ……………..

a- teach children

b- sells clothes

c- looks after sheep

3-truthful means a person who always ……………

a- talk a lot

b- says the truth

c-keep quiet

3- put ( T ) ( F )

1- the prophet worked as a shepherd because he was rich ( )

2- He got married at the age of twenty – five ( )

4- complete :

1. He ( in line 7) refers to ……………

Chocolate

Chocolate, one of the most popular foods in the world, has a history as rich as its flavor.

Chocolate comes from the beans of the cacao tree, a plant that has grown in the Americas for

at least 4,000 years. As long ago as the twelfth century, Indian families drank chocolate at

marriages and other ceremonies. However, chocolate was not known in Europe until 1528,

when the Spanish explorer Hern & aacute;n Cortés brought it to Spain.

Drinking chocolate soon became popular in Spain and quickly spread to the rest of Europe.

Three hundred years later, a scientist in Holland learned how to make chocolate into candy. As

the years passed, people in countries such as Belgium, Switzerland, and England began to

29 Amani ALWashali


make many kinds of chocolate candy. Today the making of chocolate is a multi-billion dollar

industry.

There are many reasons why chocolate is so popular. People like its rich, delicious flavor.

Some people think that chocolate is even better when combined with other ingredients, such as

fruit and nuts. Also, candy makers can make chocolate into decorative shapes, from flowers

and hearts to animals, and even to huge statues that weigh as much as 220 pounds (100 kg).

In addition, eating chocolate has helpful physical effects. The sugar and fat in chocolate give

people quick energy. This is why mountain climbers often carry chocolate with them. For this

same reason, people like to have a candy bar when they're feeling tired.

Eating chocolate has mental effects, too. Many people crave chocolate in times of stress or

emotional upset. Some psychologists explain that people associate chocolate with the happy

times of their childhoods. The taste of chocolate reminds them of the food and comfort they

received from their mothers. However, physical scientists have developed another explanation.

They say that one ingredient of chocolate, phenyl ethylamine, seems to lower stress.

There is no doubt that chocolate, with its unique physical and psychological effects and its

unmatched flavor, is one of the world's favorite foods.

Which of the following would be an appropriate title for the reading text? (

a. Mental Effects of Eating Chocolate

b. Physical Effects of Eating Chocolate

c. Chocolate: A World Favorite

2. In your words, answer the following questions using complete sentences.

a. Where did chocolate come from?

ــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــ

b. Who brought chocolate to Europe?

ـــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــ

c. What effect does chocolate have on the human body?

ـــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــ

3. Find the following pronouns in the article and write the word(s) each one refers to.

a. its (line 1)

b. that (line 2)

c. it (line 6)

d. its (line 12)

e. that (line 16)

f. them (line 19)

31 Amani ALWashali


g. they (line 20)

h. their (line 23)

i. they (line 24)

4. Use the context to determine the meanings of the words. Write short definitions

or give synonyms below. ****

a. ceremonies b. industry

c. flavor

d. combined

e. ingredients

f. physical g. energy

h. mental i. crave

j. remind

DANA’S FLOWER GARDEN

Dana loves flowers. Her favorites are daisies, tulips, and daffodils. Tulips and daffodils come

up every spring, and daisies come up later in the summer. These plants are perennials; they

come up year after year.

Dana loves the spring because she can go to the flower market to buy her annuals. The annuals

only last one season, but they add a lot of color to the garden. Dana got up Saturday morning

very early. She wanted to get to the market early so she would have time to plant everything

when she got home. Off she went to Barton’s Flower Market. She ran into some friends.

“Hi, Dana,” they called out to her.

“Hi,” said Dana with a big smile. “Let’s look around together!” Dana and her friends saw

pansies, geraniums, periwinkles, and petunias.

“Oh, so many pretty flowers!" exclaimed Dana. “I love them all.”

Dana decided to buy red and yellow pansies, blue periwinkles, and purple petunias. That will

add a lot of color to my garden, thought Dana. She said good-bye to her friends and went

home.

