Cultural Literacy

How much do you know about the world and other cultures? Do you know how
many countries in the world speak your language? Can you tell which countries
speak English as a native language? What time is it on the other side of the
world right now? What religion do the people in there practice? What is their
culture like? How does their education and economy work? Do you find any
similarities within these aspects and your own culture?
Cultural literacy is about understanding the world from different perspectives
and contributing together to find solutions for common issues we face every
day. In this learning activity we are going to analyze important aspects of
cultural literacy and its role in building a better society. Also, we are going to
study adjective clauses to describe people things and places.

Fuente: SENA

Introductory material

Dear learner,

This material will help you study the topics related to learning activity 2.
You will learn about:

1. Adjective clauses.
2. Cultural literacy.
Lets begin!

1. Adjective clauses

An adjective clause is just a group of words with a subject and a verb that
provide a description about the subject of a sentence.

Alex and Tom are talking about a new classmate. Read the conversation:

There is a new
girl in the
classroom.
Have you seen
her?

No, which
one?

Her name is
Kaila. She
comes from
Iran.
You mean the
one who wears a
long black dress
and covers most
of her face?
 Yes, that one.
Some women
who are Muslim
cover their face
in public. Thats interesting. I
have never met
someone from Iran
before.

Well, there are many

amazing facts about
their culture. For
example Sunday,
which is a normal day
people go to work or
No way! So
study, is the first day when is the
of the week for them. weekend for
them anyway?
 The weekend for
them is Friday and
Saturday, which is
the last day of the
week.
That is kind of
awkward.

Its not that

different. Its just
a matter of
getting used to it. I guess you are
right. What else do
you know about
that culture?
 Well, it is also
important to know
that women who are
married cannot talk
to men in public.
They are just allowed
to talk to their male
relatives. How do you
know so much
about that culture
anyway?

Well I lived in
Iran for 2 years.
It was a really
nice experience!

Fuente de imgenes: SENA

Look at this example from the reading:

Women who are Muslim usually cover their face in public.

Adjective clause.

An adjective clause tells us additional information about the subject of the

sentence.

Note: Adjective clauses give additional information about a person, place or

object without starting another sentence. By combining sentences your text
becomes more fluent and you avoid repetition.

Consider the following examples:

I have to read a lot of reports. They are complicated. (Two separate sentences).
I have to read a lot of reports which are complicated. (One sentence with
adjectives clauses).

A man died yesterday. He was my next door neighbor. (Two separate

sentences).

The man who died yesterday was my next door neighbor. (One sentence with
adjectives clauses).

Adjective clauses can refer to people, objects or places. Look at the following
chart:

Different uses of adjective clauses

Pronoun Use Example
The salad that my
To refer to animals or
That mother prepares is
things.
delicious.
This phone, which I
To refer to animals or
Which bought yesterday, was
things.
very expensive.
People who live here
Who To refer to people.
are very nice.
The player whom I
Whom To refer to people.
support won the game.
He is the man whose
Whose To refer to possessions.
car was confiscated.
That - which: We use that / which to refer to things. That is more usual than
which, but sometimes you must use which (see essential and non-essential
clauses in the next chapter).

The computer that I have to fix is very old.

Where is the book which I bought yesterday?

Who: we use who when we are talking about a person.

The swimmer who won the competition is Australian.

Do you know the man who was with Anne at the party?

Who is commonly used in definitions:

A policeman is someone who protects people.

A pilot is a person who flies planes.

Note: You can use that instead of who to refer to people:

The girl that I met yesterday is very beautiful.

Where is the waiter that is taking our order?

Important: when that, which or who is the object of the adjective clause, you
can omit it:

This is the book that I am reading.

That (the book) is the

object, so it can be omitted.
I is the subject.

This is the book I am reading.

When that, which or who is the subject of the adjective clause, it cannot be
omitted:
My sister, who is studying law, will graduate next month.

Who is the subject, so it

cannot be omitted.
Examples:

The house which I am building is in the mountains.

The house which I am building is in the mountains.
Where are the keys that I left here yesterday?
Where are the keys that I left here yesterday?
The technician who I hired will arrive soon.
The technician who I hired will arrive soon.
Whose: Whose replaces his / her / their in adjective clauses.

