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Signal Words Exercise (Harry Potter)
Signal
Words Exercise
"Signal words" give hints about what is about to
happen in what you're reading. Understanding them is a key
to comprehension. Reading and making up examples which use
them is a good way to understand them at whatever level of
abstraction astudent is prepared to comprehend.
Here's an exercise that helps build understanding of "but"
and "therefore." These exercises can also be good
diagnostic tools; the student who completes "The parsley
was taking over the garden. Therefore,..." with "the
other vegetables were nervous" may be being highly creative
-- or may have a narrow understanding of the phrase "taking
over." Figure out which one by asking the student what
she means.
Complete these sentences based on what you know from reading
Harry Potter (or, if you haven't read Harry Potter, make something
up that makes sense!)
BUT
Harry was not as big as Dudley, but________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________.
Harry had never been on a broomstick before, but________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________.
Professor McGonagall was very strict, but ________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
You couldn't see train platform 9 3/4, but ________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Hagrid had been expelled and his wand broken, but _________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
THEREFORE:
Harry's parents were killed. Therefore, Albus Dumbledore
____________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Petunia and Vernon Dursley did not like witches and wizards
at all. Therefore, ___________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Professor Snape didn't like Harry for some reason. Therefore,
________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Harry was famous among all of the wizards and witches. Therefore,
______________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Harry did not like the boy he met from Slytherin house, and
Hagrid told him Voldemort had come from there. Therefore,
______________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
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