UNIT ONE

1.1 Speaking
Introducing Oneself and Introducing Others
What do you do when you meet somebody for the first time?
Self-Introduction
Whenever we meet some body for the first time, it is a common practice to get introduced to
him/her. In such situations, you are expected to use the following expressions.
a) Introducing Yourself

Here are some phrases for introducing yourself in English.

1. I'm John.

I'm Hanna. (Use first name in informal situations)

2. I'm John Kennedy.

I'm Hanna Solomon. (Use full name in business and formal situations)

3. (It's) nice to meet you.

(It's) nice to meet you, too.

4. (It's) nice meeting you.

(It's) nice meeting you, too

5. (It's) good to meet you.

(It's) good to meet you, too.

b) Expressions

Hello, (formal) let me introduce myself to you:

Hey (informal) let me introduce myself to you:

My name’s ………….. Or

I’m …………….

To let somebody know you well, provide more detailed information about yourself.

It can be about your place of birth, your age, the high school/ college you went to for your
studies, your family, and so on.

Example: Hello, let me introduce myself to you. My name’s Hanna. I was born in………

Activity 1
Find someone or a colleague and try (in pairs) to introduce yourself to one another telling
each other about the following.
Name,
Region and Woreda you came from,
College where you got your diploma,
Institution you worked for, and your work experience
Your hobbies (interests),
Two more pieces of information about yourself that you would like to share your friend.

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Introducing Others
To introduce a partner to somebody else, we use the following expressions.
Here are some sample phrases and expressions for introducing others in English.

If you are sure they Paul, this is John.

haven’t met before,
John, this is Paul.
introduce one to the other.

1. Have you met Paul? No, I haven't. Paul, this is John.

John, this is Paul.
2. Have you two met each No, we haven't. Hanna, this is Marry.
other? Marry, this is Hanna.
3. Have you two met each Yes, we have.
other?

NOTE: When meeting someone for the first time, it is not appropriate to ask certain
types of questions.
Do NOT ask:
A person's age You may ask general questions about the situation.
Birth date How do you know Alemu (the person who
Salary introduced us)?
Weight Are you a student at this university?
Marital status Is this your first time here?
What do you do for a living?
How long have you been working for (company)?

Conversation Practice
These types of introductions involve three people. For example:
Henok: Good afternoon, Balcha.
Balcha: How are you Henok?
Henok: I’m fine. Balcha, have you met Ali ?
Balcha: No, I haven't.
Henok: Balcha, this is Ali. Ali this is Balcha. (Balcha and Ali shake hands.)
Balcha: Nice to meet you Ali.
Ali: Nice to meet you too, Balcha.
Balcha: Where are you from, Ali?
Ali: I'm from South Wello.
Balcha: South Wello, which part?
Ali: Dessie, the capital. How about you, Balcha?
Balcha: West Shewa-a place called Ginchi. It's near Ambo town.
Ali: How do you know Henok?
Balcha: He is my friend from college.
Ali: Well, it's been nice talking to you.
Balcha: Nice talking to you, too.
Ali: How can I contact you?
Balcha: You can call me at 0911678….
Ali: (I'll) see you later.
Balcha: See you.

Activity 2
Now be in group of three and introduce each other.

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 1.2 Reading
Activity 1: Pre-reading Activity
Think of your campus life experience and answer the following questions individually, then
share your answers with your colleague.
1. What is campus life?
2. What makes campus life different from any other life?
3. How do you feel of sharing dormitories with many people?
4. Does sharing dormitories affect your usual life style? How?
5. Does this new style of life help or doesn’t? How?
6. What were your reasons to choose the department you are enrolled in?
7. How do you compare FTVETI and the previous TVET College you graduated from?
8. If you were given a second chance, would you change your current department? Why?

Activity 2. While-reading Activity

I. Understanding Details
Read the questions below before reading the text that follows.
1. Chaltu is sure that she wants to go to Adama University.
2. Students at Adama University learn faster than those at Addis Ababa University.
3. Students at Addis Ababa University come from more varied cultural back grounds than those
at Adama University.
4. Chaltu is more interested in Adama University than Addis Ababa University because she
wants to graduate in civil engineering.
5. Addis Ababa has a low crime rate because it is the seat of the Federal Government.
6. Chaltu is forced to choose between Addis Ababa University and Adama University because
these are the only universities that have technology fields in the country.
Now, read the text and indicate whether each statement is true or false or if the information is
not given write NG. Give evidence from the text for each of your responses.

