LANGUAGE ARTS 1104 WHY STUDY READING?

Transcription

1 Grade 11 Unit 4

2 LANGUAGE ARTS 1104 WHY STUDY READING? CONTENTS I. USING PREFIXES AND ROOTS Greek Prefixes Latin Prefixes Greek Roots Latin Roots II. FINDING WORD MEANINGS AND PRONUNCIATION Using Context Clues Marking Pronunciation Diacritical Marks III. FINDING THE MAIN IDEA Finding Key Words In a Sentence Finding Key Ideas in a Paragraph Finding a Key Sentence in a Paragraph IV. ANALYZING A TEXTBOOK Skeleton of a Textbook Outline of a Textbook Author: Editor: Illustrator: Victor J. Kelly, M.A. Alan Christopherson, M.S. Alpha Omega Graphics 804 N. 2nd Ave. E., Rock Rapids, IA MM by Alpha Omega Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. LIFEPAC is a registered trademark of Alpha Omega Publications, Inc. All trademarks and/or service marks referenced in this material are the property of their respective owners. Alpha Omega Publications, Inc. makes no claim of ownership to any trademarks and/or service marks other than their own and their affiliates, and makes no claim of affiliation to any companies whose trademarks may be listed in this material, other than their own.

3 WHY STUDY READING? God gave mankind the gifts of speaking, listening, and reading so that every person could communicate with every other person and with God Himself. Reading is different from both speaking and listening because it gives people of today the opportunity to communicate with people who lived many hundreds of years ago. Learning to read better will enable you to understand more easily and quickly the things that the Holy Spirit wishes to reveal to believers. God has chosen the Holy Bible as the primary means for revealing His will. This LIFEPAC will help you to read more accurately and to understand more specifically all of the things you read, including the Scriptures. Better yet, you will be able to read many unfamiliar words more accurately without having to stop as often to use a dictionary. The skills you practice in this LIFEPAC will enable you to better understand God, yourself, and the people around you. You will have a better understanding of God because you will recognize and understand more words in the Scriptures. You will understand yourself better by being able to read what others have written about experiences held in common by all human beings. You will understand others better by being able to interpret intelligently the meanings of words which still might be unfamiliar to you. In this LIFEPAC you will study both Greek and Latin prefixes and roots. By knowing the meanings of these word parts, you will be able to understand the meaning of unfamiliar words formed from these word parts. You will find word meanings and pronunciation hints by using context clues or by using the dictionary. By finding main ideas in sentences and paragraphs, you will learn to study more effectively. Finally, by analyzing the structure and elements of a textbook, you will be able to find information more efficiently. OBJECTIVES Read these objectives. The objectives tell you what you will be able to do when you have successfully completed this LIFEPAC. When you have completed this LIFEPAC, you should be able to: 1. Recognize commonly encountered Greek and Latin prefixes and roots. 2. Determine more accurately the meanings of words containing Greek and Latin prefixes and roots. 3. Demonstrate an improved vocabulary in your schoolwork. 4. Show an improvement in your word deciphering skills. 5. Identify and use a variety of context clues in interpreting unfamiliar words encountered while listening or reading. 6. Pronounce words accurately in standard English. 7. Demonstrate the ability to decide correctly when to use a dictionary to aid pronunciation and when to use context clues for a working definition to aid reading. 8. Extract the most important information from a paragraph through the use of key words and details. 9. Locate the most important sentence in a paragraph. 10. Identify the levels of importance of main ideas and supportive details in textbooks by noticing various sizes and styles of print. Survey the LIFEPAC. Ask yourself some questions about this study. Write your questions here. 1

