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UNIT 1: LIFE SKILLS

PART I: READING
Activity 1.1: Discuss the following questions in groups before you read the passage below.
1. What are life skills? -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. What are the basic elements of life skills? ---------------------------------------------------------
3. What is the importance of knowing about life skills? --------------------------------------------
4. Did you have life skills training? If you had, please share what you were trained about and
how you were trained to your group. ----------------------------------------------------------
5. How did the training help you to manage your life? ---------------------------------------------
THE CONCEPT OF LIFE SKILLS
1While many experts discuss the importance of life skills, many still question what exactly
represent such skills. As shall be shown, there is no single answer, but there are a variety of
overlapping definitions, which highlight the most significant forms of life skills.
2In practice, the term life skills is also used in several other ways, including to refer to livelihood
skills, such as how to set up a business; to refer to practical self-care skills such as how to plan and
prepare healthy meals or how to brush one’s teeth, etc.; to refer to skills used to deal with specific
risk situations, such as saying “no” in the face of peer pressure, etc.
3The concept life skills involves personally responsible choices. These skills enable people to
maximize their own choices, to enhance their personal well-being and to improve their quality of
life. When people are being personally responsible they are in the process of making choices that
maximize their happiness and fulfillment. Personal responsibility is a positive concept wherein
people are responsible for their well-being and for making their own choices within the givens of
their existence. Life skills therefore, are the component skills through which people assume –
rather than avoid – personal responsibility for their lives. These skills enable people to make
positive contribution which can lead to improvement of their lives.
4Elias (1990) as mentioned by WHO (1994) notes that life skills are skills to carry out effective
interpersonal relationships and to make choices and resolve conflict without resorting to actions
that will harm oneself or others. Adding to this, WHO (1994) further defines life skills as skills
that enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life. This
generic type of skills includes decision-making, problem-solving, self-awareness and
communication skills. TACADE (1990) views life skills as personal and social skills required by
young people to function confidently and competently with themselves, with other people and with
the wider community.
5Peck and Hong (1988) cited in Tsatsi (2001) state that life skills are skills which enable people to
care for themselves in a supportive environment, and are concerned with independence in self-
care, understanding the environment and living with others. Skills also enable people to make
decisions concerning life situations. From a practical point of view Peck and Hong (1988) as
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mentioned by Tsatsi (2001) outlined the following life skills. Firstly personal skills, which refer to
those skills that are necessary to establish and maintain a network of appropriate and meaningful
relationships, interests and support systems e.g. developing friendships, leisure interests,
environmental and road safety, communication, social life, sexual relationships and marriage.
Personal skills are also of great importance for especially young people to fully understand the
influence of peer pressure. Secondly, home management skills, which include theoretical and
technical knowledge necessary to live safely, comfortable and healthy. Skills such as budgeting,
nutrition and hygiene may serve as examples. Thirdly, self-reliance skills, which include those
skills, which are necessary for the individual to be able to organize his/ her own life and to maintain
and utilize the resources, they need.
6The effective acquisition and application of life skills influence the way people feel about
themselves and others, and equally influence the way people are perceived by others. According
to WHO (1997) life skills contribute to peoples’ perceptions of self-efficacy, self-confidence and
self-esteem. Life skills therefore, play an important role in the promotion of individuals’ mental
well-being. The promotion of mental well-being contributes to people motivation to look after
themselves and others, the prevention of mental disorders, and the prevention of health behavior
problems. Life skills open doors and enable people to help themselves (Potgieter, 2004).
7Life skills are also framed as “abilities for adaptive and positive behavior that enable individuals
to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life” (WHO, 1997). Described in
this way, skills that can be said to be life skills are innumerable and the nature and definition of
life skills are likely to differ across cultures and settings.
8However, analysis of the life skills field suggests that there is a core set of skills that are at the
heart to skills-based initiatives for the promotion of the health and well-being of children and
adolescents (Brack & Hill, 2000).
9In the context of this study life skills are self-helping skills that enable people to help themselves.
As such they are aimed at empowering people. People who possess life skills are more adequate
to fulfill their potential and meet their needs. Potgieter (2004) notes that a wide variety of skills
can be selected for inclusion in a life skills programme for adolescents. The selection depends
largely on the target condition, which the client system faces. For this study life skills include
acquisition of self-reliance skills such as decision-making, problem solving, critical thinking, self-
awareness, assertiveness training, communication conflict resolution etc. A detailed discussion of
these skills will follow later in this chapter.
10A final topic of interest in conceptualizing the concept life skills is the place of belonging in
defining life skills. Both the WHO (1994) and American School Counseling Associations (ASCA,
1994) as mentioned by Anderson and Okoro (2000) imply that all life skills no matter at what level
or dimension, must include the ability to facilitate a sense of belonging. Belonging plays a key role
in the growth and development of self-esteem, social skills and initiative while creating a sense of
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belonging does not mean being a “buddy” and always getting along, it does mean that a person is
always welcomed into a group as long as they do not try to harm or disrupt the group. It also means
that assertive communication and truth exist. It includes a sense of safety, both physical and
emotional (Brack and Hill, 2000; Anderson & Okoro, 2000).
11The need for belonging is also emphasized by Alfred Adler (1870-1937) as cited by Brack and
Hill (2000: 24) who concluded that, as part of human nature there is a strong innate potential for
kinship and belonging to the human race. Each person is born with a natural desire to belong to a
group, such as family or culture, and to contribute to the growth and well-being of that group. It is
a genetic need or genetic potential and it simply exists in everyone at birth. As noted above, an
innate or genetic potential is a potential capability, which is likely to be developed if a person is
given the right opportunities. Without the right opportunities this need can be distorted or
destroyed (Baron & Byrne, 2003; Brack & Hill, 2000).
12According to Brack and Hill (2000) what is important to note here is that belonging, the ability
to pursue meaningful relationships and contribute to society, is not automatic, it needs to be
consciously developed and when it is developed, it is intrinsically rewarding. However, people
have to actually learn ways of trusting others, giving and accepting care and being sincere. Adler
(1870-1937) as cited by the above-mentioned authors, states that learning these skills is
intrinsically rewarding because the skills fulfill a genetic potential. Furthermore, because this need
is rooted in a strong genetic potential the fulfillment of the need for belonging is also a prerequisite
for emotional well-being. When the need for belonging is not met, a person may easily become
aloof, manipulative and self-centered. When the feeling of belonging and interpersonal
connectedness develops, a sense of social interest, co-operation and equality emerges. Belonging
is met by obtaining results, which provides closer relationships with others, and competence is met
by obtaining results, which are useful in many ways.
13Basically belonging consists of forming a bond with other individuals. Belonging is a social
component of normal human development. It allows a person to express his or her social interest
in a healthy and mutually reciprocal manner that builds upon strength of all group members.

Activity 1.2
Instruction: Answer the following questions in groups based on the information in the passage.
1. What are the values of interpersonal relationships? ---------------------------------------------
2. How do personal life skills help young people to understand the effect of peer pressure? -
3. How is the sense of belonging developed? --------------------------------------------------------
What is its importance? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Instruction: Choose the most appropriate alternative based on the information in the passage.
1. Making personally responsible choices includes all except one.
a) Maximizing choices to improve one’s life.
b) Avoiding personal responsibility.
c) Taking responsibility for one’s well-being.
d) Making choices for enabling one’s happiness.

