Wednesday April 15: Reading Lesson

Hi students,

I'm going to email you a reading exercise from this book:

Let's read the summary and work on seven new words:

Read each paragraph. 

Look at the word or words in bold.

Try to guess the meaning of the word or suggest a similar word on the lines.

Then look at the definitions and example sentences and read again.

Were any of your guesses correct ?

Use the online dictionary in the exercise to look up other words.

Do you like using this dictionary ?

We'll talk about this when we Zoom later tonight !

Reading:

The Newcomersfollows the lives of twenty-two teenagers from around the world over the course of one school year as they land at South High School in Denver, Colorado, in a beginning-level English language acquisition class. Speaking no English and unfamiliar with American culture, they face the enormous challenge of adapting to life in the developed world, in addition to navigating the usual pangs of adolescence. Each of their stories is remarkable.

pang =

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            The newcomers arrive from nations devastated by drought or famine or war. Many come directly from refugee camps, some after having lost one or both parents. Together, their class represents a microcosm of the global refugee crisis as a whole. The Newcomerstells the story of the students’ first year in America and follows the wrenching, dramatic journeys of three families in particular – from Iraq, Burma, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

microcosm= _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

wrenching=

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            At the center of The Newcomersis Mr. Williams, a talented, endlessly resourceful language acquisition teacher at South. If he does his job right, the newcomers will leave his class at the end of the school year with basic English skills and new confidence. The teacher shows dedication, patience, and finesse as he manages twenty-two students who speak fourteen different languages.

finesse=

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            With the United States at a moral crossroads around questions of immigration, inclusion, and America’s role on the global stage, Helen Thorpe presents a fresh and nuanced perspective on the ongoing conversation about refugee resettlement. The Newcomersis a transformative take on these timely issues and confirms Thorpe’s reputation as one of our most important writers today.

crossroads=

nuanced=

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transformative=

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Part 2: Look at the definitions and example sentences below.

Note: Here is a good online dictionary I have been using:

https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/

1.    pang: (noun) a sudden strong feeling of physical or emotional pain

Ex: She looked at Susan and saw with a pang how tired and frail she was.

Other common uses: hunger pangs/a sudden pang of jealousy

2.    microcosm: (noun) a thing, place, or group that has all the features and qualities of something much larger.

Ex: The family is a microcosm of society.

3.    wrenching: (adjective) to make someone feel great pain or unhappiness

Ex: Losing their house in the fire was a wrenching experience.

4.    finesse: (noun) great skill in dealing with people or situations – especially in a light or careful way.

Ex: Akiko’s masks show her great finesse in sewing.

5.    crossroads: (noun) at an important point in how something develops

Ex: Graduating from college or high school is an important crossroads in our lives.

6.    nuanced: (adjective) a very small difference in meaning, sound, color or someone’s feelings that is not usually obvious or easy to see at first

Ex: He watched her face intently to catch every nuance of expression

7.    transformative: (adjective) to change completely

Ex: Teaching online with Zoom is a transformative experience for teachers and students.

Extra credit: Try writing a sentence with each of the seven words.