Compare:

I have a sister. Her house is in the mountains.

This is my sister whose house is in the mountains.

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There is a new boy in my class. His father is a professional football player.

There is a new boy in my class whose father is a professional football player.

 Fuente: SENA

Other examples:

He is the man whose sister I will marry next month.

I share my apartment with a friend whose parents are Mexican.
Good morning, I am the man whose car was confiscated. How can I get it
back?
He is dating a young woman whose house I bought last summer.

Whom: Whom can replace who when it is the object of the verb in the adjective
clause:

The woman with whom I live is very pretty.

The operator with whom I spoke over the phone said the connection would be
fixed today.

Whom is not very common. Although whom is more formal than who, it is often
omitted in spoken language:

The girl whom I spoke to is The girl I spoke to is the new

the new teacher. teacher.

However whom is not omitted if there is a preposition before:

Correct Incorrect
The patient for whom you were waiting The patient for you were waiting will
will not come. not come.

Other examples:

Who were those guys whom you were playing with?

 The man with whom I work is handicapped.
The girl whom I married is very special.

Essential and non-essential clauses

Adjective clauses can also be classified in two types depending on the type of
information provided by the clause.

An essential adjective clause is necessary to understand the sentence. Without

it, the meaning of the sentence changes. Observe:

The student who didnt come to class suffered an accident.

Who didnt come to class is an essential adjective clause. It tells us which

student we are referring to.

Note: we do not use comas in essential adjective clauses.

Fuente: SENA
Example:

Workers who do not comply with the schedule will be fired.

In essential adjective clauses, we can use that instead of who to refer to people.
Also we can use that instead of which to refer to things. Observe:

I dont know the man who is
talking to my wife.
or
The exercise that I dont
understand is on page six.
I dont know the man that is talking
to my wife.
The exercise which I dont
understand is on page six.

A non-essential clause gives additional information to the sentence. But the

information is not essential to understand the sentence. Observe:
My best friend, who is a pilot, usually spends his holiday in Miami.

Who is a pilot is a non-essential adjective clause. It gives additional

information about the situation, but the information is not essential to
understand the sentence.

Note: commas are required before and after a non-essential adjective clause:

Fuente: SENA

Example:

My brother, who is unemployed, lives with my parents.

In non-essential adjective clauses, we cannot use that instead of who to refer

to people. Also we cannot use that instead of which to refer to things. Observe:

Correct
Ana, who was wearing a nice dress
today, is travelling to Italy tomorrow.
My parents house, which was built in
1983, is very big.
Incorrect
Ana, that was wearing a nice dress
today, is travelling to Italy tomorrow.
My parents house, that was built in
1983, is very big.
 2. Cultural literacy

We have ignored cultural literacy in thinking about education. We ignore the

air we breathe until it is thin or foul. Cultural literacy is the oxygen of social
intercourse. Eric Donald Hirsch JR.

Fuente: SENA

How much do you know about your country and its culture? Do you think people
from some cultures are more important than others? How do people greet in
Japan? What days do people go to work and study in Muslim countries? Why
do people in some countries have different hours depending on the seasons?
Do you have friends from other countries? What is their life like?

After answering these questions, reflect: How much do you know about your
own culture and other cultures around the world? Is this knowledge important in
life?

Cultural literacy provides answers to the questions above. One of the main
issues being faced by humanity is the lack of cultural understanding among
different societies. This has caused wars, negative feelings, hate and anger
among societies.

The principal benefit of cultural literacy is that by knowing how people behave in
other cultures, how they interact with nature, their society, culture and
spiritual beliefs, we can better understand them and improve relations by
showing respect for their culture. This can definitely reduce cultural differences
in the world and improve the way different cultures interact.
Learning from other cultures

We live in a consumerist society that is devastating our planet. By critically

reflecting about the way we interact with nature and comparing it with other
cultures, we can develop new ideas and achieve great changes in our societies.

