Reading and Writing Exercise

Reading and Writing Exercise

1.  Lionel Andrés Messi

Lionel Andrés Messi , born on 24 June 1987, is an Argentine footballer who currently plays for Barcelona and the Argentine national team. He is one of the best football players of his generation and is frequently considered as the world's best contemporary player. Lionel Messi, whose playing style and ability have drawn comparisons to Diego Maradona, received Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21 and won both by the age of 22. Diego Maradona once declared that Messi was his "successor."

Lionel Messi's talent was early detected by his father. When he began playing with the local team, his potential was quickly identified by Barcelona . At the age of 11, he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency, which is a medical condition in which the body does not produce enough growth hormone and whose treatment nessecitates a lot of money. He left Rosario-based Newell's Old Boys's youth team in 2000 and moved with his family to Europe, as Barcelona offered treatment for his growth hormone deficiency. Making his debut in the 2004–05 season, he broke the La Liga record for the youngest footballer to play a league game, and also the youngest to score a league goal. Major honours soon followed as Barcelona won La Liga in Messi's debut season, and won a double of the league and Champions League in 2006. His breakthrough season was in 2006–07; he became a first team regular, scoring a hat-trick in El Clásico and finishing with 14 goalsin 26 league games. Perhaps his most successful season was the 2008–09 season, in which Messi scored 38 goals to play an integral part in a treble-winning campaign.

Messi was the top scorer of the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship with six goals, including two in the final game. Shortly thereafter, he became an established member of Argentina's senior international team. In 2006, he became the youngest Argentine to play in the FIFA World Cup and

he won a runners-up medal at the Copa América tournament the following year. In 2008, in Beijing, he won his first international honour, an Olympic gold medal, with the Argentina Olympic football team.

a.    What does paragraph 2 talk about?

b.    The text tells us about?

c.    What is the main idea of the text?

d.    Based on the text, we may conclude that…….

2.  The Great Wall Of China

The Great Wall of China, one of the greatest wonders of the world, was first built between 220–206 BC. In fact, it began as independent walls for different states when it was first built, and did not become the "Great" wall until the Qin Dynasty. Emperor Qin Shihuang succeeded in his effort to have the walls joined together to serve as fortification to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire from invasion. Afterwards it was rebuilt and maintained over the years, between the 5th century BC and the 16th century.

One of the myths associated with the Great Wall of China is that it is the only man-made structure that can be seen from the moon with the naked eye. The legend originated in Richard Halliburton's 1938 bookSecond Book of Marvels. However, This myth is simply not true. Richard Halliburton's claim was contradicted by astronauts Neil Armstrongby and Yang Liwei. A more plausible assumption would be to say that the Great Wall can be visible from a low orbit of the earth which is not unique in this regard as many other artificial constructions can be seen from that height.

a.    What does paragraph 1 talk about?

b.    The text tells us about?

c.    What is the main idea of the text?

d.    Based on the text, we may conclude that…….


3.  Write down what do you know about this picture..

a) 

    

b)     

c)        

Learning to Read

One of the most important skills a child will ever master is learning to read. Reading opens doors that otherwise would remain closed. Reading introduces children to the world at large, enabling them to experience things that would be impossible otherwise. However, there has been much controversy in recent years about the best methods to use in order to teach reading.

For instance, there’s the “Look and Say” or “Whole Word” method. In this way, children learn to recognize words, usually beginning with their own names. They do not break words apart into syllables, but rather learn words in their entirety. In essence, children form pictures of words in their heads which they are able to recall when asked to do so. This method, however, can be difficult for children with poor memories.

Another tried-and-true method is phonics. With this technique, children learn to sound out words. Usually, they begin with words that are easy to pronounce, such as “sad,” “bad,” and “Dad.” However, the difficulty with phonics is that there are many words that do not follow a set sound pattern, such as “resource” and “read.” Still, students who suffer from dyslexia are often best served through the teaching of phonics.

Yet another approach is “real reading” or “whole language.” Through this technique, children learn to read by trial and error, and are encouraged to read whole books rather than individual words. Children can gain confidence in this way, because they quickly develop the skills necessary to read entire sentences. The problem with this method, however, is that some students may be simply reciting books from memory rather than actually reading.

If you’re attempting to teach your child to read at home or you are trying to help your child polish his or her skills, there are a few things you can do to make the process easier. For instance, if you are using the “Look and Say” method, you can make signs with words, and then tape them to the objects they describe, including “sofa,” “table,” and “computer.” If you’re using phonics, play a round of “I Spy,” emphasizing the sound of individual words. In other words, you can say, “I spy something red,” and emphasize the “ed” sound at the end of the word. If you’re using the whole language approach, begin reading a book to your child, and encourage him or her to complete sentences. Another whole language method is to help your child to memorize nursery rhymes so that he or she can get the feel of words.

Certainly, teaching children reading can be a daunting challenge. Since reading is often the building block of learning, young people need to be proficient in reading in order to master other subjects such as science and social studies. In recent years, a number of educators have reverted back to phonics because they have found that “Look and Say” and the whole language approach are ineffective. But the type of approach that’s best may actually differ from child to child. If your child is having difficulty reading, it is best to check with a language specialist to determine which teaching methods are best suited to your son or daughter.

