Read to learn about Finding out word meanings
When we come across an unfamiliar word in reading, we do not always have to pause and consult a dictionary. Many times, we can use a variety of clues, either related or unrelated to the context, to figure out the meaning of a new word.
In B1U7, we have learned five types of contextual clues to word meanings: synonyms, antonyms, definition / explanation, examples, and word analysis based on roots, prefixes, and suffixes. These clues can help us guess the meaning of an unfamiliar word by using some information from the context.
In this unit, we will look at another type of contextual clues, i.e. punctuation, which is also commonly used to determine the meaning of an unknown word. Punctuation marks such as commas (逗号), parentheses (括号), dashes (破折号), or colons (冒号) are often employed to separate a new word from its meaning. Information set apart by punctuation may serve as an example, a definition, a clarification, an explanation, or a synonym.
Example: My parents made everything abundantly clear in their consecutive demands: "Of course you will become a famous aerospace engineer," they prodded. "And yes, a concert pianist on the side." (Para. 18, Text A) How can we determine the meaning of "consecutive" here? We find that after the colon, the author gives two example demands from her parents, and the two demands come close to each other. Hence, we may guess that "consecutive" means "following one another without interruption". To summarize, when we encounter a new word, we can figure out its meanings by looking at its context as well as by using our life experience and general knowledge. Because a large proportion of our vocabulary is gained through reading, it is important for us to recognize and make full use of various types of clues to find out word meanings. |
Read to learn how to write a narrative with direct dialog.
A narrative essay tells a story. Important elements that make up a story include a setting (the location), a theme (the basic idea), a mood (the feeling or atmosphere), characters (people), and a plot (the sequence of events). One way to present these elements is to use dialog. A good narrative essay often employs vivid dialog, through which it can bring characters to life and effectively arouse readers' emotional responses.
Dialog is the verbal exchanges between two or more characters. There are two ways to tell the words of the characters. One is direct dialog, in which the exact words spoken by a character are quoted. These words are presented in quotation marks and attributed to the speaker. The other is indirect dialog, in which the words of a character are paraphrased and not put in quotation marks. Here are two examples, one for each type of dialog.
1 Direct dialog
"I had a delightful time with my family and so appreciated everyone getting along with one another," said Linda on the way home.
2 Indirect dialog
Linda expressed her pleasure in being with her family and seeing everyone having an agreeable time.
In this unit, we will focus on how to write direct dialog, in which the characters speak directly for themselves. Direct dialog gives readers a feeling of being there listening as the conversation unfolds.
When writing direct dialog, we should follow the standard conventions of punctuation and formatting. This makes the story easy for readers to follow. The basic principles are as follows:
Use quotation marks to indicate the exact words spoken by characters.
Begin a new paragraph whenever the speaker changes.
Make sure readers always know who is speaking. Dialog tags (e.g. "He said") are sometimes used to identify the speaker.
Use correct punctuation marks and capitalization.
The following example is a conversation between a mother and her son. It shows how the principles outlined above are applied.
Example
"Clean up your room," Mother said, "or you're not going to the movie!" Jim shouted, "That's not fair! It's Ben's room too!" "Ben will be home later to take care of his half. Now, are you going to get started?" Mother scolded. "I guess so," muttered Jim. "Why doesn't Ben ever have to do anything around here?" "He does plenty," Mother said. Jim said, "I never see him do much of anything but study." "Well," answered Mother, "you're never around very much." |
Effective dialog is an important ingredient of a good story. Through dialog, readers visualize what is happening in the hearts and minds of the characters, become involved in the story, and hence get thoroughly entertained.
In Text A of this unit, the author uses direct dialog in several places when describing the language and behavior of the characters. Let's look at the following excerpt:
Sau-sau frowned. "B'yao, zhen b'yao!" she cried, patting her substantial stomach. I don't want it, really I don't. "Take it! Take it!" my mother scolded in Chinese, as predictably as the lunar cycles. "Full, I'm already full," Sau-sau muttered weakly, eying the scallop. "Ai!" exclaimed my mother. "Nobody wants it. It will only rot!" Sau-sau sighed, acting as if she were doing my mother a favor by taking the scrap off the tray and sparing us the trouble of wrapping the leftovers in foil. |
The dialog creates a vivid image of how the author's mom and aunt talked and behaved at the dinner table. It demonstrates the Chinese norms of offering, declining and taking food as happens between a guest and a hostess (or host). It effectively engages readers' attention and leads them naturally to the topic of the essay, i.e. whether Chinese language and culture are indirect and polite.
