PART

Fundamental
Reading Skills
T HE HUMAN E XPERIENCE

Sociology ACTI V E R E A DING 2

MONE Y AND COMMERCE

Economics M A IN IDE A S A ND SUPPORTING DETA IL S 24

T HE SCIENCE OF NAT URE

Biology COHESION 46

AR T S AND LE T T ER S

Humanities FLUENC Y A ND ACCUR AC Y 76

STRUC T UR AL SCIENCE

Environmental V ISUA L S 104

Engineering

Part 1 is designed to build fundamental skills step by step through the exploration of rigorous,
academic content. Practice activities tied to specific learning outcomes in each unit focus on
understanding the function and application of the skills.
 Struggle influences social change.

SOCIOLOGY

Active Reading
UNIT PROFILE OUTCOMES
You will consider the subject of sociology—specifically, the • Read actively
ideas of identity, goals, and strategy. As you read about topics • Skim for the gist
such as games, sports, and war, you will see that identity plays a
• Scan for details
significant role in which “battles” individuals engage in.
• Annotate and take notes
Preview the reading “Sports as the Moral Equivalent of War”
on page 21. Skim the whole reading. What is the gist? Scan • Use dictionaries to strengthen vocabulary
Paragraph 4. Which two countries were in a dispute about an
island—a dispute that led to a demonstration at a soccer game?

GETTING STARTED
Go to to listen to Professor Greenberg and to complete a self-assessment.
Discuss these questions with a partner or group.
1. Think of a time when you were part of a group trying to accomplish a task or produce a result—for
example, a group doing a class project, a club trying to reach a goal, or even an organization trying
to help your community. What strategies did your group use to work together effectively? How were
those strategies different from what you might have done individually?
2. Think about sports in your home country or some other country you know well. Is there a sport that
is considered the “national sport”? Why are so many people interested in that sport? Do people think
the sport somehow relates to the strengths and virtues of that country?
3. What are examples of different “teams” that people play on and “battles” that they engage in?

For more about SOCIOLOGY, see 2 3 . See also and SOCIOLOGY 1 2 3 .

2 SOCIOLOGY PART 1
 PART 1
FUNDAMENTAL SKILL
READING ACTIVELY
WHY IT’S USEFUL By reading actively—using high-level mental activities such as questioning,
evaluating an author’s claims, and keeping track of ideas to explore further—you create a deeper
understanding of a passage.

Reading is an active, not passive, process. A reader does more than simply receive information that a
writer has laid out. Good readers begin forming ideas about the topic as soon as they see the simplest
features of a reading, such as the title and any images. Before they read, active readers skim the reading
to get a general idea of its main ideas. While they read, they continually ask themselves questions about
what they read, and many of them take notes either in the margins, in a notebook, or on a computer.
After they read, readers review their notes and perhaps do classroom exercises that require scanning
back for facts or even rereading certain sections.
This unit breaks active reading down into two supporting skills:
• skimming for gist
• scanning for details

NOTICING ACTIVITY
As you read the following passage, be aware of questions that form in your mind about the topic. Write
five questions that you asked yourself about the topic. Use these lists of words to help you express
your thoughts.
Question Words / Phrases Topic Words
How Who How many / How much advantage Japanese strategy
When Why What does X mean competition lateral thinking tactical
Where What is an example of domination market

The Game of Go
1 The ancient Chinese game Go is comparable to the classic Western game
of chess in terms of the games’ long histories, labyrinthine techniques,
ardent fan bases, and seemingly infinite possibilities for winning. Go,
however, teaches a manner of strategic thinking different from chess that
might offer a particular advantage in the sphere of business. Where chess
is a game of strategy with tactical threats, attacks, and eventual domination
over the other player’s pieces, Go seeks to control territory on a board
through a combination of patience, balance, and lateral thinking that leads
to an eventual comparative advantage over the opposing player.
2 In fact, many Japanese business executives compare the vast number
of possibilities on the board of Go to the international market, and find Go How is it possible to lose in a
board-placement strategy akin to resource allocation. In addition, players tactical area but still gain a
in Go may concede tactical losses in the interest of presenting a strategic strategic advantage?
advantage, and parallels may be drawn between this aspect of the game and
competitive business behavior. For example, Nissan settled for a 30 percent TIP
share of the Japanese economy car market, yielding a 40 percent share As you read, open a notebook
or note-taking soware and
to competitor Toyota in order to strengthen its hold on particular target jot down ideas, questions,
markets, including the sale of luxury vehicles, sports cars, and minivans. etc., like the question in the
margin, above.

Go to to complete a vocabulary exercise and skill practice, and to join in collaborative activities.
Active Reading 3
 SUPPORTING SKILL 1
SKIMMING FOR GIST
WHY IT’S USEFUL A good first step in active reading is to skim for the gist —that is, look briefly at the
whole passage to formulate a guess about its overall meaning. With the gist in mind, you can put other
ideas into perspective and mentally organize them into a whole.

Skimming is the act of running your eyes quickly over a reading to get a basic mental picture of the
main ideas. Skimming (unlike scanning; see Supporting Skill 2, p. 7) does not target individual pieces of
information. Instead, it is meant to pick up general meaning, creating a basic overview.
Skimming is a prereading activity; you are not yet trying to read the piece. As you skim, keep going at a steady
pace, though you might slow down for certain features (see list below). A steady, fast skimming process will
ensure that you avoid getting caught on small ideas. Remember: Your goal is to pick up the gist.
The skimming process should involve the whole reading. Make sure you skim the entire text, with
special attention to these elements:
• the title and any subheadings
• the first one or two sentences of each paragraph
• pictures and their captions (the words under or next to them)
• graphics (tables, graphs, etc.)
• words in bold type
• words that begin with capital letters (e.g., names of people and places, titles of books)
Since skimming goes very fast, you can do more than one pass through a short reading without wasting
too much time. If you like, you can organize your efforts by skimming in stages. For example, focus on
one set of features (headings, pictures, etc.) during one pass. Then focus on others (first sentences of
paragraphs, capitalized words, etc.) in another.
Some readers skim quickly and take only mental notes. Others make written notes. Taking notes can
help you clarify your expectations before you read. You may also want to compare your prereading notes
with notes you took while reading. This can show you how your ideas have evolved.

