#*re**re€s1 Describing Pe0n1e.........2 0escribing Pluces/8ui1dittus..............3 [escribing 0biecls4 lescribing teslivols/[venls/[eremonies ...............5 l'|srrulives

$ludy f;heck 1 ................

E 0iscursive [ssnysu. for rnd Aguinsl lsssys ........b. 0uinion Issuysu. Essuys Sugueslinq Solulions lo Ptoblems

7 lellersu. lellers ol fiequeslb. lellets Eivinu lnl0tmoli0n ..........c. lellers Eiving un 0ninion

i. lellers ol Adviceii. lellers Mrlting Suggesli0ns/Recommenduli0ns ............iii. tellers lo lhe Aulhotilies/tdilot

d. lellers ol Compluinle. lellers ol Anologyl. Iellers ol Anpliculiong. Irunsuclionul I'ellets

418x23438

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546070708285B8g3g305g7101105107il1

$ludy fliecfi ? ................ ]:il

Be n orlsu. Assessmenl fienorls 122h. Inlormulive Renoils 120c. Survey fie[orls 128d. Proposul Benoils 132

*ludy i lheslq I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . :35

I Arliclesiilews fieporls/fleviews 13$o. Arlicles 139b. l'lews fieporls 144c. Beviews ................... 150

$ludy t!tes:{ 4 ...................:........:............. i ............ ;54

fievision & Exlension Serlion 158A[oendix' Iin[ing lllotdslPhtoses

IffiilE HI Look at the people in the photographs and talk about each in terms of appear-

ance, personality and life/lifestyle.

Appearance z How wouldyou descibe each person's appearance?Which feafires of their appearance are most noticeable?Wat does theirway of sitting looking, etc. suggest?

Personality z Wat do yow imagine each person is like?

,ife & Lifestyle: Wat else do you imagine about each person conceming such things asprofession, ambitions, interests I hobbies, daily routine, etc?

M--/ A composition describing a person should consist of:

a) an introduction giving brief information about who the person is, where/how you

met him/her, how you heard about him/her, etc;

b) a main body which may include description of such things as physical

appearqnce, personality/behaviour, manner/mannerisms and/or details of the

person's life and lifestyle, (hobbies, interests, everyday activities, etc.) and

c) a conclusion in which you comment on why the person is of interest, express

your feelings/opinion concerning the person, etc'

ln a descriptive composition of a person, you may also be asked to explain why lhis

person iS successful /admirable/unusual, etc, why he/she made such a strong

impression on you, how he/she has influenced you' etc'

Each paragraph should start with a topic sentence which summarises the paragraph.

The content of the paragraph depends on the topic itself and where the emphasis is

olaced.

Descriptions of people may be inctudei in several other types of writing tasks such as

narratives, letters, assessment reports, etc.

Poirsts to Consider

To descr ibe physicat appearance, you should give detai ls of the person's

height/build, age, facial features, hair, clothing, etc' moving from the most general

aspects to the most specific details. *.g. Bill, wfto is fn his *atiy {wenffes, rs qulte falf

end weil-built, with tltick black hair and pier*ing 5/ue eyes. rCe is usua/fy dressed rn

;'eans anO aT-snirt.To describe personal i ty and behaviour, you can support your descr ipt ion with

examples of manner and mannerism: *,g. Mark is,-afhsr unso*labf*, usu*ffy s,{frng

sifently in a corner o#eer#ng otrem nem a dbhnc*.

To describe life, lifestyle and beliefs, you should talk about the person's habits'

interests, profession, daily routine, opinions, etc'e.g. Being bath a wnivers!$ stu**nt anc a parf-im* essfslanf in * supermar&el Jenef

lras lfffle free tirce fc go ouf rn fh* +ve$lr?gs.

lf the instructions for the writing task ask you to describe someone related'to the

present, e.g. ?escri&e a F€isod? i+#c fs L}ftusljil ".,",-you will describg lhe person using

Present tenses. lf you are asked to describe sb related to the past, sb who is no longer

alive, or sb whom you met some time ago ... q.#. "sesc,"i5e a.famaus gerssn yoij ltr€t

-rvfto was fict a8 ycu expecfe#...", you will describe the person'using Past tenses.

The use of descriptive vocabulary, e.g' srunniag , siender' efc' and a variety of linking

words and structures will make your writing more interesting'

Dessribittg Peo[le

Paragraph 1

who the person islwhenlhow you first metlsaw himlher

Paragraph 2physical appearance

Paragraph 3pe rso nal ity I be h av i o u r (withju stifi cati o n I exam p I es)

Paragraph 4life I tifestyle I bel iefs

Paragrapln 5explanation 1 + justification

Paragraph 6explanation 2 + justification

Final Paragraph

co m ments lfeel i n gs aboutperson

\

the following composition and fill in the missing information in

plan. Look at the highlighted adjective-noun combinations, then

, yool. book and try to remember as many of these as possible.

other words can you think of which could be used to describe a

s physical appearance?' . ' . ' ' . ;- ' ."i.

-P'.-. .: '- ' . ' . ,.n,r.

_:"_" --:':,e,.','_-: - q*'r'"".";'--':*''""-'

know well

Unil 1 Describins Peonle

lnfrodaction{irst met Ms Dunn at HillcrestNursery School, headmistress

&{sin Sody

" &P7estanrcsmart; warm, friendlY exPression

* Ferso ns,liW#e&av ip rt r

, {if t/f.ifesfyfe18e&efs

i tannediclean-shaven/fi nejeatured face flowing/silver/curlY hair iwarm/hostileiarrogant expression ;

Describe a person youI began working at Hillcrest Nursery School three years ago, I was introduced to

Itl of the children in her school. In fact, she has no time fo1 family life, since she

6i.ut", her life to her job. Besides taking care of various administrative task every day,

b,alwavs takes time io talk to the teachers and parents. ln addition, she often holds

Jtinss'with the school's.Board of Directors, as well as with staff and parents-

PI.IVSECAL APPEAfiANCEA description of a person's appearance could include such aspects as

height/build, age, facial features/expression, hair, clothes, etc'you may describe visual details (e.g. Atall, heavily-built nan wearing a

black leather jacket ...) andlor use words and phrases which describe

the general impression created by the person's appearance {e'g 'Donna's slender, youthfut buitd makes het look younger than she is,

while her face, with its brigttt smile and friendly axpression, is very

attractive).Note thai when you describe someone for official purposes e.g. a police

repcr! ,youemphasisetheperson'sphysicalappearance,giv ingthemost accurate description possible'

k at thephotographs,

the mostiate

descriptivefrom thoseted, and

t!"en write a shortintion of

each person, portly/slender/powerful build

@

5

sparklingiwatery/Piercing eyes

sarcastic/condescending/f riendly smile

scarsfireckles/wrin kles

in the example.

f labby/bu I gi n g/withe red bicePsd i m p I e s/p i m_Plft/Yl$t qf --

nil 1 Describinu People

l-imkimg Words arsd Stra.aeta.gres@ Writ ing which contains a ser ies of short sentences or the same simple

l inking words (such as ' |and") soon becomes boring and repet i t ive. Toavoid this, you should use a wide range of linking words and structures.

with$he rs tai/ and striking, with lang blonde hair.

Relative Clauses whoiwhich/whosefvly neighbaur, Mrf?c ls sliglttly eccenfitb, has dozens of {ilthy cats.He rs a scruffy child whose clolhes arc tafi and dirly.ffe #as a bro4en nese,m'ftr'cfi makes him laak like a boxer.

Result so/such (a) ... (that)

She is so beautifulffftaf) sfte laoks like afilm star.

Addition in addition to, as wellas/besides, moreover, furthermore, notonly . . . but also . . . , etc.

lle isverytall, fn addffion to &eingrverytl'tin.My grandmather has deep wrinkles, as ryelf as thin grey hah.#e"is mef oniy afiistic, Smf alss a successfuibuslnessman.

Contrast but/yet/However/Nonetheless/Even so + clauseAlthough/(Even) thoughiWhile + clauseIn spite oflDespite + -ing forminoun/the fact that

He is tempenmental, hutltret he is a toyal friend.He /ooks as #iaugfr lp's an ald man. *{awever, hec onff35.Alffrougft fie f,as a huge, powertd body, he's a very gentleperEonIn spfte of &eiing very busy, she always has time for her children.

4 Join the following sentences by using a variety of the structures shomin the table above, as in the example.

Kevin Boyce plays bas-ketballf*r our schoai ienm.Ffe is v*ery tall. !{e is athlet-ic, taa. This rnnlns him srsmcellerct nlwer.trwin wyae wtw plays bwiretfunl! {*r swr ffMslteanc, lswt otFN u€{y t@fl bN slso

very &t!fietic, wffic$t pt[efffiiirn *n excef@ftt playm

The Masai are East Itribespeople. They areThey have noblefeatures. They lookextremely graceful,

Grace Kelly reached Hollywood stardomin the 1950s. She was famous for her del-icate features. She married a prince too.The postman is 56. He has thick blackhair. It has only a few touches of grey.He has smooth skin. This makes himlook younger than he is.Mrs Russell is tiny. Her flat is next tomine. She has white hair and wrinkles.She looks 90 years old.Maurice has black hair. He has a thickblack moustache. He has a dark com-plexion.The policeman's muscular build filledhis large uniform. He had a high, broadforehead and a strong, square jaw.These gave him an air of authority.

PERSgNALI'IYA[qD tsEI.IA1/IOUR

In descr ipt ions of people we caninclude a c lear descr ipt ion of aperson's personal i ty and behaviourwith a variety of character words.e.g. He is lriendly and fionest,

She speaks very rudely.He is greedy and a miser.

These words should be justified in anexplanat ion or example. e.g. Br ian,who is very sociable. enjoys going toparfiies and meeting people.

lf you describe negative qualities, youshould use mild language. Use: tendto, seem to, is rather, can sometimesbe, etc. e.g. Satah isanexcellentwoker,but she ean sometimes be ratherim@ienl{not:W}You may descr ibe personal i ty andbehaviour with examples of mannerand mannerisms (the gestures peopleuse, lhe way they speak/walk, etc)e.g. Timothy is a very talerant father;

no sneffier wftat hls thildren dofie doesn? fose fiis temper.

Note that personal i ty character ist icsshould be stressed in certain types ofwr i t ing, for example when yourecommend someone for a iob.

{,

Lt

l-inking Words and StructuresLINKING CAUSE AND EFFECTShe is open and friendly. (Cause) She is popular. (Effect)

owing to/due to (+ -ing/noun/the fact that) ...

a result/consequence of A/the result of ... is... ... ; as a result, ...

is popular because she tb open and friendly'is populu due to beingldue to the factthat sfie is open and friendfy'

resuft ol her being open is that she is popula..

. . so ... therefore/for this reason ..' The reason (thaVwhy) .'. is...

She is open and friendly, so she is popular.is open and friendly, thetetore she is popular.reason she is popula is fhats/re is open and friendly'

I the sentences below use the simple linking word "becausett. Look at

the table above, then rewrite each of the sentences using the linking

or phrase in bold type.

Pectple o"1ten find him ffinsive becattse he says exactly what he thinlcs.

resuk of his saying exactlY what heA result of ...

thinks is that people often findhim offensive.

trust Paul because he is so honest. Since...

is very successful because he works extremely hard. The reason ...

is an interesting person because she has lived in exotic places and has

had so many strange experiences. ... ; as a result, ...

[oo.omes asross as being inquisitive because he tends to ask people a lot

||nil 'l Describins Peonle

He has / habit / speak with / mouth tull /which I / be / disgusting (find)

Sarah / people / be / immature / since /often giggle / when someone / speak /her (strike)

Owing I fact lDavid / never pay I any-thing, he / be / mean (impression)

As / he / not return things / he bonow / he

/ be / dishonest (opinion)

Since my sister often forget / where sheput / things, she / be / absent-minded(appear)

Gompound AdjectivesCompound adject ives are formedwith:

a) present participles: a quick-actingofficer, a hard-working doctor

b) past participles: a stylishly-dressedwoman, an open-hearted Young man,a narrow-minded politician, a widely-known football player

c) cardinal numbers + nouns: a three-year-old boy, a six-foot tall man

d) wel l , badly, i l l , poor ly + Pastparticiple: a well-intentioned friend,an ill-mannered actress

7 Make compound adjectives to describethe following:

I A baby who is crying constantlY'2 A speaker who has prepared thoroughly.3 Students who are organised well.4 A girl who has curly hair.5 Aboywho has brown eYes.6 A basketball player who is 42 years old'

7 An artist who is dressed in funny clothes'

8 A child-minder who has been specially

trained.9 A man who has a short temPer'

10 A man with one leg.11 A dentist who has gentle manners'

I questlons.

dislike her because she is vain and self-centred.

ls far as l'm concerned

... , so -.... due t0...

lmpressisns, Opinions and Reactions

IthinUfeelietc (that) It seems to me that To meiTo my mindln my opinion/view/eyes

seems/appears to be .., sb strikes peopleicomes across as (being) ".sb gives the impression ol being .../the impression that '..

find/consider sb to be ... I think of/see/regard sb as being ..'

Using the expressions in brackets, write a complete sentence from each

of the following'skeleton' sentences, as in the example. ''rtrham I sometimes lbe insincere I revLk I try I flattu I everyone (come across)

'Sraham somet{mes {-tfigl W-l-vt-gs b-eing insincere, as a result of trying to

7f{atter everyone.

Inil I 0escribing Peonle

ffi, f f i Paff i ic iptes/u

ln formal wri t ing, present and pastpart ic ip les can be used to replaceclauses as in the following examples.

Sh.e is so rick tlat she can buy arrythingske wants.fuirg so irL, she cm hry wryhh4 she wanhSke was so rick that ske could h4nr-tything ske wanted.Naving heeil so rkh, she cauld btryanything ske wanted-Wken he k seen frorn a distance, lrcresembles Pau! Newman.Seen frorn a distance, he resembles PaulNewman.Monica, who was dressed entirely in red,entered the room.Wessed entirely in red" Monica enteredthe room.

Relwite the follow-ing sentencesusing participles.

Oliver, who was cov-ered in dust, climbeddown the ladder.

Veronica, who was tiredgo on with the journey.

out, could not

Richard is so rude that he has nofriends.

She is so intelligent that she can speaksix languages.

Frank is so absent-minded that healways forgets his car keys.

Susan, who was laughing hysterically,couldn't speak.

Paul, who was walking on crutches, leftthe room slowly.

Louise is so patient that she is cut out tobe a teacher.

I The following text describes twin brottrers. Read it, circle the words orphrases describing personality and behaviour, and underline thejusti-fications or examples given.

'different' desPiteDescribe two PeoPle who are verylh"i. aPParent similaritY

.\

!' I

Jason and Jonathan are identical twin brothers' who are in the

same year at school ;t l;' Physically' they are indistinguishable;

they are like 'two p";; ;; foa'i ut tl're saying goes' They have the

same short blond hair and iine features, and they tend.to dress in

il;;; ;uruui ,tyr". when you ge-t to know them' however' it

soon becomes crear t#their persoiarities are completely different'

Jason is very oragoin!, assertive and ambitious - the sort of per-

son who might run-u iu'g" corporation' An example of this is the

fact that he is alreadf tn""pr"riient of the school debating society'

;il;;h f"opl" t"'ial" ii"J him rather p:*P"Y:-ldconceited'to me he simply r""., full of confidence. For instance, he is much

more likely to say il .un do it" than "l'm the best"' lt is true that

he comes across ur'riun6otn, though' due to his habit of refusing

to admit he is wrong in any disagreement' . . r ,--,^ i,^^l

I

' 'j;;;;;;;" ifu"otn"t hand,lt tno'" of an introt^1i^t]jl'?1

'Jff ilffi ';' ;;"f#; i' spen d, h i s ti me-onl'^:* lf , l:"';;#;;;il?;; Jpend hours starins { the'l:udl;

Rr'u l."rutt, he sometimes gives the impression of

il";ltt, while a few people even regard him as-rfoi-*ittud.

On better acquaintance' however'

n" ,urn, out to be not only enthusiastic and

"n"tg",i., but also deeply :u'inq.

which is

tnotin by his tireless work on behalf of various

2

3

charities.

10 Use the adjectives listed below to complete the following sentencesdescribing character as in the example:

childish, crael, dishonest, ftiendb,lary, mean, moody, mfu, fr!, fiubbom, tnctlBss

Then choose from the list below the adjective which has a meaningalmost the same as the word you have just used. Write each adjectivenext to its synonym.

, blu.nt, deceitful, idle, immature,insolent, miserly, obstinate, timid, s_og1gplg ,spitefu l, tempe ramental

Maitr is {t {$e_gd!gbaA!@b!t girL whc' loves meetistg people and gets on wellwithev€D;one.

A good example of Roger's behaviour wasthe time that he refused to finish a game of chess because he was losing.

\Laa

.oo' " '4.

rew 15 so that he does nothinsday except sit and watch television.

joys upsetting people and getting them;;;ffib " girrwhondra is a rather .........

rald tends to be a(n) ............ peaon;

it's difficult to believe what he says or to trust him.king to strangers is terriffing for Elaine because she is so

issa tends to be ........... and often upsets people by

$ying what she thinks without considering their feelings.brother is very ; he can suddenly

from being perfectly charming to angry or miserable.r Purvis is a rather ..........o1d man who refuses toanee his mind once he has reached a decision about something.

wav that he shouts at his teachers is just one example of his ...............haviour.ink Carol is .......-.-........ because she

onlv spends money when she absolutely has to.

Read the table, then listen to the cassette and complete the missing

ation. Using the information in the table and the linking wordsthe list, compare Anthony and June.

Similarities: also, too, as well as

however, on the other hand, whereas, while, but, although

tn sorrre ways, Anthony snd lune are very sinilar.example, they are both fashionable ... However, ...

Unil 1 0escribing Peunle

1 William comes across as .................,...........,

ffiilil;;;#ilxt1nH*i;and lools at people with a steady gaze.

2 Most people regard him as, on account of

his sarcastic tone of voice and sneerinsexpression.

3 The reason Lydia seemsis that she often looks away

in the middle of a conversation andsometimes doesn't answer when she isspoken to.

4 Phillip strikes me as ...........since he always realises when someoneis upset or worried and offers themcomf.ort, advice and practical help.

13 Read the following descriptions andfill in each blank with a "character"word from the list below. Then rewriteeach description in one sentence as inthe example. Use as many differentlinking techniques as possible.

aggressive, impatient, insincere,nervous, timiil, vain

e.g. Kevin bites his nails. He jumps at loudnoises. He is nervoasAs well as biting his nails, Kevin, who is avery nervzus persln, jumps at loud noises.

Cathy spends hours doing her make-up.She is always looking at herself in themirror. She isJerry blushesfloor when hevery ...............Gordon shouts at people a lot. He alsoclenches his fists whenever he getsangry. He is .............Paula flatters people she dislikes. Shepretends to agree with them, even ifshe's of a different opinion. She's ....... .Roberta taps her foot if she has to wait.She sighs if things don't happen quickly.

ANTHONY

;onotitg

fashionable

setf-confident,sensitive en.t'oys

€frsily

Maruner and ilflannerisms

omplete each of the following sentences with

set of character words which best match-

the manner/mannerisms described. ' "

]UNE

conservative

not outgoing,

easily. He loola at theis talking to people. He's

a arrogant' smug antl condescendirig'

b sensitive, generous anil caring

; energetic, outgoing uol tolttltol..,

9rl

lI

, arJ

; ait*r, alsenl'mina*ry*M

ljnit I 0esctibing Peonle

ffi L'FE, LtFEswLE AND BELIEF'T o In a description of a person you could include information that relates to

their l i fe, l i festyle and bel iefs. You may refer to factual detai ls such as

profession, qualifications, family, etc e.g' He is an eminent scientistwho

is tamous for his research in genetics' or aspects such as daily routine'

hobbies,interests,achievements,beliefs,ambitions,futureprospects,etc.e'g,Geargeisworkinghardbecausehewantstobepromated.

a In{ormation aoout life, lifestyle and beliefs gives the reader a clearer idea of

what the person is and does, and often also suggests what the person's

character is like.e.g. Andrarls ambition is to climb Mt Everest = athletic, adventuraus

14 neaa the descriptions of three people's lifestyles and beliefs and try to

guess what each person does. which aspects of their life, lifestyle and

beliefs do they mention? Now rvrite a similar paragraph about a teach'

er or a reporter.

Ann has o verg unPredictable

15 Read the short extract below, and say

which aspects of the person's life and

lifestyle the paragraph deals with.

. Moira's career as a respected painterkeeps her busy from dawn to dusk.tortu.nately she loves meeting newpeople, so she can combine hei inter_ests with her career. When she is notattending exhibitions and gallery op"n_ings she leads a very diiciplined'h-fe. ;She paints from 6 o,ciock in'the

-orn_

,ing until 4 o,clock in the afternoon. Sheusually spends the early evenings with ,her husband and n"o .hilarei. Hul"ambition is to have a one_woman_sho* ,in an important London gallery _

"njher dream is to own un uit guil".y on" !,oav.

t . .

,/ ltJestgl.e because she doesn't have a regular '{

joU. When'she has o part, however, she.tends to get

' ui Lot os she works until late in the evenings' Then, she 1

;oes to the ggm becouse it's important Jor h'er to be heolthg'

After that Ain t.orns her lines or ottends extro reheorsots'

She qoas to work at about six o'clock. Ann's proJession

.nobttt her to JutJit one oJ her drecms - to trovel'

She tries to keep an optimistic approach to tiJe ,

ffi You will hear two PeoPle talkingabout a successful rvriter. Read the

table, then listen to the cassette and

fill in the missing information. Using

the notes, first saY then write a

description of Emma's life and

lifestyle similar to the one in Ex. 15.

16

as you never know what the

Juture hotds.

Claire's [iJe is prettg much

with his Jomitg ondJriends, otthough he tries to keep his

weekends free. He betieves in hord work ond that the keg to

Steve hos a very busg

success lies in honesty ond determlnotlon. His recent

\ promotion gives him reoson t0 hope that he witpn 9tve5 ntm reqsolt LU rtuPe rrr(

be a senior partner oJ the Jirmone dog. ,F

f the same Jrom day to dag. On weekdogs """1

she gets up ot seven, wokes up her teenaged sons.and

lees them olJ to schoot. Then she storts the housework, shop-

ping and so on. She spends o lot oJ time working in tle gqr;

den, whlch she reallg enjogs. Claire olwcgs tries to arrange

som,ething special Jor the weekends - a drive in the l.ountrgwith ihe whote Jomitg, Jor instance. She believes that

taktng care oJ herJomitg'is a job in itsef andone thot she takes great

Pride in'

FAMILY , , ._l'

t t l " t : :

' . :, ' ':, ':.AfuIBITIONS .:..

start school for .--...:...........-

\ i

Read the model below and give the topic of each paragraph. Then, list

which aspects of description have been included, and underline the

jus tifi cations/examples given.

ribe a person you regard aseccentric

hris Martin moved into the house nextto mine two years ago. Even before he

e round to introduce himself the fol-ing day, I could tel l that he was truly

'qcentric.haps the most str iking thing about

Sris is his appearance. His slender body is

's,'rall), adorned in some kind of tight-fitting,Iti-coloured catsuit which makes him look

lFe a comic book super hero. He generally tops this off with one of his

,!wing capes and a mask. His hair is as crazy as his clothes, going fromat the front, to red, to blue to green at the back, and it sticks up

i?if he's styled it with the aid of a powerful electric current' He has

4,pe rather strange mannerisms, too, such as his tendency to bow

f en introducing himself for the first time.h spite of his strange appearance, Chris is a truly decent person and

!r rrorld would be a better place if there were more people like him.is very polite, friendly and is genuinely caring, always remembering

Unil I Describing PeoRle

Wniting teclrniquesCertain wr i t ing techniques (use ofweather description, direct speech ordramatic language to create mystery/suspense, reference to feel ingsimoods, etc.) can be used whendescr ib ing people in order to makeyour descr ipt ion more viv id andinterest ing. See how an ordinarybeginning can be made moreexciting:lnstead of wr i t ing: I f i rst met mYfuture wife, Heidi, in a caf6 where Iwas doing my crossword on awarmafternoon in July.

You could wr i te: lwatched with amixture of irritation and apprehensionas the busker approached my tablewhere I was doing the crossword onthat balmy July afternoon. lfelt irritatedbecause I hate being disturbed whenI'm enjoying my own company andapprehensive because I never knowhow to tell people politely to go away.To my surprise, however, the womansat down opposite me and Put herguitar down on the floor. "Can I playsomething for you?" she said with acheeky grin. Little did I know rightthen that this woman, Heidi Tierney,was to be mv future wife.

19 nead the following sentences andrewrite them using writing tech'niques.

I first met Marion Browne, the famouswriter, at a party where I hardly knewanyone.

2 The man who was to become the great-

est influence in my life, WilliamMorrison, was introduced to me bY mY

boss.

3 The oddest person I have ever known

was Jack Simpson.

fthdaus with a photograph of a bouquet of flowers and bringing me

!cken soup or Japanese tea if l 'm i l l . Chris wil l help i f he possibly canis ready to listen to everyone's problems. He tends to be aggressivetime to time, but this is because people make fun of him.

flthough Chris could never be described as ordinary, I enjoy havingas a neighbour. Life is never boring when you have someone like

iim |iving next door, and his combination of unpredictability and gen-::re kindness make him a valuable fr iend.

B = You will hear Stella telling her friend about a person she dislikes.

Read the questions, then listen to the tape and answer them. You may

keep notes while listening. Looking at your notes, describe the person.

t Who is Stella describing?

2WhatdoStel laandherfr iendsayabouthisappearance?

3Whatdoesshesayabouthispersonal ' i tyand/orbehaviour?

4 What fwo reasons does she give for disliking him?

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Unil 1 Desuibing PesRle

20 Read the model below and compare it with the composition in exercise 17. Which writing techniques have been used?

It was late on a cold January night tr,rro years ago when Ifirst laid eyes on Chris Martin, after hearing a removal vanin front of the vacant house next door. Curious to see whomy new neighbour was going to be, I peered out frombetween the curtains. Under the street lamp thereappeared to be a multi-coloured clown-like figure gestic-ulating wildly and shouting, "Be careful with that box!That's a ten-thousand-pound amp you've got there!"

When Chris came round to introduce himself the follow-ing day, I was rather taken aback to discover that his curi-ous guise the previous night had not been a trick of thelight, but that it was, in fact his "normal" appearance. Hisslender body was adorned in a comic book, super herocatsuit, cape and mask and his rainbow hair looked as if ithad been styled with the aid of an electric socket and a wetfinger. He introduced himself with a low bow then took myhand and gently kissed it before murmuring in a deep,husky voice, "Chris Martin, at your service, Madam."

ln the months that followed, I soon realised that Chriswas one of the polites! friendliest and most genuinely car-ing people l've ever met - although he has a str:ange wayof showing this. For instance, on my birthday, he rang mydoorbell, greeted me with a bow when I opened the door,said "This is for you," and handed me a photograph of abouquet of flowers. He brings me chicken soup and

Japanese tea when l'm ill, and I know he's always ready tolisten to my problems and cheer me up. Once, when lwasfeefing a bit low, he said, "l know! Let's go to the zoo -there's nothing like a nice elephant to make you feel better!"

Although Chris could never be described as ordinary, Ienjoy having him as a neighbour. Just the other day hecame round unexpectedly with an entire Thai meal beauti-fully laid out on a tray. When I thanked him, he merelyshrugged and said, "What else are neighbours for?" lt's thissort of thing that makes him such a valuable and unpredic.table friend.

-< -{

,/V INTERPRETING ThIE TOPIC" a Various composition tasks in examinatjons ask you to describe a person or

people; however, this description may be only one part of the composition.Composit ion tasks often ask you to descr ibe a person and explainsomething about them.In order to complete such a composition task successfully, vou should notdescribe every aspect of appearance, personality, etc. You should choosethe aspects which are most relevant to the particular question.

e.g. "Descrtbe a percon who has done a great deatfor others, anderglain how he orshe has managed to achieve so much."

In answering this question, it is not as relevant to describe appearancee.g. "He is atall, well-buift man with pale blue eyes ..."as it is to describe the person's character, achievements and so on. e,g."She is strong-willed, outgoing, alnd dedicated to ..."

o lt is important to interpret the instructions carefully. The instructionscontain certain key words and phrases which you must not ignore; forinstance, if the instructions say "Describe a famous person ..." you cannotdescribe someone who is unknown to the general public.

o The instruct ions may also ask you to explain the reasons for your im-pressions/reactions, for somebody's success, etc. e.g. Describe a pe/sonwho has influenced you greatly and explain fhe reasons for thisinfluence.You should state each reason in a separate paragraph with a cleartopic sentence which summarises the main ideaof each paragraph,,andsupports this with examples and/or justification.

,", I e.g. The main reason I found him eccentric was theway he dfessed.

[ToPic sentenceJFor instance, he often wore strange, enormous hab that seemedto betong to some other period in history. Furthermore, ...

[Exa m P I es I J u stiti c ati o n ]

21 Read the following composition tasl$and underline the key wbrds. Whatinformation will you include in eachparagraph? Ilowwould you adapt theparagraph plan to organise yourcomposition?

I Describe a person whom you associatewith a particular place and explain whyyou make this connection.

2 Describe a famous person from historywhom you admire, Give reasons for

. your choice.

3 Describe a person you know well andsay how he/she has changed since youfirst met him/her.

Describe two people you know well andsay how their hobbies reveal their dif-ferent personalities.

Describe someone you knew in the pastand say in what ways you were influ-enced by him/her.

i !.*

-si4#1til6ffi.+i"1",. .

22 Read the model below, underline the topic sentences of each

paragraph, and then complete the outline plan on the right.

Unil 1 0esclihing Peonle

* Introduction cary - fellau studentx Main Body

DESCRIBEphysical appearance

p er sonahry lJlehqriour I tnter ests

Ltf e I Iff esry les I b eli{ s

EXPLATN/REASON

* Conclusion

-: :hose of anY historicalThe person I admire most is not famous at all, yet to my mind rris ryfrieyelgnts

are as important as I

risure. Gary youns is . fril; fil;;i ;i;t, ut iorr*qt, uno ior rrim this ract itself is a maior achievement'

Gary sufiers from cereorat patsy, which -1lr: Yfi;;,

ffi;;;il itin* to tonttor his movements' As a result' he spends

his rife in a wheerchair, cannot write with a pen o, prnri"r, unJ ,prur,r * rro*ry,.nd rirangerv that it takes patience to understand

what he is saying. This, together with his thin, *,urJ o.iu r*i.***.ro turilr r*p"Go'nr, run often cause people to treat him

as if he were a backward child'However, behind his pnyiiiat appearance, qy]: u r**, fun-roving, inte*igent pers.n' His disabirity.afiects his muscles' not

his mind or personatiry. He enioys the same Tilg:d;il0'nt oo"1 h:tt*si; ilsic' meetins friends' ?nd so on - and

he is not onry the nest stuoent in our crass, but arso ias a wonderfur ,rnrr'oi"nuroui anc genuine interest in other people'

unabre to express nimseff easity in conversation, r"', ,# ripeciat typewriter toiwrite leiters to his friends' and beauti{ut poems

which show the true ouprn J ni, irroughts ano rnu*rio H, iium u irw "gurut

rif;,-rfiyrng rurry day and never allowing him-

serf to fa* behind in his schoorwork. 0f course ,', ;;; ffi;out ur *rr, iri nu i;irrrl tfiat a barance of work and play make

life happy and fulfilling' :- rL^+ !r^The main reason r admire him so much is that he is determined to read a normar rife, in spite of the phvsical difficulties he has

ro overcome. Arthough his condition prevented rri* iror qoi^g to scrroot, h. g;ul';il;;itln toututi* bv studying at home' He

lives atone, cookins ano cteanins wiirr fire help 0f e.qd;;iirtf 11tlgii1niilttrt' uno he leads a full'social life with his manv

friends, incruding vrsits to tie inJatre, or even (on o'ne m'bmorabre occasioriwhen r was with him) to the {unfair'

, Anbther reason I admire Gary, is the ractthat TiF t;ffiiY-ttj-1T:l' ;; savs' {or instance' that beins unable to move

around simpry gives nirrm'ru iirnu to think. rn tact,rre arways manhgu, a r*u'*r #giri ;ior or any situation' so that' far from

.i-j[:J:xil,,;tfi'."T$lfiIH:lTs:*n*:lT:lmlii"H'Ji1ffJf-'[Xt-li' refuses to ret it spoi'| his rife'makes him the most remarkable person I know'

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13

Unil 1 lesctibing Peoule

24 Fill in the topic sentences in the text

opposite, then give the paragraph out'

line. What information is included in

each paragraPh? What tenses have

been used? Why?

During the years I worked with her,

my admiration for Miriam steadilY

increased.Her ability to deal with several mat-

ters at once seemed almost mirac-ulous.My first impression of her was one of

politeness verging on stiffness.All in all, Miriam is the mostadmirable person I've ever met'The most striking thing about

tMiriam, though, was her sensitivity

towards others.f On my first daY of work at Acrol

Asurance I arrived nervous' soaking

wet - and nearlY half an hour late'

Describe a

person who has

influencedyour life and

explain whY Youadmire him/her.

m I had foigotten to take an umbrella, had missed the bus and was now

reiAy for a good scolding. It was then that I met Miriam Bellings, the

Managing Director, who was to have an enormgus influence on my life and

career.p|She was a small, birdlike woman, her appearance giving the impression

i-f u *ruous, easily-flustered person. I soon learnt, however, that her true char-

acter was calm, warm and kind, yet unbendingly professional' After reminding

me that lateness would not be tolerated in the office, she laughingiy confessed

to me that she had been over an hour late on her first morning because she had

lost her way, which was fypical of her sympathetic character. She then pro-

ceeded to explain the workings of the office to me with such clarity and accura-

ry, and with such patience to my rather naive questions, that I was left with the

impression that she was a sort of superwoman of office management'

m No crisis in the office ever caught her off-guard, and on the rare occa-

6-ny*hen she could not answer a question, she would make sure that she had

an answer for you within the hour.

m I remember on one occasion when nearly everyone in the office had

ffi. Oo*n with the flu, Miriam managed to keep the office running smoothly

without seeming stressed or harassed in the least. We sometimes used to joke

that if everyone in the office had been absent on the same day, Miriam would

not even have noticed!

il Although she had never married, she seemed to have a deep under-

sfanOing of family relationships, and could always tell when an employee was

having problems at home. She was not a "pull-yourself-togethel" sort of boss at

all. If she sensed that something was wrong, she would call you into her office

, andencourage you to talk. Not only was she a good listener, but the advice she

offered was alwaYs sound as well'

f6n i lost iouch with Mirianr after her retirement, but I will always remem-

!-er her as the "guiding light" in my working iife, the woman who - through

her example, help and advice - enabled me to be as successful as I am today.

14

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|Jnil 1 Describing Peonle

25 Reaa the model below and correct the highlighted words. Write S for spelling, WO for word order, G for grammar, P forpunctuation or WIV for wrong word. Then, fill in the paragraph plan.

Descnibe on importqnt penson frrn the post ond explainuhg he/she is of significqnt impor"tonce

inG' / " ' "

Thomas Jefferson, who was Uorn@tZ+3 in Virginia, USA,

Paragraph 1who the person is

Paragraph 2

Paragraph 3

Paragraph 4

was an extraordinarily able and gifted man who's influenceon American politics and culture is still felt to this day.

:]Best known as the author of the Declaration ofIndependence, (which stated America's reasons forneeding to be free of British rule) and as the third pres-ident of the United States, Jefferson was a highlyeducated and multi-talented man which left his marknot only on politics but on agriculture, architecture, lin-guistics and phitosophy. as wetl.

Jefferson was a tall, well-built man with striking features anda memorable physical presence. He was perceptive and sensitivein personal relations and, although was he involved in many political con-troversies, he did not bear grudges against his opponents. Despite the fact that he was a public figure,and often had as much as fifty people staying in his home, he was a very private person who kept hisprivate life to himself. He was a linguistically learned man who at least knew six languages, had a keeninterest in developing new varieties of food plants, instigated the first systematic study of AmericanIndian dialects and designed his own home, Monticello, an outstanding example of 18th century neo-classical architecture.

Admirable in many ways, this man was most to be respected for his belief in the freedom of the indi-vidual, which he spent all of his life fighting for. His more fundamental belief was that every person hasthe right to be economically independent and to decide his or her own destiny, and this philosophyformed the basis of American thought which still today survives. He was scandalised by proposals toestablish a dictatorship in the United states, and declared that "the very thought alone was treasonagainst the people".

Jefferson believed in the importance of education for whole people. He held the belief that no countrycould function properly if its citizens were uneducated, and he fought hardly for the establishment of

schools and also founded the University of Virginia, even designing the buildings and supervising their

construction himself. He gefered to this act as iThe last service I can render my country", and it was

indeed a valuable one. i

All in all, Thomas Jefferson was a person who he earned esteem and affection while his lifetime, and

who deserves our respect for his influence on political thought and for the longJasting effects of all

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that he accomplished during his long and fruitful career.r,"*,-4+..-,.,":-,4a1,_

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l|nil 1 Desctibing Peoule

26 Descriptions of people can be found in stories, letters of recommen-

dation, police reports, newspaper articles etc. Read the following

extracts and declde:a. where each extract is taken from.

b. who the writer of each extract is.

c. who each extract is addressed to.

d. which extracts are written in formaVinformal style.

To whom it may concern:

Paul Webster has been in or:r employ-

ment for the last five years. During titat

time, I have found him to be honest, reli-

able and tilstworthy. He has Provenhimself to be a dedicated and highly-

motimted member of otu worldorce.

Always professional in his appearance

and approach to hjs responsibitties, Mr

Webster has been a great asset to our

" company and I have no hesitation in

recommending him for any related post.

Although a career-girl through andthrough, Sonya claims motherhoodhasn't changed her life very mllch. "l waslucky to be able to work from home,"says the bright, 2S-year-old publicityagent. Her short brown hair swept behindher ears and minimal use 0f make-up aresigns that she has to be practical aboutc0mbining the joint responsibilities o{work and parenthood. But her trim figureand professional clothes help ensure thatshe maintains her dynamic business-woman appearance.

d,-.i*@:d*i#;de*e*<<u*w;5*:*+t4$d*{i*6e*€

She was a lively child with long, goid-

en hair and tight cruls. She had inher-ited her mother's big blue eyes butwhen she smiled, I cor:ld see that shewas the image of her father. Therewas such a directress in the way thatshe looked at you, while her thin lipsgave away the insecurity thatMichael had shown all those yearsbefore. She was so much his daugh-ter and, while I played with her, allthe old, painfui memories cameflooding back.

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2 Meryl StreeP maY be successful and-

iufrnttO, bui she is not entirely satisJied

that sfre is doing her best in either of her

titt, "

an actress 0r as a parent' Each

iob iakes time and energy from the

otfrer, anO she feelsthat i{ she had ded-

tateO trerselt to one career she would

have had greater satisfaction' But when

we ast<eO frer what she would do if she

had to choose between her glamorous

acting career and motherhood she

iepfieO, "l cannot live without either!"

Matthew Robbins was reported miss-

ing on the night of SaturdaY 22nd

AuEnrst. He is of Atican origin, aged

thirty-two, and of medium height (5

feet 10). He has amuscularframe and

his black hair is cropped short. He'

also has a small moustache and a

goatee. Robbins was last seen in the

Ma:rwell Park area and was wearing

a girey vest-type T-shirt and black jeans at the time' Robbin's fami-

Iy are appealing for any information on his whereabouts'

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There is nothing he cannot succeed in once hesets his mind to it. As a student at university, heworked at weekends in order to help pay hisway while completing his degree in businessstudies. He started out at the bottom of thecompany, but his dedication and determinationhave meant that after just ten years he is now adirector. Over the years his positive qualitieshave brought him success repeatedly, and hehas earned the admiration of all who know him.

