Academic English 936-004

ACADEMIC

ENGLISH 936-004

PREPARD BY:
MARVIN C. ROTULA, MMEM

ACADEMIC ENGLISH 936-004

Unit 1: A PERFECT MATCH

A. READING TEXT

Have you seen the TV show, “The Bachelor?” Do you have any
idea what is this show all about?

For those who don’t know, The Bachelor provides one man - the
eponymous bachelor - a group of twenty-five to thirty gorgeous
women from whom he must choose a wife—for all intents and
purposes his life partner. Not a girlfriend, a wife. The goal of the
show is to turn the bachelor into a married man.

The Bachelor is absolutely brilliant…just not at making marriages. According to Wikipedia, as of March
2015 only five lasting ideal partnerships have come out of the twenty-nine seasons of The Bachelor and its
gender-reverse counterpart, The Bachelorette, combined. But the show is genius at a particular aspect of
relationships: making people think they’re falling in love. How does the show do this? It’s easy to chalk it
up to everyone being ridiculously good-looking, plus the impossibly romantic, expense-free dates.
Rappelling down the highest cliff in Bali and then attending a private concert by the biggest local pop star,
anyone? Swimming in a cove of endangered dolphins and then dining in a thousand-year-old castle? A little
adrenaline, a little romance, and everyone’s in love!

How about you? Are you willing to marry someone that you’ve just met? Or
Are you going to wait for someone even though it will take time?
Do you think there is such thing as perfect match?

Here are some of the famous couples in history that were considered as a perfect match

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ANTHONY & CLEOPATRA
(41 BCE – 30 BCE)

They are arguably the most famous lovers in history. Marcus Antonius of
Rome stood at the pinnacle of power, fighting to be the most powerful man in
the known world; and Cleopatra VII Philopator was the queen of one
ancient civilization, Egypt, and heir to the unmatched cultural achievements of
another, Greece. The pair, in fact, did marry in 36 B.C.E. In 31 B.C.E., while
fighting a battle in Actium, Anthony heard a false news about Cleopatra’s
death. Not wanting to live
without her, he stabbed himself with his own sword. When Cleopatra learned about Anthony’s death, she let
herself be bitten by a poisonous snake and was later found dead. Their love affair, their war together, their
defeat and, finally, their suicides have been told and retold for centuries.

SHAH JAHAN & MUMTAZ MAHAL
(1607 - 1631)

In 1612, a teenage girl, Arjumand Banu, married15-year
old Shah Jahan, ruler of the Mughal Empire.
Renamed Mumtaz Mahal, she bore Shah Jahan 14 children and
became his favorite wife. After Mumtaz died in 1629, the
grieving emperor resolved to create a fitting monument. It took
20,000 workers and 1,000 elephants nearly 20 years to
complete this monument-the Taj Mahal. Built of white marble,
the Taj sits on a sandstone platform. A137-foot high dome tops
the mausoleum. The interior is lavishly decorated in lapis
lazuli, turquoise, agate, jasper, and colored marble. The exterior
is paved with semiprecious stones that sparkle in
the sun.The surrounding garden contains four water channels representing the four rivers of
Islamic paradise.

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MARIE & PIERRE CURIE
(1894 - 1906)

Because women were not able to attend university in Poland in the
19th Century, Mary Sklodowska left Poland to study at a French University
in 1891. Now known by her French name Marie, she worked hard in a
laboratory, catching the attention of Pierre Curie, the laboratory director.
Mary and Pierre got married in 1895. Although they are poor, they were
both devoted to their research and to each other. In 1898, the couple
discovered the elements polonium and radium. They eventually won Nobel
Prize for Physics in 1903 for the discovery of radioactivity. When Pierre
died in 1906, Marie honored his memory by continuing their work. In 1911, Marie Curie won another Nobel
Prize, this time for Chemistry. She was the first person to win the Nobel prize twice.

DAVID & VICTORIA BECKHAM
(1999)

David and Victoria met in 1997 after the Spice Girl attended a
Manchester United match at David's request. It was clear for all to
see that they were a great couple from the start, and the media
began referring to them as Posh and Becks. The wedding ceremony
on July 4th 1999 saw them sitting on golden thrones and set Posh
and Becks back an alleged £500,000. Soon after, they bought
the famous Beckingham Palace in Hertfordshire, worth an
estimated £7.5 million. Both have excelled in their careers. David
is one of the most capped England players of all time, having
represented his country 115 times, as well as captaining the nation.
Over an illustrious career, he has played for some of the best
football clubs in the world, including Manchester United, Real
Madrid and AC Milan. Victoria on the other hand was in one of the most successful groups of all time
with the Spice Girls, and in 2011 was named Designer of the Year at the annual British Fashion Awards. 'I
think people saw the real me...,' she told Harper's Bazaar, 'and the truth is, I would have felt much more
comfortable in my pajamas with the kids and David in a hotel watching it on TV.'

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B. VOCABULARY - very attractive, beautiful
1. Gorgeous (งดงาม)

2. Goal (เป้าหมาย) - an aim or desired result

3. Ridiculous (ไร้สาระ) - so as to cause surprise or disbelief.

4. Endangered (ใกลส้ ูญพนั ธุ์) - seriously at risk of extinction

5. Pinnacle (สิขร) - the most successful point

6. Unmatched (ไม่มีท่ีเปรียบ) - not equaled

7. Empire (อาณาจกั ร) - countries ruled over by a single monarch

8. Mausoleum (สุสาน) - impressive building housing a tomb or group of tombs

9. Discover (เปิ ด) - found unexpectedly

10. Illustrious (เลื่องลือ) - well known, respected, and admired for past achievement

Activity 1: True or False.

1. All the marriages in the Bachelor are all successful.

a. True b. False

2. Cleopatra and Anthony killed each other because the hate each other.

a. True b. False

3. David and Victoria Beckham are celebrities.

a. True b. False

4. Marie Curie won the Nobel Peace Prize, twice.

a. True b. False

5. Mumtaz Mahal is the only wife of Shah Jahan

a. True b. False

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C. GRAMMAR

SIMPLE PAST TENSE

The simple past tense is used to talk about finished actions that happened at a specific time in the past.
You state when it happened using a time adverb.

