Tập bài giảng kỹ năng đọc hiểu 2

TẬP BÀI GIẢNG
KỸ NĂNG ĐỌC HIỂU 2
Phúc Yên, tháng 8 năm 2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Unit 1: Elephants: Gentle Giants of the Earth
I. Objectives
II. Pre-reading II.1. Questions for preparation
II.2. Vocabulary
III. Reading Reading text
III.1. Questions for scanning
III.2. Comprehension
III.3. Reading Analysis
III.4. Vocabulary in context
IV. Post-reading
1
1
1
1
2
2
3
3
6
6
Unit 2: The extinction of dinosaurs: What happened?
I. Objectives
II. Pre-reading II.1. Questions for preparation
II.2. Vocabulary
III. Reading Reading text
III.1. Questions for scanning

III.2. Comprehension
III.3. Reading Analysis
III.4. Vocabulary in context
IV. Post-reading
7
7
7
7
7
8
9
9
11
12
Unit 3: The birth of the United States of America
I. Objectives
II. Pre-reading II.1. Questions for preparation
II.2. Vocabulary
III. Reading Reading text
III.1. Questions for scanning
III.2. Comprehension
III.3. Reading Analysis
III.4. Vocabulary in context
IV. Post-reading
13
13
13
13
14
15

15
15
17
18
Unit 4: Twins - how alike are they?
I. Objectives
II. Pre-reading II.1. Questions for preparation
II.2. Vocabulary
III. Reading Reading text
III.1. Questions for scanning
III.2. Comprehension
III.3. Reading Analysis
III.4. Vocabulary in context
IV. Post-reading
19
19
19
19
20
21
21
21
24
24
Unit 5: Adoption-the search for happiness
I. Objectives
II. Pre-reading II.1. Questions for preparation
II.2. Vocabulary
III. Reading Reading text
III.1. Questions for scanning

III.2. Comprehension
III.3. Reading Analysis
III.4. Vocabulary in context
25
25
25
25
26
27
27
27
31
IV. Post-reading
31
Unit 6: Secondhand smoke
I. Objectives
II. Pre-reading II.1. Questions for preparation
II.2. Vocabulary
III. Reading Reading text
III.1. Questions for scanning
III.2. Comprehension
III.3. Reading Analysis
III.4. Vocabulary in context
IV. Post-reading
32
32
32
33
33
34

34
35
37
37
Unit 7: A healthy diet for everyone
I. Objectives
II. Pre-reading II.1. Questions for preparation
II.2. Vocabulary
III. Reading Reading text
III.1. Questions for scanning
III.2. Comprehension
III.3. Reading Analysis
III.4. Vocabulary in context
IV. Post-reading
38
38
38
38
39
39
40
40
43
43
Unit 8: Oil - an important world resource
I. Objectives
II. Pre-reading II.1. Questions for preparation
II.2. Vocabulary
III. Reading Reading text
III.1. Questions for scanning

III.2. Comprehension
III.3. Reading Analysis
III.4. Vocabulary in context
IV. Post-reading
44
44
44
44
45
45
46
46
48
49
Unit 9: Earthquakes: What are they and how do they happen?
I. Objectives
II. Pre-reading II.1. Questions for preparation
II.2. Vocabulary
III. Reading Reading text
III.1. Questions for scanning
III.2. Comprehension
III.3. Reading Analysis
III.4. Vocabulary in context
IV. Post-reading
50
50
50
50
50
51

52
52
54
54
Unit 10: Alfred Nobel - a man of peace
I. Objectives
II. Pre-reading II.1. Questions for preparation
II.2. Vocabulary
III. Reading Reading text
III.1. Questions for scanning
III.2. Comprehension
III.3. Reading Analysis
III.4. Vocabulary in context
IV. Post-reading
55
55
55
55
55
57
57
57
59
60
PREFACE
LỜI NÓI ĐẦU
Đối với Tiếng Anh hay bất cứ một ngôn ngữ nào khác thì các kỹ năng: Nghe,
Nói, Đọc, Viết đều rất quan trọng. Kỹ năng đọc nói riêng và các kỹ năng khác nói
chung đều yêu cầu người học phải thường xuyên luyện tập, trau dồi liên tục để hình
thành kỹ năng ngôn ngữ cho mỗi cá nhân.