This is not immediately apparent as she stilllooks very much the same. Her youthful faceand slim figure remain unchanged, and herclothes are as elegant as ever. However, topeopie who know her weil the change isobvious. She was once a carefree and evenfrivolous person, but the difficult circum-stances of her life have made her a more seri-ous, compassionate and understanding person.

Unil 1 Desuibinq People

[tead the extracts and write appropriate topic sentences for them.Where do you think the extracts are taken from?

28 Loot at the following compositiontask instructions and answer thequestions below.

a,! #escri$e a per$@s, from yoem,pasf ymeawnallfd fd&e fo see agaim, amd *xg*fedcawkY.

1 What are the key words in the taskinstructions?

2 What do the phrases "your past" and"see again" suggest?

3 Could you choose to describe someoneyou dislike? Why (not)?Which feaiures/aspects of descriptionwill you include?What reasons can you think of in answerto the "explain" part?

5 What examples/justification could youinclude?

7 What would a suitable paragraph planfor this composition task be?

&j #escri6e a Fers@n yau dislike, ailadexpfaira wfilry y*at feef f&is way abou;tfuim ar ller.

1 What are the key words in the taskinstructions?

29

Should you describe someone you knowpersonally? Why (not)?

Should a1l of your description emphasisenegative features?Which features/aspects of descriptionwill you include?

What reasons can you think of in answerto the "explain" part?What examples/justification could youinclude?

What would a suitable paragraph planfor this composition task be?

Choose ONE of the composition

tasks above, and write a complete

paragraph plan with notes. Then write

the composition in about 350 words.

;,: ' .;:$,ri,,fn #ji: ji j i f:

It's not that he's ever done anything to meor to any of our colleagues, but there's some-thing about the way he looks at you thatmakes you feel uneasy. He is quite good-look-ing, but there is a rather sly, cagey look in hissmaii brown eyes that makes you distrust himfrom the moment you nreet him. He tends'tobe obsequious as yeil, telling everyone exact-ly what they want lo hear and over-compli-mentary to anyone in a higher position thanhis. There may be no real basis for my dislike,but he is a person I simply cannot trust.

fi

$ssurihimu Fluces/$uildingsffiffiffiK ffi{ ffiSl You will hear a rnan talking to a travel agent about a city he finally decides to

visit. Read the table then listen to the tape and tick the information mentioned.

Finally, use the table to talk about the city described'

! ouotin I toinourgn I

E tretonc I scottono I

Athens

tocction: Greece

recommendotion:

reoson for visiting: hotidog l--.1 ousiness ]-l

sights: cosite ! nogot potoce I St Rotrick's Cothedrot l__]

free'time octivities: pubs I tur"u*s I tneotres ! clnemos !

cof6s I Rorks I funfoirs I oistros I

hightg recomrnended I expensive I ooring f

famo*s '{*r,'a&et makes tiso spee,'af, efc.)

b) a main body giving both general and specific details about the place/building

usually moving from the general features to specific ones. i) when you describe a

place you should give the overall impression by referring to landscape,

buildings, landmarks, etc, and parlicular details (sights to see, places to go,

things to do) i i) when you describe a building you should write about its

surroundings fe.g. sffErafed in Sxiord "Sfreef "J, then give a detailed description of

its exterior and interior; and,c) a conclusion in which you express your feelings or opinion concerning the

subject or give a recommendation.Vou may also be asked to explain why a particular place is important to you, popular,

etc. Note that the number and length of paragraphs varies depending on the topic.

Descriptions of placesibuildings may be included in several other types of writing tasks,

such as stories, assessment re?_[; i["ff;il_.!i#,

retters and magazine articres'

Descriptions of places/buildings may include: factual information such as age, size,

colour, materials, etc {e.g. Tfue fer*pie, with I#metre tall rnarbl* calumns, was built in

flfiS &0.], details rela'ring to the senses (sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste) to suggest

mood and atmosphere {e.g" Visrfors'iect'efep.g an the warn stane flaars echa thraugfi

f*e cocl dark ffirrlri*rs, distudling lks tranquil gilgnceJ, opinions/impressions of the

place or building 1*-g' -Tcr:rlsfs ere ;'ascinafeci tuy tts ei{ #f ffiygtery'}

Each aspect of the descr ipt ion should be presented in a separate paragraph

beginning with a clear topic sentence.The use of descriptive vocabulary (e.g. exquisite, exclusive, towering, efc.), a variety

of linking worcis and structures as well as narrative techniques will make your writing

moreinterest ing. , ; -Present tenses are normally used when describing a place for a tourist brochure or

. a magazine art ic le. Past tenses are norrnal ly used when descr ib ing a v is i t to a

place/bui ld ing. First and second condi t ionals (wi l l /would) can be used when you

describe your ideal city/house, etc. Note that when we give factual information about

a place or building this is normally given using Presenttenses. {n.gl. if lewto !rtadriri

,t;f i'vi*r#c,l it!ii*;:ri ;3 *;.fl,fiit'i i,: i,ry* asflfl,?i,p$ifii $f fhe ib*riAn paninsala with a

*i::'-:l{iii*ir f:' !jj."li:T '' l;l?l l":i;1,: l

Paragraph 1

n am e I I o c ati o n I P o P u I ati o nof the place, reason forchoosing the place

Paragraphs 2 - 3

general features and Par-ticular details(place: surroundings,

srgthfs, facilities,free-time activities

building: su rrou nd i ngs,detaileddescilPtion ofexteriorlinterio0

Paragraphs 4 - 5

explanation andexam p I e I i u stif i cati on

Final Paragraph

com me nts I f eel ings an d Ior a recommendation

\t l }

18

Unil 2 0escribing pluces/Buildinqs

Read the model below and fill in the plan on the right. Then, look at thehighlighted adjective-noun combinations, close your books and try toremember as many of them as possible.

l|esuibe r l[]ge, busy sil!Built around a small peninsula in the south east of China, Hong Kong, now

one of the most densely populated places on earth, is a city of extreme con-trasts, where East meets West, and the latest technology is equally asimportant as ancient customs are.

The streets of Hong Kong are atrenzy of activity and deafening noise. Theroads are congested with vehicles, from sparkling limousines to dusty rick-shaws, while countless hordes of people stream past on the pavements,and in the crowded narrow alleyways, the senses of the pedestrian are bom_barded with a bewildering variety of exotic sights and smells. In contrast,not far from the chaotic, cramped city centre lie parks with cool streams,shrines and chirping birds. Meanwhile, tranquil mountains form abreathtaking backdrop to the towering skyscrapers of steel and concretepacked closely around the harbour, where huge modern ships float along_side little Chinese junks.

Below the bright neon lights, garishly advertising every brand name con_ceivable, visitors will find an endless variety of shops and restaurants com-peting for space on Hong Kong's manic streels. you can buy anything here,ranging from state-of-the-art computer technology to hand-made silk suits.There are also fish and bird markets alloverthe city, where heaps of gleam-ing silver lish can be found displayed next to brillianily-coloured squawk-ing parrots. Tourists and locals alike flock to the Jade Market, hidden on aside street, with its intricately-carved pieces depicting chinese icons,Buddhas and dragons made of smooth green stone. For food, Hong Kong issecond to none, as it offers a wide choice of dishes in all sorts of eatinoestablishments. The city's nighflife, like its shops and restaurants, caters foiall tastes, whether you are searching for the opportunity to serenade your|ovedoneinakaraokebaroraresimp|yafterabeerandabi tofdancing. ' . , ' ' , . . i t . , ,

o lntrodactianlocation, population, reason

n Main Bodl/o *gf,g&l featares

o Eart'iwlqr details

o tonclusion

Location Verbs andPrepositions

There are a number of verbs used todescr ibe the locat ion and/orsurroundings of a place. These mayexplain position (e.9. the old house issituated next to ! tSSSItpUndgd by ..) ;they may aiso give some suggestionof movement {e.9. the road leads uptalWiAelB past ... ) andlor acrion fe.gthe statue towers abovalgtanglg at thetap of ... )

These verbs are naturally used withprepositions and prepositional/ad-verbiaf phrases (e.9. leads up to -winds past - sfands at the top of ,etc).

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Unil 2 0escribins Pluces/Buildinss

3 fiU in the gaps with words from the list below: Use the words only once.

stretch out, is set in, winds through, nestles at, is perched on, curres around,

sprawl out, is lomted in, slopes down to

1 The small house, which .......... the centre of town,is packed with antiques.

2 The narow country lane ...,.......... the wooded valley'

3 The steep hiilside ... the seashore'4 The hotel ............ the towering Welsh mountains.

5 The river ............ ...... the base of the mountain'

6 The plains ,......... in every direction'

7 The cabin ........... precariouslyI The suburbs into the countryside.9 A tiny village ... the foot of the high mountain'

4 Read the following description. Fill in each of the gaps with a suitable

preposition or adverb and circle each of the 'location' verbs'

' ' :- ar rr'6r too of the old stone steps' you can see the varl-

Standing 1) 'F'{ '4"' th- . ' the houses that l ine the matn

:l}":lil.:';:"?'il"l"jil1|....;;"''""'i,"p"nareajust4)the corner 5) """"' the,main tttu"t;n.

bottom of the steps is a shop' :

-l.Tili,fi :: l:: :i::: Ji;;-;;;;;; ;u i'di n g that s tands s)

the corner of the street' . ' ; 10) the pavement

I I - : !: i'SlTiff'1iil:q i,T'r::Ji::.'u|t,ti; ^Jr::;;;;i;go",'o,",.lu]'{ii,}i'ljl*:-;..............thefirstfloorhangsi

14) ........ '..."""""" tn

Further 'u'

"""""'l] th" 't '""t'

t6)""""" "'the right hand side is a ?-

q u a n, *"::,'1"_l j,i 11r Tt I ';:' :, Hi::: l*i;*: "ffin';'The street disappears t 'r.""""""- u,

,ir"t f Al the whole scene'

1.,' .- .a*r, r1?''"_..;i$i'ri'

Participles & Relative Clauses

Short sentences with the same subiectmay be joined with participles (-ing/-ed)or relative pronouns (who/whichiwhose).

The cottage stands at the top of a cliff.It faces out lo sea.

The aottaEe, wltigfi stands st the topof a cliff, faces ouf fo sea.The cottage, standing atthetoq of acl,ff, fuces out fo sea.

The farmhouse was built in 1850.It is surrounded bY fields.

The {armhouse, fwhicil wasl built in185O rs surrounded bY fields.

The part ic ip ia l c lause is of ten put at the

beginning of the sentence:$fanddng af fhe foP of a cliff, the

coffage fuces o$t io sea.Ewilt in 1850. fJre farmfiouse is

srjrr*d#ded Sy f,'s/ds.

Note how the meaning of the sentencechanges when two sentences withdi f ferent subjects are jo ined with aparticiple.

OTourists walk through the streets'@ Noises and smells greet them.CI WalYing ihrough fhe sfreefs, @aoises rnd srnelfs greet the {ounsfs'This means that the noises and smellsare walkingl Instead, You must keepthe same subject for both clauses, oruse time words such as "while":zt€zlkF*g thrcugh fie streefs, fo*ris-tsar*. Erceied by reises anu srnells.lgP?ife ihe fa#risis :ffalk thraugh theso-eefs, nolses and smells greetthem.

5 tint< the sentences below startileach sentence with the correct forof the word(s) in bold.

1 The castle dominates the skyline. Itbuilt of local stone.

2 The museum was opened in 1939. Itvisited by thousands of people every da

3 The temple is surrounded by trees. Itdifficutt to see lrom a distance.

4 Greater London covers 610 squamiles. It is the largest city in Britain.

5 The monument was erected in 1919. Ita memorial to those who died in WorWar I.

20

\I t=

r*'--i-ii;a'4. -**.q:.+4"1i

"*'ro'ryt*"ee'leri *'"'#nry-+$a+:&''

t/

6 Correct the following sentences as in the example.

c.g. Snking behind the mounttLin, { wntched the sun fil} the s!rt) w'ith red" {wn0ru6}sitlkitxg behind the ,nnunt#in, tfue sun filled tfue sky with red. {C$RRICT]

tll As t watched the sun sinking bekind tke vn^untsitl, it filled tfie sky withr:d. {GARREC'|I

1 Stretching into the distance, we were amazed by the length of the queue.2 Squeezing your way onto the packed bus, the other passengers press even

closer together to make room for you.3 Shuffling towards the supermarket's busy tills, heaqr baskets hang from

the shoppers' tired arms,I Standing squashed among the screaming fans, the roar of the enormous

crowd was deafening.

. oF-

,/WEFI Descr ipt ions of p laces of ten include subjects such as a popular

f{ restaurant , a busy market, etc. In a description of this sort, you shouldrestaurant, a busy market, etc. In a description of this sort, you shoulddescribe both the place and the activity (people, cars, commotion, etc).You may describe details relating to the senses (sight, hearing, smell,touch andtaste) to suggest mood and atmosphere ie.g. Ifie bazau is ariat af exotic smells, dazling colaurs and a deafening babble af voir:es ...) .

+ In order to descr ibe a human scene you wi l l need to use a var iety ofwords and phrases relating to crowds (e.9. busy, crowdd, bustling, ata)and activity (e.9. cu$omers ctueue u p, pa$sengerc rush ta the tmin, etc).

Read the following descriptions, underline the phrases which refer tothe senses and identifo each sense. What tenses are used in eachdescription? Why?

ry.q iA The market buzes with the sound of

women's voices, while the smells of fresh fish,vegetables and spices fill the hot, humid air.Crowds of shoppers jostle each other as theysqueezhpast the displays of goods, voices growiouder as the people haggle over prices, and theclang 0f metal bowls and boxes rings throughthe market.

Unil 2 Descri[inu P!oc.eslBuildings

8 Identifu the sense(s) referred to in eachof the phrases below. Then look at thetwo photographs and decide whicheach phrase describes. Some phrasesmay apply to both photographs.

hot, golden sand {wc6c&s; ol6$af " Fhum of laughter and voicesclinking glassescolourful sailsstrong odour of fishmouth-watering plates of {oodcries of seagullswarm sun on white buildingssplash of breaking wavessaltv water

9 Now read this description of photo-graph A and use the notes above with

further details of your own to write asimilar description of photograph B.

Approaching the central square/ youcould hear the hum of laughter and voices,along with the clinking of glasses from theoutdoor caf6s and restaurants. There was afriendly, relaxed atmosphere as the touristsenjoyed their midday meal. Busy waiters

bustled to and fro carrying mouth-wateringplates of food, against a picturesque back-ground of bright sun shining on the white

bui ld ines.

ilrl

B A faint smell ofcrusned grass wafted up fromme court as the hot sun beaidown on the crowd watchingme players. The silence wasPunctuqted by thb rhythmic,sound bf the tennis ball andthe muted gasps of the spec-tators, then, suddenly, thecrowd surged to their feetwith a roar.

!je.i,ib-,.j}FG

2l

Unit 2 Desctibins Pluces/Buildinqs

11

10 tn the skeleton sentences below, the word underlined is the main verb ofthe sentence. Write each as a complete sentence as in the example.

e.g. Stand I top I hill I ntassh,e farlress I dominate I ciUStanding at the top of the hill, the massive fortress dominates the tity.

1 Palm trees / sway / gentle evening breeze I frame I sun / set i horizon.

2 Stand / top / cliffs / you can / hear / waves / crash / rocks below'

3 Line / cobbled street / be / row / terraced houses / design / John wood'

4 Surround / mountains / all sides / cify / look I asif lbe in / enormous bowl.

When describing a monument, you should include factual information (age,

size, reason bui l t , etc) , a descr ipt ion of the surrounding area and

commentsfeel ings. Do not include informat ion about s ights, faci l i t ies or

activit ies.

ffi You will hear part of a TV documentary describing Nelson's

Column. Listen and complete the notes below. Then, looking at your

notes, describe the monument.

I 2 Look at the brief description belo

What is the toPic of each ParagraPlCircle the location verbs used in tl

description and underline the word

phrases used to express imPressio

opinion.

The construction of the monu-ment on Mount Rushmore beganin 1927 and finished in 1941. Thememorial, which attracts over twomillion tourists every Year, com-memorates four former Presidentsof the USA and consists of fourheads carved out of granite, eachstanding sixty feet high.

Situated in the Black Hills ofSouth Dakota, the memorialstands out from the mountainsidewhich rises high above the sur-rounding farmland, and can beclearly seen from a far distance.

To Americans, the sPectacle ofthese massive heads is a Powerfulreminder of their country's historicglories and achievements, whileforeign tourists are struck bY thestrange sight of these dignifiedfaces lending a human form to thebare mountain scenery.

13 Using the text in Ex. 12 as a mo(and your notes from Ex. 11, writedescription of Nelson's Column,about 200 words.

Factualr Built:. Size:

lnformation18.... . . . . . . . . . . . - 18.the column stands

metres high. Reason: commemorate

Nelson's . at theBattle of Trafalgar

Surroundings. the column stands at the centre of

Trafalgar Square in the heartof

. the square.is the site of abeautiful ......, theNational ..... andother impressive buildings

. at street level the column is flankedby four .'........ lions

Comments/Feelingso the monurnent towers above the

London . . . . . . as areminder of grander daYs inBritain'swhen this once-great nationruled the seas

l- {'=.

Unil ? ileseribinu FlsseslBllildirtgs

1a

J

4f,

6

14 ffi You will hear two friends talking about a particular place. Read

the questions, then listen to the cassette and answer them. Looking

at your answers, talk about the place, then nrite a description of it.

What place are they talking about?

Where is it?How old is it?What is it built of?How many rooms are there?How does he feel about the place? ..........

Of,.f,AMACTEffigST8#S GFFSMMAL APWtr NNFSffi$64[. STYLE

Descriptions of places can be written in a formal or informal style depending

on whom they are addressed to and how the writer wants to present the

description. For example, a description of a place you visited in a letter to a

friend of yours would be informal, whereas a description of a place issued

by the Tourist Authority in order to promote the place would be written in aformal style.Formal sty le is charactqr ised by an impersonal non-emot ional way ofexpressing your ideas, frequent use of the passive, non-colloquial English

and complex sentences. Short forms are acceptable only in quotes.

Informal style is characterised by a personal, emotional and chatty way ofexpressing your ideas and use of colloquial English (idiomatic expressions),

idioms and short forms.Compare the examples -The aottage, once inhabited by a{amaus paet,

was buift atop a sfeep, racl<y hillside overlaoking an idyllic landscape of ius,?fietds divided by ancient dry stane walls. iformal) - iny dad's caftage ls awtof this world as it's right En the tap af a hill and looks dawn on gergeousgreen fields which are split up by old dry stone walls. (inforrnal)

1 5 Which of the following extracts is a formal description and which is

an informal one? Why? Where has each extract been taken from?

Corfe CastleThe medieval castle of

Corfe is perched high on a hilloverlooking the small com-munity below. The ruins standas a reminder of the EnglishCivilWars when the castle wasdismantled by Parliamentaryforces in 1646. Today, visitorsare attracted by the opportunityto marvel at the solendours ofa 'bygone age, and leavebehind, for a moment, thecares of the modern world.

Stomehenge,.,.1I:ur ro admir I was a bit disappointedwnen I realised Stonehenge isn,t like it looks

$is:fi,ffi i,iT :i*i r;fl ffi ,1 trpi"Tu^.lof*i:

everywhere. W, ,*l;;,; ;;l,yT ?l9 it either because it,s surrounoJo

il{iu:*TnH#n:';iilTr:;nuge stones is anybody,s guess but they

fffi'ililil;ii an amuiins structurer I reit

23

Unil 2 0escribing PloceslBuildings

ExpressEraq InrpressEoras & Fleac€EomsI You can express positive impressions of a place by:

a using a variety of adiectives such as:aw+inspiring, breatttbking, delightful, elaborate, eyecatehing, axquisite,majestic, otttstanding, overwhelming, picturesque, quaint, spellbinding,superb, tanquil, etc

e.g. The castle, standing at the tap of the mountain overlaoking the city, isawe-inspiring.

b using a variety of present or past participles from such verbs as:

alnaze, asfunish, astound, imprcss, inspire, avenvhehn, refresh, s#mulde' efc

e.g. I waslfelt a#ounded at how beauttflurl Florida is in winter.... fte astonfshing image ol children pushing ricksfzaws'

c using a variety of nouns in expressions such as:ta firy affiazementl astonishmefitl delightl surprise letc

o.g. To ny dellgltt, lfte place had kept its character.

'S You can express negative impressions of a place by:a using a variety of adiectives such as:

barren, bleak, derelict, dilapidated, disreputahle, inhospitable, neglected,

squalid, etce.g. The building was in a dllapidated state.b using a variety of present or past participles from such verbs as:

depress, disappoirtt, dismay, tenify, shock, etce.g. ... the dlsappoirrting view of the unsightly hausing'c using a variety of nouns in expressions such as:

ta nry disappointnentl surpise I etce.g.Iomydisappointment,theonce'tranquilvillagehadtumedintoa

crowd ed to u rist reso rt,

16 Choose the most appropriate word from those given in brackets, and

put it into the correct form to fill in the gaps in the following sentences.

t.g. lli| is u thritling pluce lrt v'i.tit, witlt its riotorts rclours tmt! rtuLcorL,s noi,te'(thtilUrekxlrefrwh)

1 To the _ Of most visitors, the caves in the area cannot be

visited. as thev have been declared unsafe' (disappoint/delight/impress)

2 Several old, traditional houses have been converted into quaint pensions

which tourists find (horror/delight/depress)

3 Visitors are duringthe trip up the steep mountain(puzzle/terriff/offend)

4 I t is to see how quickly the area where I grew up is

. . (shock/excitq/inspire)being spoiled.

The enormous ancient structures strike people as

since even using modern equipment the\' wouid be difficult'to construct'(amuseidismaylamaze)

17 Read the brief descriptions below,and replace each of the underlinedwords or phrases with the most

suitable word from the list given.

Descrintion A

ab andoneil, ble ak, u amP e d,miserable, run'down

The row of (t) efnPty housesalong the bank of a stagnant canalpresent a (2'tsad Picture. Whenlived in, they were (3) too small,filthy and in need of paint. Now theyare (4) qld-end-!rclen, their win-dows boarded over and fences sag-ging. The landscaPe in which theYstand is (5) empty and ugly; behindthe canal and ruined houses stretchflat fields with no trees or grass.

DescriPtion Bastonished, enorrnous' exquisite,

imposing, tranquilVisitors to the cathedral are usual-

ly (6) surprised at the (7) imprcqgtyeelegance of its size and proportions.The (8) very big stained-glass win-dows with their (9) wonderJul cen-turies-old oictures flood the interiorwith soft light and colour, creating a(10) peaceful, quiet atmosphere.

Now replace each ofthe ten words youhave just used with its synonym fromthe following list.

astounded, bare, crowded, deserted,depressing, dilnpiilated, magnificent,

path, but the view makes it worthwhile.

24

\r_+

massive, serene, superb

18

Useful Language: Explaining lmpressionsParis makes an immediatelenduringllasting impression on all who visit it,since it is such a glamorous city.

What strikeslimpresses/delrghts visitors about the resort most is itsunique surroundings.

Ihe most noticeableloutstanding feature of the palace is its golden dome.A huge statue of a lion is the firsf thing one nofrces upon entering the

temole.

One cannot help but be impressed lmovedlstruck by the natural beautyof the region.

Without doubt, the most impressive thing about San Francisco is theGolden Gate Bridge.

The thing which makes the strongestlmost enduring impression is thehospitality of the locals.

I was immediately struck by the staggering number of huge skyscrapers.

One particularly marvelslwonders at the variety of attractions offered.

The first thing one notices about the house is its overgrown garden.

The reason lhat the area is so depressing is that there are so manyderelict buildings.

The filthy, congested streets confr?med my initial impression that it wasan unpleasant city.

Undoubtedly, the thinglteature that witl disappoint any visitor is the lackof facilities.

Rervrite the sentences using the words in bold without changing themeaning.

When visiting Paris, one particularly marvels at the incredible architec-ture of the Pompidou Centre.helps.g. when visiting Paris, one ffinnlt help but ffiflrvel at the incredible ...

What impressed me most about the entire building was the lavishly-dec-orated reception hall.strongest

The first thing that one notices about the city is that there are s0 manywe ll-preserved medieval buildings.noticeable

Unil 2 Describing PluceslBuildinss

19 Read the extract below and replacethe underlined words and phraseswith phrases from the following list.

o take a pafticulnr delight ino the thing which makes the strongest

impression. here one has the leisure to apprecinteo few visitors can fail to he charmed byc to sum upo furthermore, one cannot help but

wonder ate gles the impression of beingc hustle and bustleo combines the spirit of a community

with a well-ilesemed respect for naturet paid them the compliment of

Describe a place in the "ouiirysiaiand explain why it is worth visiting.

Concerning Littlewood village itself(t ) wbat yqq nalee is the hospitality ofthe locals. (2) Everyone enjoys the wel-coming smiles and the genuine interestthat the villagers show in anyohe whohas (3) bothered visiting their smallcommunity. lt is as if they (4) really likesharing their charming village with out-siders.

(5) Also, anyone would like the nat-ural beauty of the region. Shelteredfrom the outside world by the hillswhich surround it, the village (6) seemsuntouched by the technological ageand the (7) noisy hurry of moderntowns. (8) You can enjoy the late after-noon sun glistening on the river orshining through the autumn leaves, andrealise that this is a very special place.

(9) Sq, Littlewood (10) is a place withnice people and scenery. For anyonewho wants to escape from thepressures of modern life for a while, itis well worth a visit.

Undoubtedly the thingamazing Opera House.doubt

V/hat strikes visitors toglamour and tradition.irnmediate

that will impress you most about Svdnev is thet ; - '

J , ;

- : - -

i

Mykonos rnost is the perfect combination of

25

Unil 2 0escilbins Plntes/Euildings

Toronto is a reallY great city!

There are so many Places for

uou to tuu and things to do that'uou'ff frarOfy have time to rest

while You're there'' Oni ot the things that will

immediatelY imPress You is the

ut.nitrrtutt of the buildings' lts

OJinittfv a sightsee/s Paradise'io, tun go uP the CN Tower'

*-nitn it oine ol the tatlest build-

'iln'l *xx#ll ,ili#lffievorvine restaurant at the top of the Tower' what a

viewlYou'll be able to "u'ilu

*nojt ti19tt19,l:':t* also visitthe Casa Loma'

which is iust like u tuiry-tufu'iurtfr.i *iffionuitriuilt it at the beginning of the cen-

.tury. The Skydome "

*ttn" oi"e inti vou'rrfind amazing' lt's an ultra modern

soorts stadium that nas . ,.iitlr*prns ind closes, so matches or concerts don't

ffi;t;;tiied oft when it rains or snows!

impressive city - spectacular view of "'an ideal ptace for those ..' resembling a castle

impressive architecture built at the turn of the century

one place especially worth visiting "' - retractable roof

visitors can enioy dining events are held all year round

20 Read the following description. Then, using the notes below, rewrite

it in a forrnal style. start like this.Toronto is a truly impressive ci$ ..-

2 I shivered in the chill, damP air as

entered the old one-room schoolhous'It smelt of mildew and dust, and I coul

see stains on the walls where the rar

had come through the roof. This aba

doned place had once been the scene I

lively lessons for twentY childre

including myself.3 Standing outside the door of the aba

dbned one-room schoolhouse, I heard

strange noise coming from inside. I knt

it had been empty for years but I seemr

to hear the sound of children's voicr

Holding my breath, I Pushed the do

open.4 How many PeoPle have had t

opportuniry to be educated in an c

one-room country schoolhouse? Wh

I went back to visit my old school, whi

is now no longer used, I sudderrealised how luckY I had been, and wl

an inlluence the place and its sunoulings had had on mY life.

5 Everyone who went to the old one-ro(school in my viilage feeis the same v

about it. They all remember the tirthey spent there as the best years of thlives, and I believe the place itself hadinfluence on this feeling.

6 You may have attended a big, inner<school with a library, labs, a gymnasirand all the facilities considered nessary for a good education' In tlcase, you cannot imagine what it is Ito go to a tinY one-room school srounded by green, rolling countrysidr

7 Shakespeare's description of "the whing schoolboy ... creeping like a snailschool" certainiy does not apply to mtmy schooldays. I attended a one-tocountry school and, as I remembergoing there was always a pleasure. I ththis was partly due to the beaury tquaintness of the place itself.

22 Write possible beginnings aendings for a composition entit

"The city I admire most,"

NOTES: -

a certain techniques can be used to make your description more vivid.

You can start or end your description by:

ousingyoursensestodescr ibetheweather 'surroundings'etco using direct sPeecn. asXiig a rhetorical question (a question which doesn't need an

answer)o creating mystery, suspense or anticipation !o addressing the reader directlY. Jescribing people's feelings about or reactions to the place, building

or monument. using a quotation (e.g. As Ernest Hemingway once said, "Paris is a

movable feast.")

21 Read the following paragraphs and identify the narrative techniques

which have been used in each one' '

I ,,yes, it,s been empty for yeals," the man said.as we stcod outside the olc

one-room schoolhouse. some of my earliest memories are associated with

thatplace,andi tseemedashamethatthebigroomnolongerrangwiththe voices of haPPY children'

20

&

gffi'filtTEJr^ffi

Describe

23 Read the models and give the paragraph plan. Which of the modelsinvolves narration? How do these two models differ (paragraphs, tens-es, style etc)? Where would you find these pieces of writing?

a visit to a famous capital city you particularly enjoyedI spent last weekend with my friend Leo in the Hungarian capital,

Budapest. Leo was anxious for me to join him for the St.Stephen's Day cel-ebrations and I was only too glad to oblige.

After aniving at Ferihegy Airport, Leo took me 0n a whirlwind tour of thecity so I could get my bearings. The sixteen mile journey from the airport tothe city centre took us through Pest, the area situated to the east of theDanube River. We sped through streets of stunning Baroque architecture andpast museums which I couldn't wait to visit. After crossing the river, via theSzecheny Chain Bridge, we entered Buda, which was officially joined togeth-er with Pest in 1873 to form the modern-day capital. I was delighted with thefantastic view of Buda Castle and the Citadel, sat atop the three hills whichline the banks bf the river. After I had been introduced to Leo's family, wewent to explore the city together. We paused to admire Euda's cobbled-sti'eets and Gothic architecture, and visited some museums before we wentback home and enjoyed a gpical Hungarian meal Leo's mother had careful-ly prepared for us.

The next day, I had the chance to explore Budapest more thoroughly. Aftera brief visit to the excellent Museum of Fine Art, I went to see the animals atBudapest Zoo before sampling some more delicious Hungarian cuisine forlunch at a lovely little restaurant. In the afternoon, I went back to Buda whereI was amazed to discover that the castle houses not only the NationalGallery, but also the National Library and Castle Museum too. That evening,however, was certainly the highlight of my trip. After a short nap, I returned,once more, to Buda Castle with Leo, where we watched the extravagantfireworks display held to celebrate St. Stephen's Day.

I spent an interesting couple of days in Budapest and managed to soak upa lot of Hungarian culture and history thanks to Leo and his captivatingstories. Although I only spent a short time there, I feel I left Budapest with avivid insight into Hungarian life:

Unil 2 [escribing PloeeslBuildings

Describe a famous capital cityBudapest, the Hungarian capital, is situated

on the glorious Danube River in westernlynguw. Before amalgamation in 1S73, thes[e was home to two separate towns, Budaand Pest, located on either side of tfre river. inecrty's fascinating variety of architecturaf ,tyfmonngs rts long and turbulent history alive foithevisiior, and because of this it ii a fahrrlnrrcvrur.ur, dilu 0ecause fi this it is a fabulouslocation for a trip into the past.

unce you have arnved in the city centre fromnearby Ferihegy Airport, take a tour round the:l|!:riry:9 you can find your bearinss ano seia taste of this fantastic city's atmosphere.Buia,llrli* be reached by means of the cheaplT,:T:[rt underground train or the SzechenyChain Bridge, is the oldest part of the crty, Firstsettle^d in the Middle Ages, its conOnO itreetsano Uothic houses are dominated by the recen-tly+estored Buda Casfle and the Citidel on theirimposing hilltop sites. The casfle is definitelyworth visiting as it houses the National 1iilry,the Castte Museum and the Nationat G;ft;i.Across the river, in pest, you will find stunninoexamples of Baroque architecture, and a numlber of f rscinatjng museums. lmpossible to missis the Millennium Monument, a striking colon_nade displaying statues of Hungarian king, unOleaders, along with a huge ,tutu, of in,archangel Gabriel surmounting a 1gg-foot_highcentral column.

_, But Budapest is not just a place to look at.Inere are excellent shopping facilities, a fasci_Hng 100 and plenty of theatres and conceftnails ofiering fine performances. you can endyour day by having a delicious meal in one ofthe many traditional restaurants, and if you areIucky enough to be in Budapest on StStephen's Day, you can witness the stunningfireworks display which is taunched from thiCitadel.

All in all, Budape5t is a delightfut city whichembodies centuries of the Eastern Eurooeanpast. lts fascination is parily due to theHungarians' resourcefulness, a quality nec_essary t0 ensure the survival of a citv whichhas had to be rebuilt s0 many times. Budapestllygl,ryf! ryisit ar any rime of rhe year

2t

Unil 2 0esctibinu PhcesiBuildinqs

Interpreting the topicVarious composi t ion tasks ask you to descr ibe a place, bui ld ing ormonument; however th is descr ipt ion may be only one part of the

composi t ion. Composi t ion tasks of ten ask you to descr ibe a place,

bui ld ing or monument and to explain why you have chosen i t , why i t is

important, etc.In order to complete such a composi t ion task successful ly, you should

interpret the instructions carefully and choose the aspects which are most

relevant to the particular question.

e.g. "Describe a place you have recenfly visited and explain why yau wauld

Iike to visitthe place again in the tuture'"

ln answering this question, you should describe the place using narrative

style. Past tenses are required. You should also give reasons why you

would like to visit the place again, supporting them with justifications.

Certain questions may ask you to compare and contrast two differentplaces, bui ld ings or monuments. Al ternat ively, you could be asked to

describe the ways in which a place has changed over a period of time.

e.g. "Describe two places you have been to on holiday which were very

different from each other. Say which you liked befter' givfng reasons

for your ehoice.'

lhis composition task requires a brief description of the two places, then a

comparison oJ them using suitable l inking words and expressions in order

to explain the reason why you liked one more than the other.

Remember to start each paragraph with a topic sentence which

summarises what the paragraph is about.

25 Reaa the model below and give the paragraph plan. Then underline the

topic sentences. What tenses have been used? Why? Finally look at the

highlighted adjective-noun combinations, then close your books and

try to remember as manY as Possible.

Read the following topics and under'

line the keY words. Which tenses

should you use? What information

will you include in each ParagraPh?

Describe the centre of your town or city

during the Christmas season.Describe a restaurant in your neigh-

bourhood which you would highly rec-

ommend, giving reasons why it is worthgoing to.Describe a popular park in the area you

live in as it is on a pleasant SundaYmorning.Describe a place of historical signifi-cance, explaining why it is important.Describe a visit to a famous place and

explain why it is so well-known.Describe how you think your town will

have changed in fifty years' time, giving

reasons why you think these changes

will have occurred.Describe a new shop in your town

which you feel will be successful, giving

reasons for your opinion.

f=--::'-'**"'*"-"'-

24

Describe a town 0r city you haYe visited and explain whyyou found it particularly impressive

situated on two rivers nearthe Yorkshire Moors, York is a fascinatingand memorable place to explore. My first visit there was organisedwhile I was in my last year at school, Since it was a history trip, Yorkseemed to be the best choice as it is such a well-preserved city whichhas been of historical importance for nearly two thousand years'Surrounded by high, medieval stone walls, the old part of the town is

like a journey back in time. As you wander through the maze of busy,narrow streels, you cannot tail to be struck by the quaintness of theirregular, halttimbered houses. Rising above these and dominating theskyline are breathtaking examples of medieval and Gothic architecture.0f the many things York has to offer, there are sever4l which stand'

out in my mind. York Minster, in particular, with its intricate stoneworkand stained-glass windows, is an awe-inspiring sight' There aremdseums of all kinds, including a railway museum and Jorvik VikingCentre, where visitors can learn more about the individual periods ofthe city's rich history. Finally, the many tea-rooms, coffee-shops andrestaurants, each with its own brand of charm, are ideal places to

relax for a while and take in theatmosphere.One thing that makes York

unique among English towns isthe care with which it has beenpreserved. There are few citieswhere such attention has beenpaid to detail in an attempt t0 preservethe authenticity of the many historic buildings. Medieval and Gothicstructures have been painstakingly restored and the present residentsseem to share a sense o{ pride in the splendour of their surroundings.York is also notable for the {act that it has managed to incorporate

modern life into such a historic setting. Shops and offices offer a iullrange of goods ahd services while still maintaining the charm and dig-nity of a bygone age. All the usual twentieth century requirements arecatered ior in an atmosphere reminiscent of a time when the pace o{

r life was much slolver.The combination of ancient and modern held such a fascination for

me during that first visit that I have been back many times since, eachtime discovering something new.

28

&

fWaking oorm parisol,rsTo compare places or buildings you can use:

,,9 (just/nearly) as ... (positive degree) ... as e.g. ln those days the nninstreets were 'gust as congeste d as they are today.

.9 the same as e.g. The coftage was the same as it had been fifty yearsbefore.

:s (refatively/considerably) less ... (positive degree) ... than e.g. The newbuildings are considerably less omate than the old anes.

'@ (much/farlconsiderably) more + adjective/adverb + than e.g. Iftenarthern area is more picfuresgue than the eastem area.

,F (by far) the most + adjective e.g.Hill Manor is hy far the rnost efeganfhotel in the region.

# comparative + and + comparative e.g.The sfreefs are becomingdirtier and dirtier.

..9 the comparative ..., the + comparalive e.g. The further south youtravel, the warmer it becomes.

26 Rewrite the following sentenceswithout changing the meaning.

,t..g. Tae ffistle was'renovsted and is nowrnwck rnore impressive than anyather in the region., iier being renovoted, the casde bfraw by far tfu nost impreNive#Frefcf,stte ln the region.

Some of the archaeologicai sitesare fascinating, whereas themuseums are rather uninterestins.The museums are not neariy ................................The shopping centre in Harries Road has many more shops than the onein Bridge Street.The shopping centre in Bridge Street hasn't got ...............As the population of the city grew the number of schools and hospitalsbeing built increased.As the population of the city grew, so

The Anderson Sports Centre has better equipment than the PollockCentre.The Pollock Centre is not

The layout of our old tlat was very impractical jn co4parison to the lpyoutof the new flat.

, T'hb layout of our new flat is far .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : . ' . : . . . . . . . : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . j . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

As the traffic in the city increases, the city centre becomes more congested.The more traffic there is, .................

Unil 2 [escriIing Pluces/Buildings

F--tsetur Language

/ To show similarity: it looks (very much)- l ike/(very s imi lar to, i t has the

same/similar/ identical ..., i t resembles. . . , the places are al ike/s imi lar . . . , both... and, neither ... nore.g.Both Nice and Cannes are cosmo-politian resorts.To show contrast: it is unlike ... in that,i t d i f fers f rom . . . , they di f fer in that . . . ,they are di f ferent as/because . . . , the(main) difference between ... and ... is..., compared to ..., not only ... but also,although, even though, though, despite,in spi te of , whereas, whi le, but ,however, on the other hand, on thecontrary, as opposed to, in contrast(with), however, yet, but, even so, sti l l ,nevertheless.e.g.Compared to Paris, Rome is muchwarmer du ri ng summefti me.