EXERCISE 1
A. Do not read the following passage yet. To organize your efforts, skim it in two stages, as described here:
Stage 1 Stage 2
• Run your eyes quickly over • Run your eyes quickly over
• the title • the first two sentences of every
• subheadings paragraph
• the heading of the sidebar • the first sentences of the sidebar
• the photograph and its caption • any words with capital letters
• Take notes about the thoughts that come • any numbers
to you. What main ideas do you expect • Take notes about additional ideas that
in the reading? Discuss your ideas with have come to you. Discuss these with
a partner. a partner.

4 SOCIOLOGY PART 1
 PART 1
Memories That Define the Self
1 A sense of self-identity allows an individual to
distinguish himself or herself from others, both individually Memories of the Old,
and en masse. The realization of self-identity begins Memories of the Young
in childhood and is first demonstrated when toddlers Psychological studies show that
exuberantly explore new abilities. It progresses through adults over the age of 50 recall
adolescence when young adults experience life-shaping self-defining memories quite
events that lead to the refi nement of the self. Through all differently from young adults.
of this personality formation, one takes on markers of 1. Older adults tend to
self-identity, including biological features such as being • view remembered events
female or male, old or young, and social status features more positively.
such as being married or single, employed or unemployed, • remember things in a more
and so forth. Significant events in a person’s life—times of abridged, nonspecific
great joy, sorrow, accomplishment, disappointment—also fashion.
shape identity by yielding self-defi ning memories, which • have memories that are
are vivid, intense recollections that an individual associates integrative—meaning that
with his or her personality. they involve considerations
2 These self-defining memories are the autobiographical of personal growth.
coding of a person, and researchers have found that when
2. In contrast, college students
measured objectively, these memories correspond to aspects
tend to
of an individual’s personality. Through clinical studies
• view remembered events
conducted at the end of the 20th century, psychologist
more negatively.
Jefferson Singer, Professor of Psychology at Connecticut
• remember things in greater
College, and his colleagues created a method for measuring
detail.
self-defining memories and a system of categorization.
• have memories that are
Singer’s schema involves listing approximately ten self-
nonintegrative.
defining memories and then breaking each one down
according to the following categories: specificity, meaning, Brain image studies show
and emotions. significant neural changes,
depending on one’s age, in
Specificity the hippocampal region of the
3 Specificity of memory in this context refers to the time brain, which is associated with
period of the memory. There are three levels of specificity. the recall capacity of specific
A highly specific memory is a memory clearly defi ned in time, memory. Interestingly, no
such as a particular day, week, or even single event, such difference in brain image scans
as a car crash or a week at a summer camp. A nonspecific shows up between the old and the
memory is an episodic recollection of events that fit into young when recalling semantic
a single, lengthy time period, such as a semester abroad, memories, such as the names of
a war, or a period of illness. Finally, a generic memory is a colors and other basic facts, as
memory that occurs repeatedly in time, when the settings, opposed to memories drawn from
characters, and emotions are the constant factors. Examples personal experience.
of generic memories include an annual family vacation and
helping with a yearly crop harvest.
Meaning
4 In terms of meaning, there are two kinds of self-defining memories: integrative and nonintegrative.
An integrative memory is a memory from which a person draws significant meaning. Singer’s study
cites an example of a person who remembers a friend who tried to commit suicide and what it was
Continued

Active Reading 5
 like to visit that friend in the hospital every day.
The recognition of personal growth as a result of the
episode makes the memory integrative. The second
type of memory is a nonintegrative memory, which is
a memory that may be significant but has not been
interpreted or defi ned as promoting self-growth.
Emotions
5 The emotions of self-defi ning memories can be
positive or negative. A positive memory is associated
with positive emotions like pride, happiness, and
love. A negative memory is associated with adverse
emotions like disgust, shame, fear, and sadness.
6 Among self-defining memories, most people
have in common certain experiences, including
relationships, life-threatening events, and
achievements. Notably, however, when Singer and Dr. Jefferson Singer
other psychologists compared memories of older
adults to those of college students (see sidebar), they found significant differences in meaning
and emotion. These findings suggest that self-identity is somewhat fluid, depending on your age
and life conditions.

B. Now read the entire passage. Discuss the questions with a partner.
Look back at the notes you took in Part A, just after skimming. How accurate were your impressions?
Which main ideas did you anticipate from skimming?

C. Answer the questions. Use information and examples from the passage to support your answers.
1. In skimming, you saw a picture of Jefferson Singer, so you knew he would be important in the
reading. Now that you’ve completed the reading, describe Dr. Singer’s importance in the area of
self-defining memories.

2. In skimming, you saw a sidebar about age and memories. How does Singer’s schema—involving
specificity, meaning, and emotions—apply differently to older and younger adults?

D. Compare your answers to the notes you took aer skimming.

Go to to complete a vocabulary exercise and skill practice, and to join in collaborative activities.

6 SOCIOLOGY PART 1
 PART 1
SUPPORTING SKILL 2
SCANNING FOR DETAILS
WHY IT’S USEFUL By scanning for details, you can quickly find necessary information without wasting time
on sentence-by-sentence reading (or on rereading). This is valuable, for example, when taking tests or trying
to find the best hits found by a search engine.

Sometimes your purpose in reading is to find very specific pieces of information. You might be trying to answer
questions on a test, find a specific fact to use in writing, or check your understanding of specific points in a
reading. You don’t need to read, or reread, an entire passage. You only need to scan for details—very specific
pieces of information. Your eyes should zero in on the essential information and filter out all the rest.

