SUSCRÍBETE
» Inicio » Learning to read. Lesson 5- FITA course

Learning to read. Lesson 5- FITA course

Your eyes never see enough.

This course contains images, if can’t see them click here.

Lesson 5 Learning To Read FITA course.docx

Watch lesson 5.

 

Do you remember what I said in lesson 2 about there being two ways of listening? 

Well, there are also two ways of reading:

  1. The first way of reading is what we all normally do: just reading while trying to get the general picture of the text without paying attention to details. This is called passive reading.
  2. The second way of reading is what we normally never do. That is to pay a lot of attention to all the details. This is called active reading.

In this lesson, I will walk you through the steps to do active reading using your bilingual audiobook.

Please, go to chapter 2 of your audiobook now.

Let’s start reading chapter 2.

Chapter 2 Lord Henry’s Influence.docx (click here for the transcript)

Chapter 2
 
Lord Henry’s Influence
 
“The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it.”
 
When they entered, they saw Dorian Gray.  He was sitting at the piano, with his back to them, turning the pages of a score.
 
“You must lend it to me, Basil!” He exclaimed. I want to learn to play.  It’s charming.
 
“That depends on how you pose today, Dorian.”
 
“I’m tired of posing” replied the young man, turning round on the piano stool.  Seeing Lord Henry he blushed “Excuse me Basil, but I didn’t know there was someone else with you.”

 

As you can see I have highlighted some words.  

Think of the highlighted words as the places where your eyes are going to pay the most attention.

First the title of the chapter: “Lord Henry’s Influence”. 

By paying attention to the title you’ll have–at first glance- a pretty good idea of what the chapter is going to be about.

Then, the first sentence:

  • The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it.”
  • “La única manera de vencer a la tentación es caer en ella”

Note: The audio of this sentence is not included in the audiobook, but we’ll use it as an example of how to learn new vocabulary and structures using free resources available on the internet.

Let’s suppose you don’t know the meaning of the word “yield”. 

First, look up the meaning of the verb “to yield to” in the dictionary.  

“Yield” you’ll see has many meanings. Therefore, I have listed three of the most important meanings below. (source Wordreference http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=yield )

Here, we have a surprise! The word “yield” means “ceda el paso” so it’s a traffic sign.

Knowing this, you can visualise the word very easily just by imagining a “yield sign”.

Can you imagine yourself driving a car and seeing a “yield sign” at a crossing?

This is perfect! When you can see the word, the situation and you learn the sound you’ll never forget the word anymore.

But before we go any further, let’s check the sound.  

  • Yield/jiːld/

It sounds something like “iild”. Remember the pronunciation of “yield”, is NOT “child” like in Spanish.  The “y” is an “i” sound, like in the word “hielo” in Spanish.

Now, let’s see the phonetics of the whole sentence:

Remember you can use this site, toPhonetics to get the phonetics of phrases

“The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it.”

/ði ˈəʊnli ˈweɪ tə ˈɡet rɪd əv tempˈteɪʃn̩ z tə jiːld tu ɪt/

If you don’t know any phonetics, you can create an approximate pronunciation by listening to the sentence many times and checking the phonetics. 

Remember: Approximate pronunciation is best done right after listening to the sentence and checking its phonetics.

If you do this, you’ll get a sentence like the one below that will help you to remember better.

  • “Di óunli wuéi tu get rid of temptéishon iss tú iild túit”

Now, repeat this sentence aloud several times:

  • Di óunli wuéi tu get rid of temptéishon iss tú iild túit
  • Di óunli wuéi tu get rid of temptéishon iss tú iild túit
  • Di óunli wuéi tu get rid of temptéishon iss tú iild túit
  • Di óunli wuéi tu get rid of temptéishon iss tú iild túit
  • Di óunli wuéi tu get rid of temptéishon iss tú iild túit

We’ll continue doing the same with the following sentences.

Next sentence.

  • He was sitting at the piano,

What’s important about this sentence?

To remember the preposition “at” next to “the piano”. 

Why is it important? 

Because if you don’t remember it, you’ll probably make a mistake next time you have to use the expression. It’s not “in” or “on” the piano. It is “at the piano”.

Remember now: “at the piano”. 

Try to visualise the situation. “A young man, called Dorian Gray, sitting at the piano”.

Let’s elaborate a bit more on this use of the preposition “at”

If you click on the dictionary wordreference link that’s embedded, you’ll get many uses of the preposition “at”.

You can’t remember all of them, so just try to remember “at the piano”.

