REPORT

Unit Four

REPORT

Social Function:

To describe the way things are, with reference to a range of natural, man-made and social phenomena in our environment.

Generic Structure:

Ø General classification: tells what the phenomenon under discussion is.

Ø Description: tells what the phenomenon under discussion is like terms of (1) parts, (2) qualities,(3) habits or behaviors, if living; uses, non-natural.

Significant Lexicogrammatical Features

§  Focus on Generic Participants.

§  Use of Relational Processes to state what is and that which it is.

§  Use of simple present tense (unless extinct).

§  No temporal sequence.

Read the following example of a report text:

Whales

General Classification

Whales are sea-living mammals

Description: (behaviors, qualities, parts)

They therefore breathe air but cannot survive on land. Some species are very large indeed and the blue whale, which can exceed 30 m in length, is the largest animal to have lived on earth. Superficially, the whale looks rather like a fish, but there are important differences in its external structure: its tail consists of a pair of broad, flat, horizontal paddles (the tail of a fish is vertical) and it has a single nostril on top of its large, broad head. The skin is smooth and shiny and beneath it lies a layer of fat (blubber). This is up to 30 m in thickness and serves to conserve heat and body fluids.

Text 1

The polar bear is a very big white bear. We call it the polar bear because it lives inside the Arctic Circle near the North Pole. There are no polar bears at the South Pole.

The polar bears live at the North Pole. There is only snow, ice, and water. There is not any land. These bears are three meters long, and weigh 450 kilos. They can stand up on their back legs because they have very wide feet. They can use their front legs like arms. The polar bears can swim very well. They can swim 120 kilometers out into the water. They catch fish and sea animals for food. They go into the sea when they are afraid.

People like to kill the polar bears for their beautiful white coats. The governments of Canada, the United States, and Russia say that no one can kill polar bears now. They do not want all of these beautiful animals to die.

1.   What does the passage mainly discuss?

a.      The size of polar bears.

b.      Where polar bears live

c.      The habitat of polar bears.

d.      Why people hunt polar bears.

e.      A brief description of polar bears.

2.   What is the main idea of the last paragraph?

a.      Polar bears are very big animals

b.      The polar bears are tame animals

c.      Polar bears live at the North Pole

d.      There are no polar bears at the South Pole

e.      Polar bears are hunted because of their beautiful white coats

3.   Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE about a polar bear?

a.      A polar bear weighs 450 kilos.

b.      A polar bear is three meters long.

c.      A polar bear catches fish for food.

d.      A polar bear goes into the sea when it is angry.

e.      A polar bear can swim 120 kilometers out into the water.

4.   A polar be; goes into the sea when it is afraid. The underlined word is closest ii meaning to ...

a.      shy

b.      angry

c.      scared .

d.      furious

e.      shocked

Text 2

The sense of taste is one of a person's five senses. We taste with the help of taste-buds in the tongue.

There are four main kinds of taste: sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. All other tastes are just mixtures of two or more of these main types.

The surface of the tongue has more than fifteen thousand taste-buds (or cells). These are connected to the brain by special nerves which send the so-called 'tastes messages.

When the tongue comes into contact with food of any kind, the taste-buds will pick up the taste. The nerves then send a message to the brain. This will make us aware of the taste. All this happens in just a few seconds.

There are four kinds of tastebuds, each of which is sensitive to only a particular taste.

These four groups are located in different parts of the tongue.

The taste-buds for salty and sweet tastes are found round the tip of the tongue and along its sides. Sour tastes can be picked up only at the sides of the tongue.

The taste-buds for the bitter taste are found at the innermost edge of the tongue. There are taste-buds at the centre of the tongue.

The senses of smell and sight can affect taste. The good smell of food increases its taste. Similarly, attractive colours can make food appear tastier and more delicious. If food does n6t smell good or is dullcoloured, it will look tasty and may not taste good at all.

Very hot or cold sensations can make the tastebuds insensitive. Food that is too hot or too cold, when placed in the mouth, will have no tastes at all.

5.   We can taste any kind of food because of ...

a.      the good smell of food

b.      the four main kinds of taste

c.      the taste-buds in the tongue

d.      the senses of smell and sight

e.      the taste-buds round the tip of the tongue

6.   When we eat very hot or cold food ...

a.      the food will lose its taste

b.      the food won't smell good

c.      the taste of the food -increases

d.      the taste-buds will be sensitive

e.      the taste-buds will be very responsive

7.   The senses of smell and sight ...

a.      increase the taste of the food

b.      affect the taste of the food

c.      make food more delicious

d.      make the food look good

e.      make the food attractive

8.   The purpose of the text is ...

a.      to explain how we can taste any food in the mouth

b.      to give a report about the sense of taste

c.      to inform how important the tongue is

d.      to describe the use of the tongue

e.      to tell the taste of the food

Text 3

Gold is a precious metal. Gold is used as ornaments or as money.

Gold is found in many places, but in small supply. It is often found on the surface of the earth. Since gold is a heavy substance, it is sometimes found loose on the bottom of the rivers. The gold is found together with sand and rocks, and must be separated from them. It is simple to search for this of gold.

It is not usually necessary to drill for gold, but when a layer of gold is located deep below the surface of the earth, it is possible to drill a hole into the ground. Engineers have developed modern processes for removing gold from rocks.

Since gold is not very hard, it is sometimes melted and added to other substances for making rings, coins, and art objects. It will be priced forever because it is beautiful, rare, and useful.

9.      The best title of the text above is …………..

         a.   Gold                                                 d.   rare ornaments

         b.   Type of gold                                   e.   removing gold from rocks

         c.   previous metal

10.    The following are associated with gold, EXCEPT ….

         a.   useful                                               d.   expensive

         b.   precious                                          e.   unnecessary

         c.   beautiful

11.    The text above is mainly intended to … about gold.

         a.   discuss                                            d.   elaborate

         b.   classify                                            e.   document

         c.   describe

Text 4

An elephant is the largest and largest and strongest of all animals.It is a strange looking animal with its thick legs, huge sides and backs, large hanging ears,a small tail, little eyes, long white tusks and above all it has a long nose, the trunk.

The trunk is the elephant`s pecicular feature, and it has various uses. The elephant draws up water by its trunk and can squirt it all over its body like a shower bath. It can also lift leaves and puts them into its mouth. In fact the trunk serves the elephant as long arm and hand. An elephant looks very clumsy and heavy and yet it can move very quickly.

The elephant is a very intelligent animal. Its intelligence combined with its great strength makes it a very useful servant to man and it can be strained to serve in various ways such as carry heavy loads, hunt for tigers and even fight.

12. The third paragraph is mainly about the fact that ….

     a.   elephants are strong                        d.   elephants can lift logs

     b.   elephants are very useful                e.   elephants must be trained

     c.   elephants are servants

13. Which of the following is not part of the elephant described in the first paragraph ?

     a.   it look strange                                    d.   it has a trunk

     b.   it is heavy                                           e.   it has a  small tail

     c.   it is wild

14. It is stated in the text that the elephant uses the trunk to do the following , EXCEPT ….

     a.   to eat                                                  d.   to carry thing

     b.   to push                                               e.   to squirt water over the body

     c.   to drink

15. “The trunk is the elephant `s pecicular feature ….” (Paragraph 2)

         The underlined word is close in meaning to .…

     a.   large                                                   d.   smooth

     b.   strange                                               e.   long

     c.   tough