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 2. One of the following is an example of home-management skills.
a) Developing friendship c) Marriage
b) Road safety d) Budgeting
3. What will happen when the need for belonging is not fulfilled? A person may be______
a) assertive c) self-centered
b) happy d) communicative
4. Potgieter (2004) mentions that life skills include the skill of:
a) decision-making c ) creating conflict
a) critical thinking d) A&B
4. According to the American School Counseling Associations (ASCA, 1994), all life skills
must incorporate the ability to enhance:
a) A sense of belonging c) Critical thinking
b) A feeling of responsibility d) empowering people
5. As stated by Brack and Hill (2000), what kind of ability will be intrinsically motivated if
it is well developed?
a) Problem solving c) Pursuing meaningful rapport
b) Assertive d)Decision making
Instruction: According to the passage, what do the following words/pronouns refer to?
1. ‘these’ (paragraph 3, line 1)_______________________________________
2. ‘they’ (paragraph 3, line 3) _______________________________________
3. ‘those’ (paragraph 5 line 6)________________________________________
4. ‘their’ (paragraph 9, line 3) _______________________________________
5. ‘this’ (paragraph 11, line 7) ________________________________________
6. ‘it’ ( paragraph 13, line 2) _________________________________________
Instruction: Guess the meanings of the following words as they are used in the reading
passage.
1. well-being (Para 3, line 5)________________________________________
2. self-awareness (Para 4, line 5) ____________________________________
3. peer pressure (Para 5, line 10) _____________________________________
4. self-efficacy (Para 6, line 3)_______________________________________
5. self-esteem (Para 6, line 7) _______________________________________
6. framed (Para 7, line 1) ___________________________________________
7. innumerable (Para 7, line 3) _______________________________________
8. core (Para 8, line 1) _____________________________________________
9. kinship (Para 11, line 3) _________________________________________
10. pursue (Para 12, line 2) __________________________________________
Activity 1.3
• Write a brief conclusion to the above passage in one paragraph.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Part II: Grammar; Active and Passive Voices

Activity 1.4: Identifying passive verb forms

Instruction: Read the following magazine article. Pay special attention to verbs in the passive
voice and underline them, and discuss in your group how the above verbs were formed.
The Academy Awards are given out every year to recognize outstanding work of movie actors, directors,
and others who are part of the movie-making industry. These awards, called Oscars, are presented in a
formal ceremony in Hollywood. Several people are nominated in specific categories, such as Best Movie,
Best Actor, Best Music, and Best Costumes. One nominee is chosen to receive an award in each category.
When the awards ceremony started in 1929, 15 awards were presented and the ceremony was attended by
only 250 people. Tickets cost $10, and anyone who could afford a ticket could attend. Today about two
dozen Oscars are presented. Tickets are no longer sold to the general public; invitations are sent only to
people involved in making the movies and to their guests. Today the awards are presented in the 3400-seat
Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. Until 1941, the winners’ names were already known before the ceremony
and published in newspapers the night before the ceremony. Now the winners’ names are placed in sealed
envelopes and the envelopes are not opened until the night of the ceremony. Since 1953, Oscar night has
been televised and broadcast all over the world. This show is seen by hundreds of millions of people.
Viewers watch as their favorite movie stars arrive looking beautiful and hopeful.

The Passive Voice: Form

Activity 1.5:
Instruction: Answer the following questions.
1. What did you notice in the passive forms? ---------------------------------------------------------
2. What are the changes made in each tense? ---------------------------------------------------------
3. What are the different changes made between the active and passive voices? ----------------
4. What inclusions have you noticed? -----------------------------------------------------------------
5. Tell your answers for questions 1-4 to your group members.
Instruction: Write the correct active or passive forms of the verbs in brackets to complete the text below.
Take care of the tense you use. Numbers 2, 8 and 12 are done for you as an example.
My sister and I -------- (1. grow up) and went to school in Jamaica. We were educated (2. educate)
according to the British system. In 1997 we -------- (3. give) the opportunity to come to the United States.
We decided to finish high school before leaving our own country. We -------- (4.concern) that the education
in this country might not be as good as the one we had there, and we wanted to improve our English too.

My colleagues A, B, and I, ------------ (5. design) an experiment to test the impact on worker perceptions of
well-being when domesticated cats ------------- (6. allow) to freely roam various work environments in
which the subjects were normally employed. Three test environments ---------- (7. select) for our
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experiments: a law office, a laboratory in which experiments ----------- (8. perform) using laboratory rats,
and an automobile assembly line. One-way mirrored glass panels were installed (9.install) to allow video
cameras to record the activity and researchers to observe the same and take notes. We secretly inserted
observers directly into the work environment. These observers posed as outside contractors and ------- (10.
uniform) as maintenance and cleaning staff, coffee and water service vendors, and similar supporting
personnel. The observers ------------ (11. draw) from the students who had been matriculated (12.
matriculate) into the experimental psychology courses from which this study ------------- (13. develop) as
an example of such studies generally.

Activity 1.6: Paragraph writing using active and passive verb forms
Context: Create a news report (fictional or real) about an environmental event such as a fire, earthquake,
drought, heavy rain, flood etc. Select a location (city or country) and present it to the class,
pointing out your use of the passive tense throughout.
______________________________________________________________________________

Part III: Speaking

Activity 1.7
Instruction: The purpose of this activity is to know about your own problem solving experiences
either in your village or in a school situation. Read the scenarios given to you below,
think about what your steps can be and tell problem-solution to your group members.
1. Senait’s friend is stressed about an upcoming test. Senait already took the test and got
100%, so she knows all the answers already. Should she:
a. Just give the answers to her friend
b. Use her knowledge to coach her friend
c. Not get involved at all
2. Zelalem overhears two students bragging about having posted some inappropriate images
of a female student online for a joke. Should he:
a. Mind his own business
b. Report the incident to the school principal
c. Confront the boys and defend the student
Part IV: Writing
Activity 1.8: Discuss the problem you encountered at school; and then write it in a short paragraph
Instruction: In your group, ask each other about a time when you encountered a problem at
school. Answer the questions below given as facilitation steps to your discussion.
Did you follow the same process to solve the school-related problem?
a. What kind of problem was it?
b. What happened?
c. What factors did you have to consider when finding a solution?
d. What steps were taken to resolve this problem?
e. Who made the decision about how the problem was resolved?

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 UNIT 2: SPECULATIONS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF SCIENCE

Part I: Reading
Activity 2.1: Pre-reading questions
Instruction: Answer the following questions in groups before you read the passage.
1. Do you know an Ethiopian scientist who has important discovery? Who is he? What did
he discover? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Scientific discovery serves to construct and integrate scientific knowledge. Some people
say that the discovery helps develop technology, addresses societal issues, solves everyday
problems, satisfies curiosity and builds knowledge. Can you put these values in order of
importance with justification? ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Grassroots Attack on Bilharzia
An African researcher has made encouraging progress in using a pesticide from an indigenous
plant to combat bilharzia-the parasitic disease that afflicts 250 million people in the Third World.
Over the past five years, an experiment has been going on in Ethiopia which has made encouraging
progress in the fight against a disease that ravages three continents. The village of Adwa in
northern Ethiopia is already remembered in African history as the place where the 19th century
Italian colonizers were halted. Now, it is the setting for a new initiative against a harder and more
insidious enemy-the bilharzia parasite.
Activity 2.2
1. What is the main idea of the above paragraph? ---------------------------------------
2. What do you think the next paragraphs will be about? -------------------------------
Bilharzia ranks with malaria as one of the most widespread and serious parasitic diseases in the
world, afflicting an estimated 250 million people in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the
Caribbean. It is transmitted through contact with contaminated water. So, unlike malaria with its
more democratic vector, bilharzia is invariably a problem among poorer communities in the
developing countries. It is a debilitating disease rather than a fatal one. It can take years for tissue
damage caused by the parasite to manifest itself in the form of internal bleeding and malfunctions
of the bladder, liver, and intestines. The disease saps energy and shortens the life span but it does
not contribute obviously to mortality statistics.
Perhaps, for these reasons it has not been the focus of any major health offensive-outside of
mainland China. Treatment is possible although expensive and pointless in communities where
reinfection is almost inevitable. In isolated irrigation schemes, the disease has been limited by
eradicating the parasite’s intermediate host with commercial pesticides. But these solutions are not
practicable for most poor rural communities.
It is in this context that the work of Dr. Aklilu Lemma of the Haile Selassie University in Addis
Ababa is important. Dr. Lemma has just completed the field work of a five year pilot bilharzia
control project in Adwa. Such control programmes have been carried out before but in this one
there is a vital new factor. The key to it is a pesticide produced from a locally occurring plant. The

