English For Today chapter 4: Check Your References

Unit Four

Check Your References

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

• read and understand content pages in books
• look up words in a dictionary

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Lesson 1: Introducing a Table of Contents

A. Look at the table and talk about it in groups:

Contents

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B. Now, answer the questions below:

1. Is the table familiar to you?
2. Where do you find it?
3. What is the table about?
4. What is this table called?

C. Read the text and discuss it in groups. Then find answers to the following questions:

You get a new book in hand. You see the title of the book and you want to read it. But does the title only give you enough information about what the book is all about?

You also find the book divided into a few parts. Suppose you want to read a certain part of the book. Certainly you will not like to waste time looking for it in the whole book.

1. How would you know which page to look for it? What do you do?
2. Do you think the table in A can help you? How?

D. Look at the table of contents in Section A. Then ask and answer the questions below:

1. What are the topics at page numbers vii, xiii, xv ?
2. If you want to read about the Hippopotamus, what unit and page numbers should you go to ?
3. What is the content at page number 65 ?
4. What page does the unit 2 start at and where does it end ?
5. Which topics appear between pages 26 –28?

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E. Open the table of contents page of your English Textbook. Work in pairs and find out the answers to the following questions:

1. What is the title of the page?
2. What are the column heads?
3. Which page numbers contain the topics?
4. Which topic starts in page 44?
5. How many units are there?
6. How many page numbers are there in the book?

F. Now, give information about the following:

Name/title of the table of contents page:

Names of column heads:

Numbers of units:

Total number of pages:

Title of the first unit:

Page number where the first unit starts:

Title of the last unit:

Position of the page numbers:

Position of the chapter titles:

Others, if any:

Lesson 2: Using a Dictionary

A. Look at the questions and the text and talk about them in groups:

1. Have you come across this type of text before?
2. Do you know what the text is about?
3. What do you know about a dictionary?
4. What do you find in a dictionary?

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fit [icon] /fɪt/ verb, adj., noun

verb (fit·ting, fit·ted, fit·ted) (NAmE usually fit·ting, fit, fit except in the passive)

• RIGHT SIZE/TYPE 1 (not used in the progressive tenses) to be the right shape and size for sb/sth: [V] I tried the dress on but it didn't fit. ◊ That jacket fits well. ◊ a close-fitting dress ◊ [VN] I can't find clothes to fit me. ◊ The key doesn't fit the lock. 2 [V, usually + adv./prep.] to be of the right size, type or number to go somewhere: I'd like to have a desk in the room but it won't fit. ◊ All the kids will fit in the back of the car. 3 [VN] [often passive] ~ sb (for sth) to put clothes on sb and make them the right size and shape.
• PUT STH SOMEWHERE 4 [VN] to put or fix sth somewhere: They fitted a smoke alarm to the ceiling. ◊ The rooms were all fitted with smoke alarms. 5 [+adv./prep.] to put or join sth in the right place: [V] The glass fits on top of the jug to form a lid. ◊ How do these two parts fit together? ◊ [VN] We fitted together the pieces of the puzzle.
• AGREE/MATCH 6 (not used in the progressive tenses) to agree with, match or be suitable for sth; to make sth do this: [V] Something doesn't quite fit here. ◊ His pictures don't fit into any category. ◊ [VN] The facts certainly fit your theory. ◊ The punishment ought to fit the crime. ◊ We should fit the punishment to the crime.
• MAKE SUITABLE 7 ~ sb/sth (for sth) (especially BrE) to make sb/sth suitable for a particular job: [VN, VN to inf] His experience fitted him perfectly for the job. ◊ His experience fitted him to do the job.

adj. (fitter, fittest)

• HEALTHY 1 ~ (for sth) | ~ (to do sth) healthy and strong, especially because you do regular physical exercise: Top athletes have to be very fit. ◊ (BrE) He won't be fit to play in the match on Saturday. ◊ She tries to keep fit by jogging every day. ◊ (BrE) He's had a bad cold and isn't fit enough for work yet. ◊ I feel really fighting fit (= very healthy and full of energy). ◊ The government aims to make British industry leaner and fitter (= employing fewer people and with lower costs).—see also KEEP-FIT. [icon] UNFIT ⇨ NOTE AT WELL ⇨ vocabulary notes on page R18
• SUITABLE 2 ~ for sb/sth | ~ to do sth suitable; of the right quality; with the right qualities or skills: The food was not fit for human consumption. ◊ It was a meal fit for a king (= of very good quality). ◊ Your car isn't fit to be on the road! ◊ The children seem to think I'm only fit for cooking and washing! ◊ He's so angry he's in no fit state to see anyone. ◊ (formal) This is not a fit place for you to live. [icon] UNFIT
• READY 3 ~ to do sth (BrE, informal) ready or likely to do sth extreme: They worked until they were fit to drop (= so tired that they were likely to fall down). ◊ I've eaten so much I'm fit to burst. ◊ She was laughing fit to burst (= very much).