27 Rewrite each sentence using the wordin brackets without changing themeaning.

Both Blackpool and Brighton have apromenade on the sea front. (alike)The new government buildings are verydifferent from the old ones as they aremodern and lavish. (compared to)The house I grew up in looked almostthe same as all the others in the street.(similar)In the winter the resort is deserted,whereas in the summer it is swarmingwith tourists. (in contrast)The two areas differ in that one is resi-dential and the other is industrial. (dif-ference)The new school is very much like theold one both in design and size. (resem-bles)Mario's restaurant is small and crowd-ed, yet it is more popular than the oth-ers with the locals. (Despite)

2g

Unil 2 Describinu Pluces/Buildinss

a change 1 and resultb comments/feelingsc description of street as it used to

be

d change 2 and resulte name of street and when writer

lived theref description of street as it is now

28 Read the model and underline the phrases showing comparisonicon-

trast, then match the paragraphs with the paragraph descriptions.

IIow does this paragraph plan differ from the one shown on p. 18?

29 Look at the notes below, then, using

words/phrases from the tables on p.29

compare and contrast the two towns.

e.g. Town A is full of mod em buildings where-as Town B is a mLrtttre of old and newbuiklings.

full o{ modern buildings

plenty of green sPace

large PoPulationtimiteO educational facilities

wide range of shoPs

Describe the street,you used to live in when you wereyoung and how it lras changed, explaining how you feel

about those cfianges

llTl I lived on Rose Street until I was eleven, when my father got a

iEi"i ioo and we could afford to move to a nicer part of town.

Nevertheless, I still felt attached to my old home until I returned there

ten years later, only to be astounded by the way it had changed.

trn Rose Street, as I remembered it, was a warm, neighbourly

place. Although some of the ageing blocks of flats were in need of ren-

ovation; they were clearly in a much better state of repair than those in

other parts of the town. lt was also a considerably safer place to live,

with relatively little crime compared to other areas. There were only a

few shops in our street; a busy launderette next door, a small corner

shop run by a jolly man called Mr Braithwaite and a greengrocer's.

l3T-l Today, however, the street has changed beyond recognition.

Most of the old buildings have been torn down and replaced by newer,

more spacious constructions, each one fitted with security cameras.

Unlike before, there are no children playing in the streets - a sign that

the crime rate is higher and that people are more cautious. In addition,

there are now shops on the ground floor of nearly every block, which

makes the street seem like one in the town centre.

]-4-n What I liked most about Rose Street before the changes was

that there seemed to be much more community spirit' A friendly chat or

a piece of advice was never far away, and I am sure people felt closer

then than they do now. The sense of belonging and the fact that

everyone knew each other helped ensure that daily life was relatively

peaceful and secure.

lST-l Nowadays, because people are more and more isolated, the

heart of the community appears to have gone. lt must be said, howev-

.er, that the living conditions and the general appearance of the area

have improved greatly. Not only is the architecture much more pleasing

to the eye, but the streets and public areas are considerably,bqtter

maintained than they used to be.

ffi Still, I have mixed feelings about thdse changes.il believe that

Rose Street was a better place to live ten years ago, since a sense of

security and community is much more important than appearance or

convenience. I would love to see Rose street again as it used to be.

manY wealthy People

manY ihings to see and do

small populationgood educational facilitieswide range of shopsa rew wealthy peoplemany things to see and do

30

\th.

t i ln',".. -1*

Bunstonmjxture of old and new buildingsplenty of green space

Unil 2 0escriIing ploces/Buildings

30 Reaa the model and correct the highrighted words. write s for spelling,wo for word order, G for grammar, or wlv for wrong word then givethe paragraph plan. What tenses have been used? Whv?

Descnbe an area of the townyou live in which you believewill change in the near future

explain in what ways itbecome difterent

Allenby, one of the most run-down areas of town, is located to thesouth of the town centre, close to the canal. lt used to be occupied bythe cotton industry, but the mills were closed down many years@and most of Allenby has lain derelict since then. ago G -

The general impression of the place is one of neglect and empti_ness: broken glass, a little stray cats, rubbish blown by the wind. Mostof the stone buildings have turned almost black over the years, givingthem a sombre, and in some cases, quite forbiding appearance. Thisis especially the case at night when the streets are unlighted and<leserted.

The structures that most catch the eye are the big old mills and ware-houses. These towering shapes are punctuated regurarly with rowupon row of high windows. Being such huge, they would have dwarfedthe hundreds who once worked inside, but now they are empty and noteven the old machinery remain. The nearby houses, in contrast, aretiny dilapidated terraces, ail the same more or less.

Recently, however, the town council has released plans to clean upAllenby, following the successful development of similar areas in citiessuch as London and Liverpoor. The miils and warehouses will trans-forrned into airy open-plan apartments and galleries, while bar andreslaurant owners will be encouraged to invest in the terraced housesatong the canal. This transformation will undoubtedly draw an up_mar_ket crowd, as rnore and much people seem to be showing an interesttn the ar"cas distinctive architectural and industrial past.

ln the addition to this, the councir has also promised to revamp thecanal and lt'c tow-path in an attempt to herp Ailenby shed its reputationior being a magnet for dangerous and shady characters. As a result,the area is bound to attract business and Ailenby'wiil be abre to dever-'oP-q clepner, safer and alltogether more appealing image. i.,

lf the example of London's riverfront properties are anything to go by,the redevelopment of Ailenby wiil certainry revitarise tne area

"no ,rii-

matel!' enhance the image of the town as a whole.

Ii l t

ill

E

, ' 't-"i,llo :

r4:-.ro1

ER

w31

a)

i$;it$iiUS$, ,,S-

Look at the following compositiontask instructions and answer thequestions below.

Describc a well-hrown landmark inyour country and explain W it itxamous.

1 What are the key words?2 Which landmark in your countrv would

you choose to descri6e?3 What particular features of this landmark

would you choose to describe?4 What reasons can you think of that make

the landmark famous?5 \4/hat would a suitable paragraph plan

for this task be?

h) Descrihe firo areas of the town orcityyou live in which arevery differ-ent from egrch other, and'esrplainwtry they are so differenl

1 What are the key words?2 \A/hich two areas of your town would you

choose to describe?3 \i/hat eiements would you inciude in

order to show how these two areas differ?4 What words would you use to compare/

contrast these two areas?5 What would a suitable paragraph plan

for this task be?

32 Choose ONE of the compositiontasks above, and lwite a completeparagraph plan with notes. Thenwrite the composition in 300 to 400words.

3t

ffiffiffiK ffiDescrihing0b ie cls1 i#" Read the table below then listen to the cassette and tick the information that vou

hear. Then, using the information, describe the object.

Size

Weight

Age

Shope

Pottern

Cotour

Origin

Moteriot

Speciot chorocteristics

Reoson for being speciot

quite smott I

usnt I

tote 8th centurg I

rouno I

puin I

otue I

vlenneze I

gtoss I

two hondtes I

expensive I

nuge I overoge I

neovg I

tote'80's I tot" 18th ceniurg I

rectongutor I

corveo I

oqro-gr""n I

Venetion I

porcetoin I

squore I

striped I

gr""n I

venezueton I

crgstot I

one hondteI smott bose f

fomitg heirtoo.I

When you describe objects you should give accurate information concerning the sizeand weight (e.9. big, small, heavy, light, etc) shape (e.9. triangular, oval, square, etc),pattern and decoration (e.9. taftan, striped, e/c), colour (e.9. red, green, etc) origin(e.g. Chinese, Hungarian, etc) and material (e.g. woollen, silk, wooden, etc). You shouldnot use all of these adjectives one after the other because this will make your descriptionsound unnatural. You can give necessary information in separate sentences. e.g. lf is a/arge brown suitcese . ttr hard leather ls worn and scrafcircd.

Descriptions of objects can be found in catalogues, advertisements, Ieaflets or aspart of letters, reports, articles or stories.

2 Read the following descriptions and underline the correct word. Where could

each description have been taken from?

a The pocket watch is made of l) brasslchromeand is attached to a long chaln. It has an 2)

ebonylivory face with 3) romanlarahc numerals

and a separate dial for the 4) secondlhour hand.

There is a small inscription on the back which

reads "J.G.W.1921".

b She stared across the cold dark room at the solitarycandlestick on the table. A weak. I) flickeringfflash-ingflame rose from the tall 2) darklpale stem which

appeared to have been faslioned from 3) mudlcla;Intrigucd bv its 4) obscureldirdesign, she titted herself othe bench and walked towarcthe candlestick.

\ :\\y

, c Thrs beautifu%, prece is jur

\ ry one of Julit,r-; '\'. Potter,. *,-, i

: new co' lectrOn f

brooclics, now available at abranches of WoodchestelA sprav ol ll shimmerinishuddering mother-of-pearleaves rest on a 2) sicklyldelicate gold stem. Below thleaves nestles a3) singlellontly, 1) routtdlcylindrical pearl

32

i;''*::illr ir

ljnil 3 Describins 0biecls

d The soloist lifted the small 1) wooill wood-en violin and settled it carefully under hischin. Then his 2) slenderlskinny bow beganto dance over the 3) tautldistrar.rgftr strings

while his left hand moved to a differentrhythm at the other end of the instrument cre-

ating a 4) raspylsweet sound which filled theentire concert hall.

3 Read the model below and underline the words which are used to

describe the family album, then give the paragraph plan.

Describe a family album and explain its importance to you.

Last year, having embarked on an attempt at an attic clear-out, I cameacross an old family album. lt was buried under a pile of junk and had prob-

ably been there for at leastten years. I dug it outfrom under all the odds andends that had accumulated and took it downstairs to have a closer look.

0n wiping it over with a cloth, I found that the album was beautifullybound in leather and even had the family crest embossed on the cover ingold leaf. lts corners had become slightly tatty, but on the whole it was insurprisingly good condition. As I opened the cover, the leather creakedunderthe strain and I breathed in the faint scent of lavender.

The first page of faded old sepia prints was dated 1900, and the stifffigures wore blank expressions as they stared into the lens. I browsedthrough the pages of unfamiliar names and faces until I found my grand-parents' wedding photos. There was my grandfather, immaculately dressedin his tailored suit, and my grandmother, who looked stunning in a flowingwhite wedding gown. As I turned the pages, I saw my grandfather going offto the War, smiling bravely in his smart uniform. My own father's infancyand youth followed, his childhood expression showing the playfultwinkle inhis eye which he still has to this day.

Since discovering the album I have felt closer to my family, having wit-nessed, through the photographs, occasions in their lives which I wouldnever have known about othenruise. I gained a real feeling of how one gen-eration adds to the next. and could see that all of the qualities of past gen-erations survive in each and every member of the family.

Leafing through this album also gave me a strong sense of the realities ofhistory. The clothes, houses and vehicles depicted in the photos all lookedso strange and old{ashioned that it was easy to assume thatthe people werevery different as well. But having actually known some of these people, Iknew that they were much the same as I am and t}at, while external thingsmay change, humans remain fundamentally the same throughout history.

' i would like to think that maybe one day, one of my desceqdants willcherish the album's value. Then they, too, will be able to recapture thoselong-{orgotten moments preserved in these pictures, which are indeedwolth more than a thousand words.

Using the text in Ex. 3 as a model,

descritre your favourite childhood toy

and explain why you liked it so much.

Before you start writing, decide on

the paragraph Plan You will follow

and the tenses You will use. Write

your essay in 300 '350 words.

-, -"-.." -" ".' "..-.--....1E

F.'

i i#i:t${l;1,i , t, v,viil:,,|:il

4

33

IJililT 4Desctihing leslivulslevenls/cetem0nies1 ffi Read the following table, then listen to the cassette and tick the information

mentioned. Finally, using the information from the table describe the festival.

Nome of festivot Ch'u Yon Festivot I the Drogon Boot Festivot I

5th dog of

the 5th month t-l

in Chinese lunor -

cotendor

5th dog ofthe 5th month nin Chinese sotorcotendor

Fleoson

Preporotions

Actuot dog

Feetings1.,,r,"'i, .=.1r;1,"t1t1.,..,..:'.:.,'.: -.

ig3lredlJslfiqHlParagraph 1

set the scene(name, time ldate, Placeof event, reason(s) forcelebrating)

H*i* 3,*€yParagraph 2

preparations(deco rations, rehearsals,etc.)

Paragraph 3description of actualevent(costumes, food, atmo-sphere, activities, etc.)

Paragraph 4explanation 1 andreason

Paragraph 5explanation 2 andreason

, ' . . , . . . , i , . - i , . l

Final ParagraPh

feelings, comments, fi nalthoughts

to protect the river [l to remember the trogic 1-1from drogons ond spirits t--r suicide of o potiticion ' '

repoint boots I

buitd boots I

troin for boot roces I design route of boot roce I

throw rice ctumptings into river I ooot roces I

eot rice cokes ! seorch for Ch'u Yon s bodg IT-

not verg interesting ;] on unforgettobte experience l--l

A descriptive composition about an event should consist of:

a) an introduction in which you mention the name/type, t ime/date, place and

reason for celebrating the event;b) a main body in which you describe the preparations for the event and the event

itself; and,c) a conclusion in which you descr ibe people 's feel ings or comments on the

event. such pieces of writing can be found in magazines, newspapers or travel

brochures, or as part ol a letter, story' etc.

Points to ConsiderWhen you describe annual events (e.g. a celebration i festival which takes place

everyyear) ,presenttensesareusedandthesty|eisformal.However,whengiv inga peisonal account of an event which you witnessed or took part in' past tenses

are used and the style may be less formal. The passive is frequently used to

describe preparations / activities which take place. e.g. Pumpkins are cased and

plaeed in windaws and cosf/rnes are designed'

To make the description more vivid and interesting, narrative techniques and a

variety of descriptive vocabulary can be used to set the scene and describe the

atmosphere. ,.g. Arignt ngre spatkled aver tfie wateF as the frrewari€ spead tike

huge,' co/tr,urtil ffowers and the anlaakers wha erowdd the haftaur gasped in

wonder and adminfion.

InterPreting the toPicThe number of paragraphs depends on whether the composition task asks for only

a description of events or also asks you to explain its significance or how important

it is. compare the topics below. ?esc ribe a $pical wedding in yaur cou[t$ rhis

topic asks only for a descr ipt ion of an event. The sty le l is impersonal ' Present

tenses should normally be used. "Describe a wedding you attended and explain

why lt made an impression on you." This topic asks for a description of an event in

narr:ative form, together with reasons why you enjoyed the event. The style is rather

informal. Past tenses should be used.

34

L

unil 4 Describing leslivuls/evenlslceremonies

Read the models and give the paragraph plan for each. what tenses

have been used? why? where could you find such pieces of writing?

Describe an annual event that you attended

and exPlain whY You enjoYed it'

About four years ago I was invited to a Halloween party at

the home of a iriend. I was reluctant at first but I decided to go

to help out with the arrangements.On the afternoon of the party, I drove to my friend's house

with a huge box of materials which I thought might be useful

for the preparations. The children were full of enthusiasm as

they worked on their masks and costumes' But the best part

of all was making the lanterns. I was amazed at the imagination

that the children showed when cutting grotesque faces out of

the hollowed-out pumpkins. The mood of anticipation was so

intense that, by the time the last costume had been made, I

was as excited as the children.By six o'ciock, the pany was well under way and the house

was full of screaming children, with me running around in a

nrask trying to scare them. At one point during the evening,

prizes weri awarded to the children who had made the best

costumes. Games were organised, including one where the

children had their hands tied behind their backs while they

tried to pick apples out of a barrel of water"using only their

teeth. When ,ttu put y finally ended, the children left in a

noisy group, running ahead of their parents and doing their

best to scare any unfortunate passers-by.Rediscovering what it is like to have fun without feeling

embarrassed *ui a fantastic experience. My initial hesitation

disappeared once t had decided to get involved. Helping with

the children's'games enabled me to enter into the party spir-

it. I saw it as an opportunity to experience the sheer joy that

comes so naturally to children.Another thing that made it a particularly enjoyable occa-

sion was that iibrought back memories of my own child-

hood experiences. I remembered my Qwn excitement when

we were dressing up in scary costumes, and the thrill of

going from house to house, bags held open for whatever

goodies would be put in when we shouted, "Trick or treat!"

I also remembered the time we had been chased by a stingy

neighbour after spraying his windows with. shaving foam'

Since those days I had nearly forgotten iiboul'Halloween,but,this party gave me so much pleasure that now it is a qeg-'ulai fixture in-rny diary. I think everyone should have thecltance to feel Iike a child at least once a year.

Describe an annual eventthat takes place in your country.

Halloween, which takes place every year on31st October, is an important even! particularlv inAmerica. lt originated hundreds of years aso whenit was believed that on this night the soul"k of thedead came back and walkedamong ,h. li"i;g.Today, it is treated light-heartedly ,nl ..t"nrui.Omainly by children.

:;iI

.j:1:j

I

_ . A certain amount of preparation is requiredof.those who take part. Costumes and masks, typi-cally of ghosts or witches, have to be made.Sweets are bought and parties are organised. Mostrmportanfly, a lantern is made. This is done bv tak_ing.1 l3r8: pumpkin and cuning out rhe inside,which is then used to make a pie-. Next, holes arecut out of one side in the shape of an evil face, anda candle is placed inside the lantern so thai ifreIight glows through the eyes and mouth.

the day itself, or rather in the evening,children wander around the streets dressed intheir costumes. The custom is for children toknock on doors in their neighbourhood ,nJ ruy"Trick or treaf'. This means ihat their n"ighbouohave to treat them to sweets or candies, otienvisethe "ghosts and witches,, *;n pt"yt u iri.i.;;;;r.Usually the adults offer them iomethine, but ifthey fail to, then a practical joke might be"plaveo.This is usrrally something harmless sirch as puttingshaving foam on the uncooperative neighbour,swindows.

lf a party has been arranged, then the lightsare turned out and the children take part in a iari_ety of activities. This might include unything iro*telling ghost stories to dancing. Althoueh tlie par_ties are based on a rather frightening iheme, tneemphasis is, of course, on hiving fJn. A typiealparty game for Halloween is played by puttingapples into a barrel of water and inviting the chil_dren to pick them up with their teet[. Specialdrinks.are made, which are served with the tradi-tionalpumpkin pie.

Many people enjoy Halloween as an excuseto dress up and have fun. lt is unique in that itstheme is essentially not a pleasant one. However,it remains popular and is eagerly anticipated everyyear by people of all ages.

35

-::

Unil 4 Descilbing leslivols/evenls/cerem0nies

3 Read the following topics and underline the key words. Which tenses

should you use? whafinformation will you include in each paragraph?

Ilowwillyouadapttheparagraphplanshownonp.34toorganiseyourcomposition?

ls there a festival in another country that you would like to attend?

Describe it explaining why it is important to you'

Describe a religious ceremony in your country'

Describe a celebration you attended as a child. why do you remember

this one especiailY?

Describe the ceremony of a national event and explain its importance to

the people in Your country.

4 Rewrite the following paragraphs in the passive. What tenses are used?

\4/hy?

L

J

A We hold the festival of shrove Tuesday on the eve of Ash wednesday, when

the 40-day fast before Easter begins. The English have come to know the day.as PancakeDay since, traditionally, housewives make pancakes to use up the

last eggs and milk which they do not eat during Lent. Until.the 19th century,

,lffugli celebrated Shrove Tuesday by holding carnivals during,which they

playio nat games, ate pancakes and drank mead. carnivals which people

irold in othei parts of the world keep the same tradition alive.

blissfut, striking, quaint, romanti'gifted, radiunt

Marie and Victor's wedding recepticwas held at a 1) good seaside restarant. Marie was in her 2) nice weddirdress and looked 3) good. After tl

meal the 4) haPPY newlY-weds k

their guests in dancing accompanitby a lirge grouP of 5) good musiciapiaying 6) nice waltzes and jazz nru6ers. Soon everyone was on the danfloor.

Llcliciotts, gtrgeotrsly, haLtrtilv, .fmtusrou,sing, lt Ltgt, bizurrt:

In my home town, the carnivalis ctbrated in a 1) nice waY. PeoPle drup in 2) strange costumes and PulJnicely decorated floats throughstreets while bands PlaY 4) nice mtand people dance and sing 5) haPPIt ali ends with a 6) big bonfire'lowed by an outdoor feast with 7) Ifood.

5 Use of sophisticated adjectives or adverbs when describing events

makes the description more vivid. Read the short extracts below and

replace the words in bold with words from the lists'

A l t r , l t , / r , t r t t t lv , ̂' t l t i l t r r ' ,11111' ; . t t i r ; tLtr t ' rqt t r" q icr t l l i i t ig

The fertivalof Shrove luesday is held on the eve of Ash wednxday ".

-' t' ; ;;l ;"'uti"- fiffi * anticiPation', The,':::'i"t5f;,]".n.r. awaited the Parkluz Festtva *'"' iH.n|, ;;J no,.t rooms which" il ffiffi.d .*l.j :PJ:.1T.?ii'ii,lf-TH.''#il. ii* yT: f:fl:r.t'ItUf 'tfttA

afticles,about the arnvtng e iirst night' PTpt'

ihe iocat councl had oooked w:j::1T::JitJi';;;;:;;ring tie*e'kend

U.*:'.U,*i1i;l,m***"ffi Ii,.ii'H:iillpot a,r,. pl'o 1!. :|;;ffi ;[i:"Jffi il ;;.* and iraditionar iazzover wenty'four solotsts , -..L:^h tiftpa pve*one s spirits'over h/venty-tout t"::::]i;[t,

firuA everyone's tpit]:_and blues. ltwas atesttv

-*,,*^****w*7*-*,-

The San Fermin is a(n)1) nice JulY festival heldin Pamplona, Navarra.On the first daY Youngmen, 2) well dressed in

. 3) bright white with' scarlet bandanas and

sashes, are chasedthrough the 4) nicemedieval streets bYfierce bulls.

36

L

I

Read the model below and correct the highlightedwords. Write S for spelling, WO for word order, Gfor grammar, F for punctuation or ??Wfor wrongword. What is the topic of each paragraph?Underline the topic sentence of each paragraph.What tenses have been used?

Describe an event You have

attended and exPlain whY it wasimportant to You.

Unil 4 0escribing festivtls/events/csretnollies

,J; . : l l , j , ! . .1, ' ' . tn, : ; . i j '=E

*"'-- *#'t

7 Look at the following compositiontask instructions and answer thequestions below, then write the com-position in 300'350 words.

dlescrt&e a f,esavafy**t $raye a{ferrdedas?d erpd#ff fds popeafarus.

1 What are the key words in the taskinstructions?

2 What kind of festival can bedescribed?

3 What tenses are required? Why?4 What reasons can you think of in

answer to the "explain" part? Giveexamples or justification for eachreason.

5 What would a suitable paragraphplan for this composition task be?

excellent S

support the event.--"tn tn. weeks.leading up t0 the special day various preparati0ns were

beenmade.Meetingswerehe|dtoplanthedayitse|f,theroutewasagreedUpcnandofficia|swerechosento|inetheroute.Sponsorformswere.print.edanddistributedtoparticipantssotheycou|dcollectnamesandaddresesof people wishing to sponsor them, and a huge advertising campaign was

launched in and iround the town centre t0 rise awareness of the event.

The day it was a nuge success' Early everyone woks and gathered atthe

startingpointoutsidetheTownHal|.Ahugehot-airba||oonWaslauncheoandithoveredovermecrowdsandcycliststhroughouttheevent.Momentsbeforethestart ingpistolwas{ i red, lg lancedroundtof indmysel fsur-iiuilded with cyclists and bikes of all shapes and sizes. cycling through the

Streets, l bare|y had time to notice my tiredness. Growds cheering lined the

route waving ilags, banners and balloons. Thankfully, refreshments were

handed to us as we rode passed various points along the way' Everyone

minageO to finish, and were given all a huge round of applause'

Ne"verbeforelhadrea|isedhowmuchcanbeachievedthroughcooper-ation. We not only managed to achieve our aim but also strengthened our

senseofcommunityspirrt.nttthosewhichparticipatedintheWitheringtonsponsoredbiker idewere|ef twi thafeel ingthata|mostanythingcanbeachieved through community effort and now we are planning another event

to raise money for a new library.Paffi ieipatedinthiseventa|sogavemeasenseofpersonalsatisjaction

for having helped, in however ttilt t way, to save another human being's

life. This -moving

experience actually effected my {uture. I am now studying

to become a nurse so that I can help those in nedd of'rlredical care'

Theeventwi | |berememberedandtalkedabout{ora|ongt imet0cOme.we were all delighted to listen that young william stokes receivetl his oper-

alion and is now in the penfect health. After a||, deeds are better than W0r0S

when people need helP.

37

}|utt ulive sljffiill b1 Look at the two photographs which show the beginning and

end of a story, as well as the list of words below, and guess

what the storY is about.

Inwyer, ffie security gunrd, moonlit ilQ, chill!, cashmere coot, grab,

growwonied',poticechi$reward,organisingfund'raisingevents,shehu, homeless, hostel, counse[lor, ragged clothes, tramp, frown

2 @ Read the questions below, then listen to the cassette and

answer them. Finally, looking at your answers' retell the story'

1 Who is the story about? 5 What happens to him?

2 Where is John? 6 IIow does Miriam feel?

3 What is the weather like? 7 What does Miriam do?

4 What time of year is it? 8 How does she find John?

ff i*^t ivepresentsaconnectedseriesofeVentS,eitherimaginaryorbasedon//f . Vour own experience, in a vivid descriptive style. lt may be written in the first person

/ it/we) or third person (he/she,etc), and often includes the thoughts, reactions, etc ofr

ifre main character(s), describing the action as it would be seen through their eyes.

o A good narrative should consist oi:a) an introduction which sets the scene (place, time, character(s), etc)' creates

an interesting mood/atmosphere to make the reader want to continue reading,

and/or begins dramatically to capture the reader's attention;

b) a main bJdy which develops the series of events clearly, gives vivid

description of tne peopte/places involved' etc; and

c)aconc|usionwhichcomp|etesthestory,perhapsinanunexpectedway,andmayoescribepeople'sfee|ings/reactions,theconsequencesofwhathaPPened, etc.

Points to ConsiderBefore you start writ ing, you must f irst think of a suitable story outl ine, then you

should decide on a detai led plot , including how the story wi l l begin, who the

characters wil l be, where the story wil l happen, the events in the order you wil l

present them, and how the story will end'

wr i t ing techniques include the use of v iv id descr ipt ion of people, p laces,

objecti, etc, especially to set the scene at the beginning of the story, description

of ieelings and actions, suggesting a certain mood/atmosphere; the use of direct

speech ind a variety of adiectives, adverbs, etc. This will make your writing more

interesting.

Narrat ives are normal ly set in the past, and therefore use a var iety of past

tenses. For example, Past continuous is often used to set the scene (e.9. Ihe

wind was howling...); Past Simple is used for the main events (e.9. He entered

the room, Iooked around, and ...); Past Perfect is used to describe an event

before the main event(s) (e.g. She had eet oat in the morning; full of hape' but

now she feft ...).

The sequence of events is important; therefore you mirst USe time words such

as: before, after, then, in the beginning, later, in the end, until, while, during,

finally, etc.

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ParagraPh 1

set the scene(w h o I w h at I w h e n I w h e r e )

i**i:; *e*;ParagraPhs 2'3 '4

devetop the story(d esc ri be i n ci de nts I ead i ngup to the main event andthe event itself in detaitdesc ribe peo Ple I P lace Ie m ot i o n s I act i o n s I etc )

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Final ParagraPh

end the storY

(complete the Plot;describe feelings I reac-tions; explain the conse-quences)

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3 Read the story below and complete the tasks in the box on the right.

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The VisitorA cold feeling of shock gripped me as I stared at the splintered, shattered wood of

my frgnl door. The lock hung, twisted out of shape, having been forced violently apart,and I felt my pulse quicken as t noticed that the door wai aiar.

scarcely breathing, I pushed it lightly with my fingertips and it swung open with theslightest groan. lnside, the house was deathly silent. I tiptoed down the hall, peeringinto the rooms on either side. They stared blankly back at me, deserted and unlchanged, revealing nothing. There were no burglars still inside, or so it seemed.

As far as I could see, there was nothing missing. I heaved a sigh of relief at findingmy precious collection of crystal untouched, and my heartbeat slowed as my initiaishock subsided. Somebody had certainly broken in - but why?

At the far end of the passageway I hesitatbd, puzzled, then cautiously climbed thestairs. As I neared the top/ there was a noise; a lighq hurried, scrabbling sound like onethat mice might make, only coming from something rather bigger. I turned quicklytowards my open bedroom door, only to be confronted by the strangest sight: an'eldei-ly man lying uncomfortably face-down on the floor, his plump, flushed cheek pressedagainst the carpet, which had been pulled back to reveal the floorboards underneath.

There he was with his right arm thrust down into a gap between the boards."What on earth are you doing?" I demanded.He rolled himself slowly.into a sitt ing position and ruffled his thinning hair, looking

embarrassed. "l'rn sorry'i he mumbled. "l used to live in this house an-d t put a boidown here with my savings and some papers to keep them safe.'' He brushed thickdust and cobwebs off his shirt and sighed. "But when I moved out I forgot, and I didn,tknow if you would let me have them. What else could I do?"

Look at the photograph on the right which shows the scene introducinga story, and answer the questions about how you imagine the storymight begin.

Unil 5 }{nffstiyes

List the events referred to in eachparagraph.

1 writer returns - door broken

4 goes upstairs - hears noise -sees stranger in bedroom

B Underline thewords/phrases ineach paragraph which describe orsuggest the emofions listed below

1 shock/fear

2 fearlapprehension

3 relief

4 uncedainty/surprise

5 surprise/anger

6 embarrassment

When and where is the story set?What is the weather like?Who are the people involved,and how do they feel?What would you see, hear, etc ifyou were physically present atthe scene?How might the story continue?

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Set the sceneg The beginning of a narrative story should usually give the reader a clear

picture of what is happening, and may include descriptions of:- setting: place, time (time of day/year, historical period), weather, elc- people: name, appearance, feelings, etc of the character(s) involved.

Vivid description is important when beginning stories. To describe thesetting, you may use details involving the senses to suggest a particularatmosphere (e.g. lapping waves, sofi sand = peacefulscenel. Whendescribing people/actions, you may use vivid description of emotions,mannerisms, etc to suggest a particular mood (e.9. "Stunned, she safdown shakily and buried her face in her hands." = shock, griefl.

A dramat ic beginning to a narrat ive helps to capture the reader,sattention and makes them want to continue reading. Sudden or excitingaction, description of strong emotions, the use of direct speech and avariety of adjectives, adverbs and verbs may all be used to make thebeginning more dramatic.

You may create an atmosphere of mystery and/or suspense by describinga strange character, a dangerous situation, etc.

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Unil 5 llunulives

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5 Read the paragraph below about the photograph in Ex.4 to see whetherthe story is as you had predicted. Underline all references to the sens-es, and the words/phrases describing emotions. Then answer thequestions from Ex. 4 again, based on what you have read.

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The cool of the morning turned quickly to scorching heat as the sunrose higher and began to beat down relentlessly. Doctor Mclintock took

off his cardigan while he and his two companions continued to trudge up the slope towardsthe village. The smell of parched earth and dry scrub filled the doctois nostrils, and theheat of the stony track burned the soles of his feei through his thin shoes. Apart from theoccasional call of a bird and the strained breathing of the three men there was absolutesilence. 0ppressed by the monotony of the banen African landscape, the doctor turned toMichael and sighed, "ls it much further?" Then he looked at Gideon and Michael's anxiousfaces and added gently, "l 'm sure she'll be all right."

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6 Describe the photograph below using the words/phrases given, thenwrite a paragraph setting the scene for a story.

Tom crouchedstaring

sweatcu$ on cheek

fties buzzingmotionlesshumiditY

heart Poundinghotding breath

rustle of branches

?**hm8qe*es f*r heglnretfl?g sr endFng stories,-$ A good beginning is as important as a good ending. A good beginning

should make your reader want to go on with your story. A good ending willmake your reader feel satisfied.

* You can start your story bY:a. describing the weather, Place,

people, etc, using the sensesb. using direct speechc. asking a rhetorical questiond. creating mystery or suspensee. referring to {eelings or moodsf. addressing the reader directlY

i Note that more than one technique can be used in the beginning or ending o{a srory.

7 Match fhe following beginnings al

endings, then say which techniqur

have been used in each paragraph.

ljgffids-drl#d-+'flffirzBrightly-coloured fish swam among thecoral, and ribbons of seaweed reachedupward to the sunlight on the surface ofthe sea. I gazed wiih happiness and wonder at the undenrater world around me.Then a sudden movement caught my eyeand I turned io see a huge, sleek shapehurtling toward me. , . :

"Don't movel" a voice hissed. Stevenfroze, peering atthe shape of a thin figurein a long eoat, standing in the shadows.'Adustbin clattered in the alley outside, andthe figure turned sharply, dim light glintingoff the barrel of a gun' Steven'launchedhimself at the figure, as the flash and crackof a gunshot filled the bare concrete room.

Have you ever had one ofthose days wheneverything goes wrong? When your alarrnclock doesn't ring, and you race out of thehouse in a panic, desperately putting onyour jacket, only to find that the car won'tstart and the bus drivers are on strike? Letme assure vou that such minor inconven-iences pale into insignificance beside thecatastrophes I endured yesterday.

. ' -

.=iFi$e#fffiAfter such a tenible day, I was happier thanever to reach the safety of my home. As Ipoured myself a strong coffee, I closed myeyes for a moment and asked myseff,"Why did this have to happen to me?"

. . _ : ._ -- , -* i , . - -

When lawoke, lwas lying in a hospitalbedwith medical staff peering down at me. Ifelt exhausted but relieved, and all I reallyremember was one of the doctors saying,"You're lucky to be alive."

The sunlight hurt his eyes as he reachedthe end of the tunnel. He stopped, lis-tened, and breathed a sigh of relieJ whenthere was no sound of footsteps behindhim. Then, as he crept out of the tunnel, afigure stepped forward to bar his way: athin figure in a long coat, laughing softly.

Itoaooot,aoooo€to

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€ You can end yourstory by:a. using direct speechb. referring to feelings or moodsc. describing people's reactions

"io tfiri events develoobd-in themain body

d. breating mystery or suspensee. asking a rhetorical question

40

Unil 5 t{orrulives

I

Before you start writing, you must think of a basic story outline for a storywhich is both:

i) appropriate to the title/instructions for the task; and

ii) manageable - that is, does nof need specialised knowledge and/orvocabulary which is too advanced lor you, and does nof contain toomany events for you to write about fully in 350 words.

Answer the following questions about the three suggested story outlineson the right.

Which basic story outline is nol appropriate to the title/instructionsgiven? Why not? Lg. B - becswse the "Ect" is not really "hernic'

Which story outline, when written as a full narrative, would need veryadvanced or specialised vocabulary?

Which would need specialised knowledge of a particular subject?

Which contains too many events to rvrite about fully in 350 words?

Which story outline, therefore, is both appropriate and manageablc?

Simple, "used to" or "would", with an appropriate adverb of frequency.e.g. When lwas a child, my father often (etci toldlsongftnes.used to telll

would always tell me sfor'es fo get me to fall asleep.Adverbs of Frequency: always - usually - trequentlytoften -sornefimesl

accasianally - seldomlrarely - never

3 PAST CONTINUOUS is used to talk about an action in the past which:- was going on at the same time as another action- was interrupted by another action- happened at an exact time

e.g. / was watching TV while he was trying ta phone.when there was a knock an the doar.at 3 o'clackyesterday.

TimeWords/Phrases: (af fhesametimelas - meanwhile - wken - while

I PAST PERFECT is used to talk about an action which happened beforeanother past action.e.g. Ry the time I aniveri, my friends kad akead{ left.' '

Time Words/Phrases: affier - as soon as - before - bythe.firne -no sooner - nat untit - once - {onli) when

Write a story with the title, 'A Heroic Actr.

A,..Two boys are playing by a canal. One,f:lis

ii . An ex-polterai r.", them, diveirn and rescues the drowning boy. . The boylurvivel and is now learnrng to swim.U . When you were at university you hadan tmportant exam. . For three'days vou:ydi:gdry and night; y", h;r'dt/;6i;;are/ and went nowhere. . you'took theexam and passed.C . puling World War il, a youns partisangoes behind enemy lines to blow"uo a kevDndge. . He impersonates an enemy office,rro.get access to enemy information. . Heesra,bttshes a system for passing this infor_marron to Allied Headquarterq with thecooperation of a beautiful woman *ho islater captured. . He succeeds in disruptinsrne enemy's supply line, but he is iniurbO ii,an explosion and loses his memory for r.u_eral months.

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9 Read the following short text and fillin the gaps using words/phrases fromthe list below, then identiff the tenseof each verb in bold type and explainwhy this tense has been used.

after, before, by the time, meanwhile,sometimes, when, while, until

f) ........................ I w.as a child, I would2) ........................ be left at home alone.One day, 3) ................. I was playingwith my dolls, I decided to cook a propermeal for my "children". I had watched mymother making chips 4)and so, 5) ........................ I had put a pan ofoil on the gas ring to heat up, I began topeel potatoes carefully 6) ........................there was a huge pile. 7)the oil was getting hotter and hotter, and8) ........................ I had finished, clouds ofsmoke were rising from the pan. Trying tolift the red,hot pan, I spilt the oil, and hugeflames instantly leapt upward, setting fireto the kitchen curtains.

M-' /ffi Fast Tenses and Time Wordsl/' , PAST HABITS are not described using Past Continuous. Instead, use Past

4l

Unil 5 llurrolives

lnversiono Some words, especially adverbs of frequency and time words/phrases, are

followed by inversion when they are used atthe beginning ot a sentence.e.g. Jamie had never imagined that he would lind himsetf in such a situation.

Never had Jarnie imagined that he would find himself in such a situation,

a The words/phrases followed by inversion are negative in meaning:

Never (beforelagain),lVo sooner, No tongery llowlrereItlot ofie& l\lof always; Not only (... buf a/so)Seldom I Ratety = 4not ofuno ; Hat'/ly ever I anywherg =' alnnst naner I novvherc'* Not untll,IUot before* Onty when = "not untillbefore", Only lt = "not unless"

e.g. IVo soon€r had / sfepped under the shower than the doorbell nng.ilot only was I exhausted, but a/so extrcmely hungry.

o * Notice that "Not until/before" and "Only when/if" are followed by inversionln the second pafi of the sentence.

e.g. * IVot untll it grew dark did they stop soarchng for fhe missrng dog"

1 0 'Look at the following 'skeleton' sentences and, using the appropriatetenses, ryrite a complete sentence from each skeleton as in the example.Then rewrite each sentence beginning with the word(s) in bold type.

e.g. I I no souner I sit down I my seat I curtqin rise I play begint M n0 sloner t!r! down in my seat than the curtain rose and the play bEan.No soaner hgd_t_sat down in rny seat than the curtain rose and the pby began.

I Lights / be / rarely / on / in / museum / midnight, i so I / realise / somethingstrange / happen / that night

It I be I not until I he I tell/ Linda / his name / she / recognise / Eric, /who /use / be / schoolfriend / hers

Rollercoaster i no sooner I start I move / I know/ I make / terrible mistakeI by I agree / get on

Cathy's front door / not only / stand wide open i when she / get / hom e, I but/ lock / be / also / broken

We / seldom / use / enjoy i visit / my grandparents / when I / be / childbecause I they I be / often / strict / us

ffi You will hear a woman telling her friend about the,time shenearly drowned. Number the following list of events in the chrono.logical order in which you think they happened, th'en listen to thecassette and check your answers. Finally, retell the story in yourown words.

