ملخص اللغة الإنجليزية تالتة إعدادي، الترم الأول Why Do We Like Stories? (with Review 2)

Learning Objectives

• Identify main ideas and details in informational and fictional texts about stories.
• Understand the elements of a story (setting, characters, conflict, solution) and the types of stories.
• Recognise the purpose of stories in shaping thinking and values.
• Use reported speech to retell what others said, and use sequence words in narratives.
• Retell and write a short story with a clear beginning, middle and end.

Reading texts at a glance

• "Stories Shape Our Thinking": Reading stories improves how we think and understand the world. Through stories we enter the minds of different characters, face their challenges and see how they respond to difficult situations, so we can explore emotional, social or moral problems without living them. Stories introduce different points of view, cultures and lifestyles; we develop empathy and learn that problems can have more than one solution. They spark imagination, make learning more enjoyable, and we remember lessons better when they are part of a story. Reading stories is not just fun; it is a powerful way to become wiser and more aware of the world.
• Listening, "The Story That Helped Me" (Ali and Omar): A story Ali read helped him stay calm and respectful during a class debate when someone strongly disagreed with him; the story was about staying calm rather than shouting to win arguments. Omar became interested in reading.
• "The Clever Fox" (a fable): A fox wants the cheese a crow is holding. He flatters the crow ("Your voice must be as sweet as your looks") and asks her to sing. As soon as she opens her beak the cheese falls and the fox runs away with it.
• Story Time, "The School Garden Project" (Chapter Six: Looking Forward): The next year Zeina is chosen president of the student council. Real leadership means helping others and being honest when things are hard, not doing everything alone. Her ambition is bigger than a garden: she wants students to believe they can change their school and maybe the world. "When we work together with respect and determination, we can solve any problem." The garden becomes a symbol of what students can do together. Zeina learned that growth happens in people too, with courage and strength: small ideas can lead to big changes when people believe in them.
• Let's Talk, "The Power of Stories": Stories help us see the world from various points of view, teach a moral or life lesson, have conflicts and a clear solution, and help us think critically about choices and actions. Conversation Tip: share personal experiences or examples. Real-Talk Tip: listen carefully to understand others' points of view.

Types of stories and story elements

• Types: Fiction (imaginary characters), Non-fiction (true stories based on real events), Folk stories (traditional stories with lessons), Adventure stories (exciting journeys by brave characters), Comic stories (funny), Historical stories (based on real events from the past), Fables (short tales that teach a moral, often with talking animals).
• Story elements: Setting (where and when the story happens), Characters (people or animals), Conflict (the problem in the story), Solution (how the problem ends). A story has a beginning (setting and characters), middle (the problem or exciting events) and ending (solving the problem with a clear ending), and often a lesson or message.
• Sequence words: First, Next, Then, After that, Finally.

Vocabulary List

Grammar Rules — Reported Speech (statements)

We use reported speech to tell what someone said without quoting exact words.

• Pronouns change with the speaker and listener: Nour said that she was happy.
• Tense shifts back: present → past ("I play tennis" → He said that he played tennis); will → would ("I will visit my grandmother tomorrow" → Sara said that she would visit her grandmother the following day); can → could.
• Time and place words change: today → that day; yesterday → the day before / the previous day; tomorrow → the following day / the day after; now → then; here → there.
• Use said (that) or told + person (Ali told Omar that…).
• Direct: She said, "I love reading stories." → Reported: She said that she loved reading stories.
• Narratives mainly use the past simple (Once upon a time, there was a brave knight. One day, he saw a dragon.).

Language Skills & Functions

• Speaking: retell a well-known story using sequence words; make a story map (Beginning, Middle, End: who? where? what happened? how did it end?); the "Pass the Microphone" game.
• Writing a story (about 110 words): choose an interesting title; plan beginning, middle and end; use simple language and sequence words; add a lesson; check spelling and grammar. Useful openings: Once upon a time, there was…; One day, something strange happened…; Finally, everything changed…
• Review 2: modals (You must turn off your phone during exams), the suffix -ful means "full of" (helpful), the opposite of fair is unfair, determination helps students overcome challenges, and reading the passage about technology: digital technology has both positive and negative effects on teenagers; experts warn too much screen time can harm mental health and sleep; the key is to control technology rather than letting it control you.

Solved Exercises

1. Report: Sara said, "I will visit my grandmother tomorrow." → Sara said that she would visit her grandmother the following day.
2. Correct: Hana said that she is studying science then. → Hana said that she was studying science then.

Common Mistakes

• Not shifting the tense back: said that she loves ✗ → said that she loved ✓.
• Not changing time words: said she would come tomorrow ✗ → the following day ✓.
• Using said with a person: said me ✗ → told me ✓.
• Mixing up the story elements: the conflict is the problem; the solution is how it ends.

Quick Revision Checklist

• [ ] I can explain how stories shape our thinking and develop empathy.
• [ ] I can retell The Clever Fox and name its moral.
• [ ] I can name the types of stories and the four story elements.
• [ ] I can summarize Chapter Six of The School Garden Project.
• [ ] I can report statements with the correct tense, pronouns and time words.
• [ ] I can use said and told correctly.
• [ ] I can plan and write a story with a beginning, middle and end.
• [ ] I can use sequence words.
• [ ] I can answer Review 2 items (modals, suffix -ful, antonyms).
• [ ] I can state the main idea of the Review 2 passage.