BASIC SCANNING TECHNIQUES

• For the name of a place, person, or organization, scan for capital letters. Many organizations are
referred to first by their whole names (the United Nations, the American Cancer Society) and later by
an abbreviation or acronym (the UN, the ACS). Scanning for the abbreviation or acronym is a good
strategy, but also scan backwards after the first abbreviation for the full name of the organization.
• For the name of a book, movie, game, song, and so on, scan for both capital letters and a
typographical clue, such as quotation marks or italics.
• For a year, date, amount, proportion, and so on, scan for TIP
numerals. When you scan for numbers, keep the following Work forwards and backwards. Many
in mind: readers can scan more efficiently if they
go in two directions. They scan through
• Numerals are the figures 1, 2, 3, and so on. However, a passage once in the normal way, from
numbers less than 11 are usually spelled out as words, the beginning of the reading to the end.
If they still haven’t found their target,
although different publications use different style rules. they scan again, but they start at the
• Very large numbers (hundreds of thousands and higher) may end and work toward the beginning. A
piece of information that was hard to see
be expressed in a combination of words and numerals, e.g., when scanning forwards might become
345 thousand or 345,000, 12 million or 12,000,000. Scan for obvious when seen from the opposite
direction.
both kinds of expressions.
• For information that is not signaled by unusual type or
by numerals, select keywords or phrases to scan for. Imagine you are scanning to try to answer
the question “Which of the following subject areas fall under ‘liberal arts’?” The most important
keywords in this question are subject areas and liberal arts, so you should scan for these keywords to
find the answer.
• Use your skills at annotation or taking notes (see Reading-Writing Connection, p. 11) to keep
track of the information you find as you scan.

Active Reading 7
 In this example, notice how with a quick scan, key information such as dates, names, and titles stand
out: at the end of the 20th century, Jefferson Singer, and Professor of Psychology.

Excerpt from MEMORIES THAT DEFINE

THE SELF
These self-defining memories are the autobiographical coding
of a person, and researchers have found that when measured
objectively, these memories correspond to aspects of an
individual’s personality. Through clinical studies conducted at the
end of the 20th century, psychologist Jefferson Singer, Professor of
Psychology at Connecticut Colleague, and his colleagues created
a method for measuring self-defining memories and a system of
categorization. Singer’s schema involves listing approximately
ten self-defi ning memories and then breaking each one down
according to the following categories …

EXERCISE 2
A. Read each question. Choose the kind of information you need to scan for to answer the question.
Then answer the questions by scanning the passage “Nationalism and Sports” on the next page for
the information you need.
1. In 1988, what did South Korea host?
a. Name of an event
b. Name of a person
c. Name of a place
d. Name of an organization
2. Which has sought to revive its national character?
a. Name of an organization
b. Name of a place
c. A year
d. An amount
3. During what period did the Canadian government increase funding for sports threefold?

a. Years TIP
b. People One of the keys to scanning is the ability
c. Proportions to do it quickly. Periodically time yourself
to see that you’re refining your scanning
d. Amounts skills. For example, before you start
Part B, set a timer or use the stopwatch
function on your cell phone to mark
your starting time. Then turn off the
timer / stopwatch when you finish. Note
how long it took you to complete the
scanning. Divide the number of seconds
by the number of questions to get a
per-question time.

8 SOCIOLOGY PART 1
 PART 1
B. Read the passage.

Nationalism and Sports

1 Athletic games can buoy patriotism and nationalism, TIP
particularly when territorial disputes exist within a nation Read questions first. One of the best
or with an opposing nation. Sports also have the dual effect strategies for finding the information
you need in a passage is reading the
of aiding a nation in unification and projecting that unity questions before you read the text. Once
and identity outward to gain recognition in the world. This you determine the information you must
search for, locating and identifying the
phenomenon is common among many nations, including information you need—and disregarding
South Korea, which is still technically at war with North that which you don’t—is much easier.
Korea; Canada, which has faced domestic tensions; and
Britain, which has sought to redefine its national character.
2 Nations defi ne themselves by a number of methods, including the establishment of state
symbols, such as a flag, a currency, an anthem, and an armed force. In addition, leaders of nations
engage in relational activities by taking up membership in international organizations and
international sporting events, all of which invigorate nationalistic pride. Since World War II, both
industrialized nations and developing nations have increased funding for sports at a rate faster
than other services, and some researchers believe that this is for the express purpose of fostering
nationalism and asserting nations’ identities in an increasingly globalized world.
3 Territory-defining behavior plays a symbolic role in such sporting contests. For example, South
Korea’s 1988 hosting of the Olympic Games achieved, among many objectives, the reinforcement of
the division of territory between South Korea and North Korea. Similarly, in 1990, shortly after the
fall of the Berlin Wall, a national marathon crisscrossed the line of demarcation between the two
Germanys, purposely using the sporting event to highlight the new territory of the country.
4 Athletics serve not only to define territory among nations but also to unite disparate peoples
within a nation. The Canadian government increased funding for sports threefold between 1978
and 1987 as a way to promote unification between many of the nation’s disparate peoples in the
diverse country. For example, ice hockey served as a shared symbol of identity among the divided
English Canadians and French Canadians in the mid-20th century. That Canada’s national identity
is tied up in ice hockey was never more evident than in the uproar over star hockey player Wayne
Gretzky’s move to Los Angeles in the late 1980s, which provoked accusations of Gretzky defecting
from his country.
5 Some social scientists argue that sports act as a metaphor for culture, revealing the character of
a nation, its value system, and elements of its social structure. Undoubtedly, sports foster a sense
of loyalty and purpose among citizens. Britain, in contrast to South Korea, Germany, and Canada,
has had little need to seek international definition for itself. As a nation, Britain comprehensively
achieved recognition during its centuries as a political superpower. However, the policies of the
government of the United Kingdom from 1990 to 1997 reveal efforts to try to redefine the country’s
national identity through the promotion of sports. One aim was to focus on traditional English
sports, such as soccer, cricket, and swimming, in order to reinforce a sense of national identity
and pride, particularly during a time of decline in Britain’s economic and diplomatic status.
National policymakers redesigned school physical education curricula to emphasize the playing of
traditional team sports, rather than the study of physical education, as another way of infusing the
programs with moral values and strengthening ties to the nation’s past. The establishment of the
Department of National Heritage in 1992—renamed the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport
in 1997—and the restructuring of the Sports Councils that took place at the time also sought to
bring more emphasis to the nation’s traditional sports.

Active Reading 9
 C. Scan “Nationalism and Sports” for the information in the categories. Check ( ) the categories you
find and mark the information as indicated. Then, with another student, discuss the information
you found from each category that you scanned for.