4 I. USING PREFIXES AND ROOTS The English language contains elements borrowed from many different languages. Many words are formed from only a few basic word elements. In this section you will study both Greek and Latin prefixes. These prefixes, or word parts, are added to the front of a word to modify, or change, its basic meaning. When you learn how to bolt a word together with prefix and root, you will be able to read more rapidly and knowledgeably. You will seldom have to interrupt someone to ask the meaning of an unfamiliar word. You will refer to a dictionary less frequently. You will not be embarrassed because you cannot understand the words a person might use. GREEK PREFIXES SECTION OBJECTIVES Review these objectives. When you have completed this section, you should be able to: 1. Recognize commonly encountered Greek and Latin prefixes and roots. 2. Determine more accurately the meanings of words containing Greek and Latin prefixes and roots. 3. Demonstrate an increased vocabulary in your schoolwork. 4. Show an improvement in your vocabulary deciphering skills. The Greeks, fascinated by the sky, the earth, man, and God, developed an insatiable curiosity about all creation. Many hundreds of years before the birth of Christ, the Greeks discovered, named, and developed explanations for the stars and planets, the seasons, night and day, the physical laws, the human anatomy and physiology, and the supernatural. Because they were accurate observers of particular things, the Greeks developed precise and specific statements dealing with ideas of position, size, and scope. The Greek language thus contained few vague words. The following chart contains some frequently encountered Greek prefixes. These prefixes appear repeatedly in general reading as well as in specific subject matter. As you become familiar with these prefixes, you will become able to decipher the meanings of unfamiliar words containing these prefixes. The following prefixes have been listed in related pairs to help you to recall them later. When You See It Means The Opposite Prefix Is It Means ec- out of en- into ex-, exo- out from em-, endo- within epi- upon hypo- under, underneath poly- many mono- one syl- with anti- against sym-, syn- together a-, an-, apo- away from Not all Greek prefixes have opposite equivalents in English. Notice the following list. a- not meta- across amphi- both pan- all cata- down para- beside dia- through peri- around eu- good pro- before 2

5 Complete the following activities. 1.1 Most Greek prefixes seem to act as what part of speech? 1.2 Make flash cards by following these directions: Cut 2 1/2 x 3 inch rectangles from tag board or from construction paper, using green, red, and yellow paper. Write the Greek prefixes from the first column on the red cards. Write the opposite Greek prefix on the green cards. Write the prefixes having no opposite counterpart on the yellow cards. Write the English translation of each prefix on the reverse side of each card. a. How many of the sixteen prefixes can you identify? If you missed more than three, drill for another five minutes. b. Now, how many can you identify? Adult check Initial Date 1.3 Write some words from your own vocabulary that are formed from the prefixes you have just studied. Try to use as many different prefixes as possible. a. i. b. j. c. k. d. l. e. m. f. n. g. o. h. p. The following list of twenty-one words is often found on precollege tests. Write in Column A the prefix used in the word on the left. In Column B write the meaning of the prefix. Refer to a dictionary as needed. A B 1.4 apathetic a. b. 1.5 apostasy a. b. 1.6 analgesic a. b. 1.7 ecstasy a. b. 1.8 expulsion a. b. 1.9 exorcise a. b epidermis a. b embolism a. b endophyte a. b prognosis a. b catastrophe a. b antipathy a. b. 3

6 1.16 hyperbole a. b hypochondria a. b monogamy a. b polygon a. b syllogism a. b symposium a. b synthesis a. b euphoria a. b pantheism a. b. LATIN PREFIXES Latin was the language used by the early Roman people. The Romans conquered the Greeks and most of the tribes and nations of Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Northern Africa. For many centuries Latin influence was reflected in language, law, trade, social customs, philosophy, and religion. During the more than five hundred years of Roman rule, laws were developed, language was stabilized, nations were subjugated, literature was produced, and foreign cultures were absorbed into a sprawling system that stretched from England to Egypt and from Carthage to just outside of Constantinople. Maintaining a vast population of slaves who were captured in battle and who brought in new influences, Rome borrowed the ideas, the skills, the crafts, the style of dress, and even the gods that she found useful. As a result of these influences, the Latin language developed a wide scope of words and word elements expressing ideas dealing with every area of life. Some of the elements survive in English today in prefix form. How many prefixes can you recognize in the following list? When You See It Means The Opposite Prefix Is It Means ad- toward, to contra-, dis opposite, against bene- good mal- bad co-, com-, con- with, together ab-, di- away, apart from, two em- into e-, ex-, ef- out of, away magn- great mini- small neo- new sen- old pre-, pro-, ante- before, in front of post- after super above sub- under Not all Latin prefixes have opposite equivalents in English. Study the following list. circum- around per- through extra- beyond, outside of re- back again semi- half in- not trans- across ir- into, not ultra- beyond inter- between un- not 4

