1-3. Answers will vary.

giraffe elephants warthog antelope

Lesson 10A Click here to enlarge the passage

Vocabulary Lesson 10A

board (n.) a writing surface such as a whiteboard or chalkboard

lecture (n.) a talk meant to teach people about a subject

staff (pl. n.) the people who work for an organization or company

apply (v.) to use something you know or have learned

principle (n.) a belief about the way people should behave

local (adj.) nearby, in your neighborhood or area

topic (n.) the subject, the main idea

project (n.) a study or a piece of research

consist (v.) to be made up of something

aim (v.) to plan or hope to achieve something

entire passage line 8 lines 9-14

line 10

c e d a b

staff principle aim lectures

boards topics local apply consists

apply principle project aim staff

1 and 2. Answers will vary.

Lesson 10B Click here to enlarge the passage

Vocabulary Lesson 10B

create (v.) to make or develop something for the first time

edit (v.) to add to or correct something, like a piece of writing or a video

article (n.) a story or piece in a newspaper

document (n.) a written item, like a book or an article

connect (v.) to join together, to contact

ability (n.) a quality or skill that makes it possible to do something

digital (adj.) giving information in electronic form, computerized

core (n.) the center or most important part of something

practice (v.) to do something often to get better at it

skill (n.) an activity that requires special training and knowledge

lines 2-6 lines 4-5 lines 8-11

publish reach connect collaborate classrooms media

skills digital

create ability practice edit connect

Challenges, things that test us

lectures consists skills ability

aim principles apply project

1 and 2. Answers will vary.

For More Information 05/01/0131_050131_school.html

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Reading Skills

Understanding the Main Idea Once we've determined the text type of a passage, and what it's generally about, we usually then read on to understand the main idea of the passage. In other words: What is the writer basically telling us? Or, What is the writer's main message? Understanding the main idea of a text means being able to identify the most important point or information in the passage.

Paraphrasing Paraphrasing involves the skill of identifying a restatement of a section in a passage that retains the basic meaning while changing the words, often explained in a more simplified form. A paraphrase often clarifies a more ambiguous original statement in the text by putting it into alternative words that are often more easily understood.

Recognizing the Purpose Recognizing the purpose of a text involves firstly asking yourself a few important questions such as “What am I reading?” to determine text type (eg: newspaper article, website, advertisement), “Why did the author write the text?”, to establish author’s objectives, and “Why am I reading this text?”, to determine your own reading objectives and what you can extract from the passage.

Defining Vocabulary Often a reading passage contains definitions or explanations of new words related to the topic. The definitions in the text may be given through different clues to help you identify how the author has explained its meaning. It is important to understand synonyms or parallel expressions are often used to define target vocabulary items.

Identifying Details Identifying details in a text to answer specific questions (eg: who, what, when, where, why) is often achieved through a strategy known as ‘Scanning’ for details. This is actually a technique often used in daily life when looking up a word in the telephone book or dictionary. Also when you read a newspaper, you're probably not reading it word-by-word, instead you're scanning the text for important information of interest.

Understanding Reference Understanding reference in a text is an important reading skill which involves focusing on specific meaning of ‘pronoun references’ used throughout a passage (eg: this, those, their, it). This is an important skill to help develop full comprehension of significant details of a section of a passage which refer back to previous statements made.

Making Inferences When we read a text, the author does not tell us everything. Therefore, we must be able to guess some things and make clear assumptions from the information, facts, opinions and author’s feelings presented in the passage. Such a process of guessing and critical thinking is called ‘Making inferences’