Step 3 Scanning

Divide the passage into 4 parts and find out the main idea of each paragraph.

Part One (Paragraph 1): Opening of the letter and introduction to what will be talked about in the passage.

Part Two (paragraph 2-3): The school where Jo worked and Jo's work at school.

Part Three (Paragraph 4-8): Jo and Jenny visited Tombe's home in the village.

Part Four (paragraph 9): End of the letter.

Step 4 Skimming

Skim the text and finish the following task.

Task 1 Answer the following questions:

1) Why did Jo send Rosemary some photos?

________________________________________________________.

2) Why was science the most challenging subject for Jo?

________________________________________________________.

3) Why did the boys start jumping out the window?

________________________________________________________.

4) Why should it take Jo and Jenny two and a half hours to get to the village?

________________________________________________________.

(Suggested answers: 1) It is difficult for Rosemary to imagine how life was hard. 2) Her students had no concept of doing experiments and there was no equipment. 3) The boys never came across anything like the bubbling mixture. 4) They had to climb up a mountain to a ridge first and then down a steep path to the village below.)

Task 2 Read Paragraph 4-8 carefully and complete the table below about the customs and lives of the people in Tombe's village.

Type of houses: __________________________________________.

Family relationships: ____________________________________.

Cooking methods: ________________________________________.

Sleeping arrangements: ___________________________________.