Y3 ENGLISH LE

Key Unit Competence: To use language learnt in the context of Study skills and writing

Introductory activity

Observe the following pictures and carry out tasks that follow:

1. Describe the activities that are being carried out on the pictures above

2. Mention some cases in which you need to write formal letter

3. Discuss the importance of study skills in your achievements.

5.1. Language use for instructions in the classroom.

5.1.1. Learning activity

Reading and text analysis

• Text: Cooperative learning

Did you know that the earliest drama in the world was created when people turned their myths into plays? This project will give you an opportunity to dramatize, or make a play out of a myth or folktale of your choice.

As a class, choose a myth or folktale from this unit or from any other source. Make sure that the story is simple enough to dramatize in the time you have.

Let everyone read the story you’ve chosen. On the chalkboard, make a list of characters and the scene you want to dramatize. Then improvise, or perform without a script, the first scene. Imagine what the characters would say and how they might feel. Let one person record the best lines of the actors as they improvise. Use your improvised performances as the basis of your dialogue.

Now divide into teams of three to five students. Let each team choose a scene to work on, using the method suggested above. For the scene that your group has chosen to write, select actors and a writer who will record the dialogue and develop the script. Make a chart like the one below to help you.

After you have written the dialogue, perform the scene for your class. Study the performance of the other groups so that you can choose an actor who will play the same character in every scene. Then, working together as a class, choose a director who will guide the rehearsals and suggest improvements to actor’s gestures, tone of voice, and movement. Some of these improvements should be added to the script in the form of stage directions, which tell the actor what to do.

The actor should now memorize their lines. Now it is also time to choose a set designer and a costume designer to work on the production. You might also need someone to control the lighting and someone else to provide music and sound effects. Make a chart like the one here to keep track of the tasks and who will be responsible for each one.

Rehearse until everyone knows their cues and the production runs smoothly. Decide on the time and place for your performance, consider presenting it in some other form, such as video or a tape recording.

An extract from Donna.A, Linda M.(2001). tales from here and there. Massachusetts; D.C. Health and Company, division of Houghton Mifflin company.

• Comprehension questions

1. What is the passage talking about?

2. For whom do you think this passage is meant?

3. Explain the kind of activities that should be carried out from the passage.

4. Do you ever carry out the activities that are discussed in the passage?

5. Relate those activities to the one your teacher conduct in your class. 

5.1.2. Application activity

Vocabulary, sentence and paragraph writing 

I. Vocabulary: use dictionary and thesaurus to check the meaning of the following words. Spell them correctly.

1. Dramatize

2. Myths

3. Folktale

4. Script

5. Costume

6. Cues

II. Construct meaningful sentences using the above words. 

III. Write a paragraph discussing the language you can use while giving instructions in class (Starting a lesson, developing a lesson and ending a class lesson etc...)

5.2 Reading extracts from literature

5.2.1. Learning activity

Reading and analysing extracts from a literary work

• Extract from: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

The extract tells us about Pip, an orphan who is about seven years old. While visiting the graves of his parents and siblings, the boy encounters an escaped convict in the village churchyard.

‘Hold your noise!’ cried a terrible voice, as a man started up from among the graves at the side of the church porch. ‘Keep still, you little devil, or I’ll cut your throat!’ A fearful man, all in coarse grey, with a great iron on his leg. A man with no hat, and with broken shoes, and with an old rag tied round his head. A man who had been soaked in water, and smothered in mud, and lamed by stones, and cut by flints, and stung by nettles, and torn by briars; who limped, and shivered, and glared, and growled; and whose teeth chattered in his head as he seized me by the chin.

‘O! Don’t cut my throat, sir,’ I pleaded in terror. ‘Pray don’t do it, sir.’ 

‘Tell us your name!’ said the man. ‘Quick!’ 

‘Pip, sir.’

‘Once more,’ said the man, staring at me. ‘Give it mouth!’ 

‘Pip. Pip, sir.’ 

‘Show us where you live,’ said the man. ‘Point out the place!’

I pointed to where our village lay, on the flat in-shore among the alder-trees and pollards, a mile or more from the church.

The man, after looking at me for a moment, turned me upside down, and emptied my pockets. There was nothing in them but a piece of bread. When the church came to itself, — for he was so sudden and strong that he made it go head over heels before me, and I saw the steeple under my feet, — when the church came to itself, I say, I was seated on a high tombstone, trembling while he ate the bread ravenously.

‘You young dog,’ said the man, licking his lips, ‘what fat cheeks you ha’ got.’

I believe they were fat, though I was at that time undersized for my years, and not strong.

‘Darn Me if I couldn’t eat em,’ said the man, with a threatening shake of his head, ‘and if I hadn’t half a mind to ’t!’

I earnestly expressed my hope that he wouldn’t, and held tighter to the tombstone on which he had put me; partly, to keep myself upon it; partly, to keep myself from crying.

‘Now look here!’ said the man. ‘Where’s your mother?’ 

‘There, sir!’ said I. 

He started, made a short run, and stopped and looked over his shoulder. 

‘There, sir!’ I timidly explained. ‘Also Georgiana. That’s my mother.’ 

‘Oh!’ said he, coming back. ‘And is that your father along your mother?’ 

‘Yes, sir,’ said I; ‘him too; late of this parish.’

‘Ha!’ he muttered then, considering. ‘Who d’ye live with, - supposin’ you’re kindly 

let to live, which I han’t made up my mind about?’ 

‘My sister, sir, — Mrs Joe Gargery, — wife of Joe Gargery, the blacksmith, sir.’ 

‘Blacksmith, eh?’ said he. And looked down at his leg. 

