Part3 excursionsintorussianandamericanhistory.doc

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МИНИСТЕРСТВО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ И НАУКИ РОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ ____________________________ ФЕДЕРАЛЬНОЕ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОЕ БЮДЖЕТНОЕ ОБРАЗОВАТЕЛЬНОЕ УЧРЕЖДЕНИЕ ВЫСШЕГО ПРОФЕССИОНАЛЬНОГО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ ДЛЯ ИНВАЛИДОВ С НАРУШЕНИЕМ ОПОРНО-ДВИГАТЕЛЬНОЙ СИСТЕМЫ МОСКОВСКИЙ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ ГУМАНИТАРНО-ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКИЙ ИНСТИТУТ Excursions into Russian and American History in Writing and Stories by Edward Fadeev and Svetlana Bogatyreva Writing Skills

Transcript of Part3 excursionsintorussianandamericanhistory.doc

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МИНИСТЕРСТВО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ И НАУКИРОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ

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ФЕДЕРАЛЬНОЕ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОЕ БЮДЖЕТНОЕ ОБРАЗОВАТЕЛЬНОЕ УЧРЕЖДЕНИЕ

ВЫСШЕГО ПРОФЕССИОНАЛЬНОГО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯДЛЯ ИНВАЛИДОВ С НАРУШЕНИЕМ ОПОРНО-ДВИГАТЕЛЬНОЙ СИСТЕМЫ

МОСКОВСКИЙ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙГУМАНИТАРНО-ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКИЙ ИНСТИТУТ

Excursions into Russian and American History in Writing and Stories

by Edward Fadeev and Svetlana Bogatyreva

Writing Skills

Moscow – 2015

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Excursions into Russian and American History in Writing and Stories, Writing Skills, is a third part of a comprehensive rhetoric and sentence structure textbook/workbook for high-intermediate English language learners who are in college. This book teaches writing in a straightforward manner, using a step-by-step approach. Clear, relevant models illustrate each step, and varied practices reinforce each lesson.

The first part of the book provides a quick review of importance of proper vocabulary activity. The second unit shows some useful aspects and practices in describing people. The third unit informs on descriptive composition and variety of proper ways to organize it. The following units 4 and 5 provide students with necessary points regarding principles in paragraph structuring and types of writing. These units offer comprehensive chapters on process, cause/effect, comparison/contrast, and argumentative essays. Sentence structure, with special emphasis on subordinated structures, is taught in the third part of tire book.

The course introduces students with varieties of personal and official letters, which can play a vital role in improving writing skills.

Throughout the book, models and practices feature general academic and historic topics that are timely and relevant to students living in a rapidly changing world. In addition, readings from current, real-world publications conclude the chapters on different essay forms. Most chapters offer a variety of writing assignments, and each chapter ends with a review of the main teaching points.

Appendices explain the writing process; give punctuation rules; show charts of connecting words, transition signals, and editing symbols; and teach students basic research and documentation skills. Self-editing and peer-editing worksheets and model scoring rubrics are also provided. References to the appendices appear within the chapters where students are likely to benefit most from using this material.

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To the StudentWriting is a very important part of your university study. Yon will write assignments that may

range from one paragraph to several pages long, and will write answers on tests and exams that may be a few sentences long or a complete essay.

Academic writing in English may he different not only from academic writing in your own language, but even from other writing in English. The purpose of this textbook is to help you recognise and produce the sort of writing that you will do for your university courses.

During this course, you will have many opportunities to .study and discuss examples of English academic writing. Naturally, you will also have many opportunities to discuss your own academic writing and the writing of your classmates. You will learn how important the reader is to the writer, and how to express clearly and directly what you mean to communicate. We hope that what you learn in this course will help you throughout your academic studies and beyond.

You should come to your writing class every day with energy and a willingness to work and learn. Your teacher and your classmates have a lot to share with you, and you have a lot to share with them. By coming to class with your questions, taking chances and trying new ways, and expressing your ideas in another language, you will add not only to your own English world but to the world of those around you. Good luck!

