CE English

CE English-A Summary

Part 1-Reading Comprehension & Grammar

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Reading Comprehension

1.1 Introduction: Finding main idea-Main Points For Notice

1. Main point Not always in the first sentences while it can be a fact or an opinion.

2. Structure of Narrative: either linear (like a straight line) or cyclical (like a circle-not in rigid order & go in any direction)

3. Structure of description: work from outside to inwards

4. Guess the meaning of “strange words” in case you have no dictionary in hand.

1.2 Basic Components of Reading

1. Tenses

a) Differences of verb form of ‘should have gone ’ depends on the context of the rest of the sentence:

Compare: e.g. 1 I should have gone to the party. &

e.g. 2 I should have gone to the party were it not (i.e. if it were not-inversion) for the report I had to write.

b) Inversions

Compare: e.g. 3 I had been mentally alert and should have won the competition. (i.e. I was really mentally alert.)

e.g. 4 Had I been mentally alert I should have won the competition. (i.e. I was NOT really mentally alert.)

c) Conditional/Modals

e.g. 5 She could sing beautifully when she wanted to. (Strongly to reality.)

e.g. 6 She could sing beautifully if she wanted to.

d) Different meanings represented by active & passive voice

e.g. 7 The couple assured the orphanage they could take care their child. (More strongly of couple taking care themselves.)

e.g. 8 The couple assured the orphanage the child would be taken care of.

e) Different effects represented by active & passive voice

e.g. 9 You are advised that your bank account is now overdrawn.(Sound cold & displeased.)

e.g. 10 We would like to advise you that you have now overdrawn your account. (Sound much more friendly.)

2. Pronouns: this, these, that, those, such, it & relative pronouns who, which & that.

e.g. 1 It is curious that many people do not like ballet, theatre, opera, recitals or orchestral concerts but will avidly watch them on television. (‘Them’ refers to ‘all the arts mentioned.)

e.g. 2 There are some people who are always struggling to succeed but are restrained in their actions by some doubts, uncertainties and moral qualms; there are some who are even willing to enter the struggle and prefer to live a quiet, uneventful life; and there are some who are bent on getting power by hook or by crook and such people are dangerous. (‘Such people’ refers to the ‘last type mentioned’.)

e.g. 3 The number of cameras now available is very great, ranging from automatic and Polaroid cameras to 8mm and 35mm cameras (which are now the most popular). (The most popular camera is 35mm.)

e.g. 4 He intends to marry Miss Brown, which I don’t understand. (‘Which’ refers to the idea ‘the intention to marry’ but NOT ‘Miss Brown’.)

e.g. 5 He tried to get a taxi but did not find it easy. (‘it’ refers to an unmentioned gerund: ‘the getting of taxi’.)

e.g. 6 Outside stood the water barrel; Jean strolled across to wash her face with it. (‘it’ refers to the water barrel but writer obviously wish to refers to the water in the barrel.)

3. Punctuations: uses in a) make written word easier to read; b) important clue as to the what writer mean

Ø Illustrations: e.g. 1 Pilots whose minds are dull do not live long. (‘whose’ refers to only some [if any] pilots.)

e.g. 2 Pilots, whose minds are dull, do not live long. (*Non-definite clause refers to ‘All pilots’)

e.g. 3 The greatness of any human society depends on leadership; and leadership implies movement .The society must have some conscious aim; defensive merely, perhaps, in the early phases;…..(‘defensive merely’ refer to conscious aim.)

Ø 2 different uses of question marks:

a) Genuine question e.g. 4 What can be done to slow down inflation? It’s a frequent question among economists these days.

b) Rhetorical question (i.e. the writer is merely searching for your agreement and trying to involve you with his ideas) e.g. 5 London does not exactly embrace the traveller with open arms, does it?

Ø Use of Brackets: contain ideas , details or example s which amplify the main part of sentence/contain additional comments which do not fit grammatically or logically with the rest of sentenceàyou can pass over them quickly

Ø Dash: add or emphasize an idea not absolutely essential to main part of sentence

4. Vocabulary in context

Ø 3 main groups in vocabulary: 1. general; 2. technical; 3. slang & idioms

Ø Skills to guess word from context:

1. The sentence itself may explain the word.

2. Sometimes we can use our own experience to tell us the likely meaning.

3. The mood or feeling of a passage can also help us detect meaning.

4. The contrast in a sentence can enable us to discover the meaning of a word.

5. Transitional words

Ø Words such as also, furthermore, in additional, moreover, and, not only…,but and all indicate that the idea will continue to develop in the same direction as before.

Ø Words such as although, but, despite, in spite of, nevertheless, though, unless, indicate a change in the direction of the argument & suggest that new or contrasting idea going to develop.

Ø 2 Meanings of OR:

Ø e.g. 4 A I do not like swimming or dancing=I do not like swimming and I do not like dancing.(I dislike both). OR here is inclusive.

B Shall we go swimming or dancing? = Shall we go swimming or shall we go dancing? (Clearly we cannot do both at the same time. OR here is exclusive.

Further References/Exercises:

“Better Reading Skills”, Oxford, Fleming & Lee, 1987

Grammar

For certificate level English Exams, the most basic grammar components you need to know are namely as follow:

1. Tenses

2. Participles

3. 8 Parts of Speech: Verb-Transitional & Intransitional, Nouns-Types & Functions, Prepositions, Connectives

4. Passive Voice

5. Reported Speech

6. Conditional Statements

7. Agreement

8. Infinitives

9. Gerunds

10. Articles

11. Modal Words

12. Inversion