You form the simple past of a verb by adding -ed onto the end of a regular verb but, irregular verb forms
have to be learnt.

SIMPLE PAST TIMELINE

REGULAR VERB

The verbs "lived, started, died" are regular past forms. The rule is the following:

Verb + ed

Examples: The simple past
The infinitive

live lived

start started

die died

visit Visited The spelling of the simple past form (-ed forms)
play played
watch watched You will learn the spelling of the simple past form (-ed form.)
phone phoned But before you continue the lesson study the following examples
and try to see how the verbs are spelled.

marry married

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Verbs ending in a...

1. silent e 2. vowel + y 3. consonant + y 4. other forms

close = closed play = played marry = married visit = visited
die = died destroy = destroyed carry = carried miss = missed
phone = phoned show = showed study = studied watch = watched
finish = finished
fix = fixed
buzz = buzzed

The rules of the simple past tense forms:
Here are the rules:

1. Regular verbs ending in a silent e take /-d/ in the simple past and past participle:
Example:
close=closed

2. Regular verbs ending in a vowel + y take /-ed/ in the simple past and past participle:
Example:
play=played

3. Regular verbs ending in a consonant + y take /-ied/ in the simple past and past participle (the ' y'
becomes an ' i' followed by /-ed/)

Example:
marry=married

4. All the other regular verbs take /-ed/ in the simple past and past participle.
Example:
visit=visited

Special cases of the -ed forms:
Follow these rules when there is a consonant after a vowel (stop, ban, open, offer...)

1. If there is a consonant after a stressed vowel at the end of the word, double
the consonant

stop – stopped , ban - banned , swap – swapped

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2. If the vowel is not stressed, we do not double it:

open - opened (Here the stress is on 'o', not the 'e'.)

offer - offered ( Here the stress is on 'o', not the 'e'.)

In British English we double the last 'l' of words like travel, cancel and level even though the last
vowel is not stressed. Here are some examples:

travel - travelled level - levelled

cancel – cancelled marvel - marvelled

A verb whose conjugation follows a different pattern is called an irregular verb. There is no rule for
these verbs. You should learn them by heart.

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Exercise 1: Complete these sentences. Use the verbs below. (regular Verbs)

chat - die - carry - end - happen - live - open - invite - plan - arrive -
start - phone - study - watch
1. The concert last night ____________at 7.30 and _______________at 10 o'clock.
2. The accident ______________last Sunday afternoon.
3. Mozart _________________from 1756 to 1791.
4. It was hot in the room, so I _________________the window.
5. William Shakespeare __________________in 1616.
6. You _______ in England last week.
7. My mum _________ Russian at university.
8. I__________ you yesterday, but you weren't at home.
9. Last night, Marga and Alice ________ their holiday.
10. Tom __________us to his birthday party.
11. The children ___________ the books to the classroom.
12. We_________ the exam at half past three.
13. I___________ to Jane about films and fashion.
Exercise 2: Put the sentences from the present into the past tense.
1. We usually go to the cinema on Sunday. We _________to the cinema last Sunday, too.
2. Tom always has a shower in the morning. Tom __________ a shower this morning, too.
3. They come to my house every Friday. Last Friday they __________, too.
4. They buy a new car every year. Last year they __________ a new car, too
5. They always get up early. This morning they _________ up late.
6. Bill often loses his key. He _________ one last Saturday.
7. I write a letter to Jane every week. Last week I ______ two letters.
8. She meets her friends every evening. She ________ them yesterday evening, too.
9. He always goes to work by car. Yesterday he ________ to work by bus.
10. I usually read two newspapers every day. I only __________ a newspaper yesterday.

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D. SPEAKING ACTIVITY

In English, the past tense ending –ed has three different pronunciations.
For verbs that end in the sounds p,k,f,s,ch, or sh, pronounce the ending in /t/ as in worked.
For verbs that end in vowel sounds or b,g,v,z,zh,th,j,m,n,ng,l,r pronounce the ending /d/ as in

opened
For verbs that end in the sounds d or t, pronounce the ending /id/ as in wanted.

1.They traded something of value that they possessed for something they needed.
2. What if no one wanted or needed it?
3. The first coins were produced in China, and the first paper money appeared in China.
4. Money called digital cash is already being exchanged over the Internet.

E. WRITING ACTIVITY (HOMEWORK)

1. Choose a couple that you feel is a perfect match.
2. They could include actors, musician, politicians, athletes, and others.
3. Write a short essay about this couple, explaining why they are perfect match.
4. DO NOT COPY Wikipedia, or any online sources. Write your own
5. Font should be Times New Romans, font size is 12, double space. Write at least 800 words.

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Unit 2: RAGS TO RICHES

A. READING TEXT

According to Wikipedia, Rags to riches refers to any situation in which a person rises from poverty to
wealth, and in some cases from absolute obscurity to heights of fame, fortune and celebrity—sometimes
instantly.

Most of the rags to riches story are those who became instant millionaire by winning the lottery, or an
heir who received his wealth from the demise of his parents.

However, there are also those, who worked really hard to achieved what they have right now. They
started from nothing and after countless disappointments, heartaches, rejections, sacrifices and hard work
they were able to succeed.

Here are some of the rags to riches stories that we can get inspiration.

AMANCIO ORTEGA
(66.5 billion USD)

Retail Clothing, Spain

Armancio Ortega is the founder and chairman of
a company that owns many stores including the
enormously popular international clothing store, Zara. He
is Spain’s riches man, Ortega is the son of the railroad
worker and a maid, and had no formal higher education.
When Ortega was 13, he worked as a delivery by for a
shirt maker and later became the manager of the clothing
shop. He began making clothing in his living room and
selling it to local stores. Ortega had an ability to predict
what styles were going to be popular and create these
styles with inexpensive materials. In 1975, Ortega opened
his first Zara store. Zara gained a reputation for selling
designer fashions at reasonable prices. Today Ortega’s company has more then 4,0000 stores in 71 countries

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J.K. ROWLING
(1.0 billion USD)
Publishing, United Kingdom

J.K. Rowling is the British author of the wildly successful Harry
Potter series. Rowling, once a single mother living on welfare, is now a
billionaire whose books have been translated into 60 languages and
have sold over 400 million copies worldwide. The books also inspired a
series of billion-dollar movies. Her journey from welfare mom to
billionaire author happened in less than five years.

