III. Sharpening Reading Skills

A. Topic Sentences

Reread the paragraphs listed and look for the topic sentence in each. (The topic sentence states the main idea of the paragraph.) Then write the first two words of the topic sentence on the line after the paragraph number.

(5)______________

(17)______________

(21)______________

(28)______________

B. Scanning

Scan the paragraphs indicated to find specific facts.

1. Approximately how many colleges and universities are there in the U.S.? (5)

2. How many years of college can a student complete at a community college? (8)

3. What is the highest (best) grade that a college student can get in a course? (12)

IV. Understanding Idioms and Expressions

Use context clues to determine the meanings of the italicized expressions in the title or paragraphs indicated. On each blank line, write the letter of the correct definition.

1. In the chapter title, higher education means---------.

a. graduate school only

b. undergraduate and graduate studies beyond high school

2. In paragraph 2, well-rounded people refers to people who are______.

a. knowledgeable about many different things

b. overweight

3. In paragraph 4, taking advantage of means______.

a. using a good opportunity

b. using another person for your benefit

4. In paragraph 9, student body means______.

a. a dead student

b. all the students at a particular school

5. In paragraph 18, the Latin phrase alma mater refers to______.

a. the school that a person's mother attended

b. the school that a person attended

6. In paragraph 20, making ends meet means______.

a. tying two strings together

b. being able to pay for the things you need

V. Taking Words Apart

Countable and Uncountable Nouns Countable nouns have a singular and a plural form. An article or a number word can be used before them. Uncountable nouns have no plural and cannot be preceded by a number or by a /an.

Write the plural of the four countable nouns listed below. Write a "u" after the four words that are always uncountable. For those that have both countable and uncountable meanings, put a check (V) and write the plural. Use an ESL dictionary for help.

1. activity __________

2. alumnus___________

3. anxiety_________

4. campus__________

5 credit__________

6. education__________

7. faculty________

8. fraternity____________

9. freshman____________

10. homework____________

11. knowledge___________

12. tuition__________

VI. Practicing Sentence Patterns

Notice the use of the phrases too little money and too much time in paragraph 18. In these phrases, the word too means more (or less) than is needed or wanted. Before uncountable nouns such as money and time, use too much or too little. Before plural nouns, use the phrases too many or too few.

Complete the following sentences with the correct phrase: too many, too much, too few, or too little.

1. I can't go to the movies with you tonight. I have______________homework.

2. Joe has joined______________school organizations. He doesn't have enough time to sleep.

3. John spends______________money on clothes. Then he has ______________money for food.

4. Only four students enrolled in Advanced Statistics 543. That's ______________students for Professor Einstein to teach the course.

5. Friends are wonderful. A person can never have______________friends.

6. A full-time student who also works full-time probably has______________ time to do homework.