TerpTopics: "CLOZE SKILL" Introduction to ASL and Sign Language Interpreting.

The word cloze comes from the word closure. Yahoo Education says closure is, "A bringing to an end; a conclusion:" But, what does cloze mean?

that have been systematically deleted from a text."

- Yahoo Education definition of CLOZE

1. You might not hear a phrase or word if a speaker momentarily lowers his or her voice:

during an aside, such as when a lecturer says "Next slide, please" to the media specialist.

during an embedded clause: "Harriet, the previous treasurer, was a maniac about recording ledger entries promptly."

during an editorial remark; an employee says, "Yeah, right." when the boss promises better bonuses next year.

2. Noise can be problematic for professional interpreters. Sound can (and often does!) get in the way, causing the interpreter to miss words or phrases. Sources of such sounds include:

ambient (environmental) noise, such as air conditioners, machinery, nearby people;

the interpreter's internal noise, like tinnitus, self-criticism, or worry about getting lost on the return trip home.

Maybe you heard the word, but didn't understand it. Here are a few reasons you might hear but not understand what was said:

Ready for a little fun with clozure? Try the following:

___ John Brown was twenty-five ___ old, he ___ a bank and killed the two ___ ___ tried to arrest him. Two days later, he was caught, convicted ___ murder, and ___sentenced ___ death. John Brown appealed ___ the judge ___ mercy, but the judge ___ his decision.

fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too.

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mind! Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno’t mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae.

The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm.
Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? Yaeh, and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

This page was edited: 09/13/2009
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