Hiện nay, mặc dù có rất nhiều tài liệu giúp người học cải thiện kỹ năng đọc hiểu
Tiếng Anh, song chúng chỉ có thể đóng vai trò là tài liệu tham khảo trong quá trình
dạy và học học phần Đọc hiểu 1 của giáo viên và sinh viên trường Cao đẳng Vĩnh
Phúc vì chúng được biên soạn theo các mục đích sử dụng khác nhau. Tập bài giảng
Đọc hiểu 1 (Reading 1) được soạn ra dựa trên việc nghiên cứu, chọn lọc các nội dung
bài học từ các giáo trình, tài liệu tham khảo ở cả trong và ngoài nước để đưa vào sử
dụng phù hợp với chương trình khung mà Bộ Giáo dục và Đào tạo đã qui định nhằm
giúp sinh viên có được giáo trình học tập tốt nhất có thể trong quá trình học tập tại
trường.
Tập bài giảng Đọc hiểu 1 (Reading 1) là tài liệu học tập chính thức cho học
phần Đọc hiểu 1 của sinh viên cao đẳng chuyên ngành sư phạm Tiếng Anh ở học kỳ I,
năm thứ nhất, với 04 ĐVHT (tương đương với 60 tiết lên lớp)
Tập bài giảng gồm 09 chương (09 chapters), ứng với 18 bài (18 units), mỗi
chương xoay quanh một chủ đề lớn, mỗi bài là một bài đọc có nội dung thuộc về chủ
đề lớn nêu trên. Dựa vào việc khai thác chủ đề ở mỗi bài, tập bài giảng sẽ chú trọng
phát triển ngôn ngữ, nâng cao vốn từ vựng, cấu trúc diễn đạt câu; nắm bắt các ý chính
của bài đọc ngắn bằng Tiếng Anh. Từ đó, sinh viên có thể làm quen với các văn bản
dạng đơn giản của người bản ngữ, phát triển và dần cải thiện được khả năng đọc văn
bản của mình.
PREFIX
Unit 1: Elephants: Gentle Giants of the Earth
Elephants are large mammals of the two species which are traditionally
recognised, the African elephant and the Asian elephant, although some evidence
suggests that African bush elephants and African forest elephants are separate species.
Elephants are scattered throughout sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast
Asia. Male African elephants are the largest extant terrestrial animals and can reach a
height of 4 m (13 ft) and weigh 7,000 kg (15,000 lb). All elephants have several
distinctive features the most notable of which is a long trunk orproboscis, used for
many purposes, particularly breathing, lifting water and grasping objects.
Their incisors grow into tusks, which can serve as weapons and as tools for moving

objects and digging. Elephants' large ear flaps help to control their body temperature.
Their pillar-like legs can carry their great weight. African elephants have larger ears
and concave backs while Asian elephants have smaller ears and convex or level backs.
Elephants prefer to stay near water. They are considered to bekeystone
species due to their impact on their environments. Females ("cows") tend to live in
family groups, which can consist of one female with her calves or several related
females with offspring. The groups are led by an individual known as the matriarch,
often the oldest cow. Elephants have a fission-fusion society in which multiple family
groups come together to socialise. Males ("bulls") leave their family groups when they
reach puberty, and may live alone or with other males. Adult bulls mostly interact with
family groups when looking for a mate and enter a state of increased testosterone and
aggression known as musth, which helps them gain dominance and reproductive
success. Calves are the centre of attention in their family groups and rely on their
mothers for as long as three years. Elephants can live up to 70 years in the wild. They
communicate by touch, sight, smell and sound. Elephant intelligence has been
compared with that of primates and cetaceans.
African elephants are listed as vulnerable while the Asian elephant is classed
as endangered. One of the biggest threats to elephant populations is the ivory trade, as
the animals are poached for their ivory tusks. Other threats to wild elephants
include habitat destruction and conflicts with local people. Elephants are used
as working animals in Asia. In the past, they were used in war; today, they are often
put on display in zoos and circuses. Elephants are highly recognisable and have been
featured in art, folklore, religion, literature and popular culture.
Unit 2: The extinction of dinosaurs: What happened?
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade Dinosauria. They first
appeared during the Triassic period, 231.4 million years ago, and were the dominant
terrestrial vertebrates for 135 million years, when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction
event led to the extinction of most dinosaur groups (and some three-quarters of plant
and animal species on Earth) at the close of the Mesozoic Era. The fossil record
indicates that birds evolved from theropod dinosaurs during the Jurassic Period and,

consequently, they are considered to be modern dinosaurs. Some birds survived the
extinction event that occurred 65 million years ago, and their descendants continue the
dinosaur lineage to the present day.
Dinosaurs are a varied group of animals
from taxonomic, morphological and ecological standpoints. Dinosaurs are represented
on every continent by both extant species and fossil remains. Evidence suggests that
egg laying and nest building are additional traits shared by all dinosaurs. While
modern dinosaurs (birds) are generally small due to the constraints of flight, many
prehistoric dinosaurs were large-bodied — the largest sauropod dinosaurs may have
achieved lengths of 58 meters (190 feet) and heights of 9.25 meters (30 feet 4 inches).
Still, the idea that non-avian dinosaurs were uniformly gigantic is a misconception
based on preservation bias, as large, sturdy bones are more likely to last until they are
fossilized.
Although the word dinosaur means "terrible lizard", the name is somewhat
misleading, as dinosaurs are not lizards. Instead, they represent a separate group of
reptiles that, like many extinct forms, did not exhibit characteristics traditionally seen
as reptilian, such as a sprawling limb posture or ectothermy. Through the first half of
the 20th century, before birds were recognized to be dinosaurs, most of the scientific
community believed dinosaurs to have been sluggish and cold-blooded. Most research
conducted since the 1970s, however, has indicated that all dinosaurs were active
animals with elevated metabolisms and numerous adaptations for social interaction.
Since the first dinosaur fossils were recognized in the early 19th century,
mounted fossil dinosaur skeletons have been major attractions at museums around the
world, and dinosaurs have become an enduring part of world culture. The large sizes
of some groups, as well as their seemingly monstrous and fantastic nature, have
ensured dinosaurs' regular appearance in best-selling books and films, such as Jurassic
Park. Persistent public enthusiasm for the animals has resulted in significant funding
for dinosaur science, and new discoveries are regularly covered by the media.
Unit 3: The birth of the United States of America
The Declaration of Independence is the statement adopted by the Continental

