Sfl Reading e1 Multiple Choice

Skills for Life E1 Reading Multiple choice questions – Teacher’s notes

Description

In this activity students are introduced to multiple choice questions which test detailed comprehension, such as understanding the writer’s purpose. The activity also shows students how they might approach questions of this type.

Time required: 40 minutes

Materials required:

Student’s Worksheet 1 – one copy for each student. Also, project on to an electronic whiteboard or overhead projector if available. (Text slightly adapted from Part 1 of Entry 1 Reading Past Paper 2008 available on Teacher’s Resources website)

Student’s Worksheet 2 – one copy for each student. Also, project on to an electronic whiteboard or overhead projector if available. (Questions slightly adapted from Part 1 of Entry 1 Reading Past Paper 2008 available on Teacher’s Resources website)

Aims: to familiarise students with multiple choice questions testing detailed comprehension in the Entry 1 Reading exams

to show students how they might approach multiple choice questions testing detailed comprehension

Procedure

1. Explain to the students that in the Entry 1 Reading exams there are different kinds of questions but today they are going to look at one kind of question.

2. Show Student’s Worksheet 1 on the electronic whiteboard or overhead projector if available. (If not, hand out copies of Student’s Worksheet 1 to each student.) Tell students they have 20 seconds to get a general idea about the whole text. After 20 seconds remove Student’s Worksheet 1 from the whiteboard. (If they have paper copies, ask them to turn the paper over.)

3. Ask the whole group the following questions:

• What kind of text is it? Suggest these options: an advert, a leaflet, a notice, a note, an email.

• How do you know?

• Who is the writer? Suggest these options: a friend, a doctor, a parent.


© UCLES 2009. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom use provided no charge is made. For further information see our Terms of Use at http://www.teachers.cambridgeESOL.org/ts/legalinfo Skills for Life E1 Reading Multiple choice questions – Teacher’s notes www.teachers.cambridgeesol.org of 8

• What is the text about? Suggest these options: moving house, a party, health problems.


4. Show Student’s Worksheet 2 on the electronic whiteboard or overhead projector if available. (If not, hand out copies of Student’s Worksheet 2 to each student.) Ask students to look at Question 1. Ask one of the stronger students to read the question out loud. Then ask students what the important words in each part of the question are.

5. Hand out Student’s Worksheet 2 (if you haven’t already done so). Ask students to underline or highlight the important words in Question 1. Monitor students as they do this.

6. Hand out Student’s Worksheet 1 (if you haven’t already done so). Ask students to find the answer to Question 1. Ask them to underline or highlight the part(s) of the text which give the answer.

7. Check the answer to Question 1 with the whole group. Go through each of the three options, asking students what is in the text that tells them whether an option is correct or not. Explain that they should be careful about ‘wordspotting’ – that is, they should not automatically assume that they can make quick matches between a question and the text at word level (e.g. English music). Instead, they should read the text carefully, thinking about alternative ways of saying the same thing, i.e. paraphrasing.

8. Ask students to underline or highlight the important parts of Questions 2 and 3 in Student’s Worksheet 2. Monitor students as they do this. Then check with whole class.

9. Ask students to find the answers to Questions 2 and 3 in the text in Student’s Worksheet 1. Ask them to underline or highlight the parts of the text which give the answers. Check answers with whole group, asking them to justify their answers by referring to the text.

10. Explain to students that the way people prefer to do comprehension tasks varies. However, for many students the approach they have taken in this activity is helpful. Ask students to recall the steps they went through. Summarise the approach:

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

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

3. Look in the text for the answer to the first question.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for subsequent questions.


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

Additional information

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

Suggested follow-up activities/questions (and answers)

1. See also activity Skills for Life Entry 1 Reading Multiple matching with multiple choice questions for other types of reading tasks with multiple choice questions that feature in the Entry 1 Reading exams.

2. See Past Papers on Teacher’s Resources website for more multiple choice questions questions.


Skills for Life E1 Reading Multiple choice questions Answer keys

Key to Procedure steps

Step 3:

• What kind of text is it? Accept these answers - a note, a message, an email (text only), a letter.

• How do you know? The overall format with opening and closing formulae.

• Who is the writer? A friend.

• How do you know? The language is quite informal – e.g. Hi. / Let me know. / kids.

• What is the text about? A party.

• How do you know? Lots of references to party.

Steps 4 & 5: important words highlighted

Question 1

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

She wants a birthday present.

She doesn’t have any English music for her party.

She needs a place to buy some food.

© UCLES 2009. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom use provided no charge is made. For further information see our Terms of Use at http://www.teachers.cambridgeESOL.org/ts/legalinfo

Steps 6 & 7: important words from text for Question 1:

I don’t want any presents. This makes the first option wrong.

We can listen to English music. Iwona doesn’t say that she doesn’t have English music.

Can you help me? Do you know a good pizza takeaway restaurant? I’d like to get something to eat for the party. This tells us the third option is correct.

Step 8: important words highlighted

Question 2

Why can’t Iwona cook for her party? Tick (√) one box.

She’s vegetarian.

She’s busy.

She isn’t a good cook.

Skills for Life E1 Reading Multiple choice questions Answer keys www.teachers.cambridgeesol.org of 8

Question 3

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


in college

at home

in a restaurant

Step 9: important words from text for Questions 2 & 3:

Question 2

I don’t want any meat – I know a lot of students are vegetarians. This doesn’t tell us that Iwona is vegetarian and it doesn’t tell us why she can’t cook. Therefore it tells us that the first option is wrong.

I can cook very well. This tells us that the third option is wrong.

I just haven’t got time now. This means that she’s busy so the second option is correct.

Question 3

I’d like to invite all my friends from college to my house. This tells us the party is not in college but at home.

We can have the party in my garden. This is further support for the second option – at home.

Do you know a good pizza takeaway restaurant? This doesn’t tell us she wants the party in a restaurant; Iwona just wants to get takeaway pizza.

Key to Student’s Worksheet 2

Question 1




She needs a place to buy some food. √

Question 2


She’s vegetarian.

She’s busy. √




Question 3


√

in college

at home

in a restaurant


Skills for Life E1 Reading Multiple choice questions Student’s Worksheet 1

Hi

It’s my birthday soon. I’d like to invite all my friends from college to my house. I don’t want any presents. We can have some food. I don’t want any meat – I know a lot of students are vegetarians. We can listen to English music and just talk. We can have the party in my garden.

Can you help me? Do you know a good pizza takeaway restaurant? I’d like to get something to eat for the party. I can cook very well but I just haven’t got time now. My kids love pizza too.

Let me know.

Iwona

© UCLES 2009. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom use provided no charge is made. For further information see our Terms of Use at http://www.teachers.cambridgeESOL.org/ts/legalinfo Skills for Life E1 Reading Multiple choice questions Student’s Worksheet 1 www.teachers.cambridgeesol.org of 8

Skills for Life E1 Reading Multiple choice questions Student’s Worksheet 2

Question 1




She needs a place to buy some food.

Question 2


She’s vegetarian.

She’s busy.


Question 3


in college

at home

in a restaurant

© UCLES 2009. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom use provided no charge is made. For further information see our Terms of Use at http://www.teachers.cambridgeESOL.org/ts/legalinfo Skills for Life E1 Reading Multiple choice questions Student’s Worksheet 2 www.teachers.cambridgeesol.org of 8

Sfl Reading e1 Multiple Choice

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