After darkly looking at his leg and me several times, he came closer to my tombstone, took me by both arms, and tilted me back as far as he could hold me; so that his eyes looked most powerfully down into mine, and mine looked most helplessly up into his.

‘Now lookee here,’ he said, ‘the question being whether you’re to be let to live. You know what a file is?’

Yes, sir.’

And you know what wittles is?’ 

‘Yes, sir.’

After each question he tilted me over a little more, so as to give me a greater sense of helplessness and danger. 

‘You get me a file.’ He tilted me again. ‘And you get me wittles.’ He tilted me again. 

‘You bring ‘em both to me.’ He tilted me again. ‘Or I’ll have your heart and liver out.’

He tilted me again. 

I was dreadfully frightened, and so giddy that I clung to him with both hands, and said, ‘If you would kindly please to let me keep upright, sir, perhaps I shouldn’t be sick, and perhaps I could attend more.’

He gave me a most tremendous dip and roll, so that the church jumped over its own weathercock. Then, he held me by the arms, in an upright position on the top of the stone, and went on in these fearful terms:

‘You bring me, to-morrow morning early, that file and them whittles. You bring the lot to me, at that old Battery over yonder. You do it, and you never dare to say a word or dare to make a sign concerning your having seen such a person as me, or any person sumever, and you shall be let to live. You fail, or you go from my words in any partickler, no matter how small it is, and your heart and your liver shall be tore out, roasted, and ate. Now, I ain’t alone, as you may think I am. There’s a young man hid with me, in comparison with which young man I am an Angel.

That young man hears the words I speak. That young man has a secret way peculiar to himself, of getting at a boy, and at his heart, and at his liver. It is in vain for a boy to attempt to hide himself from that young man. A boy may lock his door, may be warm in bed, may tuck himself up, may draw the clothes over his head, may think himself comfortable and safe, but that young man will softly creep and creep his way to him and tear him open. I am keeping that young man from harming you at the present moment, with great difficulty. I find it very hard to hold that young man off of your inside. Now, what do you say?’

I said that I would get him the file, and I would get him those broken bits of food I could, and I would come to him at the Battery, early in the morning. 

‘Say Lord strike you dead if you don’t!’ said the man. 

I said so, and he took me down.

Adapted from Charles Dickens’ (1861). Great Expectations. London: Chapman and Hall.

• Comprehension questions 

Carefully read this extract from Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations and answer the questions that follow: 

1. Describe the man who is talked about in this extract.

2. Describe the character of the narrator in this extract. 

3. Where does the conversation between Pip and the escapee take place? 

4. How does the escapee end up snatching Pip’s loaf of bread? 

5. The man told Pip that he was with a young man who was more awesome than him. Do you think he was telling the truth? Explain. 

5.2.2. Application activity

Vocabulary, paragraph and composition writing

I. Vocabulary

In full sentences, explain the following words as used in the above passage. 

a. ... soaked... 

b. ...smothered... 

c. ...rag... 

d. ...briar.../ (brier) 

e. ...steeple... 

f. f. ...tombstone... 

g. ... tilted... 

h. ...clung... 

i. ...tremendous... 

j. ...peculiar... 

II. Paragraph writing 

In two paragraphs, explain what Pip’s reaction towards the escapee in the above extract reveal about his character

III. Composition writing.

a. Write a 6 paragraph composition, describing the character of the escapee in this extract. 

b. Pip almost got killed as he visited the graveyard where his parents and relatives are buried. Write a short composition explaining whether visiting our ancestor’s graveyard is or it is not a worthwhile practice. c. Step by step, explain how you would have reacted if you were in Pip’s situation.

5.3. Composition writing

5.3.1. Learning activity

Reading and text analysis

Read the following passages and answer questions that follow:

• Text1: Understanding the topic, reading and note-making

Understanding an essay topic plays a great role in academic essay writing. The reason is that the tutor is supposed to give instructions regarding how to write an essay. In other words, the ability to understand your essay topic well is an important step in all types of essay writing. For writing a good essay, you must begin by taking a careful look at the topic in order to make correct judgment as to what exactly your instructor requires of you. The awareness of different types of essay topics proves necessary for choosing the best way of approaching the topic. Generally, we distinguish two types of essay topics: “open ended topics and closed essay topics.”

Once you have a topic, you will need things to say about it. This supporting material can include facts, ideas, examples, observations, memories, views from experts, stories, etc. If you are writing on a familiar topic, supporting materials may come from your own head. To retrieve it from your head you use a technique known as brainstorming. However, it is rare that you will be able to produce forceful, vivid, academic essay writing by drawing upon only what is in your head. When your topic is unfamiliar, brainstorming will not work, but whatever the topic, familiar or unfamiliar, talking with people knowledgeable can also produce useful results.

The best way to deal with an unfamiliar topic is through reading. The lecturer/ tutor may provide you with a reading or reference list. But even if such help is not there, a visit to a local library or resource centre should yield promising references for you to investigate. Look through each to find and to jot down any information that looks useful, either as direct quotation or in your own words (paraphrasing or summarizing). Whenever you use a direct quotation or you paraphrase or summarize material from reference book, you must give proper credit to the source. This means that your notes and finally the essay should show that the ideas you have used are not from your head only but also from other persons.

For example, you could write: Tartson (1991:20) says: “Robots will have far greater benefits for humanity in future than we are presently willingly to accept.”