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CONTENTS

UNIT ONE. BUILDING YOUR VOCABULARY

UNIT TWO. DESCRIBING PEOPLE 2.1. Describing People Appearance

2.2. Describing People Character

UNIT THREE. DESCRIPTIVE COMPOSITION

UNIT FOUR. PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE

UNIT FIVE. PARTS OF A PARAGRAPH 5.1. Describing of process 5.2. Cause and Effect in essays 5.3. Comparison and Contrast 5.4. Argumentative essays

UNIT SIX. TYPES OF WRITING

UNIT SEVEN. LETTER WRITING

VISUAL MATERIALS FOR DESCRIPTION

APPENDIX 1. PUNCTUATION

APPENDIX 2. SIGNS OF THE ZODIAC

APPENDIX 3. FILLING OUT FORMS AND PRACTICE IN VOICE PRESENTATIONS

APPENDIX 4. PERSONAL VIGNETTES

APPENDIX 5. FILLING OUT OF A FORM (APPLICATION)

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INTRODUCTION

The six steps of the writing process

Read about the writing process. These are major steps, which you will practice in this book.

Process writing

When we write, we do more than just put words together to make sentences. Good writers go through several steps to produce a piece of writing.

PRE-WRITING ACTIVITY: GETTING READY TO WRITE.

STEP ONE: Choose a topic.

STEP TWO: GATHER IDEAS ON TOPIC. When you have decided on a topic, take some time and think over what exactly you will write about that topic.

STEP THREE: ORGANISE. Make up your mind on which ideas you want to use and where you want to use them. Choose ideas to write about first, and what you will write next, and what exactly you will write last.

DRAFTING YOUR WRITING

STEP FOUR: WRITE. Write your paragraph or essay from start to finish. Use your notes.

REVIEWING AND REVISING

STEP FIVE: Review structure and content of your writing. Check what you have written. Look at places where you can add some more information.

REWRITING

STEP SIX: Revise structure and content. Rewrite your text making necessary improvements to the structure and context. Make your writing more logical and coherent

What is pre-writing? Gather ideas you want to describe; Edit these ideas and putting them in logical or chronological order;

Before you begin writing, you must decide what exactly you are going to write about. Then you plan what you will write. This process is called pre-writing.

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CHOOSING AND NARROWING A TOPIC

How to choose a topic for a paragraph

A paragraph is a group of five to ten sentences that give in format on about a topic. Before you write, you must choose a topic for your paragraph.

• Choose a topic that isn't too narrow (limited. brief). A narrow topic will not have enough ideas to write about. The ages of my brothers and sisters is too narrow. You can not write very much about it.

• Choose a topic that isn't too broad (genera)). A broad topic: will have too many ideas for just one paragraph. Most paragraphs are five to ten sentences long. A topic Schools is too general. There are thousands of things you can say about it. A narrower topic Specialized English School in my neighborhood is general and more specific. A student could narrow this topic bv choosing one aspect of schools to discuss. For instance, secondary schools in my country, popular school, dubs university, entrance exams and etc.

Choose three topics from this list. Narrow each of the three down. Then compare with a partner. a. festivalsb. friendsc. my countryd. dancinge. cars

Brainstorming

What is brainstorming?

Brainstorming is a way of gathering ideas about a topic. Think of a storm: thousands of drops of rain, coming down together. Now. imagine thousands of ideas 'raining' down onto your paper! When you brainstorm, write down every idea that comes to you. Don’t worry now about whether the ideas are good or silly, useful or not. You can decide a draft later. Right now, you are gathering as many ideas as you can.

You will learn three types of brainstorming in this unit. They are: making a list, free writing, and mapping.

Making a list

Write single words, phrases, or sentences that are connected to your topic. Look at this list and made when brainstorming ideas to write about her topic, 'What should I study at university?'

