METU/SFL
Dept. of Basic English
In-class Reading Practice I
March 2017
REPEAT GROUP
TEXT I LEFT-HANDEDNESS
1 There is a pervading prejudice in most countries against minorities. Jokes are told about ethnic
minorities, for example. They are usually the same jokes in each country, just the target minority is
changed – the Irish in England, the Polish in America, and so on. Members of sub-cultures are socially
excluded. Those not dressed in a certain acceptable way will be barred from entering places of
entertainment or even work. Even the disabled are subjected to treatment worse than that experienced
by the able-bodied in many countries. However, one prejudice is pandemic: left- handed people are
viewed with suspicion and treated as somehow “wrong” all over the world.
2 Until the 1930s, in the developed world, left-handed children would be abused at school. In most
schools, children who showed southpaw tendencies had their left hands tied behind their backs,
forcing them to write “normally”. In some cases, corporal punishment was used – children were beaten
in order to make them conform. This practice is not unknown in certain parts of the world, even today.
3 How many people find themselves in this predicament? It is hard to say: ashamed of this trait in
themselves, or in their children, many people claim right-handedness. Undoubtedly, the left- handed
are a minority, but at between 7 and 10 % of the world’s population, or anything up to 660 million
people, they are a large minority indeed. It is also noteworthy that the geographical spread of lefthandedness is more or less even across the world – no one region seems to have a significantly higher
or lower percentage among their populations. However, within those populations, certain groups can
be identified. Studies indicate that left-handedness is more common in males than females. Matters of
gender aside, left-handedness also appears to occur more frequently in identical twins.
4 So what causes left-handedness? Hand orientation is developed in unborn children; current research
has shown that there is a genetic factor involved. Other researchers have proved that frequent
ultrasound scans, or exposure to high levels of the hormone testosterone are responsible. A study
conducted in France in the 1970s suggested that the time it takes for a baby to actually be born can
also affect hand orientation. In this study, Dr. René Grenoble attempted to prove that when the
mother’s labour was longer, the baby was more likely to be left-handed. The study, unfortunately, had
to be prematurely terminated, and it has never been resumed.
5 Whatever the causes, the left handed certainly find themselves at a disadvantage in various aspects of
life. Many such children living in western countries struggle at school when it comes to learning to
write: their writing hand drags across what they have just written, often leaving their schoolwork
untidy and inviting criticism from their teachers. School is not the only area of life where the lefthanded experience problems. They are sometimes placed at a disadvantage by the prevalence of right
handed tools in society, many of which were designed to be used comfortably with the right hand. For
example, scissors are arranged so that the line being cut along can be seen by a right-handed user, but
is obscured to a left-handed user. The computer mouse is another example.
6 Language is another aspect of everyday life loaded with prejudice against the left-handed. The English
word “dextrous”, meaning mentally or physically skillful, comes from the Latin word for right; the
English word “sinister”, meaning evil or threatening, comes from the Latin word for left. A person
who can write equally well with both hands is called “ambidextrous” (having two right hands).
Examples of this prejudice can be found from languages all over the world, including Hebrew,
Mandarin Chinese and Basque.
7 It seems, then, that life is heavily loaded against the left-handed. However, this is not always the case.
In his book Right-Hand, Left-Hand, Chris McManus of University College London, argues that lefthanded people as a group have historically produced an above-average quota of high achievers. He
says that left-handers' brains are structured differently in a way that widens their range of abilities. In
2006, researchers at Lafayette College and Johns Hopkins University found that left-handed men are
15 percent richer than right-handed men for those who attended college, and 26 percent richer if they
graduated. So maybe being left-handed is not such a bad thing after all. It worked for Jimi Hendrix.
1
A. What do the following words refer to?
1.
that (para.1)
: ______________________________________________.
2.
this trait (para.3)
: ______________________________________________.
3.
many of which (para.5) : many of _______________________________________.
