Learning outcomes

After we have studied this unit, we will be able to

• look up words in a dictionary
• read and understand the table of content pages

A Read the dialogue.

Teacher : Students, do you have a dictionary?

Rupa : Yes, miss, I have one.

Ananda : I have one too.

Teacher : Do you know how to look up a word in a dictionary?

Rupa : Not really. It often takes a long time to find the meaning of a word in a dictionary.

Teacher : How about you, Ananda?

Ananda : Same with me. I often get confused. So many words, so many signs, ooh!

Teacher : It's because you haven't learned how to look up a word quickly in a dictionary.

Rupa, Ananda : How can we do it, teacher?

Teacher : Ok, let's start with a page from a dictionary.

C Make a list of the letters/words in bold. Answer the following questions.

a. What do you see at the top left corner of the dictionary page?

b. What is the first letter and word in the left hand corner?

D Read the text about how the dictionary page has been written.
The teacher asks the class. "Have you noticed that the words in bold are written one after another? OK. Do you find any rule or system or order in arranging these words?"

"Yes, teacher. The page starts with a single letter B and slowly words come below this letter," Rupa said.

"Thank you, Rupa. You've got it! Let me write B and some of the words from this page on the board. Then I'll show you how they are written one after another like in the alphabet. Look at the board and ask me if it is clear or not. OK?"

E Arrange the following words in alphabetic order.

F Look at the dictionary page again. Discuss in groups and find out the following information about BA, baby and bachelor.

• meanings of words (i.e. definitions)
• spelling
• examples of use/ example sentences
• grammatical information (parts of speech, irregular verbs and plurals, countable or uncountable nouns)
• formal/informal
• abbreviations

A Listen and read.

Rupa : So... Ananda, we had a helpful class on dictionary, didn't we?

Ananda: Oh, yes, very helpful. This is why I like Mrs Barua's class. She is one of my favourite teachers.

Rupa : She is! I also like her very much. And she is very organised. She knows how to make us work in groups and pairs. So we are never bored.

Ananda: By the way, I've another problem. Do you understand the 'Table of Contents' at the beginning of a book?

Rupa: Hmmm...yes, I've learnt it from my elder sister. I can try to explain it to you if you like.

Ananda: So nice of you. I really need it.

B Work in pairs. Discuss when and how you can help each other with anything difficult in a lesson.

C Read a content page of a book below individually and work in pairs to answer the questions that follow.

Questions

1. How many subjects / topics do you see here?
2. What do the numbers on the right-hand side mean?
3. Who do you think the people whose names are written after the subjects or topics are?
4. What is each topic / subject called?

D Fill in the gaps with appropriate words from the box.

The text above is a table …………… contents. It shows what subjects .......... there in a ..............., journal, magazine or in a research paper. So what is included in a book .......... shown in its table of contents. The table also shows a reader what the ..…………… are, who the writers are, and …………… page a reader should open to …………… a particular topic. Sometimes in some ..…………… topics are organised first in units ..…………… then in lessons. However, some books .…………… show the chapters.

E Go to the text in the box at Section C and answer the following questions.

1 Who is the writer of America at Play?
2 Which chapter is written by Naomi Shihab Nye?
3 What is the page number for Sea to Shining Sea?
4 What does Robert Olen Butler write?
5 What is the chapter at page number 57, and who is the writer?

F Work in pairs. Use your own English textbook. Ask and answer questions as above to know about page numbers, topics, units and lessons.