Leesvaardigheid - monkeys

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 4,5

Reading Comprehension 

'Monkeys behaving badly'

Dealing with difficult texts

Before reading:

Notice:

• Title
• Images
• Subtitle
• Introduction

What do you already learn about the text? 

What is the text about?

1. Scientific article about monkeys
2. Characteristics of both humans and monkeys
3. Book review: book about monkeys
4. Intelligence in both humans and monkeys

Where to start?

Where to start?

Always read the question first

Underline key words

What are you going to be looking for?

What becomes clear from paragraph 1?

Michael Bywater suggests Macachiavellian Intelligence

• What do you need to do? 
• What do you need to learn?

During reading:

Watch out for words like:

'but', 'therefore', 'however', 'also', etc.

Effect on the text? - positive? negative?

Can help in choosing an answer

Notice other words that indicate positive or negative

What becomes clear from paragraph 1?

What becomes clear from paragraph 1?
Michael Bywater suggests Macachiavellian Intelligence ...

1. gives people better insight into themselves.
2. has too many vulgar and sensational elements.
3. is just as boring as other books on primates.
4. is too sexually explicit for sensitive people.

What is the main function of paragraph 2?

What is the main function of paragraph 2?

1. To explain that primates differ more from humans than we used to think.
2. To give examples of primate behaviour that people like.
3. To illustrate that primate research is very popular.
4. To show that humans are related to both bigger and smaller primates.

Answer in Dutch:

De situatie van de resus-makaak is anders dan die van de meeste in alinea 2 genoemde apen.

In welk opzicht is dat zo volgens alinea 3?

Vul de volgende zin aan: De resus-makaak….

De situatie van de resus-makaak is anders dan die van de meeste in alinea 2 genoemde apen volgens alinea 3:

De situatie van de resus-makaak is anders dan die van de meeste in alinea 2 genoemde apen.
In welk opzicht is dat zo volgens alinea 3?
Vul de volgende zin aan op je antwoordblad: De resus-makaak….

“And it does so by being nasty.” (begin alinea 4)

Welk woord in alinea 3 verwijst al naar dit feit?

Citeer dit woord.

Quote from the text!

You are looking for a synonym

“And it does so by being nasty.” (begin alinea 4)

Welk woord in alinea 3 verwijst al naar dit feit?

Citeer dit woord.

“And it does so by being nasty.” (begin alinea 4)
Welk woord in alinea 3 verwijst al naar dit feit?
Citeer dit woord.

What becomes clear from paragraph 6?

6 There are military parallels, too. Maestripieri writes about his experience when joining the Italian Air Force: "I had been turned into a rhesus macaque who had just transferred into a new group," but goes on to note: “Soldiers who are highly motivated to protect their own selfish interests and those of their buddies make perfect war machines. So a despotic and nepotistic organisation makes an army a perfect war machine...” Rhesus macaque groups seem to be structured and to function according to the same rules.

What becomes clear from paragraph 6?

1. Aggressive behaviour is functional in establishing a strong group
2. Human communities are differently organised from macaque groups.
3. Maestripieri regrets the negative way in which macaques are described.
4. The Italian Air Force copied its successful strategies from macaque tactics.

Wel/Niet

Geef van elk van de volgende mensen, dieren of instellingen aan of die volgens het artikel wel of niet dezelfde kenmerken als de resus-makaken kunnen vertonen. Noteer 'wel' of 'niet'

1 Dario Maestripieri (author of Macachiavellian Intelligence)

2 “Bonobos” (alinea 2)

3 “men in prison” (alinea 5)

4 “the American political system” (alinea 7)

Pay attention to the progression of the idea in the text

1 Dario Maestripieri (author of Macachiavellian Intelligence)

1. yes
2. no

2 “Bonobos” (alinea 2)

1. yes
2. no

3 “men in prison” (alinea 5)

1. yes
2. no

4 “the American political system” (alinea 7)

1. yes
2. no

Reflection

Even texts with many difficult words are doable:

• Read the text in parts
• Look for connecting words, positive/negative
• Questions are more important than the text