Dana happily began planting her new flowers around the tulips and daffodils. Dana was so

happy. She loved her flower garden, and she knew she would enjoy it all summer long. Dana

had a perfect day.

31 Amani ALWashali


Answer the questions about DANA’S FLOWER GARDEN 1. According to the story, Dana liked to

a. cook food from the garden

b. plant flowers in the garden

c. pull weeds from the garden

d. none of the above

2. Daffodils and tulips are

a. perennials

b. annuals

c. need to be planted each year.


3. Annuals are flowers that

a. come up year after year

b. add color

c. must be planted each spring

d. both b and c.

4. Dana bought

a. every flower at the market

b. tulips and daffodils

c. pansies, petunias, and periwinkles


5. In this story, Dana’s mood was

a. sad

b. surprised

c. happy

d. all the above

Explain the difference between a perennial and an annual.

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

ANSWER THE QUESTIONS ABOUT DANA’S FLOWER...

1. Are Dana’s favorite flowers annuals or perennials?

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

32 Amani ALWashali


________________________________________________

2. Describe your ideal garden.

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

3. Does Dana like colors? How do you know?

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

4. What are your favorite plants or flowers? Why?

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

__________________

A PERFECT BEACH HAT

Kimmie was visiting her Aunt Jane at her house at the beach. It was a beautiful summer

day. Kimmie built a giant sand castle in the morning. Aunt Jane took pictures of the castle to

send to Kimmie’s parents. Kimmie wanted to play on the beach that afternoon. She wanted to

build another sand castle. Aunt Jane told her it was too sunny.

Aunt Jane said Kimmie could only go if she had sunscreen and a hat. Kimmie didn’t have a

hat. Aunt Jane had a lot of hats. Aunt Jane said that Kimmie could borrow one of hers, since

bigger hats were better anyway.

Kimmie tried on four hats.

The pink one was really pretty, but it had a big bow. The ribbons kept going into Kimmie’s

eyes. That would not be good for building a sand castle. The blue hat was too fancy. Kimmie

did not like that hat at all. The red hat was nice, but it had flowers on it. Kimmie was afraid

the flowers would get dirty. Then, Kimmie saw a big straw hat with a short red ribbon on it.

The bow was not too droopy. The hat was not too fancy. It would be easy to clean. Kimmie

knew it was the perfect hat.

33 Amani ALWashali


ANSWER THE QUESTIONS ABOUT A PERFECT BEACH HAT:

1. Where was Kimmie?

a. at the store

b. at the beach

c. at school

d. at home

2. Who was Kimmie visiting?

a. her grandparents

b. her friends

c. her sister

d. her aunt

3. Why did Aunt Jane want Kimmie to wear a hat?

a. to protect her from the rain

b. to protect her from the sun

c. to help her look better on the beach

d. The hat was Kimmie’s idea.

4. Why didn’t Kimmie want to wear the pink hat?

a. the bow was too big

b. it had a flower

c. it had a bird on it

d. it was dirty

5. Why didn’t Kimmie like the blue hat?

a. it was new

b. it had an ugly bird on it

c. it was too fancy

d. it was old

Circle the words that describe the perfect hat for the beach:

droopy fancy simple

ugly pink big

34 Amani ALWashali


Part 4:

Writing

What is Writing?

"Writing" is the process of using symbols (letters of the alphabet, punctuation and spaces) to

communicate thoughts and ideas in a readable form.

"Writing" can also refer to the work/career of an author, as in: "Shakespeare didn't make much

money from writing."

Generally, we write using a pen/pencil (handwriting) or a keyboard (typing). With a

pen/pencil we usually write on a surface such as paper or whiteboard. A keyboard is normally

attached to a typewriter, computer or mobile device. Voice recognition programs allow those

who can't see or use their hands to have their thoughts transcribed.

In our own language, writing is usually the fourth language skill that we learn.

To write clearly it is essential to understand the basic system of a language. In English this

includes knowledge of grammar, punctuation and sentence structure. Vocabulary is also

necessary, as is correct spelling and formatting.