Look at the task instructions belortogether with the beginning/ending oa story on each topic, and decide on rsuitable plot for each story.

Write a story entitted "lhe BirthdaParty".Ending: Suddenly the lights went on andchorus of happy voices yelled, "Surprisel'

Write a story that fugtnp: "She took thpiece of paper out of her pocket anrreached for the phone."Ending: She looked around the luxuriouroom and smiled at the thought that all hedreams had come true.

Write a story that ends: "At last he wafree.'Beginning: Joe sat on the crowded trainrehearsing his speech one last time.

Descriptive vocabularyo Avoid using simpl ist ic adject ives or

adverbs (e.9. good, bad, nice, well, etc)as these wi l l make your composit ionsound uninteresting, lnstead, try to usemore sophisticated vocabulary {e.9.lururious, ertravagant, threatening, etc)which will make your composition moreexciting to read. A variety of verbs fe.g.murmur, whisper, mutter instead of"say) will make your story more lively.e.g. "Oh, don't bather!" he growled,and stormed out of the room. (insteadof "said",'wenf)e.g. Jack strode up to me and thrustout his hand.(instead of \valked", "pd)

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Unil 5 l{urrutives

13 ffi Look at the two photographs below, and try to imagine what youwoaldhear ifyou were physically present at each scene, then look at thefollowing list of words. \{hich photograph do you think each word isrelated to, and which of the three verbs in brackets describes mostaccurately the sound you would expect to hear? Finally, listen to thecassette and check your answers.

@ breeze (howl/whlgt!€t/roar) [ seagulls (twitter/chirp/cry)

! ttrunder (rumbleicrash/bang) [ salls (clap/flap/rip)

I waves (hammer/splash/smash) [ tyres (squeal/shout/hiss)

I rain (splash/dripitrickle) [ wood (creak/snap/crack)

I engines (moan/throb/growl) [ siren (screechiwail/whisile)

14 Lootr at the words belowdealing with sensory detailsof sight and touch. Whichphotograph is each relatedto, and which of the threewords in brackets bestmatches what you can see inor imagine about each?

1 5 Look at the description below ofPhotograph A1 then, using your notesfrom Exs. 13-14, write a similardescription of Photograph B.

We barely moved under the warm sun/until a stiff breeze began to whistlethrough the rigging, f i l l ing the flappingsails and sending us surging forward.The sparkling waves splashed againstthe creaking wood of our yacht, f l ingingsalty spray over the deck, while seagullscried overhead, silhouetted against thefluffy clouds.

1 6 Look at the photograph below, andtry to imagine the scene as if you werephysically present. Make notes of thevarious sensory details you can see orimagine, and the mood/atmospherewhich the scene suggests to you.Then list words and phrases whichdescribe these vividly.Finally, write a description of thescene in about 50-75 words.

@ sun (btazing/warmiduil)

l-l tigtrtning (sparkiftash/bang)

I waves (sparkting/sharpidamp)

I wet street (gteam/steam/gtitter)

I t ights (br iuiant/bt inding/dim)

(freezing/hot/salty)

(gentle/stiff/violent)

(cracked/hotisoft)

(heavy/dark/fluffy)

(clouditrail/puff)

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I clouds

I fumes

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|lnil 5 llorrlives

17 nead the story below and replace the words in bold type with suitable

words from the following list.

Para. 1 linguing, rustled, streamed, swirled

Para.2 evaporated, a flurry, frenzied, an uprnar

Para. 3 gathereil, ntmours' stumblcil, stunned, wailcd

Para. 4 ilffing, in ruins, slumpeil, stared, tossed

Para. 5 grinning, lifting her head, warmly

Para. 6 admireil, autumn, ftesh,lit up, radiant, thrilled

Write a stary which ends wtth the words: 'nShelorcu, &e evenb of the day would change herIife for ever."

It was a clear, crisp autumn morning, and the windmade Edith's cheeks tingle pleasantly as she walked briskly towork. Pale sunlight shone through the bare branches of thetrees lining the road, and fallen leaves moved and made

a noise round her feet, while the smell o{ bonfires {staying in the air brought back nostalgic memories of ::::

her childhood half a century ago

Her contentment went away, however, the moment she reached theoffice, where she was greeted by the noise of angry voices and a lot ofquick activity. Puzled, she asked innocently what was wrong'

4we've been taken over by another company," someone said hysteri-ca[y, ,,and they've fired everyone!" Edith's heart sank; she had re{used tobelieve office stories of the takeover, and now she felt lost and afraid. Shehad no idea what she could do, or where she should go. very surptised,she didn't even take off her coat, but simply took a few personal posses-

sions from her desk before she turned and walked blindly out of the office'

18 Reaa the model again, and identil

which techniques for heginning a sta4

have been used in the first paragraph

Then underli ne the time wonls I phrasu

Finally, identiff the main events ant

emotions in each ParagraPh.{e.g. EqgJ: triith walks to wort she ,

haPPY)

Put the following descriptive verb

into the correct categories, and thet

add as many words as You can thinl

of to each category.

glance, glimpse, insPect, nod, PeeT'peer, plad, s&unter, signal, step, stridt

squint, truilge, wander

GESTURES

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19slowly making her way to the park, Edith sat deiectedly on a bench and

looked at the ducks moving on the river. After thirty years of loyal service,she told herself bitterly, she had been put aside, and her life was not good.

No one would hire an elderly secretary who knew nothing about computers.

Then a familiar voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts: "cheer up, Edith- it's not the end of the world!" Looking up, she saw her boss, Mr Blake,smiling happily. As soon as he had heard about the takeover, he explained,he had decided to make other plans, and had bought a small hotel in the

south of France. "My wife and I need a housekeeper," he contin-

ued nicely, "and you'd be perfect for the iob."

Edith looked at the beautiful colours of the fallen leaves and

realised instinctively that this was the chance of her dreams'

. .shewashappyattheideaofr f rakinganewstart ihthe' laterpartofher l i fe,andabigsmi lewasseen0nher{ace'SheknewPsrr v '

the events o{ that day would change her life for ever'

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Unil 5 ilorrutives

20

B Now do the same with the following words and categories.

bellow, clutch, crush, dash, embrace, jump, plunge, sprint, glare, grasp,grimace, grin, groan, mumble, mufter, roar, sclwl, seize, shout, slither,smirk, snatch, sneer, tiptoe

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complete the following excerpt by replacing fhe verbs in brackets withwords from the list below, making any changes necessary.

spot - ghnce - cyeep, sprint - glare - gnn - Slimpse - dart - pause . strfule

1 Daphne sprawled on the sofa, noisilvleafing through the glossy pages of hermagazine as she chewed gum andslurped a soft drink.

2 His brows knitted, Alex stared blanklyat the computer screen, scratchine theback of his head and drumming tlis tin-gen 0n the table, then he sighed deeplyand reluctantly reached for the phone.

3 The children stopped abruptly andgazed at the shop window with wide,unblinking eyes, nudging each otherand pointing at the danling piles oftoys.

22 fitl in the gaps in the following sen-tences by choosing the most suitableword from those given in bracketsand putting it into the coruect form.

e.g. "Can't you sit still?,' the teacher shoutedanarily (shl, angU,cheerful) as the

children fidgered resttessty (rygkqqabrupt, unexpectedl.

I The old man leant(heavy, rt; ;.;':D o;il;iilffi;;and gazed ....... (sad, hrppy,angry) towards the house where he andhis wife had lived until her death.

2 Eleanor muttered(peace, impatient, content) as her par-ents wandered ..................(slow, quick, imaginative) around herroom to make sure it was tidy.

3 The injured cyclist hobbled away....... (abrupt, pain, cheek),

embarrassed by the(concern, casual, complicate) stares ofthe onlookers.

4 The landowner shook his fist(violent, calm,

noisy) at the trespassers. "Get off myland or I'11set the dogs on you!" he bel-lowed .............. (furious, soft,proud).

45

Stella was suddenly reminded of herself and Cregory/ many

rears before, playing a Same of hide-and-seek' Crouching, she

n-rad 11 ......ifent.:..... (come) out from her hiding place

behind a hedge. Across the lawn she had 2) """""",see) Cregory heading for some trees' 3)

Come) out, ,h" had raced across the open grass' quickly

+) .. . . . . . . . . . . ( look) towards Cregory to see what he was

doing. She 5) .... (stop) briefly to rest beside a

bush] then dashed on again, making her attempt to run for

base".Suddenly, she realised he had 6) """"""""""" (see)

her, as Cregory was 7) .. " " (walk) straight towards

her. For a little while, she thought she still might make it by

8) .. . . . . . . . . . (run) her hardest, but Cregory was already

9) .. . . . . . . . . (smile) tr iumphantly' Reaching the t in that

rnarked base, he casually kicked it over' She stopped short' out

of breath, and 10) ..... (look) at him angrily'

S':oh strode6_@Eto the window, then stood with legs apart and her:. ads on her hip-sJistening@entDher head cocked to on. ,iJe.

: ' '\':'!tt rrt tltc u.,intltnrt untl li,ttcn,cd. t:tut,liLlly. (intpntittrt, aggrz,s.rilel

21 Read the following descriptions and underline the descriptive words orphrases describing manner and mannerisms, then circle the advertrsand adjectives used in each sentence. Finalry,,write. each description insimplified form, as in the example, and say what emotions and/or per-sonality characteristics are suggested in each description. 1

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Unil 5 t{urrolives

23 put the following words describing emotions into the correct cate-

gories, then add as many words as you can think of to each cat-

egory. Make sure that you know the various forms of each

word (noun, verb, adjective, opposite, etc).

alarm, amused, annoyed, anxious,bliss, calm, cheerful,

delighted, depressing, dread, ecstatic, enthusiasm, exhi-tarating, {rtghteneil, glnd, irritating, infuriating, miser-able, nelancholy, mournful, panic, patience, puuled,

regret, satisfaction, stirring, temper, terrified, apset

.ioycontentffieilt

sadnessgrief

aPPrehensive

i : . : : , . '

. " , , . ; . ; . . , . ; . t . " '

relieved .confusion :

24 Fill in the gaps in each of the following sentences by choosing the most

appropriate word from those given in brackets and putting it into the

correct form, as in the examPle.

The iob was exciting at fint, hut when I realised that it offered me no .fiiture,I beccLme dts!.ilastgLgd- . ffornnelillusiotlthrill)

1 After I had walked round the War Museum, I felt ........ at

mankind,s ability to inflict pain and suffering ," il,,ioro,rrrtlappallexcite)

I found it hard to .....................what he had suffered had been nobody's fault but his own.

( ap olog li oy I sy mpsthy )

We allclapped and cheered after the performance.

hoping that the band would come back on stage.(thrill I imp atienc e I enthusiasm )

4 We were spending the summer holiday in a-.... little

cottage near the sea, when disaster suddeniy struck.( delight I surPris e I r e gr et )

when I saw how much damage the fire had caused and realised that five

years'work had been destroyed, I was ...............( dnv astate I puule I disaPP oint )

25 Replace the numbered words in t

following paragraphs with thosethe lists given.

awful, brightly, ertremely, huge, lov elypleasant, ragtng, tenibly, tiny, whisperer

A. There was a 1) big crash of thunder aa flash of lightning. Jess was 2) very ftigened as she sat in her 3) little bed listento the 4) bad storm which was 5) happenloutside. She picked up her teddy bear z6) said to it, "I'm 7) very afraid, but I mtry to think of 8) nice things." When Jwoke the next morning the sun was shin9) nicely; it was going to be a 1.0) good d

burst, fuious, hurled, marched, mutteripeered, rainswept, screaming, glning, terriJ

B. Steve sat 1) looking at the clock onwall and 2) saying something to himself.was absolutely 3) angry at being k,waiting. Suddenly he stood up, 4) walltowards the window and 5) looked up zdown the 6) wet street. Then, without iwarning, a stranger 7) came in and 8) thra healy chair across the room, 9) say"You! Get out of here this instantl" Strwas 10) afraid, and ran outside withoubackward glance.

40

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1

26 toot< at the cartoon drawings below showing actions and mannerisms 28and write a description of each one, as in the example.

27 Replace the word "said" in the following passage with more descriptivereporting verbs from the list below, and add the missing punctuation.The words which are underlined are in Direct Speech.

exclaimed, laughed, shouted, snapped, stammered, teaseil, wailed, yelled

gq said the skydiving instructor the first student jumped out of the plane gqthe instructor said to the next student in line

i cant do it the terrified novice said im scaredlook if you dont jump now you'll never be allowed to try again the instruc-

tor said over the noise of the aeroplanebut but the student said i have a wife and trvo childrencome on its not dan&erous just get a hold of yourself and remember what

youve learned. the nervous student looked out the plane dool and saw the green fields

below cjk i[ do it he said with determination and jumped

the parachute opened properly and he floated gently towards the groundi bet you were terrified said his wife when he touched downno he said i cant wait to do it again

Unil 5 t{urrulives

Look at the cartoon strip below andwrite a brief descriptive paragraphabout each picture, as in the example.

Staring out oJ the window, Mike couldn'tbelleve his eues: Somebodu wos walki,noatonq the stieet with Rei. Mike,s doolThroi,ving the window open,'he Leaned oitand beLLowed, "Thct's mg dog! What aregou doing with him?"

41

e,g. Brian stM with Ws ur liry, tappttrglit fM hrpfrently

l(rft nd dgliry a lP

E eogrt sits in a cell in a police station.

Paragraph 2

Three policemen arrest him.

Paragraph 3

I U. is taken into a small room.

Paragraph 4

I Angus denies the accusation'

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Unil 5 llottuliles

Flashback NarrationNarrative sequence does not always follow the chronological sequence of

events. You may choose to begin with a particular (usually dramatic)

event, and then use flashback narration to describe the events up to this

point (usually in Past Perfect), before continuing with the rest of the story.

a some narrative writing tasks tell you to begin your story with a given

sentence which often suggests clearly that another important event has

already taken place; in such cases you musl use flashback narration.

29 Read the story below and underline the time wordsiphrases, then put

the verbs in brackets into the correct tenses.

Write a story beginningwith ttl,e words:

"FIe sat down, unabieffiAlffi what traad &appenedJl

He sat down, unable to believe what had happened' Angus (1) """':""""""'

(heal rhe metal door .f*g tlt"t and the policeman trudging away down the

corridor and, gazing;;?J ;i the bare brick wall of the narrow cell' he

(2) ..'. '..-.-..--. i;;";; aware of the stale' sour smell of the rough

Lfu"L* covering the crude bed on which he (3) """""""" """"" (sit)'

A few hours earlier, Angus had been a carefree tourist looking forward' to an

exotic holiday as he stefrped out of a taxi in front of his hotet' Then' suddenly'

events (4) "'-t- -(t^k"l

^ nightmarish twist' Three policemen had

rushed up, waving g"";';;l thtouiing uihit in a language he couldn't under-

stand before ctamping h;;;ir;; his wrists. After bundling him into a battered

pi'." *i ,n"y'i'ia 1"."4 t"1he folice station' Nobody could speak a word of

Enslish, it seemed, and Angus (5) """:"':"".'-:""""" (be pushed) into a cell

ili;;l r""*i"g *n" crlt""m"y thought he (6) """""' (commit)'

Now, through the bars of the tiny window in his cell' Angus watched the

evening sky grow d"tk; ;;'l ;e dto' of the cell was flung open' Two burly

policemen seized his arms and (7) """"""""""""" (lead) him to a small room'

il;;;ilil-" *ood"n-tubte with a telephone on ir. A tall, swarthy man in a

neat uniform ana ,r.,iny [oots entered the room, and the other policemen

(s) ................ $L;;; '"

attention' The man' obviously a senior officer'

(9)................. i{rJ^fr io nngut in broken English; but Angus' relief at

finding someone h" .i;;iu'*uia turnecl to dismay when he realised what

the man (10) .............. """""""' A"Vl' The officer was accusing him of a robbery

which (11), ,Butthat,sr idiculousl, ,Angusspluttered., , | . (1.2)

the country today - I've riever been here before in my life!"

At that moment, the telephone rang' and the,officer held a long conversation'

Finally he (13).....""'-"1' """":" (put) the phone down and muttered'

"Mistake ... sorry "' ";;th;t man "' ';'

th"n showed Angus to the door and

explained that he was free to leave' t ''

Angussteppedout. intothewarmnightair ,st i l |shakenbytheterr i fy ingexper i -ence but immensely tnankful that iiwas ouei' He knew hb would feel angry

later at the way he (14) """"""""""' """'.:"'.(be treated) - but he hoped that

UV1h" fime he (15) ..."""'t ' ."""':" ' ,: ' ;"" (be) on an aeroplane' f lying home' He

30 Complete the list of events below ir

the order in which they appear in tht

story. Then number the events iI

chronological order and saY whiclpart of the story uses flashback nar

ration. Finally, tell the story briefly iIyour own words without using flash

back narration.

Paragraph I

Paragraph 5

Angus is told that he is free.

Paragraph 6

4$

,niu, no longer in the mood {or a holiday'He decides to fly home immediatelY.

31 Wtrictr of these "beginning" sentences wouldrequire flashback narration, which would suitchronological narrafion, and which could useeither approach? Explain the reason for yourchoice, and then suggest a suitable plot for eachstory.

|Jnil 5 l'lonulives

h. "He couldn't hetp' C "fne chances of such E As she./oon:O^::':u

wondering if he had done a coincidence were athe aourtroom at the

the right thing"' ,': million to one.' - met

.-t , ^-,i-a ,r"vII Lv utte' ,l sfaried crying."-

:tr!:1.:,ri!1 .: '1.;: -

l :" "

' t ' - '

.r ffi rc Iansweredthet. telephone, little did I

"; realise how my lite

; was aboutto change.";::'..,.!::t I -1i..i...,

:::rt:it-. ..:.: i::-1:a.it;.

' D ",tnua all been a ' ,,i

'she walked into

tenibte ,-the restaurant, tooking

misunderstanding." roMarl

.to a pleasant meal, with old friends.,,

32 Reaa the models below and number the paragraphs in chronological order. Which model uses flashback narration,and in which paragraph(s) are the flashback events included? What tense has been used for these events? Finally,select a different paragraph as a starting point for flashback narration, and tell the story again in your own words.

MGDEE. A MODES. E

lAll,uichael looked down on the mountainside from thelllil Reter and Mike climbed onto a rock to admire the ter-rific view of the valley far below them, and inhaled the cool,pine-scented air, pleased with their decision to climb the

andinhaled the cool,

steep mountain near the village where they lived that Sunday

lPfing'lal I But then disaster struck. fu Peter clambereddown from the rock his foot slipped and he tumbledawkvrardly to the ground. Michael stared in horroras his friend's leg which was bent at a painful angletreneath him. Anxiously he pulled off his jacket anddraped it around Peter's shoulders. "Look, l'll be right back,"he said, hoping that his voice sounded reassuring and beganthe long trek back down the mountainside to fetch help.

lcll rhree hours later, Michael found himself in a helicopteralong with three mountain rescue workers. He felt increasing-ly helpless, as the mountain looked totally different from theair and the network of tiny paths was mostly obscured fromview by the thick covering of pine trees. To make mattersworse, the light was fading fast and a blanket of mist was start-ing to form. Eventually, the pilot announced that they wouldhave to go back and continue the search for Peter on foot.

window of the helicopter. He felt increasingly helpless, as itlooked totally different from the air and the network of tinypaths was mostly obscured from view by the thick covering ofpine trees. To make matters worse, the light was fading fast

and a thick blanket of mist was starting to form.Eventually the pilot and the three mountain rescueworkers in the helicopter agreed that they wouldhave to go back and continue the search forMichael's friend. Peter. on foot.

lell Everything had been totally different that Sunday morn-ing, when the two boys had set out on their walk up the cool,pine-scented mountainside near the village where they lived.Near the top, Peter and Michael had climbed onto a rock toadmire the view of the valley far below them.lEflrnat was when disaster had struck. On clamberingdown, Peter had tumbled awkwardly to the ground, his legbent at a painful angle beneath him. Unable to move, he wasforced to wait where he was, wrapped in Michael's jackegwhile Michael had begun the long trek down the mountain-side to fetch help.

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E4 gV seven o'clock that evening they had left the helicopter in the village and gathered a mountain rescue team of fifteenmen. Michael felt disheartened and scared for his friend's safety. Slowly they ascended the mountain, scouring the numerouspaths for Peter.The only sounds were crunching footsteps and the crackle of static on the walkie-talkies that the rescue workerscarried to talk to each other. The mountainside was an eerie place after nightfall and gradually Michael started to wonder whetherthey would ever find Peter at all. ! .'

. W SrOO.nly Michael heard a voice come over one of the walkie-talkies, "We've got him. We're taking him down."

N't ; r sor ' ry i 'saidMichaeltohisfr iendlater inthewarmsafetyofthehospitalr lom," ldidn' treal isei twouldtakesolong."reter :miled painfully. "lt's okay", he croaked, still weak from his ordeal, "l'm just glad to be here, alive."LGI zl he doctors decided to keep Peter at the hospital for the night in case of complications with his leg. Before leaving, Michaeliooked down at his friend and patted his shoulder as, silently, they both vowed never to go walking in the mountains again.

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ljnil 5 }{unnlives

33 ReaA the main body of the story below, as well as

nings and endings. Which techniques have been

beginnings and endings? Who narrates the story?

the different begin-

used in each of the

l,'*u. u normit Friday afternoon in the sleepy village of Lishwood and I had gcne to the bank as usual to withdraw some mone

from my account so rhat I could pay for *y gro.iry shopping. How was I io know that l 'd be enduring the most frightenin

exper ienceotmyl i fe1non!vafewminutes,- t ime?

I just knew I shouldn,t have gone out that Friday afternoon. I'd had a strange Ieeling all mornrng,.-a feeling that something ,wa

bi.g i. t rppen, but r tJJ riysert, "Don't be stupid, tda, you and your funny feelings! - pull yourself together and go and g'

the qroceries." So I did, and you'll never guess wnat nappeneo!

you know how someone feels when he is about to pay for his grocery shopping and finds his wallet is almost empty' Mumblit'

apooreXcuSe|headedforthebank,notpreparedata| | forwhat|wasabouttoexper iencethere.

I was waiting patiently in the queue when suddenly two men

pulling black masks over their heads, rushed through the front'Ooor

ind began shouting and waving guns in the air' "This is a

robbery," )t.il.d on. of the masked men' "Do as we say and no

one wiil get hurt!" The other bank robber herded us into a cor-

ner of thi room and ordered us to lie face-down on the floor'

i was terrified. My whole body lroze in fear' Someone

helped me rlown to the ground where ail the other customers

weie huddled together, harclly even daring to breathe in case

the men decided to carry out their threat and start shooting'

The cashiers were remarkably calm but I suppose their

training had prepared them for such a situation' They busily

emptie-d the ionients of their tills into a bag the robbers had

oushecl over the counter to them. I kept expecting to hear the

wailing of sirens as the police hurried to rescue us, but there was

only an unbearable silence.Almost as suddenly as they had entered, the masked raiders

grabbed their bag and left the building, jumping into a beige

letaway car. Minutes later, the police arrived' Several officers

iook off in their cars to see if they could catch the criminals,

*#Fr'ffi#{FAs I entered the grocer's lfelt strangely uneasy. lt was then that I heard a sharp votce hissing: "This is a robbery!"

.

As I was watking back to the grocer's t t<6pt tfiihting oj yv|l1,ffaio l"l-?T9d minutesbefore' Slowlv,l op:T9 th* d,o,91l-o

io-.or. tr.. t.iru.. *iL t*6 armed r4gke{ men. 'Ligntning never strikes twice in the same place," lthought befot

i"ir.t.o.- - '- -- I

would you be prepared to experience the.same thing twice in less than an hour? | wasn't, but I had no choice when

opening the grocer's door, I came face to face with two masked men'

while others tried to calm us down enough so that they c

take coherent statements.After a while, the feelings of shock and fear began to

side. I was still a bit shaken, but I had recovered from the ol

enough to give the police my account of what had happe

then went to collect mY shoPPing'

50

Unil 5 l{urrutives

34 Reaa the model below and correct the highiighted words. Write S forspelling, WO for word order, G for grammar, F for punctuation or WWfor wrong word. Read the story again and put the events in chronolog-ical ordeq then retell the story without flashback narration. Suggest asuitable title for the story.

G was

Ash off the train, he looked up and down the platform.The one there and, as he stood listening to the soundof the train rattling offinto the distance, he begun to feel a littleworried. His brother had promised ro meet him, but wasnowhere to be seen. Stood there checking his watch andanxiously peering into a darkness beyond the station, Matt feltierribly alone.

Matt Black was a merchanl seaman. Ten years previously he?ras left home to go at sea because there were little jobs in thevillage which he grew up. After being so long ar sea, he hadmade enough money to return back and set up a small business.He had been nervous about his familie's reaction to his home-coming, buc one telephone call had been enough to put hismind at rest. They sounded such excited that he was comingback. His mother had even cried, that Matt had found embar-rassing.

Now, standing in the deserted platform, he did not knowwhat to think. It was two in the morning and, since it was notelephone, he decided to walk the five miles ro the village.Somebody will pick him up, he thought. So, dragging his rwohuge bags behind him, he set offdown the narrow country lane.After walking only for ten minutes, one of his bags caught on astone and tore open, spilling the contents over the muddy road.Cold, tired and now bad-tempered, he sat on a rock for a while.this was not the way he had imagined his return.

Once the lights of his village came into view, his mood liftedslightly. He wandered whether would he be able to readjust rolife in a small community after years on board a ship and hisexperience of so many foreign cultures. But, he decided, thiswas where he wanted to be, and his pace quickened as heapproached to rhe Family home.

Walking up the drive, he was noticing the flickering light ofa television in a downstairs window. Through the open curtainshe could see his brother, asleep fast on the sofa. He taped on theglass and his brother *oke ,p, dazed and cbnfus'ed. i 'Mattl" he'shquted excited. "Oh no, I fell asleep! How did you ger here?"

''N{att thoughr back to when rhe two of rhem leaveJ thbre astecnagers and, with a sigh of relief, said to himself, "At leastsome things haven't changed."

*----'.t. -"_"''j-'-'-.-.*:,r3-:*<-.'!srjj-*:vfr1lry''5::r::i+l€eqqrc*e?q,ffiP:ryssf#r:Ee?.,-*"-€a%'

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I . . ' t . i . . .

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35 Lootr at the following compositiontask instructions and answer thequestions below.

a) o Write a story that hegins or endswiilr the words: 4t had all bren acase of mistaken identi$.o

. VVhat sort of narrative (e.g, mystery, adaen-ture, humsn drama, etc) does the iitlesuggest to you?

. Would you use flashback narration?Why/Why not?

. Does the topic require specialised knowl-edge and/or vocabulary you may nothave?

. Can you suggest a possible plot using thissentence to begin your story?

b) Write a stary enffied ,The InckedDooril,

r What sort of narrative story (e.g. mystery,adaenture, human drama, etd does the titlesuggest to you?

r lVhat techniques would you use to beginand end your story?

r Is it necessary for you to write this com-position using flashba& narration? \{hy/lVhy not?

. What Lime worcls/phrases would you useto link the events?

r Can you suggest a possible plot?

36 Choose ONE of the compositiontasks above, and rvrite a completeplan with notes. Then write the com-position in 300 to 400 words.

skfi

sf,!

7.{1:1

51

ffi@MffiA Describe a well-known holiday destination and

account for its PoPularitY-

What kind of composition is this?

What are the key words?Which paragraph plan would you follow?

Which tenses would you use? WhY?

What style does the composition need to be written'in? Why?How could you begin/end your composition?

B Describe a prominent person from the past whom youwish you could meet, giving reasons for your choice.

What kind of composition is this?

What are the key words?Which paragraph plan would yoir follow?

Which tenses would you use? WhY?

Which aspects of description would you include?

Is it necessary tojustifi the reasons foryour choice?

If so, think of the possible reasons and justif them.

C Write a short story entitled "The )pportunity"'

I Is it necessary to decide on a plot before writing

your story?Would you use flashback nanation? Why/IVhy not?

Which information would you give in order to set

the scene?What tenses would you use to set the scene?

Which techniques would you use to begin and end

your story? Give examples.Can you suggest a plot? How would you present the

events cluonologically?

D Describe a visit to a restaurant in your country andgive your impressions 0f the atmosphere, decor, ser-vice and food.

What are the key words? :What information would you give when descnbing

the restaurant?

17

34J

4

4

Would you use narrative techniques? If so, give

examples.What paragraph plan would you follow?

Would your composition be written in a formal or

informal style? Why?What descriptive techniques would you use?

E Describe the activities and atmosphere at a celebrationor festival in your country.

What kind of composition is this?What are the key words?Would your composition be written in a formal or

informal style? Why?What tenses would you use? Why?Would you use narrative and/or descriptive tech-

niques? If so, give examples.Which paragraph plan would you follow?

F Write a short story beginning with the words: 'Afierreading the tetter, she realised her life would never bethe same again."

What should you decide on before starting to write

your story?Would you use flashback narration? WhyAilhy not?

Which tenses would you use throughout your story?

Which technique(s) could you use to end your story?

Which techniques would you include in order to

make your story more interesting?Can you suggest a plot using flashback nanation?

I)

34

6

I7

3

234J

J.

3

43

I)

What kind of composition is this?What are the key words?Which tenses would you use? Why?Would you refer to the senses in order to describethe place? If so, give examples.How would you make your description more inter-estins?

17

3, '4

J

Describe a typical market in your country and accountfor its continuing success.

L-

Ti

43

What reasons would you present which could account

for the market's succes? Provide justification'

H Describe an educational visityou have been on and saywhat you think you have learned from this experience'

What are the keY words?What could be described as "an educational visit"?

Would you use narrative techniques? If so, give

examples.Which tenses would You use? WhY?

What aspects of description would you

Give examples.Which paragraph plan would you follow?

i Describe your first meeting with a famous person and

explain in what ways you found him or her to be dif-

ferent from your exPectations.

What are the keY words?What tenses would You use? WhY?

Which words would you use to express contrast?

What aspects of description would you mention?

Is this a pure descriptive composition of a person?

Why/IVhy not?Which paragraph plan would you follow?

J Describe an important twentieth-century invention

and explain how it has changed people's iives'

What kind of composition is this?

What are the key words?What inventions can You talk about?

How detailed should your description of the inven-

tion be?What aspects of descriptionwouldyou mention? Why?

Which paragraph plan would you follow?

K Write a story ending with the words: "How could Ihave been so wrong?" he wondered- ' "'

Would you use flashback nanation? Why/IVhy not?

What information would you give to set the scene?

Which technique(s) would you use to begin your story?

What tenses would you use throughout your story?

Which techniques would you include in order to

make your story more interesting?Can you suggest a suitable plot?

L Describe a person whom you regard as successfuland define the qualities needed to achieve success.

6

What are the key words?What tenses would you use? WhY?

What aspects of description would you include?

Must the description be of someone who is a)alive;

b)well known?What qualities would you mention?Which paragraph plan would you follow?

M Write a story beginning or ending with the words: 'He

took a deep breath hnd knocked on the door."

Would you use flashback narration? Why/IVhy not?

What shouldyou decide on before starting to write

your story?If you use the given sentence to begin the story, can

you suggest a plot without flashback nanation?

If you use the given sentence to end the story, can

you suggest a plot without flashback nanation?

What tenses would you use?If you use the given sentence to end the story, can

you suggest a plot with flashback nanation? What

tenses would you use?

N Describe your most prized possession and explainwhy you value it so much.

1 What kind of composition is this? What are the key

words?2 What tenses would you use? WhY?

'3, What type of possession could you describe?

4 What information would you give in order to

describe this possession?5 What paragraph plan would you follow?

345

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34

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6

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lJililT 61 ffi You will hear four people on a radio programme discussing whether

progress is good for us. Look at the following questions, then listen to the cassetteand answer the questions.

A

B

C

Which speaker discusses possible solutions to a problem?

Which speaker gives a personal opinion on the subject?

Which speaker discusses various aspgElq(e.g. economic, social, etc) ofthe subject?

Which speaker presents a balanced argu-ment discussingpoints in favour of progress as well as against progress?

0 iscur$itlg lssoy$

I Speaker 1

l_l Speaker 2

fl Speaker 3

l__l Speaker 4

A discursive essay is a piece of formal writing which discusses a particular issue,situation or problem.

There are three main types of discursive essays.i For and against essays present both sides of an issue, discussing points in

favour of a pafticular topic as well as those against, or the advantages anddisadvantages of a particular question. Each point should be supported by

' justifications, examples, and/or reasons. The writer's own opinion should bepresented only in the final paragraph.

ii Opinion essays present the writer's personal opinion concerning the topic, clear-ly stated and supported by reasons andlor examples. The opposing viewpointand reason should be included in a separate paragraph before the closing one,together with an argument that shows it is an unconvincing viewpoint. The writer'sopinion should be included in the introduction, and summarised/restated in theconclusion.

iii Essays suggesting solutions to problems, in which the problem(s) associatedwith a particular issue or situation are analysed and possible solutions are put for-ward, together with any expected results/consequences. The writer's opinionmay be mentioned, directly or indirectly, in the introduction and/or conclusion.

A good discursive essay should consist of:a) an introductory paragraph in which you clearly state the topic to be discussed;b) a main body, in which points are clearly stated in separate paragraphs and, exemplified or justified; and

c) a closing paragraph summarising the main points of the essay, in which youstate/restate your opinion, and/or give a balanced consideration of the topic.

Points to considerPresent each point in a separate paragraph. A well-developed paragraph contains aclear topic sentence, which summarises the contents of the paragraph, as well asa clear justification, explanation or example in support of the point presented.

Well-known quotations (e.9. As writer Somerset Maugham once said, "lt is badenough to know the past; it would be intolerable to know the future."), rhetoricalquestions (e.g. lf people today are not concemed enough about tomoffow, will thefuture still be there for man?) or thought-provoking statements (e.9. The fact is thatone's future is what one makes it. There is no such thing as chance.) are usefuldevices to make your composition more interesting.

Before you begin writing, you should always make a list of the points you will present.

Do not use informal style (e.9. contracted forms, colloqilial language, efc) or verystrong language fe.g. I know, I am sure ...)

Use appropriate l inking words/phrases to show the l inks between paragraph, aswell as to link sentences within paragraphs.

54

L

( topic setltenceL--]:-

Meny people, lioweuer, preferlivinE n ,'lals because tl'lstt rBol

JdIYI.

{ iurstif ication

Vlith increasrng cr;n:e , aies.nl 'a ' l lp ara af ,atd rn l ive 'n a

hcuse, as they fee! mare vulner-able ;o aurglars and orher uini-nals. Therefore, they prefer thefeerinq .,i securiA :hai Ihe pra:itm-ity ai neighbouring flets ofiersthem.

Unil 0 [iscursive Essuys

)

3

Look at the essay plans below for the three types of discursive essays'

then say what features the plans have in common and how each plan

differs from the others.

lnf,se$we€EmmParagraph 1state topic (WlIhSuI stating

your opinion)

ffim8s $e$sParagraphs 2 - 3

arguments for & justifications,examples or reasons

Paragraphs 4 - 5arguments against &

justifications, examples orreason.s

$ffiElM@nFinal Paragraph

balanced considerationor opinion

Look at the essay topics below, and say whether each topic asts for a

"for and against" essay, an opinion essay or an essay suggesting

solutions to problems. Then, choose two of the topics and make a list ofthe points you would include in an essay on each topic.

"Animals should be treated with the same respect as humans." Do youagree with this view?

"The generation gap is one which cannot be bridged." Discuss.

Do you believe that equality for women means that women should alsodo such things as military sewice?

"One language spoken worldwide would lead to better internationalrelations." Discuss.

Genetic engineering poses a number of wonyirig pr'oblems, both mor'al andpractical. Discuss some of these problems andsuggestwhat could be done toovercome them.

"Celebrities should be allowed to keep their private lives private, withoutihe invasion of the media." Discuss.

"Fear and ignorance are the root caus-es of racial hatred." Discuss this state-ment and offer some'possible solutionsto the problem of racial prejudice.

"The motion picture industry is threat-ening to destroy culture and tradi-tion." Do you agree?

"Too much money is spent on sPortwhen it could be used to help thepoor." What are your views on thisissue?

What are the advantages and disad-vantages of our ever-increasing use ofcomputer technology?

10

55

!aflodus9lssParagraph 1state the oroblem and its

cause(s)/effect(s)

HelredseElsnParagraph 1state the topic and your

opinion

ffi$gn $B$sParagraphs 2 - 4viewpoints & reasons/

examples

Paragraph 5

opposing viewpoint andreason/example

SsrEeE[FlenFinal Paragraph

summarise/restate youropinion

#sln ilodsParagraphs 2 - 5

suggestions & results

ffie!ffiesFinal Paragraph

summarise your opinion

Unil 0 Discutsive [ssnys

Formal styleDiscursive essays are written in formal style. This means you should use:/ passive voice, impersonal constructions

(e.g. tt is argued that ...; lt is a common belief that.'J{ arange of advanced vocabulary (verbs, adjectives, abstract nouns, etc)

(e.g. heated debate concerning the controvetsial issue ...)/ f o rmal I i n ki n g wo rds/p h rases (e.9. f u rthe rnore, however, nonetheles,$J/ complex sentences with a variety of links, dependent clauses, etc

(e.9. Attttough it is widely accepted that compulsory military seNice,which provides an army with abundant manpower, is beneficialta a oounty's abiti$ to defend itself, closer analysr.s af militaryefficiency suggesfs fhaf tt ,s advanced weapanry which plays acrucial role in...)

y' inversion, especially in conditionals(e.g. Were this true. we would ...;IVeverhas fhts been more obvious ...)

You should not use:X short forms {e.9. fm, it's) except when these are part ol a quoiation

X colloquial expressions, phrasal verbs, idiomsfe.g. /ots of, put up with, be averthe maon about ...)

simplistic vocabulary fe.g. Experfs Seytheythinkthis is bad. ...)a series of short sentences (e.g. Many peopte think so. They ae wrong.)simple linking words {e.9. and, bttt, soJ except for variety

4 Read the following excerpts and find examples of each of the features

of formal and informal stvle listed in the table above.

EXCERPT A

A matter of considerable controversyat present is the issue of whether worksof art should remain in their country oforigin, or rather the owners of suchworks should be allowed to sellthem tocollectors abroad, thus depriving thecountry's population of a vital part of itscultural heritage. Stiong argumentsexist in support of both sides of thisdebate, which implies that it is worthexamining both points of view beforereaching any conclusions.

Should such sales be permitted, it isargued that the country of origin would lose pieces of art which rightfullybelong where they were created. In addition, works of art which werecreated to be viewed in a certain setting, or as part of a partlcular struc-ture, lose a great deal of their artistic impact when removed from thisqontext. Venus de Milo, an ancient statue of Aphrodite is a clear case rnpoint: this conspicuous example of the Hellenistic sculptural traditior..carved in 150 BC and found on the Aegean island of Melos in 1820. lsnow decorating nothing more inspiring than a room at the LouvreMuseum in Paris .. .

EXCERPT B

People argue a lot nowadays aboutwhether or not works of art from onecountry should be sold to another. Idon't think they should be. lf they are,then the people in the country of originlose out on the chance to see stuff thatreally belongs to them. This just isn'tright. lt's a problem, too, when you seeworks of art in the wrong place. I mean,the Parthenon friezes look boring theway they show them in the BritishMuseum. That's just not where theybelong. But if you could see them onthe Parthenon, they'd look great ...

Beginning and endingdiscursive essays

In ihe first paragraph, you shouid stateihe :ooic ancior your opinion, and youmay ' rc;ude one or more of theicilo".'r.E iechniques.