Rowling conceived the idea for the Harry Potter series while on a
long train ride in 1990. She was poor that she used to do her writing on
stained napkins at local cafés while her infant daughter napped. Rowling
reflects that that was the dark period of her life and that she had no idea
that there was going to be a fairy tale resolution.

LI KA-SHING
(29.4 billion USD)

Business, Hong Kong
I was born into an impoverished family in China in 1928.
When he was 15, his father died, forcing Li to leave high school
so that he could work to support his family. He took a job in a
plastic company, where he would work 16 hours a day. At this
company, li used to assemble plastic flowers. By 1950, Li had
started his own plastics manufacturing company. His company
prospered which led to Li to expand his business into many
different fields.
However, his successes are not all monetary. Li Ka-Shing has
a reputation for being honest and generous. In fact, he is one of
Asia’s most prominent philanthropists, and has announced plans to donate one-third of his wealth to
charity.

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ACADEMIC ENGLISH 936-004

OPRAH WINFREY
(2.6 billion USD)

Entertainment, U.S.A.
Oprah Winfrey was born in Mississippi into extremely
poor family. Her mother was a maid, and her father was a
barber. Winfrey lived in such poverty that she wore dresses made
of potato sacks. Winfrey was a talkative girl who would often
pretend to interview her dolls. She excelled in school and won a
college scholarship. When she graduated, Winfrey got a job
reporting the news which was popular that it was broadcast
nationally. The Oprah Winfrey show now air in 135 countries, and
is viewed by about 46 million people. Winfrey also has a
magazine, a production company and co-founded a cable television
network.

B. VOCALBULARY -a person who inherits or has a right of inheritance in the property
1. Heir (ผสู้ ืบสายโลหิต) of another following the latter's death.
- death
2. Demise (อนิจกรรม) - foretell the future.
3. Predict (ทาํ นาย) - good name
4. Reputation (ชื่อเสียง) - a government agency that provide funds to those people in need.
5. Welfare (สวสั ดิการ) - progress from one stage to another
6. Journey (เท่ียว) - poor
7. Impoverished (ขน้ แคน้ ) - a person who gives something for those in need.
8. Philanthropist (คนใจบญุ ) - to be better, to be the best
9. Excel (เป็นหน่ึง) - a sum of money or other aid granted to a student
10. Scholarship (ทนุ การศึกษา)

for education.

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Activity 1. True or False

1. A person who seeks to promote the welfare of others, especially by the generous donation of money
to good causes.

c. True d. False

2. Armancio Ortega’s father is so rich that they don’t need to work to have money.

c. True d. False

3. J.K. Rowling is the writer of “The Lord of the Rings”.

c. True d. False

4. Oprah Winfrey was born in an extremely wealthy family.

c. True d. False

5. Li Ka-Shing’s family was from China before they moved to Singapore.

c. True d. False

C. GRAMMAR

SIMPLE PRESENT VS PRESENT
CONTINOUS

What's the difference between the Present Simple / Present Continuous and how to use them?

We use the present simple tense when we want to talk about fixed habits or routines – things that
don't change. Structure: Subject + Verb (vI) + es/es

We use the present continuous to talk about actions which are happening at the present moment, but
will soon finish. Structure: Subject + is/am/are + Verb(+ing)

HERE ARE THE DIFFERENCES

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Exercise:
1. Every Monday, Sally (drive) ________ her kids to football practice.
2. Usually, I (work) _______ as a secretary at ABT, but this summer I (study)_____________ French

at a language school in Paris. That is why I am in Paris.
3. Shhhhh! Be quiet! John (sleep) ______________.
4. Don't forget to take your umbrella. It (rain) ___________________.
5. I hate living in Seattle because it (rain, always) ___________________.
6. I'm sorry I can't hear what you (say) __________________ because everybody

(talk) ______________________ so loudly.
7. Justin (write, currently) ___________________________ a book about his adventures in Tibet. I

hope he can find a good publisher when he is finished.
8. Jim: Do you want to come over for dinner tonight?

Denise: Oh, I'm sorry, I can't. I (go) _____________________ to a movie tonight with some friends.
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9. The business cards (be, normally) ______________________ printed by a company in New York.

Their prices (be) ________ inexpensive, yet the quality of their work is quite good.
10. This delicious chocolate (be) _______ made by a small chocolatier in Zurich, Switzerland.

D. SPEAKING ACTIVITY

Listen and practice the English /r/sound in these sentences
1. After breaking up the fight, the prince of Verona gives a warning.
2. Romeo reveals himself and proclaims his love.
3. Romeo and Juliet are married in secret by Friar Lawrence.
4. A furious and grieving Romeo then kills Tybalt.

5. Friar Lawrence’s letter never reached Romeo.
E. WRITING ACTIVITY (HOMEWORK)

1. Choose a famous and/or wealthy person.
2. Research information about this person’s life, including the events that took the person from obscurity
to fame or poverty to wealth.
3. Write a biographical essay about this person.
4. DO NOT COPY Wikipedia, or any online sources. Write your own
5. Font should be Times New Romans, font size is 12, single space. Write at least 800 words.

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Unit 3: THE STORY OF GEORGE WASHINGTON
CARVER

A. READING TEXT

Considered to be one of America’s greatest scientist in
the field of Agriculture. Carver's reputation is based on his
research into and promotion of alternative crops to cotton,
such as peanuts, soybeans, and sweet potatoes, which also
aided nutrition for farm families. He wanted poor farmers to
grow alternative crops both as a source of their own food and
as a source of other products to improve their quality of life.
He was recognized for his many achievements and talents.
In 1941, Time magazine dubbed Carver a
"Black Leonardo."

