School of Education Reading Comprehension & Précis I

BA. Ed group Semester 1

Pr. Zahra EL AOURI
________________________________________________________________________

Harry Potter
Potter: More than magic

1 The list of beloved children’s books best-seller

seller lists and make her a famous
is long: Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Winnie the writer.
Pooh, Alice in Wonderland, The Tale of 3 The idea for Harry Potter and the
Peter Rabbit, Charlotte’s Web, The Cat in Philosopher’s Stone came suddenly, but it
the Hat, Charlie and the Chocolate would take Joanne five years to complete
Factory, Heidi,, to name but a few. As it. Between moving to Portugal in 1991 to
delightful and entertaining, as moving and teach English and returning with her infant
inspirational as all of them are, none can daughter to Britain at the end of 1993, she
work the magic of J. K. Rowling’s Harry had produced only pages of notes and the
Potter. first three chapters. She settled in
2 Harry Potter, the orphan wizard Edinburgh, Scotland, and with no job
and star of the seven-book
book series by J. K. prospects and only social assistance to rely
Rowling, came into the world in 1990 on a on,, she went to work on her book. The first
commuter train traveling between two publishers to whom she sent her
Manchester and London, England. As 25
25- manuscript rejected it, but luckily she
year-old
old Joanne Rowling stared out the found a literary agent to represent
rep her at
window, she imagined an unnamed boy Christopher Little Agency.
wizard who didn’t know he was a wizard 4 Christopher Little sent Joanne’s
and who went off to wizard school. Joanne manuscript to nine publishers, only to
had been writing for herself since receive nine rejections. At the time,
childhood, and now she had the beginnings children’s books about sports and ponies
of a story that would take her to the top of were in. Lengthy fantasy books by a first-

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time author about boy wizards, boarding Cable Children’s Book Awards. The first
schools, witchcraft, darkness, and evil children’s book to make it to the top of the
were out. Nevertheless, Christopher Little London Times best-seller list, Harry Potter
passed the manuscript on to Barry and the Philosopher’s Stone was becoming
Cunningham, the children’s editor at so popular with adults that Bloomsbury
Bloomsbury Publishing, who was scouting brought out a special adult edition. In June
around at the Frankfurt Book Fair for 1998, translated versions appeared in
books that children would cherish like France, Germany, Italy, Holland, Greece,
their favorite stuffed animal. He and his Finland, and Denmark.
eight-year-old daughter loved Harry Potter 6 In April 1997, Arthur A. Levine of
and the Philosopher’s Stone, and in August Scholastic Publications won the American
1996, Bloomsbury offered Joanne Rowling publishing rights to Joanne’s book at an
a modest publishing deal. At last, she was auction organized by Christopher Little.
going to see her book in print, but first she Released on September 1, 1998 under the
was advised to shorten it, make some title Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,
minor changes, and change her name from the American version was quickly finding
Joanne to J. K. (the K after her fans. Harry Potter hadn’t yet made its way
grandmother Kathleen) Rowling so that into chain booksellers, but independent
she wouldn’t be taken as a writer of girls’ bookstores were enthusiastically selling
books. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s and promoting the book by word of
Stone was scheduled for release in June mouth. Reviews were sparse, but hugely
1997, but with no great expectations of favorable. By mid-December, there were
making very much money on her book, 100,000 books in print in the United States
Joanne received an £8,000 grant from the alone, and by the end of the month, Harry
Scottish Arts Council to support herself Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone hit No. 16
and begin a second book. on the prestigious New York Times Best
5 In the UK, Harry Potter and the Seller list, where it remained for six
Philosopher’s Stone was an unanticipated months and climbed to No. 4.
success, going into a second printing four 7 With the Internet taking off
days after its release on June 26, 1997. One between 1998 and 1999, Harry Potter
year later, sales hit 70,000 copies. In 1997, mania spread like wildfire through chat
the book won a gold award in the Nestlé rooms, message boards, social networks,
Smarties Book Prize and the Children’s blogs, and a proliferation of fan-run and
Book of the Year Award at the British fan fiction websites. Fans were turning into
Book Awards, as well as the FCBG and fanatics. Three months before the release
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of the second book, Harry Potter and the records for first-day sales. Published in
Chamber of Secrets, impatient devotees Britain, the US, Canada, and Australia at
were preordering with new online retailer the same time, the fifth book, Harry Potter
Amazon.com at such a rate that Scholastic and the Order of the Phoenix, became the
moved its publishing date forward by two fastest-selling book in history. In the first
months in order to avoid a price war. When 24 hours, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was Prince sold nine million copies, and Harry
simultaneously launched in the UK and Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the last
the US at midnight on July 8, 2000, kids and the hottest, sold 15 million in one day.
and parents showed up in Harry Potter Since its debut in 1997, the seven-book
costumes complete with glasses and scars series has been translated into 67
painted on their foreheads. languages and total global sales are
8 Harry Potter was taking the world estimated at $450 million.
by storm. When Harry Potter and the 10 The Harry Potter phenomenon has
Chamber of Secrets came out on July 2, gone beyond the page. In 1998, the first
1999, it sold its first run of 250,000 copies movie rights were sold to Warner Brothers
and hit No. 1 on the New York Times Best for £1 million, and all eight films have
Seller list, a first for a children’s book. In been top box-office hits. In addition to the
the UK, Chamber of Secrets stayed No. 1 big-screen experience, fans can take part in
in adult best-seller charts for a month after the Wizarding World of Harry Potter,
publication. After Harry Potter and the which opened in Orlando, Florida, on June
Prisoner of Azkaban debuted to 18, 2010, as part of Universal Parks and
international acclaim, the three books Resorts’ Islands of Adventure theme park.
occupied the top three best-seller spots on In December 2011, Universal Studio
the New York Times Best Seller list for 80 announced plans for a second park in Los
weeks, outpacing such popular authors as Angeles, which is scheduled to open in
John Grisham, Nora Roberts, and Isabel 2016. Harry Potter has also spawned up to
Allende. Global sales for the first two 400 products, including video games,
books swelled from one million to 75 playing cards, clothing, and toys. Apart
million, and after Prisoner of Azkaban from its commercial success, the series has
came out, sales skyrocketed to 325 million. been credited with getting children
9 Each book outdid the previous one interested in reading again and with
in sales. Harry Potter and the Goblet of helping them improve their reading skills.
Fire came out in the UK with a first print 11 In the short span of five years,
run of one million copies and broke all Joanne Rowling went from an unknown,
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unemployed, single mother to one of the the Beatles in 1964 had anyone from
most successful and popular children’s Britain been greeted with such adoration.
authors of all times. According to the For her service to children’s literature, she
Sunday Times Rich List, J. K. Rowling is received the Order of the British Empire in
the twelfth-richest woman in Great Britain. 2001.
Her first American tour was a nonevent, 12 In her fertile imagination, J. K.
but following the publication of Harry Rowling succeeded in creating
Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, an spellbinding stories and lovable characters
average of 750 to 1,000 fans showed up for with amazing magical powers. What is
30 signings in eight cities. In Worcester, even more amazing is that in her wildest
Massachusetts, organizers planned for 200 dreams, she could never have envisioned
people, but were overwhelmed with an how powerful Harry Potter’s magic would
onslaught of 2,000. Not since the arrival of become.

