The Advanced Grammar Book - Jocelyn Steer, Karen Carlisi 1998

Chapter 6 Expanding Horizons

• Noun Clauses, Direct and Indirect Speech

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. How do you gain knowledge? Through reading? direct experience? observation? introspection? from teachers? Is one way of knowing better than another? Is one method valued more in your culture than another?

2. Some people look to teachers, masters, or gurus to guide them through their lives. Have you ever done that? Describe such a person.

3. What are some of the events or experiences in a person’s life that may mark the transition from childhood to adulthood? What are some other important transitions in a person’s life?

Objectives

In this chapter you will learn:

1. To identify the function of noun dauses

2. To use proper punctuation and capitalization for direct speech

3.To rероrt statements, questions and imperatives using speech

4. Tо use a varrety of introductory noun clause verbs

5. To use the subjunctive form in noun clause?

Preview

DIRECTIONS: The following is an excerpt from the first lecture in an Introduction to Statistics class. The professor is discussing the process of investigation with the students.

How Do You Know What You Know?

I’d like you to take a minute and think about how you know what you know. As children, we are very curious and we want to know why and how things happen. When our parents or other, adults give us an, answer, we accept it. That is called hierarchical learning. What a trusted authority, tells us is the truth.

As we get older, however, we need more proof. Then we may believe what scientists tell us. Scientists base their knowledge on something called the “scientific method.” Most Western research is carried out in this way: scientists form a hypothesis, which they test in a controlled experiment, and which other scientists replicate. Scientists, rarely talk about “truth” in absolute terms. Instead they use terms like “support for this” or “research indicates this.”

In the past few decades, however, some people have criticized the scientific method. They say, “This method assumes that there is a single objective reality that we can know about.” They point to the discovery in quantum physics that on an atomic scale, the observer is actually part of what he or she sees and helps to create what he or she observes. Therefore, atomic particles do not have properties which are independent of the observer.

Several scholars have suggested that people have different “ways of knowing.” A female colleague told me that she found this to be true in her class last semester. She said that her female students were more interested in subjective truths and how people interact and that her male students were more interested in objective truths.

So as we learn more about the scientific method in this class, I would like you to think about its value and its limitations. Keep in mind that there may indeed be other ways of knowing.

Focus ON GRAMMAR

The following questions are based on the preview text and are designed to help you find out what you already know about the structures in this chapter. Some of the questions may be hard and some of them may be easy. Answer as many of the questions as you can. Work with a partner if your teacher tells you to do so.

1. Find the example of an exact record of what someone has said (that is, direct speech) in the lecture. Write that here. Note the punctuation.

2. The professor recounts something he heard from a female colleague. He uses indirect speech. Find that statement and rewrite it in direct speech, using quotation marks, paying careful attention to the punctuation.

3. What is the direct object in this sentence from paragraph 2: “Then we may believe what the scientists tell us”?

4. What is the subject of the following sentence from paragraph 1: “What a trusted authority tells us is the truth”?

Crammatical Patterns Part One

I. Forms of Noun Clauses

A noun clause can replace a noun phrase or a pronoun in a sentence, as in the following examples (the nouns and noun clauses are in bold):

In (a) your paper is a noun phrase and the subject of the sentence; this is replaced by the noun clause what you wrote in (b). In (c) the pronoun it is the object of the sentence and it is replaced by the noun clause what you wrote in (d).

A noun clause consists of a connecting word (CW), a subject (S), and a verb (V) as follows:

Connecting Words

There are two types of connecting words.

II. Functions of Noun Clauses

A noun clause can have five grammatical functions in a sentence.

6.1 Recognition Drill: Breaking Away

DIRECTIONS: Read the following statements made by parents and children about the difficulty of breaking away. Underline the noun clauses and indicate their function in the sentence: S (subject), C (complement), OV (object of the verb), OP (object of a preposition), or A (appositive).

1. The most difficult thing about living away from my parents is that I have to do my own cooking and cleaning! (Kathy)

Function: ...

2. What I like the best is the freedom I have to make my own decisions. (Sara)

Function: ...

3. My mother told me that I would miss her, and she was absolutely right! (Jeremy)

Function: ...