History — chronological facts about the past; mathematics (too difficult, not interesting?) What job do I have later? English for work? Travel? Writing?

Work with a partner or small group. Choose one of these topics. List as many ideas as you can in five minutes.

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a. teenage fashions; b. things to do on the beach; c. driving a motorbike;

Free Writing

When you free write, you write whatever is in your head about your topic, without stopping. Most free writing exercises are short—just five от ten minutes.

Free writing helps you practice fluency (writing quickly and easily). When you free write, you do not need to worry about accuracy (having correct grammar and spelling). Do not check your dictionary when you free write. Do not stop if you make a mistake. Just keep writing!

Here is an example of a student’s free writing:

There are so many subjects to study at university; it is difficult to choose just one. I have always had A and B grades in math, but the problem is that I do not like it very much. I also do not like physics or other exact subjects. Writing? Yes, I have always liked writing. Would journalism be a good job for me in the future? Newspapers also have many pictures, so maybe photography will be good for me.

Notice how the writer’s ideas jump around. When she makes a mistake, she just crosses it out and continues writing. One thought leads to another (journalism) and then to another {photography). There are some details that are not exactly should be written about. However, that is OK in free writing. You want to get as many ideas on paper as you can. You can take out all unnecessary words and sentences later.

Choose one of the narrowed down topics you thought of for exercise 1 on page 5. Practice in free writing for live minutes. Remember, do not stop, erase, or go back. Just write as much as you can.

Mapping

То make а map, use a whole piece of paper, and write your topic: in the middle, with a circle around it. Then put. next idea in a circle above or below your topic, and connect the circles with lines. The lines show that the two ideas are related.The example below shows а map of ‘What should I study at university?’ The writer connected favorite subjects to the main idea. Art and English arc connected to favorite subjects to show that they are related.

What should I study Favorite subject English It is good for a job. It is also good for travels.

EditingHow to edit

After you have gathered plenty of ideas, you will need to go back and edit them. This is the time to choose which ideas are the most interesting, and which are the most relevant to (important or necessary for) your topic. Of course, you can still add some new ideas if you think

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of something else while you are re-reading your list. For example, the student writing ‘What should I study in college?' edited her list like this: English for work? Travel? Writing? It is important in many subjects.

Not related.

If you believe that some of your ideas are not related, you can just cross out circles or add new ones.

Unit One. Building Your Vocabulary

Working on your vocabulary is considered to be one of the most important aspects in developing of your writing skills. First of all, a writer should determine an audience which will be using your piece of writing and determine a kind of vocabulary which you need to use.

If you use formal language, it may be useful because you wish to show respect, politeness, or to put yourself at a distance (for example, ‘official’ language). Informal language can show your friendliness, equality or a feeling of closeness and solidarity with someone. You should never use informal language just to sound fluent or clever.

There are basically three kinds of formality that can be seen as follows:

Very formal Neutral Very informal Offspring Residence

Children A flat, a house

Kids Place

Informal words are often short and monosyllabic, and they often include slang words. For example: That black and white set (television) cost me ten quids (pounds). My junk (falling in pieces) car is heavy on petrol. (much-petrol consuming).

On the other side, formal vocabulary is commonly used in official papers, notices, instructions. for example, The Driver should not be addressed unless the bus is stationary.

Formal Words

The three passages below are written in formal English. They contain words and structures which are often found in notices, regulations and formal letters but which are not common in ordinary everyday conversation.

Exercise № 1. Put each of the following formal words in its correct place in the notice below.

Enquire, produce, facilitate, stating, seek, obligatory, attend , admitted , leave

ALL COLLEGE STUDENTSIf you wish to obtain a certificate of registration, you will be required to (a) … your admission slip. A note from your teacher (b) …that you (c) … your class regularly is not (d) … but will greatly (e) … matters. If you (f) … advice, please (g) … at the office. Overseas students should be aware that students are (h) … to the college only on condition that they have obtained (i) … to study from the Home Office.

