E n g L i s h jenni Currie Santamaria

can
or 
could
.
He saved money 
so that he could buy a house
.
Please close the door so 
that we can have some privacy
.
In speaking and informal writing, we often use 
so
to mean 
so that
. You can tell 
the difference between them because of the meaning. In writing, you can also 
tell the difference because we use a comma before the coordinating 
conjunction 
so
, but not before 
so that
(even when it’s shortened to 
so
).
B.
Identify forms
Complete the sentences with
comma +
so 
or with 
so that
. 
Do not shorten 
so 
that 
to 
so
.
1.
Martina didn’t study ____________ she failed the test.
2.
Teresa woke up early ___________ she could get to work on time.
3.
The students didn’t sleep last night ___________ they are very tired
today.
4.
Alan doesn’t understand the lectures ___________ he’s not very interested 
in the class.
5.
I’ll call you tonight ___________ we can make plans for the weekend.
6.
Our favorite restaurant was closed ___________ we went to a different
one.
7.
They closed the windows ___________ the neighbors wouldn’t hear the 
piano.
8.
I washed dishes last night ___________ it’s your turn tonight.

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Playing the Game
|
129
VI. READ IT AGAIN
Read the rules for playing checkers again. Answer the question.
Why would a player want to reach the farthest edge of the board as soon as 
possible?
“TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME”
I. PRE-READING
A.
Background information
A baseball game is divided into nine 
innings
, during which the teams take turns 
playing offense and defense. When people go to baseball games in the United 
States and Canada, it is traditional to stand up in the middle of the seventh 
inning when the teams trade places on t
he ield. This is called “the seven inning 
stretch.” Nowadays, most baseball stadiums play “Take Me Out to the Ball 
Game” during the seventh inning stretch. The audience sings along, often 
changing the words “home team” to the name of the local team. The song was 
written in 1908 by Jack Norworth and was irst sung at a major league baseball 
game in the 1930s. Only the chorus is sung at the games.
B.
Words to know before you read
Match the words to their definitions.
____
1.
mad 
a. an old-fashioned word for “boyfriend”
____
2.
root for 
b. old-fashioned French coin, used like 
“penny”
____
3.
Cracker Jack 
c. crazy
____
4.
sou 
d. team
____
5.
beau 
e. cheer for
____
6.
crew 
f. a snack with popcorn and peanuts that 
irst appeared in 1896 and has a strong 
association with baseball
Baseball words:
____
1.
strike 
a. a baseball game oficial
____
2.
umpire 
b. a missed hit; a player with three strikes is 
“out.” After three outs, the offense and 
defense team switch places.
C.
Reading strategy
Read the song quickly and without stopping. Then answer the question.
What did Katie Casey love?

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130
|
Better Reading English
II. READ
Read the text. Mark the words you don’t know, but don’t stop reading to look