Categories of Information:
□ name of a person, place, event, or organization (Circle each.)
□ name of a book, movie, game, song (Underline each.)
□ year, date, amount, proportion (Draw a box around each.)

D. Answer the questions. Then discuss your answers with another student. Use information and
examples from the passage to explain and support your answers.
1. Scan for a symbol that some countries use to display their identity.
a. Relational activities
b. National marathons
c. A currency
d. Value system
2. Why might countries have increased their funding in sports since World War II?
a. To put themselves on the political stage
b. To promote national pride and character
c. To help develop their athletes’ skills
d. To compete with other countries
3. What indication of identity united English Canadians and French Canadians?
a. Sports funding
b. Ice hockey
c. Wayne Gretzky
d. Domestic tensions
4. What was the end result of South Korea’s hosting of the Olympic Games in 1988?

5. Which country is NOT characterized as having a great need to define itself internationally?
a. Canada
b. Germany
c. South Korea
d. Britain
6. Scan for the original name of an organization founded by the British government.
a. Department of National Heritage
b. The Olympic Games
c. Department for Culture, Media, and Sport
d. Prime Minister
Go to to complete a vocabulary exercise and skill practice, and to join in collaborative activities.

10 SOCIOLOGY PART 1
 PART 1
READING-WRITING CONNECTION
ANNOTATING AND TAKING NOTES
WHY IT’S USEFUL Note-taking helps you keep actively engaged with a text and strengthens your
ability to write about what you read. The notes you take are often a first attempt at summarizing and
paraphrasing, capturing the ideas of a text in words that are partially your own.

There are many ways to produce notes as you read. You can mark or highlight important parts of a
reading. You can keep track of key vocabulary. You can write down questions that enter your mind as
you read.
CULTURE NOTE
If you write or highlight directly on the page you are reading, you
Annotations: Readers’ Reflections
are annotating. If you are reading a print version, your annotations Some of the most expensive used
will probably go in the margins or maybe between lines. If you books in the world owe their value to
annotations written by a previous owner.
are reading an e-book, check whether your reader software has Thomas Jefferson, who was an architect
an annotation feature and learn how to use it. The advantage of as well as one of the founders of the
United States, sometimes wrote numbers
annotating is that you don’t have to copy pieces of text into your and measurements in the margins of his
notes. The text is right there. The biggest disadvantage is that the technical books. The brilliant scientist
and mathematician Sir Isaac Newton
annotations mar the book. If you’ve borrowed your book from a sometimes made annotations about
library or a friend, annotations may not be an option. whether he thought a device described
in a text would really work. Countless
Taking separate notes is the act of writing things like main ideas, readers who have picked up books of
philosophy and science fiction have
questions, and definitions in a notebook or some other place outside annotated these works of thought with
the text. Sometimes you cannot annotate, so separate notes will be additional ideas and questions of their
own. The annotations are prized because
your only choice. At other times, you may choose to keep separate they show what the reader was thinking
notes as well as to annotate in the text. as he or she actively engaged with the
reading passage.
WHAT SHOULD YOU TAKE NOTES ABOUT?
Your annotations or separate notes depend on your relationship to the text you read. What will you have
to remember from the text? What parts of the text do you have questions about? Are there any words you
should look up? Will you have to integrate ideas from this text with ideas from somewhere else? Typical
features of annotations and note-taking include
• highlighting, underlining, and circling vocabulary that needs to be looked up.
• marking points in the text that a reader disagrees with. A question mark or the word “no” might
be used.
• using symbols and abbreviations to save space. TIP
• using lines, arrows, and numbers to show relationships. For Note-Taking Style Just as everyone’s
study methods are different, so the style
example, in the reading “Voting in the Jim Crow South” on and content of everyone’s notes will
the following page, all the points about Jim Crow laws in the be very personal. Your teacher may
recommend certain note-taking
United States might be marked with a circled JC, an asterisk techniques, and some of these
(*), or another feature that shows commonality. recommendations may be helpful for
you. However, the most important
• marking similarities to material in other sources with thing is to find note-taking materials
comments like See also Jefferson, p. 162. (a notebook, cards, a tablet app, a
computer program, etc.) and a
• writing separate notes, which often involves copying bits note-taking system that works for
of text. However, this can be time-consuming. It’s more you personally. Find what works and
use it oen.
efficient to just refer to a page in the book instead.

Active Reading 11
 In the following example, notice the annotations.

Voting in the Jim Crow South

commonly existing
Contrary to prevailing modern belief, voting by blacks was not
Does this mean
it WAS illegal
illegal in most of the South during the Jim Crow era (1877–1954).
some places? Opponents of black voting did not need to outlaw it. They
needed only to erect so many obstacles that voting was practically
impossible, despite being legal. Some of the mechanisms for this
Which pp?
Look up.
suppression are well known. We have already seen how literacy
tests were used to exclude blacks from the polls and how the tests
were manipulated so that whites could pass whether they were
literate or not. There were at least five other common practices that
stunted political participation by blacks in many areas of the rural
???
South (and often in cities as well).
The threat of violence—accompanied by the possibility
of death—was a major deterrent. If blacks dared to vote,
segregationists might make an example of them by beating,
torturing, raping, or even lynching them as a warning to others
Also mentioned in
who might get similar ideas. In the 21st century, readers casually NYT article. Check!!
concoct images of white-robed members of the Ku Klux Klan as
the agents of such horrors, but in truth, the KKK’s actions were
only the most extreme, highly institutionalized form of violent
suppression. In many localities, a black voter’s own neighbors, or
someone he or she had frequent commerce with, would be the ones
committing the violence.

12 SOCIOLOGY PART 1
 PART 1
EXERCISE 3
A. Read the title and paragraph. Notice the annotations.

Excerpt from Athletics in

Classical Times

Byzantium

Olympia Athens
Sparta

Alexandria

Greek settlements, ca. 500 BCE

Athletics held a place of indisputable importance in ancient

Greece and the Roman world, though the way citizens engaged in
the games and how they viewed their purpose varied considerably.
The Greeks imbued their culture with a competitive spirit that
extended not just to sports but to other agons, or contests, in art,
music, law, and nearly all areas of life. They are, famously, the
originators of the Olympics, first held in 776 bce on the Plain of
Olympia on the Peloponnese Peninsula. Likewise, in the Roman main difference !!
Empire, war and sport stand as defining aspects of the culture.
?? Some of the games of antiquity, including boxing, wrestling, and
look up discus, are still popular in the modern-day Olympics.