[icon] (as) fit as a fiddle (informal) in very good physical condition see/think fit (to do sth) (formal) to consider it right or acceptable to do sth; to decide or choose to do sth: You must do as you think fit (= but I don't agree with your decision). ◊ The newspaper did not see fit to publish my letter (= and I criticize it for that).—more at SURVIVAL

noun

• ILLNESS 1 [C] a sudden attack of an illness, such as epilepsy, in which sb becomes unconscious and their body may make violent movements. [icon] CONVULSION: to have an epileptic fit ◊ Her fits are now controlled by drugs.
• OF COUGHING/LAUGHTER 2 [C] a sudden short period of coughing or of laughing, that you cannot control. [icon] BOUT: a fit of coughing ◊ He had us all in fits (of laughter) with his jokes.
• OF STRONG FEELING 3 [C] a short period of very strong feeling: to act in a fit of anger/rage/temper/pique—see also HISSY FIT
• OF CLOTHING 4 [C, U] (often with an adjective) the way that sth, especially a piece of clothing, fits: a good/bad/close/perfect fit
• MATCH 5 [C] ~ (between A and B) the way that two things match each other or are suitable for each other: We need to work out the best fit between the staff required and the staff available. [icon] by/in fits and 'starts: frequently starting and stopping again; not continuously: Because of other commitments I can only write my book in fits and starts. ◊ have/throw a 'fit' (informal) to be very shocked, upset or angry: Your mother would have a fit if she knew you'd been drinking!

fit·ful /ˈfɪtfl/ adj. happening only for short periods; not continuous or regular: a fitful night's sleep ► fit·ful·ly /ˈfɪtfəli/ adv.: to sleep fitfully

fit·ment /ˈfɪtmənt/ noun [usually pl.] (BrE, technical) a piece of furniture or equipment, especially one that is made for and fixed in a particular place

fit·ness /ˈfɪtnəs/ noun [U] 1 the state of being physically healthy and strong: a magazine on health and fitness ◊ a fitness instructor/class/test ◊ a high level of physical fitness 2 ~ for sth/to do sth the state of being suitable or good enough for sth: He convinced us of his fitness for the task. ◊ There were doubts about her fitness to hold office.

fitness centre (BrE) (NAmE 'fitness center) noun a place where people go to do physical exercise in order to stay or become healthy and fit

fit·ted /ˈfɪtɪd/ adj. 1 [only before noun] (especially BrE) (of furniture) built to be fixed into a particular space. [icon] BUILT-IN: fitted wardrobes/cupboards 2 [only before noun] (especially BrE) (of a room) with matching cupboards and other furniture built for the space and fixed in place: a fitted kitchen/bedroom 3 [only before noun] (of clothes) made to follow the shape of the body: a fitted jacket [icon] LOOSE 4 ~ for/to sth | ~ to do sth (especially BrE) suitable; with the right qualities and skills: She was well fitted to the role of tragic heroine. 5 ~ with sth having sth as equipment: Insurance costs will be reduced for houses fitted with window locks.

fitted carpet noun (BrE) a carpet that is cut and fixed to cover the floor of a room completely—see also WALL-TO-WALL CARPET

fit·ter /ˈfɪtə(r)/ noun 1 a person whose job is to put together or repair equipment: a gas fitter 2 a person whose job is to cut and fit clothes or carpets, etc.

fit·ting /ˈfɪtɪŋ/ adj., noun

adj. 1 (formal) suitable or right for the occasion. [icon] APPROPRIATE: The award was a fitting tribute to her years of devoted work. ◊ It is fitting that the new centre for European studies should be in a university that teaches every European language. 2 -fitting (in adjectives) having a particular fit.

noun 1 [usually pl.] a small part on a piece of equipment or furniture: light fittings ◊ a pine cupboard with brass fittings 2 [usually pl.] (BrE) items in a house such as a cooker, lights or shelves that are usually fixed but that you can take with you when you move to a new house—compare FIXTURE 3 an occasion when you try on a piece of clothing that is being made for you to see if it fits

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B. Look at the dictionary page in Lesson 3 and answer the following questions. Then read the text below:

1. Do you use a dictionary?
2. Why and how often do you use a dictionary?
3. How can a dictionary help you?

A dictionary is a collection of words. It lists the words of a language and gives necessary information about them. It tells us about the

a) spelling b) pronunciation c) meaning d) word class

To make the meanings of words clear, example sentences are given in italics. Example sentences show how words are used. It also gives the synonym/s and the antonym/s of a word.

We find words made by adding prefixes and suffixes to the root word. Parts of speech are also shown. A verb word is always given in the simple present tense. But the past form of a verb and the past participle are also shown.

C. Again read the text above. Then ask and answer the following questions:

1. What information does a dictionary give us about a verb word?
2. Why are the example sentences given?
3. How are new words formed?
4. Why are the synonyms and the antonyms given?
5. What do we need a dictionary for?

D. Match the sentence parts in Column A with those in Column B:

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