In this case, Tartson is the surname of the writer of the material you are reading, 1991 the date the material was published, and 20 the page you are getting the quotation from. While reading library material you should ensure that you keep a clear record of what you read in your notes and the exact source of your information- be it books, journals, theses and the pages you got the ideas you want to use from. The reason is that while grading your assignment, your lecturer needs evidence or proof that you have actually researched your essay topic by using library sources and other published material in your own writing.

Adapted from Langan, J. (2003). College Writing Skills, Media Edition. Atlantic City: McGraw-Hill Companies.

• Comprehension questions 

1. What does an essay writer have to do first?

2. What are the main types of essay topics? Give an example to each type.

3. According to the third paragraph, describe two ways you can use information from different sources when you are developing an essay.

4. Describe how you can give credit to the source when you are writing an essay.

• Text 2: Composition writing process

The writing process can be described as a process of discovering ideas, developing and organizing them. The process is not simple, and neither does it take place in a linear manner. Good writing takes a lot of time and practice.

Most experienced writers have reported that to produce a good piece of writing, you have to pass through certain stages while writing an essay. These are:

Drafting: with your research finished, you may look at a stack of note cards or photocopied materials you have made and wonder what to do with them. The task is now to organize your information. Start by sorting your notes into various groups, label the groups and write sub-headings.as you begin drafting, introduce your topic and state your thesis in an introduction. A thesis states the key point or argument you wish to make about your topic. Having decided on a thesis, develop an organizational plan that will best support your thesis. There are several methods of organizing a paper, but the right plan for you is the best matches the content and the purpose of your paper. Once you have chosen an organizational approach, use an outline or graphic organizer to help you arrange the details to fit your organization. In an outline, list each main point you will cover next to Roman numeral. Under each main point, enter the topic you will discuss next. After this, draft your essay for the first time.

Revising: once you have completed your first draft, start looking for ways to improve it. Take a critical look at each level of writing, from the overall structure to individual word choices. Focus on individual paragraphs, check if they are arranged properly to support your thesis. Examine your draft closely, looking for patterns in your sentences. Provide variety where needed by interrupting patterns with sentences of different lengths or types.

Editing and proof reading: errors in spelling, punctuation, grammar and usage indicate sloppiness and carelessness-qualities you do not want associated with your work. Before creating your final draft, proofread your essay to eliminate such errors.

Publishing and presenting: this is the time to share your essay with the class or your tutor.

Adapted from Langan, J. (2003). College Writing Skills, Media Edition. Atlantic City: McGraw-Hill Companies.

• Comprehension questions

1. How is writing defined according to the passage above?

2. Discuss in few words the stages passed through when writing an essay. 

5.3.2. Application activity

Vocabulary 

 I. Vocabulary: use dictionary and thesaurus to check the meaning of the following words in bracket. Spell them correctly.

II. Write meaningful sentences using the above words.

III. Choose a topic of your choice and write a 300 word essay. Refer to the stages of essay writing explained in this unit. 

5.4. Making notes and Writing a summary

5.4.1. Learning activity

Reading and text analysis

• Text1: Information report

Comprehension is the main goal for reading. One can ask him/her self, “To what extent do I understand what I have read? The answer to this question is that some materials are so simple that there is no doubt that a reader understands details and the total. On the other hand, some materials can be difficult for a reader and the only way to prove that he/she has understood what has been read is to try to report the information. This report can be oral or written. It can also take the form of answering a questionnaire or an essay. In order to find the important points, it is good to underline or write in a notebook the message of each paragraph, and later use these notes to build a report.

A statement that a reader might write could be; “after five years of preparation, solar energy research institute has designed an experiment to test feasibility of open-cycle ocean thermal energy conversion to generate electricity in Hawaii”. A reader asks him/herself if in the information in the first statement of the second paragraph is essential to his/her report. If not, then he/she might consider the information in the second and third sentences. A reader extracts only the important information and re-writes it in his/her own words.

In some cases, two paragraphs will be talking about more-or-less the same subject, but different facets of that subject. The best way here is combining statement that may suffice for reporting on what was talked about in two, or sometimes more, paragraphs. The report should be much shorter than the article which has been read.

In making reports, it is often good practice to use much the same type of rhetoric writing as that used in the article. However if the report is to be reflective of the reader’s comprehension, he/she may have to use his/her own rhetorical style. Despite limitations and rules concerning technical writing and small differences in personal style, there is never only one way to say something. Whereas, a reader may not appear as I or me in a technical article, because the own personality may freely show in the words and sentence structures he/she uses. One thing to be watching out for, however, is being simplistic.

Adapted from English for the school of science 6th form. Ministry of Education

• Comprehension questions 

1. What indicates that you have comprehended what you read?

2. When reading a material what should a reader do in order to find the important points?

3. How often do you report what you read?

4. Describe the process of reporting what one reads as explained in the passage. 

• Text 2: Summarizing

A summary is a brief statement, in your own words, of the main ideas in a passage that you are reading. When you are summarizing, your focus usually is on the main points in which you may not include supporting ideas such as facts, reasons, etc. The main goal in summarizing a passage is to give your reader an accurate idea of the content and the emphasis of the original.

Reid, J. M. (1994: 299) defined the summary as a brief description of the main ideas or actions. The author went further to say that we summarize for someone who has not read (or seen or experienced) the book, article, film, or terrible vacation, that we have read. The general purpose of a summary, then, is to give a limited amount of information to a specific reader/audience.

How do you write summaries? This is a fundamental question each person could ask him/herself. Although writing summaries may seem to be an easy task, writing it is a complex task. The writer therefore must obey the following:

To read the original work well and understand it thoroughly;

To identify the main ideas;

To restate all these main ideas.

The most difficult part of writing a summary then is accurately stating ideas of another person’s article/book or work without using the exact phrases or sentences of the original work.