Campus Life
She is a high school student in Bale zone of Oromia Regional State. Because she will complete
preparatory level education at the end of the year, Chaltu has to make up her mind very soon as to
which university she wants to go to. She has some information about several different universities
in Ethiopia. But after carefully bearing all of them in mind, she has opted between the two that she
thinks are the best for her: Addis Ababa University, a large and old university located in the
country’s capital and Adama University, a model technical university of the country found in
Adama town of Oromia Region. Each has many advantages as well as several disadvantages.

Chaltu is seriously thinking of majoring in engineering and she is more interested in Adama
University because she has heard that it is a model and most known technical university in the
country. Of course, both Adama University and Addis Ababa University have technology fields.
However, compared to Adama University, Addis Ababa University is one of the oldest and most
famous universities. Its technology faculty was established in 1965 EC, and it has more highly
qualified professionals who have specialized in teaching fields of engineering than Adama
University. Nevertheless, due to many progresses it has been making in the fields of technology in
the country, Adama University may prove Chaltu the opportunity to join the technology field she
is interested in, as compared to Addis Ababa University.

Mainly, people with old experience told Chaltu that Addis Ababa University is much larger and it
currently admits more students per year than Adama University. It may also have better libraries,
laboratories and other facilities than Adama University. Undergraduate students at Addis Ababa
University can select their fields of interest from many different fields of study. To the contrary,
Adama University students are relatively limited to diversified choices.

However, there are more students in classes at Addis Ababa University than at Adama University,
and because of this, Adama University students can have more personal contacts with their
instructors, and classes are not as unfriendly as the large lectures at Addis Ababa University. Many
educators believe that this helps students learn better than students in overcrowded classes and that
it helps compensate for expensive facilities that could be required otherwise.
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Located in a large urban setting (in the capital of the country), Addis Ababa University provides a
wide ranging cultural activities and entertainments for its students than Adama University. On the
other hand, Adama University is situated in a more quieter, more peaceful and conducive learning
environment than Addis Ababa University, which is located in the heart and noisy part of the city.
Moreover, the very point that there are relatively fewer recreation centers and entertainments such
as movies, theaters in Adama town would encourage serious students to study hard. There are
ample reasons to claim that Adama is much safer than the capital, Addis Ababa, and has a low rate
of crime.

Generally, Chaltu has been considering these and other facts related to the two universities before
coming to the final decision as to which university to choose. Do you appreciate Chaltu‘s
decision? Do you think this sort of prior knowledge about a university you join would help you to
perform better in your university education?

II. Choose the best answer according to the information in the reading text.
1. Which one do you think is the best title for the passage?
A, Technical Universities B, Choosing a university
C, AU versus AAU D, Chaltu’s future ambition
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2. What is the main point of the 5 paragraph?
A. AAU entertains students more than AU.
B. Students find easier to study at AU than at AAU
C. Location advantages of AAU and AU
D. Adama town is quieter, more peaceful and much safer than AA.
III. Reference Questions
What do the following pronouns refer to in the passage?
1. each (para. 1, line 7)
2. it (para. 2, line 2)
3. it (para.2, line7)
4. their (para 3, line 4)
5. this (para. 4, line 4)

Activity 3: Post reading activity

1. Why do you choose the college that you have attended your training?
2. What were your criteria to choose your field of study?
3. If you were Chaltu, which university would you choose for your studies? Why?

1.3 Vocabulary
Understanding Vocabulary in Context
The following table shows the decisive factors to guess a meaning.
 Your knowledge of the world
 Punctuation clues
 Definition clues
 Example clues
 Comparison clues
 Contrast clues

Example: Although some old people abhor change, most of them enjoy new things and
experiences.

In this sentence the word although shows that there is some opposite meaning in the two parts of
the sentence (abhor and enjoy).

In this very course, you will practice to guess meanings of words using some of these clues.

Guessing meanings using knowledge of the world

This is to mean that you use your experience and what you know about the facts stated.
Example: I didn’t sleep well because my neighbor’s dog was yapping all night.
You can guess the meaning of yapping by thinking about your knowledge of dogs and
your knowledge of sleep. How can dogs make you not sleep well?