4. The age at which children leave home depends on how mature they are. (Arnold)

Function: ...

5. The fact that my children want to live with me during their college years doesn’t mean that they are weak or immature. (a mother)

Function: ...

Function: ...

6. I want whatever is best for my kids. If they are ready to leave, then they should have the freedom to do so. (a father)

Function: ...

6.2 Recognition Drill: Identifying Noun Clauses

DIRECTIONS: Read the following letter that Jack wrote to his friend, Roberto, after his first week at i a community college. Underline the noun clauses and indicate their function in the sentence: S (subject), C (complement), OV (object of the verb), OP (object of a preposition), or A (appositive). The first one has been done for you.

Dear Roberto,

1 The first week of college is over and I can tell you it really wasn’t easy(object of the verb). I never thought

that it would be so difficult to. work and go to school. I miss our high school days so much. What I miss the most are the basketball games—our families cheering and our friends screaming. You can imagine how competitive sports are here.

2 The campus is modern. The professors are exactly how I pictured them—middle-aged, with beards and glasses! The people in my classes are pretty friendly. There was a party for new students this weekend and my classmate introduced me to many of his friends. “Jack was the star player on his basketball team in high school,” he said to all the women he knew. I told him later that he had embarrassed me.

3 I got into all the classes I wanted. The fact that I had preregistered last spring made all the difference. Some of the other first-year students didn’t do that and now they’re stuck with dud classes.

4 Well, I’d better do some studying now. I hope that I can go to homecoming weekend at Wilson High. It all depends on how much work I have. I hope you will come to town. I miss you a lot! I’m sure the second week will be better. Don’t worry!!

See ya,

Jack

VOCABULARY

campus: the land and buildings of a school

to picture: to imagine how something looks

pretty friendly: very friendly (informal)

to preregister: to sign up ahead of time

to be stuck with something: to end up with something that is less than desirable and hard or impossible to change

dud: not exciting (informal)

homecoming weekend: a high school or college weekend for former students who come back for the occasion

6.3 Paired Activity: Leaving Home

DIRECTIONS: Do you think that young adults (ages 18-22) should be encouraged to leave home and live on their own? Do you think that they will grow up faster and be stronger individuals if they do? If they choose to stay with their parents, should they pay for room and board or should everything be given to them? At what age should a parent suggest his or her child break away and live independently?

Discuss these questions in pairs or small groups. Then write several sentences based on your discussion, using the five types of clauses listed on pages 118-119. Underline the clauses and identify their functions in the sentence.

III. Direct Speech

When repeating a person’s words exactly, use direct (or quoted) speech. Note the punctuation, capitalization, and use of quotation marks (“ ”) in the following examples of direct speech, which reflect some people’s ideas about breaking away.

6.4 Written Activity: Punctuating Quotations

DIRECTIONS: Read the following well-known quotations and rewrite them using proper punctuation, capitalization, and quotation marks.

1. To be or not to be Hamlet stated that is the question.

2. Those who lack belief Lao Tzu said will not in turn be believed.

3. I think therefore I am wrote Descartes.

4. The great question that has never been answered Sigmund Freud is noted as saying and which I have not yet been able to answer despite my thirty years of research into the feminine soul is: what does a woman want?

5. Mankind must put an end to war John F. Kennedy once said or war will put an end to mankind.

6. Mark Twain is noted for saying put all your eggs in one basket and then he added and watch that basket!

7. We are here on earth to do good to others W.H. Auden stated what the others are here for, I don’t know he added humorously

8. A Japanese proverb goes like this Fall seven times Stand up eight

9. Advice Erica Jong wrote is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn’t

10. There is more to life than increasing its speed Gandhi once said

6.5 Written Activity: A Memorable Conversation

DIRECTIONS: Reconstruct a memorable conversation from your past with a person who gave you guidance or advice. Record the conversation in writing using direct speech and the appropriate punctuation. Indent the first line of each new speaker as follows:

"What should I do about the job offer?” Steve asked Patricia.

"Why don’t you think about it for a day,” she answered. “That will give you some time to sort things out.”