Now repeat aloud.

“A young man, called Dorian Gray, sitting at the piano”.

Pronetics: ə jʌŋ mæn | kɔːld ˈdɔːiən ɡreɪ | ˈsɪtɪŋ ət ðə pɪˈænəʊ

Approximate pronunciation: a iáng man, kold dórian grei, síting at de piánou

  • a iáng man, kold dórian grei, síting at de piánou
  • a iáng man, kold dórian grei, síting at de piánou
  • a iáng man, kold dórian grei, síting at de piánou
  • a iáng man, kold dórian grei, síting at de piánou

Next sentence.

  • with his back to them, turning the pages of a score.

Can you continue to visualise the situation described in the book?

We can see Dorian Gray sitting at a piano, with his back facing the people that have just entered the room, turning the pages of a score.

You probably don’t know the meaning of the word “score” in this sentence.

As the word, “yield”, “score” has many meanings. 

We know that the meaning of the word score in this sentence is “partitura”, not only because of the context, but also because we can read the translation on the audiobook.

However, it’s always good to work a little bit more with each word in order to learn more.

In this case, we can use the embedded dictionary to see more meanings of the word “score”

Click on “score”, and you’ll see:

  • Score (game, sport: points): marcador, tanteo
  • Score (test, performance, UK): calificación, nota
  • Score (musical, soundtrack) partitura, música

Apart from “partitura”, try to remember, at least, two more meanings of the word “score”.

For instance, “score”: marcar un gol, puntuación.

You can use this site http://sentence.yourdictionary.com/score to get sample sentences. 

And also this site http://www.reference.com/example-sentences/scoredAs well as Linguee  http://www.linguee.es/espanol-ingles/search?source=auto&query=score

One tip: try to remember the meanings of the word with SIMPLE sentences since they are easier to memorise.

Of all the sentences I’ve seen, I’ve chosen two that I believe will help you to remember additional meanings of the word “score”.

-When the English have scored a goal, they think nothing more remains to be done.

-Cuando los ingleses han marcado un gol, piensan que no queda más por hacer.

Source: http://www.reference.com/example-sentences/scored

– Danielle will need a score of more than 95…

– Danielle necesitará una puntuación de más de 95…

Source: http://www.wordhippo.com/what-is/sentences-with-the-word/score.html

Repeat the sentence of the audiobook aloud to remember it.

Phonetics: | wɪð ɪz ˈbæk tə ðəm | ˈtɜːnɪŋ ðə ˈpeɪdʒɪz əv ə skɔː |

Approximate pronunciation: 

  • wuíz his bak tu dem, terning de péichs of a sskor
  • wuíz his bak tu dem, terning de péichs of a sskor
  • wuíz his bak tu dem, terning de péichs of a sskor
  • wuíz his bak tu dem, terning de péichs of a sskor

Next sentence.

  • You must lend it to me, Basil!”- Debes prestármela, Basil.

Notice the imperative structure:

  • You must lend it to me.
  • You: Subject
  • Must: Modal verb- Deber
  • Lend it:  Verb- “lend” + “it “-Prestármela- Notice “it” /lo-la goes after the verb “lend”
  • To me: Object- A mí.

Can you think of any other similar structures? 

Here you have a few:

  • Give it to me. Dámela
  • Send it to me. Envíamela
  • Say it to me. Dímelo.
  • Read it to me. Léemelo

Repeat the sentence of the audiobook aloud to remember it.

Phonetics: | ju məst lend ɪt tə miː |

Approximate pronunciation:

  • Iu mast lendit túmi
  • Iu mast lendit túmi
  • Iu mast lendit túmi
  • Iu mast lendit túmi

Next sentence.

“That depends on how you pose today, Dorian.”

In this case, I want you to remember the structure “dependS ON”, as many students keep saying depend OF”. 

The word “depend” ends in “s”, and the preposition that follows is not of, but “on”.

Let’s look at it carefully and repeat it aloud many times:

“That depends on how you pose today, Dorian.” “Eso depende de cómo pose hoy, Dorian”.

Phonetics: | ðət dɪˈpendz ɒn ˈhaʊ ju pəʊz təˈdeɪ |

Approximate pronunciation: dat dípendss on hau iu póus tudéi

  • dat dépendss on hau iu póus tudéi
  • dat dépendss on hau iu póus tudéi
  • dat dépendss on hau iu póus tudéi
  • dat dépendss on hau iu póus tudéi

Do you remember now that it is, “dependS ON”? I really hope so.

