UNIT 6

Section A FUNCTION

Expressing Preference
Expressing Intention

We all have our preferences or choices in food, clothes, colours, music, books,
films, and people. What do we mean when we say ‘I prefer’? Well it means to make a
choice, to favour something rather than the other. We express our preferences in a
number of ways. For example:

 I prefer a glass of fresh juice

 I rather have fruit for lunch than a full meal
 I prefer pure cotton clothes in summers

Hammad is a 15 year old young adult. He has certain preferences of his own. Let us
listen to what he has to say about things he prefer:

Recorded Text 36

Hammad: What do I like? Hmmm… Good question... I wish I knew too. Well, I prefer
reading books than watching films which a lot of teenagers prefer these
days. I prefer spending time with a couple of good friends rather than
hanging out in markets, I love to eat good
food, preferably Italian and Chinese. I’d
rather not go for
shopping as I prefer
my mom to buy
things for me… I trust
her choice! Oh yes I
prefer sleeping late
and waking up late too… ha ha ha… . I’m rather a
sporting person I prefer watching wrestling on TV
than cricket and also go for Taekwondo that I prefer
over other gymnastics.

Exercise 1 So what do you think about Hammad? What are his preferences? Listen
to the recorded text 36 again and list all the choices or preferences he talks about.

Example:

 I prefer reading books than watching films.

RABIA GARIB is Editor-in-chief of an IT magazine ‘Net Express’ and an Information
Technology (IT) expert. She expresses her views about opportunities for Pakistani
women in IT sector. Let us listen to what she is saying.

Recorded Text 37

Rabia Garib:

The importance of Information Technology (IT) and the flexibility it provides has made
it a popular career choice for most Pakistani women. A large number of educated women
prefer taking up IT as profession. Why this preference for IT? Well, a recent
survey has proved that women have shown a great preference to IT and are inclined
towards choosing different fields of IT where they have chances of proving their
creativity. Women select IT profession because they think it also widens their horizons
and suits the demands of a dynamic and fast changing world. Women believe that it is
the best alternative to office jobs that block their creative growth. Women of Pakistan have made a choice in
favour of IT and appreciate that this can be the best profession that can allow them opportunities for personal and
professional development. The government also favours and supports women who want to choose IT as a profession
and has approved it as an excellent medium of growth for women.

Let us repeat some of the expressions of Preference taken from Ms Garib’s talk:

 A large number of educated women prefer taking up IT as profession

 A recent survey has proved that women have shown a great preference to IT
 Are inclined towards choosing different fields of IT where they have chances of proving their creativity
 Women select IT profession because they think it also widens their horizons and suits the demands of a
dynamic fast changing world
 Women believe that it is the best alternative to office jobs
 Women of Pakistan have made a choice in favour of IT

Exercise 2 After listening to Ms Garib’s talk, can you now answer these questions?

1 Why do Pakistani women prefer jobs in Information Technology (IT) ?

2 Ms Garib uses quite a few words or terms to express preference. For example she
says:

 popular career choice

Listen very carefully to the recorded text 36 again and write what other words or terms she uses to express
preference.

There are more than one ways of expressing preferences. For example:

A: I prefer summers than winters.

B: Well I’m in favour of autumn; I like the quietness of the autumn season.
 Exercise 3 Ms Rehana is out for shopping. She goes into a big shopping mall where
there are a lot of sections and a variety of things. A sales representative is trying to help
her select things. Here is a short dialogue between them. Complete the dialogue with
appropriate expressions of preference. Go back to the expressions that we have given
you earlier and choose a different expression each time.

Sales representative: Which carpet would you prefer Maam,

the Iranian or the Pakistani made?
Ms Rehana: I think I would prefer the Pakistani made

SR: How about this. Would

you like the pink bag or the
brown one?

Ms R: ___________________________________________.
SR: Let me show you this. This is Chinese silk and this one is Indian.
Which one would you like to buy?

Ms R:

____________________________________________.
SR: Okay let me take you to another section. This is the cosmetics
section. Do you like to buy foreign perfumes or the local ones?
Ms R: ____________________________________________.

Exercise 4 What are your preferences or choices in different things? First make a
choice and then write a preference sentence similar to the one given in the example:
Example:
 I would rather prefer a chicken tikka, please.

What Would You Prefer?

Ckicken tikka or Karahai chicken

Camera or Computer
Suzuki car or Santro car
Nokia cell phone or Samsung cell phone
Television or CD player
Watch or Sun glasses
Brief case or Wallet

Mr Allahyar Leghari lives in Multan. He is a Civil Engineer working with a foreign

firm. He is going to visit Karachi on an official tour. He is looking for some decent place
to stay and he asks a travel agent’s advice. Listen to the advice the travel agent gives
him:

Recorded Text 38

Travel Agent:

I suggest Mr Leghari that you may like to fly by PIA. I also advise you to choose the
Avari Towers. It’s preferable because it’s just 20
minutes from the Airport. Moreover a lot of visitors
prefer it because Avari Towers is situated in the
centre of Karachi city, near major cultural attractions
and within walking distance of shopping and
commercial areas. You might prefer it for security
reasons too
because it has
a lot of
security. I
think another
reason you
might favour
it for is that it
offers
reasonable rates as compared to other hotels in Karachi.