“You’re right. I don’t have to make the decision today,” John said.

IV. Reporting Speech

To report speech after a certain time has passed, use indirect speech and follow these guidelines:

1. Do not use quotation marks.

2. Change the verb to a past tense, if possible.

3. Change the pronouns and adverbs to show that it is reported, not quoted, speech.

4. Use an appropriate introductory clause verb (say, tell, answer, ask, etc.).

A. Reporting Statements

6.6 Written Activity: Reporting Statements

DIRECTIONS: The generation born between 1948 and 1964, called the baby boomers, has been labeled the “Me Generation” because of their excessive concern with themselves and their own happiness. When Joanne, a baby boomer, began feeling that her life was empty, she went on a quest for meaning and spoke to many people to help her. She got a lot of advice. Below is the direct speech of the advice people gave her. Change that into reported speech using the sequence of tenses outlined in the chart above.

Here is the advice Joanne received:

1. Guru Atmananda: “You have squandered your life on the acquisition of material things. You need to let go of your attachments and find inner peace.”

2. Her mother: “Joanne, honey, you will be a lot happier if you settle down and have a family.”

3. Her advisor at school: “I had a similar experience when I was your age. I was looking for the perfect life. When I realized that I would never find it, I applied to graduate school to get my Ph.D. You should do the same thing.”

4. Her psychiatrist: “You may just be depressed and have a serotonin deficiency. You can take antidepressant medication and you will probably feel much better.”

5. Her best friend: “You’ve been working too hard. You shouldn’t have taken on that new position at work. You could take a vacation.”

6. Her boyfriend: “You had been feeling this way when I met you. I think it must be your personality. You need to accept yourself.”

6.7 Oral Drill: Reporting Statements

DIRECTIONS: A group of students in an English class were talking about the difficulties of learning a second language. Report their statements using the sequence of tenses just listed.

Example

CUE: “I feel like a baby every time I come into my English class,” Lise said.

ANSWER: Lise said that she felt like a baby every time she went into her English class.

1. “I’ve been studying English for six years and I still can’t get the tenses right!” Paolo said.

2. “When I’m writing, I can get the grammar right. But when I’m speaking, it’s impossible,” said Mariko.

3. “Yesterday, I was talking to the airlines on the phone and I understood nothing!” said Pietro.

4. “Even though the classes in this school are terrific, we really need contact with Americans,” said Fattaneh.

5. “Tomorrow I’ll take the TOEFL exam. I wonder if I will get the score I need,” Ali said.

6. “Pronunciation is the problem for me. I tried to order lunch today at the restaurant and the waiter couldn’t understand me. I was really embarrassed,” said Than.

7. “I love learning English grammar. It’s so logical!” said Heidi.

8. “Аll I know is that I must study harder,” said Takashi.

9. “Last week I had trouble with verb tenses. This week I’m having trouble with pronouns!” said Francoise.

10. “I just can’t spell in English. I should take a course in spelling,” said Ibrahim.

11. What are your problems in learning English? Share them with a partner and then report your partner’s problems to the class.

B. Reporting Questions

Follow these guidelines when reporting questions:

1. Lise statement, not question, word order in the indirect speech.

2. For yes/nо questions, use if or whether as the connecting word.

3. For wh-questions, retain the appropriate wh-word (what, where, etc.).

4. Use an appropriate introductory clause verb (ask, inquire, etc.).

6.8 Oral Activity: Reporting Questions

DIRECTIONS: Making decisions about professional life can be difficult, so some people go to career counselors for help. Here are some questions people ask career counselors. Imagine that you are the career counselor, and report the following questions using indirect speech and the sequence of tenses outlined above. Then offer an answer to the question.

Example

CUE: “DO I need a college education to get a good job?” (Gloria)

ANSWER: Gloria asked me if she needed a college education to get a good job, and I told her that it wasn’t necessary but it was recommended.