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Activity 1: Guessing Meaning
Guess the meaning of the words in bold. When you finish, compare your answers with your
friends’ answers.
1. A sponge is very absorbent. Likewise, a soft cloth will soak up a lot of water.
A) that soaks water B) clear C) reflecting D) abundant
2. Spot cleaners as well as other bleach products are good at getting out stains.
A) chemicals that remove stains B) people doing cleaning C) goods used for cleaning
3. A large family seems to have an infinite amount of laundry to do. Similarly, there are
always an endless number of dishes to wash.
A) always in front B) endless C) mathematical graphs D) in relation to
4. Ayele finds washing dishes relaxing. In the same way, Abdi finds folding laundry soothing.
A) frustrating B) irritating C) comforting D) smiling
5. Despite the risks, new businesses are expanding everywhere, from natural resources,
manufacturing, construction, real estate, retail trade and – especially – service industries
such as consulting and tourism.
A) Industry that produces service goods B) business that provides a service
C) Factories that produce construction materials D) industries that use servants
6. The reporter talked to many auto-industry executives, e.g. company presidents and vice-
presidents.
A) People in charge of a company B) people who drive nice cars
C) People who work in industries D) people who hire secretaries
7. The philosophy teacher presented the students with several conundrums–riddles-to solve.
A) puzzles B) books C) explanations D) reasons
8. Many of the elderly who go to programs at Centennial House are highly stimulated. On the
other hand, old people who stay home all the time are usually bored.
A) bored B) infuriated C) Stupefied D) entertained
9. Alzheimer is a common problem in old age, but many old people continue to have healthy
minds.
A) an unhealthy mind B) an uncommon mind C) a mind full of knowledge
10. While many people live in rest homes, others still live on their own or with their families. rest
homes mean places for old people to live
A) with people who are not their families. B) with people who are their families.
C) when their families are many in number. D) when they get out of hospitals.
11. Many old people stay home in inclement weather, yet they go out walking on nice days.
A) good weather B) a bad weather C) a sunny day in spring D) when the sun sets
12. Instead of vegetating at home, lots of old people are very active in the community.
A) remain a vegetarian B) remain inactive C) grow vegetable at home D) remain active

1.4 Grammar: Sentence

In this grammar part, you will learn easy ways of constructing sentences.
When you are making choices about which elements to include when constructing a sentence, you
need to ask yourself the following questions:
1. What is my purpose for this particular sentence? What do I want to say?
2. What ideas and information do I need to include in this sentence?
3. Who is my target audience? How can I best put the parts of the sentence together to convey my
ideas to this audience?

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Then, use your analysis skills to break the sentence back down into its parts and make sure that
you have constructed it correctly. Check that the sentence contains a verb and a subject, expresses
a complete thought, and is written in the correct tense.
1.4.1. SENTENCE CONSTRUCTIONS
When you are making choices about which elements to include when constructing a sentence, you
need to ask yourself the following questions:
1. What is my purpose for this particular sentence? What do I want to say?
2. What ideas and information do I need to include in this sentence?
3. Who is my target audience? How can I best put the parts of the sentence together to convey my
ideas to this audience?
Then, use your analysis skills to break the sentence back down into its parts and make sure that
you have constructed it correctly. Check that the sentence contains a verb and a subject, expresses
a complete thought, and is written in the correct tense.
i. Sentence Parts
SUBJECTS AND PREDICATES
A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought. Every sentence contains at least
a subject (a noun or a noun plus its modifiers) and a predicate (a verb, or a verb plus its
modifiers). When the modifiers are stripped from the subject and the predicate, leaving only the
noun and the verb, the noun is called the simple subject and the verb is called the simple predicate.
The simple subject and the simple predicate are the two most basic building blocks of the
sentence.
SUBJECT PREDICATE
The gray-haired dog/ limped slowly to its dog bed.
SIMPLE SUBJECT SIMPLE PREDICATE
dog Limped
The Subject
The main, simple, subject of the sentence is dog. Gray-haired describes the dog.The describes the
rest of the words in the subject. When a word describes another word, it is called a modifier.
The gray-haired dog is the complete subject.
The Predicate
What did the dog do? It limped. That action is the verb, the simple predicate. How did it limp?
Slowly. This word describes how the dog limped; it modifies the verb. The verb plus the modifier
and the other words that complete the meaning of the verb make up the complete predicate: limped
slowly to its bed.
Activity1: Simple Subjects and Predicates
Directions: Underline the simple subject in each sentence, and mark it with an S. Then double
underline the simple predicate (the verb) in each sentence, and mark it with a V.
1. A large bird flew across the sky.
2. He knew he was trouble.
3. Her legs were folded beneath her.
4. In the story, the hero must have jumped from one roof to another.
5. Suddenly, the puppy leaped for the ball.