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 availability –and low cost in foreign currency –of the plant extract may make bilharzia control
practicable on a community scale in Ethiopia and probably other countries as well.
Activity 2.3
1. What are the ideas of each of the paragraphs above? -----------------------------
2. How are the ideas related? ------------------------------------------------------------
3. Write the summary of the paragraphs above in three or four lines. -------------
Life cycle
The parasite responsible for bilharzia has a life cycle which is dependent on an intermediate host-
a common species of water snail-for transmission to the final host. Eggs from the mature parasite
are continually excreted by infected persons or animals. If they reach water, they hatch into an
intermediate form which seeks out a snail host. In the snail, after further transformations, the
parasite begins to release numerous ‘cercariae’ the form which affects man. These cercariae can
penetrate skin, so any contact with infected water is enough to transmit the disease.
Bilharzia can be controlled by eradicating the snails by keeping humans (and their waste) away
from water bodies that could be infected. Treatment itself is of little value for even if all human
carriers were temporarily cured, the parasite population could be maintained by infected animals.
Even if all affected communities were provided with safe water, washing facilities and toilets,
farmers and fishermen would still be vulnerable and children would still swim in rivers. So in
practice, snail eradication has to be the focal point of any control programme.
Activity 2.4
Instruction: Answer the following questions in your group.
1. Make notes on the ideas in the above two paragraphs. Then,
a) How do express the life cycle of bilharzia in one or two sentences?
b) How is bilharzia controlled? -----------------------------------------------
2. What do you think Dr. Lemma’s finding will be as a solution to the
problems we face because of bilharzia? --------------------------------------

Dr. Lemma’s present work on bilharzia control started almost by accident. While conducting a
survey of the snail population along a stream in northern Ethiopia, he found a large number of
dead snails just downstream from a village washing place. Upstream and further downstream there
was an abundant population of live snails. Investigation revealed that the “soap” used by the
villagers for washing clothes-ground berries of a plant called endod-had molluscicides as well as
detergent properties.
Further investigation showed that Sundried ground endod kills snails at a dilution of 15-30 ppm
and that it has a very low toxicity to mammals and plants. The endod bush (Phytolacca docecandra)
is popular with villagers in northern Ethiopia as a hedge and the berried can be bought locally.
In 1969, Dr. Lemma began a field trial at Adwa. The idea was to control the snail population in
the two streams that cross the village by regular application of endod and to check the effectiveness
of these efforts by observing, among other factors, the incidence of infection amongst local
inhabitants, particularly young children. A preliminary survey in 1971 showed that the incidence
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had already dropped dramatically-from 50 to 15 percent –and the final results are expected to show
an even further decline. The large decline in the rate of infection among one to five year-olds has
been particularly encouraging as this group became vulnerable to infection after the control
programme began.
While the field programme was progressing, Dr.Lemma worked for a while at the Stanford
Research Institute in California to elucidate the structure and functions of the active ingredient in
the endod berry, to examine its properties, and to develop a sample extraction technique to
concentrate it. He established that a butanol extract comprising 20 percent of the berry weight is
effective at dilutions of two to three ppm, which is in a comparable range to available commercial
products.
Other avenues of research are still open. Dr. Lemma wants to see villagers encouraged to use endod
as soap. But with an eye to social trends he is also investigating the possibility of formulating a
detergent cum molluscicide from the endod. In Adwa and elsewhere villagers have begun to take
cardboard cartons of synthetic detergent to the streams with them. There is also a need to develop
improved strains of the plant and to overcome if possible the loss of potency that was observed
when the plant was cultivated in East Africa.
Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the Adwa project is its simplicity. Endod berries are bought in
the local market. They are ground, a few hundred kilos at a time, in the mill usually used by the
villagers for grinding chili peppers. The endod is applied along stream banks with watering cans
every three to eight weeks. The control programme for a community of about 20 000 involves only
three people full time and much of their work is part of on-going research.
The simplicity of the project contrasts dramatically with the procedures necessary when the more
expensive synthetic molluscicides are used. The consequence of this was highlighted by a
Rhodesian health worker who wrote “due to the more or less stringent requirements in dispensing
molluscicides the application generally rests with specially trained personnel. Snail control can
therefore be carried out with little or no cooperation from these people who are being protected.”
The irony is that community involvement is essential if any bilharzia control programme is to be
successful. Here Lemma believes that his current work can make an impact. “Community
involvement through health education, active participation by the people involved and the
systematic application of locally grown and processed endod should become routine. These
activities by individuals, families, and villages when developed become a truly self-help form of
health control.”
(By Mike Muller, a freelance journalist specializing in Third World affairs)

Activity 2.5
Instruction: Write a conclusion of your own to the passage above. ……………………..

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Activity 2. 6

Instruction: Answer the following questions based on the information in the passage.

1. What are the three continents that were ravaged by Bilharzia? ---------------------------------
2. What are the symptoms of Bilharzia? --------------------------------------------------------------
3. Why is it easy to apply Aklilu’s pesticide in developing countries? ---------------------------
4. Why is malaria’s vector considered ‘democratic’ by the author? -------------------------------
5. Why did the author describe the discovery of the cure for Bilharzia at Adwa incidental? --
6. What made the project on Endod different from other projects in health? --------------------
7. How is Bilharzia transmitted to humans? ---------------------------------------------------
Activity 2.7
Instruction: The following words are taken from the reading passage you have read. Use the
word that has a similar meaning with the word in italics in the following sentences.

ravage insidious afflict invariably

debilitate offensive inevitable vital
vulnerable abundant toxicity dilution
potency dispense

1. It occasionally happens that a change in concentration affects the chemical action that
occurs
2. This acute infection of the brain is almost similarly fatal.
3. What we're accomplishing with Howie is important; we can't stop doing it.
4. That is the deceptive nature of gambling that must be controlled.
5. The teacher felt she needed to give out compliments to each student so that they could feel
better about themselves.
6. The public work suffers from the consequences of white ants.

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Part II: Grammar; Future Tenses

Activity 2. 8
Instruction: Answer the following questions in groups.
1. What are future tenses? ---------- What are the different forms of future tenses? -------
2. Read the following passage on the ‘Mystery Guest’ and underline the future tense
indicators.

The Mystery Guest

Justin and Megan have a surprise for their two children, Sally and
Timmy. They are going to have a special guest soon. "Can you guess
who it will be?" Megan asks.

Sally and Timmy take turns guessing.

"Will Grandma visit us soon?" Timmy asks. Megan tells Timmy that
Grandma is not going to visit soon.
"Is Uncle Bill going to stay with us again?" Sally asks. Justin tells Sally that Uncle Bill is not
going to stay with them again.

Justin and Megan give their children another hint. "She is going to arrive in about 6 months,"
Megan says. "And she is going to stay with us for a very long time."

"Where will she sleep?" Sally asks. Megan and Justin tell Sally that their special guest is going
to sleep in their bedroom at first. Then, she will have her own bedroom.
Sally and Timmy ask a few more questions, but they cannot guess who the special guest will
be. "Who is going to visit us?" Sally and Timmy ask at the same time. "Well," Justin says,
"you probably haven't noticed yet, but your Mother is pregnant! She is going to have a baby!"
"You are going to have a new little sister in 6 months!" Megan exclaims. Timmy and Sally
cannot believe what they hear!
Sally is excited. She knows that she is going to be a good big sister. "I am going to have a
sister!" Sally shouts.
Timmy groans. "I wish I was going to have a brother," he says.
Megan and Justin hug their children and laugh. They know that Sally and Timmy are going to
love their new little sister!

3. Now discuss the forms of the future tense in your group. Can you guess the meaning
of each of the future sentences?

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Notes
In the following table, you are provided brief notes about the different forms and functions of the
future tense in English with examples. Read and understand them.
Tense Uses Examples

I am meeting Eliza at 4:00 tomorrow afternoon.

Present Arrangements Rick is not attending the meeting.
progressive Is Julia coming to the event?
I am going to start eating healthier foods.
Be going to Intentions We are not going to miss a single episode this season!
Are you going to clean your room?
Predictions based on Be careful! You are going to spill your tea!
current There are no clouds in the sky.
circumstances It is not going to rain.
The light is red. Is the car going to stop?
I will pay you back tomorrow.
Promises We will not forget Mom’s birthday.
Will you take the dog for a walk?
I am bored. I will take a short break.
Simple Instant decisions It is too cold. I will not go outside.
future Will you have juice or tea?
I think you will enjoy this book.
Predictions Caroline will not arrive on time.
Will people take vacations in space someday?
Wendy will be 30 next week.
Future facts The sun will not set before 7:00 tomorrow evening.
What time will the sun rise tomorrow?
All aboard! The train leaves in five minutes.
Simple Time tables and Academic activities do not begin until February.
present schedules Does Theodore’s plane arrive soon?