Finally, successful summaries are clear and balanced; this means that the reader can easily understand the main ideas of the longer work.

Adapted from Langan, J. (2003). College Writing Skills, Media Edition. Atlantic City: McGraw-Hill Companies

• Comprehension questions

1. How often do you write summaries in your everyday class works?

2. What does a writer focus on when summarizing a text?

3. How does the passage define a summary?

4. Describe some stages that we should go through when summarizing a piece of work. 

5.4.2. Application activity

Vocabulary, 

I. Vocabulary:

Use dictionary and thesaurus to check the meaning of the following words as they are used in the above passages. Spell them correctly 

1. Extract

2. Suffice

3. Rhetoric

4. Facets

5. Simplistic

II. Write correct sentences using the above words that relate to reporting a piece of writing. 

III. Choose a material either from internet or library, summarize it and present it to your classmates. 

5.5. Explaining, Defining, Giving examples and Contrasting in an essay

5.5.1. Learning activity

Reading and exploitation of the text

• Text 1: Expository essay

Distinguishing between types of essays is simply a matter of determining the writer’s goal. The writer may want to tell about a personal experience, describe something, explain an issue, or convince the reader to accept a certain viewpoint. Identifying major types of essays address these purposes.

The expository essay is an informative piece of writing that presents a balanced analysis of a topic. In an expository essay, the writer explains or defines a topic, using facts, statistics, and examples. Expository writing encompasses a wide range of essay variations, such as the comparison and contrast essay, the cause and effect essay, and the “how to” or process essay. Because expository essays are based on facts and not personal feelings, writers don’t reveal their emotions or write in the first person. When comparing and contrasting, the writer explains how two or more subjects are similar and different. For example: although my sister and I look alike, we have plenty of differences. My sister, Jessica, is thirteen years old, and she is in the eighth grade. She likes to be with a lot of people at once and always has something going on. On the other hand, I am eighteen years old, and a freshman in college. I love my quiet time, for example reading magazines or watching TV.

At times when writing an expository essay, it may not be easy to know when to end one paragraph and begin another, but your task will become easier if you think of a paragraph as a group of sentences related by subject matter and presenting one theme/idea.

In the words of KADEGHE, M. (2005:123) the paragraphs that are well written have certain logic about them. A well written paragraph has a tight structure that leads the reader through the development of its content. One element of a given paragraph’s logic is its topic sentence. This is the sentence in a paragraph that holds the paragraph’s main idea, the idea the paragraph subsequently develops. The topic sentence tells the reader what the paragraph is going to be about. The part of the topic sentence that announces the specific area to be discussed is called the controlling idea. Supporting sentences develop the topic sentence. That is, they explain or prove the topic sentence by giving more information about it. The writer can support the topic sentence by giving examples. For example “First of all, gold has a lustrous beauty that is resistant to corrosion. For example, a Macedonian coin remains as untarnished today as the day it was made 25 centuries ago. Another important characteristic of gold is its usefulness to industry and science. The most recent use of gold is in astronauts’ suits.”

The sentence that ends the paragraph is called the concluding sentence. In a word, a paragraph must have a topic sentence followed by a series of supporting sentences and a concluding sentence.

Adapted from Reid J.M.(1994). The Process of Paragraph Writing. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Regent. 

 • Comprehension questions

1. How far do you write an essay following the above discussed essay writing tips?

2. Mention some types of an essay referring to the writer’s goals mentioned in the first paragraph. 

3. Discuss what make a good paragraph from the passage above.

4. Find either from internet or the library some expository essays that follow the above mentioned tips. 

• Text 2: Recounting the biography of Nelson Mandela

Rolihlahla Mandela was born in the Madiba clan in the village of Mvezo, in the Eastern Cape, on 18 July 1918. His mother was Nonqaphi Nosekeni and his father was Nkosi Mphakanyiswa Gadla Mandela, principal counselor to the Acting King of the Thembu people, Jongintaba Dalindyebo. In 1930, when he was 12 years old, his father died and the young Rolihlahla became a ward of Jongintaba at the Great Place in Mqhekezweni. Hearing the elders’ stories of his ancestors’ valour during the wars of resistance, he dreamed also of making his own contribution to the freedom struggle of his people.

He attended primary school in Qunu where his teacher, Miss Mdingane, gave him the name Nelson, in accordance with the custom of giving all schoolchildren “Christian” names. He completed his Junior Certificate at Clarkebury Boarding Institute and went on to Healdtown, a Wesleyan secondary school of some repute, where he matriculated. Mandela began his studies for a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University College of Fort Hare but did not complete the degree there as he was expelled for joining in a student protest. He completed his BA through the University of South Africa and went back to Fort Hare for his graduation in 1943.In 1989, while in the last months of his imprisonment; he obtained bachelors degree in laws through the University of South Africa.

Mandela, while increasingly politically involved from 1942, only joined the African National Congress in 1944 when he helped to form the ANC Youth League (ANCYL).Mandela rose through the ranks of the ANCYL and through its efforts; the ANC adopted a more radical mass-based policy, the Programme of Action, in 1949.

In 1952 he was chosen as the National Volunteer-in-Chief of the Defiance Campaign with Maulvi Cachalia as his deputy. This campaign of civil disobedience against six unjust laws was a joint programme between the ANC and the South African Indian Congress. He and 19 others were charged under the Suppression of Communism Act for their part in the campaign and sentenced to nine months of hard labour, suspended for two years.

At the end of 1952 he was banned for the first time. As a restricted person he was only permitted to watch in secret as the Freedom Charter was adopted in Kliptown on 26 June 1955. 