A writer may write for personal enjoyment or use, or for an audience of one person or more.

The audience may be known (targeted) or unknown. Taking notes for study purposes is an

example of writing for one's self. Blogging publicly is an example of writing for an unknown

audience. A letter to a friend is an example of writing for a targeted audience. As with

speaking, it is important to consider your audience when writing. There are many different

styles of writing, from informal to formal.

35 Amani ALWashali


Exercises

About you

What is your (full) name?

Can I have your name please?

Could you tell me your full name please?

What shall I call you?

How can I address you?

Does your name have any special meaning?

Is your name important to you?

Do Korean people like changing their name? Why?

Have you ever changed your name? Why or why not?

Why do so many people change their name?

Do you work or study?

Study

What are you studying?

What’s your major?

Why did you choose that subject?

What do you find most interesting about your course?

What is your favorite subject?

What do you dislike about your study?

What do you hope to do after your graduation?

What are your ambitions for the future?

Do you hope to gain any qualifications?

What are the advantages of studying instead of working?

Free time

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

How much time do you have each week for doing these things?

Why do you like doing these activities?

How did you start doing this activity at first?

Is there some other hobby or sport you would like to try? Why?

How has the way people spend their free time changed over the years?

36 Amani ALWashali


Holidays

What do you do when you have a holiday?

Who do you usually spend holiday with?

Where do you like to spend your holidays? Why?

Can you describe a typical day in your holidays?

Why are holidays and important to you?

If you could take a holiday anywhere in the world, where would you go? Why?

What do people usually do during holidays and in your town?

Transport

How did you come here today?

What is public transport like in your town?

How do you think it could be improved?

Do you think people should use public transport more? Why (not)?

Shopping

How much time do you spend shopping every week?

Do you enjoy going shopping? Why (not)?

What is your favourite shop and why do you like it?

What problems are there with shopping in your area?

37 Amani ALWashali


Part 5:

Speaking

How to Use Speaking Strategies

Supporting Good Strategy Use

Help students talk about the speaking strategies they are using so that they can build an

awareness and more intentionally choose when, where, and how to draw upon their repertoire.

Pre-speaking Strategies You might get ready to speak by thinking about:

The listener and the listener’s purpose: Who are the listeners? What do they already know?

Want to know?

Your purpose for speaking: What do you want the listeners to know or do? What do you

want to convey? Are you trying to inform, persuade, challenge, request, etc.?

Your knowledge/experience: think about what you already know about the subject, the

situation, and the language you will be using

How you would speak in your native language: What would you say? How would you say

it?

Cross-cultural factors that may influence how you express yourself

Think about what you will say:

The format (how the message will be organized or sequenced)

The language you will use: key words or phrases, the grammar tenses, etc.

The information or opinions you want to express

The register and tone you want to use

While-speaking Strategies While you speak you’ll need to use strategies to communicate effectively:

Use visual clues to help you communicate: pictures, facial expressions, and gestures

Prioritize the key points

In a school or work setting, be concise; stick to the topic

Relate the content to interests of the listener/audience; stay relevant

Use knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and register to communicate

clearly

Use conversation strategies to politely join a conversation, hold the floor, exit a

conversation, etc.

Pay attention to your listeners and adapt to their needs

Check that listeners understand you

- Observe the listeners’ response (body language, expressions): Are they with you? Does

their reaction make sense?

Post-speaking Strategies After you speak these strategies might help you evaluate:

38 Amani ALWashali


Decide whether your speaking purpose has been met and what else you need to do

Discuss the process and strategies you used to speak – which worked well?

The Importance of Speaking Practice

There are 4 key skills when you learn a language:

1. listening

2. speaking

3. reading

4. writing

Which one of these is the "Odd-One-Out"? Which one of these is different from the other

three? The answer is speaking. The other three you can do alone, on your own, without

anyone else. You can listen to the radio alone. You can read a book alone. You can write a

letter alone. But you can't really speak alone! Speaking to yourself can be "dangerous"

because men in white coats may come and take you away!!

