Halaman
CHAPTER
What is it?
Here I will learn to obtain and share
information about things, animals, natural
phenomena, and social phenomena, in order
to get the general knowledge about them.
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Here are two texts about animals that
also live in Indonesia: the buffalo and
the bat. You can "nd this kind of texts
in an animal encyclopedia.
Let’s read the texts together. First,
listen to me carefully.
Then, repeat after me. Say the
sentences loudly, clearly, and correctly.
Buffalo
Buffalo are big, strong, dark-coloured mammals with huge horns.
Afr
ican buffalo live in herds of several hundred – usually near
water, as they love to wallow in mud. African buffalo have very
bad tempers, so humans have never managed to tame them.
Water buffalo are found in the wetter areas of Asia. Few are found
in the wild now and they are mostly kept as farm animals. Water
buffalo have been domesticated for 3,000 years. They are used to
pull carts and ploughs, but they can be kept for their meat, milk,
and hides. Only a few survive in the wild in Asia, but buffalo are
released to run free in the swamps of the Northern Territory of
Australia.
(Adapted from The Little Animal Encyclopedia, 2001, p. 26)
Buffalo
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Bat
Bats have big ears, furry bodies and wings like leather. They are
noctur
nal mammals. This means they sleep in caves and atticks
during the da
y and !y out to feed at night-time.
Bats are the only mammals that can !y. They are very fast and
acrobatic. When they chase after insects, they twist and turn in
mid-air. Bats use sound to catch insects in the darkness. They send
out high-pitched squeals that humans cannot hear. The echoes
that bounce back tell the bats exactly wher
e they will "nd their
prey.
Flying foxes, or fruit bats, are large bats that live in tropical Africa
and Asia. They mainly eat fruit. Flying foxes are important because
they help to spread the pollen and seeds of many plants.
(Adapted from The Little Animal Encyclopedia, 2001, p. 19)
B
a
t
Bats have big ears, furry bodies and
ct
l
al Thi
th
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Work in your group. Let’s look more closely
into the two texts by using a table of
analysis below. The analysis of the texts
about the buffalo and the bat have been
done for you.
Copy them on a piece of paper. Hand-
write your work on a piece of paper.
Underline every verb. Make sure you know
the meaning of every word and spell it
correctly. Use the punctuation marks
correctly, too.
While you are writing, say the words loudly,
clearly, and correctly.
Use a dictionary. If you have any problems,
come to me.
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229
Buffalo
MAIN IDEA
Species
Buffalo
are
big, strong, dark-coloured mammals
with huge horns
DETAILED FACTS
Habitat
1)
Water buffalo
are found
in the wetter
areas of Asia.
2)
Few
are found
in the wild now
3)
Only a few
survive
in the wild in Asia,
4)
but buffalo
are released to run free
in
the swamps of the Northern Territory of
Australia.
Habits
1)
African buffalo
live
in herds of several
hundred – usually near water,
2)
as they
love to wallow
in mud.
Physical characteristics
Buffalo
are
big, strong, dark-coloured mammals
with huge horns
Emotional
charac
teristics
1)
African buffalo
have
very bad tempers,
Functions
2)
so humans
have
never
managed
to tame
them.
3)
and they
are
mostly
kept
as farm animals.
4)
water buffalo
have been domesticated
for
3,000 years
.
5)
They
are used
to pull carts and ploughs,
6)
but they
can be kept
for their meat, milk,
and hides.
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BAT
MAIN IDEA
Species
1)
They
are
nocturnal mammals.
2)
Bats
are
the only mammals that
can !y
.
3)
Flying foxes, or fruit bats,
are
large bats that
live in tropical Africa and Asia.
DETAILED FACTS
Habitat
This means they
sleep
in caves and atticks during
the day.
Habits
1)
This means they
sleep
in caves and atticks
during the day
2)
and
!y
out
to feed
at night-time.
3)
When they
chase
after insects,
4)
they
twist
and
turn
in mid-air.
5)
Bats
use
sound
to catch
insects in the
darkness.
6)
They
send
out high-pitched squeals that
humans cannot hear. The echoes that
bounce
back
tell
the bats exactly where they
will !nd their prey.
7)
They ["ying foxes] mainly eat fruit.
Physical characteristics
1)
Bats
have
big ears, furry bodies and wings
like leather.
2)
They
are
very fast and acrobatic.
