2020 GC Hawassa City Administration Educational Department

Second Semester Compensation Lesson

Grade: Nine
Subject: English

Unit: Nine

People and traditional culture

 Introduction to the topic
Dear learners, this unit included 4 basic lessons with short notes, examples and
questions which enable you to test your selves.

Lesson 1: Reading

1.1 Reading comprehension

1.2 Increase your word power

Lesson 2: Language usage

2.1. Possibility and probability

2.2. sequencing words

2.3. Time expression

2.3.1. The difference in usage among during, for and while

2.4. Using ago

2.5. More about adverbs

Lesson 3. Speaking

1.1 Asking for and giving opinion

1.2 Asking for clarification

Lesson 4. Writing

1.1. Writing a paragraph

Lesson 1. Reading

1.1. Reading comprehension

Test your self 1.

This section has one reading passage. Read the passage carefully. Then answer the questions
that follow it.

The most perplexing religious beliefs and rituals are those that seem to work against the
maximization of productive capacity under conditions of severe population pressure and food
shortage. Sometimes it appears as if a whole population is deliberately limits its chances of
survival in order to observe some religious custom or taboo.

A classic example is that of the Hindu treatment of cattle. Everyone agrees that the human
population of India subsists on inadequate calorie and protein rations. Yet the Hindu religion
bans the slaughter of cattle and taboos the eating of biff. These taboos are often held
responsible for the creation of large number of aged, decrepit, barren, and useless cattle.
Such animals are depicted as roaming aimlessly across the Indian country sides. Clogging the
roads, stopping the trains, stealing food from the market places and blocking city streets. A
closer look at some of the details of the eco system of the India sub continent, however,
suggested that the taboo in question increases rather than decreases the capacity of the
present Indian system of food production.

The basis of Indian traditional agriculture is the ox-drawn plow. Each peasant farmer needs at
least two oxen to plow the fields at the proper time of year. To replace these oxen a farmer
also needs at least one cow. Despite the impression of surplus cattle, the central fact of
Indian rural life is that there is a shortage of oxen, since one-third of the peasant households
own less than the minimum pair, obviously, therefore, the cows must be too old, decrepit
and sick to do a proper job of reproducing. At this point the ban or slaughter and beef
consumption is thought to exert its harmful effect. For rather than kill dry, barren and aged
cows, the Hindu farmer is depicted as ritually obscured with preserving the life of each scared
beast, no matter how unless it may become.

1. What is the massage of this passage?

2. How do Hindu people treat their cattle?
3. What causes the creation of large number of aged cattle in India?
4. What technology are using Indian farmers to plow their field?

12. . Vocabulary

Test yourself - 2
Find the following words in the passage. Then, from among the four meanings given, select
the one that best fits the meaning of the word as used in the passage.

1. Perplexing ( par 1) A. puzzling B. increasing C. worrying D. wondering

2. Deliberately ( par1) A. gradually B. totally C. intently D. knowingly

3. Subsist ( par 2) A. feeds B. exist C. consist D. depends

4. obscure ( par 3) A. determined B. dominated C. filled D. burdened

Lesson 2. Language usage:

2.1 Possibility and probability

We can talk about things that are probable using must and can’t.

We use must if the statement is affirmative and has evidence that enables you certain. On
the other hand, can’t is used with negative sentences and have evidence to be sure about it.

Examples. 1. You must be tired. You have been working very hard.

1. you can’t be happy you have just eaten a large meal.

We can also use probable and looks like to express posibility, for example,

1. you are probably tired.

2. It looks like something you cook with.

We can talk about things that are possible using might, may , could and looks like.

Examples: A. What is that?

B.I don’t know. It might/could/ be a jug. Or It looks like a jug.

Self Test 3
Put must, may, could or can’t to these sentences.

1. That ____________ be my key. Mine is silver, not brown.

2. I ____________ go to the park if I finish my home work.
3. We ___________ have a lot of honey. The bees have been very busy.
4. Alemu’s mother __________ be from north or the west.

2.2 . Sequencing words

 We often use sequencing words and expressions to join parts of a text together. This is to
make text easier to read by showing how the different parts link together. They are also
showing the time relation between different events. These include:

At first when while secondly

Then next immediately finally

Before after during at the end

Events can be joined in various ways using these sequencing words and expressions.

Examples:

Event 1 Event 2

I kicked the ball to Ahmed. He headed it in to the next.

You can join them like this:

 I kicked the ball to Ahmed, then he headed it in to the next. Or
 When I kicked the ball to Ahmed, he headed it in to the next.
Self Test 4.
Join the events listed in a logical way using one of the sequencing words listed above.
1. I got up. I had my breakfast.
2. I have something to eat. I get home.
3. It started raining. We have working in the garden.

2.3 Time expressions

The prepositions during, while, and for are often used with time expressions. These words
may have the same meaning but different in use.

2.3.1 the difference in usage among during, for and while

a. during

How do we use during?

During is a preposition, which is used before a noun to say when some thing happenes. It
doesn’t tell us how long it happened.

Example: Nobody spoke during the concert.

Form= during + noun

b. while

How to use while:

While is used to talk about two things that are happening at the same time. The length of
time is not important.

Example: The door was knocked while I was eating my lunch.

