St.

Paul University Philippines

Intercultural Institute for Languages 1

Understanding Sequence
The order in which events happen is called a sequence. Your life is a series of
overlapping sequences of events and activities. For example, first you get up in the morning,
then you get dressed and have breakfast, and finally, you go to school or to work.
When you read a story, sequence is the order in which the story events happen. Time
order words such as first, next, last, before, then, and after can help you determine the sequence.
Look for details such as the time of day things happen, or the date. In a story, notice how the
sequence flows from the beginning to the middle, to the end. You will start to see the
relationships that exist between the separate events and how the events make up the whole.

Understanding a Sequence Chain

A sequence chain will help you organize anything that happens in a sequence―the
events in a story or the steps in an experiment, for example. The sequence chain makes it easy
to see how one event or step leads to the next.
Here is a story and its sequence chain. For this very short story, you can list almost all
the events. For a longer story, you would choose only the main events.
Crash Test
First, Drake Edwards, test engineer for the Ferraguar Company, helped
Simon into the car. Then he positioned Simon in the front seat of the newly
designed Fanatic. “Are you bucked in well, Simon my friend?” he asked as he
tightened the belt. Simon just dropped his head. “Looks like a yes to me!” Drake
added cheerily, checking all the straps. “I wouldn’t want a good friend like you
to get hurt.” Drake winked at Simon.
“Okay, let her rip,” Drake ordered after he slammed shut the silver overhead-
opening door. Simon’s foot pressed the pedal and the car accelerated―40 mph,
80 mph, 160 mph! The speeding car headed straight into a wall of solid brick.
When Drake finally reached the wreck, he found Simon fully strapped in,
wrapped in a cloud of cotton-like foam. Carefully, he pulled Simon out of the
broken glass and folded metal. “Good job, Simon, my robot!”
1 • Drake helped Simon into the car and fastened him in.

2 • Drake shut the door and told Simon to go.

3
• Simon accelerated.

4 • Simon crashed.

5 • Drake removed Simon from the wreck

A sequence chain displays the events in time order. You begin to see how one event depends on
another, and how one event causes another.
Simon presses down on the gas pedal. As a result, the car zooms ahead to a crash.

Special English Language Course: Reading

 St. Paul University Philippines
Intercultural Institute for Languages 2

As you read, ask yourself:

➢ Which event happens first?
➢ What events follow?
➢ What is the last event in the sequence?
➢ Which time order words signal the order of events?
Additional Notes:
A ballad, or a narrative poem, is a type of poem that tells a story. The oldest ballads, called
popular ballads, were oral. They were sung aloud rather than written. Modeled on popular
ballads, folk ballads were among the earliest forms of written literature.
Study the sequence chain for these two stanzas from the beginning of the folk ballad “Barb’ry
Ellen.”
‘Twas in the merry month of May,
When the green buds were swelling,
Sweet William on his deathbed lay,
For the love of Barb’ry Ellen.

He sent his servant to the town,

To the place where she was dwelling,
Said, “Master bids you come to him,
If your name is Barb’ry Ellen.”

• In May, William is dying of love for Barb'ry Ellen.

1

• William sends a message to her.

2

• The servant delivers the message.

3

A sequence chain captures the events as they flow from the beginning to the middle to the end.

Read this article about how a popular beverage in the Middle East is prepared. As you
read, think about the order of the steps followed to prepare the beverage.
The Bedouin are a nomadic people who live in the desert regions of Saudi
Arabia and Jordan. Coffee holds a special place in the life of the Bedouin. They
follow an elaborate set of rules when they prepare and serve coffee. First, the
host takes some coffee beans out of a special leather bag. Then he puts the beans
in a long-handled pan and lightly roasts them over a fire. After the beans cool,
they are pounded into ground coffee. Last, the coffee is brewed in a special pot.
The host serves the strong thick coffee in tiny cups with no handles. Guests have