Mar.e 'e 'erence to an unusual or5*f .{. ̂,c dea sceneisituatione.g. /rnagn'ie millions of people coming

,tr,e f,an sciocl or wok every dayrc st'mffgd awaJl larfourhours.

A,ocress :e -eacer directlyagr Yan .rry ihtuk fb b an exaggentian.a:'g cr a;{ a *eioncal ouestion.e.gt" nave ,rnc' stg yfrndercd what the

'{€)|16 ffi{.do te iike without cars?

S:=-: n : - a :uotat ion or thought--*\r[.{, -L: :t=g{nent_

e.;" "-s s, : cn ;s an invention that:E -'nfis.r6tri :D i€ enterbined in ywr

iar'3 r ycur iome.' David Frost.n-3

-,f

- i-r: ad pamgraph. you should statert_- t r - : - : - ; : r , g ive a balanced::- : : : : : : - - : ' : :e topic, and you* = t - : - - : : -e Or mOfe Of theiaN rSE[|-{: :r3:a- ]:-tr-

=ns- nrr.F i f-.rti.Eo{'r

IS, : *l3l':rr':a :-;gSCOn

l',e i-r: -::::er 3c-ething to consider= a : : - - . - . - - -an people wi l ! re-

:i,: :: , ?' *r.ai ,t ,,s Iike to actuallyi:Jtr-mre rilh each ather

t(

a

t

t

50

Unil $ Discursive Essuys

5 Match the following beginnings and endings. Then, say which technique has been used in each.

l;#F#{dnlFj:'ffi*You may live in a comfortable house in a clean neighbour-hood with all the amenities. You would probably not be solucky in one of the cities where urban growth has beenallowed to get completely out of control. This problem isvirtually destroying a number of large cities, particularly indeveloping countries, and a solution must be found beforeit is too late.

"An eye for an eye, a tooth lor a tooth" is the biblical phrasewe use to refer to capital punishment, the killing of criminalsin order to punish them for their crimes. But whether theneat balance suggested by the phrase is rellected by theactual practice is a moot point, and whether one human hasthe right to kill another in any circumstances remains amuch-debated question.

. . t :a 1, . : .

While most people agree that a woman has the right towork as a heavy-machine operator and a man to become amidwife, is this supilosed open-mindedness being put intopractice? There is plenty of evidence to suggest that work-ers are still being judged by their gender and not by theirskills, and this is a situation which needs to be dealt with.

6 Look at the quotations and the essay subjects below. Which quotation

would tre most relevant to each of the topics, and which type of essay

does each topic require?

B. "A mother never reafises

,m, iJ''ntdren are.no longer"'-

riitar"".z' lHolbrook lackson)

D. "Education is what surviveswhen what has been learnt is

forgotten." (B-F. Skinner)

E. -It is the familiar that usually eludes us ln life'

what is *^';,::::fi;fifirf:1," see tast'"

"Too much emphasis is placed on educational qualifications." What areyour views?

"Teenagers have an important contribution td malte to society." DiScuss.

"itiis everyone's responsibility to protect the environment'" piscuss.

"People today take material comfort for granted." Do you agree?

"As technology advances, humans are becoming reduldant." Discuss theproblem and iuggest what might be done to remedy the situation.

.*#On the whole, I believe that those cities. suffering as a result

of urban growth touro 'orut'iileit

pionremt' given tinancial

support. Sadly, however''ihe chances of this happentng

are slight, especialty rn dtutfoping countri-es^Should we

nii,ir,i,.to,,j,o:tl'*'i,;o';o*;f,'rgt*lg:f f #return to rural areas tn t

ulations?

nY work-To sum up, gender should not be an issue tn a

place, since , po*tnu'iliuirfrt*trt i:,it:]ll capable ol

hard manual tabour as l;'il ;Js..Jti |nq9 is o{ child-

care. The only obstacte! aie mose wt'itn ?*i:t il our own

minds; as the Amencan t;;;tp';ibt F' S' Perls once said'

"We have to lose "t'

tinlt tJ tome to

c All in all, it is easv to understandl!:i11:::: behind the

continued existence ;;;;ibl pr.ishment rn a number of

countries. ln spne oi' tni{' tofrtugt' l- :."11"j personally

condone it, since ; il;' ffigjlt act itself is simplv

L;.fu murder' the ultimate cnme'

A..'aou,re either part of thesolutio_n or you,re part of the

p rob I em. " (Eldridge Cleaver)

C."One machine can do thework" "r

ii' "ri""tYmen-'

No machine

;" ;; i:" work of an extaordi'*'

;"tY man"'(Elbert Hubbard)

)

I4

5

i

|Jnil 0iscutsive Issuys'-' -- ..

-. .*-*'**.*!,*''.e*d{"1ek*:#;:t'4iM&r*b<J

FI5l In recent years life has greafly improved.]!e slgnd3rd of tiving is higher ano atipeoprecan afford to buy things they couldn,t in ihepast. I truly believe that life today is better andmany things make peopte hap[y.

To beginwith, unless people are healthy, aperson's life is unbearable and not wormliving- When my father was seriously ill inhospital, I clearly remember how nothing elsemattered to any of us, and we then learrit that lthe people we love are more important thanm0nev.

Then.there's the question of your boyfriendor girlfriend. I don,t think it matters if ihey,rerich - atthough it woutd Oe nicet Wnaiimore important is whether you see eye toeye. I once went out with a really rich guy Outwe didn't get on and I finished witn niir.'fnissnows that money isn,t everyfring.

Also, statistics show that different peoplecan be unhappy. Rich people can be just asunnappy as poor people. So why do somepeople always say that money is everything?I know they're wrong to think tfrat fVfoneycan't buy happiness.

But it's nice to live a life of luxury. Why takethe bus when you can take a taxn RnO wfrynot send your children to the best schooliand pay for the best doctors? There's nodoubt about it, it,s a good feeling being richand powerful.

So, money is great - while it lastsl Butyou can't beat having a good time. So ifyou've got money, make ttre most of it and ifyou're happy, enjoy yourself.

Useful TiPs for Disaursive EssaYs

When writing a discursive essay, you should:

/ use formal, impersonal style (see Formal SMe' p' 56)

/ use topic sentences ro introduce the subject of each paragraph

/ wrrtewell-developed paragraphs, giving reasons/examples

/ ,s" g"n"r"lisations (e'g'!n most devetoped gounties' education "')

/ usu iequencing (e'g. Firstlfi, secondlly' efc) and linking words/phrases

(e.g. however, afthough, etc)

/ make references to otner sources (e.g. Eryerts have proved that ...)

use quotations, either word-for-word or in paraphrase' being careful to

d;iitu th.;;urce 1e'g' As wnsron Churchillsaid" "' )

7 Read the two models and give reas'ns why model A is good and model

B is bad. .sA.o,

"MoneY is not themo$f imPortant thing

in life.'Discsss.

o You should not:x use short forms, informal/colloquial language, etc (see Formal Sty/e, p' 56)

I use very emotional language (e'g' labS*taly detxtpeoplewho "')

X express personal opinions too strongly (e'g' I know "' ); instead'

use milder expresslons (e'g' tt seems to me that "')

I use over-generalisation(e 'g' Nl politicians are "'1

X reter blindly to statistibs without accurate reference to their source

t,g "Uwet&*showed "'' - whichstudfi)

X use clich6s (e'g- Rome was not built in a day')

I use personal examples (e'g' ln rny schoal "')

i El *onru is certainry something which is often discussed in today,si *otfO. ffttOlv a day goes by without the subiect of money being

i ;;id in moit people'i tives. However, it is highly debatable whetherj ii.u ;;d impbrtaht than other considerations, such as health and

I ntppinttt, wi'ich some people considert0 be 0f greate!::q{i:iT::

mia each winter occur among low-income groups'

io Oegin with, rt is often argued that having money enables people

to eiertlntuence over others. wealthy businessmen, for example,ii, .tt* the most highly respected members of society, and busi-

i nr* tVcoons are often consulted by world leaders, who then makej oolicie! which affect the whole population. As a consequence,

I *ontv can be seen as the single most impoftant factor in daily I'tfe'

: ieconotv, from the point of view of the individual, morley is vital for

i suruivar westem tq:':y l: :yY,t$l"': i:'l^1",Y?.1:::' "Y,*i"T' : survival. Western soclely ts. srur;luluu lll but'rr d wdv trrot' vvrrrruut

; m'nev, people are deprived of the means to obtain proper nutritiolti ffi ;Aih #;. Furthermore, in some cases where state benefits aie

] inaoequate, the inability to pay heating bills can indeed become aj *ittri ot tife and Oeaifr. This is clearly illustrated by the fact that,

i iccoroing to social services, the majority of deaths due to hypother-

0n the other hand, many people claim that one of the factors in life

which is undoubtedly of gieater importance than money is health. Aslzaak Wafton said, irealth is "a blessing that money cannot buy'"

what is more, money is of little consolation to those who are suffer-ing from heafth problems. Despite the fact that money can pay for thebe'st medical care available, this is no guarantee of a longer life'

ln addition, most people would agree that personal happinesseasily outweighs money in importance. Even if an individual is

extremely rich, tfris does not necessarily lead to happiness' ln some

cases,thecontraryistrueandvastwealthbr ingswithi tawholeranoe of problems and tnsecurities' Genuine happiness cannot beborioht and is usually independent o{ financial status'

0i the whole, although there are those who would rank money asthe single most important thing in life, the vast majority would dis-agree. Money, they argue, has an important part t0 play but perhaps

th-e world would be a more harmonious place to live in if this werekept in proportion and society put more emphasis on moral issues.

! qvvvr v" rY

1EOif0

The Discussion ClockWhen considering a topic you may refer to the discussion clock, whichwill help you think of ideas when planning your essay.

Referring to the discussion clock is a useful "brainstorming" technique, asit helps you examine a topic from various viewpoints and decide on ideas/points to include in your essay.

Keep in mind that a topic may not relate to all the aspects presented inthe discussion clock.

Remember that for each viewpoint you have thought of, there is usuallyan opposing argument. Think of the opposing arguments when planningyour essay.

Match each of the following viewpoints with the corresponding oppos-ing argument.

From a politichl point of view, space exploration enables super-oowers to demonstrate their level of technical advancement.From a scientific standpoint, space exploration has been responsiblefor rapid developments in materials and processes which have alsobeen of benefit to people on earth.From an economic standpoint, the investment of time and money inspace exploration could, in future, repay humanity many timesover. The discovery of resources in outer space could be of greatbenefit to our planet.Regarding the social implications of space exploration, there arethose who argue that the potential that other planets hold for coloni-sation could prove to be the salvation of the human race.

However, it can be argued that the money would be better spent onalleviating the problems of developing countries.Nevertheiess, many sociologists argue that colonies in space wouldcreate more social problems than they would solve.On the other hand, some political analysts claim that the SpaceRace has led to unnecessary competition between nations and aconsequent failure to cooperate and collaQorate_ on internationplissues.Opponents argue that space technology is of limited use tb societyand that the research could be used more profitably to try to solvesome of the more pressing problems which we face.

Unil $ Discursive [$srys

Personal

Economic

Political Educational

Social

Read the points below, and looking atthe discussion clock identi$ theaspect each viewpoint relates to.

As far as .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . isconcerned, allowing cigarettes to beadvertised is extremely damaging,since cigarette smoking causes cancerand heart problems, as well as affec.ting unborn babies.

From a .............. stand-point, it may be argued that the indi-vidual faces such problems as depres-sion, anxiety and attempted suicide, asa result of the pressures of modernlife.

From a(n) ...'................................. view-point, popular sports create jobs for alarge number of people in addition togenerating income for the state.

As for theaspect, allowing children at school toexpress themselves more freely wouldhelp them to develop their creativetalents.

With regard to ..............,.matters, the use of computers givesstudents a chance to increase theirknowledge and develop their researchskills.

Historical

9

,d

5$

Psychological

m.lot rnd AguinslIssuys

2

What is genetic engineering? In what fields is it used today? What achievements

do you know of that have been made in genetic engineering?

.ffi You will hear part of a TV discussion programme about genetics. Look at

the points in favour ofand against genetic engineering, then listen to the cassette

and tick the points which the speakers mention'

FOR

choosing sex of our children I

creating ideal PeoPle for anY job tr

curing diseases

providing food {or everyone

new species of Plants created

Now read the theory and the plan below and listen to the cassette again' Then,

using the linking words and phrases below as well as your notes give a one'minute

talk on the advantages and disadvantages ofgenetic engineering.

One inajar advantage af, A further advantnge of, In *dditinn, An the *tker han{

Moreover, Fi.rtallY

A ',for and against" essay is a {ormal piece of writing in which a topic is considered

from opposilg points of view. You should present both sides in a fair way by dis-

cussing them objectively and in equal detail'

A good essay of this type should consist of:

a1-an introOuctory paragraph in which you clearly state the topic to be discussed'

without giving Your oPinion;b) a main OoAy in which the points for and against along with your justifications'

examples or reasons are presented in separate paragraphs; and

c)aclosingparagraphinwhichyoustateyouropinionorgiveaba|ancedconsid-eration of the topic.

Note: opinion words (l think, I believe, ln nry opinion, efc) can only be used in the

closing paragraph where you give your opinion on the topic'

Points to considea Before you start writ ing your essay you should make a l ist of the points for and

agalnst.I Each paragraph should start with a topic sentence which summarises the topic of

the paragraPh.e-g. ln addition, many peaple feel reading is a rela<ing and warthwrhile activity.

a Do not use informal style (e.9. short forms, calloquial langoage, etc"J or strong

language to express your opinion (e.g' I knaw ..", etc.). Express your opinion in a

non-emotional way {e.9. Jl seems that, I therelere feel, '.., etc.}.

O Well-known quotations relevant to the topic you are writing about will make your

composition more interesting. For exanple, if you are writing an,essay on education,

a quotation you may include is; "Educatlan is a progressfrre discouery of our &wn

ignorance." (t{illDurcnt) i

Note: Although these are "balanced" arguments, if you feel that either the for or against

s ide is stronger and should be supported, th is s ide should be presented in

paragraphs 4 & 5, thus leading the reader lo your conclusion.

1

2

3

4

5

AfiATNST

6 morally wrong to alter humans n

7 OiviOing world into rich and poor I

I 8 loss ol national characteristics n

9 unpredictable consequences

10 creating too large a PoPulation

Tn

TT

ParagraPh 1

state topic (summarY ofthe topic withottt givingyour opinion)

Paragraphs 2 & 3

arguments for & justifi-cations, examPles, and/orreasons

Paragraphs 4 & 5

arguments against &justification, examples,and/or reasons

Final Paragraph

balanced consideration/your opinion directly orindirectly

00

: -€!

||nil 6o lor ond Aguinst tssnys

Read fhe model below and write dorvn the topic of each paragraph in the out-line plan on the righl underline the linking words. what aspects of the'Discussion Clock (page 59) do the points included relate to?

"Censorship is necessary in modern society.,, Discuss.censorship is an issue which frequenfly generates a great deal of heated

debate, with supporters maintaining that it is vital in order to protect society,whilst opponents claim that it is an unjustifiable restriction of public accessto information.

Firstly, all countries have secrets which must be safeguarded for reasonsof national security. For instance, if an enemy country were to acquire suchhighly sensitive information, the effects could be catastrophic. consequenfly,governments have to have the power to restrict access to information con-cerning areas such as the armed forces or particular aspects of foreignpolicy.

secondly, it is often argued that censorship is necessary to prevent thebroadcast and publication of obscene material which is considered offensiveor harmful to public morals. Many people feelthat, without censorship thepublic would be constantly subjected to material that the majority wouldflnd offensive. For this reason, the government has a duty to imposecertain restrictions on the mass media by censoring films and textswhich contain explicit scenes of sex, violence or fouf hnguage.

In contrast, opponents of censorship point out that when it is abusedby governments, censorship becomes an instrument used to misinformsociety and maintain power. In order to control the flow ofinformation which reaches the public, repressive regimestry to put constraints on the media, thus denying citizensthe right to information owing to the fact that govern-ments believe it may lead them to seek greater freedom.

Furthermore, it is generally felt that mature adults areable to make informed choices about what they watch, *read and listen to and should, therefore, be permitted ::

* tilrdudton -Summary of the topic

. rWrh &My -

" &daEm

to make their own decisions. For example, some .#comedians make use of offensive language and .&taboo subjects in their performances. Critics of cen-sorship argue that the only people who will watch or lis-ten to such material are adults who have made a con-scious decision to do so. Thus, it is claimed, it is unjust .:1to censor rnaterial like this since it is not forced upon 4people who may subsequently be offended by it. i

All things considered, it can be concluded that acertain degree of censorship is always necessaty. TheOe$t course of action would be t0 attempt to achievea balance between the requirements oi the countryai;d the public on the one hand, and individuals' riqhtson the other.

, -4

Unil 6o lot und Auuinst [ssoys

Llsefu! expressions and linking words/phrases

To list points:Firstly, First of all, In the first place, To begin/start with'

Secondly, Thirdly, FinallY

To list advantages:One/Another/A further/An additional (major) advantage of ... is ...

The main/greatestfiirst advantage of '.. is ...

To list disadvantages:One/Another/ A further/An additional (major) disadvantage/drawback of ".The main/greatest/most seriousfirst disadvantage /drawback of ...

Another negative asPect of ...

To introduce pointslarguments for or against:

One (very convincing) point/argument in favour of ... / against ...'

A further common criticism of ... / lt could be argued that ...,

5 fiU in the gaps using words fra

the table.

Some people support the ...........'.

that the wealthier countries of t

world should support the less dev

oped countries.

One major ..... of usi

public transport is that it can get vt

crowded during busy periods'

Environmentalists .................... bz

ning the use of cars in the citY cent

Another negative ................' of ket

ing pets is that veterinary bills can

extremely expensive.

It is widely that nuclt

weapons should be banned wor

wide to eliminate the threat

nuclear war.

A ................. advantage of owninl

mobile phone is that one can cont

others from almost anYwhere.

It isoftenwidelygenerally

claimed/suggestedargued/maintained/felt/believed/held

that. . .

4

somelmany/most people/experts/scientists/sceptics/critics

Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning of

the sentence before.

It is widely maintained that recycling some products reduces the

amount of damage we do to the environment.

Most people advocate

some people still oppose the view that mothers can be career women

too.Some people feel .............

One argument against nuclear testing is that it has long-lasting effects

on surrounding areas.Sceptics point out that .......'....

It is generally held that harsher punishments for criminals would

result in a decrease in the crime ratq.

Many people supPort

Critics often argue that the use of computers is reducing levels of lit-

eracy.A further common

02

aOvocate (+ing/noun)/support the view that ...

vrrsyu'r 'v t

. ! !

of the opinion that/convinced that ...

Tt

Useful expressions and linking words/phrasesO To add more points to the same topic:

in addition (to this), furthermore, moreover, besides, apart from, what ismore, as well as, not to mention (the fact) that, also, not only ... but also/aswell, both ... and, There is another side to the issue/question/argument of ...

O To make contrasting points:

oppose this viewpoint(strongly) disagree ...,claim/feel/believe this argument is

incorrecVmisguided

although, though, even though, while, whilst, whereas, despite/in spite of (thefact that), regardless of the fact that

Opponents of ... argue/believe/claim that ...The fact that ... contradicts the belief/idea that ...While it is true to say that ... , in fact ...While/Although ... , it cannot be denied that ...

6 Join the sentences using the words/phrases given in brackets.

1 Pets can prove to be good companions. They teach children a sense ofresponsibility. (not only)

2 Many people nowadays decide to open their own business. A slump inthe economy has resulted in the closure of many small business. (eventhough)

3 Computers are time-saving devices. They can do things which peoplecould hardly do before. (apart from)

4 Living in the countryside can be beneficial for your health. Someessentials are not so easily available in the country as in the city.(despite)

5 Voting gives you a voice in the decisions of the government. It gives youa feeling of belonging to a larger community. (not to mention that)

7 Complete the following sentences, then replace the phrases in boldwith other similar ones.

I Regardless of the fact that country life can be much healthier thanciry life,

8 Read the items below and saywhether the second sentence pre-sents an additional or contrastingpoint. Then, join the sentencesusing words/phrases from thetable.

I Alternative medicines treat thesymptoms of a disease. Conventionalmedicines treat the underlying causeof a disorder.

2 Alternative medicine makes use ofnatural products rather than drugs.Alternative medicines are not testedon animals.

3 Conventional doctors have recognis-able and respected qualifications.Conventional treatments are widelyavailable to everyone.

4 People trust conventional treatmentsbecause they are tested scientifically.People are often suspicious of alter-native methods which sometimes relyon a "trial and error" technique.

5 Alternative treatments cause few orno side-effects. Conventional treat-ments can cause severe side-effects.

however, still, yet,but, nonetheless,nevertheless, even so,

others/many people

2 Efforts have been madewomen; nonetheless. ....

'a Y,.{ In'spite of making some attempts to end wa?s worldwidei .................

4 Manywhile

to reduce discriminatiol between rnen and

03

J,

people feel that the testing of products on animals is cruel,

Unil $o fot und Agoinsl lssnys

lJseful expresCIions and linking words/phrases

To introduce examPles:for example, for instance, such as, like, in particular, particularly, especially,

This is (clearly) illustrated/shown by the fact that"'

One/A clear/striking/ typical example of (this) "'

The fact that .... shows/illustrates that ...

To emphasise a Point:clearly, obviously, it is obvious, naturally, of course, needless to say, indeed

To express realitY:ln fact. the fact (of the matter) is, actually, in practice, it is a fact that, in effect

To make general statements:as a (general) rule, generally, in general, on the whole, by and large'

in most cases

To make partially correct statements:

to a certain extent/degree, to some extent/degree, in a way/sense, this is

partly true (but), to a l imited extent, there is some truth in (this), in some

cases, up to a PointTo explain/clarify a Point:in other words, that is to say, this/which means that

9 fin in the gaps using words/phrases from the list. Some words/phras-

es can be used more than once.

up to a point, especially, indeeil, this means, needless to suy, in general, in

fact, the fact that, obviously, emmple

1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .effects tourism has on a country.

2 Most people believe that computers always make life easier, but

..:................, the opposite is sometimes true since they

often cause problems when they break down'

3 .. . . . . . . . . . . . .is difficult to find a suitable alternative'

4 A typical ................. . of the benefits of country life is

the fact that there is very little pollution from traffic.

;;;;;; r;il ;;p#;:" :il',ili::'ffi :ffi "fl ";11'1iT;and, therefore, do not want to visit them any longer.

Using public transport can be a nuisance,when buses and trains are late during rush hour periods.

Advances in medical science mean that cures have been found for

many cliseases. ............. .: people live longernowadays.most people agree that 4ore effort should

be made where the recycling of materials is concerned.g More and more women are going back to work after the birth of

their children and they have to find some-

one to look after the children during the day.

Use{ul Language andlinking words/Phrases

To express cause: owing to, due to (the

factthat), on account of, on the grounds

that, given that, because, as, since

To express effect therefore, thus, as aresult/consequence, consequently' so,for this reason, if ... were to happen' ..-the effect/ result would be .'.

To express intention: to, so as to' inorder to, so that, with the intention of(+ -ing)

10 Join the sentences using the linking

words in the list below.

due to, in aildition to, on the grounds that,therefore, with the intention of

I The government has launched a cam-paign to promote new businesses in

rural areas. They hope to draw people

away fiom the large urban centres.

2 Television is a highly entertainingmedium. It can also be an excellenteducational tool.

3 Freedom of expression is one of man'sbasic, inalienable rights. People shouldbe allowed to publish bools containingall their beliefs and ideas.

4 Consumerism is becoming more andmore a part of modern societies. This isbecause of advertising and the massmedia.

5 Many people object to smoking. This isbecause passive smoking can beextremely harmful to one's health.

I

64

Usetul expressions and linking words/phrasesConclusion expressing balanced considerations/opinion indirectly

it can/must be said/claimed that ...it seems/appears that ...i t would seem that ...it is likely/unlikely/possibleiforeseeable that ...it is clear/obvious that ...there is no/little doubt thar ...the best course of action would be to ...achieving a balance between ... would be ..it is true to say that ...although it must be said that ...it may be concludedisaid that ...

All things considered, the obvious conclusion to be drawn is that ... iThere is no absolute answer to the ouestion of ...In the light o{ this evidence, it is clear/obviousletc that ...

In,conclusion, l lc lear/apparent l | . ]evidenceAtt in att, l i t ir I pt"in/oovious I from the laDove. i potnts- i ] , l roreqotnol 'rosumup,

I i .evroenr I - - largumenrs

Gonclusion expressing opinion directly

In conclusion,On balance,All things considered,Taking everything into

account/consideration,To conclude,To sum up,All in all.

Unil 0u For und Agsinst [sssys

NOTE:r A "for and against" essay can end ina balanced consideration in whichyou restate that there are points forand against the topic using appropri-ate expressions from the table.r Alternatively, it can end by express-ing an opinion, in which case youstate, directly or indirectly, that you areeither in favour of or against the topic,using expressions from the table.

12 Reaa the conclusions below and saywhether they express a balanced con-sideration, or the writer's opiniondirectlyiindirectly,

I To conclude, although it must be saidthat a sense of responsibility is one ofthe most important quali t ies whichcan be instilled in young people, itshould not be forgotten that there areother, equally important qualities.

2 For the above-mentioned reasons,therefore, I firmly believe that ifpeople are taught a keen sense ofresponsibility towards themselves andothers, then they will have the bestpossible start in life. The way I see it,taking full responsibility for one'sown actions is central to leading anhonest life.

3 To sunr up. it would seem that, onceyoung people irnow how to takeresponsibility for their actions, theyare better equipped to learn aboutlife. Whiie there are other importantqualities, a highly-developed sense ofresponsibility provides the ideal foun-dation for personal development.

4 On balance, it seems that a sense ofresponsibility ha,s a role to play in ayoung person's de'lelopment. Never-theiess, when placed alongside otherhuman qualities, such as honesty andintegrity, it is by no means the mostuseful.

In conclusion,On balance,All things considered,Taking everything into

account/consideration,To conclude,To sum up,Al l in al l ,Finally/Lastly,

it is my belief/opinion that...| (firmly) believe/feel/think that ..I am convinced that ...I am inclined to believe that ...| (do not) agree that/with ...

111I

Taking everything into account, I therefore concludefeeUbelieve (that) ...

For the above-mentioned reasons, therefore, | (firmly) believe that ...

Replace the phrases in bold with other similar ones.

All things considered, I believe that corporal punishment should notbe reintroduced into our schools as it is a cruel method of disciplininestudents.Lastly, it may be concluded that freedom of speech is a basic right ofevery individual, regardless of race or creed.To conclude, I am convinced that all the governments of the worldshould embark immediately on a joint policy of total disarmament.To conclude, it is clear that in the iight of the many miscarriag'es'ofjus{ice in the past, capital punishment is not ethical or humane, andshould be abandoned entirely.In conclusion, it is my opinion that school uniforms are an unfortu-nate necessity and therefore should not be abolished.

fi5

LS

- frlUnil 0u lot ond Agninst Essnys

13 Read the main body of the for and against essay below on the topic:,,Discuss the view thut sdvertising promotes excessive c\nsurnefism."

Then read the beginnings and endings and say which of the techniques

on p. 56 has been used in each one. Finally, replace the bold type words

or phrases in the main body with ones similar in meaning'

ItrKffi$-&".ffi-,b-ffio*

'c

Whether it is on W, radio or hoardings at the side of the road, advertisements have become a part of our lives. ls

advertising simply a means of informing the public or does it encourage consumers to purchase products they do not

really need?

Advertising is a powerful and persuasive medium. You may Jeel this is an intrusion in your daily life, and resent the

pressure on you ro spend money. Others, however, enjoy the variety which this highly creative industry brings to every-

day life.

Advertising is an effective way of selling new products, and many people argue that its effectiveness brainwashes us

into unnecessary spending. {if'ers, however, disagree. As Jeremy Tunstall says, "Advertising can't sell any product; it

can only hetp to sell a product the people want to buy."

One of the main arguments for advertising isthat it generates wealth for a country. That is to say,taxes paid on goods sold, help governments to payfor essential services such as education and healthcare. Moreover, the number of jobs created for pro-ducing, marketing and servicing these goods helpsto reduce the unemployment problem, which is alsoa great advantage for a country's economy.

What is more, advertising raises money for ahuge number of sporting events and artistic perfor-mances which would otherwise not be held. Withoutsponsorship from companies who advertise theirproducts, these events would disappear due to lackof funding. In other words, although consumerism ispromoted through advertising, it is beneficialto boththe consumer and societY.

On the other hand, advertisements can cause

people to be dissatisfied with what they alreadyhave, and make them want more. Being exposedagain and again to products which one cannot affordpioduces frustration and dissatisfaction. Further-more, not all parents are in a position to afford thegoods which their children see advertised and wantto possess. This often leads to feelings of inadequa-cy, especially among the less well-off.

ln addition to this, advertising creates materialismand causes people to place too much importance onmaterial goods. The fact that people are prepared towork long hours, or even turn to crime in order to gainthe goods on offer, shows that advertising persuadespeople to go to great lengths to keep the same stan-dard of living as those they see around them. It is afact, though, that neither crime nor the stress causedby overwork can benefit society.

. 'o l . {da ! . i . { !*{*r , t . : ; \ f {1-r \ . f l1 u

To sum up, it is true to say that advertising does provide some benefits. However, do you not agree that the

drawbacki of a greedy, materialistic society far outweigh the advantages, and we need to be careful that we do not

lose sight of what is most important - a spirit of co-operation rather than competiiion?

To conclude, it must be said that, while advertising may create jealousy and inequality in society, without it we

would lose a valuable source of revenue which is used fpr the benefit of the majority. What would our lives be like

without advertisements?

In conclusion, I believe that advertisirig exists to generate wealth by encouraging people to spend unnecessarily. lt

fosters greed and breeds dissatisfaction while distracting us from focusing on more vital things. As Marion Harper Jr

said, "Advertising is found in societies which have passed the point of satisfying the basic animal needs."

14 Read the four topic sentences below and match each with the corre-

sponding paragraph. Does each topic sentence adequately summarise

the argument it presents? what would a suitable introduction and con-

clusion be for this essaY?

ilLiving in a fareign coalntry caft$ot be beffer than living in your own.t'Discuss.

a Furthermore. people who move to a foreign country may be

regarded with suspicion and treated unfairly'

b On the other hand, living abroad can be a way to escape a variety of

problems presented in one's country of birth.

c one argument in favour of staying in one's native country is that theproblems of adapting to a new way of rife cannot always be overcome.

tl Finaliy, it mav be said that bv living r1.a fgreisn c:ll:1'-ltoln u"

able to establish a greater understanding between nattons'

Unil 0u lor nnd Agoinsl [ssuys

Which of the following are argumentsin favour and which are argumentsagainst the topic "School PlnYs amore funportafi roln than the farnily in

shuping one's personalig," Discass.

Suggest examples/justification for

each argument. Finally, write the

composition in about 350 words.

Moreover, so much of the school day isdevoted to competition and Prepa-ration for examinations that there islittle time ieft for personality develop-ment.

On the other hand, most children havea closer relationship with their parentsthan with their teachers.

An additional argument in support ofschool is that young people are exposedto a wide variety of subjects.

One ooint in favour of the role ofschoois is that it is at schoolwhere chil-dren first learn to socialise.

Furthermore, children usually spendfive years of their lives at home beforethey even go to school.

What is more, the average child spendsas many as eight hours a day in school.

t5

I

i T,; ;';i or the matter is that' *:" t :f1'.Liiffiffi*"t'fi un ouu

" ,ut.. there are otner changes'.1uch,as:y:tlffi;;,rc, t'n force some

i ri,1.t';t;i'i find diificult to adjust t::":^:: 'i"''.-r*pr., take an lnuit

i rni: **:n;'ff r":iil#fiili*tklffl**"*l mp'si il-tl;fit to tttt extreme climates oi eact

" l 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

;" ;;;# m;;;; ""-u1;g'3i*'"i' tr*"'^" "tt'" '"ir'i

) ptoblems' .'d i*;i;i't' "tno

oYt -1:':tinn

"different" and even tn-

. ferior' As a conseq'itntt' the host::11t""tt react in u'^u-1:it'y of

' wavs.{rom "pt' h;:;ii;lnJ 'uti'*

tt otpii"i"g the immigrants of the

I rigttr to equal PaY'

-; 3 ...............: """""""""""" ' : """"" ' ' : " : -""""""""""""""" '1""""""""""i For exampie, war' political ":l:Ti:::^'llJt-'.'#:? Jl3Jf,:Ti;X[1i,litHil;iil;fJiill;i|^,;;ru;*:i:tYJ-,J,il''1"ffi '''":

'li."3t .|x'l*ll#:*r; xxTr'ffi JT'?;;;;''ivin g

61

Unit fiu lot ond Agoinst Essuys

PIANNING & ORGANISATION

o There is an alternative paragraph plan you may use when writing for and

against essays. When following this plan you present both an argument in

favour and the opposing viewpoint in the same paragraph'

ln such essays the arguments for and against must be equal in number.

Fortheintroduct ionandconc|usionyoushouldusethetechniquessuggested on P. 56.

15 'Greater feedom does nof necessanlT

lead to gireafer ftqppiness." Discuss.

Read the model and saY which argu'

ments have been Presented in each

paragraph. Do the toPic sentences

clearly summarise the content of each

paragraph? Finally, underline all the

useful expressions and linking words

or phrases and replace them with ones

similar in meaning.

Paragraph 1State topic (summary of toPicwithqut stating your oPinion)

Paragraph 2first argument for & against

Paragraph 3*second argument for & against

Final Paragraphgive balanced consideration/ youropinion expressed directly/indirectly

* You may include more paragraphs inthe main bodY if You wish to includemore points

overtheyears'mankindhasrecognisedtheneedforperson.al .andsocial freedom,andthisisperhapsoneofthemost

,r*T:Hxff :*lJ:il:."m;:*l*iii#:r.ll'?s;:ii:tlit'ri:s*ix?3rT:i93$l'1;?*ii

'r.tty, it is true that peopre

"rg noy i1-" ",

riberty to choose how to rive their rives'.For exampre' in the western world ;

l at reast, the choice oi*n.r" to tive., *n"t ""rJir'lo;ffi;

a1g wnici '"r,gi""

t" fotow has neuer'oeen greater' ln addition t

i to tni., peopre r,"u"'rno,J r"isure time i" d;;;;"iov a wider '""g;""f";""t1;l'g1 l*ities'

on the other hand' it mav ;

i be argued that thisincieased freedom ."n'i.uJp"JpL tot"r.. tni'igs for grantl1ll"i;ct too much from life' As an .

i exampre of this, *,e''g-r"llli "hoice of ,.,!* nl"d! avairaote has'resutJd in peopte qti"xty gto*ing bored

'with their i

1 possessionr. conr"iu;;it, ;. *:r:T;" inly acquireo ,orn#ini-;;;; *:Y-t'i: "r

it' rr'"v rind short-term hap i

I piness in material g";d; ";0

entertainmeni,-nuti";;;; uno trurti"t]i* soon send tnemiooxing ior fresrr distractions' i

iSeconoly,socialandmora|att i tudeshavebecomelessr igid.Thishasal |owedforagreatervarietyof l i festylesandmorei freedom in nu*"n;"Liion" rni, is ilustro]tJJ ov the fact that,pupils and teachers 1o'11i'""'

*91 otht.1T,."fu't' uno j

i *,r:,,:1;x:1?ffi1'$:ffi::ry,p;il'",**:i.);::ffi*[':;"hH""ffl'"Ji'Hi'I"'ffi'""?;:i::x1i# i

i do*n in the traditioi;i",n,rv and the o"*vln "ou."iionit

,,""0*0, us we' as ttre rise il juvenite oetinqu:Ty Thus' it

i rnuy be said rhat society i-s-?T::'ins m# ano more danger#;;;;'oiir'" ut'v faci tnat people "" -::":,

-

TtttttITTT$

$8

rilo"o tn* they were in the past' r that greater freedom does not necessarily lead to

" Um:,*:';i'fJ:::i"":::i:H':'ff'[ili':"#'llnrntfligfj:*:t*:*"tU:;:':il'l*o't-r," *uny exampres otpiotests, strixes-ano iiri;i.F,i"tG *ni"n'"* ureature o{ modern ro"i"ty are a sign that'

. although people 'n"y

Ot free' they are not necessarily happter'

||nil 6o lor ond Aguinst [ssoys

{ 7 Reaa fhe following arguments and match each argument in favour of usinganimals for entertainment with the corresponding argument against.Then, following the paragraph plan on page 68, say which arguments youwould include in each paragraph. Finally, write a clear topic sentence foreach paragraph.

Arguments for using animals for entertainment.

I Zoos can be educational and also help to increase the numbers of endan-gered species through controlled brebding programmes.

2 Animals used in television programmes, advertisements and films arevery appealing and attract large audiences.

3 Circus animals are loved, well-treated and only perform for shortperiods.

4 Racing animals have a very short working life and are well-treated. throughout.

Arguments against using animals for entertainment.

a Animdls are forced to perform unnatural acts for the pleasure of the pub-lrc.

b Keeping animais in cages so the public can see thembecause documentaries produced today take away theolaces.

c With new technology and special effects, there is no needmals as realistic models can be used instead.

d Racing animals have gruelling training schedules and are.often placed inunnecessary danger.

18 .ffi First, think of as many points for and against early retirement aspossible. Then listen to the cassette and fill in the gaps in the boxesbelow. Were your arguments the same as those you heard? Finally,write the paragraph plan you would use ifyou were to write an essay 0nthe topic:

"Discuss the advantages and disa{ranfages of earlyretirement."

opportunity to .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .more free t ime ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . and fr iends

AGAINST

o peopleget. ' . . """""""" ." i r ' ! ' r ' r ! ' ! r ! " ' r

i

", :.=: i :

q"___#_

19 Read the following composition topicand answer the questions below.

"Shautrd countries encouragetourism?o Discuss.

o What are the two sides of the question?r Which of the following arguments are

for and which against?

1 The desire to attract tourists to acertain area often encourages govern-ments to improve local facilities.

2 Over-development leads to ugly,crowded tourist spots and environ-mentaldamage.

3 The impact of tourism may destroy thelocalway of life.

4 Many people claim that tourism is animoortant source of income.

5 A country's economy may become sodependent on tourism that it is weak-ened.

6 Tourism allows people to experienceother cultures.

20

What asoects of the discussion clock dothese arguments deal with?

Can you think of any additional argu-ments?Which paragraph plan would you fol-low to write this essay?Which arguments would you includeand in what order?Which techniques would you use tobegin and end your essay?

Which useful phrases and linkingwords could you use?

Now, using the information from Youranswers to the above questions, rvrite

the essay in about 350 words.

5 t';t+ ,i" ',7t,t1f.1'ffiiJJ i ;1. i - 1, i r r j : ;

is unnecessaryneed for such

to use live ani-

io

a

a

0g

0pinion [ssnysh"1 Wtrat are your views on the question, "Should people convicted of minor

crimes do community service rather than go to prison?"

2 :iffi Read the viewpoints and reasons mentioned in the table below, then lis-

ten to the cassette and match each of the viewpoints with the appropriate

reasgn. Then, identiff which aspects of the Discussion clock on p. 59 the

points relate to. Finally, using the notes, give a one'minute talk on the subject,

using words from the following list.