Exercise 5 What do you think? Will Mr Allahyar Leghari prefer staying at Avari
Towers hotel or not? Suppose he favours to stay there, why do you think he will prefer
it? Write the reasons he might give for his preference:

He will prefer it because:

1 It is just 20 minutes from the Airport.

2 ________________________________________________________.
3 ________________________________________________________.
4 ________________________________________________________.
Exercise 6 Mr Allahyar Leghari decides to live at the AvariTowers
hotel. He wants to eat at the ‘Dynasty’ restaurant of Avari hotel. A
waiter brings the menu to him. The menu has three sections: The main
dishes, desserts and beverages. What do you think he will prefer
ordering from each section? Complete the dialogue between Mr
Leghari and the Waiter by providing appropriate expressions of
Preference expressed by Mr Leghari.

MENU

Main Dishes
Chicken with Lemon
Sauce
Deep Fried Chicken
Wings with Sesame
Seeds
Sliced Chicken with
Sweet & Sour Sauce

Stir fried Chicken

with Vegetables
Beef with Hot Chili
Sauce
Dessert
Black Forest cake
Chilled Chocolate
Mousse
Fresh Fruit Salad
Iced Coffee
Mixed Ice Cream of
your Choice
Beverages
Seasonal Fresh
Juice
Fresh Lime with 7-
Up
Iced Lemon Tea
Pot of Coffee
Green Tea
Waiter: What would you like to order, sir?
Allahyar Leghari: I prefer a seasonal fresh juice first.
W: Certainly, sir. May I know which particular fruit juice you
like?
AL: Well, _________________________________.
W: Very well, sir. Would you like to order something from the
main dishes?
AL: As a matter of fact, I ____________________.
W: Yes sir, this is one of our most popular dishes. What would
like after that?
AL: What about beef with hot chili sauce?
W: It is excellent. Which one would you prefer first?
AL: I think I’ll _____________________________.
W: Very well sir. What about the dessert?
AL: Okay, let me see…well, I’d
______________________________________.

Exercise 7 What do you prefer? Write appropriate expressions of preference.

1 A holiday at the seaside or in the mountains?

I’d rather spend my holidays at the seaside than in the mountains.

2 Travelling by car or by public transport?

_______________________________________________________.
3 Going to the cinema or to the theatre?
________________________________________________________.
4 Reading an interesting book or watching television?
________________________________________________________.
5 Learning vocabulary or grammar?
________________________________________________________.

So far you have learnt to express preference. Now we will learn how to express
Intention. Read the example given below:
Example:

A: What do you intend to do after you finish your education?

B: I intend to look for a job.

The above example illustrates how one can inquire about intention and express
intention. For instance, when we plan our holidays we often say:

 I intend to go to Gilgit
  I’m thinking of going to Gilgit
 I’ve decided to go to Gilgit
 My intention is to go to Gilgit
 It’s my intention to go to Gilgit

Exercise 8 Mr Sherazi, is a teacher. He is asking his students

about their plans for the weekend. The table given below summarizes
what his students intend to do or prefer doing at the weekend. Mr Shirazi’s questions
are given, write the answers his students give by writing appropriate express of
intention. Try and use different expression of intention each time.
Example:

Mr Shirazi: Naveed, what do you

intend to do this weekend?
Naveed: I intend to go to Rawal Lake for fishing.

Naveed Go to the Rawal lake

for fishing
Saleem Visit his grand
parents house
Dost Muhammad Watch a film on
DVD
Khurram Go to the sports
club to practice
tennis
Sajida Visit a friend she
hasn’t met for
months
Irum Work on the
assignment

Mr Shirazi: Saleem, what do you intend to do this weekend?

Saleem: ____________________________________________.
Mr Shirazi: Dost Muhammad, What do you intend to do this weekend?
Dost Muhammad: ______________________________________.
Mr Shirazi: Khurram, what do you intend to do this weekend?
Khurram: _____________________________________________.
Mr Shirazi: Sajida, what do you intend to do this weekend?
Sajida: _____________________________________________.
Mr Shirazi: Irum, what do you intend to do this weekend?
Irum: _____________________________________________.
Mr and Mrs Amanullah and their family live in Hyderabad and intend
to spend a week in Islamabad. They have made their travel plans in
advance, such as places to visit and hotel to live in. This is their travel
itenery.