B. Find words in the text which mean the following. DO NOT CHANGE THE FORM OF
THE WORDS and write ONE WORD ONLY.
1.
common; widespread (adj.) (para.1) : __________________________
2.
prevented (v.) (para.1)
: __________________________
3.
ended (v.) (para.4)
: __________________________
C. Fill in the blanks with suitable information from paragraph 3 of the text.
Most people avoid saying that they or their children are left-handed since (1)_____________
_________________________ this characteristic. Although the left- handed are a minority,
(2)____________________________________________is very high for a minority group. The
(3)__________________________________________of left handedness is also worth noting: it
is a phenomenon found all over the world; however, left- handedness is (4)__________
_______________________________
among
women.
Away
from
gender
issues,
(5)__________________________________________ are more likely to be left-handed.
B. Answer the following questions using information from the text and IN YOUR OWN
WORDS.
1. In what way are the left-handed different from other minority groups, such as the disabled?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
2. In what two ways were left-handed children made to write with their right hands?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
3. What is not given as a definite cause of left-handedness?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
4. Why does the writer explain the origin of “dextrous”?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
5. How is the information in paragraph 7 different from that in the other paragraphs?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
2
VOCABULARY PRACTICE
A. The following words are bolded and italicized in the text. Match them with their
synonyms. Put the letters on the lines provided.
______ 1.
______ 2.
______ 3.
______ 4.
______ 5.
______ 6.
______ 7.
______ 8.
______ 9.
______ 10.
prejudice (n.) para.1
exclude (v.) para.1
subject (v.) para.1
tendency (n.) para.2
conform (v.) para.2
trait (n.) para.3
identify (v.) para.3
indicate (v.) para.3
conduct (v.) para.4
struggle (v.) para.5
a) characteristic; feature
b) show
c) do; carry out
d) recognize; determine
e) expose
f) bias; preconception
g) have difficulty/trouble
h) not include
i) obey; fit in
j) inclination; predisposition
B. ODD ONE OUT: Find the word that does not go with the given vocabulary item and cross it
out.
e.g.
a)
b)
c)
d)
provide
1.
2.
a)
b)
c)
d)
a)
b)
c)
d)
3.
have
hold
eliminate
ruin
personality
genetic
rational
family
hobby
support
money
information
conform to
prejudice
4.
conduct
traits
3
a)
b)
c)
d)
a)
b)
c)
d)
rules
timetables
norms
laws
a survey
an organization
a study
an experiment
TEXT 1 COLLOCATIONAL VOCABULARY
 to have/ hold / overcome/ eliminate
(cultural / racial / political / religious)
prejudice against sb/sth
 to conform (to sth): to behave in a way that is
accepted by most people.
* Most teenagers feel pressure to conform.
* We have been working hard to overcome
prejudice against women in politics.
 to conform to rules/laws/safety regulations: to
obey a rule, law etc.
 to be prejudiced against sb/sth
 to be ashamed of sth
 to exclude sb/sth (from sth)
 to be ashamed to do sth
* Don’t exclude your little sister from the game.
 character/personality/genetic/inherited traits
 to bar sb from (doing) sth
* The players are barred from drinking alcohol the
night before a match.
 to subject sb/sth to sth (phr. v.): to make
sb/sth experience, suffer or be affected by
sth, usually sth unpleasant
* Her husband subjected her to years of physical
abuse.
* The city was subjected to heavy bombing.
 to treat sb with respect/kindness
 to identify sb/sth
* Scientists have identified the gene that causes
abnormal growth.
 to indicate (that)
 exposure to sth
* Even a brief exposure to radiation is very dangerous.
 to expose sb to sth
*Why do we still sunbathe although we know the
dangers of exposing our skin to the sun?