Carver was born into slavery in Diamond Grove, Newton
County, near Crystal Place, now known as Diamond,
Missouri, possibly in 1864 or 1865, though the exact date is
not known. His master, Moses Carver, was a German
American immigrant who had purchased George's parents, Mary and Giles, from William P. McGinnis on
October 9, 1855, for $700. Carver had 10 sisters and a brother, all of whom died prematurely.

When George was only a week old, he, a sister, and his mother were kidnapped by night raiders from
Arkansas. George's brother, James, was rushed to safety from the kidnappers. The kidnappers sold the slaves
in Kentucky. Moses Carver hired John Bentley to find them, but he located only the infant George. Moses
negotiated with the raiders to gain the boy's return, and rewarded Bentley. In 1865, there were no longer
slaves in the United States, but George and his brother continued to live with the Carvers. The Carvers gave
him as much education as they could. At the age of 12, George left the Carvers to start life on his own.

For the next 12 years, he worked whenever he could and went to school whenever
he could. He managed to finish high school and won a scholarship to go to Highland
University.

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However, when he appeared in the University, they refused to admit him because he was black. This did not
stop Carver, he continued to work and save money. In early 1888, Carver obtained a $300 loan at the Bank
of Ness City for education. By June he left the area.

In 1890, Carver started studying art and piano at Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa. His art teacher,
Etta Budd, recognized Carver's talent for painting flowers and plants; she encouraged him to study botany at
Iowa State Agricultural College in Ames. When he began there in 1891, he was the first black student.
Carver's Bachelor's thesis was "Plants as Modified by Man", dated 1894. Iowa State professors Joseph Budd
and Louis Pammel convinced Carver to continue there for his master's degree. Carver taught as the first
black faculty member at Iowa State.

In 1896, Booker T. Washington, the first principal and president of the Tuskegee Institute, invited
Carver to head its Agriculture Department. Carver taught there for 47 years, developing the department into
a strong research center and working with two additional college presidents during his tenure. He taught
methods of crop rotation, introduced several alternative cash crops for farmers that would also improve the
soil of areas heavily cultivated in cotton, initiated research into crop products (chemurgy), and taught
generations of black students farming techniques for self-sufficiency.

From 1915 to 1923, Carver concentrated on researching and experimenting with new uses for peanuts,
sweet potatoes, soybeans, pecans, and other crops, as well as having his assistants research and compile
existing uses. This work, and especially his speaking to a national conference of the Peanut Growers
Association in 1920 and in testimony before Congress in 1921 to support passage of a tariff on imported
peanuts, brought him wide publicity and increasing renown. In these years, he became one of the most well-
known African Americans of his time. The most popular of his 44 practical bulletins for farmers contained
105 food recipes using peanuts. He also developed and promoted about 100 products made from peanuts
that were useful for the house and farm, including cosmetics, dyes, paints, plastics, gasoline, and
nitroglycerin. He received numerous honors for his work, including the Spingarn Medal of the NAAC.

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Upon returning home one day, Carver took a bad fall down a flight of stairs; he was found
unconscious by a maid who took him to a hospital. Carver died January 5, 1943, at the age of 78 from
complications (anemia) resulting from this fall. He was buried next to Booker T. Washington at Tuskegee
University. Due to his frugality, Carver's life savings totaled $60,000, all of which he donated in his last
years and at his death to the Carver Museum and to the George Washington Carver Foundation

B. VOCABULARY - area of interest of study.
1. Field (ดา้ น) - growing food.
2. Agriculture(การเกษตร) - allow to enter.
3. Admit (ยอมรับ) - earn enough money to live.
4. Support yourself(สนบั สนุนตวั เอง) - better than most.
5. Outstanding (เฉียบ) - Trying to survive.
6. Struggle (ฝ่ าฟัน) - dirt in which plants grow.
7. Soil (ดิน) - used up.
8. Wore out (เส่ือมสภาพ) -proposed something.
9. Made an offer (ทาํ ขอ้ เสนอ) - give a chance.

10. Provide opportunities

Activity 1. Circle the letter of the best answer

1. Carver was _____________.

a. Born a slave c. A slave until he went to university
b. A slave until he was 12 d. A slave all his life.

2. Carver developed many uses for _______________.

a. Cotton c. Glue
b. Peanuts d. Soil

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3. In the 1930’s, Carver was ______________.

a. A poor man c. Famous in other countries
b. Rich and popular d. Recognized all over the world.

Activity 2. Circle T if the sentences is true, circle F if the sentences is false. Correct
the false sentences.

1. George’s parents were Moses and Susan Carver TF

__________________________________________________.

2. Carver was the only black student at Iowa Agricultural College. TF

___________________________________________________.

3. Carver discovered more than 300 products for sweet potato. TF

___________________________________________________. TF
4. Carver was called the “Banana Man.”

___________________________________________________.

5. Carver gave all his life savings to George Washington Carver TF

Foundation after he died

___________________________________________________.

C. GRAMMAR

JOB SUFFIXES

This suffix is commonly used to indicate a person who does a job related to the base form of the word
to which –er is added. There are no rules, on what suffix to attached on certain jobs, although a number of
patterns emerge. Unskilled or semi-skilled job-holders are often denoted with …er, whilst those in scientific
or medical professions are often designated with…ist.

But there are many exceptions.

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The …er suffix is very common, but so is …or. The …ist ending is also quite common, but so is …an.
We also have …ant (accountant, shop assistant, civil servant, flight attendant), …man (postman, fireman,
dustman, barman, draughtsman, fisherman), …ess (waitress, hostess, Headmistress) …ee (trainee,
employee) and …ive (representative, machine operative), etc.

It is really a matter of learning them and knowing them. Learn them in word families, for example,
teach + er = teacher and bake + er = baker.

Exercise 3: Write the correct occupation
1. Someone who drives a car is a ___________________.
2. Someone who translates is a _____________________.
3. Someone who acts in movies is an ________________.
4. Someone who studies the mind is a _______________.
5. Someone who studies the economy is an ___________.
6. Someone who studies rocks and their formation is a ______________.
7. Someone who plays professional football is a _________________.