For example, there are a lot of people around the world with brilliant ideas about
how to improve the way we live and interact with our planet. Many societies
have close relationships with the natural world. The communities that hold these
ideas sometimes find ways to fulfill their needs with the local resources provided
by the environment in ways that are sustainable and do not harm the
environment in order to live according to their beliefs. Nature and culture are
inseparable in some places. Finally, such cultural beliefs and practices are not
made public, so they may benefit just the small corner of the world where they
prevail.

One of the benefits of cultural literacy is that it allows us to discover this type of
ideas from other cultures and therefore and learn from them. Intercultural
exchange and learning can bring positive changes at a personal and societal
level.

Fuente: SENA

Cultural literacy about your country

It often feels exotic and adventurous to learn about cultures in other parts of the
world. However, have you ever asked yourself how much you know about
culture in your own country? How many ethnicities are there? What are their
traditions like? How many languages are spoken in your country and why?
Cultural literacy is not only about foreign cultures. The first thing you must know
well if you want to be culturally literate is your own culture. A lot of people dont
seek to learn about their culture. They believe it is enough to have been born
and lived there. They think the daily interaction they have is sufficient to cover
the need for cultural literacy. They tend not to move outside their comfort zone.

Yet, there is more to know than they think, and certainly, many reasons that
people dont seek out knowledge about cultures different from their own. For
example, if you live in a big city, it is likely you dont have much contact with
culture in rural areas of your country and vice versa. The lack of time and
energy that big city life often creates is one of the reasons people do not get
interested in learning and interacting with other local cultures. Likewise, people
in rural areas may shy away from going to the cities due to difficulties in getting
there as well as the difference in pace of life that going to the city implies. If
people knew more about the different parts of their own society, and the
different cultures inhabiting their territories, they would probably have better
relations nationally.

So, next time you think about improving your cultural literacy, start by learning
about your own culture and the cultures that belong to your country. Leave your
comfort zone. This can bring many benefits to you and your community.
Besides, it is fun to learn about cultural differences in your country.

Fuente: SENA
 Cultural literacy about your country

Fuente: SENA

Cultural literacy in education means interacting with students from other

cultures by any means (face to face, by internet, videos, etc.) and exchanging
experiences and cultural knowledge. As simple as it may sound, the impact of
cultural literacy in education is huge, as it enables students to see the world
through different eyes.

What if we saw the world as a place with no boundaries? A place where

everyone has the same rights and votes in important decisions? A place where
you see others as collaborators and people work together towards common
goals? This is the objective of cultural literacy, to have a better world.

You come to school or university to learn about the world while sharing with
people from different locations and often different cultural backgrounds. There
you have the perfect setting for cultural literacy to be achieved. Some particular
ways to take advantage of these setting to foster cultural literacy are:

Get to know your partners well: People tend to hang out with the ones they find
things in common with. They define their friends by the music they like, the
place they come from, the language they speak, etc. This is the first obstacle
we create when developing cultural literacy. So next time try to get interested in
different people from your class. Interact with the classmates you usually dont
talk to. Probably they have interesting things to share with you about their
cultural background.

Is your school, college or office involved in any cultural literacy activity? It

probably is. Try to find out and get involved in them. If not, this is the perfect
opportunity for you to propose the inclusion of these activities.

Cultural literacy in education

Fuente: SENA

If we can teach the values of respect and interaction with other cultures, then
the world will definitely be more tolerant of difference!
 Contextualization

Helen is a business woman. She meets people from all over the world. Listen to
her talking after a business tour.

Fuente: SENA

My name is Helen. I am a business executive in a multinational company in

Canada. I was recently promoted to head manager in my department. Now I
have to travel around the world and introduce our products to potential new
clients. I just came from a global tour where I visited China, Japan and Egypt.

In china I went to a petroleum company and presented a business proposal that

was very attractive. It was a big company so I went straight to the point and kept
the conversation in a very professional way. Although my presentation was
excellent, my proposal was not approved. I learned later that Chinese people
like to get to know one another before doing business. If I had known about it
before, I would have told them something about me before starting the
business.