7 Complete these activities Make flash cards in the same manner as you made them for the Greek prefixes. Drill in the same manner as before. a. How many Latin prefixes can you recall? If you missed more than five, drill for another five minutes. b. Now how many can you recall? Adult check Initial Date 1.26 List words containing Latin prefixes from your own vocabulary. Use a prefix no more than twice Give the English meaning for each of the following Latin prefixes which do not necessarily have opposites. a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j. k. l. m. n. o. p. q. r. s. t. u. v. w. x. y. z. aa. a. circum- d. inter- b. extra- e. ir- c. in- f. per- The following list contains thirty-six words often found on precollege tests. Most of the words contain Latin prefixes. A few of the words contain Greek prefixes. Read through the list then follow the directions for analyzing these words. Write in Column A the prefix used in the word on the left. In Column B write the meaning of the prefix. Refer to a dictionary as needed. A. B aberration a. b adhere a. b antediluvian a. b benign a. b circumlocution a. b coalesce a. b commodious a. b conciliate a. b contravene a. b diaphanous a. b. 5

8 1.38 dichotomy a. b discordant a. b efface a. b elucidate a. b emissary a. b euphemism a. b explicate a. b extrasensory a. b hypertension a. b incarnate a. b innocuous a. b irreconcilable a. b magnanimous a. b malapropism a. b metamorphose a. b minimize a. b perceive a. b posterity a. b precocious a. b procrastinate a. b restitution a. b semiannual a. b subcutaneous a. b supercilious a. b symposium a. b. GREEK ROOTS So far you have mastered half of the minimum word attack skills in this LIFEPAC dealing with word elements. That is, you have become familiar with some commonly used Greek and Latin prefixes. The root of a word, however, carries the burden of the meaning. The remainder of this section will deal with your mastery of common Greek and Latin roots. The root of a word, as you recall, is a type of base word on which other words are built. The root for the words usual, unusual, and usually, is usual. The root for the words likely, likeness, unlike, and unlikely is like. The English language uses many words formed from Greek and Latin roots. Identifying a foreign root can be difficult for a person who has not studied any foreign languages. A simple explanation of the way Greek and Latin roots are determined may lead to a better understanding of both the root and the English word based on the root. Greek roots are usually presented in English in shortened form; that is, the inflectional ending from the nominative case of the noun is removed. 6

9 Examples: Nominative Case - Ending = Root demos (people) - s = demopollis (city) - s = poliastros (star) - s = astropatria (family) - a = patricosmos (world) - s = cosmo- When a root is listed without its inflectional ending (a word ending that marks change in meaning by varying the spelling), a hyphen must be used to indicate the omission of the ending. Notice the preceding list of roots. In some cases the root does not drop an ending, and the English root is the same as its Greek form. Example: geo (earth) = geo- Each area of study or specialization has its own vocabulary. To understand the basic ideas or concepts of a particular subject, a student must familiarize himself with its vocabulary. Greek roots in history. The Greeks pioneered a government of direct rule by the citizens of its citystates. Their term for that system of government was democracy, a curious word combined from the root demos, meaning people, and the word crasis, meaning rule, (literally people rule). The Greek roots shown at the right appear frequently in history books. Write ten words from your own history vocabulary which use these roots. If you need to do so, you may use your history book. Use each root no more than twice a. f. b. g. c. h. d. i. e. j. Greek roots in physical science and mathematics. Fascinated with the world around them, the Greeks attempted to discover the universal laws by which it operated. Men like the philosopher, Plato, and the geometrician, Euclid, developed systems of thought and of space relationships that ordered and unified ideas and matter. Aristotle and other philosophers looked closely at the individual things around them. They believed that if they could see relationships between specific things, they could understand more of the importance of all things. Those Greeks who decided to follow Aristotle s thinking had to learn to observe closely. This close observation led to the type of precise terminology used today in mathematics and science courses. The roots in the list at the right are commonly used in school texts. 7