1. “Where can I find jobs in my field?” (Bob)

2. “Can I have a successful career and a family too?” (Sally)

3. “Where are the best jobs?” (jennifer)

4. “How can I write a good resume?” (George)

5. “What will be the fastest growing jobs in the future?” (Linda)

6. “How should I ask my boss for a raise?” (Gary)

7. “How can I find out what my skills are?” (Kim)

8. “Do I need a degree in business to start my own business?” (Fred)

9. “Did I make a mistake by leaving my first job after one year?” (Louise)

10. “Is it possible to work in the same office as my spouse?” (Teresa)

C. Indirect Questions

Note how a question can be embedded in a sentence by using a noun clause. In this case, you are not reporting speech, just including the question in a statement. Therefore, use statement word order and do not change the verb tense.

6.9 Paired Activity: How Much Do You Know?

DIRECTIONS: Work in pairs. Take turns formulating questions about the following information. Begin your question with the wh-word in parentheses. Use I don’t know or a similar phrase if you can’t answer your partner’s question. Do not shift to a past tense.

Example

CUE: the fifth president of the United States (who)

STUDENT A: Who was the fifth president of the United States?

STUDENT в: I don’t know who the fifth president of the United States was.

STUDENT A:

1. the author of The Old Man and the Sea (who)

2. The president of Thailand (who)

3. [the meaning of] leap year (what does)

4. Universal Studios (where)

5. [the meaning of] gangrene (what does)

6. the capital city of the state of Nebraska (what)

Student B:

1. the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 (who)

2. the population of the world (what)

3. [the meaning of] get off my back (what does)

4. Flagstaff (where)

5. the next president of your country (who)

6. the distance between Vancouver, B.C. and Miami, Florida (what)

D. Reporting Imperatives

You can report imperative statements in two ways.

6.10 Oral Drill: Reporting Imperatives

DIRECTIONS: Report the following imperative statements in the two ways just outlined. Use told when you report and imagine who might have given that imperative.

Example

CUE: “Be quiet!”

ANSWER: (infinitive): The librarian told the students to be quiet.

  (modal): The librarian told the students that they should be quiet.

1. “Clean up your room!”

2. “Type up this report!”

3. “Don’t come late anymore!”

4. “Stand up straight!”

5. “Don’t forget my birthday!”

6. “Take out your passport!”

7. “Stop smoking!”

8. “Get me the newspaper!”

9. “Get in line!”

10. “Don’t turn away when I’m talking to you!”

11. Practice giving and reporting commands with your classmates.

6.11 Paired Activity: Reporting Imperatives

DIRECTIONS: Choose one of the following situations to discuss with your partner. Write down the solutions to the problem presented that you and your partner decide upon. Write them in two ways: (a) using a modal and (b) using an infinitive. (See the chart on page 129 for assistance.)

Example

Jack told me that he hated American food and I told him to learn to cook. (infinitive)

Jack told me that he hated American food and I told him he should learn to cook. (modal)

SITUATION A: You and your partner are living in a new city. You are having difficulty adjusting to this new place and are not at all happy. Take turns with your partner stating your problems and offering solutions. Be ready to write down or report your conversation orally using both an infinitive and modal form, as shown in the examples above.

SITUATION B: Sotha is a Cambodian immigrant who is very confused about her future. She wants to go to school and work at a Job before she gets married and has a family. Her mother agrees with her, but her boyfriend is eager to get married now. Sotha loves her boyfriend, but she is worried that she will not finish college if she gets married now. With your partner, decide on five things Sotha can do to make her decision easier. Then be ready to report your advice using both an infinitive and modal form.

6.12 Error Analysis: Indirect Speech

DIRECTIONS: Read the following sentences written by students and find any errors in direct and indirect speech. Correct the errors clearly.

1. When I first came to the United States, the customs man said me since I was a tourist that 1 didn’t need a visa. Two weeks later, immigration stopped me and asked me where was my visa? I told him that immigration tells me I don’t need one. Then he asked me whether if I knew that 1 can’t be in this country without a visa and that did I want to go back to my own country.

2. The most memorable conversation I have ever had was with my father before he passed away. Two days before he died, he said me that he loved me very much, and that would I take care of my younger sister. I assured him that I would do that, and then he asked me whether was I happy today. I replied that I was very happy to be his son, but I was very sad to see him sick.