7 Alasan Anda Perlu Makan Telur

Telur itu sungguh lezat, terutama bagian kuning telurnya. Tak heran bila orang senang mengolah telur menjadi lauk teman makan nasi. Selain lezat, telur ternyata juga menyimpan berbagai manfaat untuk kesehatan. Bila Anda masih ragu untuk mengonsumsi telur karena khawatir kolesterol naik, ada tujuh hal yang bisa Anda pertimbangkan lagi:

1. Sumber protein. Telur sumber protein yang alami, bahkan merupakan satu dari protein berkualitas tertinggi. Bahan makanan ini menyediakan semua asam amino yang diperlukan oleh tubuh kita.

2. Sumber energi. Butuh sarapan kilat? Ambil saja telur rebus. Penelitian menunjukkan bahwa mengonsumsi makanan berprotein tinggi untuk sarapan, seperti telur, bisa membantu Anda merasa lebih berenergi dan lebih kenyang sepanjang hari. Manfaat sarapan sendiri juga untuk memperbaiki memori dan meningkatkan konsentrasi.

3. Telur itu ekonomis. Bila dirata-rata, per butir telur harganya hanya Rp 1.200-Rp 1.400. Artinya, jauh lebih murah daripada bahan makanan berprotein tinggi lain per porsinya.

4. Telur baik untuk jantung. Penelitian yang telah dilakukan selama lebih dari 30 tahun menyimpulkan bahwa orang dewasa yang sehat bisa menikmati telur tanpa memengaruhi risiko penyakit jantung.

5. Gampang dimasak. Hanya dengan direbus, dibuat telur mata sapi, atau telur dadar, Anda bisa mendapatkan sarapan yang lezat. Waktu memasaknya tak lebih lama daripada jika Anda membuat sereal atau oatmeal.

6. Baik untuk perkembangan janin. Telur merupakan sumber kolin, nutrisi penting untuk perkembangan janin dan bayi. Ibu hamil yang mendapatkan cukup kolin dalam menu makanannya bisa membantu mengurangi risiko cacat lahir tertentu pada bayi, dan mendukung perkembangan otak dan memorinya.

7. Mengandung vitamin dan mineral. Sebutir telur memiliki 13 vitamin dan mineral penting dalam jumlah yang bervariasi. Sebutir telur juga hanya mengandung 70 kalori. Jadi selama tak dikonsumsi berlebihan, telur aman dikonsumsi setiap hari.

Manfaat Makanan Pedas

Makanan pedas tak selalu diartikan sebagai makanan yang diolah dengan cabai. Rasa pedas juga bisa didapatkan dari merica, lada hitam, kunyit, dan berbagai bumbu dapur lain.

Anda yang menyukai makanan pedas boleh merasa senang, karena rasa pedas ini mempunyai banyak manfaat kesehatan. Misalnya, seperti telah sering disebutkan sebelumnya, makanan pedas bisa menguruskan badan. Namun itu hanya salah satu contohnya saja. Coba lihat manfaat lain yang belum Anda ketahui:

1. Menurunkan berat badan. Siapapun pasti setuju, makanan apapun yang diberi sambal pasti akan lebih menggugah selera. Bila Anda mau, makanan diet Anda pun bisa diberi cocolan sambal. Kalau hal ini bisa membuat Anda tertib menyantap makanan sehat dengan lebih berselera, kenapa tidak? Lagipula, rasa pedas itu bisa meningkatkan metabolisme Anda. Studi menunjukkan bahwa senyawa utama dalam cabai, yaitu kapsaisin, memiliki efek termogenik yang bisa menyebabkan tubuh membakar kalori saat mengunyah selama 20 menit.

2. Menyehatkan jantung. Hasil studi juga menunjukkan, budaya mengonsumsi makanan pedas menyebabkan insiden serangan jantung dan stroke yang lebih rendah. Alasannya, cabai merah bisa mengurangi efek merusak dari kolesterol jahat, sedangkan kapsaisin bisa melawan peradangan. Keduanya merupakan faktor risiko untuk masalah jantung.

3. Mencegah kanker. Menurut American Association for Cancer Research, kapsaisin juga memiliki kemampuan membunuh beberapa sel kanker dan leukimia. Sedangkan kunyit, yang dijadikan bumbu kari dan mustar, bisa memperlambat penyebaran kanker dan pertumbuhan tumor. 

"Bumbu ini punya efek yang sama pada tubuh seperti yang dilakukan obat-obatan kanker," kata Gregory A. Plotnikoff, MD, konsultan senior untuk inovasi perawatan kesehatan di Allina Hospitals and Clinics di Minnesota.

Bila ingin memberikan hasil maksimal, kombinasikan dengan lada hitam untuk menyerap kunyit 2.000 persen lebih banyak.

4. Menurunkan tekanan darah. Vitamin A dan C mampu menguatkan dinding otot jantung, sementara panas dari lada meningkatkan aliran darah ke seluruh tubuh. Kombinasi hal ini bisa menghasilkan sistem kardiovaskuler yang lebih kuat.

5. Mengurangi stres. Makanan pedas meningkatkan produksi hormon yang memberikan rasa menyenangkan, seperti serotonin. Hasilnya, makanan ini membantu mengusir depresi dan stres.

Bagaimana bila Anda tidak menyukai makanan pedas?

Anda masih bisa mendapatkan manfaat kesehatan dengan menambahkan bumbu-bumbu yang mengandung seng ke dalam menu makanan Anda. Misalnya, masukkan jahe yang sudah digeprek di dalam teh. Atau, buat udang dengan bumbu jinten dan ketumbar yang ditumis di dalam kuali. Bisa juga menambahkan taburan bubuk cabai ke dalam kari ayam yang Anda buat.