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D. SPEAKING ACTIVITY
(CONSONANT CLUSTER)

A consonant cluster, consonant sequence or consonant compound, is a group of consonants which have
no intervening vowel. It is also called consonant blend which are groups of two or three consonants in
words that makes a distinct consonant sound.

DIGRAPHS: these are some words that begin with common digraphs or blends.

1. bl - blab, black, blue 13. sh - shower, shade, shut

2. br - brace, bracelet, broom 14. sk - skate, skinny, skydive

3. ch - chain, chair, chin 15. sl - slab, slot, slow

4. cl - clad, claim, clear 16. sm - smack, smash, smog

5. cr - crab, crack, cracker 17. sn - snack, snow, sneeze

6. dr - drab, draft, drag 18. sp - spa, sponsor, spy

7. fl - flab, flush, flag 19. st - street, students, storm

8. fr - fraction, fry, frugal 20. sw - swab, swim, sweater

9. gl - glad, gleam glue 21. th - thank, this, thorn

10. gr - grace groan, greet 22. tr - trace, trolley, traffic

11. pl - pray, pronoun, pry 23. tw - tweak, twitter, twin
12. sc - scale, screw, scorpion 24. wh - whale, white, why

E. WRITING ACTIVITY (homework)

The story of George Washington Carver is a narrative. A Narrative relates a story of events or actions.

Narrative puts events in time and tells us what happened according to a natural time sequence (อนุกรม).

In a narrative, time order words and phrases are used to show the order in which
events happen.

Example:

first (second, etc.) eventually then

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when next a few days later.

Finally after afterward

meanwhile one day after a while in 1940 soon for the next 5 years

1. Write a narrative essay about yourself (life story)

2. Font should be Times New Romans, font size is 12, double space. Write at least 800 words.

_____________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

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ACADEMIC ENGLISH 936-004

Unit 4: TEA, ANYONE?

A. READING TEXT

There is a saying that the British like a nice cup
of tea in the morning and a nice cup oftea at
night. They like a nice cup of tea with their dinner
and a nice cup of tea with their tea, and before they
go to bed, there’s a lot to be said for a nice cup of
tea! Sometimes it seems that no one likes tea quite
as much as the British do.
But, in fact it is popular around the world especially in Asia. Tea is an aromatic beverage commonly
prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis, an evergreen shrub
native to Asia. After water, it is the most widely consumed drink in the World.

Tea originated in the Southwest of China, the popular legend says tea was discovered by Emperor
Shennong. It was used as a medical drink. It became a popular drink throughout China during the Tang
Dynasty, and tea drinking spread to other East Asian countries. Portuguese priests and merchants
introduced it to the West during the 16th century. During the 17th Century, drinking tea became fashionable
among British people. There are many different types of tea; some teas, like Darjeeling and Chinese greens,
have a cooling, slightly bitter, and astringent flavor, while others have vastly different profiles that include
sweet, nutty, floral, or grassy notes.

In China and Japan, tea was first used as a medicine, it wasn’t until many years later that people there
drank tea as a beverage. Because tea had been considered a scared remedy, it was always served with much
ceremony. When Chinese first started drinking tea, they didn’t use teapots. Instead, they put leaves and hot
water into a small bowl with a cover. Drinkers would bring the bowl to their lips and lift the cover very
slightly with their forefingers just enough to drink the liquid but not the leaves

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ACADEMIC ENGLISH 936-004
In Japan, Tea drinking follows a very strict ritual that was set down in the 15th Century by the first
great master, Shuko. This tea ceremony is still performed today. Guest must wash their hands and faces and
remove their shows before entering the tearoom through a low doorway that forces them to stoop and
appear humble. As the guest kneel or sit crossed legged on mats, the host places a spoonful of powdered
green tea into a special bowl, adds boiling water and then stirs it with a bamboo whisk. In early ceremonies
guest drink in the same bowl but later the host served it in individual bowls. The guest sips the tea slowly,
they are expected to throw back their heads and take a final sip with a loud sound to show how good the tea
is.
In the UK, the British like to be formal and dignified when they serve tea. They served black tea in
China cups with handles and matching saucers. In Britain, tea is made in a pot, using one teaspoonful of tea
leaves for each cup plus one extra teaspoonful for the pot. Boiling water is poured into a pot, and the tea is
left for about 5 minutes before the host pours for the guest.
Many interesting tea customs have developed over the centuries. In India, for example, you might
drink tea with a lot of milk, sugar, cinnamon and cardamom. The Burmese soak tea leaves in oil and garlic
and eat this mixture with dried fish. In Thailand, people chew tea leaves seasoned with salt and other spices.
Iran, perfumed tea is a favorite. It is made by leaving flowers or herbs in the tea container for several days.
In Morocco, tea is prepared in bras or silver teapot to which sugar and mint are added. Then the tea is
served in small glasses with mint leaves. If guests accept an offer of tea, they are expected to drink at least
three glasses.
Regardless of where and how tea is prepared and served, many people consider it to be an important
part of their social life. Having a cup of tea provides reason of getting together and sharing a moment of
conversation. Tea may no longer be considered a sacred cure for all illness, but it is a remedy for both the
body and the spirit in our sometimes frantic lives.

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ACADEMIC ENGLISH 936-004

B. VOCABULARY - liked, admired, or enjoyed by many people or by a particular person or group.

1. Popular (ฮิต)

2. Aromatic (หอมหวน) - having a pleasant and distinctive smell.

3. Medical (ทางการแพทย)์ - relating to the science of medicine.

4. Merchant (พ่อคา้ ) - a retail trader; a store owner.

5. Beverage (เคร่ืองด่ืม) - a drink, especially one other than water.

6. Humble (ออ่ นนอ้ มถอ่ มตน) - low estimate of one's own importance.

7. Whisk (ปัด) - beat or stir with a light rapid movement.

8. Mixture (สารผสม) - a substance made by mixing other substances together.

9. Container (ผอก) - an object that can be used to hold or transport something.

10. Frantic (บา้ ) - wild or distraught with fear, anxiety, or other emotion.

Activity 1. Circle the letter of the correct answer

1. Tea ________________________________.
a. is taken in much the same way everywhere.
b. has led to the development of many different customs.
c. was popular as a social drink before used as a remedy.
d. is popular in every country.