I. Vocabulary
Exercise 1
Organizing vocabulary: On the book cover below, list 10 words from the reading text that
relate to popularity.

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On the lefthand page below, list 10 words from the reading text that relate to books. On the
righthand page, list 10 words that relate to publishing.

Exercise 2
Understanding and using vocabulary: Indicate the part of speech (n., v., or adj.) for each
boldface word or phrase below. Each is followed by three words or phrases,
one of which means the opposite of the others. Indicate the antonym.

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Exercise 3·3
Using vocabulary: Complete each of the following sentences with the appropriate word from
the list in Exercise 2. Be sure to use the correct form of each verb and
to pluralize nouns, if necessary.

1. The television show The X-Files ______________ an interest in the existence of UFOs.
2. Toward the end of the race, the marathon runner was able to ______________ last
year ’s winner and set a new record.
3. When I was a child, I ______________ my favorite teddy bear and slept with it every
night.
4. In the field of entertainment, Cirque du Soleil has become an international
____________.
5. My brother is a real math ____________. He can solve difficult problems even faster
than the teacher.
6. Toyota ______________ its hybrid car, the Prius, in 1997.
7. When I decided to buy a new laptop, I first went to different electronics stores and
______________ for the best deal.
8. The university ______________ applications from students whose GPA is below 2.0.
9. The rock band’s new CD met with positive critical ____________.
10. A lot of interesting international films ______________ at last year ’s Cannes Film
Festival.
11. World leaders should do more to ______________ international cooperation and world
peace.
12. Nowadays, most people ______________ the Internet as their main source of
information.
13. In The Lord of the Rings, J. R. R. Tolkien ______________ an imaginary place called
Middle Earth.
14. The school drama club’s performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream was an
______________ hit with parents and students.
15. During the Cold War, the of ______________ nuclear weapons posed a real threat to
world peace.

