Comment und Co Vorschau

B2–C1
Schreibtraining für den Englischunterricht
COMMENT
& Co.
Summarizing Information
and Forming Opinions
In my opinion
• Die Sprachzeitung •
trainingsheft

Table of Contents
LETTERS, E-MAILS, LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Fact File and Guidelines ....... 3
ABITURTHEMA: AMERICAN DREAM
Transcript of Joe Biden’s Speech in Buffalo, New York, May 2022 ....... 5
MEDIATION (SPRACHMITTLUNG) Fact File and Guidelines ....... 11
ABITURTHEMA: SHAKESPEARE
Shakespeare-Sommer in Berlin: Derbe Witze und zarte Liebesränke ....... 12
SUMMARY Fact File and Guidelines ....... 16
ABITURTHEMA: THE UK AND COMMONWEALTH
The Guardian View on the Death of Queen Elizabeth II: The End of an Era ....... 17
DEBATE STATEMENT Fact File and Guidelines ....... 23
ABITURTHEMA: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, UTOPIA AND DYSTOPIA
CRISPR-Cas9 ....... 24
NEWSPAPER ARTICLES Fact File and Guidelines ....... 29
ABITURTHEMA: POSTCOLONIALISM
In Nigeria, Colonial Thinking Affects Everyone. It Is Time We Found New Heroes ....... 29
CARTOON ANALYSIS Fact File and Guidelines ....... 35
ABITURTHEMA: UTOPIA AND DYSTOPIA
Cartoon 1: Climate Change Impacts ....... 36
Cartoon 2: Dystopian Society and Technological Development ....... 39
WRITTEN COMMENT Fact File and Guidelines ....... 40
ABITURTHEMA: GLOBALIZATION
Urban Greening Can Reduce Impact of Global Heating in Cities, Finds Study ....... 41
ANSWER KEY ....... 46
2