Emotional
char
ac
teristics
No information available
Functions
Flying foxes are important because they help to
spread the pollen and seeds of man
y plants.
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231
An encyclopedia text is a written text and
therefore uses the rules of written English.
To present it orally, you certainly need to use
the rules of spoken English.
Work in your group. Study how Beni and
Dayu present the analysis of the two texts
orally in front of the class. Look closely at
what they say before they present each part.
First, copy the texts. Hand-write your
sentences on a piece of paper. Make sure
you know the meaning of every word and
spell it correctly. Use the punctuation marks
correctly, too.
Then, in your group, practice presenting the
two text to each other orally. Say every word
loudly, clearly, and correctly. First, repeat
after me.
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Here are the facts about the buffalo stated in the texts.
There is one fact about their species.
They are big,
strong, dark-coloured mammals with huge horns.
There are four facts about their habitats.
One,
Water
buffalo are found in the wetter areas of Asia.
Two,
few are
found in the wild now.
Three
, Only a few survive in the
wild in Asia.
Four,
but buffalo are released to run free in
the swamps of the Northern Territory of Australia.
There are two facts about their habits. One,
African
buffalo live in herds of several hundred – usually near
water.
Two
, they love to wallow in mud.
There is one fact about their physical characteristics.
Buffalo are big, strong, dark-coloured, with huge horns.
There are two facts about their emotional
characteristics.
One
, African buffalo have very bad
tempers, so humans have never managed to tame them.
Two
, water buffalo have been domesticated for 3,000
years.
There are three facts about the functions of water
buffalo to human beings.
One
, they [water buffalo] are
mostly kept as farm animals.
Two
, they are used to pull
carts and ploughs.
Three
, they can be kept for their meat,
milk, and hides.
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233
Here are the facts about the bat stated in the texts.
There are three facts about their species stated in the
text.
One
, they are nocturnal mammals. Two, bats are
the only mammals tha
t can !y.
Three
, Flying foxes, or fruit
bats, are large bats that live in tropical Africa and Asia.
There is one fact about their habitats.
This means they
sleep in caves and attics during the day.
There are seven facts about their habits stated in
the text. One
, This means they sleep in caves and attics
during the day.
Two
, and !y out to feed at night-time.
Three
, when they chase after insects.
Four
, they twist and
turn in mid-air.
Five
, Bats use sound to catch insects in the
darkness.
Six,
they send out high-pitched squeals that
humans cannot hear.
The echoes that bounce back tell the bats exactly where
they will "nd their prey. And
seven
, they, or
!ying foxes,
mainly eat fruit.
There are two facts about their physical
characteristics.
One
, bats have big ears, furry bodies and
wings like leather.
Two
, they are very fast and acrobatic.
There is no information available about their
emotional characteristics.
There is only one fact about their functions to human
beings.
Flying foxes are important because they help to
spread the pollen and seeds of many plants.
He
Th
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Dragon!y and Damsel!y
Dragon!ies are the fastest !ying insects. They swoop over
the str
eams and ponds up to 90 kilometres per hour. Damsel!y
have longer, thinner bodies and are more delicate, with a
slow, !uttering !ight. The wings of the damsel!y are almost
transparent. They shimmer as the damsel!y searches for small
insects to eat.
Dragon!ies and damsel!ies live near water. They lay their
eggs on plants. When they hatch, the young ones, called nymphs
come out of the eggs. They feed on other water creatures, and
after two years the nymphs grow into adults.
(Adapted from The Little Animal Encyclopedia, 2001, p. 51)
Here are three more texts about
animals that live in Indonesia. These
texts have been adopted from an
encyclopedia.
Let’s read the texts together. First,
listen to me carefully.
Then, repeat after me.
Say the sentences loudly, clearly, and
correctly.
come out of the eggs. Th
ey
after two years the ny
mp
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Grasshopper
Grasshoppers are insects that prefer to hop on their
long back legs r
ather than !y
. Males ‘sing’ to attract mates –
grasshoppers do this by rubbing their back legs together.
Grasshoppers have very strong muscles in their long back legs
and an amazing spring in their knees. The grasshopper can jump
12 times its own length – this would be like a child jumping over a
house!
(Adapted from The Little Animal Encyclopedia, 2001, p. 43)
Fish
Fish live in saltwater and freshwater all over the world.
They c
ome in many different shapes and sizes, but most are
covered in scales and have strong $ns for swimming. A $sh’s scales
all lie in the same direction to help the $sh slip through water.
