Transcript Reading Skill Focus

Reading Skills Practice
Lecture Six
Contents
1
1
2
Reading Skill Focus
Word Formation
Reading Skill Focus
Finding the Main Idea (2)
Guided Practice
Let’s Try
Finding the Main Idea (2)
Reading Skill Focus
Topic Sentence at the Beginning
In this type of paragraph, the author states the paragraph’s main idea and
then goes on to explain and develop that idea.
Finding the Main Idea (2)
Reading Skill Focus
Topic Sentence at the End
In this type of paragraph, the author leads up to the main idea and then
states it in the last sentence.
Finding the Main Idea (2)
Reading Skill Focus
Topic Sentence in the Middle
In this type of paragraph, the author builds up to the main idea, states it in
the middle of the paragraph and then goes on with further explanations.
A. Guided Practice
Reading Skill Focus
Sample 1
American life has once again been greatly changed by the new age of
science and technology since World War II. Everything has sped up to a
tremendous rate. Information is immediate. Nobody has to wait to hear any
news. There is a television set in every house. There is instant printing. A
computer can hold more than a million facts in its memory. It speeds up
every operation because it can immediately record, remember facts and
produce new information that it combines with these facts.
Clue
本段第一句是主题句：二战之后，美国人的生活随着科技时代的到来发生了
巨大的变化。然后举出几个例子以支持主题：人们能够迅速获得信息；每家
都有电视；可以即时打印；电脑可以存储大量信息，并且可以根据存储的数
据迅速提供新的信息｡
A. Guided Practice
Reading Skill Focus
Sample 2
The earth is composed of several layers. The top layer of the earth is called
the earth’s crust. The earth’s crust is divided into seven sections. The
sections are called plates. When two plates push against each other or when
two plates rub against each other an earthquake will occur. An earthquake
causes the ground above the plate to shake.
Clue
本段落从地质学的角度阐述了地震发生的原因,结构严谨，环环相扣，最后一
句概括说明了地震所导致的结果。因此，最后一句是主题句｡
A. Guided Practice
Reading Skill Focus
Sample 3
Have you noticed that people are more eager these days to get into movie
theaters than into libraries? And have you noticed that the TV Guide has
replaced Pilgrim’s Progress in the honored spot beside the family Bible? It
seems that movies and televisions are replacing books as sources of
entertainment and information. Perhaps the reason is that watching the
action of a story is much more convenient than reading the story and
imagining the action. Also the variety of programs on television today,
including comedies, dramas, biographies, documentaries, and nature films,
provides much of the information that once could be found only in books.
Clue
这个段落的主题句不在段首,也不在段末，而是在段中。前文提出问题：为什
么人们热衷于去电影院而不是图书馆？为什么电视报取代了小说《天路历程》
和《圣经》？接着点出了段落的主题句：电影和电视正在取代书刊，成为人
们娱乐和信息的来源。然后围绕这一中心思想解释了原因。段中的主题句起
到了承上启下的作用。
B. Let’s Try
Reading Skill Focus
Practice 1
For years I have struggled with my writing skills. My inability to master correct
grammar as well as my struggle to formulate coherent ideas has made my
compositions very dull and ineffective. This year, however, I decided to visit the
Writing Center to help improve my skills. I found, to my surprise, that the real
key to writing a good paper is to have a passion for the things about which you
are writing. When a person becomes interested in his or her subject of
composition, he or she will make a better attempt at organizing ideas and giving
them a strong coherence.
The topic sentence of the paragraph is
_____________________________________________________________
I found, to my surprise, that the real key to writing a good paper is to have a
_____________________________________________________________
passion for the things about which you are writing.
B. Let’s Try
Reading Skill Focus
Practice 2
My grandfather contracted lung cancer a few months ago. The doctors now say
that he only has a few weeks to live. My family’s situation is not unique. Millions
of Americans are going through a similar experience. At least three members of
every extended family will contract terminal disease before the age of sixty. At
least one out of every three nuclear families will have a member who will die of
cancer before the age of fifty. From these statistics and from personal
experience it is evident that no one is unaffected by cancer.
The topic sentence of the paragraph is
_____________________________________________________________
From
these statistics and from personal experience it is evident that no one is
_____________________________________________________________
unaffected
by cancer.
B. Let’s Try
Reading Skill Focus
Practice 3
There are many stereotypes about the character of people in various parts of
the United States. In the Northeast and Midwest, people are said to be closed
and private. In the South and West, however, they are often thought of as being
more open and hospitable. Ask someone from St. Louis where the nearest
sandwich shop is, and he or she will politely give you directions. A New Yorker
might eye you at first and after deciding it is safe to talk to you, might give you a
rather unexpected explanation. A person from Georgia might be very kind about
directing you and even suggest some different places to eat. A Texan just might
take you to the place and treat you to lunch.
The topic sentence of the paragraph is
_____________________________________________________________
There are many stereotypes about the character of people in various parts of
_____________________________________________________________
the United States.
B. Let’s Try
Reading Skill Focus
Practice 4
Today, boys try to prove they are men in many different ways. Long ago, it was
not hard for some boys to know they had become men. American Indians had
ceremonies and tests for boys to prove they were men. In one tribe, boys were
given drugs which made them see visions of the gods. Having a vision was the
first step toward being a man. In another tribe, boys who wanted to prove that
they could stand pain had to lie still on ground covered with ants and let the ants
bite them again and again. When the Indian boys had been through these
ceremonies and tests, they knew they were men.
B. Let’s Try
Reading Skill Focus
Practice 4
1 Which is the topic sentence of this paragraph?
A. Today, boys try to prove they are men in many different ways.
B. In another tribe, boys had to prove that they could stand pain.
C. They had to lie still on ground covered with ants and let the ants bite
them again and again.
√D. Long ago, it was not hard for some boys to know they had become men.
Word Formation
Prefix
前缀(prefix)是加在单词或词根前面的构词成分,具有一定含义｡
Prefi
Meaning
x
e(in nouns, and verbs) electronic and
an activity done on the Internet
电子的，网络的
mul- (in nouns and adjectives) having
many多
in-
(in adjectives, adverbs and nouns)
not or the opposite
不；非；相反的
Examples
e-commerce, e-library,
e-mail, e-game, e-tailer
multi-channel,
multi-colored, multimedia
invisibility, independently,
incapable, insensible,
informal, incomplete,
incorrect
Word Formation
Prefix
前缀(prefix)是加在单词或词根前面的构词成分,具有一定含义｡
Prefi
Meaning
x
dis(in adjectives, adverbs, verbs and
nouns) not or the opposite
不；非；相反的
pre- (in verbs and adjectives) before (a
time or an event)
预先
Examples
disadvantage, disbelieve,
dishonestly, disagreed,
disappear, discomfort,
prearranged, preview,
predetermine, prejudge,
prepay, precook, preheat
Word Formation
Suffix
后缀(suffix)是加在单词或词根后面的构词成分，一般起到改变词性的作用。
Suffix
-ial
-ility
Meaning
(to form adjectives) having the stated
quality or connected with
构 成 形 容 词 ， 表 示 属 于 …… ， 具
有……
(added to adjectives to form nouns) the
stated nature, quality or condition
构成名词，表示性质、状态、情况
Examples
essential, potential,
editorial, special, partial,
commercial
invisibility, fragility,
responsibility
Thank you!