Reading

A. Skimming

1. Read the title and say if you can guess what the text is about.

2. Run through the text and define the theme and the type of writing it belongs to.

3. Give the gist of the text in a few sentences.

2. Scanning

Scan the text for right answers to the following questions.

1. What’s the purpose of comparing language and literature:

1. to define literature;

2. to contrast language and literature so as to draw sharp line of demarcation between the two;

3. to identify and describe differences between the two from the point of view of the language classroom?

2. When and where must literature be taught  in the language class in the schools or in college?

3. What should language teachers be careful about when they introduce literature into their courses?

4. How is language related to literature?

5. What are the steps required for the comprehension of a work of literature on a literary level?

3. Close reading

1. Analyze the layout and say if paragraphing, heading and subheading help you define what type of text this is: publicistic, scholarly or a piece of fiction.

2. Scrutinize each part of the text and find lexical, syntactical and graphical means used to persuade the reader of the truth of the author’s viewpoint (emotionally coloured words, intensifiers, rhetorical questions, italics etc.).

3. Explain why in many parts of the text the author resorts to the use of passive constructions.

4. Read the introductory and the concluding paragraphs again. Extract the sentences in which the theme and the message of the text are conveyed most conspicuously.

5. Say what purpose the drawing of a parallel between language and literature on the one hand, and childhood and manhood on the other, serve.

4. Critical reading

1. Do you agree with the author as to the role of literature in the language class? Provide reasons for your agreement or disagreement.

2. Which of the characteristics of the article would you follow as an example, if you were to write a scholarly article?

Word study

1. Match the two columns.

1) arbitrary	a) hidden, concealed
2) identify	b) inaugurate, usher in
3) commonplace	c) understand
4) latent	d) imply
5) launch	e) ordinary not new or interesting
6) comprehend	f) refer to
7) infer	g) according to one’s own wishes instead of according to what is right
8) relegate to	h) a line marking a boundary
9) demarcation	i) show or prove what a person or thing is

2. Give words of the same root in Russian and explain what they mean.

dichotomy, trichotomy, continuum, presumption.

3. Find in the text the English for:

1) обеспечить прочные навыки владения языком

2) пытаться изучать литературу

3) изящная словесность

4) принимать как само собой разумеющееся

5) осторожность не помешает

6) что принимают за литературу

7) первостепенной важности

4. Match the words from the two groups.

1. inadvertently, inevitably, bluntly, frequently, undoubtedly, eventually, presumably;

2. probably, often happening, indisputably, straightforwardly, in the end, at last, not on purpose, unavoidably.

5. Insert prepositions.

1. They need to be contrasted … the benefit of both.

2. Literature is rooted … language.

3. These are the features peculiar … and basic … language.

4. It’s an error to take his words … granted.

5. It’s his first literary work … a foreign language.

6. This is comparable … another situation.

7. Don’t take his words … their face value.

6. Give as many derivatives as you can of these two words.

assume presume

Explain the meaning of these words in the following word-combinations.

to assume responsibility (command, control)

to assume airs

let us assume that....

I won’t presume to disturb you

presumption of innocence

7. Identify each member of the following pairs of words and word-combinations as being formal/bookish or neutral.

to do smth along with / simultaneously

line of demarcation / borderline

latent / hidden

inadequate / not equal to

to respond / to answer