Like us, $sh need oxygen to live. But instead of breathing
air, they absorb the oxygen in water. Water enters the mouth and
is swept over the gills. The oxygen passes from the water into tiny
blood vessels in the gills.
Fish often swim in groups called shoals. One reason
they do this is for protection. Many $sh together can confuse a
predator. This makes it hard for the predator to single out a $sh.
(Adapted from The Amazing World of Living Things, no date, p. 75)
ts that
pr
efer to ho
p
on their
re
sh
wa
te
r
all
ov
er
t
he
w
or
ld
Collecting Information
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Kelas IX SMP/MTs
Work in your group. Use the table of
analysis you have used before to analyse
the three texts above.
Hand-write your work on a piece of paper.
Underline every verb. Make sure you
know the meaning of every word and
spell it correctly. Use the punctuation
marks correctly, too.
While you are writing, say the words
loudly, clearly, and correctly.
Use a dictionary. If you have any
problems, come to me.
Now, present your analyses of the three
texts
orally
, in the same way as what you
have done previously.
Say every word loudly, clearly, and
correctly.
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237
You have learnt some texts about animals.
Now you will read a long text about non-
living objects, materials.
Let’s read the text together. First, listen to me
carefully.
Then, repeat after me. Say the sentences
loudly, clearly, and correctly.
Materials
Our world is made up of many different materials. Metals
come from rocks. Wood comes from trees. Plastics and glass are
made in factories. Ceramics are made of mud and clay. Most
fabrics are made of parts of plants or animals. We use all these
materials to build our homes and to make the things we use
every day.
A material that soaks up water well is said to be absorbent.
A material that resists water is said to be waterproof. Tissues are
made of a special absorbent paper.
Some materials, such as metal, feel cold when you touch
them because they draw the heat from your hand. They are said
to be good thermal conductors. Other materials, such as wood,
feel warm to the touch. They do not draw heat from your hand
and are said to be good thermal insulators.
Associating
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Sponge
There are different types of sponges. Some sponges are
natural and come from animals that live in warm seas. Most
sponges found in the house are made of rubber. Sponge absorbs
water well. Water is held in tiny holes inside a sponge. It will only
come out when the sponge is squeezed. The best sponges mop
up lots of water.
Fabric
There are different kind of fabrics. Fabrics such as cotton,
linen, wool and silk are made of natural "bres, which come
from plants and animals. Fabrics can also be made of plastic,
or a mixture of plastic and natural "bres. Fabrics have different
properties. For example, some are tough, while others wear away
quickly. Fabrics are used around the house to make clothes,
curtains, towels and furniture coverings.
Associating
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239
Wood
Wood is a natural material. It comes from the trunks and
branches of trees. Different trees produce different kinds of
wood. Some woods, such as oak, are very hard. Others, such as
blasa, are v
ery soft. Most woods are light enough to "oat but
some, such as ebony, sink. Wood has a distinctive smell. When
you hit it with a hammer, it has a distinctive sound.
Some woods, such as ebony, are so hard that it is almost
impossible to saw or knock a nail into them. Balsa wood is so
soft you can easily break it with your #ngers
. Different woods are
chosen to make different types of furniture, depending on how
strong the furniture needs to be.
Associating
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Now analyse the text by using a similar
table of analysis.
The !rst part has
been analysed for you as an example.
First, copy the example on your paper.
Hand-write your work and underline
every verb.
Work with your group. Say the words
loudly, clearly, and correctly while you
are writing them.
Make sure you know the meaning of
every word. Use a dictionary. If you
have any problems, come to me.
Materials
MAIN IDEA
Species
1)
Wood
is
a natural material.
2)
A material that
soaks
up water well
is said
to be
absorbent.
3)
A material that
resists
water
is said to be
waterproof.
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241
Now, present your analyses of the three
texts orally, in the same way as what you
have done previously.
Say every word loudly, clearly, and
correctly.
DETAILED FACTS
Habitat
1)
Our world
is made up of
many different
materials.
2)
Metals
come
from rocks.
3)
Wood
comes
from trees.
4)
Plastics and glass
are made
in factories.
5)
Ceramics
are made
of mud and clay.
6)
Most fabrics
are made
of parts of plants or
animals.
7)
Tissues
are made
of a special absorbent
paper.
Habits
1)
Some materials, such as metal, feel cold
when you t
ouch them because they draw
the heat from your hand. They are said to be
good thermal conductors.