3. My most memorable conversation was with my boyfriend, who is now my husband. I remember when he asked me would I marry him. I told him yes I would. When he asked me when did I want to get married, I told him I think we should do it right away! And we did.

V. Reporting Connected Discourse

A. Reporting Phrases and Exclamations

Note how the following phrases and exclamations are reported in indirect speech.

B. Reporting Several Statements by One Speaker

When you are telling a story or reporting extended discourse, it is important to link the many ideas or statements logically and concisely. Note how this has been done below.

6.13 Written Activity: A Memorable Conversation

DIRECTIONS: Report the memorable conversation that you wrote in direct speech on page 112 earlier in the chapter. Use indirect speech and a variety of introductory clause verbs.

6.14 Paired Oral Activity: Roleplay

DIRECTIONS: Create a short dialogue based on one of the following situations. Then present it to the class. Have your classmates reconstruct the dialogue using connected discourse.

1. A teacher catches her student cheating on a final exam.

2. Your friend asks you about living and studying in the United States.

3. You’re at the Canada-U.S. border, trying to come back into the United States. Your realize that you have forgotten your passport. Create a dialogue between you and the Immigration Officer.

4. Create your own situation.

6.15 Oral Activity: Reporting Connected Discourse

DIRECTIONS: Work in groups of three. While two of the students are discussing one of the following topics, the other student will take notes of the conversation. After 5-10 minutes, switch roles and discuss another question. After each student has had a turn to take notes, report the discussion in writing or orally, as instructed by your teacher.

1. Should young children (ages 3-6) be enrolled in a school and be taught skills to prepare them for elementary school, or should they simply be allowed to play without structure? Why?

2. Should adolescents (ages 12-16) be allowed to choose their school and leisure activities (for example, music, sports, etc.), or should they follow their parents’ desires? Why?

3. Should high school students who are planning on studying science at a university be required to study language and literature? Should language and literature students be required to study science? Why?

4. Should international students be required to have a 550 TOEFL score in order to be admitted to a U.S. university, or should each school have its own entrance exam? Why?

Grammatical Patterns Part Two

Preview

DIRECTIONS: Do you know the difference between the right and left brain? Read the following lecture on this distinction, given in a university psychology class. Then answer the questions that follow.

1 “In our last meeting, I told you that two facts regarding the brain have recently become apparent 2 First, the brain has two parts, called hemispheres, which function independently. 3 Second, each hemisphere interprets the world through distinctly different. processes. 4 Today we will look at how each hemisphere functions.

5 “That the left brain processes information in a linear and logical way is one of the most basic differences. 6 The left brain draws on rules. 7 Thus, yesterday when I prepared my lecture, I made an outline of the talk. 8 I used my left brain to organize the information in a clear and logical way.

9 “The right brain, on the other hand, is the creative hemisphere. 10 It processes information simultaneously and is able to relate that information. 11 My daughter used her right brain last week when she painted a picture of our house.

12 “Tomorrow we’ll see how the two hemispheres talk to each other.

13 Why don’t you review chapter 6 in the textbook before class? 14 There’ll probably be some difficult terminology. 15 It’s essential that you be very familiar with the technical terminology. OK. See you next week. Have a good weekend!”

Focus ON GRAMMAR

The following questions are based on the preview text and are designed to help you find out what you already know about the structures in this chapter. Some of the questions may be hard and some of them may be easy. Answer as many of the questions as you can. Work with a partner if your teacher tells you to do so.

1. What is the subject of sentence 5?

Rewrite sentence 5, beginning your sentence with “One of the most basic ...”

One of the most basic differences ...

Which of the two sentences would you most hear in an informal conversation?

2. What is unusual about one of the verbs in sentence 15?

Can you explain why a special form of the verb is used in this sentence?

3. Imagine that one of your classmates was sick and asked you to report what the professor said.

a. For sentence 9, which verb tense would you use in indirect speech?

Why?

b. In sentence 13, what is the meaning of “Why don’t you ...?”

How would you report that statement?

I. Special Considerations in Indirect Speech

Native speakers do not always follow the sequence of tenses listed in the chart on page 124. There are many factors to consider that influence this choice, which are discussed below. In some cases, a change in the tense of the verb is optional in indirect speech. At other times, a specific change is not possible.