LETTERS, E-MAILS,
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
ABITURTHEMA: AMERICAN DREAM
!
A
FACT FILE
letter is a written message sent from one person to
another person or group of people. It can be formal or
informal. There are different kinds of letters: promotion
letters, reference letters, letters to the editor,
thank you letters, resignation letters, cover letters,
etc.
An e-mail (“electronic mail”) is a digitally written
piece of writing sent to a person or group of people in
an electronic way and with the help of an electronic
device. E-mails usually operate across computer networks
(e.g., the Internet) or local networks.
A formal letter (or e-mail) is correspondence
written for a professional, business, or academic
reason. You avoid colloquial language and keep to a
certain professional style of writing. Formal letters
are usually written in block style with spaces between
the paragraphs.
An informal letter (or e-mail) is correspondence
written between friends, family, relatives, or people
you know very well. It is often very personal and
sometimes even colloquial.
A letter to the editor (“Leserbrief”) is a letter sent
to a publication (e.g., newspaper, magazine, journal)
about an issue of concern to the reader. A letter to the
editor is usually written to express support, critique,
or to comment on a certain issue or subject.
GUIDELINES FOR WRITING A FORMAL LETTER OR E-MAIL
A written formal letter (or formal e-mail) is a very important piece of writing.
A “letter to the editor” is an example of a formal letter.
Avoid colloquial English, and try to be as formal and polite as possible. Use paragraphs in block style,
and follow the steps below to write a convincing formal letter.
1 Write the contact information (or e-mail address) and date.
2 Write the salutation – salutations use capitalization and end in a comma.
3 Write the body – formal letters are straightforward and direct. Try to get straight to the main idea. Focus
on important information and a good structure.
4 Write a complimentary closing – finish your letter with a complimentary closing and your signature.
Make sure that you proofread your letter to check grammar and spelling.
GUIDELINES FOR WRITING AN INFORMAL LETTER OR E-MAIL
An informal letter (or e-mail) is more casual than a formal letter. You usually write informally to
a friend, family member, or acquaintance.
1 Write the date.
2 Write the salutation – you can start with a polite, friendly, and informal greeting,
like “Dear …” or “Hi/Hello!” End your salutation with a comma.
3 Write the body – informal letters focus on personal interests, feelings, or just share (personal)
news to keep in touch. You are even free to include colloquial language or slang.
4 Write a closing – finish your letter with a conventional or sentimental closing and your signature.
Make sure that you proofread your letter to check grammar and spelling.
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Letters, E-mails, Letters to the Editor
Useful Words and Phrases for Letters and E-mails
Salutation
Dear …,
Dear all,
Hello!
Hi!
Dear Mr. Brown,
To Whom It May Concern,
To the Editor,
Introductory Phrases
Referring to your letter, …
I was delighted to get your letter …
It was good to hear from you …
How are you? I hope you are well …
I was really pleased that …
Body of Your Letter
Firstly, …
To begin with, …
It has been said/proven/discussed/clarified …
I suppose/regret/agree with/assume that …
I am certain that …
If necessary …
It seems …
On the one hand, …. On the other hand, …
Complimentary Closing
Best wishes,
Kind regards,
Sincerely,
Yours faithfully,
All the best,
Love,
Take care!
Connectives to Structure
Your Letter
firstly/secondly/thirdly …
lastly
consequently
due to
because
although
since
therefore
in conclusion
to summarize
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Letters, E-mails, Letters to the Editor
Task
Background Information
In May 2022, a mass shooting occurred in Buffalo, New York. Ten people (mostly African Americans) were
murdered by 18-year-old Payton S Gendron, who also livestreamed parts of the attack. The 18-year-old wrote
a manifesto in which he described himself as an ethno-nationalist who supported white supremacy and who
wanted to commit political violence.
Write a formal letter to the White House that refers to Joe Biden’s speech and expresses your
concern about both the mass shooting in Buffalo and US gun laws.
Transcript of Joe Biden’s Speech in Buffalo,
New York, May 2022
1 … OUR NATION’Sstrength has always come from
the idea – it’s going to sound corny, but think about it –
what’s the idea of our nation? That we’re all children of
God. All children – life, liberty. Our universal goods, gifts
of God. We didn’t get it from the government. We got it
because we exist. We were called upon to defend them. …
2 Look, I’m not naïve. I know tragedy will come again. It
cannot be forever overcome. It cannot be fully understood
either. But there are certain things we can do. We can keep
assault weapons off our streets. 1 We’ve done it before. I did
it when I passed the crime bill last time, and violence went
down. Shootings went down. …
3 Look, the American experiment in democracy is in a
danger like it hasn’t been in my lifetime. It’s in danger this
hour. Hate and fear are being given too much oxygen by
those who pretend to love America but who don’t understand
America. To confront the ideology of hate requires
caring about all people. Not making distinctions. … seeing
that we’re all part of the divine.
4 … – look, we are the most multiracial, most dynamic
nation in the history of the world. Now is the time for the
people of all races, from every background, to speak up as
a majority in America and reject white supremacy. These
actions we’ve seen in these hate-filled attacks represent
the views of a hate-filled minority.
5 We can’t allow them to distort America. The real
Ameri ca. We can’t allow them to destroy the soul of the
nation. …
President Biden gives a speech in Buffalo, New York,
just days after a gunman killed ten people at a
Buffalo grocery store.| Photo: David Maxwell/EPA/
Picture Alliance
6 We have to refuse to live in a country where Black
people going about a weekly grocery shopping can be
gunned down by weapons of war deployed in a racist
cause.
7 We have to refuse to live in a country where fear and
lies are packaged for power and for profit.
8 We must all enlist in this great cause of America.
9 This is work that requires all of us. Presidents, politicians,
commentators, citizens. None of us can stay on
the sidelines. We have to resolve that here in Buffalo, that
from the tragedy, this tragedy, will come hope and light
and life. It has to. …
1
Semi-automatic and automatic weapons have a high fire rate and are usually only used in war.
corny kitschig; abgedroschen — crime bill Gesetz zur Verbrechensbekämpfung (b. Gesetzentwurf) —
distinction Unterschied — white supremacy rassistische Ideologie, nach der Weiße anderen Menschen
überlegen sind (s. Vorherrschaft) — to distort verzerren; entstellen
Source: The White House. “Remarks by President Biden and First Lady Biden Honoring the Lives Lost in Buffalo,
New York, and Calling on All Americans to Condemn White Supremacy.“ Delvan Grider Community Center, Buffalo,
New York. May 17, 2023. <https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2022/05/17/remarksby-president-biden-and-first-lady-biden-honoring-the-lives-lost-in-buffalo-new-york-and-calling-on-all-americansto-condemn-white-supremacy/>
accessed June 9, 2023.
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5