Active Reading 13
 B. Answer the questions. Then discuss your answers with a partner.
1. Notice the blank oval with two arrows near the start of the CULTURE NOTE
paragraph. Fill the oval with a word or phrase that would Academic Culture Most students know
make a good annotation relating the word classical to the that when they use information from
an outside source in their academic
phrase ancient Greece and the Roman world. writing, some form of a citation must be
given. Types of information that should
2. Notice the annotation main difference!! What does this always be cited include books, journal
annotation refer to? What two things are different, and what articles, newspapers, and magazines.
However, one exception to that rule
is that difference? is dictionaries. Because dictionaries
are considered a basic tool that most
students need for their academic writing,
professors do not typically like when
3. Notice that the word discus is underlined, and notice the students quote dictionary entries in their
papers. A second reason why professors
annotation near it. Why is discus underlined? oen discourage students from citing
dictionaries is that the information
found in them is generally not unique;
in other words, definitions for the same
4. What does the circle on the map probably indicate? Can you words can be found in myriad other
dictionaries.
think of any other annotations you’d like to make to the map?

EXERCISE 4
A. Read the passage. Annotate (or take notes in a separate place) as you go.

Athletics in Classical Times

1 Athletics held a place of
indisputable importance in ancient
Greece and the Roman world, though
the way citizens engaged in the
games and how they viewed their
purpose varied considerably. The
Greeks imbued their culture with
a competitive spirit that extended
not just to sports but to other agons,
or contests, in art, music, law, and
nearly all areas of life. They are,
famously, the originators of the
Olympics, first held in 776 bce on the
Plain of Olympia on the Peloponnese
Peninsula. Likewise, in the Roman Empire, war and sport stand as defining aspects of the culture.
Some of the games of antiquity, including boxing, wrestling, and discus, are still popular in the
modern-day Olympics.
2 Greek culture, which was at its peak from the 8th to the 6th centuries bce, and the Roman
Republic / Empire, which existed from 509 bce to 476 ce, are considered the cradles of Western
civilization. Though many features are common between Greek and Roman cultures, especially
in the area of sports, there are major differences between them, most notably who participated in
athletics. Free Greek citizens took part in sporting events and earned honor for their participation.
Roman citizens, on the other hand, were nearly exclusively spectators; lower-class residents,
foreigners, and slaves engaged in the games. The gladiators of the Roman playing arenas almost

14 SOCIOLOGY PART 1
 PART 1
never joined the ranks of the army. While the Greeks extended their competitive spirit to nearly
all areas of society and viewed athletics as character-building, the Romans wrote that the Greeks
placed too heavy an emphasis on athletics and not enough on the practice of arms; they believed
this led to the downfall of Greek society.
3 Though neither the Greeks nor the Romans used sports as specific wartime training, elements
of the sports themselves mimicked warlike behavior in both cultures. Wars resembled prearranged
athletic contests in Greece, with heavily armed, opposing armies made up of privileged citizens
wealthy enough to arm themselves. Citizens earned status for participation in both wars and
games, and often fought hand-to-hand until one side ceded victory. An example of a war that was
very much like a Greek game is the prearranged conflict between Sparta and Argos in 546 bce,
when an equal number of evenly matched warriors—three hundred for each side—were sent to
fight each other. (Both sides claimed victory.)
4 The most popular Greek athletics were often individualistic and combat-based. They included
races, wrestling, fencing, jousting, archery, spear throwing, discus, and boxing. Many of these
sports were also popular in Rome, especially boxing, which featured two competitors fighting
until one boxer either ceded or was knocked out. Boxers in Greece wore leather on their knuckles
to protect their own hands and increase the effects of their hits on the opponent, á la modern
brass knuckles. The Romans similarly enjoyed boxing, and it was a favored sport of the Emperor
Augustus. They held both Greek-style boxing matches and Roman-style, in which the boxers
wore heavier gloves. The purpose of the heavier gloves was not to protect either the hitter or
the opponent, however. Rather, iron and lead were sewn into the gloves, and unsurprisingly,
bouts often concluded with the death of a player. Another sport that was even rougher and also
occasionally led to death was pankration, a Greek game consisting of an unarmed fight between two
men, with scarcely any rules.
5 Not all ancient Greek city-states participated in the bloodiest of the traditional athletic sports.
Legendary Greek generals, including Alexander the Great, discouraged or even forbade soldiers
from taking part in popular games. Similarly, Sparta, the most militaristic state in ancient Greece,
discouraged boxing and pankration. Instead, games that promoted even more military efficacy were
encouraged. Spartans regularly held team-based combative contests in which groups of young men
fought each other on an island until one of the teams pushed the other into the water. Spartans also
played team sports that centered on a ball. These Spartan sports are the only known occurrence of
ball-oriented games in either ancient Greek or Roman cultures. In his book Combat Sports in the Ancient
World: Competition, Violence, and Culture, Michael B. Poliakoff says, “It of course makes perfect sense that
if play is to be at all useful for war, it should include corporate activity like that of a battle squadron.”
His argument is that Sparta’s team sports had the underlying purpose of offering military training.
6 Team sports today, though they do not involve pushing players off an island, require physical
strength and skill, as well as teamwork and strong group dynamics. By and large, modern sports
do not resemble ancient sports, yet some parallels can be drawn between the Olympic Games of
Greece and the modern Olympics. Thousands of years after the Greek originals, today’s Olympics
still feature many of the same events, including long jump, foot races, shot put, and boxing.

B. Review your annotations and notes. Are any of them hard to understand? If so, look again at the
reading and improve them. As you review, make additional annotations or notes that come to mind.
C. Compare annotations and notes with a partner.
Go to to complete a vocabulary exercise and skill practice, and to join in collaborative activities.

For more about TAKING NOTES, see SOCIOLOGY 1 .

