Part II Reading Task

Comprehension

Content Question

Pair Work

1.        There are seven characters---Father, Mother, Heidi, Diane, Sean, Restaurant Manager, and Mrs. Higgins.

2.        No. Because what he does usually ends up embarrassing them.

3.        To buy a guitar.

4.        To check if Sean was going to embarrass him.

5.        He knew his father was going to embarrass him.

6.        It was unnecessary and embarrassing.

7.        He wanted Dan to pressure his son into asking Diane to the senior prom.

8.        He would speak to his son and insist that the latter give Diane a call.

9.        She felt humiliated.

10.    Because the Thompson had just moved.

11.    He tried to let her know how exceptionally talented a young woman Heidi was.

12.    Because she couldn’t bear being embarrassed by her father.

Text Organization

Working On Your Own

1.        

1.        A fast-food restaurant

2.        The Thompson family dining room

3.        An office at a high school

2.          

Scene One: Father embarrassed Sean by talking too proudly to the restaurant manager.

Scene Two: Father embarrassed Diane by persuading a colleague into pressing his son to ask her to the senior prom.

Scene Three: Father embarrassed Heidi by boating to an official at her new school about how talented she was.

Language Sense Enhancement

1.        

(1)     once in a while

(2)     for

(3)     the problem

(4)     he thinks

(5)     humiliated

(6)     class president

(7)     have

(8)     Actually

(9)     stop to think

(10) interference

Language Focus

Vocabulary

I

1.          

1)        typical

2)        dumb

3)        junior

4)        glorious

5)        welfare

6)        came over

7)        interference

8)        fading

9)        narrowed down

10)    frank

11)    schemes

12)    at any rate

2.          

1)        consists of five generals and four police officers.

2)        will be in a location overlooking the lake.

3)        was humiliated by her comments about my family background in front of so many people.

4)        have any proof that it was Henry who stole the computer?

5)        was exhausted after the long cycle ride.

3.          

1)        hysterical; was handed down by; should have known better than

2)        twisted; over and over; talented son

3)        patience; not to keep him in suspense; assured; repeatedly

II.    Collocation

1.        adequate

2.        anxious

3.        certain

4.        content

5.        crazy

6.        likely

7.        fortunate

8.        keen

III.          Usage

1.        be admitted

2.        live

3.        be postponed

4.        buy

5.        be banned

6.        be

Comprehensive Exercises

I. cloze

1.

(1)     typical

(2)     welfare

(3)     constant

(4)     frank

(5)     talent

(6)     dumb

(7)     know better than that

(8)     repeatedly

(9)     dread

(10) interference

(11) bet

(12) assure

2.          

(1)     despite

(2)     really

(3)     same

(4)     contact

(5)     admitted

(6)     attempt

(7)     not

(8)     tend

(9)     different

(10) manner

II.    Translation

1.          

(1)     Have scientists found proof of water on Mars?

(2)     The planning committee has narrowed down the possible locations for the nuclear power plant to two coastal towns.

(3)     Sam not only lost his job but also both legs; he had to live on welfare for the rest of his life.

(4)     A jury consisting of 12 members voted in unison that Mary was guilty.

(5)     Sean felt humiliated to hear his talent being questioned.

2.          

George, the son of Mr. Johnson, liked listening to heavy metal music in the evenings, which made it hard for other residents in the community to fall asleep. Eventually the exhausted neighbors lost their patience and decided on direct interference. They called Mr. Johnson to tell him in a frank manner what they were thinking. Mr. Johnson assured them that he would certainly settle the issue. As soon as he put down the phone he scolded his son, “What has come over you? You should know better than to disturb others for your own amusement.” In the end George traded his CD’s for computer games software from his classmates.