Activity 2.9
Instruction: Write the words in brackets in the appropriate forms of the future tense.
A Wonderful Plan
Allison and Nate, a brother and sister, live together in an apartment. They attend university in the
same city, so they live together to share expenses. Their parents live in a different city, but they
are visiting their children this weekend. In fact, they (arrive) at the airport in about an hour!
Nate and his older sister talk about all the arrangements they made for their parents’
visit.
“Okay, so we (go) to the concert tonight, right?” Nate asks.
“That is right,” Allison replies. “We are seeing the orchestra at 7:00pm.” “Are we (go) to the
museum tomorrow, then?” her brother asks.
“Yes, I reserved tickets for the special exhibition on mummies,” Allison says. “Are you coming
with us or are you meeting with your study group?”
“No, I am definitely going with you to the museum,” Nate answers. “I love mummies! All right,
so we are picking Mom and Dad up in about an hour.”
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“Yes, I (leave) in five minutes,” Allison says.
Nate is confused. “What do you mean? We are both (go), right?”
“Of course not!” Allison laughs. “Look at this place! I was very busy making all the reservations
and getting all the tickets. We did not clean at all!”
“Oh no, you are right!” Nate looks at the messy living room and remembers all the dirty dishes in
the kitchen. “What will we do?”
“Do not worry, my dear brother,” Allison says, smiling. “You know I always have a plan.”
“Is a cleaning service coming?” Nate asks. “Are Mom and Dad staying in a hotel?”
“No, silly!” Allison replies. “No one (come) to help us clean.”
“Then what is your wonderful plan? What are we doing to get the apartment clean? Mom and Dad
are arriving in just forty-five minutes!” Now Nate (get) really nervous.
“Not to worry,” Allison reassures her brother. “I am driving to the airport to pick them up, and
then we are all going to a new art gallery that just opened. We are taking a guided tour for an hour.”
“How does an art gallery tour get the house clean?” Nate wonders.
“That does not clean the house! Remember that you (stay) here, little brother,” Allison says, giving
him a hug before she walks to the door. “This way you will have lots of time! I (go) out to have
fun with Mom and Dad because I am a wonderful daughter, and you (stay) here to clean the whole
apartment because you are a wonderful son!”
Activity 2. 10
Instruction: Construct as many future sentences using “be+ going to” as possible based on Sara’s
schedule given in the table below. Write sentences as the example given.
Sara’s Schedule
Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Morning doctor’s appointment meet with return library attend go to gym
boss books conference
Afternoon buy groceries go to gym attend buy food for
for the week go to gym conference party

Evening movie with do work dinner with do the ironing dinner with
Dave reports girlfriends parents
Example. What is Sara going to do on Sunday morning? She’s going to visit her grandmother.
1. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Activity 2.11

Instruction: Choose the correct word from the list below to complete the sentences using the “going to” structure.
hang / wear / practice / get / ask / visit / write clean / study / exchange / quit / take / give / fix
Example. My brother sent me a letter last week. I’m going to write him back tomorrow.
1. My house is very dirty. I it tomorrow.
2. Miriam is going to a party next Saturday. She ________ her new red dress.
3. Robert bought a new painting at the art show. He ________ it over the sofa in his living room.
4. Jack hates his job. He ________ next week.
Instruction: Write the following sentences using ‘will + inf.’ to indicate a future action. Do the
exercise as in the example given.
Example. Bob is going to take his driver’s test tomorrow. He didn’t practice.
He’ll probably fail. Or, He probably won’t pass.
1. It’s raining. Worku doesn’t have an umbrella. -----------------------------------------------------
2. Zinash has a very bad cold. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Sileshi didn’t sleep well last night. ------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Elias loves movies. There is a new movie playing at the theater tonight. ---------------------
5. Selamawit ate too much dessert last night and now she has a stomachache. -----------------
Part III: Speaking
Public Speaking/Speech
Activity 2. 12: Discuss the following questions in groups.
1. What is public speaking? ------------
2. What’s the importance of public speaking? -----------
3. What are the tips for effective public speaking? ------------------------------------------
4. Have you ever spoken standing in front of people? ---------------------------------------------
 Individual Assignment: Prepare a small talk on a certain issue and make speech before
people. (10%)
Part IV: Writing
Activity 2.13: Write a short paragraph on each of the following.
1. Endod as a pesticide
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. The lesson you learnt from Dr. Aklilu
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Local herb; you ask someone who knows about herb medicines and write about:
a) What it is,
b) What it cures,
c) The process of its preparation, and the lesson you learnt about the local medicine,
and
d) What measures you would take about it in future (taking Dr. Aklilu as a model).
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 Unit 3: Environmental Protection
Part I: Reading
Environmental Challenges; A river ran through it
The River Murray used to be compared to America's Mississippi. During the 19th century, paddle
steamers were a familiar sight along its lazy green-grey currents, ferrying goods from town to
town. Covering an area of more than one million km2, the Murray basin carries water from the
tropical north in Queensland to the Darling River, and from the Murray's source in the Snowy
Mountains to the outskirts of Adelaide, 1,500 miles downstream.

Nearly 60 years ago, the Snowy Hydro scheme was opened. The scheme promised to provide a
reliable supply of water to the Murray. The dry, fertile country to the west was transformed into
dairy pastures, orchards and lush rice fields. Years of over-allocation for irrigation, as well as
drought, has resulted in a pitifully low stream level. In June 2006, the catchment area received an
inflow of 700 gigalitres. A year later, it had plummeted to 300 gigalitres. (One gigalitre is
1,000,000,000 litres.)
Some people question whether climate change is the cause. Louise and Andrew Burge are farmers
but they refute evidence that the current drought is driven by climate change. They showed me a
series of old photographs showing the Murray in drier conditions than now. 'Global warming
represents a herd mentality with a herd mentality for the solutions,' she said.
According to a UN report, per capita, Australia's emissions of greenhouse gases are among the
highest in the world. As the drought bites, the conflict between farmers, traditionally portrayed as
rampant land-clearers, and environmentalists, is brought to the fore. In reality, while all the farmers
I spoke to were global warming sceptics, they were passionate conservationists. Many farmers
argue that the current drought is very similar to that of the 1890s and 1940s.
Nonetheless, the effect on rural towns all along the Murray is acute. Figures from the Reserve
Bank reveal that rural debt has doubled from £10bn in 1999 to £20bn in 2005. In Deniliquin, 20
minutes from the Burges' farm, the wide streets are eerily quiet. That evening, in the empty
Federal Hotel, I meet Wayne Cockayne, a 44-year-old whose eyes stare into the mid-distance. 'This
town's gone backward,' he says, taking a sip on a Diet Coke. 'In 1979, when I left school, the town
was prospering. Now farmers' children are leaving the land.'
For the past four years, Cockayne hasn't made a cent from the cereals on his 3,000-acre property
20 miles south of Deniliquin. This year he had to pay for water to be trucked in to flush his toilet.
He grits his teeth. 'I know about depression,' he goes on. 'I locked myself in at home for four days.
Then I got in the family car and drove into town. A friend found me slumped over the steering
wheel crying. I never thought I'd be a person who would suffer from it.'