On 21 March 1960 police killed 69 unarmed people in a protest in Sharpeville against the pass laws. This led to the country’s first state of emergency and the banning of the ANC and the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) on 8 April. Mandela and his colleagues in the Treason Trial were among thousands detained during the state of emergency.

Days before the end of the Treason Trial, Mandela travelled to Pietermaritzburg to speak at the All-in Africa Conference, which resolved that he should write to Prime Minister Verwoerd requesting a national convention on a non-racial constitution, and to warn that should he not agree there would be a national strike against South Africa becoming a republic. After he and his colleagues were acquitted in the Treason Trial, Mandela went underground and began planning a national strike for 29, 30 and 31 March. In the face of massive mobilization of state security the strike was called off early. In June 1961 he was asked to lead the armed struggle and helped to establish Umkhonto Wesizwe (Spear of the Nation), which was launched on 16 December 1961 with a series of explosions

On 9 October 1963 Mandela joined 10 others on trial for sabotage in what became known as the Rivonia Trial. While facing the death penalty his words to the court at the end of his famous “Speech from the Dock” on 20 April 1964 became immortalized 

On 11 June 1964 Mandela and seven other accused, were convicted and the next day were sentenced to life imprisonment. Goldberg was sent to Pretoria Prison because he was white, while the others went to Robben Island. 

On 12 August 1988 he was taken to hospital where he was diagnosed with tuberculosis. After more than three months in two hospitals he was transferred on 7 December 1988 to a house at Victor Verster Prison near Paarl where he spent his last 14 months of imprisonment. He was released from its gates on Sunday 11 February 1990 

Mandela immersed himself in official talks to end white minority rule and in 1991 was elected ANC President to replace his ailing friend, Oliver Tambo. In 1993 he and President Klerk jointly won the Nobel Peace Prize and on 27 April 1994 he voted for the first time in his life. 

On 10 May 1994 he was inaugurated as South Africa’s first democratically elected President. True to his promise, Mandela stepped down in 1999 after one term as President. He continued to work with the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund he set up in 1995 and established the Nelson Mandela Foundation and The Mandela Rhodes Foundation.

Nelson Mandela never wavered in his devotion to democracy, equality and learning. Despite terrible provocation, he never answered racism with racism. His life is an inspiration to all who are oppressed and deprived; and to all who are opposed to oppression and deprivation. He died at his home in Johannesburg on 5 December 2013.

Adapted from History for Rwanda schools, learner’s book senior 5. Rwanda education board.

• Comprehension questions 

1. Classify the above passage after reading it thoroughly.

2. What inspired Mandela to struggle for freedom?

3. What do you think was African National Congress formed for?

4. Explain his struggle throughout his life in politics.

5. What happened to him after he was released?

6. Appreciate Mandela’s success to freedom in not more than 10 lines.

5.5.2. Application activity

Vocabulary, sentence, summary and essay writing

I. Vocabulary: 

1. Use dictionary and thesaurus to check the meaning of the following words and phrases. Practice spelling them correctly.

1) Clan

2) Valour

3) Matriculated

4) Restricted

5) Charter

6) Acquitted 

7) Sabotage 

8) Immortalised

2. Match words with their synonyms from the table below

II. Use the above words to construct the meaningful sentences. 

III. Summarize the biography of Nelson Mandela in not more than 20 lines focusing on the milestones in his life. (Education, joining politics and life after his release) 

IV. Choose an expository topic from your school environment and write an essay of 250 words. 

5.6. Academic and Professional writing

5.6.1. Learning activity

Reading and exploitation of the text

• Text1: Curriculum vitae

The terms “curriculum vitae” is derived from two Latin words: curriculum and vita. The first means course, history or way while the second means life. The form “vitae” means “of life”. When combined therefore they mean “course or history of life”.

Ngondo, G. (2005:10) defines “curriculum” as a sales document that highlights your skills, achievements and experience in such a way that the reader will be interested to meet you. It includes your name, contact information, education (as well as research and teaching experience, publications), professional associations and licenses, awards and other information relevant to the position you are applying for.

KADEGHE, M. (2005: 35) shares views with Ngondo and added that a good curriculum vitae is just like an advertisement except that it is an advertisement for you. Therefore, it is the most advertisement you will ever write. If you think of your cv as your sales document, then you need to search for the attributes that you have to sell from within yourself and present them in a manner that that will interest the buyer (the reader / potential employer). Areas that can interest employers are personal profile, your achievement, Education /Qualifications, Trainings and skills, Personal details, Hobbies and interests and References.

Universally there are three recognized formats you can choose from: chronological, functional and hybrid /targeted formats. The chronological CV format is the most frequently used. It is used when your career progression is stable and your professional growth is consistent. The functional CV format mainly highlights your key skills and strengths and does not emphasize who you worked for and job titles. The hybrid CV or targeted CV format is the combination of both chronological and functional styles. Use this format when targeting a specific type of job

It is difficult to say how long a CV should be. Most people agree that a 2 or 3 page CV is enough. Some people however argue that a one page CV is good enough. From the point of view of NGONDO, G. (2005:45), there is very little that can go into a single page CV unless you have very little to “sell” about yourself. Therefore it is what you want to advertise for the reader that will determine the length of your CV.

