Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET)

VOCABULARY and READING

Ali G. Anudin English

Department Philippine Normal

University

COMPETENCIES

VOCABULARY: Using context clues, structural analysis, and other word formation techniques

READING: * Noting details to discover the central theme of a passage * Pointing out the organizational structure of a passage and determining how the parts are related to the whole * Drawing inferences and implications on reading texts

1. What is meant by GINGERLY in this paragraph: She was deep in the road before she became conscious of her shoes. In horror, she saw that they were coated with thick, black clay. Gingerly she pulled off one shoe after the other with the hand still clutching the letter?

A. disgusted C. hurried

B. careful D. determined

Smoking has been proven dangerous to people’s health, yet many continue to smoke for various reasons. For young people, smoking often represents maturity and individuality. Many smoke as a way to reduce tension. In addition, the regular smoker becomes addicted psychologically and physically to the nicotine in cigarettes.

2. What is the author implying in the paragraph?

A. Smoking is dangerous.

B. Smoking is a way of life for many people.

C. Young people smoke to look mature.

D. People smoke even if they know it can kill them.

3. My favorite sport is basketball which I play and also watch on TV. I also like softball better than volleyball, but I prefer tennis as a summer sport over softball and volleyball. Which is correct about the paragraph?

A. I like softball least.

B. Tennis is my second favorite sport.

C. I like volleyball better than tennis.

D. I like tennis as much as I like basketball.

4. What character trait is revealed in this statement: “During the five years that I’ve taught I’ve done my best to live to my ideals. Yet I please nobody. It’s the same old narrow conformism and favor-currying?

A. militant C. idealistic

B. stubborn D. pessimistic

THREE TYPES OF VOCABULARY

GENERAL: everyday words with widely acknowledged meanings in common usage

SPECIAL: words from everyday vocabulary that take on specialized meanings

TECHNICAL: words that are used only in a particular subject matter

CONTEXT CLUES. words, phrases, sentences surrounding an unfamiliar word may give clue to its meaning.

1. Synonym or Antonym: clues that indicate an unfamiliar word is similar or opposite in meaning to an unfamiliar word or phrase

Many memoirs describe the feeling of camaraderie between people, the friendship they felt when they shared what little they had with others.

During the draught, many farmers abandoned their unproductive fields in search of arable farmland.

SYNONYMS

• His guilt and regret shows that his remorse was real.

• The mountain pass was a tortuous road, winding and twisting around the trees of the mountainside.

ANTONYMS

• Abigaile’s remarks are generally not cryptic, but straightforward.

• The twins Abby and Joshua are really different. Abby is lively and talkative while Joshua is reserved and taciturn.

2. Cause and Effect: clues that indicate an unfamiliar word is the cause of and or the result of an action, feeling, or idea

Constant drought and windstorm conditions caused the erosion of fertile topsoil that crops needed to grow.

3. Comparison and Contrast: an unknown word may be compared or contrasted with a more familiar word or concept

Impromptu camps of squatters would spring up like mushrooms in vacant lots of city subdivisions.

Unlike the displaced migrants and others who were suddenly unemployed, the affluent were not much affected by the socioeconomic depression.

4. Definitions and Restatements: words that define the term or reinstate in other words

Definition is considered the simplest and most obvious way by which the meaning of a word is revealed. The be verb is used to equate the term to be defined to the familiar word in the sentence.

Morphology is a sub discipline of linguistics that studies word structure.

Entire families often became transient, moving from place to place in order to find work.

WORD MEANINGS. words have many layers of meanings that change depending on the time, place, or situation in which they are used.

Denotation and Connotation: denotation refers to a word’s literal meaning while connotation is the emotional meaning or association people connect to the word

Denotation Connotation

Impromptu spontaneous a speech or other action

done with little rehearsal or preparation

Impetuous hasty and ill-advised action

Jessa Marie walked along the crowded street. Strolled a casual, easy gait Wandered lack of aim or direction

CAST Theater the actors in a stage production Sculpture the molding of liquefied metal into a

specific shape Medicine the plaster dressing used to set a

broken line Fishing the throwing of a baited fishing line into

water

Synonym: words with the same meaning often have subtle shades of or differences in meaning

Jargon: a special language used by groups of people in particular occupation, hobby, or field of study

Euphemism More direct form

memorial garden cemeterysocially maladjusted rude

Faux imitation

misrepresentation liecasualties dead

Euphemism: indirect, agreeable terms used in place of more direct, less appealing ones

A) more than one can afford

B) a sunny day

C) suddenly

D) very happy

E) very ambitious

Match the underlined idioms with their meanings

On Monday, out of the clear blue sky, the local travel agent called up Elsa to tell her that she had won two tickets to the International Balloon Fiesta in New Mexico. She had always wanted to go with her husband Randy but they thought that such a trip was beyond their reach. She was walking in air when she told Randy the good news.