A. Optional Cases

It is not necessary to change the verb tense in the following cases. However, it is always grammatically correct to do so.

6.16 Oral Activity: Optional Cases

DIRECTIONS: Match the quote with the probable speaker. Then report the speech. Indicate when it is necessary to change the verb tense.

1. “Intelligence is 70% genetically determined and 30% environmentally determined.”

2. “I can’t come to the phone right now because I’m in the shower.”

3. “Did you have a hard day at work?”

4. “You must learn how to control your eating habits.”

5. “I’ve been working out at the gym about once a week.”

6. “We’ve been to Tokyo three times.”

7. “The 1980s was a decade of unprecedented buying.”

a. Maria told her roommate to tell her friend on the phone

b. The newscaster claimed

c. The doctor told the patient

d. The husband asked his wife

e. The neighbor boasted

f. The patient told the doctor

g. The psychology teacher stated

В. Other Cases

Note that the following cases do not follow the sequence of tenses for reported speech that appears in the chart on page 135.

^a See Section II on page 137 on The Subjunctive Form After Expressions of Urgency for more explanation.

^b See the detailed list of these verbs on page 137.

6.17 Paired Activity: Optional and Other Cases

DIRECTIONS: Work in pairs. Cover your partner’s side of the page. Student В asks Student A the questions and Student A finds the appropriate quote and reports the speech. Then switch roles. Change to a past form only when necessary.

STUDENT A

1. “You need to buy some new clothes.”

2. “Why don’t you make dinner tonight, dear.”

3. “I’ll be 40 years old in two more months!”

4. “I want everyone to be on time for class tomorrow!”

5. “I’m never getting married.”

STUDENT В

a. What did the angry teacher say to her students?

b. What did Jack say to his best friend?

C What did Bob say to his mother?

d. What does Sandra’s mother say to her every time she sees her?

e. What did the wife suggest to her husband?

Now switch roles

6. What did George’s mother relate to her neighbor?

7. What do presidents always say before getting elected?

8. What did Jackie’s Japanese roommate say?

9. What did the doctor suggest to his patient?

10. What did the student ask her teacher?

a. “When does the TOEFL exam start?”

b. “George got a 4.0 grade point average after his first semester.”

с. “I promise to reduce taxes this year.”

d. “I always take my shoes off before going into someone’s home.”

e. “How about losing 20 pounds?”

II. The Subjunctive Form After Expressions of Urgency

In the Preview text to Grammatical Patterns Part Two (page 133), the professor states:

“It’s essential that you be very familiar with the technical terminology.”

The professor wants to stress the importance of knowing the technical terms, so he uses an expression of urgency at the beginning of the sentence. When you do this, the verb form after that expression is in the simple form. As you will remember, the simple form of the verb is the infinitive without to. This is called the subjunctive form of the verb. Normally, you would say “you are,” but in this case you would say “you be” because it follows the expression of urgency.

6.18 Oral Drill: Expressions of Urgency

DIRECTIONS: Choose three of the following questions to answer using an expression of urgency and a noun clause. Choose the expression of urgency that seems most appropriate. (Refer to the list in the chart above.) Be ready to answer when your teacher calls on you.

Example

 CUE: Your sister wants to get into a good university. What must she do?

ANSWER: It is essential that she have a good academic record.

1. Jane is having problems adjusting to life in a big city. What should she do?

2. Robert is worried because he can’t seem to make friends in his office. What can he do?

3. Terry just found out that one of his colleagues has been stealing from the shop. What would you tell him?

4. If you want to have a successful party, what must you do?

5. If you want to have a successful job interview, what should you not do?

6. What should you do (or not do) to be healthy?

7. Bob is 40 years old and still single. He’d like to get married. Give him some advice.

8. What should be done to save the environment?

III. The Subjunctive Form After Verbs of Request

Use the following verbs to make a strong request. Note the use of the simple form of the verb (the subjunctive form) after these verbs of request.

6.19 Written Activity: The Subjunctive Form

DIRECTIONS: Choose one of the following situations and write a letter outlining the problem and making recommendations. Use sentences with verbs of request and expressions of urgency.