Active Reading 15
 LANGUAGE SKILL
USING DICTIONARIES TO STRENGTHEN VOCABULARY
WHY IT’S USEFUL By familiarizing yourself with three features of dictionary entries, you can work to
further develop and strengthen your vocabulary.

In building your English vocabulary, being able to make full use of a dictionary and its features is key.
Understanding the components of a dictionary entry will help take your vocabulary to the next level.
Three critical parts of dictionary entries and subentries are multiple definitions listed for some words,
collocations, and multiword units.
• If you are relatively familiar with dictionaries, you will know from experience that one word often
has multiple definitions. To find the one you need, first quickly scan all of the definitions, as well
as the example phrases and sentences provided. If you cannot find the right definition by scanning,
slow down and read each definition (plus examples) more carefully. Then return to the original
context where you found the word and determine which definition best fits that context.

Example
Original context: The geography of the countryside near my home is mountainous and replete
with valleys.
Dictionary entry:

Dictionary Thesaurus Topic Vocabulary Study Center Exam Practice Writing Skills

geography
1. the study of the countries, oceans, rivers, mountains, cities, etc., as well as populations, industry, agriculture, and
economies of different areas of the world

2. the way the parts of a place are arranged, such as the location of streets, mountains, rivers, etc.

3. the way that the buildings, streets, etc., within an area are arranged

Here, the second definition best explains geography as it is used in the original context. In order to
build your existing vocabulary, it is essential to develop the skill of determining the best definition
from a multiple-definition entry.
• Collocations—the way in which some words are often TIP
used together, or a particular combination of words—may Research An online corpus—a large
be indicated in a dictionary by being set in bold, italics, or collection of written and / or spoken
within example sentences. Some dictionaries even highlight language—can be very helpful
in developing your knowledge of
collocations in special boxes. Identifying collocations for a collocations. Most corpora have a
given word will help you with comprehension and writing. “collocations” feature, where you can
enter the word you want to use and then a
For example, the adjective strong collates with the word word you think might collocate with it. If a
principles in this sentence: The man has strong principles, list of sentences containing the words you
entered appears, it means that those two
always demonstrating honesty and truthfulness. Strong cannot words collocate with each other. If only a
be replaced with a word that has a similar meaning, like few sentences appear, the collocation is
probably weak. If no sentences appear in
muscular. the results, you can assume that the two
words do not collocate.
• A multiword unit is a vocabulary item made of two or
more words that are very tightly bound to each other. Some If there is a word you want to use but
you do not know what other words
familiar kinds of multiword units are phrasal verbs (pass collocate with it, you can find out by
out, see [something] through, clean up), compound nouns (brass simply entering the word into the search
box for your online corpus and then
knuckles, space shuttle, USB port), and idioms, in whole or in analyzing the results to determine which
part (odd man out, the last straw, a stitch in time). co-occurrences are common.

16 SOCIOLOGY PART 1
 PART 1
EXERCISE 5
A. Work alone or with a group. Use the dictionary entries to decide which collocation best completes
each sentence. There may be more than one correct answer.

Dictionary Thesaurus Topic Vocabulary Study Center Exam Practice Writing Skills

con.vic.tion /k n'vIk∫ n/ •
e e
noun
1 [countable] a very strong belief or opinion:
conviction that
Americans held the conviction that anyone could become rich if they worked hard.
a deep/strong/firm conviction
They have a deep conviction that marriage is for life.
religious/political convictions
Religious convictions have a strong influence on people’s behavior.
see THESAURUS at OPINION

2 [countable] LAW a decision in a court of law that someone is guilty of a crime, or the process of proving
that someone is guilty OPP acquittal:
He had no prior convictions.
Employers check that new workers have no criminal convictions.
conviction for
a conviction for driving while drunk
the trial and conviction of Jimmy Malone

3 [uncountable] the feeling of being sure about something and having no doubts:
with/without conviction
(= feeling or not feeling sure)
“No,” she said, but without conviction.
“We’re going to win,” he said, but his voice didn’t carry conviction ( =it showed that he did not feel sure about what he was saying).

see also have the courage of your (own) convictions at COURAGE (2)

Dictionary Thesaurus Topic Vocabulary Study Center Exam Practice Writing Skills

sen.ti.ment /'sεnt m nt/ •

e e
noun
1 [countable, uncountable] formal an opinion or feeling you have about something:
His sentiments were echoed all over the city.
“I hate all this junk mail we get.” “My sentiments exactly ( =I agree).”
public/popular sentiment
The governor misjudged public sentiment.
anti-war/anti-Washington etc. sentiment
growing anti-war sentiment
see THESAURUS at OPINION

2 [uncountable] feelings of pity, love, sadness, etc. that are often considered to be too strong or not appropriate
for a particular situation:
There’s no place for sentiment in business.
see THESAURUS at FEELING1

1. She has a conviction that all children should have equal opportunities in life.
2. Human Resources always checks to make sure that applicants do not have convictions
misdemeanors or felonies before they are considered for a position.
3. “I will fight until I find my daughter,” the mother said conviction.
4. His spiritual beliefs led him to have strong convictions.
5. sentiment favors spending more money on road maintenance.
6. A(n) sentiment was felt throughout college campuses when war broke out.
Active Reading 17
 B. Some dictionaries have separate sections below an entry with a list of collocations for a certain
word. Decide which of the collocations listed below best completes each sentence. There may be
more than one correct answer.

Dictionary Thesaurus Topic Vocabulary Study Center Exam Practice Writing Skills

sit.u.a.tion /,sIt∫u'eI∫an/ ••• s1 w1 noun [countable]

COLLOCATIONS

a combination of all the things that are happening and all the conditions that exist at a particular time in a partcular place:
Everyone knew how serious the situation was.
She handled a difficult situation very well.
In a/somebody’s situation
what would you do if you were in my situation?
Discuss your financial situation with an accountant.
COLLOCATIONS
VERBS
put somebody in a situation
Her actions put me in a really awkward situation.
describe/explain a situation
She spent 15 minutes explaining the situation.
handle a situation (also deal with a situation)
He had no idea how to deal with the situation.
a situation comes about (also a situation arises/occurs formal) ( =it happens)
I don’t know how this situation has come about.
The situation had arisen as a result of a serious staff shortage.
ADJECTIVES/NOUNS + SITUATION
a dangerous situation
The situation was becoming increasingly dangerous as a fight seemed likely.
the present/current situation
The present situation is Afghanistan is very worrying.
the economic/political situation
The country’s economic situation continued to deteriorate.
a social situation ( =a situation in which someone is with other people)
He is shy and feels uncomfortable in most social situations.