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Exercise № 2. Put each of the following words or phrases in its correct place in the passage below.

Provide, prior, notify, in possession of, additional, further, desire, in excess of, held , retain, locations , terminating

Conditions of Car Rental

Drivers must have (a)… a valid driving license for a minimum of three years. Overseas visitors should be (b) …a British or International license. Cars rented from our London office may only be returned to our other offices (Manchester, Bristol, and Oxford) by (c) … arrangement and on payment of an (d) …charge. If a driver fails to return a car to us by one week after the agreed (e) …date, we will be obliged to inform the police. Special rates are available for periods (f) … three months. Drivers who (g) ….to (h) ….the car for a longer duration should (i) …. the company as soon as possible. We also have offices at a number of (j)…. in Scotland. Our London office will be pleased to (k) ….(l) ….details.

Exercise № 3. Instructions as above.

funds , commencement, ensure, in duration, commences, departs, requested, prior to, undertake, assist, attire,

appropriate

Make the following phrases more formal by replacing each word or phrase in italics with a word or phrase from one of the groups in the above three exercises. In some cases, it is necessary to make a small change in, or addition to, the words or phrases, e.g., the train leaves at 07.15 or the train departs at 07.15

A TOUR OF NORTHERN SHREWSBURY

The tour is fifteen days (a) … and (b) … on Saturday 12 June, when our luxurious coach (c) … from our London office. The price, which should be paid at least 10 days (d) … the (e) … of the tour, is inclusive of all transport, meals and accommodation, but travellers should (f) … that they take with them adequate (g) … for extra expenses. In the event of the cancellation of the tour we (h) … to refund the complete amount paid. The tour group will be accompanied by a courier, who will (i) … members of the group at all times. Travelers are (j) … to wear (k) … (l) … for visits to churches and other holy places.

Slang and Colloquial Words

Slang is vocabulary which is used in very informal spoken language but not considered good in formal ‘correct’ English. For example, a slang word for ‘thank you’ is ‘ta’ and a slang word for ‘mad’ is ‘nuts’.

Exercise № 4. The slang words in the sentences below are printed in italics. Replace each slang word with a word or phrase from the following list,

made friend, television, policeman , discarded, nuisance, pound(s), cigarettes, alcohol, prison, without money

1 He smokes 30 fags a day. Too many!

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2 He drinks a lot. He must spend twenty quid a week on booze.3 He thought his meal was overcooked. When the waiter brought his bill he kicked up a fuss

and would not pay.4 I lost £500 at a casino last night. I’m absolutely skint. 5 My mate stole a car. Now he’s in the nick.6 She got bored with her boyfriend and ditched him.7 There’s a good film on the box tonight, but I've got to go out. What a dragI8 I wouldn't like to be a copper directing traffic in the street in this bad weather.

Colloquial words are words, which are quite acceptable in spoken English but not in written English (except in informal letters to friends etc.). For example, we might say, ‘He’s a nice chap,' but we would probably write, 'He is a pleasant man.' (The line between slang and colloquial words is not at all clear and many words considered colloquial by some people would be considered slang by others.)

Exercise № 5. The colloquial words in the sentences below are printed in italics. Replace each colloquial word with a word or phrase from the following list.

Drunk, very good, child, short sleep, bicycle dismiss, joking, without money, toilet, possessions, newspaper, upper class

(a) Her boss said he would sack her if she was late again.(b) There’s a super film on at the pictures this week.(c) He made a lot of money and now he lives in a very posh district.(d) When I was a kid I went everywhere by bike.(e) My grandfather usually has a snooze after lunch.(f) Did you really find £50, or are you kidding?(g) She lives in just one room and has to share a kitchen, bathroom and loo with the other

people in the house.(h) I’m broke. Can you lend me some money?(i) I’m afraid I drank too much and got a bit merry.(j) You can’t believe everything you read in the paper.(k) She’s very untidy. She leaves her stuff lying all over the place.