Congress meeting at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 4, 1776, which announced
that the thirteen American colonies, then at war with Great Britain, regarded
themselves as thirteen newly independent sovereign states, and no longer a part of
the British Empire. Instead they formed a new nation — the United States of
America. John Adams was a leader in pushing for independence, which was
unanimously approved on July 2. A committee of five had already drafted the formal
declaration, to be ready when Congress voted on independence. The term "Declaration
of Independence" is not used in the document itself.
The sources and interpretation of the Declaration have been the subject of much
scholarly inquiry. The Declaration justified the independence of the United States by
listing colonial grievances against King George III, and by asserting certain natural
and legal rights, including a right of revolution. Having served its original purpose in
announcing independence, references to the text of the Declaration were few for the
next four score years. Abraham Lincoln made it the centerpiece of his rhetoric (as in
the Gettysburg Address of 1863), and his policies. Since then, it has become a well-
known statement on human rights, particularly its second sentence:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they
are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these
are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
This has been called "one of the best-known sentences in the English language",
containing "the most potent and consequential words in American history". The
passage came to represent a moral standard to which the United States should strive.
This view was notably promoted by Abraham Lincoln, who considered the Declaration
to be the foundation of his political philosophy, and argued that the Declaration is a
statement of principles through which the United States Constitution should be
interpreted.
It provided inspiration to numerous national declarations of
independence throughout the world. Historian David Armitage, after examining the
influence of the American "Declaration" on over 100 other declarations of
independence, says: “The American Revolution was the first outbreak of the contagion

of sovereignty that has swept the world in the centuries since 1776. Its influence
spread first to the Low Countries and then to the Caribbean, Spanish America, the
Balkans, West Africa, and Central Europe in the decades up to 1848 Declarations of
independence were among the primary symptoms of this contagion of sovereignty.
Unit 4: Twins - how alike are they?
Twins are two offspring produced by the same pregnancy. Twins can either
be monozygotic ("identical"), meaning that they can develop from just one zygote that
will then split and form two embryos, or dizygotic ("fraternal"), meaning that they can
develop from two different eggs, each are fertilized by separate sperm cells.
In contrast, a fetus which develops alone in the womb is called a singleton, and
the general term for one offspring of a multiple birth is multiple.
The twin birth rate in the United States rose 76% from 1980 through 2009, from
18.9 to 33.3 per 1,000 births. The Yoruba have the highest rate of twinning in the
world, at 45–50 twin sets (or 90–100 twins) per 1,000 live births, possibly because of
high consumption of a specific type of yam containing a natural phytoestrogen which
may stimulate the ovaries to release an egg from each side.
In Central Africa, there are 18–30 twin sets (or 36–60 twins) per 1,000 live
births.
[10]
In Latin America, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, the lowest rates are found;
only 6–9 twin sets per 1,000 live births. North America and Europe have intermediate
rates of 9–16 twin sets per 1,000 live births.
Multiple pregnancies are much less likely to carry to full term than single
births, with twin pregnancies lasting only 37 weeks (3 weeks less than full term) on
average.
Women who have a family history of fraternal twins have a higher chance of
producing fraternal twins themselves, as there is a genetically linked tendency to
hyper-ovulate. There is no known genetic link for identical twinning. Other factors that
increase the odds of having fraternal twins include maternal age, fertility drugs and
other fertility treatments, nutrition, and prior births.

Unit 5: Adoption-the search for happiness
Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting of another,
usually a child, from that person's biological or legal parent or parents, and, in so
doing, permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities, along with filiation, from
the biological parent or parents. Unlike guardianship or other systems designed for the
care of the young, adoption is intended to effect a permanent change in status and as
such requires societal recognition, either through legal or religious sanction.
Historically, some societies have enacted specific laws governing adoption; where
others have tried to achieve adoption through less formal means, notably via contracts
that specified inheritance rights and parental responsibilities without an accompanying
transfer of filiation. Modern systems of adoption, arising in the 20th century, tend to
be governed by comprehensive statutes and regulations.
Unit 6: Secondhand smoke
Passive smoking is the inhalation of smoke, called second-hand
smoke or environmental tobacco smoke, by persons other than the intended "active"
smoker. It occurs when tobacco smoke permeates any environment, causing its
inhalation by people within that environment. Exposure to second-hand tobacco
smoke causes disease, disability, and death. The health risks of second-hand smoke are
a matter of scientific consensus. These risks have been a major motivation for smoke-
free laws in workplaces and indoor public places, including restaurants, bars and night
clubs as well as some open public spaces.
Concerns around second-hand smoke have played a central role in the debate
over the harms and regulation of tobacco products. Since the early 1970s, the tobacco
industryhas viewed public concern over second-hand smoke as a serious threat to its
business interests. Harm to bystanders was perceived as a motivator for stricter
regulation of tobacco products. Despite the industry's awareness of the harms of
second-hand smoke as early as the 1980s, the tobacco industry coordinated a scientific
controversy with the aim of forestalling regulation of their products.
Unit 7: A healthy diet for everyone
A healthy diet is one that helps maintain or improve overall health. A healthy