2. The tea ceremony in Japan ______________________.
a. is formal and complicated.
b. is similar to the British was of serving tea.
c. was borrowed from the Chinese.
d. is practiced whenever the Japanese drink tea.

3. Regardless of the country, tea is __________________.
a. an important part of social life.
b. served very formally.
c. always offered to guests.
d. used as a medicine

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ACADEMIC ENGLISH 936-004

Activity 2. Circle T if the sentences is true, circle F if the sentences is false. Correct
the false sentences.

1. Tea was first used as a medicine in China and Japan. TF
__________________________________________________. TF
TF
2. Drinking tea never became an important part of Chinese life. TF
__________________________________________________. TF

3. The British drink tea only in the morning and evening .
__________________________________________________.

4. In India, you might get cardamom in your tea.
__________________________________________________.

5. In Morocco, a guest is expected to drink only one glass of tea.
__________________________________________________.

C. GRAMMAR

ADVERB OF FREQUENCY

These Adverbs are used to show the duration or timing of the action that is happening/had
happened/will happen. They also tell us how often and how long these actions would be.

There are two types: An adverb that describes definite frequency is one such as weekly/every week,
daily/every day, or yearly/every year, etc. An adverb describing indefinite frequency doesn’t specify an
exact time frame; examples are always, usually, sometimes, often, etc.

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ACADEMIC ENGLISH 936-004

1. DEFINITE FREQUENCY - Adverbs of definite frequency occur at the beginning or the end of a
sentence.

• The library is open every day.
• Every day, some employees go out for lunch.
• He visits his grandpapa every two weeks.
• The moon waxes and wanes every month.
• This medicine is to be taken hourly.
2. INDEFINITE FREQUENCY - Adverbs of indefinite frequency occur in the middle of the sentence.
Where exactly it is placed depends on the type of verbs in the sentence. 2.1. An adverb of frequency goes
before a main verb (except with to Be).
Subject + adverb + main verb
• I always sremember to do my homework
• He normally gets good marks in exams

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ACADEMIC ENGLISH 936-004

2.2. An adverb of frequency goes after the verb To Be.

Subject + to be + adverb

• They are never pleased to see me.

• She isn’t usually bad tempered.

2.3. When we use an auxiliary verb (have, will, must, might, could, would, can, etc.), the adverb is

placed between the auxiliary and the main verb. This is also true for to be.

Subject + auxiliary + adverb + main verb

• He can sometimes beat me in a race

• I would hardly ever be unkind to someone

• They might never see each other again

• They could occasionally be heard laughing.

2.4. We can also use the following adverbs at the start of a sentence:

Usually, normally, often, frequently, sometimes, occasionally

• Occasionally, I like to eat Thai food.

2.5. BUT we cannot use the following at the beginning of a sentence:

Always, seldom, rarely, hardly, ever, never.

2.6. We use hardly ever and never with positive, not negative verbs:

• She hardly ever comes to my parties.

• They never say 'thank you’.

2.7. We use ever in questions and negative statements:

• Have you ever been to New Zealand?

• I haven't ever been to Switzerland. (The same as 'I have never been Switzerland').

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ACADEMIC ENGLISH 936-004

Exercise 1

1. Our teacher, Mrs. Jones, (never / be) late for lessons.
2. I (often / clean) my bedroom at the weekend.
3. My brother (hardly ever / help) me with my homework.
4. I (sometimes / be) bored in the math lessons.
5. We (rarely / watch) football on TV.
6. You and Tony (never / play) computer games with me.
7. You (usually / be) at the sports center on Sunday.
8. The school bus (always / arrive) at half past eight.

D. SPEAKING ACTIVITY
(CONSONANT CLUSTER)

A consonant cluster, consonant sequence or consonant compound, is a group of consonants which
have no intervening vowel. It is also called consonant blend which are groups of two or three consonants in
words that makes a distinct consonant sound.

TRIGRAPHS: is a group of three characters used to represent a single sound or a combination of sounds

that does not correspond to the written letters combined. 6. spr – sprain, spring, sprite
1. sch - schedule, scholar, school 7. squ – squat, squirrel, squid
2. scr – scram, scroll, screw 8. str – straight, strong, stripe
3. shr – shrank, shrub, shrimp 9. thr – thrash, threw, throne
4. sph – sphere, sphinx, spherical
5. spl – splashm split, splendor

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ACADEMIC ENGLISH 936-004

E. WRITING ACTIVITY (Homework)

1. Write an essay about your culture and how it is different from other countries.
2. Give examples of unique culture to us that can never be found anywhere else.
3. Use the adverb of frequency in your essay.
4. Font should be Times New Romans, font size is 12, double space. Write at least 800 words.

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ACADEMIC ENGLISH 936-004

Unit 5: FOOD CUSTOMS IN IRAN

A. READING TEXT

Food customs around the world are strongly connected to

culture, tradition, and geography. We can see this in my country,

Iran. It has a variable climate, which gives us the advantage of

having a large variety of foods to eat. However, what we eat is still

influenced by our traditions and geography, as we can see in the

similarities and differences between the north and south Iran.

Many of the food customs are similar everywhere in the

country. For example, in both northern and southern Iran, food is
eaten with one’s hand and a piece of bread instead of using utensils. Rice is an important staple food in
Iran, and it is a part of almost every meal in both the north and the south. Another similarity between the
north and the south is eating fish, since both areas are near seas: The Caspian Sea in the north and the
Persian Gulf in the south.

Because the north of Iran is quite different from the south, there are several differences in eating habits

between the two areas, northern Iran faces Caspian Sea where we find special fish from which the famous

caviar is made, which northerners love to eat. Because of the Mediterranean climate in the north, rice is one

of the major crops, and it plays an important role at the table on northern Iran. It is served at all ceremonies.

As a tradition, northerners conduct a rice ceremony every year by putting rice twigs in the paddy and
singing songs. In southern Iran, which faces the Persian Gulf, a variety of seafood, especially the white

fish, make up the favorite dishes. Although rice is important ad a part of most meals, the south is better

known for its vegetables and fruits. Dates, in particular, are important and are a major export to Western

countries.