Islamabad Vacations
July 4 Flight PK 306 from Karachi to Islamabad; 10:00 a.m.
July 4 Arrive at Islamabad and check in at Best Western Hotel, 6 Islamabad Club
Road, Islamabad. Visit Faisal Mosque. Also stop over at Daman-e-Koh, to
have a view of the city, and have dinner at Pir Sohawa.

July 5 Go around the city, check markets, such as

Jinnah Super market, F-6 Super Market
and F-10 Markaz. Have lunch at the
Italian restaurant ‘Papa Salis’ in F-7.
Evening, go to Bari Imam and have
dinner at Jehangir hotel.
July 6-7 Leave for Murree, go around Mall road, Pindi and Kashmir points, eat lunch at
Lintots. At 4 p.m leave for Bhurban, which
is eight kilometers from Murree. Have
tea at the PC Bhurban and take a walk
through the woods. Return to Murree and
stay at a guest house.
July 8-10 Visit art galleries and museums at
Islamabad.
July 11 Take a flight back to Karachi.

Exercise 9 What do Mr and Mrs Amanullah and family intend to do during their
one week vacation in Islamabad? Write more sentences like the one given in the
example stating their intentions.
Example:

 They intend to take a flight PK 306 to Islamabad on July 4

Section B STRUCTURE

Simple Future Tense

Whenever we talk about preference and intentions we normally use the future
tense. Here is an exercise, first try and do it yourself and then we will give you some
detailed explanation about the future tense.
Exercise 10 Choose the correct tense to fill in the blank spaces.

Decisions, Intentions, Plans

1 I'm feeling thirsty. I think I ____________________ a 7 up.

am having
have
am going to have
will have

2 Are you going to Peshawar tomorrow? I hear there is going to be a

transport strike.

Well in that case I think I ___________________________.

am taking
take
am going to take
will take

4 Javed has just phoned to say that he has still not received your letter.

Well in that case I ____________________ a copy straight away. What's

his fax number?
fax
am faxing
am going to fax
will fax

5 How are you going to get to Gwadar?

Everything is already arranged. I __________________ from Karachi

on the first flight on Friday morning.
fly
am flying
am going to fly
 will fly

6 I've already decided. I ______________ Haroon and there is nothing

you can do to make me change my mind.
sack
am sacking
am going to sack
will sack

7 Would you like a cup of tea?

Oh thank you very much. I ________________ a cup of coffee please.

have
am having
am going to have
will have

8 You don't seem very happy in your job.

No, in fact I __________________ as soon as I can get a new one.

leave
am leaving
am going to leave
will leave

9 If we offer you more money, will you stay?

I don't think so but I ___________________ about it.
think
am thinking
am going to think
will think
 10 I've got a lot of work to do. Maybe I _______________ after all. Sorry.
don't come
am not coming
am not going to come
won't come

Roohi and Beena are friends. They are making plans to meet each other. Let us listen to
what they are talking about. As you listen, focus your attention on the words ‘will’ and
‘going to’ they are using to express the future tense.

Recorded Text 39

Roohi: Let’s meet. We haven’t met for weeks. What will you do tomorrow?
Beena: I'll help my mom with the housework.
Roohi: When will you finish?
Beena: In the afternoon.
Roohi: So we will meet in the evening. Is it ok with you?
Beena: Sure, we are going to meet then.

The simple future has two different forms in English, ‘will’ and ‘be going to’.
Although the two forms can sometimes be used interchangeably, they often express two
very different meanings. These different meanings might seem too abstract at first, but
with time and practice the differences will become clear. Both ‘will’ and ‘going to’ refer
to a specific time in the future.

In English the future tense is expressed in a number of ways. The most common are:

 will
 going to

The same idea can be expressed using two different future tense words. Read these
examples:

 I will finish my homework in an hour.

 I’m going to finish my homework in an hour.
  I’m so hungry, I’ll eat the whole watermelon.
 I’m so hungry, I’m going to eat the whole watermelon.

1 Will is used to express a voluntary action. ‘Will’ often suggests that a speaker will
do something willingly.
Examples:

A: I'm really hungry.

B: I'll make some sandwiches.

A: I'm so tired. I'm about to fall asleep.

B: I'll get you some coffee.

A: The phone is ringing.

B: I'll get it.

2 ‘Will is used to express a promise.

Examples:

 I will call you when I arrive.

 If I am elected President of Pakistan, I will make sure everyone has access to free
education.
 I promise I will not tell him about the surprise.

3 ‘Going to’ is used to express a plan. It expresses the idea that a

person intends to do something in the future.Examples:

 He is going to spend his vacation in Quetta.

 We are going to meet each other tonight at 6:00 p.m.

4 Both ‘will’ and ‘going to’ express a prediction about the future. Predictions are
guesses about what might happen in the future.
Examples:

 The year 2008 will be a very interesting year.

 The year 2008 is going to be a very interesting year.

Exercise 11 Now insert ‘will’ and ‘going to’ wherever they fit suitably. Also change
the verbs given in the brackets accordingly.