Forexamplelinstance FinallyFurthermoreBecause

I firmly believeThe reason for thisIn addition

ui iiuni;ty service saves tuPaYus'

mDney

Benefifs other membets of the

communitY dtedlY

Punishrnent incfudes providing care

for the aged,maintaining Parks' etc

Ihey keep theit iobs,live at home with

fheir families, etc

Prisons are exPensive to run' while

communitY service costs liftle

Io surviYe Prison life, theY must

becorne like other Prisoners

Prison turns minor offenders into

hardened criminals

Minor offenders doing communitY

,.rui.. r"utrin Part of normal societY

c

d

{t

l

'@

s

An opinion essay is a formal piece of writ ing. lt requires your opinion on a topic, which

must be stated clearly, giving various viewpoints on the topic suppofted by reasons

and/or examples. You should also include the opposing viewpoint in. another para-

graph.

A successful opinion essay should have:

a) an introductory paragraph in which you state the topic and your opinion.b) a main body which consists of several paragraphs, each presenting a separate

viewpoint supported by reasons. You also include a paragraph presenting theopposing viewpoint and reason why you think it is an unconvincing viewpoint; and

c) a conclusion in which you restate your opinion using different words.

Points to aonsiderDecide whether you agree or disagree with the subject of the topic, then make a l ist

of your viewPoints and reasons'

Wri te wel l -developed paragraphs, jo in ing the sentences with appropr iate l inkingwords and phrases. Do not forget to start each paragraph with a topic sentencewhich summarises what the paragraph is about'

Linking words and phrases should also be used to join one paragraph with the other.

Apply techniques presented on p. 56 to begin and end your essay.

Paragraph 1

state the topic and Youropinion clear ly

.

Paragraph 2

viewpoint 1 & reason/exampre

Paragraph 3

viewpoint 2 & reason/exampre

Paragraph 4

viewpoint 3 & reason/example"

Paragraph 5

opposing viewpoint &rarcnn/ovlmnlA*

Final Paragraph

su mmarise/restate oPinion* You may include more view-

points. and thus more Para'graphs in the main bodY.

70

Unil 6b 0pinion fssuysI

3 Read the model below and complete the paragraph plan on the right,identiffing the topic of each paragraph. Has the opposing vieupointbeen included, and if so, in which paragraph? Then, replace the link-ing words or phrases in bold type with other synonymous ones.

Throughout this century, the role of women within society has changed, and themajority of people feel that this change is for the better. More women work than everbefore, and it is accepted in Western culture that many women now have careers.Nonetheless, in my opinion there is still a great deal of sexual discrimination againstwomen within society, and the belief that sexual equality has been achieved is notaltogether accurate.

To begin with, many women find it very difficult to return to work after havingchildren. The main reason for this is that there are rarely any provisions made for

childcare in the workplace and, in these cases,women are forced to {ind someone to look afterthe children while they are at work. Obviously,this can prove to be a time-consuming andexpensive process, yet it must be done if mothersare to be able to resume their careers.

Secondly, the traditionai views ol the positionof women within society are so

deeply ingrained that they have

"Although theposition o{ .women In socr-

ety today hasimproved, there

is still a greatdeal of sexual

discrimination."'-Do you agree?

* lntrodudrwt -summary of the topic -clear statement of opinion

" f rMnMy-

* Cotdtwwt -

not really changed. For instance, not only is the view that women should stay athome and look after their family still widely held, but it is reinforced through

images seen 0n television programmes and advertisements. An example ofthis is that few men are ever seen doing housework on television, since thisis traditionally thought of as "a woman's job".

Thirdly, since families often need two incomes in order to enjoy agood standard of living, a woman finds herself doing twojobs: one at home and one at the office. So, it could be said

,. that a woman's position has, in fact, deteriorated rather thanimproved, with the result that women carry the burdens of

equality but get none of the benefits.In contrast, there are some people who claim that the problem

of sexual discrimination no longer exists. They point out that womendo, after all, have legal rights intended to protect them from discrimi-

nation. In addition, a few women are now beginning to reach top posi-{ons as judges, business leaders and politicians, while a number

of other previously all-male professions are opening fteir rankst0 women. Nonelheless, these examples are not the norm and

discrimination is still very much witfr us.Taking these points inlo consideration, I would say

that the position of women has improved only slightly.' 'While rules and laws have changed, it is the deep-rooted

opinions of people within society which are taking alonger time to evolve. Needless t0 say, until these

; attitudes have changed, sexual discriminationwill remain a problem which we all need to

face and fight against.

Itt:

IttI

t

tl

J

a"||nil 6[ 0pinion lssuys II

O To my mind/To my way of thinking, ...It is my (firm) betief/opinion/view/conviction (that) ...In my opinion/view ... My opinion is that,| (firmly) believe ... | (definitety) feet/think that ...I am (not) convinced that ... lam inclined to believe that

Useful Expresslons for Givirag Opinions: 6 "fraditional yalues are irre/eyanf fomodern socie$.,, Dayaw agreelLook at the following beginnings andendings for the essay, and say whichhave been taken from an opinion essayand which from a for and againstessay. In what ways do they differ?

Has modern society changed so muchthat the values of the past no longernave any place? In my view, society willatways need values, and the societv welive in today would function better iitra-ditional values were retained.

lmagine you were given the chance tostep back in time. you would probablvbe struck by the difference in valueibetween then and now. On the onehand it could be said that those valuesbelong to a bygone age. There arethose, however, who feel that societvtoday would benefit from the applicationof some of those values.

| (do not) agree that/with ...It strikes me that ...

It seems/appears to me ...As far as I am concerned, ...

i

III

4 Look at the foilowing skereton sentences and decide whethery'u agreeor disagree with each statement. Then, give your opinion on each, usingexpressions from the above tabre and expanding the sentences.

1 television I have I negative effect I society2 carry out experiments / animals lbe I morallywrong3 wiidlife parks, if / be / managed properly, / can help / protection r certain

endangered species

4 rcal problem I be r lack / pubric awareness r and rnot / rack / recyclingfacilities

5 more responsibility I one lhave / less freedom one / enjoy6 only alternative / some poor people / be / steal

5 'lt is important to follow fashion.,, Do youagree.a

Identify whether the arguments risted berow are in favour of (F) oragainst (A) the statement in the essay tiile above. rnen put .a tict 1r;against each argument which you feel is convincing, and suggest asuitable justification or exampre. Finaily, add any further argurnl"nts oryour own.

II

I

ITIItIttttC

Ittu

-r4Et#ffi1-4!4J#

a) To conclude, traditional values. are ',., clearly necessary for the proper tYlo l:

tioning of society. However, it cannoi be

denied that society is evolvtng, ano '

values should also change with, the .,times. lf thrs were to happen' pernaps '{

,il people would no longer look back nos 'il , iatgically to the past and talk about the '$

"Good old daYs." !{

'' O; to sum up, I strongly believe thal' whl i

, ever changes may occur in society' we;

must fight to maintain our traditional

sense o{ right and wrong' As Pope Paul

Vl said: "We must see to it that enthusr'

asm for the future does not give rise to

contempt for the past'" -- '- '' "''--."u-.. --..:...,-' 5t2

MI]T]nlmT]mm[trm

1 expensive to keep up with changing fashions2 not accepted by friendslpeers unless fashionable3 certain fashions don't suit certain peopte4 good ctothes thrown away when fashion changes5 fashion hetps peopte decide how to dress6 tashionable ctothesletc often impractical7 dressing fashionabtyrncreases self_confidence8 unfair ta peopte who can't rhora'htest fashion'9 everyone looks the same, tike flock of sieep

10 creates image that doesn,t show one,s character

73

I

IIIIttttIIIIIj

=

I

.-

I

t

7 Read the main body of the essay below on the topic: u.gfafe hcltefr{s .sftd}ff$d &e avarda/:de kt a!1.0, D* yauagree I Then, readthe beginnings and endings and say which of the techniques on p. 56 has been used in each one. Next, Iist the viewpointspresented and the justifications or examples given for each. Finally, replace the bold fype words or phrases with othersynonymous ones.

j ; ; t r j - " i " id-" r ; j i f : l : * ,

1 A man wakes up and sees well-shod feet rushing by within inches of his face. His filthy sleeping bag is damp, and the soddencardboard box which shelters him is about to collapse. Yet, he cannot afford a real home and state benefits are not available tohim. This situation is not uncommon although, in my opinion, such unfortunate people should all be eligible for financial aio.

Have you ever wondered what it must be like to wake up on a cold pavement, knowing that you will have to spend the day wan-dering from place to place, penniless, and hungry? For thousands of people in the weitern world this is an everyday .*poi.n..- although in my opinion, it does not have to be that way if the state administers benefits properly and fairly.

George Bernard Shaw once wrote, "The greatest of evils and the worst of crimes is poverty." The question is why the homeless, thedisabled and the elderly should be treated like criminals by the state rather than be given ttre tretp and services they rightfully deserve.I believe that all people in need should be given help and support by the state.

In the first place, I think it is wrong to deny statebenefits to anyperson in need. lt seems to me totallyunfair that a homeless person should be denied statebenefits simply because he or she has no fixedaddress. In effect, the homeless person is beingpunished for being homeless, whereas state benefitswould allow that person to find and maintain a home.

In addition, it is not only the homeless who sufferfrom lack of state aid but the handicapped are alsoneglected. Although all disabled people are entifled tostate benefits, many are unaware of the range and vari-ety of benefits they could be receiving in order toimprove the quality of their lives. This is a result of thecomplexity of the itate system and the lack of clear infor-mation about benefits. lt appears that these people aresuffering for the simple reason that the state'does notcare enough to make information freely available tothose who are clearly in need of financial help.

Furthermore, the elderly are another sector of soci_ety who suffer both from lack of information and lack ofconcern. lt is often the case that medical benefits aredenied simply because a person is not visibly or dra-matically ill, whereas in fact this person is in need ofadditional benefits in order to maintain a reasonablelevel of health. Such people obviousty deserve toreceive allthe benefits they are entifled to

There are those who argue, on the other hand,that many people receive state aid although theydo notdeserve it. lt is true that there is such a p-roblem.Certain people take advantage of the system ;y ;6;":tering for benefits in more than one country, or claim tohave dependents who do not even exist. liis mv betiefthat it is the responsibility of the state to impose tightercontrols so that only those who are truly in need of-ben-efits receive them.

..nH\'dg3-g-i{ggWhile it cannot be denied that state benefits are sometimes wasted on those who do not deserve them, it is my firm belief thar,wth proper controls, all those who are truly in need should receive financial help from the state. I believe that the homeless, thedisabled and the elderly should all be given the chance to lead productive and healthy lives.

All in all, I believe that all deserving people should receive state benefits so.that they have the chance to lead productive and healthylives. lf you suddenly found yourself out of work and homeless, wouldn't you expect the state to help you get back on your feet again?

t

To sum up, it would seem that benefits should be available to all who deserve them, and that clear information should be madeavailable to all who may be in need of help. lt is the responsibility of the state to give all its citizens the chance to lead productiveand healthy lives.

Unil 0b

-/

Unil 0b 0oi'nisn lssoYs

8 Read the following extracts and the table of "Do's" and "Don'ts". Find

an example of each point in the extracts, and write this in the table.

,rThe mass media have an ac/yerse effect on moral standards."

Do you agree?

n Newspapers, in one form or another, have been in existence {or centuries, theirlll purpose being to spread news. Public radio and television services, on the other

nano, nave onty been available in the uK since 1922 and 1932 respectively, andwere introduced with the intention of informing, educating and entertaining. Whileradio seems to have largely maintained its standards, newspapers and TV have, inmy opinion, totally abused their position of power, resulting in a serious decline inmorai standards. As Richard Hoggart said, "They are full of a conupt brightness,of improper appeals and moral evasions .. . "'

Perhaod thi mo'si serious offender is television, as today's broadcasters seem to

have completely abandoned the issue of ethics. This is more than apparent in the

films and programmes which are intended to entertain, as they bombard the viewerwith explicit language, sex and violence. Similarly, the news "informs" us using dev-

astating images of grief, desperation and death. lt is often felt that by exposing thepublic to such graphic depictions, television producers have contributed to ourbecoming immune to shocking behaviour and events which, in the past, we wouldhave been upset or offended bY.

Furthermore, newspapers, especially the tabloids, have come to depend on

overly-explicit articles and pictures in order to guarantee sales. lt is commonplacenowadays to See, {0r instance, photographs of celebrities' most private moments orhorrific scenes of death occupying the front pages of daily publications. The fact that

these images are intended - and generally manage - to sell newspapers displaysthe craving for sensationalism which exists within society today'

In contrist, it must be admitted that the mass media have a lot to offer in the way

of information and entertainment. The news and documentaries can be very infor-

mative and educational as long as the material is handled in a responsible manner.The problem is that, because people are willing victims of the media's igesponsibil-ity, the media continue to produce material which is unacceptable by all moral stan-

dards.To conclude, rt is clearthattre public have a riglrtto know and that producers should

be allowed a certain degree of artistic licence, but should we not draw he line somewhere before we lose sight ol our principles altogeher?

I DO'Sformalstyle

introduction states topic clearly

clear topic sentences

well-developed paragraPhs

linking words & phrases

generalisation

quotation

exampres

informal style a) colloquial expressions

b) short forms

introduction fails to state topic clearly

unclear/irrelevant topic sentences

emolive vocabulary

over-generalisation

blind use of statistics

personal examples

use of clich6d expressions

ttTITtTtttTTII:

E I definitely agree with this statement, and there are many reasons why. The media include newspapers, magzines, radio and television.- All of these play an important role in society because they give us information and entertainment, and of course everybody is interested inthem, so that makes them popular.

Every single day on the news, however, you can see horrible, bloody scenes with people screaming and crying. perhaps there's been a bomb0r 0ther disaster. We can see the injured people, and blood and of course it's all real. I find this extremely appalling and disgusting. 0f course, TVis interesting sometimes, especially documentaries and other real-life programmes. I also like comedies and cartoons, but nobodv likes beinqshocked or honified.

In my opinion, there are numerous examples. My little-brother was watching a honor film one evening, and when he went to bed he had terri-ble nightmares. And there have been cases of children trying to d0 things their superheroes do, such as jumping off buildings. According to sta1s-Jics, at least halt of the young children have had such problems, wfrich is pretty shocking.

A lot of stars have problems too. Repofters and photographers hound them everywhere and they never have a moments' peace. Butthen, every-thing in life has its price. This o{ course is bad for moral standards because we shouldn't know about these people's private lives. I think thisshould be kept under control.

But the worst thing is when they show a pnvate tragedy on TV for everyone to watch. I think this is tenible, and should be stopped.tIt

Unil 0b 0pinion [ssuys

9 ''ilars erssiasn* iJs rafg?er f*,as: Ji**rale #s." #* y*a"r agreeg

Give your opinion with reasons. Then read what these fwo peoplebelieve and match the viewpoints they express with their reasons.

To be exact, you can take off forthe coast, or any other place, at amoment s notice and if there is nopublic transport to a place it doesn'tmalIer.

That is to say cars are not onlyexpensive to buy but cost a lot torun, too. So, you have to work morehours if you want to have a car andsti l l be able to l ive a decent l i fe.

Can you think of any aclditionalargumelt is for and/or against t l retopic in Exercise 9?

What paragraph plan would youfollow to write this essay?

Which arguments would youinclude and in what order?

What techniques could you use tobegin and end this essay?

Suggest a suitable introduction andconclusion.

Is the style in which the argumentsare expressed appropriateiy formal?Why (not)?

What useful expressions coulci youuse?

Now, using the notes and answers

to the questions in Ex. 9 and above,

write a composition on the topic

"{ars snsiav?- us rctk€r thiszz iibe:at*

ids. " in about 350 words, using

appropriately formal style, useful

expressions and linking words or

phrases.

l j , l ' - i . . r '

10

tn the first place,you must worl< muchharder in order toafford a car

AIso, people who ownl- lcars'ar e alw ay s worried\about their cars being jstolen or damaged. t\

Cars enable youto go to places anddo things that youcouldn't otherwise.

l'm also of the opinionthat the quality of lif ein our cities is madeworse because of cars.

For example. there are traffic jamsall the time which cause a lot of incon-venience, and the pollution gets worseevery day, so the city is becoming aworse and worse olace to live.

I ; '

ln order to cope with this worrythey have !o install expensive alarmsystems and, to make matters worse,car-owners have to avoid areas of thecity where cars get broken rnto orstoten.

75

Essuys Suggesling Solulions l0 Ptoblemsffi You will hear two people discussing the problem of stress and what can be

done about it. Look at the table below and match the suggestions with the results;

then listen to the cassette and check your answers. Finally, use the linking

expressions listed below to explain each suggestion and its result in your own

words.

/

n.,c.

1234

talk to friendstake more exercise b

lind an hour a daY lor Yourself c

make a list of Your worries d

feelmore relaxed

clear Your mind

see things ditferentlY

deal with Problems individuallY

,t,1.$!t$$..d63'

iF:.+

#5

i

e.g. A wsefut swggestian for anyone suffering from stress woald be to talk to* friends abeut their problens. Tftis woald help them to see things differently.

A usefut suggestbn ... would be to '.. This would help you to ..'

Another solution is to ... The ffict of this would be ...

The problem could be solved bY ".If you were to ...

As a result, you would ...You would be able to ...

An essay discussing problems and suggesting solutions is a formal piece of writing.

You should state the problem and its causes clearly, hen present your suggestions

and the expected results or consequences these might have'

A successful essay of this type should consist of:a) an introductory paragraph in which you clearly state the problem, what has

caused it, and the consequences;b) a main body in which you present several suggested solutions' each in a separate

paragraph together with its consequences/results; and

c) a conctusion in which you summarise your opinion'

Points to considerEach paragraph should start with a topic sentence which summarises what the

paragraph is about.

Appropriate l inking words and phrases should be used to show the connect ion

between paragraphs as well as to link sentences within a paragraph'

Use the techniques shown on p. 56 to begin and end your essay'

Llseful Language

To express cause: since/because, in view of/because oflowing to/due to (the fact

tha0 ..., The reason that .../why '..lfor '. ' is that.'.

To express effect: thus/therefore/so/consequently, as a result/consequence, the

result of ... would be ..., ..,would result in .1.

To express purpose: so that ..., so as/in qrder (not) to ..,, with the purpose of/inten-

tion of (+ ing)

To express possibility/probability: lt can/could/may/might ..., lt is possible/probable/

(un)likely/foreseeable/certain that ..., ...is (un)likely to/bound to/certain to/possiblei

orobable ..., The likelihood/possibility/probability of ('ing/noun) is ...

Paragraph 1

state the problem and itscause(s)/consequence(s)

' : : . . :

'

! ;

Paragraph 2suggestion 1 & result

Paragraph 3suggestion 2 & result

Paragraph 4suggestion 3 & result

Paragraph 5suggestion 4 & result*

, ' , i : . . ; i l ; ;

Final Paragraph

summarise your oPinion* You may include more

suggestrbns, and thus moreparagraphs in the mainbody.

tCI

12

Unil 0c Essoys Suggesfing Solutions to problems

Read the model below and complete the paragraph plan on the right.Then identiff which aspects of the Discussion Clock (p. 59) have beenmentioned. Finally, underline the linking words/phrases and replacethem with synonymous ones.

oWifum$ ww*rue$d fuw For many elderly people the latterpart 0f their life is not a time to relax andenjoy retirement, but rather a difficultand unhappy period, owing to financialwonies, failing health and loneliness. Aslife expectancy increases, the averageperson lives well beyond the age ofretirement. As a result, the elderly makeup an ever-increasrng percentage ofsociety, which makes it more importantthan ever for a real effort to be made inimproving the lives of senior citizens.

One way to deal with the situationwould be to ensure that the elderlyhave enough money on which to live.

dwsue dw, $um4pwo*wffie $$wew s$T$tfu@

* ltilrdadin -state problem, reasons andconsequences

" tWh BoO -

* Cotduson -

0bviously, when a pers0n stops working, they still require a source of income to cover fteirbasic needs such as food, accommodation and heating. A clear solution to the problem is forthe govemment to make sure that the state pension is adequate for fiese needs. Furthermore,

free financial advice should be made available t0 retired people so that the stress of wor-rying about money could be reduced as far as possible.

steps should also be taken t0 overcome problems the elderly face as a result of dete-riorating health due to old age, and inadequate heafth-care provisions. Again, the respon-sibility should fall to the govemment to provide access to the best heafth care available,which may necessitate paying for residential homes where the elderly can have round-the-clock nursing, or, at the very least, providing medication free of charge to all peopleover a cefiain age. As a result, old people would enjoy not only better heafth, but alsopeace of mind from the knowledge that they need not fear falling ill and being unable topay for treatment.

The lives of old people could also be improved if attempts were made to address theproblem of social isolation which so many of them face. lf we organised trips for theelderly to community centres, visits from social workers or free bus passes to allow pen-sioners greater mobility, the effect would be to alleviate the problem of loneliness whichmarks the lives of so many old people living alone and far from their families.

One final suggestion, which would help enormously, is to change the attitude of thecommunity towards its older members, who are all too often seen as a burden on soci-ety and dismissed as having litfle to do wifi modem life. we need to be taught from anearly age to respect the views of old people, and appreciate their broader experience oflife. Thiswould help society as a whole, and encourage appreciation of the role that oldpeople can still play today.

To suni up, there are several measures which could be taken to improve thelives of old people. lf the govemment and individuals alike were to help, it wouldmake retirement and old age a time to look fonivard to, rather than dread.

n

Unil 0e [ssuys $uggestinq Solulions l0 ploblelns

Useful Fxpress[oms: Freblerms & $sf,tttlores

I shouldStePs I mustMeasures 1 , ,

I coulo

I so as to J solve/overcome/combat .be taken

I in or.our. to I deal withieradicate ...l l

Rewrite the following sentences using

the words in brackets without chang-

ing the meaning.

The environmental damage caused by

factories will probably become more

exte nsive ii adequate measures are not

imposed. (quite Iikely to)

If the number of patrols is reduced,

burglaries in the area will almost

certainly increase. (highly probable)

The public will probably react neg-

atively to any decisions by the govern-

ment to increase taxes. (bound to)

The problem of overpopulation will

probably not be solved over the next

few decades. (rather unlikely that)

Look at each of the following sen'

tences, identi$ the Problem and saY

what solution is suggested. Then,

using expressions from the chart,

write sentences explaining possible

results, as in the examPle.

EBOB-LEM{hw wry to de*l witk po{lttticn in ciSM

is {n pra*rwte tfuc uso a! publit ttr,Yasp*trt,SOLUTION

The r€salt of tttis wottld be {ewercars pollutinE tfue otnosPilere.

One way to combat famine would be

to provide affected countries withfinancial aid.

An effective method of combating thespread of disease in poverty-strickenareas of the world might be to senddoctors from developed countries.

One way to prevent illnesses such as

heart disease is to ensure you take reg'ular exercise and follow a healthy diet'

It coutd help the world's rain forests if

we used more recycled paPer.

4

Serious attempts to halt/prevent/solve must be made'

a One (possible) | lsolveiovercomeAnother lwaYto lcombatldealwithAn alternative I leradicate

this problemthe problem (o0

would be/:^t1. . ,

o PeopleGovernmentsWe

should focus their/l to solve/overcome the problem of ...

our attention I to improve the situation of 'on wavs J to reduce the impact of ... on society

a lf steps/measures were taken to ...

lf ... happened/were to haPPen,

lf attempts were made to address the problem

9 The

By (+ing) . . . , we/governments/etc, can ensure that /prevent

The ... situation could be improved if .../ l t would be a good idea if " '

effect/consequence I o, I would I

outcomq/resurt | (+nounl ing)

1;* lo"

the effect/result/consequence

would be.. .

3 Look at the topic below, then read the suggested solutions (1'4) and

match each with its corresponrling result (a-d). Finally, complete each

5

e.g.

T

of the sentences, as in the example.

4

t

Unit $c lssoys Suguesling Solulions lo Ptoblems

B n ua the following essay and fill the gaps with the appropriate topic

phrases on the right.

ring is on the increase among Ylung people' -Discuss

fhe

pfrW"* and sugges t what *lgnt be done abaut it'

While smoking is on the decline among adults' the latest US Surgeon-

""lr"f't t"po# indicates th.at increasinS nym!;1i1"f::q:::1: l;:

l;,'; il,#n.tri. ,-.*apslrre main reasin for this atarming fact is the

seductive adverti s i ng campai gn s ai med at.yqu nF p:"q l" f l :T^:":"1t::rmpanies. Other contrinl'ti'ig factors include the lack of awareness on

;'';art;i ii.""r Jiio;; ;? the dansers "t- A:Ilt:^fl :"tl:,X1"";l;;.#.*rr.nii*t, "i.iiui"t'"''

o'll'jT:l:' smokins retains an image

5if sop h i sti cateo matu rr{' amo n g llo u n I ?::qql Tll?t^1,:P::1, i-Tf:;i5J'i"n# ri,'i il;h;il;;l 6i r.,&ioi " g themsetves i nto what thev

ant to be.Firstly, one way to combat this problem would be for the government

could also prohibit rtoklng on television.and in films' As a result'

;;;*i" would no iongJ' be constantly exposed to seductive-

images of cigarettes. , -_^_^,, ̂ r.,^.+icino remir se?ondly,

"by introducing a "negative image" advertising campargn/

"riy *""f4 such a campaign. deter young

lloPlt from wanting to start

ir*it ing, but others might also b" tnt?Yf19:9.1:,9'"f^"1; ,.,,A;;il1t";;; to ouefto*e this problem would be to (3)

?;"C;; ; i i ; ' i ' ' ig" ' . i " "whichwouldhelp,wouldbeto(5)

, Teachers could tell tf'"i, ti"J"ttt what will happen t: tl",T lll!:Lt:*

and teach them about the *ide variety of ai[ments that smoking pro-

duces. lnthisway,chi ldrenwi l lneverwanttostartsmoking' thanksto,f.r.it [""*i"Oge oi *nat it could do to their bo91:t'-

,^ ,,,

""" ' i " """"

;;;*#;.1y, ,*ot inf *ould.b"torn" far too costly a habit for most

voung people to take up or maintain'' tf nieasuies were taken at school to (4) """""

ffiI#:il""r4 ,rt6*r"1", b"'itpotsible for them to smoke'

\',tir''" Jfr, r',ni"['trt"i it *outo be quite easy to reduce the number of

:,lioung pebple that smokl or even to eliminate smoking altogethpr' were

,lrt not for the lackadaisilal attitudes of those who have the power to do

'f ffiil';;';b;;il. ;*i il;t rind the motivation to act' however' it

lreems lik6ly that the problem will simply get worse'I

II

Topic Phrases

... expose the truth - that smokingis adangerous habit which kills thousandsof people every year.

... warn children more effictivelyabout the dangers of smoking, the siruation might improve.

... ban all cigarette advertising in orderto reverse this disturbing trend.

.., place a ban on the sale of ctgarettesto under-eighteens, and ensure thatthis ban is sfictly enforced.

... impose heavier taxes on cigarettes,thus making them even more expen-sive than thev alreadv are.

7$

l|nil 6c [ssutts Suggesting Solulions lo Ptoblems

7 In the essay below there are a number of mistakes' Read the

model and underline examples of the following:

1 Three misused linking words'

2 An over.generalisation.

3 An irrelevant sentence.

4 A sentence containing over'emotional language'

5 Two sentences written in very informal, colloquial language'

6 Two irrelevant/unclear topic sentences'

Nowrewritethetopicsentencessothateachisclearandrelevantandreplacethewords/phrasesyOuhaveunderlinedwithcorrectalternatives.

Vurimnls ffiffiil$Y${ffi{fi$ ffifn h*flstu

dn Yuu ?hlrtk shmt's&d$y$flfr{TBffiggmm$1V $ms$Hffi$trd fug sl^s$3!" l#$emB ii:*ffi$al$ffi$

h* fimkmffi Eu msmvmffifr $ess$hmr $mstrqsm{effid}T

*r, i::-

;.t1:i:it;.;.i

t1*t

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' , . '1

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.1I

80

We can scarcely turn 0n our televisions or pick up a newspaper

these days without neing co;fronted with yet another depressing

news item about the environment' As the population o{ many cities

increases, more and tot' f'nO ii being conveded from its natural

state to accommodate nornlt tO tactoiies' The direct result of this

is the systematic oestruciion of different ecosystems all over the

world which, in turn, t''as ieO to seas becoming polluted with poi-

sons, rivers becomtng 'ontaminattO

by pesilcides and the air

becoming polluted witfrtumes irom vehictes and industry' While the

problems of pollution ani-nanituaf destruction are obvious' the

!;ilii.;; uir'uturiu,' tt'tottoutt' serious attempts to halt the

outi*tion of ecosystems must be made immediately'

As Paul Claudel once said: "Nature ts only an immense rutn"'

Crrairy, inoiuiOuals need to become more aware o{ the conse-

quences of their actions and should act more responsibly' Only il

nonnto rln qn will the fartn ne saved from further destructi0n and

ir";;t'd *tme a healthier, safer place to live in'

People shoulO not ffict governments^to,provide all the

sotutions. Citizens *uti"[tg* io recycle ugo,c-s ano packaging

whenever possible, *'*tfi * Ouy onty environmentally friendly

products. Nonetheless, Oo*utti"tooO siraps should be recycled;

for example, potato peetings and melon r11!s can 'be turned into

substances tnat enricfr tne soil' By doing this' we can reduce the

i amount of non-biodegralanle wasie being dUnrped'at rubbish tips'

thus ensuring tnrt *utrtilr, rr.t', ut glasJ and plastic are not left in

,u,th *t'itf.r iould be used as {armland in the luture'

Despite this, individuals can help protect the '111

bV using pu0-

lic transport whenever pottinf'' Wrrere such facilities do not exist'

sharing lifts is recommtnO'J to reduce trafiic congestion' noise

and vehicle emissions on ihe roads The less petrol our societies

burn, the better: the air qualiiy will be ln addition'^rf there were {ewer

cars'in circulation, there would be {ewer road accloenls'

Another possible nt'utui' il combat industrial pollution would

be the imposition of strimiines on wicked' greedy corporations and

unfutfing, ignorant bustnesses which coniaminate land' air 0r

water. To be effective' 'n'

iint' should be heavy enough to deter

potential polluters; it tney are t00 small' -thel..:ould

simply be

regarded by industnes * "tf' ' cost oi doing business" and they

might be tgnoreo';ir;lt iltrnments should be {ar more responstble' Ail govern-

ments have the {unds unO-tttf'tnofoqy to provide solar' wind'

g#liffir u.d tidal power' The problem is that many governmen'

ts couldn't care less ano wouldn't lift a finger to help their counmes

;; filiil;;trarch to oevetop such sources or,to discover new

ways to produce eners}/' lf however' thj: y::: l:"lt:Tl;T:H;

:il1il.T,ff#,jintffj:*i;:ll::,:r:ffi:n u' o"'no

t, fo sum up, the earttr is'sufteiing ai a result-oi the destruction

H,tflffiTJ,ilv*liilt ooni vou think it's time we creaned

I

!!t

:

T-!r

ior*., the following questions for each of the topics listed below'

at kind of a discursive essay is this?

ihu, purograPh Plan would You follow?

hat points can you think of to inclutle in your essay?

\\hich aspects of the discussion clock would you include?

lt,.o ,..r,niqo.' woultl you use to write the introductory paragraph

and the conclusion?

hich useful wortls/phrases would you include in your essay?

accidents claim far too many lives. what can governments and indi

uals do to reduce this Problem?

lriscuss the advantages and disadvantages of living at home past the age

f 'eighteen. . ,'ln today's iarge cities ilats are preferable to houses'" Do you agree?

lcompoters will soon render books obsolete'" Discuss'

irr.nn are often unaware of the difficun":.::1ry11-:::::":Ti1?:

Unil fic Essnts Suggeslinq Stlulions lo Ptoblems

9 Look at the following topic and then

answer the questions below'

Discuss ffae problcms of aryqrf iof'*--t *A oifer Possible solufions'

What has caused the Problem?

What are the consequences?

Match each of the suggestions (1-3) below

with the corresponding result (a-c)'

1 Governments to create incentives/

subsidise industries'

2 Better education/training so w?rK:r:

can operate computers' sophlstlcateo

machinery, etc'

3 Free sports/recreational centres tor-

,n.*PioY.d to hetP PeoPle sPeno

their time constructivelY'

a Reduce crime/social problems con-

nected with idleness/boreoom'

' - - - ' : ' : : '1 ' : ' t 'i - : , 1, r . i . ;

J ' ! ) l

a

o

a

;:H?:ffi ffi;;;to n'tp them' what courd parents and chil-

.n Oo ,o overcome the gulf between them?

iscuss the arguments for and against using live animals for scientificCreate more positions, limit number

of workers made redundant'

Peoole will have proper qualifications

for tyPes of iobs available'imentatton'

\lany countries are in danger of losing their cultural identity on account

b[ffi;;;. il;"" this problem and sav what could be done to avoid

'You can choose your lriends but not your relatives'" Do you feel that

iends are more important than family?

starving on Earth'" Discuss'

"Capital punishment is never justified'" What is your opinion?

i''Too much money is being spent on space exploration while peopie are

. Can vou suggest any other solutions to

ir"t i.ur"rriz"whut would the expecied

result of each be?

. What paragraph plan would you follow

to write this essaY?

. Which techniques could you use to begin

and end Your essaY?

. What usefui expressions could you

include?

10 Using Your notes and the answers

from Exercise 9, write the comPost-

tion in about 350 words'

81

lt- ut{flT FIellers T

\t

There are various types of letters, such as:a) letters of request; b) letters giving information; c) letters of advice; d) lettersmaking suggestions/recommendations; e) letlers of complaint; f) letters of apology;g) letters of application; h) Ietters to the editor/authorities (expressing an opinionand/ or providing solutions/suggestions); i) transactional letters, etc.

A successful letter should consist o{:a) an appropriate greeting:

e.g. Dear ffs Cnwley, Dear Mr and Mrs,!ones, Deo,r SirlMadam, Dear Tony;b) an introductory paragraph which clearly states your reason for writing;c) a main body in which you develop the subject, and deal with

:

:i :f:ilH:;,i$H,iJ#1#;ffi''1,il1"?iTl'3i'+tutrname,Best ''*' ff'

- |Wishes + first name

Style !n Letters tr-€l9r!ruE lH Lttrurs

The style of the letter varies depending on who it is addressed to . For instance, *r:..a f d:a letter to someone you do not know requires a formal style, a letter to someoneyou know but are not intimate with requires a semi-formal style, while a letter toi trienO requires an informal style.

- " -' --' * k' on' - l

Formaf letters contain: lnformal letters contain: '*ff- 're

*"' I

o formal greetings and endings; o informal greetings and endings; l

':"#;Li:'{;::;,J*H; ''il,miil::,X"";lHy,fJt:fi" = "managet in person, Istitt feel my didn'tapplyfortheiobasthat ' I

reguests have not been satisfied.), company is now in deep financial I Look at the different layouts. _

T:;i::::::;',:;:)';nf::;i,ff;:, 'J:;::fi::itrfl;;::"'i$:;i'i11" -

wui.r, are used to ,wite a Idevelopments.NoT:P@Eng| ishandomissionofpronounsformal.semi. formalorffi, (Hope to see you soon!); .

rformal letter? Which one Ifrequent use ol the passive 1lt 6- r abbreviated forms. m

week. package holiday to the Semi-formal letters contain: would you use to write a Ipicturesque village of St Martin's is o formal greetings (Dear Mr and Mrs letter tO a) someone you

iTXS;l:::l H,:;L:3"IZf.J:1tr . l#l?; endings ('esf Mshes/yours know but are not on inrimate Ifeel it is appropriate to exptain to you + futt name); terms with? b) a relative? c) t

some of the practices which are r arespectful tone,dependingonthe a Company manager WhOSe -_"rilif,,3!,,throughout att or our

i:!1lliliT?,il:ii*ifil;.3'f",.'",", namevouknoddon'trnow? tno abbreviated forms. should not be omitted and'ldioms d) the authorities?

should be carefully used.

@i D.ot Mr Ford,

rd:t ':

?Hy,w, :, Mm I_--. vrr \ l r tJ ,_t i.

82r

I

2 Read these extracts and say which is a) informal, b) semi-formal andc) formal. Then. underline the characteristics which indicatein each extract. What is the purpose of writing these letters?the letters addressed to?

the styleWho are

I

I

IIItI

t

:

t

B tf you really hate living in winkleborough that much' I'd Ty d9 y:::-

sel{ a favour and leave' nttiittg inout eiilrei' lf you come bTf^lult^^toon'

il;;; ft;un tino.u il'"rj-itrit'ititl,lrontem' airo vou know vou can stav

r;ilh ;; intl l,o, tino,t,irursert iptuce tb Iiut' on with buitding a betrer tife

;Hn,{,l-'l,IJ,Tfi'.]*y"'E,lef 'Jil?i,il!il',i;;l;t'*'i'[{'o'''r5!;,ia'ffi ffi;;'[ii trl u'n.*-ion, find some other stuff h fillyour time.

A Regarding the future opportunities in your field of work, I would rec-ommend that you consider trying to find a position of greater seniority. Youhave already proved yourself to be a highly competent and effective memberof your company, and I believe that you now possess sufficient skills andexperience to tackle the challenge of additional responsibility.

0n the matter of further training, I would suggest that you might try toupgrade your lT skills to enable you to take advantage of the full ranEe of mod-ern technology available. There are some very well-run and useful courses oper-ating tocally, at least one of which you should find appropriate to your needs.

Hnove lract< here and go for it!

Read the following writing task instructions and say what type of letteryou would be expected to write in each case.

You are moving to China for a year and have arranged with an agency toexchange houses with a Chinese family who are moving to your countryfor the same period of time. Write a letter to the Wong family to wel-come them to your home. Include information about the house andneighbourhood which they might find useful and make a few suggestionsthat might make their stay more pleasant and interesting.

You have read a magazine article which you believe is inaccurate and offen-sive towards people of your profession. Write a letter to the editor expness-1qg your opinion on the subject, and suggestlng.ways to make amends.

You are a member of a famous pop group. You are about to visit yourhome town as part of a tour. Write a letter to an oid schoolfriend inform-ing him/her of the event and describing the ways in which your life haschanged since you were at school.

c 0f course, it will be a big change going to live in a different part of the99gntrv, away from your family and ail your old friends, but it need not oe iidifficult as you seem to think. why not apply for a room in a univeisiiy-hall of .residence? Everything is provided, and because you live witn a toi of otrerstudents, it is easy to make new friends.

As far as the course goes, I am sure you will manage very well. The workis at a.higher tever, but iam certain yor'lt rnroy the cnittenge. in iuii,l fl,rinr,you will enjoy the opportunity to study your subject in deptti, so t reatty inintyou should give it a try.

3

t l

iIrT

83

Unil 7 lellers

, . ' t : : : : " ' : . t . . . : : . . , . ' . . . : . . : i : : . : - : , ,a, : :1. . : : , : t .

#srqgsep$ Plen ier l+€Eess

SsEEy*dee€EasParagraph 1reason(s) for writing

HsErE $edgParagraphs 2-3-4*development of the subject

**ss3egs*smFinal Paragraph

closing remarks

(Full) name

* The exact number and division of para-graphs will depend on the specificinstructions for each letter-writinq task.

A new community centre for disabledpeople is to be built in your town. Thelocal authorities have invited the pub-lic to give their views on the a)location, b) opening hours, c) value tothe community and d) facilities andservices that should be provided.Write a letter to the local authoritiesstating your views on these points.

You want to open a small business butdo not have sufficient finances. Writeto the New Communitv EntemriseProgramme giving reasons why youthink they should provide you withfinancial assistance. You shouldinclude details of the type of businessit will be, where it will be located andexplain why you think it will be suc-cessful.

You recently spent the weekend atyour employer's cottage. Write a letterto him/her, outlining what you enjoyedmost about your visit and invitinghim/her to visit you at your own housein the near future.

Unil 7 tellets

4 put an F for formal and an I for informal language. Give reasons.

