Reading: Understanding Different Text Types & Genres: B2 Lesson 2: Understanding Essays, Short Stories, and Simpler Academic or Technical Texts
CEFR Level: B2 (Upper Intermediate)
Target Reading Sub-skill: Understanding Different Text Types & Genres
Specific Focus: Understanding Essays, Short Stories, and Simpler Academic or Technical Texts
What You Will Learn
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Identify the typical structure and purpose of essays (argumentative/expository).
- Recognize key elements of short stories (characters, setting, plot, theme).
- Understand the characteristics of simpler academic or technical texts (objective tone, specialized vocabulary, logical organization).
- Approach these different text types with appropriate reading strategies.
Hello Cambodian Learners!
As you advance in your English studies and future careers, you will encounter more complex and structured texts. These include essays that present arguments, short stories that tell narratives with deeper meanings, and academic or technical texts that explain specific subjects. For example, you might read an essay arguing for sustainable development in Cambodia, a short story by a Cambodian author, or a simple technical explanation related to your field of study. Understanding their typical structures and features is key to effective comprehension.
Exploring More Complex Text Types
Let's look at these text types. Click on the example areas to hear parts of them read.
1. Essays (Argumentative/Expository)
Purpose:
To present a focused argument or viewpoint on a topic (argumentative essay) or to explain or provide information about a topic (expository essay).
Key Features:
- Introduction: Often includes a "hook" to get the reader's attention, background information, and a clear thesis statement (the main argument or point of the essay).
- Body Paragraphs: Each paragraph typically develops one aspect of the thesis, with a topic sentence and supporting evidence/examples.
- Conclusion: Summarizes main points, restates the thesis in different words, and may offer a final thought or call to action.
- Language: Usually formal or semi-formal, logical connectors are used to link ideas.
"The rapid rise of social media has profoundly impacted how young people in Cambodia interact and access information. While it offers benefits like instant communication and access to diverse perspectives, I argue that excessive, unmonitored social media use among adolescents poses significant risks to their mental well-being and critical thinking skills. This essay will explore these risks and suggest potential measures for mitigation."
2. Short Stories
Purpose:
To entertain the reader by telling a fictional narrative, often exploring themes about human nature, society, or life experiences.
Key Features:
- Characters: The people (or beings) in the story.
- Setting: The time and place where the story happens.
- Plot: The sequence of events, usually including:
- Exposition (introduction of characters/setting)
- Rising action (events building tension or conflict)
- Climax (the most exciting point or turning point)
- Falling action (events after the climax)
- Resolution (the outcome or end of the story)
- Theme: The underlying message or main idea of the story.
- Point of View: Who is telling the story (e.g., first person "I", third person "he/she/they").
"Chantha sat by the window, watching the rain fall over the rice paddies outside her home in rural Battambang. It had been raining for three days, and the river was rising. She remembered her grandmother's stories of the great floods and a small worry began to grow in her heart. Her father had not yet returned from checking the fishing nets."
3. Simpler Academic or Technical Texts
Purpose:
To inform, explain, or describe specific, often complex, information related to a field of study (e.g., science, history, economics) or a technical subject (e.g., how something works, instructions for a process).
Key Features:
- Objective Tone: Usually factual and avoids personal opinions.
- Precise Language & Specialized Vocabulary: Uses terms specific to the subject (these are often defined or explained).
- Logical Organization: Information is presented clearly, often using patterns like definition, classification, process description, or cause-effect.
- May include diagrams, charts, graphs, or data to support explanations.
- Often includes citations or references to sources (in full academic texts).
"Photosynthesis is the process used by plants, algae, and some bacteria to convert light energy into chemical energy. This chemical energy is then stored in the form of glucose (sugar). The primary inputs for photosynthesis are carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight. The outputs are glucose and oxygen. This process is vital for life on Earth as it produces most of the oxygen in our atmosphere."
Practice Time!
Activity 1: Identify the Text Type
Read each short text excerpt below. Click the button that correctly identifies its most likely text type.
Quick Quiz!
Great Job!
Understanding the conventions of essays, short stories, and academic/technical texts will greatly enhance your ability to read and learn from a wider range of B2-level materials!