Topic Two (1.2): Teach yourself Tok Pisin

to find out about languages spoken in Papua New Guinea;
to use conjunctions although, while and whereas to join clauses in a sentence.

In this topic, you will learn Tok Pisin – the most spoken language in Papua New Guinea.

Please work through the following sections in your coursebook, completing all listed exercises:

Do you know where Papua New Guinea is? Look at the map at the top of page 14. Answer these questions: Where is Papua New Guinea? Which languages do you think are spoken there?
Page 14 – Read the Key words: Geography and languages box. Make sure you understand the meaning of each word.
Page 14, Exercise 1 – Read the text. Look up any words that you do not understand. Wordreference.com Links to an external site. is a very good online dictionary that you may wish to use. This will give you the meaning of the word in your own language. What is the most surprising fact about Papua New Guinea?
Page 15, Exercise 2 – Read the text again and complete the exercise.
Page 15, Exercise 3 – Answer the questions.
Page 15 – Use of English. Read about the conjunctions although, while and write out the explanation of when they are used and one example for each. Can you think of your own sentence using each conjunction?
Page 15, Exercise 4 – You are going to practise joining sentences using the conjunctions from the Use of English box so make sure you fully understand when to use them. You can complete the Grammar section now if you need to. Read the examples in Exercises 4a and 4d, then complete the exercise using although for sentences a to c and while/whereas for sentences d to f.

Page 15, Exercise 5 – How good are you at learning a new language? Listen and practise the expressions in Tok Pisin. If you have a friend or family member who can speak English, you could complete this exercise with them. If not, practise by yourself – you could record it and listen back to yourself speaking Tok Pisin!

LISTEN – Track 03

For practice on how to connect two contrasting ideas with words like althoughand despite, complete these interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.

If you would like to explore more about the geography, history, culture, economy and traditions of this incredible country, read through the presentation below on Papua New Guinea. As you read, remember to make a note of any new vocabulary.

Read the Use of English box on page 15 again. Students often confuse ‘while’ and ‘whereas’ so it is important to be clear on how they are used. Read the explanation in the link below then try the exercises that follow.

For further practice, complete this helpful worksheet below. Remember to read the explanation at the beginning carefully then answer the questions that follow.

If you would like to check your answers to the exercises in this topic, please consult this document here. Download here.
The section with the answers is highlighted in yellow.
If you would like to access the audioscript(s) for this topic, please click here. Download here.