In my second trip I went to Japan. I visited a technology company in Osaka. The

businessmen I talked to seemed quite interested in our products. At the end of
the meeting they gave me their business cards. I just took them and put them in
my pocketUnfortunately they never called me back to close the business. A
coworker told me Japanese people give great relevance to their business cards.
A business car in Japan has to be received with both hands and treated with
respect. Putting a business card in your pocket is considered rude in Japanese
culture.

Finally I went to Egypt. I had a business appointment with an executive from a

public company. When I met him my right hand was busy with some stuff. So I
offered him a handshake with my left hand. The man was shocked and
immediately ended the meeting. I was concerned as I didnt know why he had
ended our appointment that early. I found out on the internet that in Islamic
countries it is considered offensive and unclean to offer your left hand to shake.

I returned home with my empty hands. I did not get even one business deal. I
learned my lesson the hard way. Next time I visit a foreign country, I will
carefully investigate their culture first to avoid another disappointment.

Comprehension

A. Organize the following events in chronological order according to Helens

story. One example is done for you.

Helen
1
Returned home.

Travelled to China.

Received a business card.

Travelled to Egypt.

Got a promotion at work.

B. Listen to Helen again. Choose the best answer:

1. In China it is common to:

a. Speak the local language during business meetings.

b. Find women in business meetings.
 c. Get to know each other better before doing business.

2. Business cards in Japan:

a. Are not very common.

b. Must be received with both hands.
c. Are compulsory to close a business successfully.

3. In Egypt:

a. You never shake hands with your left hand.

b. Meetings are very short.
c. It is quite difficult to succeed in a business.

4. Helen thinks:

a. Interacting with other cultures is disappointing.

b. Obtaining a business in foreign countries is difficult.
c. Cultural literacy is important when you are doing business abroad.

Practice 1

A. Write a definition for the words below using the sentences from the box. Use
who or that depending on each word. Two examples are done for you.

Definitions
people use to take
pictures. takes care of animals.
is used to surf the web. helps people when they are sick.
designs houses and flies planes.
buildings. works in a ship.
you drink when you are is used to take notes.
thirsty. prepares cocktails.
people use to cook.

Examples:

Water: is something that you drink when you are thirsty.

A pilot: is a person who flies planes.

A smartphone: _______________________________.
A stove: _______________________________.
An architect: _______________________________.
A sailor: _______________________________.
A barman: _______________________________.
A vet: _______________________________.
A pen: _______________________________.
A camera: _______________________________.
A doctor: _______________________________.

B. Helen is talking to Richard about her business trip to Egypt. Complete the
interview with the words from the box below. Check the conjugation if there
is a verb. Words may be in singular or plural.

investigate / culture / open-minded / interact / issue /

tradition

Fuente: SENA

Richard: I heard you were in Egypt last month.

Helen: I was. It is such a beautiful place. Although I had some ___________, I
really enjoyed my trip.
Richard: What do you mean? What issues did you have?
Helen: Well first I arrived to the hotel. It was big and elegant. However, the staff
didnt speak English quite well, so it was difficult to check in. I had to wait for 30
minutes. An employee who spoke English arrived and helped me to register.
Richard: Thats terrible! I wouldnt have waited that long!
Helen: My room was on the 15th floor. It had a beautiful view of the city. After I
unpacked, I took a shower to relax after the long trip. Then I wanted to go buy
some personal objects in a store or supermarket. But all the stores were closed!

Richard: What do you mean they were closed?

Helen: Yes. They close all businesses and stores in the afternoon due to the
high temperatures. Stores open again at 6:00 p.m. Anyway, I could not buy
anything and had to go back to the hotel. I was shocked.

Richard: That sounds quite strange. In all the places I have visited, stores are
opened all day. Anyway, you have to be ___________when you find something
unusual or new to you.

Helen: I thought the same. When I was on my way back, a tour guide was near
the hotel. He told me stores are opened again from 6.00 p.m. until midnight.
Can you imagine?

Richard: Well, you could have gone shopping at night.

Helen: Anyway, thats not all. When I felt hungry, I went to a restaurant. A friend
of mine had recommended it. Pork was not on the menu. So I asked the waiter
if they served something with pork. Immediately his faced turned red. He
seemed pretty upset and told me they had never served pork.