Note: usually we use while with continuous tenses.

c. For

How to use for:

For is a preposition that is used with a period to say how long something goes on.

Example: Tsehay was in prison for 6 months.

Self Test 5

Complete the following sentences with for, during or while.

1. We all stayed inside _______________ the storm.

2. Please, don’t smoke _______________ I’m eating.
3. They have been out of the class room __________ ages.

2.4 Using a go

The word a go is a useful way of expressing an indefinite point in time in the past. It ‘s placed
after the period of time, for example, a long time a go, a year ago, a week ago, etc.

Form= indefinite point in time + ago

Similarly we use before as ago to express indefinite point in time in the past but in different
form.

Form= before + indefinite point in time

Examples: 1. A week ago, I played foot ball.

2. Before a week, I played foot ball.

2.5 More about adverbs

Adverbs are words which modifies a verb, another adverb and adjective.

Look at these sentences:

1. She is a slow worker. A. She works slowly.

2. She is a good cook. B. She cooks well.
In number 1 and 2 slow and good are both called adjectives-they tell us more about nouns.
On the other hand, in example A and B slowly and well are both adjectives- they tell us more
about verbs.

Adverbs can be grouped under two general groups. These are:

a/ regular adverbs

b/ irregular adverbs

A. Regular adverbs

Many adverbs are formed by adding –ly to the adjectives

Example:

Adjectives Adverbs Adjectives Adverbs

Brave bravely rude rudely

Quick quickly sweet sweetly

Cold coldly slow slowly

Note some adjectives that end in ’l’ form their adverbs by adding only ‘y’.

Example: full fully

Most adjectives that end in ‘l’ are unchanged as adverbs.

Example: small – we don’t say smally. The same thing is true with still, tall, etc.

 Adjectives that end in ‘y’ form their adverbs by replacing the ’y’ with ‘-ily’
Example: Adjective Adverb
Busy busily

Easy easily

 Adjectives that end in ‘-ible’ and’-able’ replace the final ‘-e’ by ‘-y’.
 Example: Adjective Adverb
Legible legibly
Capable capably
 Adjectives that end in ‘-ic’ form their adverbs by adding’-ally’
Example: adjective Adverb
Economic economically
Photographic photographically
B. Irregular adverbs

Some adverbs are irregular and not formed from the same root as the adjectives.
Example: Adjective Adverb

Good well

 Some adverbs and adjectives are the same.

Adjective Adverb Adjective Adverb
Far far little little
Near near hard hard
Deep deep soft soft
Fast fast high high

 Adverbs and adjective of time are also the same.

Example: Adjective Adverb
Daily daily
Weekly weekly
Self Test 6
Use the adjective or the adverb form of the given words in the bracket to fill the blank spaces.

1. The girl is ________________ and she spoke so ______________ that no body could
hear what she was saying. ( noisy)
2. It was so ___________ that the teacher was pleased since the boys behaved very
___________ in class. ( good)
3. My sister always dresses ___________________ and she looks ______________ (
beautiful)

Lesson 3. Speaking

3.1. Asking for and giving opinion

An opinion is a belief that someone has about a particular matter. For example, a person
might believe that should go to school on weekends. This is an opinion.

When you are discussing something, giving your opinion or holding a debate, you often use
the following phrases:

 In my view…
 I support this motion because…
 I disagree with the previous speaker as …
 I disagree. In my opinion..
 It seems to me that …
 As I see it…

Example: A: what do you think water is used for?

B: I think water is used for irrigation, electric power, and medicine.

 3.2. Asking for clarification

Sometimes we are not quite sure of the meaning of something, or have not heard what has
been said very clearly. We can use a range of expressions to ask for repetition and
clarification.

a. Asking for clarification

 Please repeat that
 Sorry, I don’t catch the last part
 What was that again?
b. Giving clarification
 What I mean is
 What I meant was
 Let me put it another way

Example: Student A: I want you to draw a picture of our village. First draw the road
through the village. Then draw the number of houses on each side
of the road.

Student B: Sorry, I didn’t catch the last part.

Student A: What I meant was, draw the house on each side of the road. Is that
clear?

Lesson 4. Writing

4.1. Writing a paragraph

A paragraph is a group of sentences which discuses about one idea or issue.

A good paragraph should contain:

 A topic sentence
 Supporting details
 A closing sentence

Note when you try to write a paragraph, focus on the main idea, think carefully and organize
your ideas for your paragraph before you begin writing.
Review exercises for unit 7-9
Choose the correct option to complete the following sentences.
1. We must always be on time and not late because ______________ is important.
A. Punctuality B. punctually C. punctual
2. The factory in our town doesn’t _________ children.
A. Employment B. employer C. employ
3. Please, stop ___________. It is the end of the lesson.
A. Writing B. to write C. write
4. Don’t ___________ eggs in cold water.
A. to put B. put C. you put
5. While I ______________ to school I saw a snake in the road.
A. Was walking B. walked C. walk
6. She was always coming when I________________ busy.
A. Am B. was C. were
7. I did my home work ___________ I get home.
A. Then B. when C. while
8. __________ our team played well.
A. First B. When C. At the first
9. We ________________ wear our uniforms to the concert. We can wear what we like.
A. Must B. don’t have to C. can
10. You ______________ drink that water. It looks dirty.
A. Must B. don’t have to C. shouldn’t