Reading Comprehension
## Reading Comprehension
- **`Directions`**: Read the following passage and get its subject, statement and the logical
relationship between different parts.
## What should you write?
- **'subject'**: Write a short title for the passage.
- **'statement'**: Write a sentence to explain the conclusion of the passage.
- **'logical relations'**: Write 3-5 sentences detailing the key points of the passage. Write these as bullet points or number them.
---
## Template
- **Subject**
- ___________________________________________________________
- **Statement**
- ___________________________________________________________
- **Logical relations**
1. ___________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________
4. ___________________________________________________________
5. ___________________________________________________________
- **Subject**
- [Short title: 2–5 words capturing the passage’s central theme]
- **Statement**
- The passage discusses [main topic] and concludes that [author’s core argument or conclusion]. This conclusion is based on [key evidence, reasoning, or data from the passage] and highlights [the significance, implication, or broader relevance of the conclusion].
- **Logical relations**
1. **Topic introduction**: The passage begins by introducing [the central subject or issue] and provides context such as [background information, a problem, or a question] to frame the discussion.
2. **Core arguments**: It presents [the author’s primary points or claims], supported by [specific details, examples, or evidence from the passage].
3. **Counterpoints (if applicable)**: The passage may address [opposing views, challenges, or complexities], explaining [how the author responds to or addresses them].
4. **Evidence and analysis**: It includes [specific data, studies, case studies, or logical reasoning] to strengthen the author’s position or explore the topic in depth.
5. **Conclusion and implications**: The passage concludes by reinforcing [the main argument or conclusion] and may suggest [actions, solutions, or future directions] related to the topic.
Author Introduction
# II- Author Introduction
- **5 marks**
- **20 minutes (recommended)**
- **Write an author introduction for yourself.**
- **These 5 elements must be included:**
1. Name
2. Title
3. Affiliation
4. Academic achievements
5. Contact
## 5 elements
### Name
- Your real name
### Title
- Mr/Ms/Miss/Mrs
### Affiliation
- institution you research in/work at
## Academic achievements
- excellent grades
- certificates/qualifications achieved
- research involved in
- prizes won
- books/papers published
- scholarships/funding received
## Contact details
- email address
## Other details
- It must be written as a single paragraph of <150 words.
- It must be written in the 3rd person e.g. 'Mr. Philpott is...'.
- Use your real name, title, affiliation and contact details.
- Use your real academic achievements- 2 is enough. You can make some up if you do not have any.
- The word count is 150 words- I will take marks off 'Content' if you go over the word count, being under is no problem.
## Marking
- **Content**
- elements missing or over 150 words- 0-2
- all 5 elements and within 150 words- 3
- **Written English**
- Poor- 1
- Good- 1.5
- Excellent- 2
- Content + Written English = Final Mark
## 'Author Introduction' - Model Answer
Mr. James Philpott is an academic English teacher at Renmin University of China. During formative years he showed a strong aptitude for academic writing: achieving 85% in his undergraduate Literature Review. He has over five years teaching experience and has served as a judge at countless speaking competitions. His name can be found in the Acknowledgements section of the paper Flower Iridescence Increases Object Detection in the Insect Visual System without Compromising Object Identity. He can be contacted via email at jep@qq.com.
(Word count = 82)
Writing an Abstract
# IV- Writing an Abstract
- 15 marks
- 60 minutes (recommended)
- Read the passage and write an abstract to summarise it.
- The passage will be 1-2 pages long.
# Other details
- The passage is short compared to a real academic paper so a short summary is sufficient- do not write an abstract suitable for a real academic paper.
- It must be written as a single paragraph.
- It must be written from an objective perspective with reference to individual sections e.g. 'Next, the passage discusses the role of...'
# Other details continued
- The first sentence should explain the topic of the passage, then move on to discussing each section- some sections can be covered together in 1 sentence.
- You can quote, but remember to use quotation marks.
- The word count is 150 words. I will allow 30 words (20% of 150) over or under before deducting marks from the 'Content'.
# Marking
- Content- structure, coverage of passage, length
- Poor- ≤6
- Good- 7-8
- Excellent- 9-10
- Written English- communicative competence, spelling, grammar, vocabulary, punctuation
- Poor- 3
- Good- 4
- Excellent- 5
- Content + Written English = Final Mark
# Micro-Enterprise Credit for Street Youth
## Introduction
Although small-scale business training and credit programs have become more common throughout the world, relatively little attention has been paid to the need to direct such opportunities to young people. Even less attention has been paid to children living on the street or in difficult circumstances. Over the past nine years, Street Kids International (S.K.I.) has been working with partner organizations in Africa, Latin America and India to support the economic lives of street children. The purpose of this paper is to share some of the lessons S.K.I and our partners have learned.