Special English Language Course: Reading

 St. Paul University Philippines
Intercultural Institute for Languages 3

their cup filled again and again. To signal that they’ve had enough, guests hold
out their empty cups and shake them.
The order of the steps followed to prepare coffee is
➢ First, the host takes some coffee beans out of a special leather bag.
➢ Then he puts the bean in a long-handled pan and lightly roasts them over a fire.
➢ After the beans cool, they are pounded into ground coffee.
➢ Last, the coffee is brewed in a special pot.
The order in which things are done or events happen is called a sequence. Directions often
follow a sequence using steps that are followed to completion.
➢ Clue words such as first, next, then, last, finally, before, and after often tell you when
things are done or events happen.
➢ Clues about time often indicate sequence―the time of day, the day of the week, the
month, the season, the year, and so on.
➢ In a story without clue words, think about the beginning, the middle, and the ending to
help you figure out sequence. In an article without clue words, think about the order in
which things happen or how things are done.

Remember:
➢ Works of fiction, such as novels and short stories, often contain clue words or time clues
to indicate sequence.
➢ Works of nonfiction, such as articles and directions, often contain steps or time lines to
indicate sequence.

Read this passage from a history of West Africa. Then answer the questions.
Kingdoms of Salt and Gold
From about 300 to 1600 AD., many small kingdoms rose and fell in West
Africa on grasslands between the Sahara and southern forests. This region is
called the Western Sudan. Three kingdoms―Ancient Ghana, Mali, and
Songhay―became large empires. The unique geography of the Western Sudan
provided sources of salt and gold and gave these kingdoms great wealth and
power.
To the south of the grasslands, in the forests, were rich gold mines. But the
South lacked salt which was as valuable as gold. To the north, in the Sahara,
were vast salt mines. As a result, prosperous trade arose between gold merchants
and salt merchants. Numerous trade routes sprang up across the Sahara, through
the grasslands and into the forests.
Camel caravans of Muslim traders from the North picked up salt. They next
traveled for months to reach centrally located market town, such as Timbuktu, in
the Western Sudan. West African gold merchants traveled south to trade with the
miners for gold, and then north to the market town. Traders met there and
exchanged gold and salt.

Special English Language Course: Reading

 St. Paul University Philippines
Intercultural Institute for Languages 4

In some cases, trading was conducted without words. Salt traders laid out
their salt, beat drums to announce the trading, and then withdrew. Gold traders
came forward, checked the salt, and set out the amount of gold they would pay.
Salt traders returned to see if the amount was right. If not, they beat drums again
to signal a second round of trade.
The boxes show some of the things described in the passage.
Gold traders offered Salt traders signaled
gold for salt. another round of trade.
What belongs in the empty box?
A. Salt traders beat the drum.
B. Gold traders made another offer.
C. Salt traders decided whether to accept the offer or not.
D. Gold traders checked the salt.
In which direction did the Muslim traders travel after they picked up salt?
A. north
B. south
C. east
D. west
Before they traded with the salt traders, gold merchants traded with _____.
A. Muslim traders of the North
B. gold miners of the South
C. merchants of Timbuktu
D. nomads of the Sahara
The clue word that tells what Muslim traders did after they picked up their salt is _____.
A. before
B. after
C. finally
D. next

Remember: Sequence is the order in which things are done or events happen.
➢ Look for clue words such as first, next, then, last, finally, before, and after to help you
figure out the order in which things are done or events happen in a reading passage.
➢ Look for clues that tell about time, such as the time of day, the day of the week, the
month, the season, and the year.
➢ When there are no clue words, think about the order in which things happen.
Read this passage about a girl who lives on a farm.
For over 100 years, the Hall family had been living on Strawberry Hill Farm.
As Liddy Hall stood on top of Strawberry Hill and looked out over the farm’s
fields and pastures, she felt as if she had been living on Strawberry Hill for at
least 100 years herself. Simply thinking about the endless round of work that was