Adapted from Langan, J. (2003). College Writing Skills, Media Edition. Atlantic City: McGraw-Hill Companies 

• Comprehension questions:

1. How is Curriculum Vitae defined etymologically?

2. Why do authors state that CV is someone’s advertisement?

3. Explain the three types of CV formats.

4. Discuss some cases in which you may need to write a CV. 

• Text 2: Formal letters

Communication between human being; organization and so on is quite indispensable. In this regard, letters bridge the gap between them. The purpose of writing therefore is to communicate a thought, a fact, an idea, a sentiment, a celebration or a happening. A well-constructed letter can help you to win a business, improve and develop your relationship with clients. Letter writing is essential to many tasks, related to business, commerce, government and other important organizations. Every educated person should have the art of writing letters for all occasions for practical reasons.

Letter writing is much different from other kinds of writing. The context can be casual/ informal or formal. There are other essential elements to be noted as to whom the letter is addressed and if there is any tone required in the language you have to use. In English, letters fall under two main classes’ namely informal and formal letters. Informal letters are written to relatives, friends, classmates and equals. They do not have a rigid structure to follow. On the other hand formal letter are addressed to people of higher authority. For this reason you have to pay attention to the layout, formal language use and clarity of ideas.

In English, we distinguish the following formal letters: the Cover letter/ the application letter, the complaint letter, the letter of interest, the apology letter, the letter of appeal, the invitation letter, the resignation letter, and letter of recommendation. The aforementioned letters are some of the most used. 

A cover letter should always accompany your curriculum vitae when you contact a potential employer. A good cover letter opens a window to your personality and describes specific strengths and skills you are to offer the employer.

With a cover letter, you can further tailor your application to expand on certain points from your curriculum vitae. A professionally presented cover letter adds weight to your C.V. And taking time to write a cover letter further highlights your interest in the position.

As far as its parts are concerned, a cover letter has three essential paragraphs. The first justifies why you are writing. So, be clear and concise regarding your request. The middle paragraphs justify and support what you have to offer. Convince therefore the readers so that they should grant you the interview or appointment you requested in the first paragraph. Remember you are interpreting your curriculum vitae. Try to support each statement you make with a piece of evidence. Use shorter paragraphs rather than one large block of text. The last or final paragraph may illustrate how you will follow up. Remember it is your responsibility to follow up and this relates to your job search.

Adapted from Hills, R. (2006). The Art of Effective Letter Writing. New Delhi: Lotus Press.

• Comprehension questions

1. What are the major classes of letters?

2. Discuss the major purpose of writing a letter as discussed in the passage.

3. Why is it said that letter writing is different from other kinds of writing?

4. How often in your class do you need to write a formal letter? Give examples 

5. What are the main parts of a cover letter as discussed in the passage? 

• Text 3: Speech writing

A speech is a spoken statement that presents a position and tries to convince an audience to accept to take action. An effective speech addresses an issue of concern or important to the audience, clearly states the speaker’s position and goal, supports the position with clearly organized facts, examples and statistics, addresses the knowledge level, experiences, needs, and concerns of intended audience,. When preparing to write a speech, start with a topic that truly interests or concerns the audience.

After selecting a hot topic, focus a specific of it that you can fully and completely support. If, for example you choose a topic such as “ health care” you would need many hours to identify very important issue. A narrower related topic, such as “the importance of preventive care” would be a more suitable topic for a short persuasive speech. To effectively do this, you need to create an outline. Creating an outline helps to divide your topic into smaller parts. Begin by writing your broad topic as the main level of an outline. Divide the topic into lettered heads such as A, B, C and so on.

As you plan your speech, it is important that you consider both your audience and your purpose. Your audience might be a crowd such as a school assembly, the community meeting or any other gathering of people. Putting yourself in the shoes of your audience is a good way to make sure that you have gathered enough information about a topic. Imagine that you are an audience member, and make a list of the things you would like to find out when listening to a speech on your topic. As you gather ideas, use your list to help you make sure that you are tailoring your speech to your audience’s specific concerns and expectations.

The strength of your speech will depend on the quality of your analysis and evidence. You won’t convince anyone unless you have facts, details, anecdotes, and personal experiences to support your statements. Unless you are already an expert on your topic, explore reliable sources to collect facts, statistics and examples you can use to support your argument. Consult books, articles, respected magazines and influential periodicals, visit internet sites that are sponsored by well-known organizations or prominent individuals.

Once you have finished gathering evidence to include in your speech, write out a first draft. In preparing your draft, keep in mind that your argument will be presented orally. Pay attention to the sound of the language, as well as to its meaning.

Once you have finished your first draft, revise it by focusing on its overall structure, paragraphs, sentences, and words. Your speech should leave listeners with a strong lasting impression. To achieve this goal, you need to present a unified argument- one that focuses on single important or main idea. Each paragraph in your speech should contribute to its main idea. Likewise, each sentence within each paragraph should support the main idea of the paragraph.

Before you present your speech aloud, check your grammar, usage, and spelling carefully. Deliver your speech to your classmates or to another audience. While making your presentation, make frequent eye contact with your audience and use hand gestures to emphasize your key points. Speak slowly and clearly, and vary the tone and volume of your voice to match the content of your speech. If possible, record your delivery so that you can evaluate your own presentation.

A text from, ,Joyce A, et al. (2003). writing and grammar. Massachusetts; Pearson education

• Comprehension questions 

1. What is a speech according to the above passage?

2. Discuss the main things that the speech addresses. 

3. Why do you think you should consider the audience when preparing a speech?

4. Discuss why the strength of your speech will depend on the quality of your analysis and evidence.

5. Discuss the main things you consider when it comes to speech delivery.

5.6.2. Application activity

I. Vocabulary: use dictionary and thesaurus to check the meaning of 

the following words. Spell them correctly.