I) rapidly

J) daydream

K) unaware

L) slowly

M) aspire for something

At first, Randy thought that Elsa was joking and full of hot air. But when he realized that she was not building castles in the air, his annoyance vanished into thin air. As soon as Randy came home from work, the couple talked eagerly about the trip. Soon their plans grew by leaps and bounds . Elsa’s head was in the clouds all the time because she was looking forward to her first balloon ride. She was in cloud nine thinking how good it is to reach for the sky.

E) talking nonsense

F) temperamental

G) disappear without leaving a trace

H) very happy

•

FIGURES OF SPEECHFIGURES OF SPEECH SimileSimile - - comparison of two unlike ideas comparison of two unlike ideas

or objects, using the or objects, using the word word like like or or asas

Lips like rosebuds and kisses like wineLips like rosebuds and kisses like wine

Metaphor Metaphor - a comparison of two - a comparison of two dissimilar thingsdissimilar things

She is an angel in disguise.She is an angel in disguise.

PersonificationPersonification - the representation of - the representation of an object or idea as an object or idea as human human

The jovial moon smiling benignly The jovial moon smiling benignly down at usdown at us

ApostropheApostrophe - an old-fashioned direct - an old-fashioned direct address to an absent or dead person address to an absent or dead person or thingor thing

Oh freedom! Hear our cry!Oh freedom! Hear our cry!

HyperboleHyperbole - exaggeration or - exaggeration or overstatement for emphasisoverstatement for emphasis

I could eat a horse.I could eat a horse.Oxymoron-Oxymoron- a phrase linking a phrase linking

incongruous or contradictory termsincongruous or contradictory terms A wise foolA wise foolParadoxParadox - - an apparently absurd or self-an apparently absurd or self-

contradictory statement that may contradictory statement that may nevertheless be true or wisenevertheless be true or wise

Her gentleness was too hurtful to bear.Her gentleness was too hurtful to bear.

MetonymyMetonymy - use of concrete term to refer - use of concrete term to refer to some wider idea that it characterizesto some wider idea that it characterizes

TheThe crown crown for for monarchymonarchy

SSynecdocheynecdoche - use of the name of a part - use of the name of a part to refer to the whole, or vice versa, to refer to the whole, or vice versa, such as such as

forty sailforty sail to refer to to refer to forty shipsforty ships

IronyIrony - use of word/s to convey - use of word/s to convey something markedly different from the something markedly different from the literal meaning; a common component literal meaning; a common component of sarcasm, though not necessarily so of sarcasm, though not necessarily so cuttingcutting

ItIt’’s a secret so only half of London s a secret so only half of London knows about it.knows about it.

AllusionAllusion - refers to a literary, biblical, - refers to a literary, biblical, historical, mythological, scientific event, historical, mythological, scientific event, character, or placecharacter, or place

Beware of the kiss of Judas! ; Beware of the kiss of Judas! ; Beware of Greeks, bearing giftsBeware of Greeks, bearing gifts

RHETORICAL DEVICESRHETORICAL DEVICES

OnomatopoeiaOnomatopoeia-- use of words whose use of words whose sound suggests their meaning sound suggests their meaning

Sizzle, splash, crack, buzz, zapSizzle, splash, crack, buzz, zap

Alliteration - Alliteration - use of words with same use of words with same initial consonant soundinitial consonant sound

The furrow followed freeThe furrow followed free

AssonanceAssonance – – uses repetition of vowels uses repetition of vowels without repetition of consonants, also without repetition of consonants, also called a vowel rhymecalled a vowel rhyme

alone, alone, all, all, alonealone, alone, all, all, alone

ConsonanceConsonance – repeats the final – repeats the final consonant sounds, also called a slant consonant sounds, also called a slant rhymerhyme

dreary and weary dreary and weary odds and odds and endsends

RhymeRhyme – employs identical sounds from – employs identical sounds from the vowel of the accented syllables to the vowel of the accented syllables to the endthe end

hold, told, mold, gold; die, sky, my, fly, hold, told, mold, gold; die, sky, my, fly, piepie

AnaphoraAnaphora – repeats a word or words at – repeats a word or words at the beginning of two or more the beginning of two or more successive clauses or versessuccessive clauses or verses

Cannons to the right of them/Cannons Cannons to the right of them/Cannons to the left of them!to the left of them!

LetLet’’s try these:s try these:

1. The president took the floor for his 1. The president took the floor for his acceptance speech. acceptance speech.

2. Your smile is as sweet as honey. 2. Your smile is as sweet as honey. 3. The sanitary officer collects our trash 3. The sanitary officer collects our trash every Friday. every Friday. 4. Blue, blue, my world is blue 4. Blue, blue, my world is blue

metonymysimile

euphemismalliteration

Identify the figure of speech used in the following:

1. The train click-clucked, and click- clucked, click-clucked monotonously over the rail joints.

2. I have been to all places looking for you.

3. Your senseless chats are tinkling cymbals to my ears.

Onomatopoeia

Hyperbole

Metonymy

4. The wind whispered its secret to the bamboos. 5. Congratulations! You lost the ball game again. 6. I hate love for all the pains it cause me.

7. We live in one roof.

8. Beware of Judas in your group.

Personification

Irony

Oxymoron

Synecdoche

Allusion

9. O sweet woods, the delight of solitariness!

10.Fair is foul and foul is fair.