diet provides the body with essential nutrition: fluid, adequate essential amino
acids from protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and adequate calories. The
requirements for a healthy diet can be met from a variety of plant-based and animal-
based foods. A healthy diet supports energy needs and provides for human
nutritionwithout exposure to toxicity or excessive weight gain from consuming
excessive amounts. Where lack of calories is not an issue, a properly balanced diet (in
addition toexercise) is also thought to be important for lowering health risks, such
as obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and cancer.
Various nutrition guides are published by medical and governmental
institutions to educate the public on what they should be eating to promote
health. Nutrition facts labels are also mandatory in some countries to allow consumers
to choose between foods based on the components relevant to health.
The idea of dietary therapy (using dietary choices to maintain health and
improve poor health) is quite old and thus has both modern scientific forms (medical
nutrition therapy) and prescientific forms (such as dietary therapy in traditional
Chinese medicine).
Unit 8: Oil - an important world resource
Petroleum is a naturally occurring, yellow-to-black liquid found in geological
formations beneath the Earth's surface, which is commonly refined into various types
of fuels.
It consists of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other organic
compounds. The name petroleum covers both naturally occurring unprocessed crude
oil and petroleum products that are made up of refined crude oil. A fossil fuel,
petroleum is formed when large quantities of dead organisms,
usually zooplankton and algae, are buried underneath sedimentary rock and subjected
to intense heat and pressure.
Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling (natural petroleum springs
are rare). This comes after the studies of structural geology, sedimentary basin
analysis, reservoir characterization. It is refined and separated, most easily
by distillation, into a large number of consumer products, from gasoline (petrol)

and kerosene to asphalt and chemical reagents used to
make plastics and pharmaceuticals. Petroleum is used in manufacturing a wide variety
of materials, and it is estimated that the world consumes about 90 million barrels each
day.
Concern over the depletion of the earth's finite reserves of oil, and the effect
this would have on a society dependent on it, is a concept known as peak oil. The use
of fossil fuels, such as petroleum, has a negative impact on Earth's biosphere,
damaging ecosystems through events such as oil spills and releasing a range of
pollutants into the air includingground-level ozone and sulfur dioxide from sulfur
impurities in fossil fuels.
Unit 9: Earthquakes: What are they and how do they happen?
An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the perceptible
shaking of the surface of the Earth, which can be violent enough to destroy major
buildings and kill thousands of people. The severity of the shaking can range from
barely felt to violent enough to toss people around. Earthquakes have destroyed whole
cities. They result from the sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that
creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to
the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time.
Earthquakes are measured using observations from seismometers. The moment
magnitude is the most common scale on which earthquakes larger than approximately
5 are reported for the entire globe. The more numerous earthquakes smaller than
magnitude 5 reported by national seismological observatories are measured mostly on
the local magnitude scale, also referred to as the Richter magnitude scale. These two
scales are numerically similar over their range of validity. Magnitude 3 or lower
earthquakes are mostly almost imperceptible or weak and magnitude 7 and over
potentially cause serious damage over larger areas, depending on their depth. The
largest earthquakes in historic times have been of magnitude slightly over 9, although
there is no limit to the possible magnitude. The most recent large earthquake of
magnitude 9.0 or larger was a 9.0 magnitude earthquake in Japan in 2011 (as of March
2014), and it was the largest Japanese earthquake since records began. Intensity of

shaking is measured on the modified Mercalli scale. The shallower an earthquake, the
more damage to structures it causes, all else being equal.
At the Earth's surface, earthquakes manifest themselves by shaking and
sometimes displacement of the ground. When the epicenter of a large earthquake is
located offshore, the seabed may be displaced sufficiently to cause a tsunami.
Earthquakes can also trigger landslides, and occasionally volcanic activity.
In its most general sense, the word earthquake is used to describe any seismic
event — whether natural or caused by humans — that generates seismic waves.
Earthquakes are caused mostly by rupture of geological faults, but also by other events
such as volcanic activity, landslides, mine blasts, and nuclear tests. An earthquake's
point of initial rupture is called its focus or hypocenter. The epicenter is the point at
ground level directly above the hypocenter.
Unit 10: Alfred Nobel - a man of peace
Alfred Bernhard Nobel (October 1833 – 10 December 1896) was a Swedish
chemist, engineer, innovator, and armaments manufacturer.
He was the inventor of dynamite. Nobel also owned Bofors, which he had
redirected from its previous role as primarily an iron and steel producer to a major
manufacturer of cannon and other armaments. Nobel held 350 different patents,
dynamite being the most famous. His fortune was used posthumously to institute
the Nobel Prizes. The synthetic element nobelium was named after him. His name also
survives in modern-day companies such as Dynamit Nobel and AkzoNobel, which are
descendants of mergers with companies Nobel himself established.
Born in Stockholm, Alfred Nobel was the fourth son of Immanuel
Nobel (1801–1872), an inventor and engineer, and Carolina Andriette Nobel (1805–
1889). The couple married in 1827 and had eight children. The family was
impoverished, and only Alfred and his three brothers survived past childhood. Alfred
Nobel's interest in technology was inherited from his father, an alumnus of Royal
Institute of Technology in Stockholm.
In 1842, the family joined him in the city. Now prosperous, his parents were
able to send Nobel to private tutors and the boy excelled in his studies, particularly in