16 | P a g e
'In the first seven years, I had, on average, two people a year from the farming community who
presented with depression,' Dr Harry von Rensburg tells me in his surgery in Barham, 60 miles
west of Deniliquin. This year he is 'actively managing' more than 120 farmers, including some of
the most high-profile landowners in the district. A psychologist comes once a week and has back-
to-back appointments. 'If we could get her twice a week we would fill that.' A national mental
health report stated that one farmer commits suicide in Australia every four days. I ask Dr Von
Rensburg whether this figure is accurate.
Absolutely. In the past three years there have been eight suicide attempts here. A handful are on
suicide watch - their spouses or children have taken control of firearms.' He leans back in his big
black chair. 'Shooting is the most favored method; second is hanging.' Von Rensburg puts this
dramatic increase down to the drought's longevity and the uncertainty it brings. 'People are asking
themselves, will this be ongoing? Are we going to see our landscape change? Will we survive?'
Neil Eagle is another farmer who questions climate change. He is the grand old man of orchard
farming in the region, a sprightly 73-year-old with large, dirt-encrusted hands and a deep, rumbling
voice. He refuses to be beaten. Eagle's family has been living around Eagle Creek since 1870. 'As
far as temperature changes go, in the Forties and Fifties it was definitely hotter than it is now,' he
says. 'I don't agree with the doom and gloom merchants that the sea is going to rise.'
He gives a wry smile. 'It's become nearly a religion, this idea of global warming.'
But some 300 miles west of Eagle Creek, in South Australia, Anne Jensen is witnessing a collapse
of entire ecosystems on the floodplains. In the Nineties, one local from Kingston-onMurray
described this as a 'garden of Eden' for river red gums, some 400 years old. Today it resembles a
graveyard. Jensen sees the 'hundreds of thousands of trees' dying in the Lower Murray as 'a
combined effect of a man-made drought in the river system, together with the severe natural
drought which is proving to be the last straw'.
The twisted, ashen-grey branches of the black box eucalyptus and river gums are stark indicators
of the region's deteriorating health. These hardy trees require natural flooding to survive. They
have done without a decent drink for over a decade. 'If we got a flood in the next two to three years
we could save the river, but only with enormous amounts of rain.'
A mile from Kingston is Banrock Station. More famous for its crisp white wines than its pioneering
conservation strategies, this vineyard pumps profits back into restoring the local wetlands. It has
had considerable success, but due to the minimal amount of water in the Murray allocated for the
environment, and the rising salinity, they can only achieve so much. What has struck me is that if
temperatures continue to rise globally, as predicted, what is happening now in Australia will occur
in other regions where countries share one river system - the Euphrates in the Middle East, the
Mekong in Asia. The World Bank estimates that by 2025, about 48 countries will experience water
shortages, affecting more than 1.4bn people, the majority in under-developed regions. Here in
Australia, at least the economy is robust and competing groups whose livelihoods depend on the

17 | P a g e
dwindling flow of the Murray can sit down and talk. Where rivers cross borders, it won't be a case
of negotiating and compromise - it will be war.
The future of many Australian farmers hangs in the balance. Last year the drought whittled 1% off
the national economy, and this year reduced the available annual milk supply by more than a billion
litres. During Australia's winter, the blistering summer is still several months away. But Professor
Mike Young warns that already 'Adelaide is in a very frightening situation. If it doesn't rain and
the dams don't fill, there isn't enough water in the system to supply the city.'
Activity 3.1
Instruction: Write a brief conclusion of your own to the passage above. …………………

Activity 3.2
Instruction: Answer the following questions based on the information in the passage. Do the
activity in groups.
1. What was observed on the Murray River? ---------------------------------------------
2. What's a gigalitre? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. What two groups are in conflict? --------------------------------------------------------------------
4. What has happened to farmer debt? ----------------------------------------------------------------
5. What evidence has the Burge family got against climate change? -----------------------------
6. Why is Wayne Cockayne unhappy? ---------------------------------------------------------------
7. Someone described Murray as a 'garden of Eden' and a ‘graveyard’. Why is that so? ------
8. What does Neil Eagle mean when he says 'It's become nearly a religion, this idea of global
warming'? (Para. 9) ---------------------------------------------------------------
9. When it comes to sorting out climate problems over water, what advantage does Australia
have over some other areas of the world? ----------------------------------------------------------
10. What is meant by 'a wry smile' (para. 9)? In what other ways can we describe a smile?
Activity 3.3
Instruction: Find out words from the passage that mean the words and phrases below.
1. changed completely -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. fell very dramatically -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. reject ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. uncontrolled ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. very serious ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. strangely and worryingly ------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Part II: Grammar; Modal Verbs
The grammar part in this Unit is about modal verbs. What are modal verbs? What are the purposes
of using them? Which of the following verbs do you know? What are their functions?
can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, ought to, will, would
These verbs are auxiliary verbs that provide additional and specific meaning to main verbs in
sentences.
Do the following activities based on your previous knowledge; please discuss in groups.
Activity 3.4
Instruction: Match the two columns to identify the use of each modal verb.
No. Statements Use
1 Zeberga should call Almaz soon after their first date. a. obligation
2 Almaz should be happy to get his call. b. possibility
3 Zeberga calls but she doesn’t pick up, she must be working. c. low probability
4 No problem, he can call her back later. d. rational probability
5 Later he tells her they could go out to dinner again. e. certainty
6 She says she may be available Friday. f. polite request
7 Zeberga asks if he can call her back Friday morning. g. permission
8 She says she could be in a meeting, the afternoon is better. h. advice
9 Friday afternoon, Zeberga asks: May I pick you up at 6 pm? i. capacity
10 He must be on time to make a good impression. j. suggestion
Answers …
Activity 3.5
Instruction: Match each statement to a sentence with the same meaning.
No. Statement Meaning
1 Tinsae must write a report tomorrow. a. She needs to help him, or the report will not be
finished on time.
2 Tinsae couldn’t write it yesterday. b. Rahel’s boss says she is allowed to help Jack.
3 Rahel says she can help him tomorrow. c. Tinsae will have to write a report tomorrow.
4 She has to help him, or the report will not d. Rahel says she will be able to help him
be finished on time. tomorrow.
5 Rahel’s boss says she may help Jack. e. Tinsae wasn’t able to write it yesterday.
Answers…
Activity 3.6
Instruction: Complete each of the spaces in the text below by using a phrase from the following list.
may have landed might have done this
must have used up all the food can’t have been easy
may have discovered the island should have done this
could have been part might have been gods must not have landed

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 Easter Island
Easter Island, 3,000 km off the coast of Chile in the Pacific Ocean is very far from land. Today, it is a small
island with few people or trees, but at one time a lot of people lived there. Scientists believe that the original
inhabitants _____ by accident. Around 100 people ______ on the western coast of the island. But then the
number of inhabitants increased too quickly. Scientists agree that the inhabitants ______ on the island and
finally all died. The Easter Island statues are famous, but nobody knows why they are there or why there
are so many. The statues _________ or Easter Island _________ of a much bigger island. The statues are
very large and heavy, so they __________ to move. Scientists still do not know how the inhabitants _____.
Notes on Modal verbs and their functions
Modal verbs are those helping verbs, which express the ‘mode’ or ‘manner’ of the actions indicated by the
main verbs. They express modes such as ability, possibility, probability, permission, obligation, etc. The
most commonly used modal verbs s are shall, should, will, would, can, could, may, might, must, ought to,
used to, need and dare.
Modal verbs are used to:
o Ask permission—----- may, can, could
Examples: May I come in?
Could I use your pen, please?
o Make a request—--------- can, could
Example: Could you please give me the doctor’s telephone number?
o Express a possibility—may, might, could Example: It might rain during the night.
o Give advice or suggestion—--------- should
Example: You should wear a helmet while riding your motorbike.
o Express necessity or compulsion—----------- must, have to
Examples: We must slow down while driving in front of a school.
I have to submit my project by tomorrow.
o Express prohibition; Example: You must not talk loudly in the library.
o Express a promise or intention—---------- will, shall; Example: I will mail you my address.
o Express a wish—may
Example: May you have a long life!
A modal verb does not change according to the number or person of the subject.
Examples: He can learn. I can learn. You can learn.
They can learn. We can learn.
A modal verb is always used with a verb in its basic form. The modal takes the tense while the main verb
remains in its dictionary form.
Examples: I can run. I may run.
I could run. I might run.
Modals can be used alone in response to a question.
Examples: Can you sing? I can.
Will you sing? I will.
Will you come? I may/I will.
Modals, when joined with ‘not’ to form a negative, can be contracted.
Examples: I cannot run. I can’t run.
I do not run. I don’t run.
I will not run. I won’t run.