10 The English language uses other Greek roots in addition to those listed. The roots you have studied, however, will provide you with a basic core of knowledge to use when you encounter new words in the sciences. Complete this activity In the following spaces write twenty words from your own mathematics-science vocabulary which make use of the roots taught above. Use each root no more than twice. a. k. b. l. c. m. d. n. e. o. f. p. g. q. h. r. i. s. j. t. Greek roots in biology. Since the Greeks were eager investigators of all mysteries, they studied all forms of life: human, animal, and plant. Study the following list of Greek roots. 8

11 Greek roots in Scripture and religion. A knowledge of Greek roots is helpful in the study of Scripture and religion. The Greek roots in the following list are often heard in sermons or in discussions of Scripture. These same roots are read in commentaries on Scripture, in English translations of Scripture, and in religious literature. Study these Greek roots carefully. List twenty words that use the preceding roots Use each root no more than twice. a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j. k. l. m. n. o. p. q. r. s. t. 9

12 Complete this activity In the following spaces supply six words from your own vocabulary making use of the preceding roots. Use each root only once a. d. b. e. c. f. Greek roots in general vocabulary. Greek roots are found in many English words used to name or to describe. The prefixes and roots help solve problems in reading. They must be fixed firmly in mind before they are needed. This knowledge of prefixes and roots makes deciphering unfamiliar words much easier. Study the following list of roots. Root Meaning Root Meaning auto- self mis-, miso- hate, hatred cosmo- world nomo- name crypto- secret -nomy science -graph writing ortho- straight gam-, gamo- marriage petro- rock hetero- different phil- philo- love homo- same -phobia fear litho- stone phone-, phono- sound mega- great soph- wisdom Complete these activities Think of words formed from roots contained in the preceding list. Write them in the following spaces. a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j. k. l. m. n. o. p. q. r. s. t Make a set of white flash cards for Greek roots in each of the subject areas. Drill for five minutes with a classmate or a teacher. a. How many of the Greek roots and meanings can you identify? If you missed twelve or more, drill for another five minutes. b. How many can you identify now? 10

13 LATIN ROOTS Words with Latin roots are found in most subject areas as well as in the general vocabulary of English. Unlike Greek roots, Latin roots cover a much wider scope of human activity and far outnumber the Greek roots used in the English language. Latin roots are also usually shortened forms of words. Some Latin roots are taken from Latin nouns; some, from Latin verbs. Two noun forms are often given, the nominative singular or the genitive singular with the inflectional ending removed. Nominative Genitive Examples Singular = Root Singular Ending = Root light lux lux lucis is luc heart cor cor cordis is cord cross crux crux crucis is cruslaw jus jus juris is jur- When the root is formed from a Latin verb, the infinitive form, minus the ending, is used. Examples Infinitive Ending = Root to lead ducere ere duc to say, to tell dicere ere dic Many words using Latin roots appear frequently in special subject areas. A root that appears frequently in one subject area may also appear in other areas. This arrangement of roots according to subject area is simply a convenient learning device. Latin roots commonly encountered in history. Many of the Latin roots are found in words describing legal institutions. Root Mea ning Root Meaning dic- to say, to tell judex, judic- law, justice jus, jurdomin- to rule migr- to wander domus, dom- house stat- to stand, to place Write ten words from your own vocabulary that use these roots a. f. b. g. c. h. d. i. e. j. Latin roots in the sciences. Latin roots are often found in the sciences. The word science is based on a Latin root sciens, scien- meaning knowledge. Latin was the language of learning for many centuries. In the early development of the physical sciences during the Renaissance, Latin was the language used for classifying and naming. This system was retained. Latin names for plants, animals, and elements are still used in most of the 11