chemistry and languages, achieving fluency in English, French, German and Russian.
As a young man, Nobel studied with chemist Nikolai Zinin; then, in 1850, went
to Paris to further the work; and, at 18, he went to the United States for four years to
study chemistry.
Nobel was elected a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in
1884, the same institution that would later select laureates for two of the Nobel prizes,
and he received an honorary doctorate from Uppsala Universityin 1893.
Nobel's brothers Ludvig and Robert exploited oilfields along the Caspian
Sea and became hugely rich in their own right. Nobel invested in these and amassed
great wealth through the development of these new oil regions. During his life Nobel
issued 350 patents internationally and by his death had established 90 armaments
factories, despite his belief in pacifism.
In 1888, the death of his brother Ludvig caused several newspapers to publish
obituaries of Alfred in error. A French obituary stated "Le marchand de la mort est
mort" ("The merchant of death is dead").
In 1891, following the death of his mother and his brother Ludvig and the end
of a longstanding relationship, Nobel moved from Paris to Sanremo, Italy. Suffering
from angina, Nobel died at home, of a cerebral haemorrhage in 1896. Unbeknownst to
his family, friends or colleagues, he had left most of his wealth in trust, in order to
fund the awards that would become known as the Nobel Prizes. He is buried in Norra
begravningsplatsen in Stockholm.
REFERENCES
1. Nhiều tác giả. Reading focus, ĐHNN-ĐHQGHN, 2009.
2. Jacobs, R.A. English syntax: A grammar for English Language Professionals,
Oxford University Press, New York, 1995.
3. Lorraine C. Smith and Nancy Nici Mare. Insights for today, Heinle & Heinle
Publishers, 1993.
4. Nguyễn Thị Thanh Yến. Bạch Thanh Minh. Bồi Dưỡng Kỹ Năng Đọc Hiểu Tiếng
Anh, Nxb Tổng hợp TP.HCM, 2008
1. Arline Burgmeier. Inside Reading: The Academic Word List in Context, Cambridge

University Press, 2005
2. Blundell J., Higgens J. & Middlemiss N. Function in English, Oxford University
Press, 1982.
3. Greenall S. Language to go - phrasebook (Elementary & Pre-Intermediate),
Longman, 2002.
4. Kay S., Jone V. and Kerr P. Inside out (Pre-Intermediate), Macmillan publishers
Limited, 2002.
5. Nguyễn Thị Thanh Yến. Bạch Thanh Minh. Bồi Dưỡng Kỹ Năng Đọc Hiểu
Tiếng Anh, Nxb Tổng hợp TP.HCM, 2008
6. Patricia Ackert. Concepts and Comments, Harcourt Brace & Company, 1985.
7. Patricia Ackert. Facts & Figures, Harcourt Brace & Company, 1985.
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Unit 1:
Elephants: Gentle Giants of the Earth
I/ Objectives
After studying this unit, students shall be able to
+ improve their vocabulary about animals especially elephants, its description
and habits.
+ improve their knowledge about elephants - one of the biggest animals in the
world.
+ have many chances to practise and improve their English skills, especially
reading comprehension and expressing ideas about elephants in specific and animals in
general.
II. Pre-reading
II.1. Questions for preparation
1. Look at the photograph. Where do
these elephants live?
2. Discuss what you know about
elephants. For example, what do they

eat? How many babies do they have?
How long do they live?
3. What do they use their trunks for?
4. What do they use their tusks for?
5. Some people kill them. Do you
know why?
6. Read the title of this unit. What do
you think it means?
II.2. Vocabulary
Find out the meanings, functions in each of the following words and phrases.
head
emotion
land animal
adult
weigh
tusk
protection
vegetarian
giant
uncommon
feature
trunk
ability
creature
ivory
valuable
extinct
attraction
cooperation
fascinating

2
III. Reading
1
5
10
15
20
25
30
They live with their mothers, sisters, aunts, nieces and nephews, and an old
grandmother, who is the head of the family. They show emotions such as joy,
sorrow, anger, patience, and friendliness. They become excited when they meet
old friends. Who are those people? They are not people; they are elephants!
Elephants are the largest land animals on Earth. An adult male African
elephant can weigh six tons and be 12 feet tall. Females weigh about half as much
as males, and are about four feet shorter than males. A newborn elephant, called a
calf, weighs about 260 pounds (260lb) and stands about three feet tall. Elephants
usually have two tusks. These are long, pointed teeth that extend from the
elephant’s mouth. An elephant’s tusks grow all through its life, and an elephant
may live 60 years or more. The tusks of an old male may reach nine feet in length.
Elephants only use their tusks for protection. They do not use them to kill,
because elephants are vegetarians; that is, they do not eat any meat. They only eat
plants.
Elephants are the giants of the animal kingdom, but their size is not their
only uncommon feature. The most unusual characteristic of an elephant is its
trunk. An elephant uses it to smell, wash, eat, drink, "talk," and hug. However,
elephant babies do not know how to use their trunks, just as human babies are not
born with the ability to walk. Learning to walk is not easy, and it takes a lot of
practice. In the same way, baby elephants also learn how to use their trunks well.
Over the last 20 years, people have studied elephants and how they live.