1 A: Why are you holding a piece of paper?

 B: I (write) ____________________a letter to my friends back home in Dubai.

2 A: I'm about to fall asleep. I need to wake up!

B: I (get) ___________________you a cup of coffee. That
will wake you up.

3 We are so excited about our trip next month to England. We (visit)

______________London, Brighton and Manchester.

4 Sarah (come) _____________________to the party. Samina (be) there as well.

5 A: It is so hot in here!
B: I (turn) _____________________the air conditioning on.

6 After I graduate, I (attend) ________________medical college and become a

doctor.
7 Mother: What are you doing with those scissors?
Son: I (cut) ________________that picture of the ocean
out of the travel magazine.

8 Mother: What (you, do)__________________ with it?

Son: I (paste) ___________________it in my scrap book.

Exercise 12 Here is a list of weekend or leisure activities. What are you going to do
this weekend? Follow the examples and write similar sentences expressing your future
plans or intentions.
Example:

 I'm going to go on a drive with my family.

 I will take all of you out for dinner at a fancy restaurant.

 watch a movie
 see a concert
 surf the Internet
 visit friends
 stay home
 Play snooker
 play computer games
  go out to eat
 have a party
 go on a picnic

Exercise 13 Pretend you just won Rs 50,000 in the lottery. Write at least five sentences
expressing what you will do with the money.
Example:

 First, I'll put some of the money in the bank

 Then, I'll take buy all of you gifts.

Section B READING

Main Ideas and Supporting Details

Understanding the framework or structure of a text is a

complicated task. But you need to learn it if you want to be a good
reader and to have an overall comprehension of a text. If we know
what is the main idea or the focal point of the text and the
supporting details that a writer uses, then we will be able to
understand the reading text in a more efficient way. In this section we
will help you understand the frame work or the organization, or the
structure of a text. First of all let us begin with the framework or the
organization of a paragraph.

What is a paragraph? A paragraph is a group of sentences that

are related to one another. Each paragraph has:
1 The main idea or a theme or a subject
2 The topic sentence
3 The supporting details
4 The concluding sentence

Let us understand each point separately.

1 The main idea: To identify and know the main idea, the theme or the subject of a
paragraph, ask yourself these questions:

 What is this paragraph about?

 What does it tell us or convey to us?
 What is the message of the paragraph?
 What is the basic theme of the paragraph?
As said earlier, a paragraph is a group of sentences. These sentences express a particular
topic and have a central theme. Every paragraph has a central theme, a key concept or
a main idea. A writer will state the main idea somewhere in the paragraph and it can be
in the beginning of the paragraph, in the middle, or at the end.

2 The topic sentence: As said earlier, every paragraph has a main idea or theme
and this main idea or theme is expressed in a sentence and that sentence is called a
topic sentence. Please remember that the sentence that expresses the main idea is called
the topic sentence of that paragraph. Think of the paragraph as a wheel with the topic
being in the centre - the central wheel around which a paragraph revolve. So let’s
repeat, within a paragraph, there is one sentence that expresses the main idea and this
sentence is called the topic sentence. The topic sentence can be located anywhere in the
paragraph, it is usually the first. You can identify the topic sentence at several positions,
such as:

 Most often the topic sentence is placed first in the paragraph

 The second most likely place is the last sentence in the paragraph
 Sometimes it is placed in the middle
 Sometimes the topic sentence is stated in the beginning of a paragraph and again
at the end. This may be used to emphasize an important idea or to explain an
idea that needs clarification

3 The supporting details: When writers write they have an idea in mind that they
are trying to get across to the readers. A writer first gets his main idea clear through the
topic sentence and then adds supporting details that support the topic or central
theme, or the main idea. What are supporting details of the text? Supporting details
support the main idea by telling how, what, when, where, why, how much, or how
many. Locating the main idea, the topic sentence, and supporting details help you
understand the point the writer is trying to express.

4 The concluding sentence: It is the last sentence that brings a paragraph to an

end and also it very often summarizes all the main points of the paragraph or the essay.

Let us summarise what we have been telling you so far:

 A reading text has a theme or a main idea. The main idea is the most important
element of a reading passage or paragraph. It is the focus of the text.
 We recognize the main idea if we can recognize the topic sentence. The topic
sentence announces the theme and provides the focus to the paragraph.
 Supporting details are sentences are small pieces of information which provide
further details about what the writer is trying to covey to us.
 Concluding sentence is the last sentence that summarizes the paragraph.
Here is an example of a well written and well organized paragraph. Read it and notice
which is the main idea that is expressed in a topic sentence, the details and the
concluding sentence.

