DAO Writing skills U.. - Delta Publishing

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d This essay will argue that consuming seasonal and local food is only one step towards sustainability. Other factors, such as manufacturing methods, farming methods and transportation, also need to change. e However, changing food consumption habits alone is not enough to create a sustainable world. b Compare your answer with a partner. 4 a Look at the introduction below for this essay question and make a list of its weaknesses. Individual choices have the most impact on sustainability. Discuss. What makes one choice more sustainable than another? For a long time, environmentalists have discussed the role of personal choice and its impact on sustainability. This essay will look at the role of personal choice in sustainability. b Compare your answer with a partner. 5aLook at these thesis statements and decide if they are weak or strong. 1 Some people believe that the world’s population is too big, whereas others do not. 2 To be a successful language learner, motivation is more important than age. 3 In order to assess the impact of bio fuel, we need to consider more factors than simply pollution. 4 Internet shopping is very popular in my country. 5 Encouraging people to be aware of their energy use is one of the best ways to solve the world’s pollution and future energy shortages. 6 There are several disadvantages to studying in the UK, but there are also many advantages. b Compare your answer with a partner. 6aWrite a thesis statement for each of these two essay questions. Improving public transport is key to reducing pollution. Discuss. Each individual’s consumption should be limited by law. To what extent do you agree with this statement? b Evaluate your partner’s thesis statement. Is it strong or weak? 7aThe introduction in Exercise 1 was a student’s introduction to the essay question in Exercise 2. Rewrite it so that it is more suitable. b Compare your introduction with the typical features of introductions listed on page 35. Have you covered these? Study tip Conclusions can be drawn at a number of points in an essay, not just at its end. Often each paragraph will have a concluding sentence. Critical thinking: producing logical arguments – reasons and conclusions 1 Conclusions have a number of functions. In terms of critical thinking, which of these do you think is the best definition of a conclusion? a A summary of the main ideas discussed b A prediction of future events c A drawing-together of arguments, making a reasoned judgement i In some cases, a concluding sentence can be the first sentence of a paragraph, followed by the reasons. However, the most common structure is to: 1 state your position 2 provide your reasons 3 finish with a logical conclusion. It is important that your conclusion logically follows your reasons. 2 Put these words and phrases in the correct column of the table below. first similarly in addition alternatively however on the other hand therefore initially by contrast in the same way this indicates although likewise also it might be argued that as a result it can be inferred it can be deduced even though despite introducing a line supporting a line presenting an concluding of reasoning of reasoning alternative view 3aRead this paragraph and find any weaknesses in the reasoning or language used. Firstly,foodconsumptionlevelsinAmericaaremuchhigherthan thoseinmanyotherpartsoftheworld.Onereasoncouldbethe availability of fast and convenience foods. On the other hand, Americansalsoworkagreaternumberofhoursthanmanyother countries.Inaddition,alackofexerciseresultsinpoordietchoices. Therefore,Americanfoodconsumptionlevelsarelikelytodecrease ifconveniencefoodswerelessavailable. b Rewrite the paragraph so that the argument is more logical. 4aWrite a reasoned and logically concluded paragraph using this topic. Secondly, an increasing reliance on cars is impacting on America’s sustainability. b The paragraph in Exercise 3 and the one you have just written are based on personal opinion. What support would you need to find to strengthen the arguments? 8 Now write a full introduction for each of the essay questions in Exercise 6. 36 4 Sustainability 4 Sustainability 37
Language focus: word formation Using sources: paraphrasing text 1 Look at this article title. What do you think the article will be about? The future of food: A community response to a global problem 2 These are some of the most common content words in the article. Do they relate to your ideas from Exercise 1? active agriculture community concern consumer economic grow involve local more people produce support sustain work 3 The words in bold in Exercise 2 are from the Academic Word List. Complete this table with the different forms of each word. involve sustain verb noun adjective adverb 1 consumer 1 2 2 community 1 economic 2 4 Complete these sentences using words from the table in Exercise 3. 1 levels in Western Europe are much higher than much of Africa. 2 The European Union is one economic and political . 3 To effort over such a long period of time requires dedication. 4 Public is key to the success of the policy. 5 An car can save money and help protect the environment. 5 Write a sentence of your own using each of the words from Exercise 3. Study tip When paraphrasing, try to make notes first and then paraphrase from your notes. You are less likely to plagiarize and will also produce a style that fits well into your normal style of writing. 1 Decide which of these statements about paraphrasing are true (T) and which are false (F). 1 Paraphrasing uses the exact words of the text. 2 Paraphrasing shows how your own ideas have been developed by your reading. 3 Paraphrasing is used because too many direct quotes are not appropriate. 4 Paraphrasing expresses complex ideas in a clear and simple way. 5 Paraphrasing should clearly support the point you are making. 6 Paraphrasing from a book is easier than paraphrasing from your notes. 7 Paraphrasing should copy the style of the original text. 2 Read this statement and decide whether the paraphrase below is suitable. Why? / Why not? Technological improvements such as greater fuel efficiency merely lead to greater consumption of a product – people drive more, for example. Technological advancements such as greater fuel efficiency only lead to increased consumption of a product – people fly more, for example. 3aThis paragraph is difficult to understand and is a good example of text that could be paraphrased. Spend some time with a dictionary and a partner to try to work out its meaning. The eco-efficiency of the economy is improving through ‘dematerialization’, the increased productivity of resource inputs, and the reduction of wastes discharged per unit of output. However, eco-efficiency is not improving fast enough to prevent impacts from rising. b Read this paraphrase of the above paragraph. Match sections of the paraphrase to the original text. The environmental efficiency of the economy is improving in two ways. Firstly, less energy is being used in production; and secondly, less waste is being produced. However, the change is too slow, and the impact is still increasing. 4aRead this text and take notes from it. Prefixes 6 Discuss the meaning of these prefixes with a partner. What words do you know that begin with each of these prefixes? 1 bio– 2 eco– 3 ir– 4 mis– 5 non– 6 over– 7 re– 8 un– 7 Complete each of these sentences using one of the prefixes from Exercise 6. 1 Many -systems in the world are in danger due to human activity. 2 Many people’s level of consumption is sustainable. 3 Agricultural management has caused poor food production levels in some areas. 4 Many countries are populated and cannot sustain their population. 5 cycling is key to reducing consumption. 6 Reducing -diversity means we will eventually become weaker as a planet. 7 Our reliance on -renewable resources needs to change. 8 Many of the effects of pollution are reversible. Levels of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) were once used as the sole means to compare standards of living in different countries. Essentially, this comparison implied that if you had more money, you could consume more and thus have a higher standard of living. Today, the more commonly accepted measure is the HDI (Human Development Index). Whilst this does still take GDP into account, it also considers two other factors. These are the average life expectancy at birth and the average number of years’ education each person recieves. Thus quality of life is not only based on the ability to consume products but also to live a long, healthy and educated life, and consumption of products does not necessarily lead to an increased standard of living. b Look at your partner’s notes. Use the effective note-taking tips in Unit 1 to evaluate your partner’s notes. 8 Write a new sentence using each of the prefixes in Exercise 6. 38 4 Sustainability 4 Sustainability 39
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