Skills for Life E1 Reading Multiple choice questions Teachers notes

Description In this activity students are introduced to multiple choice questions which test detailed comprehension, such as understanding the writers purpose. The activity also shows students how they might approach questions of this type. Time required: Materials required: 40 minutes Students Worksheet 1 one copy for each student. Also, project on to an electronic whiteboard or overhead projector if available. (Text slightly adapted from Part 1 of Entry 1 Reading Past Paper 2008 available on Teachers Resources website) Students Worksheet 2 one copy for each student. Also, project on to an electronic whiteboard or overhead projector if available. (Questions slightly adapted from Part 1 of Entry 1 Reading Past Paper 2008 available on Teachers Resources website)

Aims:

to familiarise students with multiple choice questions testing detailed comprehension in the Entry 1 Reading exams to show students how they might approach multiple choice questions testing detailed comprehension

Procedure 1. Explain to the students that in the Entry 1 Reading exams there are different kinds of questions but today they are going to look at one kind of question. 2. Show Students Worksheet 1 on the electronic whiteboard or overhead projector if available. (If not, hand out copies of Students Worksheet 1 to each student.) Tell students they have 20 seconds to get a general idea about the whole text. After 20 seconds remove Students Worksheet 1 from the whiteboard. (If they have paper copies, ask them to turn the paper over.) 3. Ask the whole group the following questions: What kind of text is it? note, an email. How do you know? Who is the writer? Suggest these options: a friend, a doctor, a parent. How do you know? Suggest these options: an advert, a leaflet, a notice, a

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Skills for Life E1 Reading notes

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What is the text about? Suggest these options: moving house, a party, health problems. How do you know?

4. Show Students Worksheet 2 on the electronic whiteboard or overhead projector if available. (If not, hand out copies of Students Worksheet 2 to each student.) Ask students to look at Question 1. Ask one of the stronger students to read the question out loud. Then ask students what the important words in each part of the question are. 5. Hand out Students Worksheet 2 (if you havent already done so). Ask students to underline or highlight the important words in Question 1. Monitor students as they do this. 6. Hand out Students Worksheet 1 (if you havent already done so). Ask students to find the answer to Question 1. Ask them to underline or highlight the part(s) of the text which give the answer. 7. Check the answer to Question 1 with the whole group. Go through each of the three options, asking students what is in the text that tells them whether an option is correct or not. Explain that they should be careful about wordspotting that is, they should not automatically assume that they can make quick matches between a question and the text at word level (e.g. English music). Instead, they should read the text carefully, thinking about alternative ways of saying the same thing, i.e. paraphrasing. 8. Ask students to underline or highlight the important parts of Questions 2 and 3 in Students Worksheet 2. Monitor students as they do this. Then check with whole class. 9. Ask students to find the answers to Questions 2 and 3 in the text in Students Worksheet 1. Ask them to underline or highlight the parts of the text which give the answers. Check answers with whole group, asking them to justify their answers by referring to the text. 10. Explain to students that the way people prefer to do comprehension tasks varies. However, for many students the approach they have taken in this activity is helpful. Ask students to recall the steps they went through. Summarise the approach:

1. Read the text quickly for a general idea about the format and main subject
matter.

2. Read the first question, underlining or highlighting the important words or

phrases.

3. Look in the text for the answer to the first question. 4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for subsequent questions.

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Skills for Life E1 Reading notes

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Also, remind students to be careful about wordspotting (the same word in the question and text) and to look for paraphrases (other ways of saying the same thing).

Additional information At Entry 1, wordspotting may sometimes be possible, particularly in those reading tasks which require scanning for specific, concrete information. However, students should be careful not to assume that word matches always work.

Suggested follow-up activities/questions (and answers) 1. See also activity Skills for Life Entry 1 Reading Multiple matching with multiple choice questions for other types of reading tasks with multiple choice questions that feature in the Entry 1 Reading exams. 2. See Past Papers on Teachers Resources website for more multiple choice questions questions.

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Skills for Life E1 Reading notes

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Skills for Life E1 Reading Multiple choice questions

Key to Procedure steps Step 3:

Answer keys

What kind of text is it? Accept these answers - a note, a message, an email (text only), a letter. How do you know? The overall format with opening and closing formulae. Who is the writer? A friend. How do you know? The language is quite informal e.g. Hi. / Let me know. / kids. What is the text about? A party. How do you know? Lots of references to party.

Steps 4 & 5: important words highlighted Question 1 Why is Iwona writing to you? Tick () one box. She wants a birthday present. She doesnt have any English music for her party. She needs a place to buy some food.

Steps 6 & 7: important words from text for Question 1: I dont want any presents. This makes the first option wrong. We can listen to English music. Iwona doesnt say that she doesnt have English music. Can you help me? Do you know a good pizza takeaway restaurant? Id like to get something to eat for the party. This tells us the third option is correct.

Step 8: important words highlighted Question 2 Why cant Iwona cook for her party? Tick () one box. Shes vegetarian. Shes busy. She isnt a good cook.
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Skills for Life E1 Reading keys

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Question 3 Where does Iwona want to have the party? Tick () one box. in college at home in a restaurant

Step 9: important words from text for Questions 2 & 3: Question 2 I dont want any meat I know a lot of students are vegetarians. This doesnt tell us that Iwona is vegetarian and it doesnt tell us why she cant cook. Therefore it tells us that the first option is wrong. I can cook very well. This tells us that the third option is wrong. I just havent got time now. This means that shes busy so the second option is correct. Question 3 Id like to invite all my friends from college to my house. This tells us the party is not in college but at home. We can have the party in my garden. This is further support for the second option at home. Do you know a good pizza takeaway restaurant? This doesnt tell us she wants the party in a restaurant; Iwona just wants to get takeaway pizza.

Key to Students Worksheet 2 Question 1 Why is Iwona writing to you? Tick () one box. She wants a birthday present. She doesnt have any English music for her party. She needs a place to buy some food.

Question 2 Why cant Iwona cook for her party? Tick () one box. Shes vegetarian. Shes busy.
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Skills for Life E1 Reading keys

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She isnt a good cook.

Question 3 Where does Iwona want to have the party? Tick () one box. in college at home in a restaurant

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Skills for Life E1 Reading keys

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Skills for Life E1 Reading Multiple choice questions

Students Worksheet 1

Hi Its my birthday soon. Id like to invite all my friends from college to my house. I dont want any presents. We can have some food. I dont want any meat I know a lot of students are vegetarians. We can listen to English music and just talk. We can have the party in my garden. Can you help me? Do you know a good pizza takeaway restaurant? Id like to get something to eat for the party. I can cook very well but I just havent got time now. My kids love pizza too. Let me know. Iwona

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Skills for Life E1 Reading Worksheet 1

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Skills for Life E1 Reading Multiple choice questions

Students Worksheet 2

Question 1 Why is Iwona writing to you? Tick () one box.

She wants a birthday present. She doesnt have any English music for her party. She needs a place to buy some food.

Question 2
Why cant Iwona cook for her party? Tick () one box.

Shes vegetarian. Shes busy. She isnt a good cook.

Question 3 Where does Iwona want to have the party? Tick () one box.

in college at home in a restaurant

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Skills for Life E1 Reading Worksheet 2

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