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Subjects
The subject is one or more words that indicate who or what is doing the action of the verb. The
subject can be a noun or noun phrase, a pronoun, a gerund phrase, or the implied you of a
command. In the following sentences, the subjects are in bold font, and the verbs are in italics:
Kemaw called the fire department last night. (noun as subject)
She didn’t use a recipe for the cake. (pronoun as subject)
The old theater building created an old-fashioned feel to the neighborhood. (noun phrase as
subject)
Its stubby legs took it slowly across the room. (noun phrase as subject)
Grab the keys. (implied you as subject)
Knowing she could change kept her motivated. (gerund phrase as subject)

1. The subject can be a noun, a noun phrase, or an infinitive. Noun as subject. A noun can be a
person, place, thing, idea, or state of existence.
Common nouns name general categories or types: object, person, navy, animal
Proper nouns name specific people or items: The Menelik Monuments , Jagama Kelo
Abstract nouns are not related to specific details: love, fear, faith, happiness, beauty
Concrete nouns are related to specific sensory details: brittle, soft, sweet, whistling, stone
Singular nouns name one of something: child, Tom, Awash River
Plural nouns name more than one of something: children, tables, clouds, movies
Collective nouns name several items grouped as one collective item: team, family, class, staff
Count nouns can be counted as individual units: girl, friend, dog, couch
Noncount (mass) cannot be counted as individual units in English: sand, water, milk
nouns
 Noun phrase as subject. A noun phrase is a noun plus its modifiers, the words that describe it
Most people sleep at night. (The noun is people. The word that describes it is Most.)
 Infinitive as subject. Phrases beginning with to can be subjects.
To be happy is something most people want.
 Nouns and noun phrases can be joined to form a compound subject. A compound subject is
made of two or more nouns or noun phrases joined with the word and or or.
Clara and Solomon caught the morning train. (Compound subject)
Clara’s cousins, John and Mathew, arrived on the late train. (Subject)
Either the eastbound train or the westbound train will arrive first. (Compound subject)
2. The subject can be a pronoun.
A pronoun is a word that replaces a noun that was mentioned previously: I, you, he, she, it, we,
they, this, that, these, and those are pronouns. Pronouns can also be indefinite, or a pronoun that
refers to one or more unspecified beings, objects, or places: for example, everyone, someone,
anybody, both, few, and many.
The couple was married in Hawaii. They had planned the wedding a full year in advance. (The
pronoun They replaces the couple from the first sentence.)
3. The subject can be a gerund phrase (an -ing phrase that serves as the subject of the sentence).
Taking the test early is sometimes a bad idea. (Taking the test early is the subject, a gerund phrase;
is is the main verb of the sentence.)
4. All sentences must have a subject, but in commands, the subject you is implied.
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The subject you is implied in a command or request directly stated to someone.
(You) Run! (You is implied; Run is the verb.)
(You) Eat the cake. (You is implied. Eat is the verb.)
NOTE The subject doesn’t always come first in the sentence.
Sometimes other words come before the subject of a sentence. For instance, the second sentence in
the example below starts with a transition, that is, a word that shows the relationship between the
two sentences. The subject follows it. To find the subject, identify the verb, and then ask who or
what performed the action of the verb.
The laundry waited to be washed. Next to the basket, the washing machine sat waiting.
Activity 2: Identifying Subjects
Directions: Underline the subjects in the following sentences. Be careful not to underline all the
nouns only the noun functioning as the subject. If the subject is implied, write implied at the end
of the sentence.
1. Patrick took three classes this semester.
2. He says he has to balance work and school.
3. His best friends, Chris and Mike, like to take at least four classes a semester.
4. However, students make choices based on their lives outside of school.
5. In fact, be sure to think about your work and home life first.
Predicates
All sentences must have at least one verb or verb phrase. A verb is the action of a sentence it can
be a physical action, a mental action, or a state of being.
NOTE The subject doesn’t t always come first in the sentence.
Sometimes other words come before the subject of a sentence. For instance, the second sentence in
the example below starts with a transition, that is, a word that shows the relationship between the
two sentences. The subject follows it. To find the subject, identify the verb, and then ask who or
what performed the action of the verb.
Physical Action
Hannah kicked the ball. (kicked is the simple predicate; the ball describes what she kicked. The
complete predicate is kicked the ball.)
Hannah kicked the ball and ran behind it. (compound predicate; the two verbs are in italics. The
complete compound predicate is kicked the ball and ran behind it.)
Mental Action
I thought about taking a trip. (thought is the simple predicate)
State of Being
I am. (am is simple predicate)
Verbs function in different ways, depending on their role in a particular sentence:
1. Some verbs can stand on their own as the main verb of a sentence.
My dog eats three times a day. (simple present tense verb)
Clara s sisters called all their friends to invite them to the party. (simple past tense verb)
2. Some verb forms need auxiliary, or helping, verbs, to complete them.
A verb phrase is two or more words working together to create the action (verb) for the sentence.
The new campaign was created today. (Created can’t be a main verb on its own in this sentence.)
She has been waiting for a new mission. (Waiting can’t be a main verb on its own.)