1. Indispensable. 2. Sentiment. 3. Rigid 4. Clarity 5. Aforementioned 

6. Grant 7. Anecdotes 8. Periodicals 9. Prominent

II. Use the above words to construct the meaningful sentences.

III. Write a letter to your tutor asking for sitting for a test that you missed because you were sick.

IV. Write a meaningful composition appreciating the need for letter writing in academic life. 

Note: One example is helpful to illustrate how the Curriculum vitae and formal letters (cover letter, resignation and apology letter) are written.

I. A sample curriculum vitae

1. personal information

Name: Steven Mugisha

Nationality: Rwanda

Date of Birth: 02/10/1985

Gender: Male

Marital status: Married 

Residency: Kigali,Nyarugenge

II. Professional experience (Starting from the latest)

September 2014 - Production Manager

Present Gulf Hygienic Industries LTD

1. Establishing production standards of efficiency, minimum wastages and maximum utilization of resources (machines, raw material and manpower). 

2. Supervising production processes to ensure implementation of company standards

January 2009-2010: Production accountant

                                         Amanta Groups of companies

1. Preparing production budget and maintain/improve budget limitations to meet plant’s annual objectives and standards according to sales projections. 

III. EDUCATION BACKGROUND (starting from the latest)

Example

2010-2013: Kyambogo Institute of Business 

 Bachelors of Business and Management 

2006-2008: UBUMWE High School

 Certificate in Accountancy 

2002-2005: Sano Secondary School

 Ordinary Level 

1995-2001: Agahozo Primary School

IV. Trainings and awards 

- Training and Certificate in Global Learning Organizations 

- Training and Certificate in Environmental Management System

V. Computer Skills

MS Word, MS Excel, Power Point

VI.Language proficiency 

English              excellent 

French              very good

VII. Hobbies and interests

I enjoy reading fiction books, building computer networks and making friends.

VIII. References

Reference Telephone e-mail 

Abdul Rahman Galeb, Chief of personnel +999.55555555 aaab@mail.com

Walid Mohammad Mustafa, Legal Advisor +888.66666666 bcd@mail.com

Mrs. Saima Khan IT Executive +01092282091 khan.s@maplins.co.uk

II. Sample cover letter

                     Kigali/Nyarugenge

                     Email: seremanifff@yahoo.fr

                    Tel: ………………..

                      March 4th, 2015

Human Resources

ISCO Company

Dear Sir/Madam, Request: Application for the position of Security Officer With reference to your advertisement published in IMVAHO NSHYA no 1850 that appeared yesterday for a security officer, I would like to apply for this position in your company. 

 I am especially interested to apply for this position because my experience as a senior security, professional in the army has prepared me for a disciplined officer to secure work environment and the challenges associated with unexpected events. 

 I promise to use this experience for enhancing the security in your company and I would appreciate an opportunity to meet you to discuss how my experience will best meet your needs. I believe that my ideas on how to improve your company’s security posture may be of particular interest to you. 

 The attached documents are my training certificates, identity card, and my curriculum vitae.

I am looking forward to the favorable answer from you.

Yours faithfully,

Signature

Selemani Matanya

III. Sample resignation letter

A resignation letter is a letter expressing the intent of an employee to resign from a company or an institution to join another or for furthering his/her studies

n this letter, first thank the employer for having employed you for a given time. Then the employee provides enough time to get a replacement. This period of time varies from institution to another. The resignation letter generally expresses the details of the resignation, and includes the date and reasons for leaving. They are often called a letter of resignation or a notice of employment termination.

Your address (no name)

28th February, 2015

SULFO Company Manager

P.O. Box456

Kigali/Rwanda

Dear Sir,

Re: Resignation from duties

I would like to inform you that I am resigning from my position as a Marketing Officer at SULFO Rwanda Industries, effective from March 3, 2013. 

Thank you for the support and the opportunities that you have provided me during the last two years. I have enjoyed my tenure with the company. 

I think two weeks are enough to find a replacement. If I can be of any assistance during this transition, please let me know. I would be glad to help. 

Yours faithfully

Signature 

Name 

IV. Sample apology letter

An apology letter is written after something has gone wrong. In this regard you accept the mistake or wrong doing done, you promise to pay back or replace the damaged thing and finally promise that it will never happen again. This kind of letter is mostly used in business. For instance, delay regarding an order made, supply of damaged raw materials, supply of expired goods, etc.

Consider the sample below:

P.O Box: 2001

Kigali/Rwanda

Utexrwa@yahoo.com

The Headmaster of Lycée de Kigali

P.O Box: 4045

Kigali

Dear Sir, 

Re: Apology for the mix-up in your last order 

I would like to apologize for the mix-up in your last order. We recently hired a new sales person who was not familiar with your systems. We have corrected your order and shipped it out this morning. We have applied a 10% discount on your order, apologize and again apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. 

Thank you very much for your understanding.

Yours faithfully,

Signature

Name

Title 

V. Example of memorandum (memo)

A memorandum is a short and informal note, report or message which is generally written on a specifically printed form for circulation within a company or institution. It is used for brief messages, for example, the outcome of meetings, the name of persons hired or promoted, dispatch of goods, receipt of formal communications, appointments, use of office facilities, or any other information that is to be shared in a business. It is typically used by firms for internal communication as opposed to letters which are typically for external communication.

Memos should have the following sections and content: ‘To’ section containing the name of the receiver, ‘from’ section containing the name of the sender,date, a heading, the message and signature.

MEMO

To: Katherine Chu, Regional Manager

From: Stephen Yu, Sales

Date: 11 May 2013

Subject: Notification of My Resignation

I am writing to inform you of my intention to resign from G & S Holdings. 