2)
Other materials, such as wood, feel warm to
the touch.
3)
They do not draw heat from your hand and
are said to be good thermal insulators.
Functions
We use all these materials to build our homes and
to make the things w
e use every day
Associating
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You have learnt some texts about
animals and non-living things. Now
you will read two texts about people:
the family and the neighbourhood.
Let’s read the two texts together. First,
listen to me carefully.
Then, repeat after me. Say the
sentences loudly, clearly, and correctly.
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243
Family
A family is a group of people who live together in
the same house. A c
omplete family consists of parents and
one or more children. It is called a nuclear family. In many
countries, a family can be extended to include relatives such as
grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, nephews and nieces living
together under the same house. This big family is called an
extended family. The members of a family share the housework
and take care of each other. With the family we feel safe and
happy. To go home means to return to our family in order have
a rest, to watch TV, to eat together, and to share happiness and
sadness with each other. With our family we grow up to be
healthy and useful individuals.
Neighbourhood
A neighbourhood is a social community within a city,
to
wn, or village. A neighbourhood is made up of families who
live near each other as neighbours. There is a lot of face-to-face
interaction among them. Neighbourhoods have many bene!ts
for the members. A strong and closely related neighbourhood
is a safe environment for the children to grow up. Mothers and
girls can also learn certain skills, like cooking and knitting from
each other, with little or no money. There are many enjoyable
neighbourhood activities, too, like sports and celebrations.
Neighbourhoods also protect the families from crimes.
Communicating
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Kelas IX SMP/MTs
Work in your group. Use a table of analysis
similar to the one you have used before to
analyse the the text above.
First, copy the example. Hand-write your work
on a piece of paper. Underline every verb.
Make sure you know the meaning of every word
and spell it correctly. Use the punctuation marks
correctly, too.
While you are writing, say the words loudly,
clearly, and correctly.
Use a dictionary. If you have any problems,
come to me.
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245
Family
MAIN IDEA
De!nition
1)
A family
is
a group of people who live
together in the same house.
2)
It
is called
a nuclear family.
3)
This big family
is called
an extended family.
DETAILED FACTS
Elements
1)
A complete family
consists
of parents and
one or more children.
2)
In many countries, a family
can be extended
to include
relatives such as grandparents,
uncles, aunts, cousins, nephews and nieces
living together under the same house.
Characteristics
The members of a family
share
the housework
and take care of each other.
Functions
1)
With the family we
feel
safe and happy.
2)
T
o go
home means
to return
to our family
in order ha
ve a rest, t
o watch
TV,
to eat
together
, and
to share
happiness and
sadness with each other.
3)
With our family we
grow
up to be healthy
and useful individuals.
C
ommunicating
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Work in your group. On the next page is a
paragraph about the school. But they are not
yet punctuated nor written properly.
Rewrite them in good sentences.
Handwrite your paragraph on a piece of
paper.
Make sure you know the meaning of every
word and spell it correctly.
Use the punctuation marks correctly, too.
While you are writing, say the words loudly,
clearly, and correctly.
Use a dictionary. If you have any problems,
come to me.
Then, present your paragraph in front of the
class.
Say your sentences loudly, clearly, and
correctly.
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247
Communicating
school
a school is a place where students go to learn today
children in most countries must go to school for
a number of years teachers help them to learn a
school is headed by a principal or a headmaster at
school students can learn skills and knowledge that
are useful for the life now and in the future in most
countries students learn basic subjects—science,
music, geography, history, and languages they also
learn extracurricular activities in indonesia, religion
is a compulsory subject with their teachers and their
friends students also learn to be good people who can
differentiate between right and wrong and between
acceptable and unacceptable behaviour
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Now it is your turn to write one text about an
animal, one text about a non-living thing, and
one text about people. For each text, choose one
from the three objects.
1) ant, cockroach, mouse
2) desk, blackboard, bench
3) football team, English club, choir group
First, plan what you are going to write by using
the table of analysis appropriate for each object.
Use a dictionary. If you have any problems, come
to me.
Then, present your work to the class.
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249
Communicating
In your journal, write your
re!ection on your learning process
in this chapter.
My Journal
I have just learnt to
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
The activities I like most were
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
The activities I found most di"cult were
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
What I need to do better is/are
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
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Kelas IX SMP/MTs
“There is no elevator to success.
You have to take steps.”
UNIQUE TEACHING RESOURCES