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American Words

Exercise № 6. The American words in the sentences below are printed in italics. Replace each American word or phrase with a British word or phrase from the following list.

Fail, rise, chemist, caretaker, playing truant, fiat, railway timetable, tap, nappies, holidays, ordinary uniformed policeman,

bill, pavement, trousers, saloon car, postman, post

(a) His mother thought he was at school but in fact he was playing hookey. He’ll probably flunk his exams.

(b) The kitchen faucet in my apartment isn’t working. I’ll tell the janitor. He’ll get it fixed.(c) Blue-collar workers are asking for a pay-hike and longer paid vacations.(d) The dog attacked the mailman and tore his pants.(e) Do you have a railroad schedule? I want an early train for Chicago tomorrow.(f) A patrolman reported a light-blue sedan parked right across the sidewalk on 3rd Street.(g) She has a little baby so she has to make regular visits to the drugstore to buy diapers.(h) When the waiter handed me the check after the meal, I found that I had no money!(i) How much does it cost to mail a letter to Australia?

Exercise № 7. Replace cursive American words with common English words.

Petrol, jam, specialize (university studies), garden, windscreen, lift, underground, cinema, university, queue, maths

(mathematics), shops sweets, rubbish, note, petrol station, autumn, secondary school, ground floor

(a) We had to stand in line at the movie-theater last night.(b) Our back yard looks lovely in the fail. The leaves on the trees turn brown and red.

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(c) He wants to major in math at college when he leaves high school.(d) When you stop for gas at a gas station, they sometimes clean your windshield.(e) We had to buy a lot at the stores, then we took the subway home.(f) The elevator’s broken down again, but it doesn’t matter. We live on the first floor.(g) She likes candy, and bread and butter with jelly on it. They’re bad for her teeth,(h) The only money I have is a twenty dollar bill.(i) in this district they only collect the garbage once a week.

Exercise № 8. Make up a list of most commonly used stores in your neighbouhood area. Then define them by using proper adjectives and compound nouns like in the model.

Model: There’s just one ironmonger store in my neighbouhood. It’s rather close situated to my block of flats, just four hundred yards south-east from my flat. I suppose it’s quite useful when I need to buy some kinds of nails, screws or wall-plaster for renovation of my flat.

Exercise № 9. Make up a list of your kinsmen or friends and characterize them by using appropriate adjectives and compound nouns as shown in the model.

Model: There’re just three close people of our family who are my uncle Andrew, an aunt Stephanie and their only son Jacob. Andrew is a curly-haired, sun-tanned, blue-eyed and muscular man in his early forties. He’s a well-educated and Moscow bred intelligent.

Unit 2. Describing People

Describing people is definitely required in all spheres of common and business life. Read the following words, and study this vocabulary, which can be used in describing people. Finally, use these words and describe persons.

1. Efficient = (industrious) эффективный, умелый, квалифицированный. She is very efficient in reducing waste. A solution is said to be efficient in solving illegal immigration.

2. Diligent = прилежный, старательный, исполнительный. He was a diligent student, working day and night.

3. Open-hearted = (frank) открытый, чистосердечный, откровенный. 4. Well-read = начитанный 2) (in) сведущий в (чём-л.) well-read in history. He is well-

read in English literature. 5. Thoughtful = (considerate) заботливый, чуткий, внимательный; thoughtful of his co-

workers It was very thoughtful of you to bring flowers. 6. Sophisticated = утончённый, рафинированный, изысканный a sophisticated lifestyle,

sophisticated modern tastes, sophisticated wines.

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7. Decisive = (resolute) решающий, имеющий решающее значение, a decisive battle, a decisive role, a decisive step.

