The "IF" Generation; Reading Comprehension

The "IF" Generation; Reading Comprehension

Unit 0

Objective

To demonstrate comprehension of general ideas and explicit information in written texts.

Achievement Indicator

Students…

Answer the text questions and differentiate false from correct information.

Open Ended

1. How do you understand the quote by Sun Tzu :

Can you imagine what I would do if I could do all I can?

The IF Generation

Nowadays, many people have issues with appreciating what they have; it is always the matter of "if I were richer...", "if I were younger...", "if I were him...", etc. I don't have a problemwith the fact that we want more fromour lives; what annoys meis the fact that we keep saying what we would do "If"...

When I was younger, I thought if my parents had been richer I could have been more fortunate with my life. I was losing my time on thinking that if I had been born in the family of my cousin, I would have enjoyed private tennis lessons, skiing holidays in Austria or expensive, fashionable clothes. What I didn't take into consideration back then was the fact that i didn't really like sports, I absolutely hated skiing and expemsive clothes often covered the lack of personality. In other words, I was jealous of the thing that I didn't want in reality.

Nowadays, I keep finding myself the new "IFS" that can successfully keep me away from being happy. I think tht if I had more time, I would start going to the gym; if I had more money, I would eat healthy; etc. Result? An overweight 30-years-old woman, always complaining about how difficult life is.

But the problem of "IFS" doesn't finish here. We tend to overuse the 1st conditional in quite straightforward situations.

"I'll visit you if I have time" ususally means "I won't visit you, I'm busy" or "I will lend you the money if I can" equals: "I will not lend you the money, don't put me in an uncomfortable situation". Why do we choose to send confusing messages when we can simply say what we think? We have to be not only politically correct anymore, we must be socially correct too.

Multiple Choice

2. Is the author annoyed with the fact that nowadays people don’t appreciate their lives?

• YES

• NO

Multiple Choice

3. Does the author regret not being able to train tennis?

• YES

• NO

Multiple Choice

4. Is the author physically fit?

• YES

• NO

Multiple Choice

5. Is the author happy with her life?

• YES

• NO

Multiple Choice

6. Does the author think that people often say things which they don’t mean?

• YES

• NO

Multiple Choice

7. What is the author’s opinion about the way we live today?

• Many people with lack of personality use "IFS".

• Many people don't regret anything about theirs life.

• Many people have issues with appreciating what they have.

Multiple Choice

8. What does the author mean when she says that we must be socially correct?

• That we must be politically correct.

• That we must simply say what we think.

• That we must send confusing messages.

Multiple Choice

9. What type of conditional phrases were used in the whole text?

• Zero, First and Second Codnitionals.

• First, Second and Third Conditionals.

• Zero, Zecond and Third Conditionals.