 Assalamu alaikum students, welcome to virtual university. I hope you have been well and you have gone through the last three lessons. You have been able to review them. While reviewing the lessons, if you faced any difficulties in understanding certain concepts, please feel free to contact me through email. The email address is appearing on your TV, on your TV screens right now. It is English101 at vu.edu.pk. In today's lesson, we will practice the skills that you learnt in the previous lessons. And these skills are again to help you comprehend English texts. And you will have to identify the topic of the paragraph, identify the main idea and identify the supporting ideas. This text on your screen is about computers. It consists of six paragraphs. Read the text once through, without stopping. As you read the text, you might come across words that you are not familiar with. You should not stop reading. Just go on reading. Don't be upset. Keep reading. And in your second reading, pause after every paragraph and ask yourself, what is the paragraph about? And the answer that you will get from your heart or mind, whichever one you are using, it will tell you the topic of the paragraph. Go through the paragraph and you will find out the main or the primary idea and the secondary ideas that support the main idea. This is again a practice lesson of all the skills that you learnt in your last lesson. Read the first paragraph. Computer is a machine with an intricate network of electronic circuits that operate switches of magnetized tiny metal cores. These switches, like the cores, are capable of being in one of two possible states, that is on or off, magnetized or demagnetized. The machine is capable of storing and manipulating numbers, letters and characters. The basic idea of a computer is that we can make the machine do what we want it by inputting signals that turn certain switches on and turn others off or that magnetize or do not magnetize the cores. Now, that was paragraph one. What is the topic of this paragraph? What is the main idea? What are the supporting ideas or supporting idea? Well, in some paragraphs you will notice that there is no supporting idea. It is not necessary that every paragraph has a supporting idea. But going back to paragraph one, what is the topic of the paragraph? The topic is that a computer is a machine. That is all. It is a machine. And what is the main idea? The main idea that the writer is trying to convey is that we can make the machine do what we want it to do. And to support this idea, he says that machines, that this machine is capable of storing and manipulating numbers, letters and characters. So, if you have been able to do that, that means your comprehension of English is developing. Let us look at paragraph two. The basic job of computers is the processing of information. For this reason, computers can be defined as devices which accept information in the form of instructions called a program and characters called data. They perform mathematical and all logical operations on the information. And then they supply results of these operations. The program or part of it which tells the computers what to do and the data which provide the information needed to solve the problem are kept inside the computer in a place called memory. Well, that was paragraph two. What is the topic of this paragraph? This paragraph is all about processing information. And the main idea is that the part which tells the computer what to do and the data that is kept inside the computer, it is a place called memory. The main idea is that there is memory in the computer. The computer has memory. Now the third paragraph, computers are thought to have many remarkable powers. However, most computers, whether large or small, have three basic capabilities. First, computers have circuits of performing arithmetic operations such as addition, subtraction, division, multiplication and exponentiation. Second, computers have a means of communicating with the user. After all, if we could not feed information in and get results back, these machines would not be of much use. However, certain computers, commonly mini computers and micro computers, they are used to control directly things such as robots, aircraft navigation systems, medical instruments, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. Now, this was a long paragraph. What was the paragraph talking about? Come over the paragraph and you will notice that the paragraph talks about the powers of computers. And the main idea that the paragraph deals with is the three basic capabilities that a computer is capable of. There is a supporting idea and that is that computers are used to control robots, aircraft and navigation systems, medical instruments and other things of that sort. Let us look at the fourth paragraph. Some of the most common methods of inputting information are to use punched cards, magnetic tape, disks and terminals. The computer's input device which might be a card reader, a tape drive or disk drive depending on the medium used in putting information, reach the information into the computer. For outputting information, two common devices that are used are a printer which prints the new information on paper or a CRT display screen which shows the results on a TV like screen. Now, what was the topic of this paragraph? Simple, it talks about the method of inputting information. How information is put into the computer? And the main idea is that the paragraph deals with is the input and output devices. And the supporting idea is the writer gives you examples of the devices that are used. The fifth paragraph, third computers have circuits which can make decisions. The kinds of decisions which computer circuits can make are not of the type who would win a war between two countries or who is the richest person in the world. Unfortunately, the computer can only decide three things namely is one number less than another, are two numbers equal and third is one number greater than another. Now, this paragraph tells you one thing and that is the topic is that circuits make decisions and the main idea that follows from the topic sentence is that the computer can only make logical decisions not things like as it says in the paragraph who would win a war or who is the richest person, never, it would only decide that is one number less than another as I said earlier only logical decisions are two numbers equal it will tell you whether they are or they are not. And the last paragraph a computer can solve a series of problems and make hundreds even thousands of logical decisions without becoming tired or bored. It can find the solution to problems in a fraction of the time it takes a