This is a cloze test with the missing words in a little box on the left of the text. A good way of starting any reading comprehension passage is to hand out A4 blank sheets to everyone, put just the heading on the board and ask them to make a list of about 12 words or phrases that they think they'll find in the texton the left hand side of the paper. Once this is done they pass on their sheet to the student next to them and take the one from the student on the other side. They now have a new sheet with 12 new words on it. On the right hand side of the paper they now have to make up a sentence using just 3 of the words and phrases (crossing them out as they use them) and then once again pass them on. A second sentences is added in the same way and a third until the words and phrases have been used. You could read out some of them in class, before actually starting on the REAL text. My students have always loved this activitiy and it can be used for any reading comprehension text.
