Exploratory task 2.8

Eliciting from context can take the form of the lexical cloze. In this task the learners are to choose the correct word A or B in order to fill each space in the gapped version of the text. It is important to have a general understanding of the text before the learners start the task. When you come to the gap in the text you are to think about the general meaning they can expect. The correct answer must have the correct meaning and must combine correctly with other words in the sentence. The first answer can be given. Do the following activity of the “lexical cloze”. Work in pairs or in small groups and reflect on the difficulties you might experience in choosing the right word.

Correctly chosen words	Wrongly chosen words	Difference in meaning between A and B
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Text. Police are conducting an enquiry into a 1… at Buckingham Palace. No details have been 2…. The items were personal 3… of the Princess Royal. The Queen was absolutely 4… at the incident. This police investigation is the latest in a series of security 5… in the Palace. Last July an intruder scaled a 12ft fence and attempted to enter the palace. He was arrested and released without 6…. Earlier an escaped psychiatric patient evaded security to get into the grounds of the palace while the Queen was 7…. Recently a police officer was 8… by Scotland Yard in connection with bribery and 9… charges (Adapted from BBC News Internet Page. October 3 1999)

	A	B
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9	Theft Leaked Possessions Furious Alarms Charge Absent Caught Conspiracy	Burglary Released Belongings Angry Alerts Accusations Away Arrested Plot

A frequent lexical activity is lexical mind map. A mind map is the result of lexical associations with a key word.

Exploratory task 2.9. Produce a mind map with the key word “food with a taste”. Possible list of tastes is “spicy, bitter, salty, sweet, sour, creamy, crunchy, greasy”. One word has been written for you

Lemon Food with a taste

Lexical items can be practised by placing words in a table.

Exploratory task 2.10. Give the food that has the test as shown in the table:

Spicy	Bitter	Salty	Sweet	Sour	Creamy	Crunchy	Greasy

(from O’Connell, S. 1999. Focus on First Certificate. Longman. P. 166).

Exploratory task 2.11

Words can make up a situational set, i.e. the words that are necessary for a certain speech situation. Make up a vocabulary list (words and phrases) necessary to take part in a debate on “alternative medicine”. Continue the list if necessary

Vocabulary items	Meaning