•COMPREHENSION CLOZE

What Do we Want Our Students to Learn?

OBJECTIVE:

• To use contextual clues to complete the g_a_p_sg_a_p_s in a cloze passage.

Filling a word to a blank in a cloze exercise is like solving a mystery. You have to look for clues that can help you find the missing word.

Comprehension ClozeComprehension Cloze5 different kinds of clues can be used to help us find the missing word:

1. Clues that show likeness.

2. Clues that show difference.3. Clues that show cause or effect.4. Clues that show parts or wholes.

5. Clues that tell what is most likely.

Clues Signaling Likeness

• One of the 5 contextual cluesClues that show:

• likenesslikeness• difference• cause or effect• parts or wholes• what is most likely

• Look out for clues before or after the blanks

Clues that show likeness

A. Look for nearby words that mean the same or almost the same as the missing words.

E.g. Lionel indeed had a heart of a lion, he

__________ dashed into the burning house to

save the trapped occupants.

Clues that show likeness

A. Look for nearby words that mean the same or almost the same as the missing words.

E.g. Most people do not like snakes. Many are terrified of them. Hence it is puzzling why anyone would want to keep _______ as pets.

Clues that show likeness

C. Look for nearby words that explain or tell the meaning of the missing word.

E.g. The villain in the movie had a __________. He planned to use the weapon to shoot the only witness to his crime.

Clues that show likeness

C. Look for nearby words that explain or tell the meaning of the missing word.

E.g. Indonesia has many active ____________.

These mountains often unleash hot rocks and ash

into the air from inside the earth, endangering the

lives of people who live near them.

Clues that show likeness

D. The missing word may describe what a nearby word is like. Look for nearby words that offer clues to the missing word.

E.g. Mother Theresa devoted her life to caring for the sick and unfortunate. She gave them food, clothes, lodging and above all, love. She was a _______________ woman.

Clues Signaling Differences

• One of the 5 contextual cluesClues that show:

• likeness

• differencedifference• cause or effect• parts or wholes• what is most likely

• Look out for clues before or after the blanks

Clues That Show Differences

A. Look for nearby words that mean the opposite (are antonyms) of the missing word.

E.g. Tim is talkative, but his twin is nothing like him. His twin is _____________.

E.g. One brother is quiet. However, his twin is very _____________.

Clues That Show Differences

A. Look for nearby words that mean the opposite (are antonyms) of the missing word.

E.g. John drove into the city and noticed everyone lived in buildings that were very big. As he drove out of the city, he came across a village where unlike the city, the houses were very __________.

Clues Signaling Cause or Effect

• One of the 5 contextual clues

Clues that show:• likeness• difference

• cause or effectcause or effect• parts or wholes• what is most likely

• Look out for clues before or after the blanks

Clues That Show Cause or Effect

A. Look for nearby words signaling a cause, reason, or purpose. They tell why something has happened or why someone has done something.

E.g. Lynn did not want to be ______________ for her doctor’s appointment. So she left home early.

More Examples…

• Sam was sick. Therefore, he went to the _________

to see the doctor.

• Sarah missed the bus to work. As a result, she was

________ for the meeting.

• Eve had forgotten to do her homework again. Her

teacher was very ________ with her.

• Amy is very ________ because her pet dog had

died.

Clues Signaling Parts or Wholes

• One of the 5 contextual clues

Clues that show:• likeness• difference• cause or effect

• parts or wholesparts or wholes• what is most likely

• Look out for clues before or after the blanks

Clues That Show Parts or Whole

(A) Look for nearby words that name parts of the whole group or object.

E.g. The rice cooker, microwave oven and toaster

are very common today. But 50 years ago,

people did not use any of these kitchen

__________.

Clues That Show Parts or Whole

B. Look for nearby words that name a whole thing or group. The missing word may be part of that whole.

E.g. Our parents brought us to a restaurant for a

meal. After we had eaten, my brother

suggested buying some ________ so we

ordered an apple pie and a chocolate cake.

Clues Signaling What is Most Likely

• One of the 5 contextual cluesClues that show:

• likeness• difference• cause or effect• parts or wholes

•what is most likelywhat is most likely• Look out for clues before or after the blanks

Clues That Tell What is Most Likely

•You may need to draw on your experiences and your common sense to help you arrive at the most likely answer.

• John was a slave. He had a cruel master who

whipped and starved him and kept him working

no matter how tired he was. Finally, John could not

bear it any longer and he ______________.

* What would someone who is being held captive

and treated badly try to do? He would most

likely attempt to escape.

What Would Most Likely Happen?

• Unknown to Lucy, her handbag was open and

someone had taken her purse. It was clear that

a ___________ had done that.

* Who would most likely perform such an act? Pickpocket is the best choice.

Who Would Most Likely Do Something?

How Will We Know They Are Learning?

i) Students would have highlighted the contextual clues.

ii) Students would be able to tell you which type of ‘clue’ they had used to derive the answer.

Why Are They Not Learning?Why Are They Not Learning?i) Not within context of the passage:

I was distresseddistressed to see that the dog was injureddog was injured. The dog’s owner, a young boy, came forward and burst into

ii) Grammar

I heardheard a knock on the door. I went forward and the door.

iii) Lack of knowledge

Egypt was a magnificent civilisation. Its great were supposedly descendantsdescendants from the Sun God, Rafrom the Sun God, Ra.

laughter.

open

kings / pharaohs

Why Are They Not Learning?Why Are They Not Learning?i) Specialised vocabulary:

He came in first in the race. His running shoes running shoes were differentdifferent. I think the under his shoes under his shoes gave him an unfair advantage.

ii) Spelling

The paramedics carefully carried the injured man on a

iii) Limited vocabulary

We have been waiting for a while now. I wonder if the bus will

on time.

strecher.

reach

spikes