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When will he arrive? (Will adds the meaning of the future to the verb arrive.)
Activity 3: Read the text above again and do the following exercises.
Identify all the verbs in paragraphs 2 and 3 and write them down. Write 5 basic sentences using the
verbs of your choice from the verbs you have identified.

Example These are some of the verbs which are found in the first paragraph of the passage.
will complete, has, make, has to make , wants, bearing

Activity 4: Construct five sentences of your own.

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1.4.2 SENTENCE VARIETY

As you learned in the above section, sentences contain certain essential parts. These parts can be
rearranged to create different sentence structures and achieve sentence variety, which keeps
writing interesting. Once you know the parts, you can arrange them in different ways in order to
get your desired effect. List any other sentence parts besides the subject and verb that you can
remember off the top of your head.

i. Sentence Types
A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought and contains at least one
independent clause. An independent clause includes, at a minimum, an implied or stated subject
and a main verb; it expresses a complete thought. Sentences can have distinct purposes and
different structures.
a. Sentence type by Purposes
Sentences can have the following four purposes (the verbs are in italics, and the subjects are in
bold in the sample sentences below):
1. Declarative: They make a statement or declaration.
The new hybrid cars are better than ever.
2. Interrogative: They ask a question.
Will you buy a hybrid car?
3. Imperative: They give a command.
Try a test drive of one of the new models. (subject is the implied you)
4. Exclamatory: They express a strong emotion or sentiment.
What spectacular new hybrids they are!
Activity 5: Practicing Sentence Types
Write one sentence of your own for each of the sentence types. Be sure to punctuate them
correctly.
Declarative:
_________________________________________________________________
Interrogative:
_________________________________________________________________
Imperative:
_________________________________________________________________
Exclamatory:
_________________________________________________________________

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 b. Sentence type by Structures
There are four basic sentence structures (the subjects in the sample sentences below are in bold,
and the verbs are in italics):
Simple Sentences
Simple sentences have one independent clause.
The banks are lowering the interest rate.
Compound Sentences
A. Compound sentences created with coordinating conjunctions
The coordinating conjunctions are and (shows addition),or (shows choice),but and yet (show
contrast), for and so (show logical consequence),nor (shows addition of a negative point).
Together with a comma, coordinating conjunctions can join two independent clauses.
Example:
 Life is short, but art is long.
 The pirate captain lost her treasure map, but she still found the buried treasure.
 The banks are lowering the interest rate, and people are beginning to buy new houses again.
B. Compound sentences created with a semicolon
This method of joining sentences is only recommended for sentences whose ideas are related and
of equal significance.
Example:
The house was empty; everyone had gone.
C. Compound sentences created with a conjunctive adverb and a semicolon and a comma (when
the conjunctive adverb immediately follows the semicolon)
Examples:
The price of oil has risen sharply; therefore, wood stoves are popular again. or
The price of oil has risen sharply; wood stoves are, therefore, popular again.
A conjunctive adverb is a word or phrase that indicates the relationship between clauses it joins but
is usually weightier and more emphatic than a conjunction. Conjunctive adverbs specify one of the
following relations:
1. Addition: besides, furthermore, moreover, or in addition
The general had complete confidence in his soldiers' training and valor; furthermore, he considered
his battle plan a work of genius.
2. Likeness: likewise, similarly, or in the same way
Many young Englishmen condemned the English war against France in the 1790s; likewise, many
young Americans condemned the American war against Vietnam in the 1960s.
3. Contrast: however, nevertheless, still, nonetheless, conversely, otherwise, instead, in contrast,
or on the other hand
Einstein's theory of relativity was largely a product of speculation; experiments made within the
last fifty years, however, have confirmed its basic points.
4. Cause-and-effect: accordingly, consequently, hence, therefore, as a result, or for this reason
Carl spent too many nights going to parties his first semester in college; for this reason, he missed
more classes than he should have.
5. Means-and-end: thus, thereby, by this means, or in this manner
Seven inches of snow fell during the night, blocking most main roads; thus, traffic conditions have
been chaotic.
6. Exemplification: for example, for instance
It is possible to combine Computer Science with other subjects; for example, combination is
possible with Physics.
7. Time: meanwhile, then, subsequently, afterward, earlier, and later
We went to the National museum; afterward, we went to Filwuha.
8. Reinforcement: in fact, in particular, or indeed
She hardly ever goes to the theatre; in fact, she has not been for months.
D. Compound sentences created with correlative conjunctions (either…or, neither…nor, not
only…but also, both…and, whether…or)
Neither she came nor he did.