Letters, E-mails, Letters to the Editor
Step 1 Pre-writing
Before writing a formal letter on an important or recent issue, you should remember to think about
three important questions:
— Who is my addressee?
— What is the intention or purpose of my letter?
— Which style of writing is appropriate to use?
1. Read through the speech extract, and look up the words and phrases that you do not know.
The annotations under the text might help you.
2. Now read the speech extract again to get a more detailed view on it so that you can decide
whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F).
Statements T F
a) Joe Biden values God as the real founder of America.
b) America could have a future without assault weapons.
c) People who don’t truly understand democracy don’t understand America.
d) Biden does not want white supremacists to endanger his country.
e) The President emphasizes the importance of American politicians and commentators.
3. Match the following words from the text with their correct definitions.
a) government (para. 1)
A law that punishes criminal behavior, in this case related to weapons
b) naïve (para. 2)
B
dominance, authority, superiority driven by power
c) crime bill (para. 2)
d) ideology (para. 3)
C concepts or beliefs (often political) that guide individuals or institutions
D having or showing immaturity or a lack of experience
e) supremacy (para. 4)
E
organization or system that has the authority to govern or rule a
state or nation
a) b) c) d) e)
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Letters, E-mails, Letters to the Editor
Step 2 Writing
Writing a letter or an e-mail to the editor is a good way to express your opinion on various topics.
It is also used in many English class tests as “Aufgabe 3” (re-creation of text) in the tasks “Write a letter to the
editor expressing your opinion/concern ...” or “Comment on ….”
A formal letter has a general format that usually looks like the example below.
The format may vary slightly depending on the purpose of the letter or particular style preferences.
(The parts in the square brackets are optional.)
Your name
Your address
Jonathan Mustermann
Principal of Buffalo Primary School
32 Cliff Road
Buffalo, New York
[Your phone number]
[Your e-mail address]
Date April 1, 2022
Name of the recipient ...
Job title or position of the recipient ...
Company name
Address
Subject: Sample letter ...
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W
Washington, DC 20500
Salutation Dear . . . ,
Introductory sentence Referring . . .
Body of letter ...
Closing
Your signature
Your name
Sincerely,
Jonathan Mustermann
Jonathan Mustermann
Principal of Buffalo Primary School
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Letters, E-mails, Letters to the Editor
Step 3 Writing a Formal Letter or E-mail
To write a perfect letter or e-mail, it is very important to have a good structure.
The following steps and useful phrases will help you.
Parts of Your Letter
or E-mail
What you need to do …
1
Contact Information
— Write your name, contact information, and the date at the top of the page.
See the example format on page 7.
— Write the name and contact information of the person who will receive
the letter.
2
Salutation and
Introduction
— Choose the salutation that will best fit the addressee of your letter:
Dear Mr …, / Dear Ms …,
Dear Sir or Madam,
To Whom It May Concern,
3
Body of Your Letter
— When writing the body of your formal letter, remember to be brief and focus
on the major points.
— Make sure that you avoid contractions.
— Use paragraphs to organize the structure and the different parts of your letter.
— Use passive constructions to make your letter more formal.
— Proofread your letter while focusing on …
• spelling.
• use of tenses.
• use of complex sentences to make your formal letter sound more professional.
• useful phrases to structure your letter.
4
Complimentary
Closing
— End your letter with a complimentary closing.
— Sign your letter. Make sure that you leave enough space for your signature
between the end of your letter and your name.
— Choose a good closing to finish your letter, and remember to put a comma
after your closing:
Sincerely,
Best wishes,
Thank you,
Respectfully,
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Letters, E-mails, Letters to the Editor
Focus on Contact Information and Salutation and Introduction
Checklist for 1
and 2
Make sure that you …
Preparation
decide on either a formal or informal tone.
find the correct addressee and the necessary contact information.
take notes on the purpose of your letter.
Salutation
use an appropriate salutation.
address the person who will receive the letter in a formal and correct way.
Introduction
start your introduction by referring to the topic of your letter.
make your introduction interesting and informative.
try to catch your reader’s attention.
Focus on
Language
avoid colloquial language.
use paragraphs.
avoid
contractions, abbreviations, and symbols in your formal letter
(for example, she’s, don’t, e.g., i.e., &).
4. Begin writing the draft of your letter. Write down your salutation and introduction first.
Focus on Body of Your Letter and Complimentary Closing
Checklist for 3
and 4
Make sure that …
Body
the body of your letter is structured in paragraphs.
your first paragraph includes the aim or purpose of your letter.
the
second (and maybe third) paragraph refers to relevant background
information and explains the major reason that you are writing your letter.
Complimentary
Closing
you use an appropriate closing.
the
reader can read your handwriting and signature and you avoid informal
language and contractions (for example, I’m, you’re, etc.).
Focus on
Language
you avoid colloquial language.
you use paragraphs.
you
avoid contractions, abbreviations, and symbols in your formal letter
(for example, she’s, don’t, e.g., i.e., &).
5. Now you can write the body and complimentary closing for your letter.
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9

Letters, E-mails, Letters to the Editor
Step 4 Post-writing
To check your letter or your partner’s work, you can use the following checklist.
Parts of Your Formal Letter
or E-Mail
You have … / Your partner has …
Contact Information and
Salutation
written your (or his or her) name on top of the letter.
written the contact information at the top of the page.
chosen an appropriate salutation.
Introduction
stated the purpose of the letter.
Main Part or Body
structured the letter into various parts (paragraphs).
focused on major points.
written the letter precisely and concisely.
used formal language without contractions.
proofread the letter to avoid mistakes (grammar, spelling).
Ending and Complimentary
Closing
briefly restated the purpose of the letter.
ended the letter with a complimentary closing.
signed the letter.
Focus on Language
checked spelling.
avoided contractions, abbreviations, and symbols.
chosen the right tense.
used formal language.
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