## Background
Typically, children do not end up on the streets due to a single cause, but to a combination of factors: a dearth of adequately funded schools, the demand for income at home, family breakdown and violence. The street may be attractive to children as a place to find adventurous play and money. However, it is also a place where some children are exposed, with little or no protection, to exploitative employment, urban crime, and abuse. Children who work on the streets are generally involved in unskilled, labour-intensive tasks which require long hours, such as shining shoes, carrying goods, guarding or washing cars, and informal trading. Some may also earn income through begging, or through theft and other illegal activities. At the same time, there are street children who take pride in supporting themselves and their families and who often enjoy their work. Many children may choose entrepreneurship because it allows them a degree of independence, is less exploitative than many forms of paid-employment, and is flexible enough to allow them to participate in other activities such as education and domestic tasks.
## Street Business Partnerships
S.K.I. has worked with partner organizations in Latin America, Africa and India to develop innovative opportunities for street children to earn income. The S.K.I. Bicycle Courier Service first started in the Sudan. Participants in this enterprise were supplied with bicycles, which they used to deliver parcels and messages, and which they were required to pay for gradually from their wages. A similar program was taken up in Bangalore, India. Another successful project, The Shoe Shine Collective, was a partnership program with the Y.M.C.A. in the Dominican Republic. In this project, participants were lent money to purchase shoe shine boxes. They were also given a safe place to store their equipment, and facilities for individual savings plans. The Youth Skills Enterprise Initiative in Zambia is a joint program with the Red Cross Society and the Y.M.C.A. Street youths are supported to start their own small businesses through business training, life skills training and access to credit.
## Lessons Learned
The following lessons have emerged from the programs that S.K.I. and partner organizations have created:
1. Being an entrepreneur is not for everyone, nor for every street child. Ideally, potential participants will have been involved in the organization's programs for at least six months, and trust and relationship building will have already been established.
2. The involvement of the participants has been essential to the development of relevant programs. When children have had a major role in determining procedures, they are more likely to abide by and enforce them.
3. It is critical for all loans to be linked to training programs that include the development of basic business and life skills.
4. There are tremendous advantages to involving parents or guardians in the program, where such relationships exist. Home visits allow staff the opportunity to know where the participants live, and to understand more about each individual's situation.
5. Small loans are provided initially for purchasing fixed assets such as bicycles, shoe shine kits and basic building materials for a market stall. As the entrepreneurs gain experience, the enterprises can be gradually expanded and consideration can be given to increasing loan amounts. The loan amounts in S.K.I. programs have generally ranged from US$30 to US$100.
6. All S.K.I. programs have charged interest on the loans, primarily to get the entrepreneurs used to the concept of paying interest on borrowed money. Generally the rates have been modest (lower than bank rates.)
## Conclusion
There is a need to recognize the importance of access to credit for impoverished young people seeking to fulfill economic needs. The provision of small loans to support the entrepreneurial dreams and ambitions of youth can be an effective means to help them change their lives. However, we believe that credit must be extended in association with other types of support that help participants develop critical life skills as well as productive businesses.
# Micro-Enterprise Credit for Street Youth – Model Answer
This passage uses the work of the organisation Street Kids International (S.K.I) as an example to illustrate how programmes providing economic help to street children can improve their lives. The passage begins with quotations from two participants, followed by an introduction to the work of S.K.I and then some background on the issue of working street children, such as how they end up on the street and why they choose work of this nature. Next, three of S.K.I.’s projects and six lessons from S.K.I’s work are explained in significant detail, emphasising the diverse range of projects they are involved in and valuable experience they have gained. The passage concludes by saying that while economic support can be useful for impoverished young people it should be offered in combination with other kinds of support. Word count= 133 words
# IV - Writing an Abstract
- **15 marks**
- **60 minutes (recommended)**
- **Read the passage and write an abstract to summarise it.**
- **The passage will be 1 - 2 pages long.**
## Other details
- The passage is short compared to a real academic paper so a short summary is sufficient - do not write an abstract suitable for a real academic paper.
- It must be written as a single paragraph.
- It must be written from an objective perspective with reference to individual sections e.g. "Next, the passage discusses the role of..."
## Other details continued
- The first sentence should explain the topic of the passage, then move on to discussing each section - some sections can be covered together in 1 sentence.
- You can quote, but remember to use quotation marks," " or ' '.
- The word count is 150 words. I will allow 30 words (20% of 150) over or under before deducting marks from the "Content".
## Marking
- **Content** - structure, coverage of passage, length
- Poor - ≤6
- Good - 7 - 8
- Excellent - 9 - 10
- **Written English** - communicative competence, spelling, grammar, vocabulary, punctuation
- Poor - 3
- Good - 4
- Excellent - 5
- **Content + Written English = Final Mark**
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