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Complex Sentences
A sentence is complex if it contains one main clause and one or more subordinate clauses. Some
common subordinating conjunctions include after, although, as, as if, because, before, even
though, if, in order that, once, since, so that, that, though, unless, until, when, where, while.
Example:
 The railroad finally came, though many businesses had already left the area by then. [Main
clause followed by subordinate clause]
 Because compound-complex sentences are normally longer than other sentences, it is very
important to punctuate them correctly.
 The housing market is starting to get busy again since the interest rate dropped.
 Because the soup was too cold, I warmed it in the microwave.
Compound-complex sentences
Compound-complex sentences have two or more independent clauses and at least one subordinate
clause.
Examples:
 Even though government aid finally came, many people had already been reduced to poverty,
and others had been forced to leave the area. [Subordinate clause, then main clause, then
another main clause]
 My son hates tee-ball; in fact, he hates it so much that he walked from third base during his last
game of the season and stomped on home plate.
 When our guinea pigs became listless, we took them to the doctor; thus, we were able to stop
their illness before it became too grave.
 Though Mitchell prefers watching romantic films, he rented the latest spy thriller, and he
enjoyed it very much.
 Laura forgot her friend's birthday, so she sent her a card when she finally remembered.
 The realtors in my neighborhood have jumped on the bandwagon, and they are pushing for
even more sales because the rates will surely rise again soon.
Some of the teachers who had left the area moved back to their original schools, but several years
passed before salaries were raised enough to entice more teachers to return. [Main clause
containing subordinate clause, then another main clause, then another subordinate clause]
Activity 6: Practicing with Sentence Structures
Create each sentence using the sentence structure indicated.
Simple Sentence:
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Compound Sentence:
_______________________________________________________________________________
Complex Sentence:
_______________________________________________________________________________
Compound-Complex Sentence:
_______________________________________________________________________________
Activity 7: Sentence Types Practice
Identify the following as simple, compound, complex or compound-complex
_______1. John and Martha decorated the house for his birthday party.
_______2. Everyone gets wet if it rains.
_______3. Go to the store and get some milk as I must have your cake baked in time for the party.
______ 4. He went to the mall yesterday, and he bought a nice video camera.
_______5. Riding the bicycle, the man was bitten by the dog.
______6. I ate my peas, yet I could not eat my dessert, so I ate it later.
______7. Some of the teachers who had left the area moved back to their original schools, but
several years passed before salaries were raised enough to entice more teachers to
return.
_______8. Being alone can be scary unless you keep yourself busy.

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________ 9. The magistrate informed him that he'd go to prison unless he stopped stealing.
_______ 10. After I visited my grandmother, I decided to go shopping at the mall.
Activity 8: Sentence Combining Practice
Directions: Step One: Write a paragraph that describes where you live using 8-15 simple
sentences. Step Two: Go back and revise your original paragraph, and combine some
of your sentences using coordination and subordination to achieve sentence
variety.
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1.5 Listening: Listening to Lectures

I. Pre-Listening Activity
Review What You Know
To help you get ready to take in new information during the lecture, first think about what you already
know about the topic.
1. With a partner, write down three things in your notebook that you have learned so far about
marketing research.