20 | P a g e
Activity 3.7
Instruction: Complete the text below with the given phrases in the box.
can’t be can’t have could take may get may not have might be must be must be
As a result of the flooding, as many as 10,000 families 1--------- homeless, although the figure is
only an estimate. ‘The emergency services are working hard, but I’m sure they 2------------- more
than 20 helicopters. It 3 -----------days to reach everyone and take them to safety,’ said an aid
worker in the area. ‘Conditions for those families still waiting to be rescued 4 --------- very
difficult. There 5 ------------- any clean water to drink and everyone 6 -------------- very cold.’
Worryingly, more rain is forecast, so the floods 7 ------------- worse in the next few days. The
emergency services 8 time to reach everyone before the waters rise again.
Answers…
Part III: Speaking; Conducting a Debate
Activity 3.8: Discuss each of the following questions in your group.
1. What is debate?
2. What are the principles of making formal a debate?
3. Have you ever made debate with your friends?
4. Rationally argue with your partner on the following debatable statements. Try to provide
evidences to support your argument.
a. Nuclear energy will end.
b. Almost all the rainforests will disappear.
c. The climate will get worse.
d. The next generation will care more about the environment than the present.
e. People will destroy the earth.
Activity 3.9
Instruction (a): The following are some of the causes of environmental problems. Discuss each of
them in your group and propose solutions.
Ozone Depletion Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming Desertification Water Pollution
Deforestation Loss of Biodiversity Disposal of Wastes Population Growth
Acid Rain Overfishing Urban Sprawl Waste Production
Instruction (b): Which of the above causes are common in Ethiopia? What do you think you can
do to solve the environmental problems personally and with the community?
 Group Assignment: Think and opt a controversial topic and make debates before people. (10%)
Part IV: Writing
Activity 3.10: Write a short paragraph based on the given conceptual terms.
pollution
Causes Ozone layer
Global warming deforestation
recycling
Solutions Hybrid car
Alternative energy

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 Unit 4: Indigenous Knowledge
Part I: Reading
A Local Pathway to Global Development
By Benjamin Mkapa
1
In Laetoli, near Olduvai Gorge, Northern Tanzania, paleontologists have found footprints of early
hominids, presumably two adults and a child, idealized as father, mother and child. We do not know where
the three walkers in the “cradle of mankind” came from, where they went and what their plans were. But it
is reasonable to assume that they were capable of speech they would have shared thoughts, ideas,
knowledge, while walking along the plain some three and a half million years ago. Ever since humans
walked on earth, they have sought more knowledge to feed their families, stay healthy, argue with their
neighbors, getting a better understanding of their environment or just have some distraction from an
otherwise rather challenging life. For hundreds of millennia, local needs and constraints and day-to-day
challenges drove the quest for knowledge. Scientific approaches to knowledge generation, as we know them
today are, historically speaking, a very recent phenomenon. These modern approaches have brought about
tremendous results: we have the capacity to feed more than six billion people satisfactorily; vaccinations
protect our children from once deadly diseases, we communicate with the help of satellites around the globe
and we compete on global market places with our products. Yet, despite these achievements, we still have
crises of hunger, HIV/AIDS, illiteracy, isolation, and conflicts and abject poverty. While the debate on the
causes of poverty is not closed, we have learned that science and technology alone cannot provide all the
answers or solutions to these unsolved problems or how we can overcome living in a disparate world
characterized by unequal distribution of wealth and opportunities.
2
As scientists struggle to respond to global challenges, they have increasingly distanced themselves from
local ways of solving problems. Local solutions were even discriminated against as hindering progress,
outdated, “old wives tales” or simply just unfashionable. As we “modernized” our societies, a “degree” in
traditional or indigenous knowledge was not planned for. Hence, we overlooked its potential as a resource
and even further neglected the knowledge that women and men, families and communities had developed
themselves for centuries. Indigenous knowledge (IK) is a resource that can help to solve local problems, a
resource to help grow more and better food, to maintain healthy lives, to share wealth, to prevent conflict,
to manage local affairs, and thus contribute to global solutions. Indigenous knowledge has contributed to
building solidarity in communities affected by globalization and shielded them against some of its negative
impacts. There is no one of the Millennium Development Goals to whose achievement indigenous
knowledge cannot contribute.
3
IK has helped to reduce hunger and poverty in India, it has improved primary education and enrollment
by using local language as a means of instruction in West Africa, it has enabled men in Senegal to
understand the impact of female circumcision on women and empowered women to move towards
eradicating the practice, it has helped to reduce child mortality in Eritrea and maternal mortality in Uganda,
it provides primary healthcare to millions of Africans, it has helped communities in Mozambique to manage
their coastal natural resources, and it has helped to build partnerships between the weak and the strong in
Ghana to share wealth.
4
Sixty persuasive arguments and yet we find it difficult to convince so many scientists, politicians,
development experts and administrators to systematically use indigenous knowledge in the development

22 | P a g e
process. The plural of anecdotes is not evidence, they say; scientific proof for most of its claims has yet to
be found. However, for the communities where indigenous knowledge has worked, these cases are not
anecdotes but reality. Had they waited for the scientific proof for the treatments they received from local
healers, four thousand HIV/AIDS patients in Tanga, Tanzania without access to modern antiviral drugs
would not have been alive today. But these sixty cases provide more lessons than just the benefits of the
particular practices or approaches to development. The most pertinent ones relate to ownership of
development, local capacity, self-reliance, and empowerment. Ownership has been at the center of the
development discourse over the last years. The sustainability of many externally induced development
projects hinges on the ownership by the beneficiaries. When building on indigenous knowledge, ownership
does not even arise as an issue. Indigenous knowledge is locally managed and owned.
5
Studying, understanding and building on the knowledge of communities will substantially reduce the risk
of failures of the development approach and the investments by governments and bi- and multilateral
donors. The increased sustainability does not only arise from particular indigenous practices that would be
included in the context of a development project. The very process of learning from the community
recognizes the community and the bearers of indigenous knowledge as partners in development who bring
as much, if not more to the process as the providers of global knowledge.
6
Capacity building essentially assumes a vacuum on the side of the beneficiaries of capacity building efforts,
ever so often camouflaged by the term capacity strengthening. Undoubtedly, African farmers, communities,
administrators, engineers and politicians have much to learn to cope with an increasingly complex and ever
changing economic and political global environment. Yet, have communities and farmers not coped with
an ever-changing environment in the past? Political experiments, inadequate institutions to market their
crops or failing services have not prevented them from prevailing and adapting to find their own solutions
to survive. The communities not only have knowledge about practices, they also have knowledge of how
to adapt to adverse environments, institutions and policies. These cases tell us differently. Communities are
eager to learn and share, because their environment teaches them one lesson almost on a daily basis: only
those who learn will prevail. Self-reliance is a genuinely local approach to development—no less so in an
economic sense. When the late President Nyerere first promoted self-reliance after Tanzania’s
independence, learning was a primary means for the country’s development. If the orthodox sciences were
as open to learning from indigenous knowledge, as local communities are ready to learn from others and
the outside world, both sides would benefit substantially. Empowerment is a central icon of the development
discourse. Development planners and implementers go great lengths to help empower the poor, the women,
the vulnerable. The cases in these IK Notes teach us that empowerment cannot come from the outside.
Lasting empowerment is self-empowerment. The communities, farmers, women, innovators, teachers
whose stories are presented here have all chosen to empower themselves.
Activity 4.1: Write a concluding paragraph to this passage in groups. ------------------
Activity 4.2: Answer the following questions based on the information in the passage.
1. What is the central idea of paragraph 1? ----------------------------------------
2. What is the cause for the need of knowledge development? -----------------------
3. What are the advantages of the indigenous knowledge? ----------------------------
4. What are the important points scientists, politicians and others missed about
indigenous knowledge? -----------------------------------------------------------------
5. How did the author know the three people were family members and were capable
23 | P a g e
 of speech? --------------------------------------------------
6. What do you say about the three people found in Tanzania compared to Lucy in
Ethiopia? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. Why were people inspired to develop their knowledge?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8. What is the author’s idea concerning indigenous knowledge compared to scientific
knowledge?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. What are the advantages of indigenous knowledge to development?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10. What is your view concerning indigenous knowledge?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11. How do you think one can influence African farmers, communities, etc to cope with
the economic and political environment?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12. Describe self- reliance and self- empowerment in the development discourse.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Activity 4.3: The following words are the opposite meanings of words used in the passage. Find
the words which have opposite meanings to the given ones below.
1. unconvincing --------------------- 3. restricted -------------- 4. increase ---------------
2. discord --------------------------- 4. peculiar ----------------------------
Part II: Grammar; Reported speech
Activity 4.4: Identifying Quoted and Reported Speech
Instruction: Read the following paragraph and underline the reported speech, and circle any
quoted speech. Then, discuss about their differences between the two in your group.
Maria recently returned from a conference in Dubai and told her colleagues about her trip there.
She said that the architecture of Dubai was fascinating, with many new buildings of glass and steel.
Of course, she also saw the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building. Some of her friends went up
to the top, but Maria said she didn’t because she has a fear of heights. “I don’t even like being on
a second-story balcony, so the Burj Khalifa was definitely out of the question for me!” Maria said
that there were many shopping centers in Dubai, but that they were expensive. The weather was
“unbelievably hot.” On her last night in Dubai, Maria and her friends went on a dinner cruise on a
small boat in the harbor. There was music and great food, and they could see the lights of the city
as the boat cruised through the harbor. “It was the perfect ending to two weeks in Dubai,” she said.