A lot of people from all over the world are eager to get Canadian immigration. All of a
sudden to get a Canadian citizenship has become most desirable. There are three reasons
why Canada is one of the most sought after and one of the best countries in the world to
live in. First, Canada has an excellent health care system. All Canadians have access to
medical services at a reasonable price. Second, Canada has a high standard of education.
Students are taught by well-trained teachers and are encouraged to continue studying at
university. Finally, Canada's cities are clean and efficiently managed. As a result, Canada is
a preferred place to live.

Exercise 14 Read the following text. Which one of the following titles do you think is
most suitable for the reading text?

 A hungry world
 Population and land use
 How has population grown
 Natural checks on population
 Factors influencing the birth rate

War, famine and disease are all natural checks which reduce the population by increasing
the death rate.

When a growing population finds that it is becoming difficult to live off its own area of
land, people will begin to fight to keep their ‘rightful share’. This may result in internal
tension and civil strife, or a large-scale war between nations. Hitler was convinced that it
was necessary to fight the Second World War to provide more room for the expanding
German race. By the end of the war, 50 million people had been killed.

Famine usually means the sudden starvation of a mass of people whose food supply has
failed, either through bad weather, war or other reasons. But all the time people are
gradually dying from starvation or from diseases they have caught because they weak with
hunger.

Disease is often related to famine. When a population is densely packed together or

suffering from lack of sufficient food, it is easy for diseases to spread quickly and kill
large numbers of people. Even among normally healthy people, their numbers used to be
kept in check by disease. Modern medical techniques have eliminated some of these
‘natural’ checks.
War, famine and disease are hardly the most desirable solutions to our population problem.
Increasing the number of deaths i not the best way to keep the population in check. We
are trying to find a more acceptable and pleasant way of balancing our numbers. Man -made
solutions or artificial checks are more humane. Instead of bringing the death rate up to
meet the birth rate, the number of births could be reduced.

Exercise 15 Read the following paragraph and underline the main idea. After
identifying the main idea, how would you rewrite it in your own words.

The rules of conduct during an examination are clear. No books, calculators or papers are
allowed in the test room. Invigilators will not allow anyone with such items to take the test.
Anyone caught cheating will be asked to leave the room. His or her test sheet will be
taken. The incident will be reported to the proper authority. At the end of the test
period, all materials will be returned to the Invigilators. Failure to abide by these rules will
result in a failing grade for this test.

Exercise 16 This is a topic sentence identification exercise. Read each paragraph and
select the topic sentence which you think best expresses the main idea from the choices
given below.

1
Birds eat with their beaks. Different kinds of birds eat different foods.
Some birds open their beaks and eat food from the air. Some birds have
long beaks to cut holes in trees and dig out food. Some birds have
strong hooks on their beaks so that they can tear their food. Birds have
different kinds of beaks because they eat different foods.

The topic sentence of this paragraph is:

a Birds eat with their beaks.

b Birds have different kinds of beaks because they eat different
foods.
c Some birds open their beaks and eat food from the air.
d Some birds have strong beaks to cut holes in trees and dig out food.
2
For many years people have wished they could fly through the air like birds. Skydivers
have found a way to fly without a machine. They jump from an airplane and fall at the rate
of 120 miles an hour. The fall is so smooth that they don't feel like they're moving at all.
When they pull the ripcord on their parachute they float the rest of the way to the
ground.
The topic sentence of this paragraph is:

a Skydivers have found a way to fly without a machine.

b The fall is so smooth that they don't feel like they're moving at
all.
c For many years people have wished they could fly through the
air like birds.
d They jump from an airplane and fall at the rate of 120 miles an hour.
3
Waseema was very sick when she was four. She could not move her left leg. Her mother
rubbed her leg every night. When Waseema was six she would hop a little. Waseema
worked hard to walk and run. When she went to high school she ran on the girls' race team
and won. Then she ran race in college. Waseema was so good that she went to the Olympics
and won two gold medals. The little girl who could not walk grew up to be a winner through
hard work .

The topic sentence of this paragraph is:

a She could not move her left leg.

b Waseema was very sick when she was four.
c she went to high school she ran on the girls' race team and won .
d The little girl who could not walk grew up to be a winner through hard work.

4
When we think of communication, we often think of radio or television.
Communication may also be simple sounds and movements made by animals
and humans. You communicate by writing, drawing, speaking, smiling,
laughing, or frowning. You communicate by waving your hand or by a look
on your face. Communication is simply telling or showing someone your
ideas and feelings.

The topic sentence of this paragraph is:

a When we think of communication, we often think of radio and

television.
b Communication is simply telling or showing someone your
ideas and feelings.
c Communication may also be simple sounds and movements.
d You communicate by waving your hands or by the look on our
face
5
Astronauts who travel to the moon have to wear special space suits to
protect them from extreme heat and cold. Days and nights last for two
weeks on the moon. The two-week-long days have temperatures of 212
degrees. The two-week-long nights have temperatures of 270 degrees
below zero.