Consequently, we are beginning to understand these fascinating giant creatures.
Unfortunately, their numbers are quickly decreasing. People are killing elephants
to make money by selling their tusks. An elephant’s tusks are made of ivory.
People use ivory to make bracelets, rings, and other ornaments. Illegal hunters are
killing many elephants for their valuable ivory. In 1975, there were about 1.5
million African elephants. Now there are fewer than 600,000. As a result, people
are worried that they may become extinct. Some countries are trying to stop the
killing of so many elephants. They are making laws to protect elephants.
Many people travel to Africa to see its beautiful countryside and its
unusual animals. In fact, tourism is important to the economy of many African
countries. Elephants are a part of the tourist attraction. With cooperation among
countries around the world, elephants may continue to live, so that everyone can
see these fascinating giants of the Earth.
III.1. Questions for scanning
Read the passage. Then try to answer the following questions. Compare their answers
with their partner's answers.
1. How are elephants similar to people? Please explain the answers
……………………………………………………………………………………
3
2. a. Describe a full - grown male elephant
……………………………………………………………………………………
b. Describe a full - grown female elephant
……………………………………………………………………………………
c. Describe a newborn elephant
……………………………………………………………………………………
3. What is the most unusual characteristic of an elephant? What does an
elephant use it for?
……………………………………………………………………………………
4. Why do some people kill elephants?
……………………………………………………………………………………

III.2. Comprehension
Read the passage. Then read the following statements. Check whether they are true (T)
or false (F). If a statement is false, change the statement so that it is true. Then go back
to the passage and find the line that supports their answers
_____ 1. An elephant's tusks are long.
_____ 2. Female elephants weigh about six tons.
_____ 3. Elephants eat only meat.
_____ 4. The number of elephants in Africa is increasing.
_____ 5. Some people kill elephants for their tusks.
III.3. Reading Analysis
Read each question carefully. Either circle the letter of the correct answer or write the
answer in the space provided.
1. What is the main idea of this passage?
a. Elephants, the largest land animals on Earth, are very unusual.
b. Many people kill elephants for their tusks.
c. Elephants are very large animals that live in Africa.
2. Elephants show emotions such as joy, sorrow, anger, patience and friendliness.
a. What are emotions?
i. ideas
ii. characteristics
iii. feelings
b. What does such as mean?
i. for example
ii. except
iii. and also
3. An adult male African elephant can weigh six tons. Females weigh about half as
much as males. How much do females usually weigh?
…………………………………………………………………………………………
4
4. Elephants usually have two tusks. There are long, pointed teeth that extend from the

elephant's mouth.
a. Tusks are
i. lips ii. teeth iii. tongues
b. The elephant's tusks
i. are inside the elephant's mouth.
ii. are outside the elephant's mouth.
c. Extend means
i. spread out in length
ii. hang down
iii. are heavy
5. An elephant's tusks grow all through its life & an elephant may live 60 years or
more
a. Can an elephant live to be 65 years old?
……………………………………………………………………………………
b. Do all elephants live to be 60 years old?
……………………………………………………………………………………
6. Elephants are vegetarians; that is, they do not eat any meat. They only eat plants.
a. Vegetarians eat
i. meat
ii. plants
iii. meat and plants
b. That is introduces
i. an explanation of the word in front of it.
ii. an example of the word in front of it.
iii. an opposite of the word in front of it.
7. Elephants are the giants of the animal kingdom, but their size is not their only
uncommon feature. The most unusual characteristic of an elephant is its trunk.
a. In these sentences, which word is a synonym of uncommon?
……………………………………………………………………………………
b. What does uncommon mean?

i. rare, special
ii. funny, strange
iii. ugly, unattractive
c. In these sentences, which word is a synonym of feature?
……………………………………………………………………………………
d. What does feature mean?
i. arm, leg
ii. quality, trait
iii. appearance, look
8. An elephant uses its trunk to smell, wash, eat, drink, "talk" and hug.
Why is the word talk in quotation marks ("")?
5
a. because it is unusual for animals to talk.
b. because people can not understand animal speech.
c. because elephants can not really talk.
9. "Elephant babies do not know how to use their trunks, just as human babies are not
born with the ability to walk. As human babies grow, they try to crawl, then to stand,
and finally to walk. In the same way, baby elephants also learn how to use their
trunks well."
In the same way indicates that elephant babies and human babies are
a. similar
b. different
10. "Over the last 20 years, people have studied elephants and how they live.
Consequently, we are beginning to understand these fascinating giant creatures.
Unfortunately, their numbers are quickly decreasing. As a result, people are worried
that they may become extinct.
a. Over the last 20 years means
i. from 20 years ago until now.
ii. from now until 20 years in the future.
iii. from ten years ago until ten years in the future.