Richard: How could you ask for pork in a Muslim restaurant?! Didnt you know
pork is forbidden in Muslim restaurants. It is not common in their diet.

Helen: Well, I didnt know that. Id never been to a Muslim country before.

Richard: Well, if you were traveling to Egypt, you should have ___________a
bit about their culture and ___________before going.

Helen: Well, probably you are right. Next time I visit a different country, Ill find
out about their ___________first.

Richard: Make sure you do that.

Helen: But not everything was bad. I visited the pyramids. They were near the
hotel. I also took a safari on the Nile River. It is very big and powerful. I had the
chance to ___________ with some local people. They were very kind.

Richard: Glad you finally enjoyed something in Egypt. I have to go now. Talk to
you later dear.
Helen: Bye Richard.

C. Here are some sentences from Helen and Richards conversation. Write
them again using adjective clauses. Some are essential and some are non-
essential clauses. One example is done for you.

Without adjective clauses With adjective clauses

First I arrived to the hotel. It First I arrived to the hotel, which was
was big and elegant. big and elegant.
The manager spoke English.
He arrived and helped me to
register.
My room was on the 15th floor.
It had a beautiful view of the
city.
However a tour guide was near
the hotel. He told me stores are
opened again from 6:00 p.m.
until midnight.
I went to a restaurant. A friend
of mine had recommended it.
Pork is forbidden in Muslim
restaurants. It is not common in
their diet.
I visited the pyramids. They
were near my hotel.
I also took a safari in the Nile
River. It is very big and
powerful.

D. Andrew is describing his family using this photograph. Observe the

photograph and complete the sentences below using adjective clauses. One
example is done for you.
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Example:
Man wearing green jersey: The man who wears a green jersey is my brother.

1. Man holding a glass of wine:__________________________________.

2. Woman wearing a purple jersey:_________________________________.

3. Snacks are in the middle of the table:_____________________________.

4. Little girl in front of my brother:____________________________________.

5. TV in the middle of the wall:______________________________________.

6. Woman next to the flowers:______________________________________.

E. Join the two columns by choosing the appropriate pronoun from the center
column to make coherent sentences. One example is done for you.

That is the man who / which / that / died in a car accident

whom / whose last week.
This is the cellphone who / which / that / I want for my birthday.
whom / whose
 I dont like the new who / which / that / we are using now.
software whom / whose
A widow is a woman who / which / that / husband is dead.
whom / whose
To who / which / that / did you give the
whom / whose computer?
I really need the report who / which / that / you wrote last semester.
whom / whose
I cant figure out who / which / that / I have to give this to.
whom / whose

F. Each of the following sentences has a mistake in it. Find it and rewrite the
sentence correctly.

1. The man whose lives in the first floor is my aunts boyfriend.

_______________________________________________.

2. Caipirinha is a cocktail who is very popular in Brazil.

_______________________________________________.

3. The woman, who arrived, is our new English teacher.

_______________________________________________.

4. The students which are in the football team have to come on Saturday.
_______________________________________________.

5. Amanda, whom pet died recently, is very sad.

_______________________________________________.

6. My email, whose I left opened, was hacked.

_______________________________________________.

7. My brother, whom works at night in a hotel, was fired yesterday.

_______________________________________________.

Practice 2

A. Read the text. Choose true or false.

Julian lived in India for six months. Read about his experience.
 Fuente: SENA

When I was 21, I had the chance to take part in a student exchange program at
my university. I could have gone to Italy, France or any other western country.
However, I wanted to try a more exotic culture. Therefore, I went to India and
lived with a family for six months in the city of Jaipur. By that time, I had already
read a lot about Indian culture and traditions, so I thought I was going to fit in
well. Yet, when I arrived, I found out I was wrong. There were many things I felt
shocked about.

Some Indians dont use utensils to eat their meals. Instead they use their bare
hands. They considered they connect with God by doing it. Although I had read
about this previously, I really felt uncomfortable the first few times I had to eat
with my hands. I felt as if my hands were dirty all the time. Jan, who was the
oldest brother in my host family, told me that Indians eat with their hands
because it is a way to have a spiritual connection with their God. Another thing
that was difficult for me about food is the fact that I could not eat my favorite
food in India. Pork is considered to be dirty food for Indians, so you do not find it
anywhere.