Next sentence.

  • I’m tired of posing. Estoy cansado de posar.

Pay attention: after the preposition “of” the verb that follows goes in the –ing form.

Rule: verbs that follow prepositions go in the –ing form.

Let’s see some more examples of the same structure:

  • I’m tired of doing this
  • I’m tired of coming here
  • I’m tired of writing.

Now, repeat the sentence a couple more times so that you remember this structure:

  • I’m tired of posing

Phonetics: | aɪm ˈtaɪəd əv ˈpəʊzɪŋ |

Approximate pronunciation: aim táird of possing

  • aim táird of possing
  • aim táird of possing
  • aim táird of possing
  • aim táird of possing

Next sentence.

  • Turning round on the piano stool. Girándose sobre el taburete del piano.

Imagine the situation and say it aloud using the phonetics and the approximate pronunciation.

  • /tɜːnɪŋ ˈraʊnd ɒn ðə pɪˈænəʊ stuːl/ 
  • térning ráund on de piáno stuul

You probably already knew the expression “turning round” but not “on the piano stool”.

Now visualise the word “stool”, pronounced “stuul”. Remember it’s not “in” but rather“on the piano stool”.

 

 This is a stool /stuul/

 

Repeat aloud:

  • térning ráund on de piáno stuul
  • térning ráund on de piáno stuul
  • térning ráund on de piáno stuul
  • térning ráund on de piáno stuul

Next sentence.

  • Seeing Lord Henry he blushedAl ver a Lord Henry, se ruborizó.

Think of the –ing form “seeing” translated into Spanish as a verb in the infinitive in this case “al ver”.

Other examples of the same structure:

  • Driving the car he relaxed
  • Watching the film she sighed- 

Finally, the verb “blush” which means “sonrojarse” or “ruborizarse.”

Women probably remember seeing this word on some of their make-up because this word, as a noun, means: “colorete.”

Please, click the word “blush” on the embedded dictionary.

Now learn its sound. It’s not pronounced with a Spanish “u” but rather as /blʌʃ/ – “blash” (Remember the “a del tonto” we talked about in Lesson 3)

In the past tense, you should add a –d, so the sound is “blashd”.

Try to visualise a young man with red cheeks and repeat the whole sentence aloud:

Phonetics:| ˈsiːɪŋ lɔːd ˈhenri hi blʌʃt |

Approximate pronunciation:

-Síing lórd hénri hi blashd

-Síing lórd hénri hi blashd

-Síing lórd hénri hi blashd

-Síing lórd hénri hi blashd

Can you see now how you can learn much more by doing active reading in just a few paragraphs?

It’s really amazing.

Of course, you can’t do active reading all the time because it’s very time consuming. My advice is that you try to do it as often as possible as it is a wonderful tool, which allows you to increase your level.

To sum up:

Active reading is paying a lot of attention to all the details when you read.

When doing active reading:

-Look up the new words in the dictionary.


-Look up the phonetics of new words.


-Try to write the approximate pronunciation combining phonetics with audio.


-Try to remember the meanings and sounds of the new words always in sentences.


-Study the new structures, structures with which you are unfamiliar and structures that you know you say incorrectly. Example: “It dependS ON.”


-Use the audio, phonetics and approximate pronunciation to help you to repeat sentences aloud.

You cannot always do active reading, but do it as often as you can to increase your level.

 

Homework: 

Continue doing active reading with the rest of chapter 2. 

Remember: The more you work on the words, structures, meanings and sounds, the more you’ll learn and increase your level.

Quiz Lesson 5

1) What is passive reading?

a) When you read paying a lot of attention to all the text.

b) That concept doesn’t exist.

c) It’s reading without pay attention to details.

d) It’s reading and at the same time relaxing.

2) When doing active reading…

a) you should pay a lot of attention to details such as commas, brackets, periods.

b) you should pay attention to  new words, structures, sound and phonetics of these words and structures.

c) you should try to exercise to keep your mind clear and hence be able to learn more.

d) you should read and listen at the same time.

3)  One of the principal meanings of “Yield” is:

a) To let other cars pass before you pass

b) To gain more money

c) To plough

d) To let people go

4)  “Score” can mean…

a)  Bread

b) Performance

c) Stool

d) Result

5) We say…

a) Sitting in the piano

b) Sitting along the piano

c) Sitting on the piano

d) Siting at the piano

Answers here

Go to lesson 6

Haz un comentario

Tu dirección de correo electrónico no será publicada. Los campos obligatorios están marcados con *