II. While-Listening Activity

PREPARE TO LISTEN AND TAKE NOTES
1. To help you understand the listening strategy, discuss the situation below and answer
the questions.
If you arrive late to class and miss the beginning of the lecture, what information might you
miss? Why is this information important?

Recognize Lecture Language for Topic and Lecture Plan

At the beginning of a lecture, an instructor usually tells you the topic, or what the lecture is
going to be about. An instructor also usually gives students the lecture plan—a general overview
of the material and how he or she plans to present it like a map of the lecture.

Listen for the words and expressions that instructors use to indicate the topic. Also, listen for the
words and expressions that instructors use to indicate the lecture plan.

2. Read the expressions that signal the topic of a lecture. Can you add others to the list?
Today we're going to talk about. . .
What I want to discuss today is . . .
Today's topic is . . .
We'll be looking at. . .
I'll give you an overview of. . .
Last time we discussed . . . . and this week we're going to . . .
In today's class we'll focus on . . .
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

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3. Read the expressions that signal the plan of a lecture. Can you add others to the list?
There are a few things we'll be covering today....
We'll start out with . . . . and then look at. . .
I'll be covering two areas in today's lecture....
First, we'll look at. . . , then . . . , and finally we'll move on to . . .
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
4. Read this lecture introduction. Circle the topic. Then underline and label the lecture
language that signals the topic and the lecture language that signals the lecture plan.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi, everyone. Good morning. Last week, if you remember, we discussed advertising research—the
different types, such as motivation research and studies of ad effectiveness, and the rest. You
should have it in your notes. Well, this week we're going to talk about product research. There are
a few different types, and we won't go into them all, but I'll be covering two areas that are the most
popular—new product research, to see if people are interested in a new product that's being
planned, and competitive product studies, products that compete with the product your company
sells. The second one will be really useful for your final class project.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. Listen to the introductions of three different lectures. First, listen to each introduction
and write down the topic lecture language and the topic. Then listen to each introduction
again and write down the lecture language that signals a plan, and also the plan.
a. Topic lecture language: _______________________________________________________
Topic: ______________________________________________________________________
Plan lecture language: _________________________________________________________
Plan: _______________________________________________________________________

b. Topic lecture language:______________________________________________________

Topic:____________________________ __________________________________________
Plan lecture language: __________________________________________________
Plan: ___________ ___________________________________________________________

c. Topic lecture language:________________________________________________________

Topic: __________ ___________________________________________________________
Plan lecture language: ________________________________________________________
Plan: ___________ __________________________________________________________

Organize Your Notes by Outlining

Outlining is a way to visually represent the relationships between ideas. Space and indentation
show which ideas are main points and which are supporting points. Outlining can help you
easily differentiate main points from supporting points so that you can study more effectively

6. Look at one student's notes from a lecture on marketing research. With a partner, try to
summarize the lecture from these notes. What kinds of marketing research did the instructor
discuss? What support did the instructor give?

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Kinds of market research
Geographic
country
region
e.g the Midwest
urban area
city/suburb
Demographic
age
sex
income-
education
highest level achieved

7. Read this lecture transcript and take notes in outline form in your notebook.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marketing is a process that involves many strategies and activities. Today, I'm only going to talk
about two parts—product and pricing.

The first thing a business needs to decide is exactly what product, service, or idea its customers
want to purchase. To do this, businesses need to determine their target market or in other words,
who will buy their product Once a business understands the target market it can develop its
product to fit what the target market will buy. Second, after a business has developed a product it
must decide how to price it If a product is too expensive, consumers won't purchase it. If it is too
cheap, the business won't make a profit and it won't make enough money.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LISTEN AND TAKE NOTES

Predict
To help you get ready for new information and to listen more actively, make a prediction about
what the instructor will discuss based on what you already know about the topic.

1. Before the lecture, think about everything you have learned and discussed on the topic of
marketing research. What do you expect to learn more about in the lecture? Write three
predictions below. Compare your predictions with a partner.
a. __________________________________________________________________________
b. __________________________________________________________________________
c. __________________________________________________________________________

2. Now follow the lecture and take notes. Be sure to listen for the lecture language that signals
the topic and lecture plan.
Topic: ______________________________________________________________________
Why it developed: ____________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
How it works: _________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
For example: _____________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
Future: __________________________________________________________________

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3. How well were you able to recognize the lecture language? Check the statement that best
describes you. Explain your answer.
___ I was able to recognize when the lecturer said the topic and plan of the lecture.
___ I didn't recognize when the lecturer said the topic and plan of the lecture.
4. Use your notes to answer these questions.
a. How is neuro-marketing research different from other marketing research?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
b. Why do researchers care about which area of the brain is used when looking at an advertisement
or looking at a product?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
c. In the study about cola taste tests, what were the results of the blind taste test? How did the
results change when the brand names were given?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
d. Why are some people concerned about the use of neuro-marketing research?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
Assess Your Notes
During a lecture, you can sometimes miss an important idea or piece of information. Compare
notes with classmates in a study group after the lecture to check that your notes are complete.