1 Thank you very much for your cooperation in this matter'

2 It'll be great to see you again after so long!

3 My husband and I request your presence...4 It is with deep regret that I must inform you ...

5 Hope this advice will be of some help to you.

6 Would it be possible to get together over lunch sometime

soon?7 I sympathise completely with your predicament but

unfortunately no further action can be taken at this time.

8 I am writing to complain about the sewice we received ...

9 I'm looking forward to seeing you both on Safurday.

10 On behalf of our company, I would like to apologise for "'11 I'm really sorry about the misunderstanding and I'm sure

it won't happen again.

5 Match the beginnings and endings below, and then identify the purpose

ofwriting the letter from which each pair ofparagraphs is taken'

.

LZ I would like to inform you about the proposed changesdue to take place over the coming months.

13 Sorry I haven't written for ages, but I've been up to myears in work.

L4 We thought we'd have a get-together in the near futureand wondered if you'd like to come.

15 It appears that our records are out of date so it wouldtherefore be most helpful if you could forward the infor-

mation requested overleaf.16 I look forward to receiving the information requested.l7 I am writing in response to the advertisement concerning ...18 I am writing in my capacify as chairman of ...19 I would be most grateful if you could offer some advice ..'20 I'll be more than happy to put you up for a few days.

Read the following sentences and say

which are formal and which are infor'

mal. Which sentences are beginningsof a letter, and which are endings?

What kind of letter (e.g. complaint)does each sentence belong to?

It would be lovely t0 see you agai4, soplease do your best to make it.

Please do not hesitate to telephone ifthere should be any {urther problems.

aI was most concerne$to hear that youare not completely $$tisfied with oneof our products.

I trust that this situation will be recti-fied without further delay.

I am writing t0 express my dissatisfac-tion with the meal I had at your restau-rant last week.

I am writing with reference to thevacancy in your accounts department.

I assure you that we will give this mat-ter serious consideration and wouldlike to thank you for bringing the sit-uation to our attention.

['m just writing to let you know howsorry I am about missing your gradu-ation ceremonv.

6

' . . . . . ; . . . : . . . " . . . . . . . , . . . . . : . : : I rTT- ' :=- i . I " ] l

I hope that these changes witt not cause you toc " '- -

'#iil;i i istil lbe able to attend' !- ̂ .,.,6n^a rhat meets voulthat you will still De aorc ru qtrv"-' i ou., ,ung; ihat'meets your

we feel confident thatvou willfind *rn'tl!i?':TJ;ot;J''""

;iT"ilT#**"ffi tiilffiil'rff ri"i*"#:'',i",ii"'*""ns vou in person to on*:t-tl:.1^oni.Jo"'

.,"tion uno look for-

we tru st th at vt y'l ̂qi:j!!."l#.1 fiT Hffil.'n""#"i:"nli p'.' ; "0 " tn'r ward to receiving an)

problem' o allow us to use the facilities

E we wourd be,ext'1T:'J,t#:l1J lfll;lXf il'",'.,'.'*,'"i or vour kindfor the duration ot

cooPeration'

04

BeuueslofLellersm.II

II

II

I

Tl1

i

ffi You will hear two members of a pottery society discussing a letter which

they plan to send to their local communify centre. Look at the questions below,

then listen to the cassette and fill in the answers.

a) What is the main purpose of the letter?

b) What do thev want to exhibit?

c) What explanation do they off'er?

d) What are the expected benefits?

e) Which closing remark does the man suggest they use to end the letter?

A formal letter of request is written to ask for permission, help, information, advice, etc. lt

may also provide information, explain a situation, make suggestions, present arguments in

support of an opinion, etc, as requested in the topic instructions.

Each point should be presented in a separate paragraph containing a c lear topic

sentence supported by examples and/or justification.

Useful LanguaEe for Letters of Request

To begin lbtters:

, ask if you would be so kind/generous as to ...I am wntlng to

r.aqr.rt your assistance concerning the matter of ...

I wonder if you could possibly/lf i t would be possible for you to help me ...

I would (greatly) appreciate it if you could ...

I would be most grateful if you could ...

I am writing to ask/enquire if/whether you could possibly tell/inform me ...

. I ask if/whether I might (perhaps) be permittediallowed to ...I am wntlng to

,equest your (kind) permission for .../(for me) to ...

I wonder if I might ask you forlrequest your valuable advice oniconcerning ...

o To end letters:

I hope that my request will not inconvenience yo'u too inuch.

,l must apologise for I troubling you with this matteqI hope that you will forgtve me for I taking up your valuable time.

I look forward to hearing from you/receiving your reply as soon as possible.

Thank(ing) you in anticipation of your/in advance for your kind cooperation.

II

: l : : l ' ' ; ' : : : l : , 'Faragraph 1

state reason(s) for writing

. ' r , . l , , l i , l I , ,

Paragraphs 2-3'

explain reasons formaking the request

Paragraphs 4-5*

state expected results/consequences

Final ParagraPh

closing remarks

Full name

* The exact number and divi-sion of ParagraPhs willdepend an the sPecif icinstructions for each letter-writing task.I

ItT

85

Unil lu lellers ol Bequesl

2 Read the instructions and the model below and insert the following

topie sentences in the appropriate spaces in the letter. Then, complete

the paragraph plan on the right, identifying the topic ofeach paragraph.

a I would like to oJfer certain suggestions os to how such a visltwoutd be oJ benefit to gour compong.

b lt woutd likewise be vatuabte if we could tour the premises to getan overatl impression oJ the production sgstem.

c lt woutd be most usefu[ to see how the theorg we have beentaught hos been put into proctlce in a reat-tiJe situatlon.

d ln addit ion, lJee[ that gour compong might wlsh to use the vis i tas an opportunitg Jor iitervLewing the students.

Your economics class at school/college has chosen you to write to a localcompany asking permission to visit their premises. write the letter, explain-ing,why your class would like to visit the company's premises, andsuggesting how the results of your study might be of benefit to them.

htrodudtott -reason for writing

lrkit W -

" Mwin

For each one of the situations belowwrite a suitable beginning and endingusing appropriate expressions. Thensuggest reasons for writing them andthe expected results of each request.

You want to request a loan from Yourbank manager for home improvements.

You want information from a collegeor university about a particular couneof study you are interested in.

You want the director of an art galteryto look at your work and consider thepossibility of holding an exhibition.

You want the town council to placespecial bins in your area to encouragerecycling.

You want a travel agency to send youbrochures concerning the package hol-idays they offer for large groups.

i:fl T?ff1"1'; ,.n''l oJ,mY ecotlTtis crass at LowsJordBuslness Co[[ege, to rtq'ie't'thoi gou be so kind as to permit us

to visit gour compo#;;;;;;ioi ttuds purposes' our closs

has been learning "BJri ,n. devetopnr-ent oJ technotogg rn

industrg, ond woutd gtt"itu tpp reciote the chonce to vlsit gour 3

premtses.' 1) """"""""""" ' - , , . in.r*"rr ' " , ; " ; ;

k; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F

on c successJut t"*pini'ii{. u{ti -*1ich. hcs an exceltent rep-

utotion bothJinanciitU'ona i'i terms oJ ptanning Jor theJ"l"::.-- ; l : , :

: .""" ' ' W;;;; iJ 'ofso Like to qsk questions about

the processes invotveJ and gour ::?l:lit policg' os wetl as

inJormction on mcnagement Lnd stalJing structures'

3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii'fiu' "tL?Y ::.::'.;fflf ;1tl'liiffiior.tl .outa be invited to cover the vlstt' \

veru positlve pubticit!' ii*' tJitt the initial' vlsit' [t might be

LUyi i4 ;t :i:*:#*l' "",1t' il: Tl $JJ !J !:{: :. Ttanalgsis ,oJ goy,t:l#ti't;

*rr.o^. to use ony oJ the recom-best of these and w."^aZ,*t in the chosen ProJite'

,;t-t . . . . r, ii nights"t'k'l':*' i1,,to;:n:iit;n.^a ."^,"ct with goung q":Plt,^Yi:emplogment when lnJg to^pLtte their studies' gou would sove

"^!",it..ayertisino foi vocancies in the future'

we wourd o" oet'[li'"['1,i9;;;*'t{-coisider fhe visit outtined

i in this letter and l';;;;tike to thank gouJo';3ur time ond

:;#;;;;n in *'r motter 'j

Yours sincere[9;€,.84//4'dMiss E. Baltard

4 Read the instructions and the model letter below and re-arrange theparagraphs in the correct order. Then, suggest alternative ways tobegin and end the letter. Finally, give the topic of each paragraph.

You are a member of an environmental protection society which is organ-ising a "clean-up" weekend. Write a letter to the headmaster of your localschool asking for students' help. Explain what activities will be involvedand how useful it will be for the communiU as a whole.

Unil 7o lellers ol fieuuesl

"*s4t

l l i l: ' .8 f'i;:3,'t 8:,urjFl iilll[

5 t ootr at the following writing taskinstructions and answer the questionsbelow. The questions apply to bothtask.

a) Vou coach an atnateur foothall team.Write a letter to a local sclzool re-questing permission to use theirfacilities and uplaining Mty yourteam cannat frnd facilities else-where. Suggesf haw this may bearranged eo that your team's train-ing will nat interfere with theschool's adivities.

h) You work for a children's homewhich neds valunteers to help atwekends. Write to the lacal ne*vs-Faper that they pwblicisethe vacancies. Yau shauld includedetails of what is required of theapplieanb and wplain the ways inwhich hoth valunteers and childrenmight benefrt"

e What greeting would you use?o What is the main purpose for writing

the letter?o What is the additional purpose?o What paragraph plan would you use?o WhaL useful expressions could you

use as opening and closing remarks?o How would you sign the letter?

6 Choose ONE of the writing taskabove, and rvrite a complete para-graph plan with notes. Then write theletter in about 300 words.

Green Earth10, Hamilton HouseHestingtonLondon

13th )ctober, 1997The HeodmasterSt Pault Secondorg SchoolHestingtonLondon

Deor Mr. Hilts.Q there are vorious activities plonned Jor the weekend, which wilt toke

place on 22nd and 23rd June. volunteers are requested to meet at 1 1 amon soturdag ot the shopping centre on l"larket street. Btack bin-liners wi[be distributed and volunteers wilt be split into groups Jo r sofetg. The collec-tion oJ rubbish ond materiols Jor recgcling wilftoke piace within the inner-citg areo and the b.ag.s w-LLL be colLected Jram the meeting point at 4 pm.

Q) I am writing on behalJ .oJ Green Earth to request your students, help onr speciol "cLeen-yp" weekend which we are organi{inq.L) Then, on sundog, votunteers will meet on the beach Lt 9 am so thot rub-

bish can be co\lected during the morning. There wiltotso be o,,cLean-ul,,art competition which will be open to gounq peop[e between eight andeighteen. Applicants are asked to submit drowings or pointingsl on onenvironmentcl theme, bg 21st June. The winners will be ann6unced stnoon on Sundag, when prizes wiII be owarded.

Q I woutd be most grateful f gou coutd,poss on the obove information togour students. Thonk gou in advance Jor gour cooperatlon.

(Jl-urthermore, tlv entire communitg wiil beneJtt since the town willattract more vlsitors, thus increosing business ond tourism. ln addition,the town and beoch wil[ be much cl,eaner and sofer Jor our children.

Q W9 iget sure that gou witl agree thot, in recent Ueors, our town andbeach have become unsightlg ond that there are huge beneJLts to begalnedJrom such o project. Notionol surveus have shown thaithe moregoung peopl'e JeeL invoLved in protecting the environment, the cLeaner theoreo wi[[ stag aJter the initiol eJJorts.

Yours JoithJultg, . ,*:.P. D. ?/Ad4e/s)'f'P.D. Midgel.1ty

'!

87

r'I

[ellets Givlng inlotmulionffi You will hear two people discussing the information they have received

concerning an annual dinner party. Look at the table below, then listen to the

cassette, and tick the correct boxes. Using the notes, say what information is

included in the letter about this dinner party.

. tupe of meo[ [ buffet

. cost (per person): I f10

I formot n fomits

L] f20 l_-l t45

nDl

n hotet

. entertoinment:

o venue:

I bond

I hott

comedu oct

gorden

nT

. confirm booking/detqits no toter thon: l__] 4th Novemb"t l__.1 lst November

. contoct bu : I phone n fox I (etter

A letter giving information is a formal piece of writing related to a particular situation. lts

main purpose is to give information, usually when this has been requested by someone

else. lt may also provide suggestions, request help, give an opinion, etc'

O Each point should be presented in a separate paragraph containing a c lear topic

sentence supported by examples and/or justification.

Useful LanguageTo begin letters:

I am writing to inform you that/advise you of/let you know that .'.

I regret/am delighted/would like/feel obliged to inform you ...

I in response to I Your letter requesting information about '

I in rePlv to I Your enquiry about ...I am wntlng

I with regard to I our telephone conversation concerning ...

I in connection with I

, on behalf of ...I am writing (to you)

| in my capacity as ...

To end letters:

I hope that this iniormation will be of some assistance ...

I hope/trust that I have been able to answer all of your questions ...

I would be pleasedihappy to provide you with any additional information ...

, , I neing able to help you again inthe future'I look forward to'

ans*"ering your queries. -.

ptease do not hesitate to conraci me shoutd r, | ;""H':#ffi;JIHTS1:"r:

Paragraph 1

state reason(s) for writing

. ' r : :

'

Paragraphs 2-3*

give information required

Paragraphs 4-5*

provide further exPla-nations/suggestions/oPin-ion as stated in the taskinstructions

.

Final ParagraPh

closing remarks

Full name

II

88

* The exact number and divi-

'J::",:o' ::'":r:':;":;i: Iinstructions for each letter-, . " ;+;^^ +^^1.

I

IIIil

2 Read the instructions and the model letter belowand give the topic of each paragraph.

As the University Accommodation Ofiicer,you have received a letter requesting infor-mation. Write a letter in reply, includingdetails of the available housing facilities, theamenities provided, Iocation, transportation,facilities, and rent costs.

Unil Ib lellers $iving Infomntion

Fawgryh f:reasons f or writing

Faragrqh h

Fwragryla 3:

Dear Mr Houston,

I om writing in response to your request Jor"inJormation regor.dtng unlver-

sftU occommodotion. I have inituded detaiti oJ our accommodotion in gener-

;ir;;;ii';;" u..tr.t describing the individuot hotts oJ resrdence.

As gou con see Jrom the booktet, the universitg has o ll^Ptt oJstudent

t',atis Jj reridence, ianging Jrom those ofut^ngJutl board and lodgings to those

with setJ-catering a.co^''iodotion ontg' Students who preler to have their

*rof plouiaed c-on expect to have threi meols o dou, served ot set times in the

hott dining_room. The ;."f;;;i;g units, howtver,''are based,on,Jive people

sharinq a kitchen 'crockergand lutterg is nof provided - ond bothroomJoctt--ir:Jt

..',"ptiting two showers and o both per corridor'

Att the hatts of residence have o loundrg room with washing machines (11

il;'i.J onJ t'l,nor. drgers 60p for ro inlltes' drying)' lrons and ironing

boards are atso proviaed. The rooms are cteaned twice weeklg bg the domestic

rilll, "^a

.i.on'[inen is distributed oftce ever1 two weeks'

AsweltashaltsoJresid'ence,occommodationisalsoavailobteintheJormoJpriroi.ltoi, and housei, whic'h can be shared with other students. Bedsits ore

also avoilable. PriVctei..o*^odotion is limited so gou are urged to submit

gour apptication as soon os possible'

Most oJ the occommodotion [s neor the compus.; buses run Jrequenttg and

or. i.totiu.tg cheap. The hotls ore mostlg situated in residentiol oreos ond c

number oJ them nou. i.nnir lourts ond iroquet lawns. Access to these Jocili-

tiei is resiricted, though, to protect ptaging surJaces'

U nive rs itg ccco mmodotio n p rices r ange .lr o,m t30 pe r *'.+ !,o,' se f-cote ring

t.;;;;;;;. ek Jor oroom with an"en iuiie barhroom and Jutt board. Private

occommodation varies Jrom t40 to t90 per weeK'

I t rust th is inJormat ionwit tbeoJsomeossistonceand| lookJorwardtomeeting gou in septemt.i*rr.^ term starts. I have enctosed cpplicotionJorms

l.t g;;t; comptete. Pleose do not hesitate to contaet me should qou rgquire

' gng"Jurther inJormation' yours sinceretg,

i

ffiffi(Acco mniodotio n OlJice d

. Faragrryla a*:

. Fwagw& 5:

. Famgrryft 6:

* Parcgr@& 7:

8g

ffiffiffi

,J

rUnil lb tellets 0iving Inlotmuli0n

Aninternationa|conferenceistobehe|datthehote|whereyouworK.write a letter of welcome to be sent to the delegates in advance,

i.iirg the;*hat the hotet and the district have to offer them.

3 Read the instructions and the two models and answer the questions: a)

whichonesuccessfullycoverstherequirementsofthetopic?b)whichone uses an inappropriate style and tone? and c) how is each para'

graph introduced in the good model?

Dear Sir/Modom,

As Generol Manoger oJ the MoonshineHotel, I om writing wtth regard to gour staywith us durlng the lnternotionol conferenciweekend which we shatt be hostino.

The Moonshine Hotel prides itsetJ on itsluxurlous occommodotlon and highLg-troinedstaJJ We are certain gou wi[[ be delightedwlth your accommodatlon cs eoch oJ ourrooms ls verg spaclous with its own en suitebathroom, jocuzzi and sauna. Room service isavaltobLe twentg-Jour hours o dog should yourequire meals, snacks or drinks in uour room.. We otso hope thot gou wittJind time durtng

gour weekend here to toke advontaae of ourwide range oJ guestJocthties. As acinJeiencedeLegote, gou witl be entitled to use ournewtg-opened Olgmpic Leisure Centre,equLpped with o swimming pool, ggm ondsguash courts, compLetetg Jree oJ chorgeduring gour stag. At the Moonshine Hote| wealso have a Jirst-ctoss restouront, brasserie,coJJee shop and bar, so gou will undoubtedlgJind an area to relax in. The Moon Restauranihas o superb view over the town oJ Wickbgond has o reputotion as one oJ the best eotingestablishments [n the area.

f time permits, we would also recommendgou o<plore the picturesque medteva[ town oJWickbg os it boasts theJoscinoting ruins oJanancient castte as well os some Jine shops cndpubllc houses. ln Wickbg gou con also take astroll along the beautiful bonks of theL.ockerton Canot, which was madeJomous bgthe recentlg-s creened " Lost Lockerton', tetevlslon senes.

ln adyance oJ gour arrival.,l would tike towish you a .verg happg stog here, ond hopethat gou will not hesitate to contoct me Der_sonollg should you have ong enquiries priorto, or during the conJerence itself.

ilililIIIItTIIIilII

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Deor Sir/Madam'

, m writins . .y:l::::,#;xJ[xff itrjihii{,! ll{:{iinternotionorconJerencel.::;il;;p.ly*J j:''*:,ilxt,i,yi"l'f,there'tl be o chompaei?"fi#;;;;Lut t-he hotetilike to give Uou some ln;or I I tuLtv' 'l *- - -

;:ffl. first ploce' l.om sure gou wittqt :lt:*d

with our oqcof-

#;*il ",i,; i"n 9: ::,Jil,ll^i.$** I qmfu"#Jf;iHJ?f'J",lt::+ff :#i*%;;^it!?":':"Ttiltotl*i'#ion't hesitate to *t orh':;l*,riqri pr:.t,.:ltnou.

a drink at our:H:: ffflli"',l"il iril"'iu';;6 sure sou I

df-mi u"'potj_11,1fl;,.,,no siqhts to see in the [oca[ d'r'strict',Thet*"tirJri orr'^l?9.lill,;;rr, a tour qurde or o mop, tJ gou dectdelo

r'#f *iit p"'d':-":,J,T:il:VJ'Ti;l'o ue etoa io know that aexptore the oreo on 9u-::;;;,,-

thT":ffi i:l#f,Hi: l,: li;, ac o ur hb te rYours JaithJultg'

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Rer 1'ua6

Yours foithfullu.Ret ?ooiRex Truth(General Manoger)

Rex Truth \(Generol Plonogert

$0

it

4 Read the instructions and the model letter below and find the topic sen-

tence of each paragraph. What are the fiio purposes of writing the

letter? Then underline any words and phrases which you feel are too

informal for a letter of this kind. (The numbers in circles are next to

the lines in which these words and phrases occur.)

aYour School or college has decided to organise a service in your areacollect waste paper and glass for recycling. Write a letter to your

Focal radio station, giving details of the planned service and asking

i tnem to pass on this information for the benefit of local residents.

Tipton CoLIege,2, Crescent Rood,fipton11th Mag, 1997

The Manager,Star Radio Station,St Michael's Wolk,Tipton

Dear StrlYadam,

Unil lb lellets 0iving Inlomulion

5 Look at the phrases below and saY

which could be used to rePlace the

informal expressions in Ex.4.

a We would be extremelY grateful

b in the hope thatyou could inform O

c It is hoped that by doing this

d As you are doubtless aware,

e Residents need only take their

f should you require any further infor-mation

g I would like to express my thanks

h This would ensure that

i it would be greatly appreciatedj This service will undoubtedly

6 Read the following instructions, andanswer the questions below.

You are the training director for alarge international company, and youare organising a two-day trainingcourse for senior statf. You haveinvited Professor William Jones, aleading expert on industrial relations,to take part in the course as a guestlecturer. Write a letter to ProfessorJones, giving details of the trainingand social activities which have beenplanned for the course and confirm-ing the arrangements you havemade for him concerning transportand accommodation.

o What greeting would you use?r What is the main purpose of writing the

letter?o What information could you include as

the 'details' referred to?o What additional objectives do the task

instructions mention?r In which paragraph(s) would you deal

with this?

I amwrltLng to gou.on behaLJ oJ the students ot Tipton CoLLege

i:fl :S r:t1_gour tisteners oJ o recgcLLng project we ore stariingrn rnrs area. I om sure gou know that tlvre ore currentLg no rec1_cting foclLtties in Tipton itsef. There are a numbe,

"lt"rqi:r";;;;;iside the town centre which provld,e this service, but this i, in.onu"-nLent Jor mang resldents.

--19-r:13:nts o/,Tipton Coftege have decid.ed ro organise oscneme wnerebu votunteers witl collect ang woste paper and glass

lor detwerg to dtocal --po;;;il;il;".y

c.e Lt.werhink rharif we do this on a regutar baiis, more resideirts of the rorn ,"iffstop discardLng trrcLr reusabte rubbish and. recgcieit instead.,^!!:

tr.vir" witlbegin on thefrst Mond,ag oJ iextmonth, ona.ot_leTlons will take ptace everg Mondag thereafter. there wilt be cot_recron pomts at vorlous locations around the town, which wi[ becLearLg markedfor easg identlfication. Art you i ou" to'ao iri"t. ,"".waste paper and grass to these points. Ari grass products rrrouri-a"w31.ngf

,lforoughlg and have th.elr tids rem"oved 'beJorehand.

, Yn! tike it f the above inJormation could be inciuded in uouroutte-rrns oJ tocot news. r'm sure you'rl ogree that this service willbe oJ Lnterest to mang peopLe *io o.r, irtting to help in environ_mental matters but cannot'do soJor prarftcaLreasons.Furthermore, it would be greai qf ihe announ..*.nt couLd, berepeated several times. during the-d.ag. This wog, the maximum ,n1lb.f of peopLe witl be mai"" a*arei1 tn, scheme.

, 'Thapks g lot in anticipofion oJ gour assiitance in'tAr matter. ptease

q.o not hesl.tate to contact me iJ gou want to know angthing else.

Yours JaithJullg,,4/dat& eriartaAlison Brown

What useful expressions could you useas opening and closing remarks?

How would you sign the letter?

$1

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Unil lb lellers Giving Inlormslion

7 ,ri.,: You will hear the training director of a company talking to her

secretary about the training course referred to in Ex. 6. Look at the sec'

retary's notes helow, then, listen to the cassette and fill in the gaps in

the notes.

,+-+dsf{

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Wed 18/06'-.-- Pm RecePtron ot

Thur 19/06' - om Leciure bY

12130 Pm Luncn

- pm Visit to foctorY

- Pm vrbrr rv ' - Restourontn,A^ ^6 Dinnef OTd.UU Ptrr s" -

^ - , t^^dcd'UU pt ' ' e" -

^ 'orro (wi th Prof ' Jones)

Fri 2CllC)6' 9l0o om , n'oup

: i " l ll : : i

Look at the following writing taskinstructions and then answer thequestions below. The questions applyto all three tasks.

ai ]rp*sr ds'aff&ra c,fass fs pfanrafng lilcsfage a pJay, S,Vrffe a ieffer fo a fo*'i#e'nagazine, gsvtl?g defas{s of ffre per'-forsmarace aeld neqe.lesdfrag ilfaaf f&eyfee/p f'o per&fi'cise {fne eves?f.

S,i Vseir flr'iemds laave accepted an dffivc-fadie*a fs tame and sfay ilr yoa,rfaos.rse wkile yaw and your {arni{y a,eaway. ?Vru'fe a iefder giving thern aIlffie imformaafdofl necessa ry {a rnais.ef,fueir vfsit enjoyahle arud fnou&d,s-free.

c) yoff are orgamising aEa evenf ffo rafseraromey for a wortlnw{zi {e cacJse. Aryri,Jea ,{effer {o yaur locaf mewspap,,*rgiving defadds af tke evemf andevpiarmrmg inow tke rsa$r?ey cryfF{ ,J}ewsed.

r What greeting would you use?

r What is the main purpose for writingthe letter?

r What is the additionalpurpose?o What paragraph pian would you use?o What useful expressions could you use

as opening and closing remarks?o How would you sign the letter?

10 Choose ONE of the writing tasksabove, and write a complete para.graph plan with notes. Then write theletter in about 300 words.

#6, gq #B.da

12:30 Pm Lunch

8 Now use the information from the notes above

referred to in Ex. 6 on p. 91, in about 300 words'

- pm Address bY

Bl30 pm Cocktoit porty Hotel Lounge)

Sol 211c)6, 10100 om Cor to

BOC$NGLJPN_F]BMED?

Cor - oirport * hotel t18/06 - fiight orrives 2:00 Pml

RoYol Ooks Hotel (18/06 - 21/06)

2 minibuses for foctorY visit

' ro n nannlC )

Restouronr IJU 1-rvv1'''-' ,a.^n ^mr' nirnnrt e1/06 - Fl ight leoves l i 'uU ut r tr

COf - hOtet + Llrrvv'

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to write the letter

lG.Il1

lellers Givinu0n0pinion

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i. lellets of idYice

,,ffi You will hear two people discussing a letter which they havejust received from the town council. Look at the questions below,then listen to the cassette and fill in the answers.

a) How tloes the letter begin and end?

P€fdf '....."""' n Vawrs

b) What is the main purpose of the letter?

c) What general advice is given in the letter?

d) What specitic suggestion tloes the letter make?

..

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f7 A formal letter of advice is usually written in response to a request or enquiry, whereas a

, / ' letter making suggestions offers an opinion and suggestions on a particular situation.

3 Each point should be presented in a separate paragraph containing a c lear topicsentence supported by examples and/or justification.

Useful il-amguageTo begin letters;

I am writing in reply/response to your letter requesting advice about ...

Thank you for your letter requesting advice about ...

I hope the following advice/suggestions will be of (some) help to you ...

AdvicelSuggestions:

It might/would be usefulito your advantage (if you were) to ...

I feel/believe (that) the/your best course of action would be ..

I would l ike to offer one or two suggestions concerning ...

I would (strongly) suggest/recommend + -ing/(tha! ...

You should / ought to "..

To end letters:

r hope that rhese sussesti..' I yll'.lojll::]:,:,o^l::'e asststanceI nave been useruyoT use.

I hopeitrust that you will accept/follow this advice ... i

i would be pleased/happy to offer any additional advice you may require.

Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any fudher questions/queries/proDtems.

Paragraph 1

state reason(s) forwriti ngiexpress u nder-standing of problem

Paragraphs 2-3*

offer adviceisuggestions

,

Final Paragraph

closing remarks

Full name

* The exact number and divi-sion of paragraphs willr icncnd nn thc sneci f ic

instructions for each letter-writing task.

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Unil 7c lellets giving nn 0ninion. . '

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2 Read the instructions and the model below and identify the topic of ', . , ,',',

each paragraph. Then replace all phrases in bold with other similar j

ones. Which phrases in the letter are used to give reassurance? i

Ii!t ';i r4A

1*Ii&

The student representative body at the university or college whichyou attend offers an advisory service to help students with their prob-iems. As a member of the advisory committee, you have received aletter from a foreign student who is concerned about various prob-lems related to studying abroad. Write a reply, offering practicaladvice and reassuring them that they do not need to worry.

,l

i ii iEJ

J,*fi#,t#gry*#*+*4'iii5,1;,";4* f#dfif,t#gry*#*+*4'iii5,1;,";4* fffi"1[T l1lnfi'fr:fi.5J'"lib,.",o oJ beinsronere ond uncbre,rcffito ,.L[. y,i.^,, -n.l *;il jm;i1,",'[jl!1;,1 X"',.i^i isuggest that gou ttg

l, . ,_ ...1^a nnn,, *i,nishios are formed. r il '**=-suoqest [nqr guu Lr y rL

;#?; : i ; ; . j ; , ' "1, l - ; . ; l l : " : l I : . : : i ' i :nf f i fJT' j " j? ' -"_. . - . " -" ' f f i -ffi Jff ;';"';il; J t' inins s ome't"l-' T1 j,::'eties os c wos'neiitstJew

doys, os this [s wnen mqnv JI*''T:;;.;r'"t "

*"' :

would olso recommenojoining some tt"lt l1^:::'eties

os c wog t ^

;fiil;; p..p[ *rrr, ih. ,orn. inrerests as uours. i 3 Read the following situations

Let me reossure yo., ,noi,',i'y.- I'i13* ,f lly'::::Yj'il?i i "ffer advice ror each one using a

-"l,.lli,l;iffi"i'.;;;,; make-sur. ,h"j q,:- 1*lu:::;fr'1ffi:' E :he lasi ten veaii ""-!i1'

h': l:l

HHffi ffi;; ."ri"^*. U""r rimetoble corejuttg so thot Uou can ! nuter supply centre.

.ilTTff|.!,1^ffi":fffi, crthoush s-o::::"i'::',:*:':: I l, ' lffiJ: };:'"#",?, i ff:;;iiffiffi;;i;;; orqonir. gour timetoble careiuL[g so thot Uou can

I nuter supply centre.

you mog rest ossurec f,rol' ut'tttvuv I mother. She works a 40-hour

odiust to the worklood, *ith p'opt' organisation theg Jind it easg to I week and takes care of her t'wo

"fi"l',111,*. to wish sou eood t:f *lln,-::'-'^iiililjiT,'-*:: ' il:H.t;il:Tl;illii'*:tTil'dtwourur l r lELvvvrJ ' !ve-r- rgJurtherquest ions.

i I rur i ls i l r , rsr wurK, sf lg I las uarsr]

hrritot, to contoct me ogcin shoutd gou have cn9 Jurrncl quE)rrv'LJ' i

"rrough energy or patience to

help her children with theitYours sinc-erelg, i, homework.,e44ie *i0l

Jessico Hit [ 3 Sarah Jones is a student whc isr Jg)PtLu I r . r ! rD c J luuvrr l vY rrv re

. _*_ about to graduate from univer-i .i **--',*,*r.**g-".*=.-a.

for a job, but does not know howto go about i t .

Let me leu))ur"'"-

"rrt.1 iou witt,reotise that evergone is [n

I nriateexpressions.fee[ [one[9. When gou

the scme situation ona tioi gour Jettow students witl be more g

ffiilffi i"-*on. Jriends. ,.,_- ̂r^,,+.^^inn *iih rhp I 1 John smith has been working for

rn sour retter, eou "k;;'j.;!:,u:::y:iff:::i::i:1T?Jfi,*: i :,.:?:ryi:1,::rt*.":,Tt""fl *lln gour rener' 9uu """r'J ,notJ*L ,no, gou olwogs do_eoch piece t ;rr"iuri t"r, y"uii He finds tris;ou

work. I would advise got

of work immediotetg "Jt;r-irs assigned so. thot gou do not Jo[[ behind' e*

Uoring and now wants to use ihe

fuffii;,ld*x1*TJrn*xruiil;i:[ti:f#:i* t r:",'::ff","T,"'i',,',":Tl;'#

$4

il letlus lhltinu Suggeslions/tecommendolions

In this type oI letter you are usually requested to express your opinion on a certainmatter and also to provide suggestions supported by expected results/consequences. You can introduce suggestions with: To begin/start with, Firstly,Secondly, Additionally, Finally, etc. lt is advisable to use the following linking wordsin order to introduce the expected result: thus, as a result, consequently, ther+fore, as a consequence e.g. lwoukl also wgge"rf adveilising in te local newspper; a$ a r*uft, you woud fuact more ilertion to your nal mlge af srrr;e/' otrere.

4 Read the instructions and the model letter and list the suggestionsmade and their expected results. Is the rwiter's opinion a positive or anegative one? Find expressions in the letter which justifr this.

You recently went to a museum where the staff were particularly helpful.Write a letter to the museum's curator, giving your overall opinion of themuseum and suggesting what might be done to further improve the stan-dard of what it has to offer the public,

Dear SLrlYadam,I am writing to commend Uou on the exceptional service the Museum

of Natural Historg offers the communltg oJ Kempton. I recentLg visitedthe museum Jo r the Jirst time and vLewed gour exhibition entitled "TheAge oJ Dinosaurs" whlch was, to mg mind, extremeLg interesting andinJormative.'l

wos particulartg impres sed bg how opprocchable ond hetpJut themuseum staJf were; theq showed themsetves willing to help with ongquestions or requests which orose during my visit. Moreover, I apprecL-ated the Joct that the guides were verV knowLedgeahle about their sub-ject.

ln mg opinion, the subject of gour Jeature exhibition wos bothJosci-ncting and entightening. lt wcs obviousLg coreJuLlg researched and itsexcettent presentotion made it interesting to peopLe oJ atl oges. I wosequottg impressed with the permanent exhibis ondJound your late ctos-ing time verg considerate ond convenient Jor working peopLe such osmgsef.

There ere, however, one or two suggestions I woutd [ike to submitwhich lJeelwoutdJurther improve the standard oJthe museum. Flrsttg,c. servlce oJJerLng guLded tours inJoreignLanguoges woutd be usejutJortourists visiting the museum. Additionotlg, instotling ramps would mokeaccess eo.sier Jor dsobtedpeople, thus moking their visit more enjogoble.

Finattg, mog I suggest thot gou publicise the museum's Jorthcomingexhibits more wideLg? As o resuit, mang more people like mgsef who oreinterested in naturalhistorg would be made aware oJ the reguLar exii-bitions gou present.

Once ogoin, I would Ltke to congratulote gou on the verg high stcn-,dard oJ gour museum, and ossure gou that I shatl be a regular visltor

Jrqm rtow on. iYours JoithJut[9,?. 7'//o'ntonoMrs P. Morrison

Unil lc lellers giving un 0pinion

l*EssdBia9Ees!Paragraph 1

state reason(s) for writing

$€eEcB EmdyParagraphs 2-3give opinion

Paragraphs 4-5

make suggestions and commenton the expected results

$*meEass€eEaFinal Paragraph

closing remarks

Full name

Match the following suggestions tothe expected results and link themwith appropriate linking words.

Suggestrons

I would suggest hiring more staff.

May I suggest that you renovatethe premises.

Another suggestion would be toinstall computers.

I would venture to suggest hiringa bouncer.

Results

Less time would be wasted onwriting down personal infor-mation.

You would succeed in retaining ahigher standard of clientele.

Work could be delegated anddone more efficiently.

You would attract a greater num-ber of younger people and makemore of a profit.

trU

a

b

05

Unit 7c lellets givinu un 0Rinion

6 Read the instructions and the fol'

lowing model letter and correct

the mistakes which have been

highlighted.

You are on the committee of a localcharity organisation which recentlyheld auditions for its annual fund-raising variety concert. You havebeen asked to write a lettor to one ofthe groups/peoPle who auditioned,thanking them for taking Part,expressing your opinion of their per-formance, suggesting how it mighibe improved and exPlaining whYthese changes are necessary.

i . ] r1 l ' ] ' - i * - r '

-

Paragraph 1

state reason(s) for writing

t . ' , ,

Paragraph 2express thanks

Paragraph 3give opinron of act

Paragraph 4suggest changes andgive reasons

Final Paragraphclosing remarks

Full name

Look at the following writinginstructions and answer the questions

below. The questions aPPIY to al

three tasks.

a) As a sociaI war\<er, yaw inave rer,eivcd,a letter frsm a {oreiEn {arniFY wi

7

Dear Mr Potts,I am writing on beharf of the 'Featherton Friends' with regard to yourrecent audition about our fund-raising concert. Unfortrlnatery,' th"large amount of people involved makei it impractical to hold group

rehearsals, and actions are serected on the basis of o"ing r"uoiio?'i"r-iormance.

To begin with, I would Iike to thank you for your generosity in offer_ing to appear in the concert. We realise that a great deal of time andeffort were necessary to prepare your act.

., *" *":" very impressive with your performance at the audition andrne members of the comittee enjoyed it enormousry. We fert that the

:,':j':fl::.1d11cinS were of a great srandard and fo* sroup;;#Ders showed a very professional approach.

We would like to suggest one or two minor alterations, although,which we feel would improve the overall p",+or,nun.".-i,rrif ', ,i"committee believes that it wourd have been better if the dancers'*er.already positioned on the stage as the curtain goes up. The reason ofthis is that the venue for the ioncert is very sriail and, .onr"ou*ituthe space behind the stage is limited. Secondly, *" *.rll ' l ik;l;suggest that you omit the rast chorus from your performance in o.a",that make it shorter- we feer that this is necessary n".uur" yo* iitwas quite long and, in order to have a wide variety of acts in itr" .on-cert, it is necessary to rimit each performance to a maximum of fifteenminutes.

, t nop"-tll! you will appreciate the need for these changes and wouldoe gratefur ir you can contact me to arran'ge rehearsar tiries. r iook for-ward to hearing from you soon.

. r

Yours faithfully,/.

". Daqrtz4

J.p. Douslas

ways in wtEich tke bwilding nzigflztcised.

a) Yau recerztly *zisifed a rlew slnqe{$ti;it'ket or fast {ood restawrantwfuichopened in your neiglabowrkoe,d.Write a leffer to tke manag

rnoved to your counby f&ree morauilsaga and are having difficut$ aayusfxi"rgto their ne*yr/ surroundings. Writefeffer aefinisi,ng thern leow tu deat weth,fhe sifacadon . You skould of{er certainpractical selgges{ions and reassc.r*'etkern tkattiaey need notwarrY"

h) T&sere arepdans fo tear down an si'cfsrearaa im ffae town wkere yocl {dva?Vrf{e a fed"fer fo f&es{aflfuag wky you ttsink tkis sltocsfd ff'cr{ihe done, and suggestrimg alternati't;'e

expressing your opinion af t!:eesfabdfst?menf and suggesffeag waysin wteich it aauld be imqroved.

r What paragraph plan would you use?o What useful expressions could you

write as opening and closing remarks?r How would you sign the letter?

r What greeting wOuld vott rtse?

e what is the main ;;;;.;;;*,itingfthe letter?

: #il: l:ff :#lJ:;:li:il:T*,"klof for making suggestions?