In conclusion, Iran is a large country with a diverse geography and people. As in all large countries, a

variety of customs can be found on all points of the compass. Food customs in particular are influenced by

climate and location, making Iran a very interesting country in which to live and eat.

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ACADEMIC ENGLISH 936-004

B. VOCABULARY - the prevailing trend of public opinion or of another aspect of public life.
1. Climate (ภมู ิประเทศ)

2. Advantage (ความไดเ้ ปรียบ) - the opportunity to gain something; benefit or profit.

3. Geography (ภูมิศาสตร์) - is a field of science devoted to the study of the lands, features,

4. Utensil (เครื่องมือ) inhabitants, and phenomena of the Earth and planets.
5. Staple (แกน) - an implement, container, or other article, especially for household use.
6. Major (สาํ คญั ) - a main or important element of something
7. Tradition (ประเพณี) - important, serious, or significant.
- the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation, or

8. Variety (ความหลากหลาย) the fact of being passed on in this way.
- a thing which differs in some way from others of the same general class or

9. Diverse (หลากหลาย) sort; a type.
10. Influence (มีอทิ ธิพล) - showing a great deal of variety; very different.
- the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior

of someone or something, or the effect itself.

Activity 1. Write the correct answer in the blank. Use the words in the vocabulary
section.

1. Frank was a good __________________ to her.
2. The use of drugs is a ______________ problem all over the world.
3. The ________________ of Thailand is very unique.
4. Nina went to the thrift store to buy some cooking _____________.
5. It is part of their _________________ to offer food for their dead relatives every all souls day.
6. Rice is the ____________ food in Asia.
7. Philippines has a culturally ________________ population.
8. The current economic ____________ of the country is really good so far.
9. The companies with a computerized database are at an ______________.
10. The center offers a _________________ of leisure activities.

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C. GRAMMAR ACADEMIC ENGLISH 936-004

PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

Present perfect tense is used to identify the connection between the present and the past. The time that

something happened was before or in the past, but is not clearly stated. And pay more attention to the

outcome than the action itself.

Present perfect tense ใชเ้ พ่ือระบคุ วามเชื่อมโยงระหวางปัจจบุ นั และอดีต เวลาท่ีสิ่งนนั่ ๆ เกิดข้นึ คอื ก่อนหนา้ น้ีหรือในอดีตแตไ่ ม่ได้ ระบุ
ไวอ้ ยา่ งชดั เจน และให้ความสนใจกบผลลพั ธ์มากกว่าตวั การกระทาํ เอง

PRESENT PERFECT is used to described:

1. What started in the past and continues to do today (ส่ิงที่เร่ิมตน้ ทาํ ในอดีตและยงั คงทาํ ต่อเนื่องมาจนถึงปัจจบุ นั )

- They haven't lived here for years.
- She has worked in the bank for five years.
- We have had the same car for ten years.
- Have you played the piano since you were a child?

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ACADEMIC ENGLISH 936-004

2. When the period referred to has not yet been completed (เม่ือช่วงระยะเวลาที่อา้ งถึงยงั ไมเ่ สร็จสิ้น)

- I have worked hard this week.
- It has rained a lot this year.
- We haven't seen her today.

3. A repetitive occurrence in a specific time between the past and the present. (ส่ิงที่เกิดข้ึนซ้าํ ๆ ในช่วงเวลา ใด
เวลาหน่ึงท่ีไมไ่ ดร้ ะบไุ วอ้ ยางเจาะจงระหว่างอดีตและปัจจุบนั )

- They have seen that film six times
- It has happened several times already.
- She has visited them frequently.
- We have eaten at that restaurant many times.

4. Something that was just done a moment ago (+ just). (สิ่งที่พ่งึ ทาํ เสร็จไปเม่ือสกั ครู่ที่ผา่ นมา (+ just)

- Have you just finished work?
- I have just eaten.
- We have just seen her.
- Has he just left?

5. Certain actions for which time are not important or clearly identified indicators. (การกระทาํ บางอยา่ งที่เวลา
ไม่ใช่ตวั บง่ ช้ีท่ีสาํ คญั หรือไม่ไดร้ ะบุไวอ้ ยา่ งชดั เจน)

- Someone has eaten my soup!
- Have you seen 'Gone with the Wind'?
- She's studied Japanese, Russian, and English.

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ACADEMIC ENGLISH 936-004

D. WRITING ACTIVITY ( Homework)

1. Compare and contrast the food in two areas or regions of your country.

2. Font should be Times New Romans, font size is 12, double space. Write at least 800 words.

E. SPEAKING ACTIVITY

1. Report to the class the food in your country

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ACADEMIC ENGLISH 936-004

Unit 6: ENGLISH AROUND THE WORLD

A. READING TEXT

Do you speak English? That question is frequently asked
in countries around the world. Although there are almost
3,000 languages, English is the most universal. It is the
official language in over 40 countries and the most
used language in international business, science
and medicine.

Even in countries where English is not the first language,
a number of English words are used. No other language is
borrowed from more often than English. For example, a
French worker looks forward to le weekend. A Romanian
shopper catches a ride on the trolleybus. A Chinese
businessperson talks to on the te le fung (telephone). Some Swedish school girls have started making plural
forms of words by adding –s, as in English, instead of the Swedish was of adding –ar, -or, or –er.

Hundreds of words borrowed from English can now be found in other languages, words such as soda,
hotel, gold, tennis, jeans, O.K., baseball and airport. Although many words are used as they are, others are
changed to make them more like the native language and therefor easier to say and remember. Thus, a
Japanese worker gets stuck in rushawa (rush-hour) traffic. A Spanish mother tells her child to put on her
suiter (sweater), and a Ukrainian man goes to the barber for a herkot (haircut).

English is everywhere. It is on signs, clothing, soft drinks and household products around the world. In
spite of the popularity of English words and phrases, however, they are not always welcome. Some people
think that the use of English words is threatening the purity of their native language, in 1975, the French
started a commission to try to top and even give fines for, the use of English words. Some countries have
tried to eliminate English as their official language in order to save their native tongue.