Special English Language Course: Reading

 St. Paul University Philippines
Intercultural Institute for Languages 5

life on a farm made Liddy weary. The cycle began in the spring, with sheep
shearing and clearing fields. In the summer, crops were planted and wood was
chopped. In the fall, there was the harvesting of crops. Then there was the drying
and preserving of food for the winter. Next, during the long, cold winter months,
there was spinning, weaving, sewing, and knitting to do. There were candles to
be made. The first warm days of March meant it was time to gather sap from
maple trees and boil it down to make syrup and maple sugar. Then it was
shearing time again. Liddy pushed her pencil and paper into her pocket and
started down the hill. Perhaps after pumpkins were gathered, there would finally
be time for drawing.
What happens on Strawberry Hill Farm after the harvest?
A. Food is dried and preserved for winter.
B. The fields are plowed and planted.
C. The sheep are sheared.
D. Wood is chopped.
Which clue word or phrase tells what happens during the winter months?
A. then
B. for over 100 years
C. next
D. finally

Remember:
➢ If a reading passage does not contain clue words, ask yourself questions such as “What
happened first?” and “What happened next?” to help figure out the order of events in a
reading passage.
➢ Stories are usually told in the order in which the events occurred―from the beginning to
the ending. Not all stories are told entirely in time order; sometimes, a past even is
introduced in the beginning or the middle of a story.
Read this article about an honest woman.
Pola was returning home from the supermarket. As she walked, Pola
examined the change she had received from the cashier. It didn’t take her long to
figure out that she had been given the wrong amount.
Right then, Pola turned around and went back to the store. She went up to the
cashier who had given her the wrong change.
“Excuse me, sir,” Pola said very politely. “you have given me the wrong
change.”
“When?” asked the indignant cashier.
“Well, I was here about fifteen minutes ago,” answered Pola.
“Don’t you see that?” asked the cashier, pointing to a large sign hanging
overhead.

Special English Language Course: Reading

 St. Paul University Philippines
Intercultural Institute for Languages 6

There was indeed a large sign that read:

Any errors in change must be reported at the
time of checkout.
The Management
“You mean,” asked Pola, “I can’t get the right change now?”
“That’s what I mean,” said the cashier triumphantly.
“Well,” said Pola, “I can see now that it’s too late to correct your error. I just
wanted to give you back the extra ten dollars you gave.”
Which of these happened first in the story?
A. Pola tried to return the incorrect change.
B. The cashier refused to give Pola the correct change.
C. Pola returned to the supermarket.
D. Pola realized she got the wrong change.
After Pola realized she had the wrong change, she immediately _____.
A. continued walking home
B. returned to the supermarket
C. spoke to the cashier
D. found ten dollars
The clue word or phrase that tells what Pola did after she realized she had the wrong change is
_____.
A. after
B. next
C. right then
D. when
What did Pola do after the cashier refused to give her the correct change?
A. She read the sign.
B. She recounted her change.
C. She told him that she had wanted to return the ten dollars.
D. She continued shopping.

Read this story about Mullah Nasrudin.

Stories about a man who can be both foolish and wise are told in many
countries of the Middle East. In Turkey, this man is known as Hoca Nasrudin. In
Saudi Arabia, he is called the Goha. In Iran, he is known as Mullah Nasrudin.
Here is a story about Mullah Nasrudin.
A very wise man once made an appointment to meet with Mullah Nasrudin at
the mullah’s home. However, when the wise man arrived at the mullah’s home,
no one was home. The man was infuriated. Before he left, he picked up a piece
of chalk and scrawled, STUPID OAF across Nasrudin’s front gate.

Special English Language Course: Reading

 St. Paul University Philippines
Intercultural Institute for Languages 7

After Mullah Nasrudin arrived home, he saw what was written on his gate.
He then rushed to the wise man’s house.
“I had forgotten,” the mullah said, “that you were coming to my house. I
apologize for not having been there. I remembered that you were to visit the
minutes I got home and saw your name on my door.”
The sentences below describe some of the events in the story.
1 Mullah Nasrudin went to the wise man’s house.
2 The wise man scrawled a message on the mullah’s gate.
3 The wise man went to Mullah Nasrudin’s house.
4 The wise man made an appointment to meet with Mullah Nasrudin.

What is the correct order of the sentences?