The topic sentence of this paragraph is:

a Temperatures on the moon reach 212 degrees during the days.

b Astronauts must wear special space suits to the moon to protect
them from extreme heat and cold.
c Days and nights last for two weeks on the moon.
d Temperatures on the moon are as low as 270 degrees below zero
during the nights.

Exercise 17 First read each main idea and then choose the correct supporting detail
from the two choices that fits suitably with the main idea.

1 Main Idea: Kangaroos usually live in family groups called mobs.

a Kangaroos are mammals.

b These mobs can be as large as
100 kangaroos

2 Main Idea: Kangaroos usually have

only one baby at a time.
a Kangaroo babies are called joeys.
b Kangaroos eat grass and leaves.

3 Main Idea: Kangaroos eat grasses, leaves and roots.

a The baby kangaroo or joey lives in the mother's pouch for 9 months.
b They only like grass that is green and close to the ground.
3 Main Idea: Kangaroos are mostly night time creatures.
a Kangaroos have a long powerful tail.
b They sleep during the day under a shady tree or bush.

4 Main Idea: Kangaroos usually live in family groups called mobs.

a Kangaroos are mammals.
b These mobs can be as large as 100 kangaroos.

5 Main Idea: Kangaroos usually have only one baby at a time.

a Kangaroo babies are called joeys.
 b Kangaroos eat grass and leaves.

6 Main Idea: Kangaroos are strange looking animals.

a Some kangaroos act as guards to protect the mob.
b They have small front legs and huge hind legs with great big feet.

7 Main Idea: Kangaroos protect themselves in many ways.

a If a kangaroo senses danger, they will bang their tail on the ground to
warn the others.
b A new born joey is only the size of your thumb.
Exercise 18 Here are two paragraphs. The topic sentence in each is missing. Three
choices of topic sentences are given for each paragraph, which appropriate topic
sentence will you choose and where would you place the topic sentence? The topic
sentence may be at the beginning or at the end or in the middle of the paragraph.

1
The prolonged rain less situation has resulted in drought like
situation in the country, as a result the wheat crop has
suffered losses and the country will have to face shortage of
wheat in the coming year. Farmers fear that they are going to
loose their cattle if the dry weather continues and the general
public is finding hard to meet their daily needs in absence of
water. Experts claim that this dry situation is the result of La
Nina phenomenon all over the world that has caused extreme
weathers in various parts around the world.

a La Nina phenomenon in the world.

b Lack of rains has resulted in many hardships in Pakistan.
c Drought in the country.
2
There has been a lot of debate at various forums around the country on ‘to leave or
not to leave the country’, but there is a considerable number of Pakistanis who
strongly advocate their right to choose a better and prosperous way of life and
hence plead that their leaving their country is justified. Where as, there are
others, equally large in number, who want to stay in the country, come what may,
and not leave it when it faces the worst ever economic, social, political and cultural
crisis in its 50 plus year of independence. Brain drain as experts say has robbed the
country of its educated and professional class who choose to share their academic
and professional skills with foreigners.
a Pakistan’s brain drain dilemma.
b Socio- cultural and politico- economic conditions in Pakistan.
c There are two types of classes debating about to leave or not to leave the
country.

Section C WRITING
Paragraph Development
A paragraph is a series of sentences that are written in an organized and logical
way. That is all sentences are all related to each other, has one main idea and discuss a
single topic. Why do writers break their longer essays into paragraphs? Because
paragraphs show a reader where an essay begins and ends, and thus help the reader see
the organization of the essay clearly.

All paragraphs share certain characteristics or have certain elements that are common.
A typical paragraph starts with a main idea expressed in a topic sentence, then explains,
develops, or supports that main idea with supporting details. Paragraphs can contain
many different kinds of information. A paragraph might:

 describe a place, character, or process

 narrate a series of events
 compare or contrast two or more things
 classify items into categories
 describe causes and effects

Every paragraph should be:

 Unified: The sentences should all refer to the main idea. Put only one main idea
per paragraph. Strong paragraphs contain a sentence or sentences unified around
one central idea.
 Coherent: The sentences should be arranged in a logical manner and should
follow a definite plan or pattern. A reasonably good paragraph normally has
three to five sentences.
 Well-organized: Every idea that is discussed in the paragraph should be
adequately explained and supported through evidence. Write short paragraphs
for short papers and longer paragraphs for longer papers. If you have a few very
short paragraphs, think about whether they can be combined or whether you can
add details to support each point and thus make each into a more fully
developed paragraph.
Paragraph Structure

Most paragraphs have three parts:

1 Introduction
2 Body
3 Conclusion

You can see this structure in almost all paragraphs whether they are descriptive
paragraphs, narrative paragraphs, comparing and contrasting paragraphs, etc. Each
part of the paragraph plays an important role in communicating your meaning to your
reader. Now let us try and understand the three parts of a paragraph:

1 Introduction: It is the first part of a paragraph that should include the topic
sentence. Remember we have told you so many times that the first paragraph normally
sets the theme or gives out the main idea.