Another aspect that was shocking for me was that some toilets in India are a lot
different. They are just a hole in the floor where you have to crouch and stand
still while you use the bathroom. Also, it is common to use water in the
bathroom as well as toilet paper to clean yourself. This is because Indians
consider that using toilet tissue is not enough.
Also, if you visit a house or temple in India, you have to take your shoes off.
Indians consider their houses like temples, so they dont want the dirt from the
outside in their temple.

Something that I found fascinating was its rich linguistic culture. There are more
than 20 official languages in the country and 400 non official languages.
Although English is widely spoken across the country, in some towns they only
speak the local language, making it difficult for you to communicate if you only
speak English.

These are some of the things I learned while in India which taught me that it is
definitely not the same to read about a countrys culture as to go and
experience the culture yourself. Going somewhere certainly will let you enjoy
the experience a lot more.

Although my days in India were unpleasant at the beginning because I was

adjusting to the culture, I managed to get used to their culture and learned a lot
from it. I certainly enjoyed my experience there. If I had the chance to choose
again I would go to India without any doubt.

Statements True False

Julian did not want to go to India.
Julian wanted to travel to France or Italy in the first
place.
Julian felt uncomfortable eating with his hands at first.
Most Indians dont speak English.
There is no toilet tissue in Indian toilets.
He liked the experience but would not go back to India
again.

B. Here are some tips and things to remember in case you are traveling to
India. Match one custom from the left with the correct reason from the right.

Dos and donts in India

 Fuente: SENA

Custom Reason
It is considered to be unclean
a. Dont ask for pork in a restaurant

It is considered dirty food

b. Eat with your hands

c. Use water in bathrooms to clean To connect to God

yourself
d. Take off your shoes when They have dirt from the outside
entering a house or temple
e. Dont pass objects with your left Using toilet tissue is not enough
hand

C. Match the words in bold in the reading to these definitions. Use a dictionary
if necessary.
Janet is talking to her mom about her school project. Read the conversation.
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Alice: Hi dear. What are you doing?

Janet: Hi mom. I am preparing my school project. We have to write an essay

about culture and discrimination in the world based on an independent film
we watched last Friday.

Alice: And whats the movie about?

Janet: Well, its called Like Brothers, Like Enemies. Its about two brothers
who were separated after they were born. They never interact because they
never lived together. One lives in Palestine and the other lives in Jerusalem.
Although they have a different religion, they share many customs.

Alice: That movie sounds really interesting.

Janet: Sure it is. The movie is interesting although it has a dramatic ending.
You have to be open-minded to like it.

Alice: Well, I am open-minded. Maybe Ill watch it tonight with your dad.
 Fuente: SENA

To exchange with others through conversation or contact with others.

_____________

The state of having a receptive attitude towards new ideas. _____________

A habitual or traditional way to do something. _____________

A film produced by a small company outside Hollywood, usually with a

limited budget. _____________

Leaving a person outside a group or activity due to his skin color, sex, age
or cultural background. _____________

The combination of beliefs, customs, language, etc., of a group of people.

_____________

To offer something (knowledge or material objects) to another person and

even receive something in exchange. _____________

D. Based on the topics studied about cultural literacy, classify the following
ideas in the chart below into things you should do and things you should not
do to improve your cultural literacy. Drag and drop them in the corresponding
box.

Avoid watching independent films as they are boring.

Always watch the same TV channels. Avoid cultural TV programs as they
are tedious.
Go to cultural events and share with others.
Talk to your friends and family about their cultural roots and traditions.
 Reject new ideas and ways of doing things.
Stay away from people with different ideas, culture or musical taste.
Read books about authors that are familiar to you and about topics you
already know.
When traveling outside your country, try to interact with people from your
own culture, that way it will be easier to get alone your trip.
Find out about traditions and customs in your own culture.
Get involved with your local community in projects related with cultural
literacy.
Spend your next vacations in a place you have never visited before. Get
to know the local culture and traditions.
Dont believe in stereotypes. Try to create your own ideas based in your
experience rather than in thing others tell you.