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 I. Reading comprehension

Exercise 1

Reading for main ideas: Match each of the following headlines with the corresponding
paragraph of the reading text.

a. Harry Potter and the Philosopher ’s Stone a Success in UK, Wins Awards
b. The Harry Potter Phenomenon Spawns Movies, Amusement Park, Numerous Products
c. J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter Series Most Magical of Children’s Books
d. Fans Go Crazy over Harry Potter, Books’ Popularity Spreads like Wildfire
e. Unemployed Single Mother’s Book Rejected by Publishers
f. Global Sales Skyrocket, Each Book Outselling the Last
g. Literary Agent Helps Joanne Rowling Get Publishing Offer from Bloomsbury
h. Harry Potter Sets Sales Records and Goes International
i. American Edition Published by Scholastic Publications Gets Off to Slow Start, But Soon
Hits New York Times Best Seller List
j. J. K. Rowling Becomes a Media Superstar
k. Harry Potter Has More than Magic
l. Harry Potter Story Comes to Unknown Writer on Commuter Train

_____ Paragraph 1
_____ Paragraph 2
_____ Paragraph 3
_____ Paragraph 4
_____ Paragraph 5
_____ Paragraph 6
_____ Paragraph 7
_____ Paragraph 8
_____ Paragraph 9
_____ Paragraph 10
_____ Paragraph 11
_____ Paragraph 12

Exercise 2
Reading for details: Indicate which of the following statements are true (T) and which are
false (F). Indicate why the false statements are false.

1. ______ Joanne Rowling thought up the story of Harry Potter while she was teaching English in
Portugal.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
2. ______ Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was the first thing Joanne Rowling had ever
written.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..

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 3. ______ She couldn’t find a publisher for her book, but she found a literary agent who was
willing to represent her.
………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. ______ Publishers weren’t interested in her book, because stories about wizards and boarding
schools weren’t popular at the time.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
5. ______ It was Joanne Rowling’s idea to change her name to J. K. Rowling to prevent boys
from thinking that she wrote books only for girls.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
6. ______ Sales of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone hit 70,000 in the first week.
…………………………………………………………………………………………...
7. ______ Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone won three awards in the same year it was
published.
…………………………………………………………………………………………...
8. ______ J. K. Rowling’s books didn’t sell as well in the US as they did in the UK, because she
was a British writer.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
9. ______ The Internet created a lot of publicity for the Harry Potter series.
………………………………………………………………………………………….
10. ______ Three Harry Potter books were on the New York Times Best Seller list at the same
time.
…………………………………………………………………………………………...
11. ______ Harry Potter books were never popular with adults.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
12. ______ Each new Harry Potter book sold more copies than the previous one.
………………………………………………………………………………………….
13. ______ Harry Potter books have been popular only in English-speaking countries.
………………………………………………………………………………………….
14. ______ J. K. Rowling’s first signing tour in the US was a huge success.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
15. ______ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was the last book in the series and was the
biggest seller on the day of its release.
…………………………………………………………………………………………...

Exercise3
4 12·7
Reading for meaning: Indicate whether each of the following statements from the reading text shows
that the Harry Potter books and J. K. Rowling were already or not yet popular.

1. “Lengthy fantasy books by a first-time author about boy wizards, boarding schools, witchcraft,
darkness, and evil were out.”
a. Already popular
b. Not yet popular
2. “And now she had the beginnings of a story that would take her to the top of best-seller lists.”
a. Already popular
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 b. Not yet popular
3. “With no great expectations of making very much money on her book, Joanne received an £8,000
grant from the Scottish Arts Council to support herself and begin a second book.”
a. Already popular
b. Not yet popular
4. “Three months before the release of the second book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,
impatient devotees were preordering with new online retailer Amazon.com at such a rate that
Scholastic moved its publishing date forward by two months in order to avoid a price war.”
a. Already popular
b. Not yet popular
5. “Harry Potter hadn’t yet made its way into chain booksellers.”
a. Already popular
b. Not yet popular
6. “Harry Potter was taking the world by storm.”
a. Already popular
b. Not yet popular
7. “Her first American tour was a nonevent.”
a. Already popular
b. Not yet popular
8. “The Harry Potter phenomenon has gone beyond the page.”
a. Already popular
b. Not yet popular

I. Paraphrasing

Paraphrase the following sentences using your own words as much as possible

1. Nevertheless, Christopher Little passed the manuscript on to Barry Cunningham, the children’s
editor at Bloomsbury Publishing, who was scouting around at the Frankfurt Book Fair for
books that children would cherish like their favorite stuffed animal. (paragraph 4)
2. With the Internet taking off between 1998 and 1999, Harry Potter mania spread like wildfire
through chat rooms, message boards, social networks, blogs, and a proliferation of fan-run and
fan fiction websites. (paragraph 7)
3. Apart from its commercial success, the series has been credited with getting children interested
in reading again and with helping them improve their reading skills. (paragraph 10)
4. In her fertile imagination, J. K. Rowling succeeded in creating spellbinding stories and lovable
characters with amazing magical powers. (paragraph 12)

II. Précis writing

Write a précis of the 4th paragraph of the text (from “Christopher Little sent Joanne’s manuscript” to
“to support herself and begin a second book.”) using your own words as much as possible. Don’t
exceed 66 words.