That is why you should make every effort possible to find somebody to speak with. Where can

you find people who can speak English with you? And how can you practice speaking when

you are alone?

At School

If you go to a language school, you should use the opportunity to speak to your teachers and

other students. When you go home, you can still practice listening, reading and writing, but

you probably can't practice speaking. If your teacher asks you a question, take the opportunity

to answer. Try to say as much as possible. If your teacher asks you to speak in pairs or groups

with other students, try to say as much as possible. Don't worry about your mistakes. Just

speak!

Conversation Clubs

Many cities around the world have conversation clubs where people can exchange one

language for another. Look in your local newspaper to find a conversation club near you. They

are usually free although some may charge a small entrance fee.

Shopping

If you are living in an English-speaking country, you have a wonderful opportunity. Practice

speaking to the local people such as shop assistants or taxi drivers. Even if you don't want to

buy anything, you can ask questions about products that interest you in a shop. "How much

does this cost?" "Can I pay by cheque?" "Which do you recommend?" Often you can start a

real conversation - and it costs you nothing!

https://www.englishclub.com/learn-english/language-skills.htm


https://www.englishclub.com/reading/recommended/index.htm

https://www.englishclub.com/writing/index.htm

https://www.englishclub.com/writing/index.htm

39 Amani ALWashali


Language is all around You

Everywhere you go you find language. Shop names, street names, advertisements, notices on

buses and trains... Even if you are not in an English-speaking country, there are often a lot of

English words you can see when walking in the street, especially in big cities. And there are

always numbers. Car numbers, telephone numbers, house numbers... How can this help you?

When you walk down the street, practise reading the words and numbers that you see. Say

them to yourself. It's not exactly a conversation, but it will help you to "think" in English. For

example, if you walk along a line of parked cars, say the number on each car quickly as you

pass it. Test yourself, to see how fast you can walk and still say each number. But don't speak

too loud!

Songs and Video

Listen to the words of an English-language song that you like. Then repeat them to yourself

and try to sing with the music. Repeat the words as many times as possible until they become

automatic. Soon you'll be singing the whole song. Or listen to one of your favourite actors on

video and repeat one or two sentences that you like. Do it until it becomes automatic. It's good

practice for your memory and for the mouth muscles that you need for English.

Above all, don't be afraid to speak. You must try to speak, even if you make mistakes. You

cannot learn without mistakes. There is a saying: "The person who never made a mistake

never made anything." So think of your mistakes as something positive and useful.

Speak as much as possible! Make as many mistakes as possible! When you know that you

have made a mistake, you know that you have made progress.

41 Amani ALWashali


EXERCISES

About you

What is your (full) name?

Can I have your name please?

Could you tell me your full name please?

What shall I call you?

How can I address you?

Does your name have any special meaning?

Is your name important to you?

Do Korean people like changing their name? Why?

Have you ever changed your name? Why or why not?

Why do so many people change their name?

Do you work or study?

Study

What are you studying?

What’s your major?

Why did you choose that subject?

What do you find most interesting about your course?

What is your favorite subject?

What do you dislike about your study?

What do you hope to do after your graduation?

What are your ambitions for the future?

Do you hope to gain any qualifications?

What are the advantages of studying instead of working?

Free time

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

How much time do you have each week for doing these things?

Why do you like doing these activities?

How did you start doing this activity at first?

Is there some other hobby or sport you would like to try? Why?

How has the way people spend their free time changed over the years?

41 Amani ALWashali


Holidays

What do you do when you have a holiday?

Who do you usually spend holiday with?

Where do you like to spend your holidays? Why?

Can you describe a typical day in your holidays?

Why are holidays and important to you?

If you could take a holiday anywhere in the world, where would you go? Why?

What do people usually do during holidays and in your town?

Transport

How did you come here today?

What is public transport like in your town?

How do you think it could be improved?

Do you think people should use public transport more? Why (not)?

Shopping

How much time do you spend shopping every week?

Do you enjoy going shopping? Why (not)?

What is your favorite shop and why do you like it?

What problems are there with shopping in your area?

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