2 Body: It is also called the ‘middle’ piece. It is here in this part that you should
add details, discuss, give facts, arguments, examples, and whatever information that
suits and strengthens the main idea. Remember there is no room for unnecessary or
unrelated details, but just the ones that actually relates to the main idea.

3 Conclusion: It is the end or the final part of a paragraph. It summarizes the

information discussed in the body of the paragraph.

The following is an example of a well written, cohesive, coherent and well organized
paragraph that illustrates its structure or the organization pattern. In this paragraph the
topic sentence, the supporting details and the concluding sentence is printed in bold.

Internet had literally taken over our lives. We should not let this new wave take over all
other important communication and interpersonal values in our lives. We need to rethink
where the over dependence on technology should begin and where it should end. We come
across a number of people, irrespective of which ever age group they belong to, glued
to their computers, surfing different channels, joining numerous chat rooms, and last
but not the least searching for life partners through the net. Internet is robbing us
from the human interaction that is so vital in our lives; it is making us introvert,
aloof and isolated and what strike a balance between machine interaction and human
interaction………..IF we do not recognize this danger, we are likely to turn into
machines ourselves one day and too much of surfing the net and dependence on
computers will turn us as computer junkies.

As said earlier, a coherent and logical paragraph should have sentences related clearly
to the topic sentence. If sentences are logically related, a paragraph is coherent and
consistent. Each sentence flows smoothly into the next without obvious shifts or jumps.
A coherent paragraph ties old information with new information to make the structure
of ideas or arguments clear to the reader.

Exercise 19 Here is an interesting text. Read it very carefully. You will notice that
there are a two blank lines given. These blank lines are for the missing supporting
details. Read the sentences before and after and then write two supporting details that
you think fits in perfectly with the text’s main idea.

Don’t waste time

’I know everyone is excited to hear the results of the monthly
test’, the teacher said in the class room while the students were
filled with excitement to know who stood first, second and third in
the class. After that she handed over the report cards to all the
students. The students were shocked when they came to know that
Sadia had failed again! Once Sadia used to be a good student and
she never got bad results but something had gone wrong.

Add

details______________________________________________________________
_________________________________________.
The teacher was astonished to see that her grades were falling day by day. The teacher
asked Sadia what was wrong with her but she did not say anything. She asked Sadia’s
parents to come to school so that they can disscuss the reason for her bad performance.
The next day, Sadia’s parents came. They told the teacher that Sadia is not at all taking
her studies seriously because of her spending too much time on the computer.
Add
details______________________________________________________________
_________________________________________.
‘She is totally hooked to the net. We have tried our best to make her understand the
importance of education but she doesn’t listen’, her parents moaned. The teacher decided
to give the class a lecture on the misuse of computers. She told the class that although
the internet is a great blessing, it has some disadvantages as well, such as:
Add
details______________________________________________________________
_________________________________________.
Therefore, it should only be used for gaining information and should not be abused.

Exercise 20 Read the list of sentences given below. They are not written logically or in
a proper order.
  Rewrite them and Join them logically to create a unified and coherent paragraph
that has clarity and unity. Decide which sentence should come first, next and so
on so forth.

 After you have arranged the sentences logically, which do you think is the topic
sentence that states the main idea, underline the topic sentence. Then find the
supporting details and lastly underline the concluding sentence.

1 Some of them will go the library, some sit out in open spaces, perhaps a park or a
terrace.
2 Most of the students think that they tend to over eat, smoke, or chew their nails,
or stare blankly at walls or at their notes.
3 For exam preparation some students suffer from a total mental block.
4 I know many students who want to engage in sports or other physical activity
before they can work successfully.
5 Some switch on the radio or TV and need noise to help them study better.
6 Some students work quickly and efficiently, while others cannot produce
anything without much effort.
7 Different students have different learning and study styles.
8 Whatever their styles their goal is common to prepare and pass the exams.
9 Some eat or pace while they work.
10 Where as some prefer the kitchen and the bedroom as study spaces.
11 While a very few can sit for hours and not rise until their task is completed.
12 Some work with deep concentration.
13 Some need a less flexible schedule than others; they need regular breaks in
between studying.
14 Some students find strange places to study peacefully.

Section E LISTENING

Listening to Announcements

Most students have trouble listening and understanding English. Listening in a

foreign language is a complex process. Students have to be able to understand the main
idea of what is said as well as the specific details. They may need to understand the
speaker’s message and meaning, emotions and opinions. They may have to infer
relationships between speakers, or identify the context in which the speakers are
speaking. Students have to learn and practice several listening skills in order to master
the art of listening in a foreign language well. Some the important listening skills are

Most students find it very difficult to understand announcements. It is of course a

difficult task for those whose English language listening skills are still not developed.
Why is it difficult to understand announcements? Well the reasons can be many; such
as: words or special terminology that the speakers use, different accents or
pronunciations, the speed with which the speakers talk, etc. Besides there are other
logistic factors which also get in the way of your understanding announcements; such
as the noise around, poor sound system, etc.