 (un)equal/(un)fair/discriminatory treatment
 to conduct a survey/an investigation/ an
experiment/ a test
 to abuse sb: to speak to sb rudely/cruelly
* The crowd started abusing him after he failed to
save a goal.
 to struggle with sth
* She is struggling with her health.
 to have a tendency to do sth
* I have a tendency to talk too much when I’m
nervous.
 to tend to do sth
* Women tend to live longer than men.
 to struggle (for sth)
* Millions of people are struggling for survival.
 to struggle to do sth
* I’ve been struggling to understand this article all
afternoon.
4
TEXT II
ENDANGERED HUMANS
1
When people refer to endangered species, most of them think of plants and animals. Certainly,
looking around or taking a drive through a major city filled with millions of people, it is indeed
hard to believe that human cultures are in danger of extinction. However, as
with endangered plants and animals, there are areas of the world that provide
haven for native peoples who are under the risk of losing their customs and
even their ability to exist as a culture. After thousands of years of total
isolation, these native societies managed to protect themselves against the
perils of the industrialized world. Nevertheless, this is rapidly changing as the
plague of economic growth enters native homelands and threatens their
ability to support their human and animal inhabitants.
2 Deep within the Amazon rainforests in Brazil, cattle ranchers and timber merchants are destroying
the forest and pushing several native tribes, which constitute some of the surviving native cultures
left in the world, to the edge of extinction. The primary reason for this is the construction of roads
which are built in order to accommodate economic exploitation of the rain forest. Once these roads
are built, the surrounding trees are cleared, and the soil is excavated and paved over, what initially
seemed like an unimportant little wound will have developed into an incurable cancer; an illness
taking over the whole body.
3 Several of the most endangered tribes live in the remote areas of the Amazonian forest. These are
the Macuxi, Marubo, and Yanomami. Today, both the rain forests and the native human cultures
which inhabit them are in serious jeopardy. Take the Yanomami, who are the only inhabitants of the
area along Brazil’s border with Venezuela, for instance. About two or three decades ago, the
Brazilian military entered the Yanomami territory, brought with them modern things, and built a
small military base there. Today, the military airport is massive and crowded with thousands of
soldiers. Once nomadic, the Yanomami would constantly move, seeking fresh hunting grounds and
new land on which to grow crops. Now, however, the military has forced them into a state of
dependence such as receiving food and medicines from the soldiers, and their land, which they
would look after so well, is no longer fit to sustain life.
4 The fate of the Yanomami is not new to the modern world. For thousands of years, humans have
been destroying other humans. Somewhere in the evolution of human beings, greedy and barbarous
behavioral characteristics were adopted. This was illustrated most strongly in the European
expansionist period of the 16th and 17th centuries. Innovations in navigation techniques not only
made sea travel faster and more efficient, but they also started a giant trend in the exploration and
settlement of new lands. The European entrepreneurs, keen to set up world centers for trade and
commerce, exploited and butchered native peoples around the world. The invaders eliminated
anything that got in their way, including entire cultures.
5 The slaughter in the 16th and 17th centuries can be compared to the 20th century industrial
revolution. The post-World War II reconstruction period brought prosperity and economic growth,
which is still escalating. The rate at which this has occurred is tremendous. Despite considerable
advances in environmental awareness, resources are still being exhausted. However, perhaps the
most unseen side effect of this exploitation and destruction of resources is the global loss of
biodiversity, which now includes populations of human species.
6 The difficult situation of the native peoples of the Amazon illustrates the effects of industrial
carelessness and how it manipulates natural systems. These age-old cultures are surrendering to the
same adversity affecting many plants and animals: the loss of habitat. This is a sad commentary on
human behavior worldwide. How can this be allowed to happen? Those who criticize
environmental regulations which protect natural resources say, "We are putting animals before
people." However, it seems that does not apply anymore. We are actually putting people before
other people.
5
A. What do the following words refer to?
1. their (para.1) : ___________________________
2. there (para.3) : in _________________________
3. they (para. 4) : ___________________________
B. Find words in the text which mean the following. DO NOT CHANGE THE FORM OF THE
WORDS and write ONE WORD ONLY.