b. In this paragraph, which word or phrase is a synonym of consequently?
…………………………………………………………………………………………
c. Complete the following sentence with the appropriate choice.
“Lisa didn't study for her history test. As a result, …………………”
i. she didn't know any answers
ii. she knew all the answers
d. Unfortunately refers something
i. good
ii. bad
e. Complete the following sentence correctly.
"Eileen wanted to go on a picnic. Unfortunately, ………………………………… "
i. it began to rain
ii. the weather was nice.
iii. she invited her friends.
f. People are worried that elephants may become extinct.
People are worried that
i. all the elephants will only be in the zoos.
ii. the number of elephants will be very small.
iii. all the elephants will die
11. "Many people travel to Africa to see its beautiful countryside and its unusual
animals. In fact, tourism is important to the economy of many African countries."
What is tourism?
6
a. when people travel to different places
b. when people see unusual animals
c. when people work in another country.
III.4. Vocabulary in context
Read each sentence below. Fill in each space with the correct word from the list
below. Use each word only once
features fascinating unusual

protect unfortunately heads
cooperation as a result ability
extinct
1. Parents always __________ their children from getting hurt.
2. Many animals on exhibition in museums are _________, for example, all dinosaurs.
3. My new car has several extra _____: air conditioning, a radio and a cassette players.
4. Kings, emperors and presidents are __________ of their countries.
5. Roberta needed the help and __________ of their friends last week because she
moved to a new apartment. She was not able to move by herself.
6. Snow in July is __________. It almost never happened.
7. Many people believe that travel to other planets will be possible in the 21
st
century.
This is a __________ idea!
8. Michael wanted to go to the movies last night. __________, he had a lot of
homework to do, so he stayed at home.
9. Allen studied very hard for his English exam. __________, the test was easy for
him, and he did very well.
10. Susan has the __________ to learn other languages very quickly.
IV. Post-reading
Topics for Discussion and Writing
1. Elephants are very social animals. Do you know of any other animal that is social,
too? Describe it?
2. Do you think it is right for people to kill elephants for their tusks? Why or why not?
State your opinion. Give reasons and examples.
3. Are there sometimes good reasons to kill animals? Work with a partner. Make a
chart. List good and bad reasons. Compare your chart with your other classmates'
charts.
7
Unit 2:

The extinction of the Dinosaur: What happened?
I/ Objectives
After studying this unit, students shall be able to
+ improve their knowledge about dinosaurs and theories about their extinction.
+ improve their vocabulary about animals especially dinosaurs and the reasons
for their extinction.
+ have many chances to practise and improve their English skills, especially
reading comprehension and espressing ideas about dinosaurs in specific and animals in
general.
II. Pre-reading
II.1. Questions for preparation
l. Look at the photograph. What is this
a picture of? Where is this?
2. Are dinosaurs alive today?
3. When did dinosaurs live? What did
they eat?
4. What happened to them?
5. How do you think they became
extinct?
II.2. Vocabulary
Find out the meanings, functions in each of the following words
fascination
dinosaur
museum
skeleton
ancient
wonder
happen
incredible
theory

gradually
uncertain
discuss
comet
asteroid
hole
entire
planet
layer
significantly
prove
III. Reading
1
5
From the time most people are children, they have a fascination with
dinosaurs, the largest land animals that ever lived. People young and old visit
museums to learn about these giant creatures from the past. As they walk by the
huge skeletons, footprints in stone and ancient eggs, they wonder what happened
to these incredible animals. Why did dinosaurs become extinct?
8
10
15
20
25
Scientists had many theories to explain the dinosaur extinction. They said
that the climate of the Earth slowly changed. As it gradually became colder, plants
died. Some dinosaurs were vegetarians, so they died, too. Another theory is that
dinosaurs simply became too big to live. After all, some dinosaurs weighed as
much as 77 tons. A third theory is that some small animals ate the dinosaurs’
eggs. However, many other species of plants and animals also died out at the same

time as the dinosaurs. People were still uncertain because none of the theories
explained these extinctions.
Then, in the 1980s, scientists began to discuss a new theory. Their theory is
that 65 million years ago, a large comet or asteroid struck the Earth near Mexico.
It struck at incredibly high speed - as high as 15,000 miles per hour. It was very
damaging. In fact, it created a hole 25 miles deep and 100 miles in diameter. The
dirt and ash blew high up into the sky. They covered the entire planet with a thin
layer of dust, which blocked the sun for many months. The temperature decreased
significantly all around the Earth for a long time, perhaps years. Plants died
rapidly because there was not enough sunlight. Animals also died quickly because
they had nothing to eat and because the climate was too cold.
Right now, this new theory explains the extinction of many kinds of life 65
million years ago. However, scientists need to find the exact place where the
asteroid or comet struck the Earth. When they find the location, they will be able
to prove that their theory is correct.
III.1. Questions for scanning
Read the passage. Then try to answer the following questions. Compare their answers
with their partner's answers.
1. a. Why do some people visit museums?
……………………………………………………………………………………
b. What can you see in museum?
……………………………………………………………………………………
2. a. How many theories about dinosaurs are in the second paragraph of the
passage?
……………………………………………………………………………………
b. Why do scientists think some vegetarian dinosaurs died?
……………………………………………………………………………………
c. Were people certain about all these old theories? Why or why not?
……………………………………………………………………………………
3. a. When did scientists discuss a new theory?