Apostrophe

Alliteration

Reading ModelsBottom-up Model

• Text-based; reading instruction emphasizes letters, letter-sound relationships and words.

• Reading is essentially mechanical decoding of speech written down (Silberstein, 1987)

• Knowledge-based and conceptually-driven

• Comprehending the selection is possible even if each word in the selection is not recognized.

• Reading instruction emphasizes prior knowledge.

Top-down Model (Goodman, 1967)

• Pictures reading as making sense of print through the interaction between TEXT and READER.

• Believes that meaning is not residing in the text alone waiting to be decoded

Interactive Model (Rummelhart, 1977)

involves the transaction between the mind of the reader and the language of the text.

READING

bottom - up

top - down

SCHEMATA• Influence reading comprehension

and learning

• Provide a framework that allows readers to select information relevant to their purposes

• Help readers organize text information by enabling them to relate the new to the old which eventually facilitates retention and retrieval

PredictingPredicting

HypothesizingHypothesizing

DeducingDeducing

InferringInferring

Drawing implicationsDrawing implications

Cognitive processes which act as tools for Cognitive processes which act as tools for understanding the textunderstanding the text

UNDERSTANDING THREE LEVELS OF IDEAS

The main focus of reading is getting the main point – the core, the message, the thesis, the main idea, the central focus, the controlling idea, and the central thought.

MAIN POINT

Major Detail Major Detail Major Detail

minor detail

minor detail minor detail

minor detail

minor detail

minor detail

The TOPIC is the general subject of the material. It answers questions like, Who or what is discussed in the text? or Who or what is the content of the material?

Cost-cutting measures have to be practiced if a company or even the country as a whole has to survive. Cost-cutting takes different forms. A plain housewife can best cost-cut on expenses by recycling leftover food, turning off electricity and water faucets when not in use. Going to supermarket only once instead of water trips. These practices also help prevent panic buying which results in shortage of food supplies. Indeed the hardship that is felt nowadays can be reduced by observing some cost-cutting measures.

The MAIN IDEA is the chief point an author is making about the topic. It sums up the author’s primary message. It is also called the central idea or thesis. It is usually found in the beginning of the paragraph.

Cost-cutting measures have to be practiced if a company or even the country as a whole has to survive. Cost-cutting takes different forms. A plain housewife can best cost-cut on expenses by recycling leftover food, turning off electricity and water faucets when not in use. Going to supermarket only once instead of water trips. These practices also help prevent panic buying which results in shortage of food supplies. Indeed the hardship that is felt nowadays can be reduced by observing some cost-cutting measures.

DETAILS develop, explain, and prove the main point or main idea. These are facts, descriptions, examples, and reasons that convince the reader and make the material interesting.

Cost-cutting measures have to be practiced if a company or even the country as a whole has to survive. Cost-cutting takes different forms. A plain housewife can best cost-cut on expenses by recycling leftover food, turning off electricity and water faucets when not in use. Going to supermarket only once instead of water trips. These practices also help prevent panic buying which results in shortage of food supplies. Indeed the hardship that is felt nowadays can be reduced by observing some cost-cutting measures.

INFERENCING is to interpret unstated meaning; the author provides clues so that the reader can put together facts and details in a logical order and draws conclusions.

Cost-cutting measures have to be practiced if a company or even the country as a whole has to survive. Cost-cutting takes different forms. A plain housewife can best cost-cut on expenses by recycling leftover food, turning off electricity and water faucets when not in use. Going to supermarket only once instead of water trips. These practices also help prevent panic buying which results in shortage of food supplies. Indeed the hardship that is felt nowadays can be reduced by observing some cost-cutting measures.

TIMES ARE HARD SO IT IS IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO SAVE.

PREDICTION is made on the basis of prior knowledge. It answers questions such as: What do you think will happen? and Why do you think so?

IF WE DON’T OBSERVE COST-CUTTING MEASURES, WE MAY HAVE DIFFICULTY LIVING UP WITH THE TIMES.

Cost-cutting measures have to be practiced if a company or even the country as a whole has to survive. Cost-cutting takes different forms. A plain housewife can best cost-cut on expenses by recycling leftover food, turning off electricity and water faucets when not in use. Going to supermarket only once instead of water trips. These practices also help prevent panic buying which results in shortage of food supplies. Indeed the hardship that is felt nowadays can be reduced by observing some cost-cutting measures.

There are some potential advantages in being closer to the sun. Given enough fertilizers and water, year-round sunshine can create an extraordinary agricultural potential allowing as much as three crops a year. But water shortage restricts the areas where this is possible. As the oil runs out and solar power becomes more economical, the Third World will have greater possibilities of endlessly renewable energy than the developed Temperate Zone countries.What is the main idea of the paragraph?

A.Fertilizer and irrigation can increase the productivity of the developing world.

B.Two potential advantages of ample sunshine are increased agricultural output and solar energy.

C.The developed world has less solar energy potential than the developing world.

D.Oil runs out and solar power becomes more economical.