A. 3, 4, 2, 1
B. 1, 3, 4, 2
C. 4, 1, 3, 2
D. 4, 3, 2, 1
What happened before the wise man scrawled his note to the mullah?
A. He was greeted by the mullah.
B. The mullah’s servant answered the door.
C. A stupid oaf came out to see him.
D. He became infuriated that no one was there to meet him.
What happened after the mullah saw what was written on his gate?
A. He made an appointment to see someone.
B. He rushed to the wise man’s house.
C. He went inside and made a call.
D. He picked up a piece of chalk.
In the story, clues that tell about the sequence are the words _____.
A. about times of day
B. before, after, then
C. about days of the week
D. about months of the year

Read this article about a man whose family had lived in one place for a very long time.
Were you born in the same town that you now live in? Were your parents?
Did your grandparents grow up in the same area? What about their parents?
Adrian Targett, who lives in Cheddar, a town in the southwest of England,
knows how long his family has been living near Cheddar―about 900 years, give
or take a century. And he can prove it.

Special English Language Course: Reading

 St. Paul University Philippines
Intercultural Institute for Languages 8

In 1903, workers in Cheddar came across a skeleton in a cave. Scientists

removed the 900-year0old skeleton for further study. Over 90 years later,
scientists were still studying the skeleton. The skeleton became known as
Cheddar Man. In 1977, scientists came to Cheddar looking for descendants of
Cheddar Man. They took DNA samples from 15 students at the school where
Adrian Targett teaches. Scientists used the samples to conduct DNA studies.
Targett volunteered a DNA sample of his own as well.
The scientists compared the material they had collected from the students and
Targett with the material they had taken from Cheddar Man’s teeth. So much of
Cheddar Man’s sample and Targett’s were alike that scientists concluded that the
two were related. “It was a great shock,” said Targett.
It was perhaps, though, less of a shock for Targett than it might have been for
someone else. Targett has a real sense of the past, since he is, after all, a history
teacher. Now Targett not only teaches history; he’s also part of it!
After scientists compared material from Cheddar Man with material from Adrian Targett, they
_____.
A. collected DNA samples from students
B. found a skeleton in a cave
C. concluded that the two men were related
D. conducted further study on the skeleton
The boxes tell about some of the things in the article
Workers find a skeleton Scientists come to Cheddar looking
in a cave. for Cheddar Man’s descendants
What belongs in the empty box?
A. Targett says, “It was a great shock.”
B. Scientists conduct DNA studies.
C. Scientists conclude that Adrian Targett is related to Cheddar Man.
D. The skeleton becomes known as Cheddar Man.

Read this newspaper article about a school with a unique problem.

Skunks Dismiss Students at Area School
Yesterday marked the first day of spring, the time of year when the scent of
freshly-cut grass and daffodils usually fills the air. For students at Wilson Middle
School, however, the first day of spring ushered in an unexpected scent―the
scent of skunk!
Students at Wilson Middle School were sent home on Monday shortly after
first period classes were set to begin. As students rushed to get to their first class,
the strong, foul smell of skunk filled hallways, classrooms, and even supply
closets.
“It was so bad that my eyes were burning,” said Malcolm Waters, a seventh-
grade student at the school. “Some kids were even sick to their stomach,” he

Special English Language Course: Reading

 St. Paul University Philippines
Intercultural Institute for Languages 9

added. “That’s why Ms. Ortiz, our principal, made sure we were all dismissed
immediately.”
School officials raced to open as many windows as possible and then placed
a frantic call to the animal control officer, Maura Hansen. Hansen, who arrived
on the scene within moments of the call, discovered several skunks under the
school building. It took several hours for her to remove over a dozen skunks.
“Skunks are often found under buildings, especially this time of year.
Usually, they don’t disturb anyone. In fact, rarely do people even know they are
there.”
When asked what caused yesterday’s “scent-sational” event, Hanson replied,
“The skunks probably felt threatened by another animal, possibly a dog, causing
them to spray.”
Classes at Wilson Middle School resumed today. No word yet on where the
skunks are now residing.
Which of these happened first?
A. School officials called the animal control officer.
B. Students rushed to get to their first class on time.
C. The animal control officer arrived on the scene.
D. School officials opened windows.
After officials called in the animal control officer, _____.
A. the odor of skunk filled the school
B. skunks were discovered under the building
C. some students were sick to their stomach
D. students were sent home

Special English Language Course: Reading