DESCRIPTIVE TEXT

Function/ purpose     : to describe a particular place or building

Text Organization     : Identification
                                    Mention the special participant
                                    Description
                                    Mention the part, quality and characteristic of the subject being described
Language Features      : Present tense, noun, adjective, noun phrase, linking verbs (is, consist
of,..),   pronoun, passive voice

Text Modeling
Read the text then find the main idea of each paragraph in order to understand the meaning.
VISITING NIAGARA FALLS

Niagara Falls is the collective name for three waterfalls that cross the international
border between the Canadian province of Ontario and the USA’s state of New York. They
form the southern
end of the Niagara Gorge. From largest to smallest, the three waterfalls are the Horseshoe
Falls, the American Falls and the Bridal Veil Falls. The Horseshoe Falls lie on the Canadian
side and the American Falls on the American side. They are separated by Goat Island. The
smaller Bridal Veil Falls are also located on the American side, separated from the other
waterfalls by Luna Island.
There are various attractions that people can enjoy in Niagara Falls; six of them are described
here.
The first to enjoy in Niagara Falls is Cave of the Winds. This attraction helps people
get closer to the falls and go face-to-face with the pounding waters of the fall. People can get
soaked on
the Hurricane Deck where they are just feet from the thundering waters. Waterproof clothing
and sandals are provided. A trip at night when the Falls are illuminated in a rainbow of color
is really
amazing.
The second charm is Maid of the Mist Boat Tour. It is a world-famous scenic boat
tour of the American and Canadian Falls for about a half-hour ride. People may access the
tour via the
Observation Tower elevator at Prospect Point in the state park. The boat operates mid-May
until late October.
The next to visit in Niagara Falls is Niagara Adventure Theater. Here tourists may
enjoy the most powerful and involving film experience that brings reality to life on a 45 foot
screen. Audience
members are given the privileged to discover the thundering Falls from a completely new and
exhilarating perspective, and plunge over them. The theater shows hourly and free multi-
language
headsets are made available.
Niagara Science Museum is another place to visit. It is a sanctuary for the
preservation and appreciation of old science instruments and philosophical apparatus.
The fifth point of interest is Niagara’s Wax Museum of History. Here, life-size wax
figures portraying dramatic history of Niagara Falls are presented to guests. They can see
Fort Niagara
Scene, Indian Village, old store, blacksmith and barber shop scene and how electricity is
made. Wax figures of Julia Roberts, Princess Diana and many more are displayed here, too.
Finally, people can also enjoy Rainbow Air Helicopter Tours above and around the
American and Canadian Falls. The tours start from downtown, next to the entrance to the
Rainbow
Bridge, and open from 9am to dusk when weather permits. The tours operate every day from
second weekend in May until October 31st.
The Niagara Falls are renowned both for their beauty and as a valuable source of
hydroelectric power. Managing the balance between recreational, commercial, and industrial
uses has been a challenge for the stewards of the falls since the 19th century.

a.      Nouns and Adjectives

 As you know, noun is a thing, a place, or a person, an animal, while adjective is a word that
describes a noun. An adjective that describes a noun is called a modifier. A noun that goes with a
modifier is called a noun phrase. Noun phrases consist of a head noun that is described by one or
more adjectives before that. Observe where the position of the modifier is.
For example:
adjectives              nouns              noun phrases
beautiful                bird                  beautiful bird
unique                   monkey           unique monkey
enormous               nose                 enormous nose
pristine                  jungle              pristine jungle

If we want to give more information, we can add more modifiers to the thing (noun) we describe.
For instance, in addition to the opinion adjectives, we can also inform the size, and the color,
the age, and nationality of the thing (noun).
Observe the following examples. Pay attention to the order of the modifiers. Where is the
position of the opinion adjectives?
Example:
a beautiful old tree   → opinion age noun
a beautiful reddish leaf  → opinion color noun
a beautiful Indonesian island → opinion nationality noun

The following is the common word order of adjectives before a noun.

Deter Opinion Size Age Shape Color Original Materials Noun
miner
An Impressive large Old Square purple Chinese Ceramic vase
A beautiful young oval dark Indonesian girl

3.     Exercise
Task 1
Analyze text structure and language features used in the text by filling the table.
The Eiffel Tower is an iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. Built in
1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in
the world. The tower is the tallest building in Paris and the most-visited paid monument in the
world; millions of people ascend it every year. Named for its designer, engineer Gustave Eiffel,
the tower was built as the entrance arch to the 1889 World’s Fair.
The tower stands 324 metres (1,063 ft) tall, about the same height as an 81-story building.
Upon its completion, it surpassed the Washington Monument to assume the title of tallest man-
made structure in the world, a title it held for 41 years, until the Chrysler Building in New York
City was built in 1930; however, due to the addition in 1957 of the antenna, the tower is now
taller than the Chrysler Building. Not including broadcast antennas, it is the second-tallest
structure in France after the 2004 Millau Viaduct.
The tower has three levels for visitors. Tickets can be purchased to ascend, by stairs or
lift, to the first and second levels. The walk to the first level is over 300 steps, as is the walk from
the first to the second level. The third and highest level is accessible only by elevator. Both the
first and second levels feature restaurants.
The tower has become the most prominent symbol of both Paris and France, often in the
establishing shot of films set in the city.

Part Function and description Language features

Identification

Decription
 Task 2
Make noun phrases. The words on the left columns areadjectives and the words on the right
column are nouns.Combine them to make noun phrases. See number 1 as anexample.

Attractive Lake
Memorable Waterfall
Fresh Atmosphere
Deep Trees
Clear People
Gigantic Air
Quiet Situation
Relaxing Water
Friendly Journey
Beautiful Food
Delicious Cave
Large Flora and fauna
Various souvenirs

1. delicious food 8. __________ __________

2. __________ __________ 9. __________ __________
3. __________ __________ 10. __________ __________
4. __________ __________ 11. __________ __________
5. __________ __________ 12. __________ __________
6. __________ __________ 13. __________ __________
7. __________ __________ 14. __________ __________

Task 3
Arrange the words in the brackets to make good noun phrases!

1.I bought ( Javanese – batik – wonderful – a – new - brown) yesterday

2.Look! There is (coral – big – long – dangerous - reef) over there.
3.He likes (excellent – tie – silk – blue – an – Italian – new)
4.We need (gas – this – petroleum – expensive – liquefied)
5.Mila has ever seen (stone – high – an – wall - amazing) in China
6.Ida wants (papaya – green – delicious – large – a - Thailand)
7.My sister asks (plastic – Chinese – expensive – an – new- doll - small)
8.The company needs (five – workers – qualified - young) this year
9.Look at that (old – car – famous - American)
10.    There are many (young – girls – beautiful – Indonesian) at Music Award night.