II. While Reading Tasks
Vocabulary
Word Inference
1. Toni Morrison silenced the audience… with a tragic tale from real life.
tragic |ˈtrajik|-adjective-causing or characterized by extreme distress or sorrow: the shooting was a tragic accident.
2. The author, the recipient of the Nobel Prize in literature in 1993…
Nobel Prize |ˈnōbel|-noun-any of six international prizes awarded annually for outstanding work in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, economics (since 1969), and the promotion of peace. The Nobel Prizes, first awarded in 1901, were established by the will of Alfred Nobel and are traditionally awarded on December 10, the anniversary of his death. The awards are decided by boards of deputies appointed by Swedish learned societies and, in the case of the peace prize, by the Norwegian Parliament.
3. Instead of demanding vengeance, the community comforted the killer’s widow and children.
vengeance |ˈvenjəns|-noun-punishment inflicted or retribution exacted for an injury or wrong.
4…it was the community’s silence, its refusal to be lionized, televised…
lionize |ˈlīəˌnīz|-verb [ with obj. ] give a lot of public attention and approval to (someone); treat as a celebrity: modern athletes are lionized.
5. In a talk titled “Goodness: Altruism and the Literary Imagination”
altruism |ˈaltro͞oˌizəm|-noun-the belief in or practice of disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others: some may choose to work with vulnerable elderly people out of altruism.
6. Expressions of goodness are never trivial in my work…
trivial |ˈtrivēəl|-adjective-of little value or importance: huge fines were imposed for trivial offenses | trivial details.
7. Expressions of goodness are never incidental in my writing.
incidental |ˌinsiˈdentl|-adjective-• occurring by chance in connection with something else: the incidental catch of dolphins in the pursuit of tuna.
8. A satisfactory or good ending for me is when the protagonist learns something vital…
protagonist |prōˈtagənist, prō-|-noun-the leading character or one of the major characters in a drama, movie, novel, or other fictional text.
9. Goodness hasn’t fared well since.
fare |fer|-verb [ no obj. ]-[ with adverbial ] perform in a specified way in a particular situation or over a particular period of time: the party fared badly in the spring elections.
10…authors depict their versions of evil.
depict |diˈpikt|-verb [ with obj. ]-• portray in words; describe: youth is depicted as a time of vitality and good health.
Source: New Oxford American Dictionary
Reading Comprehension
Fill-ins
silenced, Sanders Theatre, tragic tale, the recipient, recounted, murder, Amish,
committed, shocking, demanding, comforted, exploration, thorough, Morrison, Pulitzer Prize, evil, confounded, stunned, blockbuster, lurks, notable, triumphed, formula, restoration, triumph, catastrophe, goodness.
Grammar Focus
Identifying Parts of Speech
Nouns: exploration, goodness, examination, Morrison, author,
Pulitzer Prize, fiction, fiction, evil, blockbuster, audience, goodness, backstage, exceptions, novel, end, Writers, Dickens, Austen, Hardy, formula, readers, page, sense, restoration, order, triumph, virtue.
IV. Listening Activity
While Listening Tasks
- F- The interview took place at the New York Public Library.
- T-Morrison wanted the story to reflect a time when America was fluid and building.
- T-The era was during the early times in America.
- F- During the story, there is a tapestry characters coming to America.
- F- Each character represents a different aspect of life in America at that time.
- T- “Layered” means there are many stories and each story in the book builds on the next one.
- T-Morrison wanted the group of people to reflect American self-sufficiency.
- F- According to Morrison, In the end, the group could not survive because there was no real structure to hold them together.
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