1. shelter, protection (n.) (para.1):__________________________
2. threats, dangers (n.) (para.1)
3. danger, risk (n.) (para.3)
:__________________________
:__________________________
4. killed, murdered (v.) (para.4)
:__________________________
C. Mark the best choice according to the text.
1. The writer establishes a similarity between the destruction of the Amazon rainforests in Brazil
and ___.
a) the activities of cattle ranchers and timber merchants
b) the construction of roads in the area
c) the economic exploitation of the rainforest
d) the development of an incurable cancer
2. Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?
a) The Macuxi, the Marubo, and the Yanomami all live along Brazil's border with Venezuela.
b) There were more Brazilian soldiers in the military base in the past than there are now.
c) The Yanomami are still a nomadic tribe who constantly move to find food and shelter.
d) The Yanomami need the Brazilian military in order to continue to survive.
D. Mark the following statements T (True) or F (False).
T
F 1.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, Europeans were more greedy and barbarous than
ever.
T
F 2.
The increasing environmental awareness among people has not helped much to
protect the environment.
T
F 3.
The native tribes of the Amazon have caused a loss of biodiversity through their
activities.
T
F 4.
The writer criticizes those who complain about giving priority to the environment
over humans.
6
VOCABULARY PRACTICE
A. Match the adjectives on the left with the nouns on the right to make common collocations.
Then fill in the blanks below with the correct collocations.
ADJECTIVES
NOUNS
endangered
advances
innovative
areas
technological
regulations
safety
designs
remote
species
1. Many ________________________ in medicine have taken place over the past decade.
2. The mission is to transport medical supplies to ________________________.
3. Smoke detectors must be installed to comply with ________________________.
4. There will be a prize for the most ________________________.
5. The giant panda, a symbol of the world’s ________________________, is no longer threatened
with extinction.
B. Match the underlined words with their synonyms given after the sentences.
a) The under-18s constitute nearly 25% of the town’s population.
b) Dealing with crime is our primary concern.
c) Electronic firms continue to seek ways of developing more sophisticated equipment.
d) There is not enough oxygen to sustain life at very high altitudes.
e) They want to set up their own import-export business.
f)
A country’s future prosperity depends upon the quality of education of its people.
______ 1. look for
______ 2. main; most important
______ 3. establish
______ 4. affluence; wealth
______ 5. make up
______6. maintain
7
COLLOCATIONAL VOCABULARY
 living/extinct/common/rare/native/threatened/
protected/endangered species
 animal/bird/fish/insect species
 to be in danger of /to be threatened with / to face
extinction
 to be/become extinct
 to provide sth for sb
 to provide sb with sth
 native people/species/language/tongue /
New Yorker/population/inhabitants
 to protect sb/sth (from/against sth)
 to threaten to do sth
 to threaten sb (with sth)
 inhabitant
 to inhabit sth
 to constitute: make up
 primary purpose/aim/objective/concern
/responsibility: main; most important; basic
 commercial/economic exploitation of sth
 to exploit sth
 a remote village/town: isolated
 to seek sb/sth (past tense and past participle
sought): search; look for
 to sustain life/economic growth/a relationship:
provide the conditions in which sth can happen or
exist; maintain/continue
 (un)sustainable economic growth/agriculture
 the evolution of mammals/ the theory of
evolution
 to evolve from sth/ to evolve into sth
 to adopt an approach/policy/attitude
 innovation in sth
 technological/scientific/industrial/educational
innovations
 an innovative approach/idea/method/design
 to set up sth: establish
 to eliminate sb/sth from sth
 prosperity: affluence
 a prosperous country/farmer/landowner: rich
and successful
 a considerable amount/number of sth:
significant
 advance (in sth)
 technological/scientific/medical advance
 safety/traffic/fire/security/building/planning
regulations
8