14 sciences. Because the sciences have used Latin for so long, many English words are based on Latin roots. Root Meaning Root Meaning aqua, aqu- water sciens, scien- knowledge cor, cord- heart terra, terr- land lux, luc- light versus, vers-, turn, to turn nucleus, nucle- center vert- Write ten words from your own vocabulary that use these roots a. e. b. f. c. g. d. h. Latin roots in religion. Since Latin was the language of politics, law, and religion for many centuries, many Latin roots are also found in words having to do with religion. Root Meaning Root Meaning cant- to sing fides, fid- faith, trust car, car- flesh sanctus, sanct- holy cred- to believe scrib- to write crux, cruc- cross scripto, scripti- writing deus, dei God Use each of the preceding roots in a word from your own vocabulary a. e. b. f. c. g. d. h. Complete this activity Make flash cards for each of the items in the special subject-area vocabulary lists. Drill until you can recognize and recite the reverse side of the cards for nine out of ten roots. When you can do that, proceed to the next segment. Adult check Initial Date 12

15 Latin roots in general vocabulary. English is rich in Latin derivatives. Latin was the dominant language for hundreds of years and had a lasting effect on the entire English language. Study the following list of Latin roots. They appear in many of the words used every day in the course of normal communication. Latin Root Meaning Latin Root Meaning acutus, acu- sharp mitt-, miss- to send act, fac- make, do locutio, locut- say, talk aequ- to equal pax, pac- peace alternus, altern- other, change pater, patr- father ambul- to walk plac- to please amor, amor- love placatio, placat- calm annus, ann- year plic- to fold aud-, auditus, auditcapcaput, capclaudclausula, clausulcogn- to hear hearing to take, to capture head to close end to know portruptus, ruptsequsolus, solspectstrictus, stric-, string- to carry break (out) to follow alone to watch tight, to tighten duc-, duct- to lead tortus, tort- twist fract- to break (apart) ven- to come gradus, grad-, gressus, gressmanus, manmater, matr- step, measure hand mother vid-, visvivvox, voc- to see, to look at to live call Write the correct letter in the blank. Match the meaning for the Latin root to each of the following words acute 1.74 auditory 1.75 ambulatory 1.76 sequence 1.77 fracture 1.78 vocal 1.79 portable 1.80 paternal 1.81 missile 1.82 pacifist 1.83 convention 1.84 maternal a. peace b. carry c. calm d. break e. sharp f. mother g. hearing h. father i. follow j. call k. come l. fold m. send n. walk o. alone 13

16 Complete this activity Make flash cards for each of the items in the list of Latin roots for general vocabulary. Drill until you can recite either side of the flash card for nine out of ten roots. Then continue with the next activity. Adult check Initial Date Review the material in this section in preparation for the Self Test. The Self Test will check your mastery of this particular section. The items missed on this Self Test will indicate specific areas where restudy is needed for mastery. SELF TEST 1 Complete the following sentences. Write the correct answer in the blank (each answer, 3 points) Many words in the English language contain prefixes and roots coming from the a. and b. languages Roman influence through Latin is reflected in modern English words dealing with these areas: a., b., c., d., e., and f The Greek influence occurs mainly in words about a., b., c., and d.. Write the letter of the correct meaning for each italicized root in the following words (each answer, 2 points) arachnid a. rule c. nobility b. spider d. fear 1.05 astronomy a. star c. rule b. oneself d. study of 1.06 bibliographical a. book c. life b. write d. step 1.07 cardiology a. study c. heart b. life d. measure 14

17 1.08 ecclesiastical a. secret c. power b. world d. church 1.09 eolithic a. skin c. stone b. belief d. nation geopolitics a. citizen c. sound b. earth d. species Match these items (each answer, 2 points) acrid circumvent consequence deduce extort intercede patriarch preclude regressive soliloquy a. bias, slanted opinion b. blood cell c. come around, avoid d. come between e. father, ruler f. following with or after g. prevent h. sharp i. stepping back again j. take by force k. talking to oneself l. trace the course or descent of m. writing carved in stone Score Adult Check Initial Date 15