1. He a very awkward situation when he asked me what my friend’s salary was.

2. The situation became quite when riots broke out and people began to fight.
3. The situation in several war-torn countries is extremely distressing.
4. My boss knew exactly how to the situation when a customer complained.
5. She tried to the situation to her employer, but he did not seem to
understand.
6. The nation’s situation worsened when the stock market crashed.
7. She is very outgoing and feels at home in situations.
8. The situation after a number of soldiers defected.

18 SOCIOLOGY PART 1
 PART 1
EXERCISE 6
A. Find multiword units in these excerpts from readings in this unit. Then write the words on the lines.
Each item contains more than one multiword unit.
1. A highly specific memory is a memory clearly defined in time, such as a particular day, week, or even single
event, such as a car crash or a week at a summer camp.

car crash; summer camp

2. Among self-defining memories, most people have in common certain experiences, including relationships,
life-threatening events, and achievements.

3. Sports also have the dual effect of aiding a nation in unification and projecting that unity and identity
outward to gain recognition in the world.

4. This phenomenon is common among many nations, including South Korea, which is still technically at war
with North Korea; Canada, which has faced domestic tensions; and Britain, which has sought to redefine
its national character.

5. Since World War II, both industrialized nations and developing nations have increased funding for sports
at a rate faster than other services, and some researchers believe that this is for the express purpose of
fostering nationalism and asserting nations’ identities in an increasingly globalized world.

6. Similarly, in 1990, shortly aer the fall of the Berlin Wall, a national marathon crisscrossed the line
of demarcation between the two Germanys, purposely using the sporting event to highlight the new
territory of the country.

7. Some social scientists argue that sports act as a metaphor for culture, revealing the character of a nation,
its value system, and elements of its social structure.

8. James could not have known that his essay stood upon a ledge of history, overlooking two world wars that
would shape the landscape of war and peace. Nor did James offer an activity he believed could fill the
supposed void war would leave behind, were it eradicated.

9. There is no clear answer for why the world has fallen on such comparatively harmonious times, though
scholars cite several theories, including the nuclear deterrent, increased international trade, and the
interconnectedness of the world in the digital age.

B. Compare answers with a partner.

Go to to complete a skill practice.

Active Reading 19
 APPLY YOUR SKILLS
WHY IT’S USEFUL By applying the skills you have learned in this unit, you can successfully read this
challenging text and learn about the relationship between sports and war, and how identity both informs
and manifests in each.

BEFORE YOU READ

A. Discuss these questions with one or more students.
1. Think of sports events you have watched in person, on TV, or online. Have you ever noticed the
warlike language that is often used in sportscasting? What are some examples? Why do you think
such language is used in sports?
2. Can you think of any situations in which an athlete used his or her role on the world stage to
promote a personal political or nationalistic viewpoint? Share what you know.
3. Do you know of any efforts to implement a sports program with the aim of reducing violence
among youth? Has it been successful in achieving that objective?
B. Imagine that you will be participating in a small group discussion about the passage “Sports as the
Moral Equivalent of War,” which begins on the next page. Your group will be discussing the following
questions. Keep these questions in mind as you read the passage.
1. What qualities do sports and war have in common?
2. What war themes do sportscasters often focus on in sports stories?
3. What are some examples of specific events in history where sports were used to promote
nationalism?
4. What is the relationship between civil unrest and sports in a given society?
5. Within sports, which group of people tends to be the most violent?

C. Review the Unit Skills Summary. As you read the passage, apply the skills you learned in this unit.

UNIT SKILLS SUMMARY

Be an active reader.
• Evaluate your understanding, question the author’s claims, and record ideas to investigate further.
Skim for gist.
• Move your eyes quickly over the reading to get a general mental image of the main points.
Scan for details.
• Use the strategies you learned to quickly identify details—like names of people, places, organizations,
years, and dates—without reading every sentence.
Annotate and take notes.
• Write or highlight on the printed page or use the annotation feature in an e-book. Another option is
writing notes, such as questions and definitions, in a notebook.
Use dictionaries well to strengthen your vocabulary.
• When faced with a word entry that has multiple definitions, analyze the text you are reading to choose
the most appropriate definition. In dictionary entries, look for highlighted words to find common
collocations, and read example phrases to identify multiword units.