8. Resilient = (elastic, cheerful) пружинистый, упругий, жизнерадостный, неунывающий

Exercise № 10. Give degrees of comparison of the following words if possible,

I. angry, brave, bad, convenient, dry, dead, final, good, heavy, narrow, perfect, Persian, right (left), square, important, white, yellow, unique, littleII. absent-minded, easy-going, fine-looking, good-natured, high-flown, high-heeled, kind-hearted, much-spoken, narrow-minded, old-fashioned, strong-willed, well-bred

Exercise № 11. Put the adjectives in the correct order.1. Cycling is a(n).... activity, (useful, outdoor, popular) 2. Now I'm reading a.... novel, (depressing, long, boring) 3. He had a.... alarm clock, (digital, new, useful) 4. Have you heard of this.... invention? (Japanese, fantastic, new) 5. This family rents a.... house, (furnished, large, old) 6. I've just bought a(n).... table, (beautiful, coffee, glass, oval) 7. Robert's is the.... car. (red, Italian, big) 8. Our students are using .... dictionaries.(English, reliable, new, complete) 9. There was a .... carpet on the floor, (soft, wonderful, woollen, Persian) 10. Andy gave Rosie a.... box. (jewellery, velvet, small, square) 11. Stratford is a.... town, (nice, small, quiet) 12. There are a lot of........pans in the shops, (frying, Tefal, non-stick, brand-new, French-made)

Exercise № 12. Translate these sentences in black and white.

1. Она самая решительная из всей своей компании, она легка на подъем. 2. Мы сожалеем о том, что они были такими рассеянными. 3. Москва – довольно жизнерадостный город, хотя и очень дорогой. 4. Наш вице-президент – очень ограниченный менеджер. 5. Мне бы хотелось, чтобы вы были откровенны со мной. 6. Это важный момент в деятельности нашей компании. Он широко обсуждается в прессе. 7. Московский государственный гуманитарно-экономический университет является квалифицированным и достойным учебным заведением России. 8. Наши преподаватели делают все возможное, чтобы развивать и совершенствовать молодое и патриотичное поколение России. 9. Его мать была удивительно чуткой и в тоже время решительной женщиной. 10. На деловых встречах он был мастером давать задания, однако в семейной жизни он их постоянно исполнял по воле своих несовершеннолетних детей.

Practice bank. Look at the following pictures and describe them in black and white. While describing pictures, pay attention not only appearance and clothes, but put a suitable title to your description. Be creative!

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Now, you can present these descriptions verbally to your classmates!

2.1 Describing people - appearance

Most definitely, it is simply impossible to describe anyone without giving some portrait characteristics and appearance. Let’s study proper vocabulary which we shall need to describe people.

Chunky Muscular

Obese slim

Hair: straight hair, curly hair, wavy hair, a crew-cut, receding hair, bald Face: thin-faced, round-faced, with a chubby face, with freckles, a few wrinkles, beard, moustache Skin: dark skinned; pale-skinned

He used to have black hair but now its gone grey, almost white. What sort of person would you like to go out with? Blonde, fair, dark or ginger-haired, red-haired? She has such beautiful auburn hair. [red-brown] Fair and dark can be used for hair, complexion or skin.

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Height and build

A rather plump, or a slim woman, an obese person (negative), a stout man [positive] Fat may sound impolite. Instead we often say a bit overweight. If someone is broad and solid, we can say they are stocky. A person with good muscles can be well-built or muscular. If someone is terribly thin and refuses to eat, they may be anorexic.

General appearance

She's a very smart and elegant woman, always well-dressed; her husband is quite the opposite, very scruffy and untidy-looking. He’s very good-looking, but his friend's rather unattractive. Do you think beautiful women are always attracted to handsome men? I don't. I think first impressions matter most.

The suffix -ish is useful for describing people: She's tallish. He has brownish hair. He must be thirtyish.