human being to do the job. A computer can replace people in dull routine tasks but it has no originality. It works according to the instructions given to it and it cannot exercise any value judgment. There are times when a computer seems to operate like a mechanical brain but its achievements are limited, limited by the mind's beings. A computer cannot do anything unless a person tells it what to do and gives it the appropriate information. But because electric pulses can move at the speed of light a computer can carry out vast numbers of arithmetic logical operations almost instantaneously a person can do everything a computer can do but in many cases that person would be dead long before the job was finished. Now, this was a long paragraph but a very interesting paragraph what is the topic the paragraph is full of many things but the main topic is talking about the speed the speed at which a computer works and the main idea of the paragraph is that a computer works according to instructions and then he gives you examples but the main idea is that a computer will work according to instructions. It cannot do something that it has not been told to do the information whatever has been put into the computer it will only work accordingly not something on its own and as he tells you that it does not deal with value judgments what are value judgments value judgments are whether a thing is good or bad or right or wrong these are judgments that only human beings can make not a computer. And if you remember way back I think it was in the second paragraph we you said that the main topic of that paragraph said that a computer is a machine some of you might forget that a computer is a machine we begin to think of a computer as if it was a person. So, let me go back the topic of this last paragraph was that is the topic is that speed at which computers work the main idea is that a computer works according to instructions and there is a supporting idea and that is that computer operations are limited it supports the idea that is given earlier the main idea that its operations are limited. Now that we have looked at each paragraph in detail let us look at the text as a whole I shall read out four statements and you choose the statement which you think expresses the main idea does the passage the whole text is it does it say that computers have changed the way in which many kinds of jobs are done number one. Number two is the main idea that instructions and data must be given to the computer to act on number three computers are machines capable of processing and outputting number four without computers many tasks would take much longer to do now out of these four which statement do you think best expresses the main idea I am sure we have gone through this text many times in fact we have gone through every paragraph it is the correct the main idea is expressed in statement number three which is computers are machines capable of processing and outputting what is wrong with the other choices statement one two and four if you noticed the other choices the other statements did not give the distinctive characteristics of what a computer is the main idea of the passage is that a computer is a machine capable of processing and outputting information the other choices simply gave you the details now shall we test your comprehension of the passage I shall read out nine statements one by one and as I read them out you decide if these statements are true or false number one a computer can store or handle any data even if it has not received information to do so is it true or is it false number two all computers accept and process information in the form of instructions and characters true or false number three the information necessary for solving problems is found in the memory of the computer statement number four not all computers can perform arithmetic operations make decisions and communicate in some way with the user I will read it out again for you number four not all computers can perform arithmetic operations make decisions and communicate in some way with the user true or false number five computers can still be useful machines even if they cannot communicate with the user computers can still be useful machines even if they cannot communicate with the user true or false number six there are many different devices used for feeding information into a computer statement six there are many different devices used for feeding information to a computer true or false there are not as many different types of devices used for giving results as there are for accepting information true or false statement number eight computers can make any type of decision they are asked to computers can make any type of decision they are asked to true or false statement number nine computers can work endlessly without having to stop to rest unless there is a breakdown now which statements did you mark true and which statements did you mark false statements number two three five six seven and nine are true that means statements number one four and eight are false let me repeat again statements number two three five six seven and nine are true which leaves statements number one four and eight as false now you can make these false statements become true by making necessary changes just go back to the text and see if you can make these false statements correct make them true statement number one computers can store or handle any data which is input statement number four all computers can perform arithmetic operations make comparison and output information all you had to do was remove not all it is not the word not the word not is not needed if you just remove it statement becomes correct all computers can perform arithmetic operations right and a statement number eight computer a computer can only decide can only decide three things that is is one number less than another are two numbers equal is one number greater than another and these as you know are logical decisions let us review the text the passage that you read we will now do an exercise in which you will recall some of the words that you read in this in this exercise certain blanks are left out there are sentences in which there are blanks you have to fill in those gaps with words from the bank that you can word bank that you can see on your screen there are a number of words on your screen and these are called the word bank you choose the words given there to fill the blank in your sentence you may use some of these words more than once but you have to be very careful that you use the correct form that is the singular or plural and you can use some of these words can be used more than once the words are core circuit program device