20 SOCIOLOGY PART 1
 PART 1
READ
A. Read the passage. Annotate and take notes as necessary.

Sports as the Moral Equivalent of War

1 In the early 1900s, renowned philosopher whether intended to be humorous or not, is a
and psychologist William James posited that war prime example of the comparison of sports to war
was, as he somberly lamented, the “romance and the equation of the two activities’ importance
of history,” insofar as it stimulates the human in society.
psyche and gives some a sense of purpose and 4 Likewise, individual sporting games can
nobility. James, a self-described pacifist, argued become a mirror for a battle between nations
that war cannot simply disappear and that it with a history of actual war, with individual
must have a “moral equivalent,” or an activity players’ actions the attacks. For example, in
that could, as he put it, “redeem life from flat a 2012 Olympic soccer match between South
degeneration.” James could not have known Korea and Japan, two countries with an extremely
that his essay stood upon a ledge of history, acrimonious relationship and a long history of
overlooking two world wars that would shape the conflict, Korean soccer player Park Jongwoo held
landscape of war and peace. Nor did James offer up a sign that asserted that a disputed island
an activity he believed could fill the supposed territory belonged to South Korea. It is important
void war would leave behind, were it eradicated. to note that actual statements or actions related
Other experts, however, theorize that sports to political quarrels between nations are strictly
could perhaps fill this vacuum and offer a moral forbidden in modern international games. Park
equivalent. Furthermore, evidence shows that the was suspended by the Disciplinary Committee
introduction of sports into societies plagued by of FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football
violence may help curb warlike behavior. Association) for two matches and initially had
2 Sports and war undeniably share common his bronze medal withheld for his overtly political
characteristics. Sports, by definition, are types display.
of physical activity that are usually competitive, 5 The idea of sports fostering a sense
or even combative, by nature. Sporting events of nationalism also comes into play when
and wars typically arouse intense feelings and considering the concept of games replacing
emotions among invested parties—spectators battle tactics. In 1884, Ireland successfully
and players as well as civilians and soldiers. formed the Gaelic Athletic Association, which
Stamina, courage, discipline, and team spirit are was closely tied to both the militant nationalist
characteristics lauded in participants of both group called the Irish Republican Brotherhood and
sports and war. Athletes together with war heroes the Irish resistance movement. The Association
are distinguished and celebrated. In addition, both formed as a way to promote nationalism and
sports and war, until more recent times, have distinguish itself from England. The purpose
existed as predominantly male activities. of the organization was not only to resuscitate
3 Sports commentary abounds with battle-like purely Irish games, such as hurling and Gaelic
language. Sports writers choose words analogous football, but also to separate itself from English
to war reporting, such as tragedy, massacre, games, such as football, rugby, and cricket. The
punishment, defeat, tactics, and defense. Association also prohibited contact with English
Commentary ranges from stories of injury, loss, sport clubs, symbolizing political resistance.
and defeat, to victory and heroic transformation. 6 The parallel of games and battles is not only
Bill Shankly, former manager of the Liverpool drawn between opposing nations, but also within
Football Club, was famously quoted as saying, single societies plagued by warring factions within
“Football is not a matter of life and death; it’s their borders. Such civil unrest is often prevented
much more serious than that.” Shankly’s quote, when sports are introduced, lending credence to
Continued
Active Reading 21
 the theory that games can become a stand-in for Colombia, and the West Bank and Gaza. The
battle. In Manchester, England, gang warfare and organization states that soccer is not simply a
knife crimes seized the city at the turn of the 19 th sport, but a “transformative force in the lives of
century. In the 1890s, philanthropists founded young people, teaching them leadership skills and
clubs for the youth to provide them access to healthy ways to handle conflict.” The statement
sports, which in part led to British football’s rise elevates a game to an activity that goes beyond
in popularity and the eventual establishment of simple play and functions to prevent larger conflict
the teams Manchester United and Manchester in society.
City. After the introduction of the sports clubs, 8 Arguably, allegiance to a country as its troops
gang violence abated. Arguably, group aggression march to war has been replaced with allegiance
was redirected to organized games and dispensed to a team as players compete on the playing
on the soccer field rather than on the streets. It field. Since the conclusion of World War II, the
is important to note that though conflict may be number of deaths due to group conflict in the
displaced by sports, violence among sports fans, world as a whole has been steadily declining.
whether in the form of brawls between fans of The past 25 years in particular, despite many
opposing teams or in the form of looting or victory violent conflicts, has been a time of relatively
riots, is still prevalent. great peace, with fewer wars overall. There is no
7 The movement to help at-risk youth in England clear answer for why the world has fallen on such
in the 1890s set a precedent for future similar comparatively harmonious times, though scholars
efforts. In recent years, Mercy Corps, an American cite several theories, including the nuclear
aid agency, has worked to provide alternatives to deterrent, increased international trade, and the
youth violence and to deter children from joining interconnectedness of the world in the digital
armed movements. Mercy Corps has employed a age. As violence has fallen, sports have grown
program called Sport for Change in communities correspondingly, supporting the theory of sports
rife with violence, including South Sudan, Kenya, being the moral equivalent of war.

B. Reread the questions in Before You Read, Part B. Is there anything you cannot answer? What
reading skills can you use to help you find the answers?
Go to to read the passage again and answer critical thinking questions.

THINKING CRITICALLY
In “Sports as the Moral Equivalent of War,” you read about an instance in which a soccer player openly
displayed his nationalistic views during a game. He was later disciplined for doing so, as actions and
statements associated with political disputes between countries are prohibited in modern international
games. Why do you think political expression in sports is taboo? What problems could such displays
cause? Currently, some nationalistic displays—for example, flags, national anthems—are allowed, but
others are not. Where should the dividing line be for what is and is not permitted?

22 SOCIOLOGY PART 1
 PART 1
THINKING VISUALLY
Look at the map and map key, which show different
countries that boycotted the Olympic Games in
three different years. Based on the countries and
years indicated and what you know about what was Boycotts
1976
happening in the world during those years, what do
1980
you think may have been the reasons for each boycott? 1984

THINKING ABOUT LANGUAGE

Read these excerpts from “Sports as the Moral Equivalent of War.” Use a dictionary to determine the
best definition for
each underlined word. Write the definition.
1. Other experts, however, theorize that sports could perhaps fill this vacuum and offer a moral equivalent.

2. Furthermore, evidence shows that the introduction of sports into societies plagued by violence may help
curb warlike behavior.

3. For example, in a 2012 Olympic soccer match between South Korea and Japan, two countries with an
extremely acrimonious relationship and a long history of conflict, Korean soccer player Park Jongwoo held
up a sign that asserted that a disputed island territory belonged to South Korea.

4. Stamina, courage, discipline, and team spirit are characteristics lauded in participants of both sports and war.

5. Such civil unrest is oen prevented when sports are introduced, lending credence to the theory that
games can become a stand-in for battle.

6. The parallel of games and battles is not only drawn between opposing nations, but also within single
societies plagued by warring factions within their borders.

7. James could not have known that his essay stood upon a ledge of history, overlooking two world wars that
would shape the landscape of war and peace. Nor did James offer an activity he believed could fill the
supposed void war would leave behind, were it eradicated.

8. Sports by definition are types of physical activity that are usually competitive, or even combative,
by nature.

9. Bill Shankly, former manager of the Liverpool Football Club, was famously quoted as saying, “Football is
not a matter of life and death; it’s much more serious than that.”

Go to to listen to Professor Greenberg and to complete a self-assessment.

Active Reading 23