1. You are the manager of a small store. Recently, one of your employees has been quite negligent in her work and even rude to the customers. You would like to terminate her, but she is a friend of the store owner. Write a letter to the boss, explaining your situation and making some recommendations.

2. You are a junior high school teacher. One of your students, Mark, has been acting up in class and exhibiting quite disruptive behavior. You know that Mark is a very smart student and capable of doing excellent work. You think he is under the influence of some irresponsible students at school. You suspect that his home life is not a happy one. Write a letter to the guidance counselor of the school, describing the problem and making some recommendations.

IV. Reduction of Noun Clauses

Compare the following sentences, which have the same meaning but different forms.

a. It is important that she take science classes. (more formal, written—for example, a written evaluation by the daughter’s teacher intended for the parents)

b. It is important for her to take science classes. (informal, conversational—for example, parents talking to each other about their daughter)

Note that sentence (b) is a reduction of sentence (a). The clause that she take science classes becomes a phrase for her to take science classes.

Other noun clauses can also be reduced to phrases, and the chart below summarizes this. (See Chapter 14 for more details on this topic.)

6.20 Oral Activity: Reduction of Noun Clauses

DIRECTIONS: Read the following situations and make a statement about them by using a reduced noun clause.

Example

CUE: John is in the middle of a busy intersection in a foreign city. He is looking at all the street names. He has a confused look on his face.

ANSWER: He’s lost and he doesn’t know where to go.

1. Suzanne is in her room looking at all her clothes strewn on her bed. Her date is arriving in ten minutes but she still hasn’t gotten dressed.

2. Joe has gained a lot of weight. He went to the doctor to get some advice.

3. Kyoko has six brochures on/her desk about English-speaking schools in the United States. She must make a decision, but she is not sure which school is the best.

4. Kim and Blake want to adopt a child. They don’t know a lot about the procedure, so they went to a lawyer.

5. Benny is failing his economics class. He went to talk to the professor.

6. Emory forgot the time of his dental appointment.

7. Jane is new in town. She’s not sure about the stores. She needs to buy a new dress.

8. My dog has fleas. Help!

9. I can’t stop smoking. Please give me some advice.

10. Turn to your partner and share a problem you have. Then offer advice to each other.

V. Noun Clauses in Subject Position

Note the following uses of noun clauses in subject position.

6.21 Rapid Drill: Avoiding Personal Questions

DIRECTIONS: The following questions are very personal and would probably cause embarrassment to any American. To avoid answering such nosy questions, transform each question into a noun clause and place it in subject position. Use the following expressions to help you avoid answering the questions.

Example

QUESTION: How old are you?

POSSIBLE RESPONSE: How old I am is quite frankly none of your concern.

1. How much money does your father make?

2. How much do you weigh?

3. Are your parents divorced?

4. What’s your I.Q.?

5. How many friends do you have?

6. When was your first kiss?

7. What did you get on the last grammar test?

8. Are you religious?

9. Are you planning on getting married?

10. Did you take a shower this morning?

Now you ask your teacher some personal questions.

11. ...

12. ...

6.22 Written Activity: Noun Clause in Subject Position

DIRECTIONS: Read the following text on the human potential movement in the United States to find out what a mind gym is. Then answer the questions that follow.

The Human Potential Movement

The human potential movement was an important trend in the United States that started over a quarter of a century ago and still plays an important role in the lives of many Americans today. This movement focused on the spiritual and creative development of the individual. Groups formed to help people explore their inner feelings communally. New approaches to treating the emotional and psychological problems of individuals emerged. Americans were caught up in a desire to achieve complete happiness and fulfillment. Encounter groups, T-sessions, Gestalt therapy, Past Life therapy—these are only a few of the types of activities that flourished during this time.

Today, we see vestiges of the movement in such innovations as a mind gym. A mind gym is exactly what it sounds like: a place to go to relax and exercise your mind using the latest equipment in biofeedback and flotation tanks. Yoga and meditation are increasing in popularity. If you go to a bookstore, you are sure to see recent bestsellers about achieving peace through meditation. It is not surprising that people are turning to these practices as our lives become hectic and stressful. What a curious thought: in the future we won’t be taking exotic vacations to Hawaii to get away from it all; we’ll be taking out a membership in the nearest mind gym and spending our time in quiet meditation.