……………………………………………………………………………………
b. Where did they think the comet or asteroid struck the Earth?
……………………………………………………………………………………
c. How big was the hole in the Earth?
……………………………………………………………………………………
9
d. What happened to the Earth’s temperature afterward?
……………………………………………………………………………………
e. Why did the plants and animals die?
……………………………………………………………………………………
4. How can scientists prove this new theory?
……………………………………………………………………………………
III.2. Comprehension
Read the passage. Then read the following statements. Check whether they are true (T)
or false (F). If a statement is false, change the statement so that it is true. Then go back
to the passage and find the line that supports their answers
_____ 1. Dinosaurs were the largest land animals on Earth.
_____ 2. There are many different theories about the dinosaurs.
_____ 3. All dinosaurs were vegetarians.
_____ 4. Some scientists think a large comet or asteroid struck the Earth 65
million years ago.
_____ 5. The comet or asteroid’s dirt increased the Earth’s temperature.
_____ 6. Scientists know exactly where the comet struck.
III.3. Reading Analysis
Read each question carefully. Either circle the letter of the correct answer or write the
answer in the space provided.
1. What is the main idea of this passage?
a. The asteroid or comet created a hole 25 miles deep and 100 miles in diameter
b. Dinosaurs were the largest animals that ever lived on Earth.
c. Scientists have a new theory to explain how dinosaurs became extinct.

2. Dinosaurs are the largest land animals that ever lived. People young and old visit
museums to learn about these giant creatures from the past.
a. In these sentences, which word is a synonym of large?
……………………………………………………………………………………
b. People young and old means?
i. young people
ii. old people
iii. people of any age
iv. young people or old people
c. In these sentences, which word is a synonym for creatures?
……………………………………………………………………………………
3. People wonder what happened to these incredible animals. Why did dinosaurs
become extinct?
a. The word wonder means
i. know ii. think about iii. ask
10
b. The question Why did dinosaurs become extinct? means
i. Why did all the dinosaurs die?
ii. Why are dinosaurs in museums?
iii. Why were dinosaurs so big?
4. Scientists had many theories to explain the dinosaur extinction. They said that the
climate of the Earth slowly changed. As it gradually became colder, plants died. Some
dinosaurs were vegetarians, so they died, too.
a. Theories are
i. scientific ideas
ii. extinctions
iii. scientific example
b. Climate refer to the Earth’s
i. land
ii. oceans

ii. weather
c. Why did the vegetarian dinosaurs die?
i. It was too cold.
ii. There were no plants to eat.
iii. The Earth changed.
d. In these sentences, which word is a synonym of gradually?
……………………………………………………………………………………
5. One theory is that dinosaurs simply became too big to live. After all, some dinosaurs
weighed as much as 77 tons.
The information that follows after all
a. gives details to support the sentence before it.
b. gives new information about another idea.
c. give some kind of numbers.
6. People were still uncertain because none of the theories explained these extinctions.
a. Uncertain means
i. not alive
ii. not sure
iii. confused
b. None of means
i. one
ii. zero
iii. all
7. The new theory is that 65 million years ago, a large comet or asteroid struck the
Earth near Mexico. It struck at incredibly high speed - as high as 15,000 miles per
hour. It was very damaging. In fact, it created a hole 25 miles deep and 100 miles in
diameter.
a. What follow the dash (-)?
i. an example ii. a contrast iii. an explanation
11
b. What is the purpose of in fact?

i. It gives true information
ii. It introduces details to support information
iii. It introduces different information
b. Diameter describes
i. height
ii. width
iii. depth
8. The temperature decreased significantly all around the Earth for a long time,
perhaps years. Plants died rapidly because there was not enough sunlight. Animals also
died quickly because they had nothing to eat and because the climate was too cold.
a. Decreased means
i. became higher
ii. became lower
b. In these sentences, which word is a synonym of rapidly?
……………………………………………………………………………………
c. Not enough means
i. too little
ii. too much
9. The new theory explains the extinction of many kinds of life 65 million years ago.
However, scientists need to find the exact place where the asteroid or comet struck the
Earth. When they find the location, they will be able to prove that their theory is
correct.
a. However means
i. and ii. so iii. but
b. What does exact mean?
i. specific ii. best iii. damaged
c. In these sentences, which word is a synonym of location?
……………………………………………………………………………………
d. Correct means
i. extinct ii. comet iii. true

III.4. Vocabulary in context
Read each sentence below. Fill in each space with the correct word from the list
below. Use each word only once
climate in fact simply
creature incredibly theory
discuss prove uncertain giant