VS 2A 2009 English Language Blog

Hi guys,

I've created a new blog for the class' Vocab. Bank (http://vs2a2009vocab.blogspot.com) and given you the admin rights (via email). Please do visit the blog and actively post new words.


MS Koo

A good way to understand what you read is to ask youself questions when scanning the text. This is a technique good readers use (sometimes unconsciously) to make sense of and to internalise the information presented, as well as to make predictions based on the information given in the text.

In fact, most of you would already be familiar with this technique. For example, when watching a movie, you will be predicting which character will be killed next or when the bickering hero and heroine will start falling for each other.

Apply this technique when reading. Ask yourself why the character in the story is doing this, what he could be feeling, what he will be doing next, what factors contributed to his actions/ thoughts, etc.

This technique will help you start the thinking process needed to answer inferential questions.

It is also a very useful technique to use when studying content-based subjects (in this case you will be asking yourself whether the new information presented is true and trying to recall facts that support or refute the new information).

Please attempt the questions using the strategies we discussed yesterday BEFORE checking your answers. If you do not get the answers correct, analyse why this is so (it will help you get the right answer next time). Simply copying the answers will NOT help improve your comprehension skills.

SA2_2006_EL_Sec2_Ans

Common mistake
A common mistake students make in answering factual questions is to answer them as an inferential one, i.e. they tend to summarise details or give a general idea instead of lifting a specific answer from the text. [This usually happens because the answer is a straightforward one that you recall after reading the question.]

Another mistake is not rephrasing the answer to address the question (refer to Q4 of the 2004 paper where the exact phrase from the text is a "when" phrase whereas the question requires a "what" answer).

Tip
To avoid the above mistakes, read the question carefully, underline important words then zero in on the part of the passage containing the important words (or their synonyms).

Look at the sentence containing the important words (or the sentence before and after it), and look for your answer. Only if you are unable to spot the answer in the given paragraph, can you answer the question as an inferential one.

NOTE #1: DO NOT copy blindly. The examiner will deny you the marks even if the answer is within the chunk you have copied (excess denied).

NOTE #2: Check the use of tense in the question. Your answer must follow the tense used in the question.

Recap
You will be told explicitly that you are to express a word or phrase (from the passage) in your own words. This type of question is pretty much the same as substitution in summary writing. The aim of it is to ascertain that you know the gist of the phrase (as used in the passage).

Tips
When answering such questions, read the paragraph containing the given phrase first (to get contextual meaning).

Then, underline the important words in the phrase (usually the verbs, nouns and adjectives) and write down the meaning (as used in the text) or a synonym for each word.

Thirdly, join the meaning/ synonyms of the important words into a cohesive phrase (may rearrange the meaning/ synonyms, if necessary).

Finally, check that what you have written has the same contextual meaning as the original phrase.

IMPORTANT: The above method will not work if the phrase used is an idiom (e.g., "bite the bullet") as replacing individual words will only give you the literal meaning. In such cases, your answer will be a phrase (or word) that has the same contextual meaning as the given phrase.

IMPORTANT X 2: All verbs must be replaced.

NOTE #1: There is no restriction on the number of words you may use to express the given phrase in your own words.

NOTE #2: There are some nouns you may be unable to replace (e.g., "parents"). In such cases, it is usually acceptable to use them in your answer.

It was pointed out (to me) that the prefix "in" does not mean "not" for the word "ingenious" (thanks Lie Wen!). Do note that some prefixes may have more than one meaning. In this case, "in" may also mean "extreme". You will have to look for contextual clues to determine which is the correct meaning.

Recap
This type of question requires you to give either a synonym or definition for the word within the context of the passage and in the same part of speech (e.g. the noun, verb or adjectival form).

The starting point for successful answering of vocab questions is a correct understanding of the text as a whole, and the gist of the specific paragraph. [You must give the contextual meaning.]

Tips
When you get words that you have no idea of their meaning, use the following tips:

1. Look for contextual clues - locate the sentence/ paragraph containing the word, look for clues relating to the word and deduce the meaning of the vocab word (e.g. from a list of synonyms, a pair of words with contrasting meaning - such as "intuition and practice")
2. Break word into prefix-root word-suffix and analyse each part - e.g., infallible= in + fail + able --- in = not, fail = to fall short of success, able = capable of---thus infallible = not capable of failing (for list of suffixes and prefixes, visit http://www.learnenglish.de/grammar/prefixtext.htm).
   
   

"bite the bullet" (www.phrases.org.uk): endure pain with fortitude

"bite the bullet" (simplified meaning): to do or accept something difficult (or unpleasant) and live with it

Sentence: In the current economic crisis, we all have to bite the bullet and learn to live without unnecessary luxuries.

Origin (www.phrases.org.uk): In the days before effective anesthetics, army doctors gave soldiers bullets to bite on to help them endure pain during operations.


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"keep your nose to the grindstone" (www.phrases.org.uk): Apply yourself conscientiously to your work

Sentence: With the end-of-year exams round the corner, we have to keep our noses to the grindstone and work really hard for the next few weeks.

Oxymoron (dictionary meaning): a figure of speech by which a particular form of expression produces an incongruous, seemingly self-contradictory effect

Oxymoron (simplified meaning): a set of words (e.g., phrase, idiom) that contradict each other due to their opposite meaning (i.e. the meaning of the words in the expression 'clash' or oppose each other)

Examples of oxymorons: “organised mess”, “open secret" & "to make haste slowly"

Sentence: "Although 'fuzzy' and 'logic' have opposing meanings, the term 'fuzzy logic' has become an oxymoron widely used by the scientific community."

Hi guys,

One of the ways of improving your vocabulary is to actively increase your 'word bank' by finding out the meaning of new words and making a sentence using those words.

I know that some of you already have excellent vocabulary, so, to help your classmates make those much needed deposits into their 'bank account', please post a new word each week. Include the dictionary meaning(s) of the word and a sentence that contains that word.

The rest of you should try to make up sentences using the posted words. Post your own sentences on the blog so that you have the opportunity to test your sentences. You may also comment on each other's words & sentences.

I will not make this compulsory, but I do hope that you guys will actively partcipate in this activity as it will not only help you in your comprehension skills, it'll also aid you in your free writing.


MS Koo

p.s. I'll start the ball rolling by posting one word today.

Factual Quote Inferential

If the file does not load, please visit the link http://www.scribd.com/doc/19868235/Factual-Quote-Inferential?secret_password=3830umz5uundtx1a9r4

Summary Writing Guide
If the file does not load, please visit the link http://www.scribd.com/doc/20170761/Summary-Writing-Guide?secret_password=1bm58to1w8q73m0xceyk.

Hi guys,

As Zhirui would have told you, I've put the 2005 English Paper in your class pigeon-hole. Please do the paper (except for the vocabulary questions) for homework.

I've compiled the key points from your guides and added some additional tips (thanks for your inputs!). Will be uploading the comprehension guides (as soon as I figure out how to do so).

As your 2004 papers were badly done, please take a look at the step-by-step guides BEFORE attempting the 2005 paper (especially Hadi, who missed the lesson and the two boys who were doing some other subject's homework at the back of the classroom).

We will discuss the answers during the next class on 22 Sep.


MS 'Emo' Koo

p.s. I'm trying to finish marking your 2004 scripts so that you'll know your mistakes before attempting the 2005 papers. If you're in school over the weekend, please check the class pigeon-hole. If not, follow the steps in the guide and give it your best shot :)