2017-05-16 TOEFL: word roots, reading summarize

Greg Malivuk
http://www.pastebin.com/u/gmalivuk - notes from all classes
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Word Roots list 5 - With a partner, try to think of one or two words to explain the meaning of each root.
morph = form
multi = many (from Latin)
nat = birth
neo = new
nom/nym = name
nov (novelty) = new
nov (November) = nine (In the Roman calendar, March was the first month, so November was the 9th.)
ob = in front of / in the way of
omni = all (from Latin)
opt(im) (optimal) = best
opt (optician) = sight
paleo = old
pan = all (from Greek)
path = feeling (in many cases it specifically means feeling sick, so a pathologist studies disease)
ped = foot
ped/paed = child
peri = around
phil = love (Note that sometimes “phile” or “philia” at the end of a word has a sexual meaning.)
phob = fear
phon = sound
photo = light
pod = foot
poly = many (from Greek)
port = carry
post = after/behind
proto = first (The roots “pro”, “proto”, “pre”, “fore”, “front”, and “first” are all related.)
pseudo = fake (pronounced like “sudo”)
psych = mind
pute = think/reckon
pyro = fire
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pyro -> fire
pod -> foot
pater -> father
quod -> what
Grimm’s Law describes sound changes in Germanic languages (which includes English)
Voiced stops lose voicing: b -> p, d -> t, g -> k
Stops become fricatives: p -> f, t -> th, k -> /x/ or h
quod -> hwaet -> what
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“wear” and “where” are homophones for most English speakers
“were” has a different vowel
“wore” and “war” are homophones with another vowel
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“short” vowels (the sound a letter makes by itself)
bat
bet
bit
bot
but
“long” vowels (the sound a letter makes with another vowel, especially silent ‘e’ at the end; also the name of the vowel letter))
bait/bate
beet/beat
bite
boat
butte (with a ‘y’ sound) / boot (with just the /u/ sound)
Other vowels:
bought
book
bout
boy
but (unstressed, this is the schwa sound; the difference from the short ‘u’ sound is not important)
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I met Matt yesterday.
Look at Luke.
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Reading section: first section, 3 or 4 passages, 13-15 questions each, 20 minutes each
Question types:
- fact
- negative fact
- vocabulary in context
- inference
- purpose
- reference
- paraphrase
- sentence insertion
- summarize
- categorize/organize
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Summarize Questions: this is the most common final question (the other option is organize)
They give you an introductory sentence for a brief summary of the article. You have to choose the three other sentences that express the most important ideas.
Incorrect answers are often minor details (it may be mentioned in the passage, but it’s not a major idea supporting the introductory sentence).
Sometimes the incorrect choices are not mentioned in the passage or are inaccurate.
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BREAK
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Handout (Cambridge) p. 217 - Look at the example in the box, about the Pre-Raphaelites.
A. Not mentioned - It broke up within ten years, but we aren’t told why.
B. Summary - This includes the most important information in the paragraph.
C. Detail - This is true, but it’s not a very major point of the paragraph.
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p. 217-218 exercise R22 - Write N, D, or S next to each sentence. Then compare your answers with a partner.
1 N S D
2 N D S
3 S N D
4 D N S
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p. 219 - Look at the answer choices at the top of the page. Which of these seem like they might just be minor details? (Correct answers will be supporting ideas for the topic sentence.)
Without reading the passage, A, D, and F all seem like minor details. (In reality, A and F are not mentioned in the passage.)
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Take 3-4 minutes to choose the three main supporting points for each passage. Then compare with your partner and identify why the incorrect answers are wrong (are they minor details or not mentioned?)
1 B D F
2 B C F
3 A C D
4 C E F
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If you randomly guess, you’ll get an average of 0.55 points on this question.
If you can eliminate one answer, you’ll get an average of 0.8 points.
If you can eliminate two answers, you’ll get an average of 1.25 points.
(If you can eliminate three answers, then you get everything correct for 2 points.)
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We can divide metals into precious metals (valuable) and base metals (not valuable).
When the fraction of base metals in a coin is increased, we say it is debased.
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DELTA p. 150-151 - General information about summary questions and how they’re scored.
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Homework: p. 152-156 - Read the passages and answer the questions.