Improving your cultural literacy

Things you should do Things you should not do

E. Make one sentence from two. Use the information in brackets to write non-
essential adjective clauses. One example is done for you.

Example:

My cellphone is new (it is very fast).

My cellphone, which is very fast, is new.

1. This hospital is abandoned. (It was built in 1950).

________________________________________.

2. This computer is very slow now. (I bought it 6 years ago).

________________________________________.

3. My friend Tom has been sick for a long time. (His father is away in the
Army).
________________________________________.

4. Johns contract ended in October. (It started in May).

________________________________________.
 5. Andrea will come to visit me in the summer. (She is my best friend).
________________________________________.

6. Antonys last book is excellent. (It was published last month).

________________________________________.

7. Carl is always late for class. (His office is far away).

________________________________________.

8. Amanda is always very busy. (She has three kids).

________________________________________.

Pronunciation practice

Note: This practice must be completed using the multimedia version of the
study material. There you will find the corresponding audio files.

A. Homophones

In languages, there are certain words that are pronounced the same
although they have a different meaning, and have a different spelling. Some
common English homophones are:

Flower Flour
 Mail
Male

Knight Night

Fuente de imgenes: SENA

1. Write the words in the boxes to match their homophones.

a. Allowed. Weather.

b. Ate. Sun.

c. No. Tale.

d. Cereal. Hole.

e. Piece. Dear.
 f. Deer. Peace.

g. Whole. Serial.

h. Tail. Know.

i. Son. Eight.

j. Whether. Aloud.

2. Go to the multimedia version, listen to the following sentences and choose

the correct word according to their meaning.

a.

sun son

b.

allowed aloud

c.

sail sale

d.

fair fare

e.

peak peek

f.

where wear

g.

threw through
 h.

meet meat

Now, listen to the sentences again and practice pronouncing them.

a. Her son was born in August.

b. The principal allowed the students to leave earlier than usual.
c. These shoes are on sale.
d. Neither you nor I paid the right fare for the concert.
e. Organic food sales reached a peak last summer.
f. Im not sure where Im going with this.
g. The burglar threw the evidence through the window.
h. Im very happy to meet you, Sir.

B. In English, T-voicing (t ) can occur at the end of a word when the t is

preceded and followed by a vowel. Go to the multimedia, listen to the
following sentences and decide if T-voicing has occurred.

1.

Yes No

2.

Yes No

3.

Yes No

4.

Yes No

5.

Yes No

Now, listen to the sentences again and practice pronouncing them.

 wtr ju p t s evn
What are you up to this evening?
def bt haus t bit
Jeff bought a house at the beach.
l wt tldren fr mak.
Ill watch the children for Mike.
ju hv ri tsz fr dsrt.
You have three choices for dessert.
wrkrs brot krsms preznt fr e bs
Workers brought a Christmas present for the boss.

C. Read the following sentences. Type the correct spelling for the word that
has been transcribed.

Sentence Word

We watched an mez movie.

They run out of rsrsz.

I cannot cook because my stov broke down.

I dont agree with you but I respect your blifs.

He has flfld all his goals.

The doctor told her to drink a cup of wan in a day.

Our new boss has a different prspektiv.

I always eat a small snk at 4:30 p.m.

Now, go to the multimedia and listen to the sentences again. Then, record
yourself and practice pronouncing them.

They run out of resources.

I cannot because my stove
broke down.
I dont agree with you but I
respect your beliefs.
He has fulfilled all his goals.
The doctor told her to drink a
 cup of wine in a day.
Our new boss has a different
perspective.
I always eat a small snack at
4:30 p.m.

Document control

Name Position Dependence Date

Theme expert Direccin de

Juan Carlos Asesor English Dot formacin November
Author
Solano Works - Programa profesional. 2014
de bilingismo Direccin General

Centro
Rachman Copy editor Lnea October
Adaptation Agroindustrial.
Bustillo Martnez de produccin 2015
Regional Quindo