Suppose you are visiting an English speaking country, listening to and understanding
train and flight information announcements at the railway station and airport can be a
challenge. In this unit we will give you some practice in understanding
announcements.

Mr and Mrs Sabir Shah are in America for a visit. They are at a place where a man is
explaining details about the flight. Listen to what important details or announcements
he is making.

Recorded Text 40

Man:

Hello and Good evening. Passengers of flight American Airlines AA 417 bound for
New York will have brief stops in Atlanta and Miami. The departure gate has been
changed to 30B. Also, there will be a slight departure delay due to inclement weather
outside. The ground crew is in the process of deicing the wings in preparation for
departure. It also looks like the flight is slightly overbooked, so we are offering
complimentary round-trip tickets to a few passengers willing to take a later flight. We
should be boarding at about 8: 45 p.m. Thank you for your patience.

Exercise 21 Choose the correct option.

1 Who is probably making the announcement?

a pilot
b a flight attendant
c a ticket agent
d a ground crew member

2 What is the ultimate destination of the flight?

a Atlanta
b Miami
c New York
d Lima
3 What change has been announced?

a the flight number

b the gate number
c the arrival time
d the boarding time

4 What are the current weather conditions outside?

a It's raining
b It's cloudy
c It's hailing
d It's windy

Difficult words:

 inclement (adjective): severe

- The game was canceled due to inclement weather.
 crew (noun): an organized group of workers
The ship's crew were very helpful during the cruise.
 deice (verb): make or become free of frost or ice, defrost
- You need to deice the windshield this morning. It dropped below freezing last
night.
 overbook (verb)): too many seats, for example, have been reserved in advance
- Airlines tend to overbook seats on their flights which can be an inconvenience
to some passengers.
 complimentary (adjective): free, gratuitous
This hotel provides a complimentary breakfast for all its guests.
 board (noun): to get on an aircraft, ship, train, bus, etc.
- We should board the train at least ten minutes before departure.

Exercise 22 Listen to the same announcement (recorded text 40) again and fill in the
given text with the correct words.

(1 )
Hello. Passengers of flight AA 417 for New York, will have brief stops in
(2)
Atlanta and Miami. The gate has been changed to 30B. Also, there will be a
(3) (4) (5)
departure delay due to weather outside. The ground
(6)
is in the process of deicing the in preparation for departure.
(7) (8)
It also looks like the flight is slightly , so we are offering
 (9)
round-trip tickets to a few passengers willing to take a flight. We should
(1 0)
be boarding at about . Thank you for your patience.

Now Mr & Mrs Sabir Shah are on board. They are travelling to Seattle, a city in
America. Listen to the announcements from the pilot:

Recorded Text 41

Captain:

Hello everyone, this is the captain speaking, and I want to welcome to Flight 18 bound
for Seattle. Our flight time today is 2 hours and 14 minutes, and we will be flying at an
average altitude of 29,000 feet. The local time in Seattle is a quarter to twelve, and the
weather is sunny, but there is a chance of rain later in the day. We will be arriving at
Gate 13, and we will be announcing connecting flights on our approach to the Seattle
airport. On behalf of Sky Airlines and the crew, I want to wish you an enjoyable stay in
Seattle.. Sit back and enjoy the flight.

Difficult words:

 bound: going to or heading for

- The plane is bound for London with stops in Atlanta and New York City.
 altitude: height
- This plane flies at an altitude of 31,000 feet..
 approach: nearing or coming to
- It started to snow very heavily as the airplane started its approach to the
airport.

Exercise 23 Choose the correct option.

1 What is the number of this flight?

a 80
b 18
c 81
2 How long is the flight??

a 2 hours, 40 minutes
b 2 hours, 14 minutes
c 2 hours, 4 minutes

3 What is the local time in Seattle?

a 11:45 p.m.
b 12:15 p.m.
c 10:12 a.m.

4 What is the current weather in Seattle?

a partly cloudy
b rainy
c sunny

5 At what gate will the plane arrive?

a 13
b3
c 30

Exercise 24 Listen to the same announcements (recorded text 41)again and fill in the
given text with the correct words.

Captain:
(1 ) (2)
" Hello everyone, this is the captain , and I want to welcome to Flight 18
for Seattle. Our flight time today is 2 hours and 14 minutes, and we will be
flying at an (3) altitude of 29,000 feet. The (4) time in Seattle is
a quarter to twelve, and the weather is sunny, but there is a chance of rain later in the
(5)
day. We will be at Gate 13, and we will be announcing connecting flights on
(6)
our to the Seattle airport. On behalf of Sky Airlines and the crew, I want
to wish you an enjoyable (7) in Seattle.. Sit back and enjoy the flight."