24 | P a g e
Activity 4. 5:
Instruction: Read the following dialogue and change the sentences into reported speech developing a
paragraph. Discuss the paragraph you have developed in a group. Explain how you changed
the direct speech into indirect speech to your group members.
Dialogue
‘Ma’am? …. You’re needed, Ma’am.’
‘Wh "Where are you?" - My friend asked me.
"What will you choose?" - They asked me.
"Are you flying soon?" - He wanted to know soon.
"May I help you?" - The porter asked me.
"Have you set your alarm clock?" - He asked me alarm clock.
"Is Prague the capital?" - We needed to know whether the capital.
"Would you rather dance?" - Peter asked me rather dance.
"How long have you been standing here?" - He wanted to know how long.
"What do you do?" - She wondered.
"Do you want it?" - Joe asked me it.
"Where did you live?" - They wanted to know.
"Why are you reading this magazine?" - He was curious to know magazine at?’ Reluctant to move,
Senait opened her eyes and saw Ayele enter the room.
‘Welcome, Ayele. What brings you?’ inquired Senait.
‘Magic, of the strangest kind,’ replied Ayele, his voice shaking.
‘Oh?’ said Senait, wanting to know more.
‘Do you remember the babe that Eragon blessed?’ he asked.
Senait didn’t answer. She just nodded.
‘I’ve been asked to take you to her’, Ayele explained.
‘Asked? By whom? And why?’ she demanded.
‘A boy on the practice field told me that you should visit the child. He said that you would find it
interesting. He refused to give me his name. Well, I thought you should know.’
Ayele looked embarrassed. ‘I asked my men questions about the girl, and I heard things… that
she’s different.
(Adapted from Paolini, 2005)

25 | P a g e
Activity 4.6
Instruction: Read the following story and change the direct speech sentences into reported speech
developing a paragraph. Discuss the paragraph you have developed in a group.
When you discuss each of the group members’ paragraphs, explain how you changed
the direct speech into indirect (reported) speech to your group members.
Merhawit had told us that it was easy to ‘acquire’ the monkeys. I reached very slowly very gently
for one particular monkey. He looked at my hand, considering it. Then I scratched the little
monkey’s back. And as I did I closed my eyes and focused my thoughts on the monkey. He became
quiet, like he was in a trance. That’s how animals usually are when they’re being acquired.
I absorbed the monkey DNA into me.
‘This should be especially easy’, Rahel commented as she finished acquiring a different monkey.
‘These monkeys aren’t direct relatives of Homo Sapiens, but still, most of our DNA will be
identical’.
‘Or in Natanym’s case, ninety-nine point nine percent,’ Rahel interjected.
‘Yes, it’s like the fact that Rahel’s DNA is actually ninety-nine percent identical to Malibu Barbie’
Natanym shot back.
‘Could we concentrate here?’ I said impatiently.
‘Merhawit, did you have any problems with the monkey?
‘s mind when you morphed?’ Rahel asked.
‘No. Except….. Well they are very much excitable.’
I concentrated on a mental image of the monkey. And very quickly, I began to feel the changes. I
shrank and brown fur sprouted from my arms and legs. My lips puffed out to form a big muzzle.
The largest change was the tail. It came shooting out from the base of my spine.
‘Hey, the tail is neat,’ Rahel said. ‘Try moving it. Just like an extra hand.’
‘That was an easy morph,’ Merhawit replied.
(Adapted from Animorphs, 1997)
Activity 4.7: Change the direct speech into indirect speech in the following dialogue, and write it
in a paragraph.
Betru: "What are you doing here, Tedla? I haven't seen you since June."
Tedla: "I've just come back from my holiday in Nekemte."
Betru: "Did you enjoy it?"
Tedla: "I love Ireland. And the people in Nekemte were so friendly."
Betru: "Did you go to Shambu?"
Tedla: "It was my first trip. I can show you some pictures. Are you doing anything tomorrow?"

26 | P a g e
Betru: "I must arrange a couple of things. But I am free tonight."
Tedla: "You might come to my place. What time shall we meet?"
Betru: "I'll be there at eight. Is it all right?"
Your answer
Betru asked Tedla ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note
When you change the direct speech into indirect speech, you will change verb tenses, pronouns,
adverbs of time and place,
Activity 4.8: Read about direct and indirect speech from books, make notes and present your
notes to your group members about:
a) How statements, questions, and other types of sentences are changed from direct to
indirect speech; and
b) The tense, pronoun and adverb changes.

Part III: Speaking

Activity 4.9:
Instruction: Discuss the following points in groups.
1. How do you justify that human life began in Ethiopia, and Lucy’s remnants are acceptable?
2. Debate on: Indigenous knowledge is more important than scientific knowledge vs scientific
knowledge is more important than indigenous knowledge
3. Tell your friends about herbal medicine people in your community use. Do you appreciate
the people using it? What is your opinion about herbal medicines?

Part IV: Writing

Activity 4.10:
Instruction: Write a paragraph on the following point.
1. Write a paragraph on the points you agree and disagree with the author of the above text.
Give reasons for your agreement and disagreement.
2. Write a paragraph about the advantages or disadvantages of using herbal medicines.