5. Were you able to answer the questions in Exercise 4 using the information in your notes?
Compare your notes with a few other students. Discuss the differences and help each other
fill in any missing information—words, definitions, ideas. Complete your notes.

DISCUSS THE ISSUES

Express Your Ideas
Many instructors in the U.S. will ask students questions during their lectures or in class
discussions. Also, students are often expected to express their ideas and opinions with a partner
or in small groups.
Active participation in class shows that you are interested in and actively thinking about the
course content. It can also help you learn and remember the new information presented in class.

1. Read the expressions for expressing your ideas. Can you add others to the list?
I think/believe/feel. . . Here are my two cents . . .
In my opinion,... What I'd like to say is . . .
Here's what I think . . . Personally. I think/feel. . .
I'd like to say/add/mention . . .

_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

15
2. In groups of four, read the questions and discuss them. Keep the conversation going until
every student has had the chance to practice expressing his or her ideas. Use your own
ideas or the ones given below.
a. Talk about some specific television ads that you like. Explain why you like them.
Possible Ideas
The ads for this product always use good music.
They are for products that I am interested in.
My favorite celebrity is in the ads.
b. Talk about a new product you have recently bought. Why did you buy that particular product
and that particular brand?
Possible Ideas
good price nice packaging
celebrity advertising all my friends have it
better quality than others
3. Discuss these ideas from the lecture with your classmates. Remember to use the phrases
for expressing your ideas.
a. Describe two print or television ads for similar products made by different companies. For
example, compare ads for two different clothing stores, two different car insurance
companies, or two different brands of shampoo. Based on the ads. what is the target
audience for each product? Do you think they have the same target audience? Why or why
not? How do the ads appeal to their target audience(s)?

b. As science helps us better understand how people make decisions, this information will
most likely be used to sell products. What are the possible benefits of neuromarketing
research for consumers? What are the possible negative consequences?

c. Imagine this situation. Your university has received funding from a political organization to
conduct a "neuromarketing style" research study among students. Their goal is to see
whether the techniques used for product marketing could also be useful in designing
political campaigns. This has created a problem in the university community. Many people
are opposed to the study because they feel this type of research is dangerous. They think the
information gained from the study could be used to control people without them knowing it.
Others feel this study is a good opportunity for your university to earn money and for
researchers to better understand how the human brain works. What do you think? Why?

d. Look back at your notes. What was another idea in the lecture that you found important and
interesting? Tell the class why you think it is important or interesting and ask for their
opinions.

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 1.6 Writing
Activity 1: Read this advertisement for a job, then put the expressions in the correct places
in Juliet’s email.
believe to meet with you to apply for
hearing relevant work experience am attaching
skills and qualifications

Job Title: Mental Health Nurse

City Hospital CITY HOSPITAL PSYCHIATRY UNIT
Good salary and conditions would
Psychiatric Unit suit newly qualified nurses
Apply to Chief Nursing Office
John Till: j.till@cityhospital.nhs.uk

From: Juliet Francisco

To: j.till@cityhospital.nhs.uk
Subject: Post of mental health nurse
Dear Mr. Till,

I am writing _______________________ the job advertised on the City Hospital website.

I am 22years old and I have just qualified as a mental health nurse. I also have
2______________________. I have done placement on a genuine geriatric and in a prison unit. Last
summer I worked as a volunteer on a camp for children with learning difficulties. 3. I _____________that I
have the necessary 4__________________for working on your unit.

I would welcome an opportunity 5_______________________. My phone number is 01632960061.

I 6___________________________________ a copy of my CV.

I look forward to 7____________ from you soon.

Yours sincerely,

Juliet Francisco

Activity 2
Look for a vacancy advertisement that fits to your present level of education and experience in a
newspaper a write an application letter. You should attach the copy of the vacancy section of the
newspaper to your letter.

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