Now answer each of the questions based on the text. Begin each of your answers with a noun clause in subject position.

Example

CUE: What is one reason why the Human Potential Movement flourished?

ANSWER: That Americans were caught up in a desire to achieve complete happiness and fulfillment provides one explanation.

1. Why did the human potential movement flourish in the United States?

2. What is not surprising to the author?

3. What is a curious thought to the author?

4. In your opinion, what is one explanation for the stress in modern life?

5. What might be one disadvantage of going to a mind gym?

VI. Special Problems with Noun Clauses

Pay careful attention to these special problems.

6.23 Error Analysis: Noun Clauses

DIRECTIONS: Find any errors in noun clause construction and tense. Correct the errors clearly above the sentence.

1. A few students asked the teacher why was there going to be a final exam.

2. The teacher told to the students that it is crucial that they learn to take tests.

3. According to the students, however, it was more important that they were given more class time,

4. The president told to the United States to don’t worry about the recent stock market problems because the economy was strong and healthy.

5. What is my father’s annual income is none of your business.

6. This is exactly that I noticed at my age.

7. What are we in such a situation is only an example for our children.

8. That at what age a parent should suggest her child break away and live independently is that a parent should consider.

Focus on Writing

Introductory Clause Verbs

The following is a list of common verbs used to introduce noun clauses that report speech о express ideas. These verbs have been grouped according to their function. Note that this list is no complete. (Anything enclosed within parentheses is optional.) Add your own verbs to this list a you come across them.

6.24 Written Activity: Introductory Clause Verbs

DIRECTIONS: Read the following conversation between Christine and John about male and female intelligence. Then report the conversation in a paragraph, using the introductory verbs listed in the chart above. Avoid using said in your report of their conversation. Add appropriate transition words.

CHRISTINE: Women are more intelligent than men because they are more open-minded.

JOHN: I disagree, Christine. I believe that men and women do not have any inborn differences in their intelligence.

CHRISTINE: SO you think that we are born with our intelligence?

JOHN: Pretty much. You can’t really increase your intelligence after birth, but you can make good use of it.

CHRISTINE: I disagree with that. I believe that intelligence is both inborn and developed through experience.

JOHN: Well, it appears that we have different points of view on this. Do you think there are different kinds of intelligence?

CHRISTINE: Absolutely! Some people are especially bright in mathematics, and others are brilliant in music.

JOHN: I agree with you on that point. And I don’t believe that the I.Q. test can measure all of that.

6.25 Written Activity: Nature vs. Nurture

DIRECTIONS: Think about the following questions which ask you to think about intelligence and where it comes from. Then discuss them with a partner or in small groups. Make a note of your classmates’ ideas below. There are no right answers to these questions, so feel free to disagree with your partner. Then write a summary of your conversation using a variety of introductory clause verbs from the chart above on pages 144-145. Avoid using said in your essay.

1. Define intelligence

2. Are you born with intelligence or is it something that you acquire? Explain your answer.

3. An I.Q. test is often used to measure a person’s intelligence. What do you think about these tests? Does a high I.Q. ensure academic or professional success?

4. Is there any difference between men and women in the type or amount of intelligence? If so, what is it? How do you know?

5. What happens to your mental functioning as you age?

Composition Topics

In this chapter, you have had the chance to read about and discuss the question of human experience and learning. Choose one of the following topics and write a composition in which you clearly formulate your own ideas.

1. “Men and women can never have the same type or amount of intelligence.” Agree or disagree with this statement and give strong reasons to support your position.

2. A turning point is an event in your life that seriously changed the direction of your life. Graduating from high school, leaving home, the beginning of your career, a marriage, a baby, a divorce, a death—these are events that often change one’s life dramatically. Write a composition in which you describe such an event that you have experienced. Explain why it was so meaningful and important to you.

3. Describe a teacher or guide who taught you something important in your life. What did they do to help you learn? What did you learn?