I have appreciated very much my four years working for the company. The training has been excellent and I have gained valuable experience working within an efficient and professional team environment. In particular, I have appreciated your personal guidance during these first years of my career. 

I feel now that it is time to further develop my knowledge and skills base in a different environment. 

I would like to leave, if possible, in a month’s time on Saturday, 8 June. This will allow me to complete my current workload. I hope that this suggested arrangement is acceptable to the company. 

Once again, thank you for your support.

5.7. Language structure: Connectors of example giving, contrast, explaining, listing

I. Connectors of example giving

Good essays always back up points with examples, but it is going to get boring if you use the expression “for example” every time. Here are a couple of other ways of saying the same thing.

1. For instance

Example:

 “Some birds migrate to avoid harsher winter climates. Swallows, for instance, leave the UK in early winter and fly south…”

2. To give an illustration

Example: “To give an illustration of what I mean, let’s look at the case of…”

II. Contrast

In essay writing, clauses of contrast are introduced by although, though, however, even if, even though, whereas, while, nevertheless, on the other hand, no matter. 

Examples:

1. Although writing summaries may seem to be an easy task, writing it is a complex thing to do. 

2. You risk to be arrested though you were not involved in the matter.

3. Informal letters are written to relatives, friends, classmates and equals. On the other hand formal letter are addressed to people of higher authority.

4. When retrieving information from your head you use a technique known as brainstorming. However, it is rare that you will be able to produce forceful essay.

III. Listing and adding information

We shouldn’t each time use “and” when we want to add further information in support of a point they’re making, or to build an argument. Here are some other ways of adding information.

1. Moreover: Employ “moreover” at the start of a sentence to add extra information in support of a point you’re making.

Example: Moreover, the results of a recent piece of research provide compelling evidence. 

2. Furthermore: This is also generally used at the start of a sentence, to add extra information.

Example: Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that frogs are amphibians. 

3. What’s more: This is used in the same way as “moreover” and “furthermore”.

Example: What’s more, this isn’t the only evidence that supports this hypothesis.

4. Another key thing to remember: Use the phrase “another key point to remember” or “another key fact to remember” to introduce additional facts without using the word “also”.

Example: “As a Romantic, Blake was a proponent of a closer relationship between humans and nature. Another key point to remember is that Blake was writing during the Industrial Revolution, which had a major impact on the world around him.”

5. As well as: Use “as well as” instead of “also” or “and”.

Example: “Scholar A argued that this was due to X, as well as Y.”

6. Not only… but also: This wording is used to add an extra piece of information, often something that’s in some way more surprising or unexpected than the first piece of information.

Example: “Not only did Edmund Hillary have the honour of being the first to reach the summit of Everest, but he was also appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.”

IV. General explaining 

1. In other words: Use “in other words” when you want to express something in a different way (more simply), to make it easier to understand, or to emphasise or expand on a point.

Example: “Frogs are amphibians. In other words, they live on the land and in the water.”

2. To put it another way: This phrase is another way of saying “in other words”, and can be used in particularly complex points, when you feel that an alternative way of wording a problem may help the reader achieve a better understanding of its significance.

Example: “Plants rely on photosynthesis. To put it another way, they will die without the sun.”

3. That is to say:“That is” and “that is to say” can be used to add further detail to your explanation, or to be more precise.

Example: “Whales are mammals. That is to say, they must breathe air.”

V. Comparison 

The most used connectors or (linking words) of comparison are: than ,as……………as, as, as if ,as though. Examples: 1. it’s later than you think.

2. She drives better than her brother.

3. You are taller than Tom 

4. This tooth does not hurt me as much as I expected.

5. This test is not so easy as I expected.

Exercise 

Use the following connectors to complete sentences (than, and, but, not only……but also, as…….as, both….and, while, though, although )

1. ……..he is busy, he spends time with his family

2. He is…….intelligent………hard working 

3. She was unhappy,….she was rich

4. Veda is…..kind….humble.

5. He was not punished ………..he was guilty.

6. No sooner did he see the tiger ……….. he fainted. 

5.8. Sound and spelling 

A. Write the correct spelling for the words below. Check your answers in a dictionary

1. propel +-er 

2. wrap+ -ing

3. copy+-er

4. classify+-ed

5. mercy+-ful

6. defy+-ance

7. pay+ -ed

8. notice+ - able 

9. care+- ing

10. day+ - ly

B. Write the phonetic transcription for the following words. One example is done for you:

5.9. End unit assessment

I. Complete the sentences with the following connectors (although, 

and, but, not only….but also)

1. Allan brought some food for the party……….he was not asked to 

do so.

2. …….. I don›t usually like spicy food; I enjoyed the chicken curry your 

mother made.

3. I ……… sent him many letters ………….. tried to telephone him.

4. The residents wrote a letter …… sent it to the local town council.

5. The police searched through the crime scene many times………could not find any clues.

6. Mr. Berahim still managed to send his children to university ……. he was jobless for a year.

II. Join the two sentences with not only…..but also

1. There are problems with the children. There are problems with their parents.

2. He can make people laugh. He can make people cry.

3. She writes plays for television. She acts in movies.

4. I sent him many letters. I also tried to telephone him.

5. We visit our grandfather’s house in summer. We visit our grandfather’s house in winter.

III. Composition writing 

1. In not less than 300 words, write a composition justifying the importance of essay writing skills in academic life.

2. Find a biography of any prominent person and recount it in not more than 200 words.

IV. Speech writing 

Prepare a speech to deliver at the international women’s day assembly. 

V. Letter and CV writing 

Write an application letter, applying for teaching English in any district of your choice. Your letter must be accompanied by a curriculum vitae.