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 Unit 5: CULTURAL HERITAGES
Part I: Reading
CULTURAL HERITAGE
What is it? Why is it important?
What is heritage?
Don’t let the 8,400,000 Google hits to this question bewilder you. Simply put, heritage is the past
made present. Heritage is anything valued by people today that was also valued by previous
generations. Heritage is what we have accepted as gifts from those who came before us. Heritage
is our inheritance of land, language, ecosystems, knowledge, and culture.
Are there different kinds of heritage?
Yes. Heritage includes land, physical and material objects, monuments, and sites, as well as
intangible beliefs, customs, knowledge and traditions. Heritage may be built, written, recited,
remembered, re-enacted, worn, displayed, and taught. Examples of heritage include the Flamenco
dance, Plymouth Rock, the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, Machu Picchu and the
Inca trail system, the uniform of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the lyrics of Bob Dylan.
Heritage is everywhere. Heritage may occupy or be composed of urban, rural, agricultural,
manufactured, or backcountry settings. Much heritage is deeply rooted in specific landscapes and
regions (e.g., Swiss cheeses, Aboriginal Australian song lines), but heritage can also be portable
(Japanese kimonos, Italian stone masonry). Heritage may bear the unmistakable signature of an
individual master (e.g., Bill Reid’s wood carvings; M.C. Escher’s mathematical lithographs) or
may have been crafted by thousands or people over many generations (e.g., Angkor Wat, the
Great Wall of China). It may be central to group or regional identity because of its’ natural
character (e.g., California’s Redwoods, Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro).
Why should I pay attention to heritage?
Heritage is a fundamental source of individual and group identity, vitality, and solidarity. Heritage
is a universal process by which humans maintain connections with our pasts, assert our similarities
with and differences from one another, and tell our children and other young people what we think
is important and deserves to be part of the future. Heritage is not just “out there.” Heritage guides
each of us from within on a daily basis. Heritage is a powerful source of practical suggestions on
what to wear, what to eat, how to behave. Clothes, foods, stories, songs, and the patterned actions
of the people around you influence your values and preferences. Heritage is one of the ways you
determine right from wrong, beautiful from repulsive, meaningful from ridiculous, and so on. The
preferences embedded in what we think, say, and do are important building blocks for
communities, regions, and nations. Be mindful of your heritage, for it helps determine your destiny
and that of your descendants!
Is all heritage valued?
Yes and no. By definition, heritage only exists and is perpetuated by virtue of the meanings people
assign to it. Different people find and apply different values (cultural, spiritual, aesthetic, scientific,
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economic) to otherwise identical objects and places. Heritage may be cherished and protected at
all costs by one group of people while being despised or used as symbolic targets by others. For
example, the colossal Buddha statues in Bamiyan Province, Afghanistan, once beloved as icons of
religious faith and regional identity, were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001.
Not all heritage is tied to positive values and pasts. For example the Nazi concentration camp at
Auschwitz-Birkenau, Poland, and the Fort Apache and Theodore Roosevelt School National
Historic Landmark, Arizona, are heritage sites that have been preserved as cautionary memorials
for humankind. Negative heritage is also carried forward in stories, songs, poetry and other oral
and literary traditions.
Is indigenous heritage different than other kinds of heritage?
Again, the answer is yes and no. All peoples possess the inalienable right to manage their heritage,
but Indigenous peoples were denied that right for a long time (and many still are). The term
“Indigenous” has come to stand for peoples who have historical continuity with land and who have
been affected by foreign political, legal, cultural, and economic impositions. As a result, the
heritage of many Indigenous peoples has been destroyed or taken over by newcomers. For
example, in 2013 developers in Belize demolished the 2000-year- old Nohmul temple without
consulting contemporary Maya descendants. In the United States, the National Park Service allows
rock climbing to continue on the natural formation, referred to in English as
“Devil’s Tower,” despite the fact that recreational use is seen as sacrilegious by Native Americans
who conduct ceremonies there. Because of the past and ongoing harms to Indigenous heritage, it
is imperative that those engaging with Indigenous people and their heritage today do so with the
utmost care and respect.
Who makes heritage?
You do! Every human has values and preferences that translate into thoughts, words, and decisions
about what to keep and what to cast away or leave behind. Over the course of days, months, years,
and decades, these decisions combine with the decisions made by others to result in your heritage
legacy. What will you leave behind for others to value?
Activity 5.1: Answer the following questions based on the information in the passage above.
1. What does the writer want to say when he writes ’heritage is the past made present’?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Why could heritage be an individual, group and national identity?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Why do people give negative and positive values to heritages?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Part II: Grammar; Relative Clauses
Activity 5.2: Discuss the following questions in your group.
1. What do you know about relative clauses? How are they formed? ---------------------
-------
2. What are defining and non-defining relative clauses? ------------------------------------
--------
3. Underline the sentences with relative clauses in the following dialogue. Explain their uses.
A: Jack! Welcome back! How was the trip?
B: I am very exhausted. You know, I was annoyed with the man who sat next to me on the plane.
He talked all the time.
A: Oh, really? What did he talk about?
B: Actually, it was unbelievable. He was talking about my friend, Grace, the whole time. He was
in love with my friend whom he met last year but left him after only a month.
A: Oh! What a small world.
Activity 5.3: choose the correct relative pronoun from the list given and complete the blank space
in each of the following sentences.
Where When Who Which Why Whose
1. This is a restaurant ------------- you can find many different cuisines from around the world.
2. The moment ------------------ I found out the exam results was one of the worst times
in my life.
3. Those ------------------ are eager to join the Spanish class should sign up by
tomorrow.
4. Los Angeles, --------------------- is one the most visited tourist destinations, is a
fascinating city.
5. I would like to know the reason --------------- you decided not to join us.
6. The Amazons, ---------------- warrior nature is stressed in Greek mythology, have
been a popular subject for the movie industry.
7. The Early Bronze Age was a period -------------- the climate was significantly
warmer and drier than today.
8. Anyone ---------------- is interested in mountaineering should have enough physical
strength to endure the harsh conditions.
9. Creating a website ---------------- is accessible to color blind people can make a big
difference.
10. One of the reasons ---------------- most of us change is because we need to adjust and
adopt to the changing life conditions.
11. The 19th century artist, --------------- name I couldn’t remember, was very prolific
at his time.
Answers …

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Activity 5.4: Underline the pronoun that best completes each sentence.
1. Do you know anyone which/who can repair cigarette burns on clothes?
2. It’s usually children from deprived backgrounds that/which cause the worst
problems.
3. The Council provides bins in that/ which waste paper can be deposited for recycling.
4. Address the reference ‘to who/whom it may concern’, as it’s very formal.
5. The town hall clock played a different tune at twelve every day, which/ what amused
the locals and attracted tourists.
6. There’s a lucky person in this hall who/whose lottery ticket has just won them 7,
000,000 Birr.
7. Why don’t you tell the police which/what you told me yesterday?
8. The film is set in the period where/when the divide between rich and poor was much
greater than it is now.
9. You can put the photo whichever/wherever you think it looks best.
Activity 5.5: In pairs, read the paragraph about birth order. Complete each sentence with who,
whom, that, or whose. The first one is done for you as an example.
Birth order researchers have discovered some interesting information (1. that) can help us
understand our colleagues better. Do you have a difficult boss (2. -----------) authoritarian
personality makes your life difficult? If so, your boss might be a firstborn child. Children (3. ----)
are born first are often more authoritarian than their younger siblings. Do you have a coworker (4.
-----------) is passive, but particularly creative and insightful? This person may be a middle child.
People (5..---------) have both older and younger siblings are often passive because their older
siblings were responsible for their well-being when they were young. The creativity (6. ------------
--) they exhibit might be the effect of their having spent a lot of time on their own due to having
to share parental attention with their older and younger siblings. People (7. ---------) you work with
(8. -----) are controlling may be youngest children. These people are also likely to be more social
than co-workers (9. ------) are middle children. Of course, these are only generalizations. There are
countless factors (10. --------) help form people’s personalities, but birth order research may shed
some helpful light on people’s behavior in the workplace.
Activity 5.6: Complete the passage with suitable relative pronouns. There may be more than one
possible answer.
How would you feel if you suddenly had to stop using Facebook or Twitter? For people -----------
lives revolve around social networks, this would be a big sacrifice. However, that is exactly what
Alicia Keys, ........... has more than 2.5 million followers on Twitter, decided to do. She also asked
other celebrities like Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Serena Williams and Elijah Wood to do the
same. It happened on 1stDecember, 2010, .......... is World AIDS day. This is a day ........... the
world pays special attention to this terrible disease, .............. has killed so many people. These
celebrities stopped using Facebook and Twitter until their fans, ................ get the usual news
direct from the stars, donated $1 million to an AIDS organization called Keep a Child Alive.
Your answers …
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 Notes
Defining relative clauses
Defining relative clauses specify a noun or pronoun in the main clause and are necessary if we
want to understand the meaning of a sentence.
e.g. 1. I saw the girl who was outside our house.
2. They wanted the picture that cost two pounds.
The relative pronouns ‘who’ and ‘that’ help us express what girl or picture we are talking about. Other
pronouns which serve a similar purpose include which, whose and whom. Commas are not used in defining
relative clauses. When using defining relative clauses in informal speech and writing, the relative pronoun
can be left out completely if it refers to the object of the relative clause. e.g.
1. This is the shirt that I bought.
2. This is the shirt I bought.
3. The girl who I like isn’t here yet.
Non-defining relative clauses
Non-defining relative clauses do not specify nouns and pronouns; they only describe a preceding noun or
pronoun. Unlike defining clauses, they are written with commas.
e.g. 1. My father, who is 65 now, still works.
2. His car, which cost nearly 20,000 pounds, is broken.
The connective relative clauses do not specify or describe the preceding nouns or pronouns, but only develop
the story.
e.g. 1. I gave the letter to James, who sent it to London.
2. She passed me the salt, which fell on the floor.

Part III: Speaking

Activity 5.7: Discuss the following points with your group members
1. Explain the cultural heritages existing in your region to your group members.
2. Tell your group members about which of our national heritages you like most.
3. Discuss what you have done and what you should do our cultural heritages.

Part IV: Writing

Activity 5.8: Write an essay on the following topics.
1. We have to preserve our cultural heritages.
2. Cultural heritages have multiple advantages to our country.
3. Our roles in valuing our cultural heritages.
References
 Azar, B. S. (2003). Fundamentals of English grammar. Longman.
 Eggenschwiler, J.,& Biggs, E.D. (2001). Writing: Grammar, Usage, and Style. New York:
Hungry Minds. Inc
 Lucy, J. A., & Lucy, L. A. (Eds.). (1993). Reflexive Language: Reported Speech and Meta
Pragmatics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
 Murphy, R. (2012). English Grammar in Use. Ernst Klett Sprachen.
 Naylor, H., & Murphy, R. (2007). Essential Grammar in Use. Supplementary Exercises.
With Answers. Ernst Klett Sprachen.
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