On the other hand, some people believe that English should be the international language. They give a
number of reasons for this, such as, the cost of translation and misunderstandings that result from language
differences. They believe that things would run more smoothly if everyone spoke the same language.

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ACADEMIC ENGLISH 936-004

“What would become of our many different culture?” others argue. “certainly the world would be a
much less interesting place,” they add. Indeed, there are serious concern on the part of language experts that
many languages are disappearing. In some parts of the world, only a few people are left who can speak the
native tongue, In Ireland, for example, there are only a few small areas where people speak Gaelic, the
native Irish language. One expert says that half of the world’s languages are dying because children are no
longer learning them.

Languages have changed and disappeared throughout history. With progress, change is inevitable.
Some things are worth preserving. Others are not. The difficulty is in deciding what is worth keeping.
Because people have a very strong feeling about the importance of their native language, we probably will
not have a universal language in the near future. What is certain, however, is that English worlds will
continue to pop-up everywhere, from Taiwan to Timbuktu, whether some people like it or not.

B. VOCABULARY - regularly or habitually; often.
1. Frequently (บอ่ ยๆ) - take and use (something that belongs to someone else) with
2. Borrow (ยืม) the intention of returning it.
- in danger
3. Threatened (คกุ คาม) - punishment in the form of taking money.
4. Fines (ปรับโทษ) - remove/ get rid of
5. Eliminate (กาํ จดั ) - worry
6. Concern (กงั วล) - in decline and about to disappear.
7. Dying (เฮือกสุดทา้ ย) - impossible to stop
8. Inevitable (แน่นอน) - take care of/ keep
9. Preserve (อนุรักษ)์ - appear
10. Pop up (ปรากฏ)

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ACADEMIC ENGLISH 936-004

Activity 1. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the word in capital letters. You may use your
dictionary.

1. UNDERSTAND
a. It is understandable that some people dislike foreign words in their language.
b. I ___________________ instructions because they used many words that I knew from English.

2. SPEAK
b. English is ___________ in many countries around the world.
c. ____________ English can help you in business, science, and medicine.

3. THREAT
a. Some people feel that English is a __________ to their own native language.
b. Others feel that English does not ______________ other languages but can be an international
language.

C. SPEAKING ACTIVITY

TAG QUESTIONS

Tag questions are something like negative questions. They are used when someone thinks he or she
knows an answer and wants confirmation. There are two very commonly used types of tag questions--one
made from affirmative (+) sentences, the other made from negative (-) sentences:

• He's from Italy, isn't he? /He isn't from Italy, is he?
• She speaks Estonian, doesn't she? /She doesn't speak Estonian, does she? • They'd left when you

arrived, hadn't they? /They hadn't left when you arrived, had they?

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ACADEMIC ENGLISH 936-004

TAG QUESTIONS (INTONATION)

1. Falling Intonation

When someone asks a tag question and the question tag has falling intonation, the person who asks

the questions is fairly sure that the statement before the tag ending is correct. Because the person asking the

question is not 100% sure, however, he or she still wants confirmation.

• I have told you not to run, haven't I? (Mother telling her son after her son falls.)

• It is a beautiful view, isn't it? (...We are all enjoying it.)

• You know I hate this movie, don't you? (...And yet we are watching it.)

2. Rising Intonation

When someone asks a tag question and the tag has rising intonation, in a rising intonation the

speaker is not as confident of his/her statement and he/she is asking the other person to find out about it.

• He didn't go to school yesterday, did he? (Did he really go to school yesterday?)

• Jack paid for the dinner, didn't he? (I hope he paid for the dinner... did he?)

• You told her I wasn't going to the party, didn't you? (Did you forget to tell her?)

Exercise 1. Circle the correct intonation
1. Cebu is the capital of Thailand, isn’t it?
2. Terrible weather, isn’t it?
3. She speaks Russian, doesn’t she?
4. He is from Surat, isn’t he?
5. English is difficult, isn’t it?

D. WRITING ACTIVITY (homework)

1. Write an essay. Why have languages disappeared throughout history? Give some example
2. Use the present continuous and present simple in the paragraph.
3. Font should be Times New Romans, font size is 12, double space. Write at least 800 words.

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ACADEMIC ENGLISH 936-004

References:

16 tenses in English grammar (Formula and examples). (2020, June 4).

ExamPlanning. https://examplanning.com/16-tenses-in-english-grammar-formula-and examples/

Adverbs of frequency. (2020, April 3). English Grammar Games and Notes - Woodward

English. https://www.grammar.cl/Basic/Adverbs_Frequency.htm

Blends, digraphs, trigraphs, and other letter combinations. (n.d.). Enchanted Learning

https://www.ench antedlearning.com/consonantblends/

Broukal, M. (2015). Weaving it together 3. Heinle & Heinle Pub.

English Tutor. (2019, July 17). Adverbs of frequency | 2 types of adverbs of frequency with

useful examples. ESL Grammar. https://eslgrammar.org/adverbs-of-frequency/

Linking vowel to vowel. (n.d.). EnglishClub - Learn or Teach English Today.

https://www.englishclub.com/pronunciation/linking-3.htm

Mega goal 6 student book). ช้นั มธั ยมศึกษาปี ที 6: หนงั สือเรียน รายวชิ าพ้ืนฐาน ภาษาองั กฤษ กลมุ่ สาระการเรียนรู้ ภาษาตา่ งประเทศ
ตามหลกั สูตรแกนกลางการศึกษาข้นั พ้นื ฐาน พุทธศกั ราช 2551. (2012

Shrives, C. (n.d.). Regular verbs | What are regular verbs? Free English Grammar Lessons and
Tests. https://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/regular_verbs.htm

There is there are - English grammar rules. (2020, February 8). English Grammar Games and
Notes - Woodward English. https://www.grammar.cl/Present/ThereIsThereAre.htm

Understanding and using tag questions (#3). (n.d.). Home Page –
ESL. https://www.eslcafe.com/resources/grammar-lessons/tag-questions/understanding and-using-tag-

questions-3

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