terminal memory CRT display data switch medium the first sentence the first blank has been filled for you it is underlined every computer has circuits for performing arithmetic operations operating dash or magnetized dash now when I say the word dash it means a blank and you have to fill it with the word from the word bank what word or words have you chosen correct answer is every computer has circuits for performing arithmetic operations operating switches or magnetized course I hope you got it correct number two then there is a blank or a dash blank a blank with the screen is normally referred to as a blank unit what words did you choose a terminal with the screen is normally referred to as a CRT display unit number three a computer is a blank that processes information in the form of blank and blank and can store this information in a blank a computer is a device that processes information in the form of program and data and can store this information in a memory number four card readers tape drives or disk drives are different blank for inputting information the correct word is card readers tape drives or disk drives are different devices for inputting information when you read you must learn to connect words sentences and paragraphs are not words just put together there are ideas that are expressed in relation to one another ideas that are expressed in sentences are related to one another it is just not that words and ideas are strung together and if you are able to recognize words and phrases that link sentences together then that means you are able to comprehend better words that connect sentences together make the text easier to read your reading speed and comprehension will increase considerably if you are able to recognize the links between and within sentences there are links within a sentence and there are links between sentences and it is these links that makes the reading of a text smoother it makes the reading of a text quicker if you can make the links easily you will see a text on your screen read it and notice that some of the words in the text are in italics while others are not notice the link between the words in italics read the paragraph some students read slowly but do not know that they do others read slowly and know it their reading problems are the same but the latter can be helped more easily because they are already aware of their problems before the former can be helped however they must be made aware of the problem now in this paragraph that you can see on your screen you will have noticed that some of the words were in italics these words are known as references words which are substitutes for other words these words which are usually pronouns demonstrative adjectives these words they usually refer to ideas that have already been expressed earlier sometimes these words may also refer to ideas that are going to come later on they can refer forward to ideas that have yet to be stated let us look at text 1 again and read the explanations that are given let us look at text 1 again text 1 again it says the first italicized words word was they now what did they refer to they refer to the students who read slowly the next word was do what does do refer to do refers to reading slowly now if a writer repeats words all the time it becomes very monotonous for the reader the reader gets tired of reading the same words again and again this way of using substitute words makes your reading text smoother to read look at the third word on the the text the third word italics sized word is others others refers to students those students who read slowly and the following word is it what does it refer to it refers to the slow reading of the students it refers to the fact that they read slowly now the next sentence begins with the word there and that is italicized what does their th e i r their refer to it refers to some students and other students these students who have problems with their reading the next word is the same and the same refers to the problem of reading slowly the latter that is the other word that is italicized the latter refers to the students that were last mentioned that is those who read slowly and they know that they read slowly the next two words are more easily more easily is also referring to those students it is comparing the two group of students the latter can be helped more easily than the former students this is a comparison between two groups of students the latter and the former the latter are the students last mentioned they refers to the latter students the ones that were mentioned earlier their problem refers to their problem of reading slowly the former the former are the students that were first mentioned those who read slowly but they do not know that they read slowly and the word they it refers to the former students those students who read slowly and the last word the last two words are their problem and what is the problem that is being referred to it is the problem of their reading slowly now in this passage this was to familiarize you with the way writers write instead of repeating the same words again and again which would make reading a very monotonous business writers adopt this technique of referring back and forth by using different kinds of words in this paragraph that you read just now I am sure you notice that almost one fourth of the words they showed some kind of connection between the sentences and within the sentences these connections these linkages the word is linkage L I N K A G E these linkages make the meaning of the paragraph clearer and you as a reader must know how to make how to make meaning through these linkages these link words help you to they help you understand the meaning of the paragraph and these are called references these references are sometimes relative pronouns who which that sometimes demonstrative pronouns like this that or adverbs easily we just came across this word and sometimes they are substitution substitutions for words that have come earlier or come later in you might have come across this expression elliptical expression you will notice that writers make connections the connection sometimes goes forward sometime goes back this going back and forth is what makes the passage hold together and you as a reader if you keep practicing reading reading for meaning you will begin to understand how a passage holds together it will make your comprehension of the reading better now that brings us to the end of today's lesson let me recap what we have done today you have practiced reading the picking the main idea of the paragraph the topic sentence the supporting ideas as well as making linkages within the paragraph Allah Hafiz for now see you next time