;

TChuose ONE of the writing taskrlabove, and write a complete para'-

il1l:l'l':ilTii',i Tl;ll'. write the

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Unil 7r Iellers giving ,un 0ninion

iii. lellers l0 lhe Aulhorilies/tdilor:*ffi You will hear two people discussing a letter which one of them has received.Look at the table below, then listen to the cassette and fill in the missing infor-mation. Using the notes, talk about the problem and its consequences.

Letters to the authorit ies/editor are formal pieces of writ ing. They express a person'sconcern about and views on a certain matter and usually contain suggestions on now totackle a problem. You need to state the nature of the problem and its causes and effects.Each point should be presented in a separate paragraph containing a c lear topicsentence supporled by examples and/or justification.

[.9sefull N-anguage for l-etters ts t!'ae Aegthorfit$es/EdEtonTo begin letters:

I draw your attention to ,.. / bring ... to your attention ... / you on behalf of ...I 'I am writing to I Vou in my capacity as ... / express my approvaUdisapproval of / support

lfor ... I protest about ...

To state your opinion:In my opinion/view, I feel/believe/think, lt seems to me that, I tend to think that, I amtotally opposed to/in favour of, lt is my firm belief/opinion/conviction that, I am con-vinced that

To express cause:

because/owing to the fact thatidue to the fact thation the grounds that/since/as/ ln viewof/Because ofiOwing to/ For this reasonlSeeing that

To express effect: t 1.thus, / therefore, / so / consequently, / as a result, / as a consequence, / for this reason

Tb end letters: i

I look fonryard to hearing from you.

I hope you wil l give this matter your urgent consideration/attention.

I hope (that) you will give this matter careful/further consideratron.

ParaEraph 1state reason(s) for writingand opinion

Paragraphs 2-3*

describe the problem(s)and consequences

Paragraphs 4-5*

suggest solut ions/measures to be taken

Final Paragraph

closing remarks

Full name

* The exact number ancl divi-slon of paragraphs willdepend on the specif icinstructions for each letter-writing task.

Problem: waters being contaminated by

people have developed 2) ........"" ""' problems

farmers, annual3) ................. have been damaged by chemicals

evervdaY life has become 4) """""""""';"""""" due to the overwhelmrng

ffi?$g

|Jnil 7c lellers Giving un 0ninion

2 Read the instructions and the letter and complete the paragraph plan

on the right, identifiing the topic of each paragraph. Is each topic

clearly stated in a topic sentence? Then, look at the words and phrases

in bold, and think of similar ones which could be used to replace them.

You live near a dangerous road junction where several accidents

have occurred. write a letter to the authorities, describing the prob-

lem and suggesting how further accidents could be avoided'

Dear Sir/Modam,

lmMuaonreason f or writing €: briefdescription of situotion

" Mah Eady

I am writine to brine to uolf.':':1jt::;ffi#ff:r;ff;':l;

f #*#*u E"r# *l#i riff"^' r n:' : *t k:;lll"n:*T:"ffiil T l;li".o :r :"1

siens on Ettis Road

warnins drivers "l i"n' l"^"'n ll J""*:,;]|;? J;'^'lioi[

lnfn'l ;* [ i:;.l"ii!f fi*t,'"']'iii ]l',''nl;**i*Nlq '1il #i4*i'fl ;54T'..ni : : * ;:, ̂ ; j:fi'.,."lllj I, ̂ .-j

;;. i t'n o r, o p i.-'-: :,: ; i:ffi I';J ;"' l;:dren warking'" "^il'"m

the tocat o"l"::;'[?1t,.,t'T^tiil'

;"; .h; thlre is ff*,l'ffi iil [:h#*ru*',..llfUil',1.ili;;;;;; hove swr

"'J|ilt","Jl:lTi^#:f r'^*o"rd:'.',".fi ':1"1?[,:i.till::txl,1?ilIi,i'3" ifi:il: J "i!:il,l"ikl r* jr I * ;ilyi; *','# * ru; m"l"'J'ri1 [

ln addition " il;' o p'opn'cr*li,:ff:l,l.t#ltiJ;:

ff i*::l *li xTilJ4lltli il"ill: ffil#til?4ql|TIItt

g8

were not dlstractea ;:, [;j;r"., *oining, Jorcing drwers to

i Jtoshins ttsT:^:";;;;;; i.a,r.ine the danqer to rocor peopre'

tio* down even'tI qive this matter gou' u'g"nt considerotion

. I hoPe gou wtr

ond thot suitobtl flffi;: ;tti[" t*l ailo'" more acciden-

ts occur.Yours JaithJutfg'K. /. ?'lh"46r

K.J. Wright

o Letters to the editors of magazines and newspapers are written when a) we

wish to express our approval or disapproval of something which is of interest

to the general publ ic or b) when we wish to reply to let ters or art ic les

previously published and on which we have strong vlews.

o Letters of this type tend to contain a combination of formal and informal

language such as idioms, phrasal verbs and rhetorical questions. This is

done in order to have a more persuasive effect on the readers.

qD when writing a letter to the editor it is necessary to refer to what other people

may think of the subiect we are expressing our views on.

3 Read the model letter below. What is the purpose of the letter? Find

examples of formal and informal language and give the topic of each

paragraph. In which paragraph does the writer contradict the oppos-

ing viewpoint?

Unil 7e lellers Eivinu un 0ninion

Paragraph 1

state reason(s) and give oPinion

lluin SodlParagraphs 2-3*

give arguments to support youropinioniSuggest what can be done

Paragraphs 4

Present opposing viewpoint andcontradict it

0onilusionFinal Paragraph

closing remarks

Full name

x The exact number and division of para-graphs will depend on the sqecific

' instructions for each letter-writing task. :

:1 :=

'.1,i=H#ffiS-:r+=L€.€E=*E--i=

4 Coilocate the following words andthen explain their meaning. TrY to

include them in your letters.

last, hasty, constructive, to fight, thing,Iong, empty, step, worthy,Iimited

a losing battle

Dear Sir,

, l.g. writing with regard to the upcoming receptionwhich ts to beheld on 2nd June to welcome Joreign Vlps. As o tax_pager; I considerthis event an extravagant waste of moneg, and would ifl ,i-oi1", olittle constructive criticismoficials took the hastg decision to spend outrogeous omounts oJ

lol.g organising a two-hour event, wh[[e our schloI and. road,s o,ebodlg in need of repatr. At the rocar councir meeting r-,.ral"rt ".,"^mour honourabLe judge,

.Mr -peter Stevens, stated tliat the locol sov_ernment did not have theJunds to repair theseJaciiiti.r. nt it "

rl^,time, they were arranging for Jo.relgn dignitaries to uirii ou, io*rt, o,our expense. As a result, our children Jace acord winter without prop-e.r heating in their classrooms, and ai motorists, we wirl risk our hvesdriv.ing on roads which requi re resurJocing.

,1k1,the [oco[ hospitar has stated time ana time again that os thegdo not hove the medLcoLequipment to tend to patien"ts prop"rtJ,i:n"g

feel theg are llghting a losing battle. tt is unbelievable that the townt3i:1t,ir:

being sacriJicedfor aJew hours of rubbingrf.,""fj.r, *itf,vrrs. f tne council can spend thousands oJ pounds welcoming oF:11"t

oJ.,oJJLciaIs; rhen-surelg ii l.^ spend some moneg onLmproving the standards oJ services within our communie _ 6r dowe not qualiJg as a worthq cause?While I understond theiignrficance oJ provldLng an appropriote

l:1.1:^l".,these ofJlc,Lois, I dt iot believlihot tn. needs oJour rownqrtq lts restdents should be overLooked.

,ll,-tT,^uPl I beLieve that a compromise couLd. be made bg scalingquwn tnrs expensive recepflon partg and spending some oJ thernoneu to meet our communitg,s needs. Whot bhtter *og ti'gr""i '

u,tn:rr than by proudtg showirig oJJ oir town aad its citiz"ens?.

1

)

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Yours JaithJut[9,/4b4ne A4iare

Alison Brown

gg

J,

T-ti

iUnil lc Iellers Giving un 0Pinion

5 Read the instructions and the model letter below. How many of the

suggested points are covered? What is the topic of each paragraph?

underline any words/ phrases the writer uses to express her opinion.

Your local authorities have decided to open an adult education cen-

tre in your area where people from 18 to 30 can follow courses and

activities which interest them. They have invited the public to writegiving their views on:- its value to the communiiY- opening hours- facilities which the building should have- the people who would use the centre- location

Use some or all of these points in a letter to the local authoritiessetting out your views about their proposal.

i : ) l

' , ' : l : i f i' l ' '

6 Look at the following writing task

i . * ' : :1. ,

a)

instructions and then answer thequestions below. The questions applyto both tasks.

"{ rmo{.ore*ray fs f@ Se &rufff n*ear yoiarfamnse, r{n pe*l fg?fe?k f&ff# ,if a6"#desfroy er'*as of mafccraf Seaer:'v,aryru'fe d leffer *o SfEe docaf assff?ordtr,*sex"mressispg your utl'ews" Hoci s#$l- dexpiar'm aahir da.rmage uvifi 6e racis .da*ad sergesf af#'emla*isae r*s-sfes.

Hme,r &ae"e eere,rsflfy recewed a sssi6pp#'er*f *os'resrlefi$s #mrff r'cca/ r*sfder*,s*npe md rqr$aiafp are prrurded &ef*esa "-l$S&* reg*r.esenfa&?e *f yocar fsc# re.,:i-dersfulc*sarslaiff*e, *a'ri*e a Fef€er f*r iieaesf$asrfffes *uff,fmimg peopde's *r;*-cerras ared oergesf&rg ssrfiaf sftosrfd ]edone.- ?hey t&rsw &ofdes fmfo nry garu:-rt

and fean r*p nrypfanfuf- tr*emqgers reanr im garags amd I gef

fris$?tur?edj- fgsi sfueeru a,re dirf and fud{ ef fsff*vt- ?&e ffiralfs are r*vered ava"f& graffi;:il" Ttaepubirctdryfione'saltml's&rtrft .'r!- $forung ftooligans race rosnd ;re

sq{rfies ora mcfor $if<*s I

tu)

Dear Mr Connet lg,I am writtng in response to the decision to open an adutt education

centre in our areo.Flrstlg, let me state thai I wos deiighted. when t heard, the news thotsuch a centre was to be estabtished'in our community. rn mg view, itwilt provide vaLuable services not normottq avaLtabteio

^ori p"roprr.

It is not oJten that one has the chance to go bock to schoor due roresponsibllities such as work and chLLd_rearno.I belleve that the centre shourd have as rony'.ourr"s and activities aspossible. For exompLe, bg provldinq Jocirities such cs a science taborato-

rg, computer and arts centres, a JutLg_equlpped ggmnosrum and aLtb.rarg,.not onlg witl students benefit, Uut ti," centre wl,,as wett.,ln

order for peopte to be obLe to use the centre eJJectrvetg, t thlnt ttratthe most sultable opeft,Lr:g hours woutd be JromS.SO a,;to g.30 pm,Mondag to Fridag- For those oJ us who cannot ottend d,uring the week,the centre could open on SoturdagsJrom g.30 am to 1.00 O;A1 lar os people with chitdre n' oi, ,on

"rned,, perhaps the centreco,1fd s3t up a dag-care unit so that goungsters couLd be iooked afterwhite their parents attend classes. JLsl

Regarding location,.l wo_urd suggest that the centre be buirt orongthe riverside, overlooking sunset ear,. tt is a most rnspiring p[ace and,vera convenlent os it is crose to the bus and' trati'rtottonr.Alternotivelg, the centre couLdbe buitt in the parkbeside the MuseumoJ Fine Arts.

All in ot[, l think that on odutt educotion centre wiLI heLp to enhonceour communitg both curturaltg and JLnanc.arlg.,r am.Iooking Jorwird, totaktng advantage oJ the wondert'ut opportuniig thot "

ardiinrrra.

r What greeting would you use?r What is the main purpose for writing

the letter?r What is the additional purpose?I What paragraph plan would you use?e What useful expressions could you

use as opening aird closing remarlis?e How would you sign the letter?

7 Choose ONE of the writing tasksabove, and write a complete paragraphplan with notes. Then write the lefterin about 300 words.. i

Yours sincereIq,?rlry'd0a 7"*;Martha Flowers

100

#. lellers of Compluinl'#+rl You will hear two people discussing a letter which one of them is going tosend. Listen to the cassette and answer the questions below.

a) \Yhat is the main purpose of the letter?

b) What complaints does Cathy make in her letter?

c) What does Cathy want the manufacturer

to do?

d) What is Cathy going to do if

her letter is ignored?

A formal letter of complaint is written to complain about a problem which has arisen [e.Efaulg merchandrbe, rude sfafd inaccagrafe informatian, efc). ll should explain the reasonsfor the complaint, and usually includes a suggestion/request/ demand concerning whatshould be done {ag. refund, compensafis4 efc)

Mi ld or strong lang0age can be used depending on the wr i ter 's feel ings and theseriousness of the complaint, but abusive language must never be used.e.g.Mild Complaint:

! arn wriilng ta carnplain about afactual enor in yesterday's r?alt/spaper.I hope that you will give this mafter your prampt afrention.Strong Complaint:I am writing fo express rny stang disapproval eoncerning fhe offensrye beheyro{"/r$fan employee atyaur company'$ ffinchesferrqaad branch.I denand a full, written apalogy or I will be rbrced fo tuke legal actian.

The nature of the complaint should be clearly stated in the first paragraph. Each aspectof the topic should be presented in a separate paragraph containing a clear topicsentence. Each complaint should be supported by clear justification.

l.lsefr,cl Lamguage3 T0 begin l€lters;

Mild complaint, ̂ * ...-:!:_^ .^ I complain about/ draw your attention to (the problem of )...I am wntlng to]

"rpress my disappointment/dissatisfaction with ...

Strong complaintI am writing to express my annoyanceiextreme dissatisfaction with /anger at /protestabout

I regret tofeel I must inform you how appalled/shocked I was ...

,, To end iletters:Mild complaint

] be dealt with/resolved as soon as possible.I hope/trust this matter will I receive your immediate attention.

I not be treated lightly.'

lfeel that you should .../l am entitled to compens4tionia refund/a replacement.

Strong complaint| (must) insist on ...iinsist (that)idemand ...lwarn you that ...Unless this matter is resolved .,./Unless satis{actory compensation is offeredI will have no choice but toil will be forced to take further/legal action.

Paragraph 1

state reason(s) for writing

Paragraphs 2-3*

state complaint(s) withjustification

Paragraphs 4-5*

suggest what should bedone

Final Paragraph

closing remarks

Fullname

* The exact number and divi-slon of paragraphs willdepend on the specificinstructions for each letter-writing task.

101

ft=-

Unil ld lellets of Coruloinl

You recently hired a car for a part of your holiday. However, there were

several problems with the arrangements. Write a letter of complaint to

the manager/manageress explaining the problems and requesting com-pensation.

2 Read the instructions and the model letter trelow and find the topic sen-

tence of each paragraph. Then, underline any phrases which you feel

are too informal for a letter of this kind, as in the example. (The num'

bers in circles intlicate the lines which contain the informal phrases')

Replace these with the phrases from the list below'

a) compensate me for, b) otherwise I will be forced to, c) I am writing to

express my extreme dissatisfaction with, d) I insist that you, e) Despite my

objections, t) Having no other alternative, g) I therefore lequest that you,

h) Contrary to what I had been told

S. 1l{alt'zt*Mr 5. Matlison

Linking WordsComplaints and iustif ications can be

linked together as follows:

I ourchased the camcorder only a monthago but the rewind button does not

function properly.

I ourchased the camcorder a month ago.Nevertheless, / However, the rewindbutton does notfunction properly.

The rewind button does not funct ionproperly in spite of / despite the fact thalI ourchased the camcorder only a monthago.

Although / Even though I purchased the

camcorder only a month ago, the rewindbutton does not function properly'

3 Match the complaints and justifica'

tions below, then join them using

appropriate linking words/phrases.

n

8

ComplaintsThe goods we ordered have not beenreceived yet.

Our wooden floors have become dull.

The batteries died after a few hours.

The hotel was an hour's drive from thebeach.The film was too long and very boring.

The knife became blunt after only a month'suse.The mascara made mY eYes water.

My daughter's watch stopped after she swamwith it on.

Justificationa The label on the packet claims they are long-

lasting.b We were told they would not lose their shine.

c They were shipped a month ago.

d We were told it was within walking distance'

e The manufacturer claims it is hypoallergentc.f The trailer said it would keep me on the edge

of my seat.g The package label states that it is water'

proof.h You said it was guaranteed to stay sharp fot

[ive years.

Dear Sir/Madot ,' rbout the service I received

t- ;;-;,;-"'-'i*iUl i ri"a speciliZo[g requested'o Jour-qiven a smoller ,*.{;;;'r;;]i"^ *r..i.( oport 1ro* being too smqitfor

(2)mu needs, *o' ttto'r!"rl nttJof t"'ntiY:-tt#t I moaned obout it but

- uour emplogees i"1t?'nlJ-*t ittot it ** ii'" onlg car cvoilabte and

(oissured me thot t' #fi;fi";;;i;'' l;-tdn't do onethins erse' so I

- accepted the vehtcte'o there weren't, there were, f .fact,,,serle-ri:11*nt@-AXl"Jfl ['fi:'#:ffi[:i^**f*i::lf '.',""'l:lfl :iliiil:

l:rnrutt1'iiHf i ; T!ii:: i :i:* ffi i:n #l t "tii:;i f:lf;ifi'ffdfi: :il#?;;l'."i^'v3't*'riig-::::1 r"*i tt. engine utto^i'int"ti*gt9 pt"Litnt ond tht windscreen wipers

i "'fi illil',liii!ft ;. "rneu wrs: jt ::: :::?Ti::,-',h^iffll'"[f LH:i :l:"''sn,.l.*:m;fl lili1#i:ffiq?Ti*ili***:*i*,I ;:"|.;;'H:'.::'fi"fiJ3,i'*i';;; ond continue ms iournes usine

t pubtic ltilil:t;,. emptogees acted irresponsi!f,u ln,issuing

a ccr which

x lJeet.that gou::y,:ffi ilil;; i oil .ntitr.a to compensotion Jor

1 @flT;tlrfil ti.ruLti,,'g' :,,l[f !ii'i'*x*? ;;1;'*'i'rl@:?,?:;f.:ffi lI;xTr"JJJ,Tti#:!!';11,fi .t$""-.,'q:;;f :,'I fn

'You'd better give this motter"goiiiutgtnt'attention' or etse

1'ttott''

i @ witt hove to toke legot octton'

i t Yours foithJuttg,' 1 a ,tnt,tt]^--

J.

34

56

102

||nil 7d lellers ol Comnloint

4 Read the instructions and model letter, and complete the paragraphplan on the right, identifying the topic of each paragraph. Then, fill inthe blanlis in the letter with the words and phrases below, as in theexample. Some of the words can be used more than once.

in the meantime, therefore, not only ... bwt also, while, nevertheless,thus,furthermore, os a resuk, akhough, since

You are a regular customer of a local restaurant. The last time you atethere, however, you felt that the standards had dropped slightly. Write aletter explaining why you were disappointed and suggesting what couldbe done to imorove the situation.

,-'!;$;s*sllidir]],'e

. $ilrdadtmreason for writing

" tu{ak tud1

':f '-iiri{l# i t:;W ffi i il -:i' i:;:;';:f\ffil lii'*l#';|: fi :'lt* jf::' ln* ;;;f it j,, I'#l:' l,:; a: inr'fr m ffi ' f#'' iYi;;ry#I:;T',-'Y,"ft ;!q,i fr,l5li'i;

"-*'* if * i'l; o, no, * h T- I - 1?::

,Jil; ;4- 4s t;z:nd[ iiY:'5ru1i, :;;rHi:il ffirather inottentive o"i,n"iiiiiEiq the dishes.

lu);;;il: ; ;;;order ... but slso ir,i'*ili io entertair

n standards. on t:h ffiffiT J :L#,r' )i'' ri- ipi o" ll Ir I r,, ou,. r estaur anr, Ithe bosis of my previous exp"ril!!'l'"?'' )";;r;;;;; dinne,r' i

y,l^"li:,i{i*rhl :::: ':: "':::;ff,,in6o,,iud n be

* {ew&estw

priu"a entirely y':":? os rhe manager, it would be advis''"#;'l:,';:3'f;'JJ.l':.l"itiiJiii;i';i";,;1.J",1.0'fi :l;fl'J; "J;'';; ;;;;'il ; ;;;iffi ;;,i2",,##irr#";8.; ;;;;;; i; ;i ffi; k["';:f;i": -,'# tr;;Y,Wl,?;;;;;*i;;:

' -

, .^,u'.,,,A cr,ncest that vou speakdesar dinq the sewice'

^,y?ilr#i?;sJ other customers

i,,-ff :'fl i^!:i^"nT:,i[*#;::1t;*'Jilff ;:il'ffi ;i ruffi r#[li d .;:#?rtriil'; x,:'ffir,r'iliii

' ' i];;[ foward b hearing frovrr vvu

,"'i 'nop" you will

1 bk.. (10) ":::;,.ts"in;;;;;il#i;;. ,]

'tore mY commen' Yours sincerelY't t t - '

t P.4. "ogan1i P.N Hogan

i1-1-

r--;m:

103

Unil 7d lellets ol Complninl

You recently iravelled by coach and were very disappointed with the ser-

v iceprovidedbythestaf f ,andthede|aysVouencountered.Wri tea|et terto the company to complain and to demand compensation'

5 Read the instmctions below ancl the beginnings and endings from

letters of complaint. Then match the beginnings and endings and say

whether the language in each pair is mild' strong or abusive' Which

leveloflanguug.*ouldbemostappropriateforthesituationdescribed?

F ; @:] 4gl

s .tt s,r. :. 1jr

1 I am writing to express mY total

dissatisfaction with the aPPat-

ling service I exPerienced on

one of Your coaches from

Cardiff to Coventry on 24th MaY'

2 I am writing to comPlain about

the poor qualitY of the service I

experienced on one of Yourcoaches from Cardiff to

CoventrY on 24th MaY'

3 tam writing to draw Your atten-

tion (if You have anY, which I

doubt) to the fact that the staff

who 'served' us on Your Cardiff

-to-CoventrY coach on 24tn

MaY are incomPetent, idle fools'

' * i * -" ' - . " -, , r i , \ r {_Ji : i i { f . f

A I hope that you wilt look intothis situation as a matter ofsome urgency, and that theservice offered by your com-pany wi l l improve.

B Organise your pitiful companyefficiently and stop cheatingthe public by charging outra-geous prices for fifth-rate ser-vice.

C I insist that my wife and I re-ceive a full refund of the oriceof our tickets, and must warnyou that unless this matter isresolved at once I will not hes-itate to take legal action.

,.1. ,;,t;:li.il : ,1 l : ' : '

Look at the following writing task

instructions and then answer the

questions below. The questions apply

to both tasks.

You ate the manager af a supermarketwkich is iosi'ng cnsfoneers &ecaffseemployees of tlee company nert da-'>r

naulk iheir cars in fhe superrnar*:":f'narking area' Wrife a ierter of co'-''ptaint"to the ctrnpany and suggesf'wkat

should be done.

b) You have no#ced#laf studenfs aty**rsctr!'s scgscol ar* sfren le# uraf{eed'ed. 9ill'iie a letter of complaint to n;eheadrnaster and ask lzirn ta et?s{d';=ethat the situafion does irof coniinue

o What greeting would You use?

o What is the main purpose for writingthe letter?

o What is the addit ional purPose?

o What paragraPh Plan would You use?

o What useful expressions couid -youuse as opening and closing remarks'/

o How would you sign the letter?

8 Choose ONE of the writing tasls

above, and write a comPlete Para'graph plan with notes. Then write the

letter in about 300 words.

, r rJ i r ldr+--3i\ 1 '

"Ei ' ' * r ' i : '

7

4)

6 Read the following situations, and say whether mild or strong language

would be more appropriate for a letter concerning each one' Then'

choose tuo situations and write a suitable beginning and ending for a

letter of comPlaint about each'

your neighbour's dog barks at night - you can't sleep

the hotel receptionist forgot to place yourwake-up cail - you over-

siepi, misseA your flight ind had to pay for another ticket

you found a piece of glass in a packet of frozen food - you nearly

swallowed it

the TV guide always has inaccuracies concerning dates and times -

you.uni be sure what programmes wiif be shown

the bilthday cake you ordered wasn't delivered on time - the children

were extremelY disaPPointed

there was no lifeguard on duty at the public swimming pool - your

child almost drowned

I

2

104

ts

E €. tellers of Apolostr[ , f f i . - - - , : - r ; r : -^, : r^+^-^^r /rg o tt vou have received a letter o{ complaint, it is polite to reply to it. The purpose for

I //' ilti;g ; tetter ot apology is to explain the reason(s) for the problems stated in the

I T I letter of complaint and to ensure that the situation will be resolved/improved. YouI I t may also offer some form of compensation.

I r iJ:-ffJ,x'.":Tl[,TlTi:#$:]ii:'iffiltHin:::J:l51#j;l:"""t tt l

f .?.^#l t M| ffi, openins remarks:

{Jseft'1tr il'anguage

| | I I am writ ing to apologise {or ... /offer my apologies for...

t ff:ff::iilfifH,#ii:li;:;l,HilTJTJffJff:]dab'ede'av'e'lc)T o To introduce new points:

L-j- With regard toiAs regards ...

I As far as ... isiare concerned ...

E FirstlyiFirst of all/SecondlyiFinally, ...

I I a To emphasise what you say:

I Clearly/Obviouslyil)leedless to say, ...

-

@ To express reality:

i tn fact/As a matter of factiActually/lndeed, ...

I ? H:l:titr]Tto on.,/rrsg.rt . as compensation (for.. ).l f insist on (+ ing) to make up for your loss/inconvenience, etc.

,i:JIi: !ri s i;i$;:

Paragraph 1

state reason(s) for writing

ii;lir Bnu;Paragraphs 2-3give explanations

Paragraph 4suggest compensation

i.n::lr*::;i:ilt

Final Paragraph

closing remarks

Full name

7 Please accept the enclosedwith our . (regards)

8 In light ofyourprevious expe-rience, I would like to assureyou that all computers will be

...... (availablefor use whenever you like)

Fill in the gaps with asuitable preposition.

This situation was due .......an oversight, which resulted....... a breakdown in com-munication and led .......your losing the contract.The company cannot beheld responsible ....... anyinconvenience caused as aresult ....... bad weather.Unfortunateiy, our client is....... no obligation to offer anYcompensation according .'.....the terms of the contract.

I @ Closing remarks:

! Once again, my/our sincere(st) apologies for the inconvenience caused.: I hope that you will accept my apologies/that my apologies will be accepted.

i I hope that you can {orgive/overlook this regrettable enor.

rl2

45

!

rlI

i

-- !

:

= :!:

-

!

IITI

I nn in the correct words/phrases from the list below. Try to include them in yourletters.inevitable, gifi voucher, isolated incident, circumstances beyond our control, at your

disposal, compliments, complimentary, oversight

I assure you that this is a(n) . (single occurrence which isunlikely to happen again)Unfortunately due to ...,....... ....., we will not be able to offeran alternative venue for the concert. (something which we have no control over)Failure to repair the equipment was due to a(n) on our part.(faiiure to notice something)It is ................ that dur ptices will rise periodically. (certarn)

{e are delighted to encloseby way of compensation, (free)A complete refund cannot be given but a(n)for the amount has been enclosed. (token)

105

Unil 7e lellets ol AuologY

3 ttris letter of apologr is a reply to the letter of complaint on page 102.

Read the model letter and correct the punctuation errors in the sen'' *tiS{***Egi $'n lf"\ iil

,

-''.''-'_*"t.*.*,*.'-.*$*

Look at the following writing task

instructions and answer the

questions below. The questions apply

to all three tasks.

.As ftrre owner of a gYm, You hawe

tences indicated bY a

number. Then, give

the topic of each

paragraph. FinallY'

underline all exam'ples of useful lan'guage for aPologisingand replace them

with similar ones.recentlv received a numher of conn'olaints' concetning, tfte stafe of ti:+changing roomsr the- bad conditianof iqulpment and overcrowded

4

a)

_iltril:ilItirdilsrt

-+tI r l

: t' Ie! |

: lt

{

@ Deor mr Mollison,ln response to your leiter regording the unsotisfoctory service thot

you received when renting o cor on the 2oth July, I would like robegin by giving my sincere opologies fo'the inconvenience thot youexperienced.

q Firstly, the problem of being given the wrong cor; needless to soy'

@o smoller one; occurred becouse the originol cor thot hod beenbooked for your hod not been returned by the time you orrived.Unfortunotely, the person who hod rented the cor prior io you, hodnot odhered to ihe renlol period originolly ogreed qnd os o result

@wos two doy's lote in returning it. We were -unoble

io contoct himond therefore hod to provide you with onother vehicle. All of our

@four door models were ot thot time renred out, ond rother thon noiproviding you with ony cor ot oll, we were forced to provide osmoller two-door model insteod.

@ ot regords the problems encountered with the engine ond the wind-

^ screen- wipers, lhese were unfortunote mishops thot could not hove

@been foreseen before rentol Eoch time o cor is returned to us, itoutomoticolly undergoes o rigorous inspection before being given on

^ inspection poss sheet. our records show thot this porticulor cor hod

@ possed eoch inspection stoge successfuily which reods myserf ond tnemechonics concerned to believe thot the problems occrrred ofter thecor hod been rented to you.

This is truly o regrettoble occurrence. pleose oilow me to offeryou 1100 by woy of compensotion ond to contribute iowords tnecost of your rroin ticket. In oddition to this I would olso like to offer

@lou ,our newest model, o luxurious four.door Rover for o six_doy

rentol period ot o time most convenient for you. I hope this offer

^ will moke up for the distressing iourney you encountered, ond will

Qp resfore your confidence in our compony os o customer-friendryorgonisotion.

_ Moy I opologise ogoin for this inconvenience. Meonwhile, I loorforword to heoring from you to orronge g sui_tqble dote for .rentingour courtesy cor.

Yorrs sincerely, i

/. R6ir,toMr J. Robins(Monoger)

classes. Write a letter apologising {nrrt"aco nrrrhlprns- exalaining t&eflrese prohlems, exPlaining Lte

'o'*rrr.{ and sivins. details of whatreasons and givingyou intend to do to rer.tif1 fie sf&

b)

c)

uatian.

Write a letter of aPaloglt in reP$ tuthe lefter of comPlainton P. 1$3.

As a sales represenfative'af a largemanufac'turing comqan1 You fiavereceived several lef0ers from acustomet complaining abaut a lotzgdelay in the deliverY af goods anorder. Write a letter of aplagy to tiaecustomer erylaining whY the goodshave not fun delivered and givinginformation concerning dates aradrneirns of shipmentaf a new delivery'

o What greeting would You use?o What is the main purpose for writing

the letter?o What is the additional purpose?

o What paragraph plan would You use?

o What useful expressions would yoruse as oPening and closing remarks?

o How would you sign the letter?

5 Choose ONE of the writing taslaabove, and write a complete para'graph plan with notes. Then write thelefter in about 300 words.

106

lellersI.- - t

of ApR lic ulion' . . ' ,

1 m You will hear two business partners discussing a job application which theyhavejust received. Look at the table below, then listen to the cassette and tick theappropriate boxes. Using the notes, say what details the person applyrng for thejob included in the letter of application.

f, cor sotesmon f cor mechonic I corpet fitter

fcegree I lueves Iouevets

I permonent I tempororU f unemptoged

I tetepnone repoirs I tetepnone sotes

I cor mointenonce f ccr sotes

I retiobte I moture I cheerfut

*++

:FeEr*d:e*Ei*sEParagraph 1state reason(s) for writing

ffi*3m #*6aParagraphs 2-3-4-5*education & qualifications,previous experience,personal qualities,suitability

#*n:siq:s*i*;cFinal Paragraph

closing remarks

Full name

* The exact number and divi-sion of paragraphs and theorder of presenting infor'mation will depend on thespecific instructions foreac h I etter-w riti n g tas k.

Job opptied for

Quotificotions

Cunent position

Experience'1

Experience'2

Quotities

Enctosures f,cv f, references f photo

A formal let ter of appl icat ion is wr i t ten when apply ing for a job or a place on aneducat ional course. A job appl icat ion usual ly includes educat ional /professionalqualif ications, details of previous experience as well as the applicant's qualit ies andskills. Previous experience should be presented in a clear order using linking words suchas: cunently, before this, subsequently, prior to this, tollowing, whereupon, etc.

Useful Language: Applying for JobsTo begin letters:

I am writing to apply for the post/position of ... advertised in yesterday's ...I am writing in connection with/with regard to the vacancy in your Sales Department,

as advertised inTheTimes on/of 14th October.

Experience/Qualifications:

I am currently/At present I am employed/working as ...I was employed as (position) by (company)Irom (date)to (date) ...During this time, I held the position of .../was responsible for .../my duties included ...I have received training in .../completed an apprenticeship, etc ...

My qualifications include .../l am presently studying/attending a course ...I am due to take my final examinations in June ...I have/hold/obtained/was awarded a degree/diploma/certificate in ...I hav€ successfully/recently completed a course in (subject) at (place).

To end letters:I enclose/Please find enclosed my CV/references from'...

, I would appreciate a reply at your earliest convenience/as soon as possible.'lwould be available for an interview at any time/0ntil the end of iJuneietc.I would be pleasedihappy to supply you with any further information/details ...Please contact me should you have any further questions/queries.

107

)

|Jnil 7l lellets ol Annlisulion

Read the advertisement, instructions and model below, then look at the

CV on the right. Say which information in the CV has not been includ'

ed in the letter, and why. Finally, suggest alternative beginnings and

endings to this letter.

.'':tins companv'::f'Ti*tllil?l'i,t;15ffi1';Rapidry exn3nli1o 1{l:'Ju;;tr ;andidate shoseas office in Tokyo' TT tu-t::.5.5:,':il;;;

Japanese language' The

i,,;;il;]'s f ggllili ilfixl:l,?'.li 'l,iJfl;;; iinsio ,.ro.ut.applicant tlt-t1l,:^t ?il.oor, incruding a cV ano one photograpl'lt^{lat verY short notlce' All rr

be marked to' t't tntntiot ti ft'f" Ottrn'qT^l-tJd (Personnel Managerl

CFFMarket ing"o' 'ot" tptonRo's ' t t ty 'Tel ' :8219434

You have decided to apply for the job advertised above. write your appli-cation, stating clearly why you think you are suitable for the job'

Dear Mrs Lloyd,I am writing to appty for the position of Marketing Manager in your Tokyo

office, as advertised in last week's Guardian newspaper on 9th October.As outlined in my cuniculum vitae, which I have enclosed, I attended

Riverside Secondary School in Gloucester where I completed my GCSEand'A' Level studies. In 1987, I graduated from the University of'Waleswith a BSc in Business Studies and Marketing.

After graduation, I moved to Tokyo where I trained as a marketresearcher for the Yen Company for two years. 0n my return to England, 'continued working as a market researcher until 1993 when lobtained mypresent position.

I am currently employed as Assistant Managing Director at MeltonEnterprises, where my duties include the organisation of staff and stock,as well as the allocation of budget within the sales department. I am alsoresponsible for overseeing the whole business, and am generally noted formy good organisational and managerial skills.

i delieve that I would be an ideal candidate for the position you have out-lined, as I have had extensive marketing training with a well-known Japanesemarketing and public relations firm. My time spent living in Tokyo alsoensured that I obtained a valuable insight into Japanese culture and workingpractices. I also have a number of very good business contacts in Tokyo, aswell as a basic understanding of the Japanese language which is necessaryif one is to be able to work effectively. Finally, I am willing and able to relo-cate at sholt notice, which I understand to be a requirement of the position.

I enclose my cuniculum vitae and photograph as requested, and I wouldbe happy to supply you with further details should they be required. I thankyou for considering my application and am willing to attend an interview atany time. ' .-

Yours sincerely,Steueo &u1/24Steven Bradley

108

CunntcutuuWrerName: Steven Bradley

Date of Birth: 6 December 1964

Address: 21 ,Tiffen Avenue, Cloucester

Ed ucati o n/Q u al if ication s :1976-1983

Riverside Secondary School, CloucesterCCSEs: Maths, Economics, English,

Computing, History, Polit icalScience, Japanese, AsianStudies

'A'Levels: Maths (B), Economics (B),Ceneral Studies (B),Business Studies (B)

1983-1987B.Sc in Business Studies -University of Wales

Work Experience:Apr i l 1993 - Seot 1997

Assistant Managing Director, MeltonEnterprises, London

Sept 1989 - Apr i l 1993Market Researcher, BLD Services,Oxford

Iune '1987 - Aug 1989Trainee Market Researcher, The yenCompany, Tokyo

Other Information:r Basic Japaneser Full, clean driving l icenceo Interests: sail ing, cooking, jogging,

karate

Referees:Carl Spencer (President)BLD Services2, Downing St,Oxford

Susan Marcus (Managing Director)Melton Enterprises42, St Catherines St,London

" l

3 flt in the gap in each extract with the correct profession as shown in 4the pictures. Then, say what qualities each profession requires.

1 While working as a(n) ......., I had to drive carefully so thatdeliveries were .transported safely and on time. My boss must havebelieved I was reliable and trustworthy to give me a position in which Ihandled goods worth thousands of pounds.

2 There was always complete silence in the operating room as I had toconcentrate on every move I made. When I f irst became a .............-.......,I used to be nervous before an operation but eventually I learned to copewith the stress that came with being responsible for people's l ives.Although I worked long hours and neglected my family sometimes, sav-ing people's l ives was definitely worth the sacrif ice.

3 When I worked as a(n) ... for a major airl ine, I had to getaccustomed to working unsociable hours. As I was in control of a largeaircraft carrying up to 300 passengers, I had to find ways to deal withstress, especially in emergency situations. I realised over the years thatthose who were best at the job were level-headed and able to remaincalm dur ing a cr is is.

4 When I made my living as a(n) .... I had to be alert. I man-aged to be ready even at a minute's notice when a story broke out. Myjob also entailed having good communication skil ls and being innovativeand persistent. I loved the challenge of being the first one to report anew and exciting story.

5 As a(n)invslved being brave as I had to take risks. I was given an award forcourage in 1992 in recognition of my dedication to duty.

6 While working as a(n) ., I looked forward to the chll lengesI faced in proving my clients' innocence. Although it was diff icult to be

' , objective, I always managed not to allow rny.personal feelings to inter-' fere. It was extremely rewarding to win a case and to know that I had

saved an innocent client from prison.

Unil 7l Iellers ol Applicotion

Fill in the correct preposition.

Having lived in Hong Kong for twelveyears, I have a wide knowledg. ....,..the Chinese language.I have a degree ....... Middie Easternpolitics and am fluent ,...... Arabic.I have been a teacher for the pastfifteen years and am very familiar .......the new teaching approach.

4 I am very experienced ....... dealingwith financial crises since I haveworked as a financial advisor for twen-ty years.

5 As an auctioneer, I feel that I haveexperience ....... assessing works of art.

6 Having worked as a foreign minister, Iam an expert......, foreign affairs.

7 As a consultant for the SpecialOlympics Committee, I am wellversed....... the needs of the disabied.

8 I am cuffently employed as a chef andexcel ....... catering for large groups.

5 Collocate the following words andthen explain their meaning. Try toinclude them in your letters.

fu\fi\, hanille, attend, work, have, show,operate, graduate, broaden, gain

1 to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a course2 to. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . in i r iat ive3 to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a word processor4 to. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . one'spotent ia l5 to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . f rom universi ty6 to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . shi f ts7 Io. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . one'shor izons8 to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . an inquir ing mind9 to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . exper ience

1 0 to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . c l ienrs

109

Ll