LESSON 1. PREFIX, SUFFIX - AFFIX

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Communicative area: inferring meaning from context Vocabulary: word-building - affixes

1. What's an affix? What do we need prefixes and suffixes for? Are there prefixes and suffixes in your language? Give some examples of prefixes and suffixes in English and in your language.

2 ^ Listen to some information about affixes and check your answers to the questions in ex. 1.

3. a) Look at the tables below. Which table is for prefixes?

Which one is for suffixes? What languages do many affixes come from?

re-	Latin	again; back, backwords	retell, rewrite, rebuild, repair, review
im-, il-, ir-	Latin	forming adjectives or nouns commonly reverse their meaning	impolite, illegal, irregular
Table 2
-al	Latin	forms adjectives of, related to, connected with	functional, structural, international, minimal, global
-en	Latin	forms verbs to become, cause to be	redden,cheapen, weaken, soften
-fy -ify	Latin	forms verbs to make, turn into	clarify, electrify, notify, russify
-ist	Greek	forms agent nouns doer	realist, dentist, scientist, economist, optimist
-ive	Latin	forms adjectives indicating tendency, character	active, productive, passive, decorative, addictive
-ment	Latin	forms nouns from verbs action, process; result; agent of an action	entertainment, amazement, government, environment

b) Use the words below to add more examples to each group.

cycle (2 words), wave, develop, horror, danger, mobile, mistake, sphere, create, worker, form (2 words), possible

4 Without using a dictionary, try to figure out the definitions for the words in bold in the sentences below. For help, analyse the meaning of the prefix, suffix and root.

Example: Microbiology studies microorganisms and their effect on other living organisms.

Part of speech: noun Prefix: micro Root: organ Suffix: ism

Definition: any organism of microscopic size

1. The replacement cost for a lost book is £25. 2. We had to simplify the instructions. 3. The paint will brighten the room.

4.All her movements were soft and light. 5. The reviewer said she acted brilliantly. 6. The understanding of art will enrich your life.

5. a) Read the excerpt from the article below. What is a humanoid?

Humanoid robots are used as a research tool in several scientific areas. Researchers need to understand the human body structure and behaviour (biomechanics) to build and study hu- manoids. It has been suggested that very advanced robotics will help the further development of ordinary humans.

Besides the research, humanoid robots are being developed to perform human tasks like personal assistance, where they should be able to assist the sick and elderly, and dirty or dangerous jobs. Regular jobs like being a receptionist or a worker of an automotive manufacturing line are also suitable for humanoids.

These robots are becoming increasingly popular for providing entertainment too. Several Disney attractions employ the use of robots that look, move, and speak much like human beings, in some of their theme park shows.

b) Find the following words in the article:

- an international movement supporting the use of science and technology to improve human mental and physical characteristics (prefix meaning change, suffix meaning theory);

- the study of the mechanics of a living body (prefix meaning life, suffix meaning science, study);

- the science or technology of designing, building, and using robots (suffix meaning science, study);

- related to a particular person, private (suffix meaning related to);

- moving by itself (prefix meaning self, suffix meaning character);

- unsafe, life-threatening (suffix meaning having, full of).

c) Find more words with affixes and explain what they mean.

6. Write a piece of news for a scientific magazine. Use at least

5 words from ex.3.

Date: 2015-12-17; view: 1551

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