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Intensive reading involves learner's reading in detail with specific learning aims and tasks. That
is what we we need in IELTS reading classes. A few examples of intensive reading come below.
Activity 1.
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Oxytocin is a chemical, a hormone produced in the pituitary gland in the brain1. It was through various studies focusing on animals that scientists first became aware of the influence of oxytocin. They discovered that it helps reinforce the bonds between prairie voles, which mate for life2, and3 triggers the motherly behavior that sheep show towards their newborn Lambs. It is also4 released by women in childbirth, strengthening the attachment between mother and baby. Few chemicals have as positive reputation as oxytocin5, which is sometimes referred to as ‘love hormone’6. One a sniff of it can, it is claimed, make a person more trusting, emphatic, generous and cooperative7. It is time, however, to revise this wholly optimistic view. A new wave of studies has shown that its effects vary greatly depending on the person and circumstances and it can impact on our social interactions for worse as well as better. |
Text analysis:
1. The underlined part is a reduced adjective clause; it is the explanation to clear up the meaning
of “oxytocin”. You have to try to guess the meaning of oxytocin from this part. So, something is
clear: it is a hormone.
2. This part is apposition; it reveals extra information. Thus, you can remove it. It may extract
your attention.
3. “And” is a parallel maker, so the sentence before and after it have the same meaning. Therefore,
try to understand either
the part before “and” or after it. Here, the sentence after “and” is easier.
4. “Also” shows additional meaning/facts. Here, the sentence after “also” is very clear, making the
meaning of “oxytocin" understandable.
5. This sentence is grammatically important; you
may use it in your own writings
Few + noun (1) + have + as + adjective + noun
(2) + as + noun (3)
Few countries have as beautiful nature as Iran.
Few people have as kind mother as Ali.
Now, write you own sentences.
6. This part is an adjective clause; it is extra information to extend the text. However, it gives the other
name of
Oxytocin: love hormone. This expression may be the answer to a
question.
7. This part is grammatically important as it reveals a perfect parallel structure. Trusting, empathetic,
generous
and cooperative. It is A, B, C and D model.
8. The word of “However” always reveals the contradiction between the part before and after. In other
words, up to this part, the positive effects of oxytocin are discussed. After “however”, the negative effects
are revealed. The word “worse” in the last line shows that negative effect.
Outline of the paragraph is depicted in the following:
|
A definition |
Oxytocin is a chemical/hormone ( X
is Y Model) |
|
Examples |
prairie voles bonds sheep motherly
behavior women in childbirth |
|
Paraphrase |
love hormone |
|
However |
negative social
interactions |
Activity 2.
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Simon Colton, the designer of Painting Fool1, is Keen to make sure his creation doesn't attract the same criticism. Unlike earlier ‘artists’ such as Arson, the Painting Fool only needs minimal direction and can come up with its own concepts by going online for material2. The software runs its own web searches3 and trawls through social media sites. It4 is now beginning to display a kind of imagination too, creating pictures from scratch. One of its original works is a series of fuzzy Landscapes, depicting trees in the sky. While some might say they have a mechanical look, Colton argues that such reactions arise from people's double standards towards5 software- produced and human - produced art. After all, he says, consider that the Painting Fool painted the Landscapes without referring to a photo. ‘If a child painted a new scene from its head, you would say it has a certain level of imagination,’ he points out. ‘The same should be true of a machine.’ Software bugs6 can also lead to unexpected results. Some of the Paintings Fool’s paintings of a chair came out in black and white, thanks to a technical glitch. This gives the work an eerie, ghost-like quality. Human artists like the renowned Ellsworth Kelly are lauded for limiting their color palette - so why
should computers be any different? |
Text analysis:
1. The very first sentence introduces the subject; it is something (Painting Fool) designed by Simon Colton.
2. The underlined part says a lot about Painting
Fool: it is an artist! Which goes online to find concepts.
3. Form this part, one understands that painting
Fool is software. It displays imagination and creates pictures.
4. What does “it” refer to? It refers to
Painting Fool.
5. What is the story of “double standard”?
6. What is the significance of “bugs”? What other word is synonymous with “bugs”? What has been the result
of bugs in case
Painting Fool?
7. Find the words related to painting in the text. (The words in boldface)
Activity 3.
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A third approach, known as ‘counteract and reaffirm’ involves developing products or services that stress the values traditionally associated with the category in ways that allow consumers to oppose - or at least temporarily escape from - the aspects of trends they view as undesirable1. A product that accomplished this is ME2, a video game created by Canada's iToys2. By reaffirming the toy category’s association with physical play, the EM2 counteracted some of the widely perceived negative impacts of digital gaming devices3. Like other handheld games, the device featured a host of exciting interactive games, a full - color LCD screen, and advanced 3D graphics4. What set it apart was that it incorporated the traditional physical components of children's play5: it contained a pedometer, which tracked and awarded points for physical activity (watching, running, biking, skateboarding, climbing stairs6). The child could use the points to enhance various virtual skills needed for the video game. The ME2, introduced in mid 2008, to kids’ huge desire to play video games while countering the negatives, such as associations with lack of exercise and obesity7. |
Text analysis:
1. This first sentence is too long and too
ambiguous to understand. Thus, miss it!
2 and 3. These two parts are meaningful and help us understand the text: the text is about a video game
which involves physical
activity to avoid the negative impacts of video games.
4. This sentence talks about the game (ME2) in
detail revealing its characteristics.
5 and 6. These two parts explain why ME2 is not like other games: it involves physical activities like
watching, running …
7. The last sentence completes our understanding about ME2.