THEORY-BOOKTHEORY-BOOK

UNIT 2 SKIMMING & UNDERSTANDING NOUN

PHRASES

Objectives:• To find the topic of the passage• To find the topic sentences and

the controlling ideas• To get the main and supporting

ideas of the passage• To understand Noun Phrases

SKIMMING

A. Topic of the passagea. Topic stated at the first sentence: The Japanese macaque is an

endangered monkey. It inhabits an area farther north than any other primate except for humans. The Japanese call this animal the snow monkey because it can be found in the snowy regions of Japan. Ironically, some troops of macaques have been relocated in Texas to ensure their survival.

b. Topic stated at the last sentence :

For thousands of years, desert dwellers have sheltered themselves in extremely functional buildings constructed of one of the most readily available, dependable, and inexpensive materials we know of. This ideal insulator, which absorbs heat during the day and slowly releases it at night, is mud.

c. Topic is implied: The potato is an important food for millions of people.

Destruction of the potato crop by pests has resulted in famines. Plant researchers have uncovered a hairy wild variety of potato from Bolivia that emits strong glue from the end of its hairs. This glue traps and kills insects. A new hairy potato was developed when researchers successfully crossed the common potato with the hairy potato. This new hybrid potato not only reduces aphid populations by 40 to 60 percent, but also emits a substance that stops the population of the Colorado potato beetle, one of the most destructive potato pests.

The passage is about the developments in the cross breeding of potatoes.

B. Topic sentence

a. Topic sentence at the beginning:

The life cycle of a virus is in two phases. The first is extra-cellular. This means that the virus lives outside the cell. The second is intracellular, and this means that the virus lives inside the cell where it produces.

b. Topic sentence in the middle: Within the animal world, populations change

all the time. Changes in the animal population depend on many factors. These include the rate of production of young, and the number of young that survive through the breeding stage.

c. Topic sentence at the end: Doing research on rabies means being in

close contact with the virus and this is very dangerous. It is also very difficult to grow the rabies virus sufficiently well. These two reasons explain why little is known about it.

A topic sentence contains a controlling idea that needs to be explained, described, illustrated, or developed in the sentences that follow or precede the topic sentence.

A topic sentence is not a statement of a fact.

Therefore the following statements of facts cannot be a topic sentence:

Susilo Bambang Yudoyono is the sixth president of Indonesia.

Prof. Dr. Ir. Ahmad Ansori Mattjik, MSc is the Rector of Institut Pertanian Bogor.

The Independence Day of Indonesia is celebrated annually on the 17th August.

A topic sentence can be sentence can be a statement of intent or opinion, or both intent and opinion.

A statement of intent is an objective sentence that tells the reader what will objectively be explained in the paragraph that follows.

Examples:

The life cycle of a virus is in two phases. Changes in the animal population depend on many

factors. These two reasons explain why little is known about it.

• A statement of opinionA statement of opinion makes makes aa judgmentjudgment. Words like . Words like interesting, bad, interesting, bad, exciting, best, terrifyingexciting, best, terrifying, etc. give the , etc. give the writer’s subjective opinion (that is, a writer’s subjective opinion (that is, a personal feeing or belief of the writer) and personal feeing or belief of the writer) and the paragraph that follows will support the the paragraph that follows will support the writer’s opinion in the topic sentence. Study writer’s opinion in the topic sentence. Study the following examples:the following examples:

• Some drugs are particularly Some drugs are particularly worrisomeworrisome because their continued use leads to because their continued use leads to addiction.addiction.

• Television commercials can be very Television commercials can be very imaginativeimaginative..

• Learning English at the Self-Access Center Learning English at the Self-Access Center is is enjoyableenjoyable..

C. Controlling ideas C. Controlling ideas

D. Main and supporting D. Main and supporting ideasideas

Sample passageSample passage

• Plants can be limited in their growth Plants can be limited in their growth rates by a variety of factorsrates by a variety of factors.. Mineral Mineral nutrients may diffuse through the nutrients may diffuse through the soil to the roots, and from there, they soil to the roots, and from there, they must be carried through the body of must be carried through the body of the plant. Carbon dioxide must be the plant. Carbon dioxide must be taken into the leaves. Sufficient light taken into the leaves. Sufficient light must fall upon the plant to cause a must fall upon the plant to cause a rate of photosynthesis greater than rate of photosynthesis greater than the rate of consumption of energy by the rate of consumption of energy by the plant.the plant.

Grammar points: Noun Grammar points: Noun PhrasesPhrases

• A. FormA. Form

Noun phrase is a phrase that consists Noun phrase is a phrase that consists of a noun plus a modifier; the modifier of a noun plus a modifier; the modifier can be ancan be an adjective, a prepositional adjective, a prepositional phrase, adjective clausephrase, adjective clause,, and and another another nounnoun

• AdjectiveAdjective

Examples: a Examples: a bigbig house, an extremely house, an extremely expensiveexpensive car, car, easyeasy tasks, tasks, complicatedcomplicated problemsproblems

• Prepositional phrasesPrepositional phrasesExamples: Examples:

a new computer a new computer in the classroomin the classroom, the , the man man with glasseswith glasses, the young teacher , the young teacher in in

redred, the shoes , the shoes under the tableunder the table

• Relative clausesRelative clauses Examples: Examples: • the people the people who work in the officewho work in the office• a house, a house, which is 100 years oldwhich is 100 years old• the bag the bag which I was carryingwhich I was carrying• the university the university where you studywhere you study• the day the day when I first came to Bogorwhen I first came to Bogor

• Another nounAnother noun

ExamplesExamples: : • ComputerComputer room room• HistoryHistory book book• CarCar park park

B. Functions of Noun phrase B. Functions of Noun phrase

•a. Subjecta. Subject Examples: Examples: • The explosion of bombs on all sidesThe explosion of bombs on all sides

made the habitants fear for their lives.made the habitants fear for their lives.• Most fast-food meals which are high Most fast-food meals which are high

in fatin fat have become an increasing have become an increasing concern. concern.

• French and American managersFrench and American managers have have decided different management stylesdecided different management styles

• Olympic athletesOlympic athletes must be strong both must be strong both physically and mentallyphysically and mentally

b. Noun phrase as an Objectb. Noun phrase as an Object

Examples:Examples:

• Their teacher was explaining Their teacher was explaining the the pronunciation of the English vowelspronunciation of the English vowels..

• Generic research has produced Generic research has produced both both exciting and frightening possibilitiesexciting and frightening possibilities

Further exerciseFurther exercise• Reread all the above paragraphs and Reread all the above paragraphs and

underline the noun phrases that you underline the noun phrases that you find in each paragraphfind in each paragraph

THANK YOU…