Identifying Texts and Topics | Lesson 1 | Unit 1 | English Language Skills | BEN – 1301
Identifying Texts and Topics
Objectives of the Lesson :
After you have studied this lesson you will be able to –
- identify a text, i.e., say whether the text is taken from a story, a newspaper, a letter, a brochure, an advertisement, and so on.
- identify the topic of a text.
A.
Read the following six extracts. Think about the sources they have been taken from and then write the names of the sources (e.g. a newspaper, a letter, etc.).
2.
There was once an old king who had three daughters.
One day he called them one by one and said,
“How much do you love me, darling ?”
3.
New Authors
Do you want to publish your work?
We consider all subjects :
Fiction, Non-fiction, Biography,
Religions, Poetry, Children’s . . .
Send your manuscripts to :
Academy Publishers
38/B Banglabazar, Dhaka
4.
The government will build Shanti Nibash (peace homes) for the old people in country’s six divisional headquarters, reports APB.
5.
I have read your advertisement for the post of Assistant Manager in The Daily Star yesterday and would like to apply for the post.
6.
In the past people did not have any clear idea about the size and nature of the universe. They believed that the earth was flat and stationary, and the sun, the moon and the planets moved round the earth.
Activity:
1. Match the above paragraphs with the descriptions given below. Just write the number of a paragraph in the right blank.
a ———— a job application
b ———— a newspaper advertisement
c ———— a tourism brochure
d ———— an article
e ———— a story
f ———— a news item
2. Here are six topics. Read the extracts in section A again and decide which topic goes with which extract.
1) The old king and his daughters
2) The old concept of the universe
3) Wanted – Assistant Manager
4) A tourist attraction
5) Homes for the old
6) Good news for the new authors
3. Here are four extracts. Read them and write the sources they are taken from and the topics that go with them :
(1)
Evening session:
3:00 Opening announcement, Recitation from Al-Quran
3:10 Recitation from The Bible
3:15 Patriotic song
3:20 Cartoon film: Bananas in Pajamas
3:45 Programme on nutrition
4:00 Khabar
4:05 Aamar Thikana
4:30 Open University.
(2)
The history of the development of transport shows how people have been trying from pre-historic times to use more and more advanced types of transport, thereby replacing gradually the traditional means of carrying men and goods.
(3)
Two apartments at plot 25, Road 68A, Gulshan 2, each measuring 2000 sq. ft. on furnished or unfurnished basis including air-cooler, are ready for immediate occupation. Each apartment has three bed rooms with attached. baths, living, dining, family living, kitchen and maid’s room with bath, spacious veranda facing south and a reserved car park. There is provision for emergency power supply and full time security.
Please contact:
Dr. A Rahman
Phone : 607306
(4)
Alam Khan : May I speak to Mr Chowdhury, please? This is Alam Khan.
Secretary : I’m sorry, Mr Chowdhury is away at a conference in Chittagong.
Alam Khan : When will he be available?
Secretary : He’ll be back Thursday afternoon.
Alam Khan : Oh! I really need to talk to him urgently. Could you help me?
Secretary : I’ll try, Mr Khan.
Alam Khan : I sent you an order five weeks ago and the goods have not arrived yet.
Explanatory Notes:
pleasant drive nice and enjoyable trip in a car
ringed with surrounded by
evergreen a tree or bush which never loses its leaves
tropical forest forest in the hottest part of the world
sight seeing the act of visiting famous or interesting places as tourists
rowing the activity of making a boat move through water by using oars
publish to arrange the writing, production of a book, magazine etc.
fiction books and stories about imaginary people and events
non fiction books, articles etc. about real events, not imaginary
biography an account of a person’s life written by someone else
universe all space, including all the stars and planets
stationary standing still instead of moving; static
ANSWER KEY (for activity 1 & 2)
1.
a. 5 _____ a job application
b. 3 _____ a newspaper advertisement
c. 1 _____ a tourism brochure
d. 6 _____ an article
e. 2 _____ a story
f. 4 _____ a news item
2.
1) The topic, ‘The old King and his daughters’ goes with the 2nd extract.
2) The topic, ‘The old concept of the universe’ goes with the 6th extract.
3) The topic, ‘Wanted –Assistant Manager’ goes with the 5th extract.
4) The topic, ‘A tourism attraction’ goes the 1st extract.
5) The topic, ‘Home for the old’ goes with the 4th extract.
6) The topic, ‘Good news for the new authors’ goes with the 3rd extract.