Translate these expressions:

1. тучный мужчина и полная женщина, 2. Немного полноватый слесарь 3. Довольно высокая секретарша 4. Хорошо сложенный жених 5. Коренастый пожарник 6. Страдающий отсутствием аппетита инженер 7. Ей должно быть около сорока лет.

There is a great variety of suffixes, which can help to enlarge active vocabulary.

-er - is used for the person who does an activity, e.g. writer, worker, shopper, teacher. You can use -er with a wide range of verbs to make them into nouns.Sometimes, the suffix is written as -or instead of -er. It is worth making a special list of these as you meet them, e.g. actor, operator, sailor, supervisor.-er/-or are also used for things which do a particular job, e.g. pencil-sharpener, bottle- opener, grater, projector.-er and -ее can contrast with each other meaning ‘person who does something.’ (-er) and ‘person who receives or experiences the action’ (-ее), e.g. employer/employee, sender/addressee, payee (e.g. of a cheque).-(t)ion - is used to make nouns from verbs: complication pollution reduction alteration donation admission-ist [person] and -ism [activity or ideology]: used for people’s politics, beliefs and ideologies, and sometimes their profession (compare with -er/-or professions above), e.g. Marxism, Buddhism, journalism, anarchist, physicist, terrorist.-ist - is also often used for people who play musical instruments, e.g. pianist, violinist, cellist. -ness is used to make nouns from adjectives. Note what happens to adjectives that end in -y: goodness, readiness, forgetfulness, happiness, sadness, weakness.

Translate in English:

Скрипач, пианист, виолончелист, эскапист, аналитик, физиотерапевт, врач, регбист.

Adjective suffix

-able/-ible - with verbs, means ‘can be done’. Drinkable, washable, readable, recognizable, countable. Examples with -ible: edible (can be eaten) flexible (can be bent)

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Try to describe these pictures paying attention on general appearance and use one idiomatic expression, which would specify the character best.

Some idiomatic expressions describing appearance:

1. wear the trousers = a partner in a couple who wears the trousers is the one who makes all the important decisions. Eg. The salesman hesitated before the couple. It was difficult to see who wore the trousers. 2. dressed to kill = somebody who is wearing very fashionable and glamorous clothes intended to attract attention. Eg. She arrived at the reception dressed to kill. 3. Face only a mother could love = a humoristic way of saying that someone is ugly or unattractive. Eg. The poor guy had a face only a mother could love. 4. look like a million dollars = you look extremely good. Eg. With a tan and a new hairstyle she looked a million dollars. 5. (all) skin and bone = people who look very thin or too thin. Eg. After tracking in the Himalayas, he was all skin and bone.

Exercise № 13. Use every idiomatic expression in 2 sentences of your own describing anyone you want.

Exercise № 14. Answer these remarks with the opposite description.

Example: A: I thought you said he was the short, chubby one. B: No, quite the opposite, he's the tall, thin-faced one

1 A: Was that his brother, the dark-skinned, wavy-haired one? B: No, quite the opposite, his brother’s...

2 A: She's always quite well-dressed, so I’ve heard. B: What! Who told you that? Every time I see her, she’s...

3 A: So Charlene's that rather plump fair-haired woman, is she? B: No, you’re looking at the wrong one. Charlene's....

4 A: So, tell us about the new boss; good looking? B: No, I’m afraid not; rather... 5 A: I don't know why, but I expected the tour-guide to be middle-aged or elderly. B: No,

apparently she’s only...

Exercise № 15. Write one sentence to describe each of these people, giving information about their hair and face, their height and build and general appearance.

1) you yourself 2) a neighbour 3) your best friend 4) your ideal of a handsome man/ beautiful woman

In order to create a picture of a person in the mind of the reader four things must be used.1. Appearance 2. Voice 3. Walk 4. Mannerisms2. The following is an exercise to describe some of the people I know.

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Practice Bank 1. Read over the text and reproduce it verbally.

The tall slender woman came into the room with little pretension or calling of attention to herself. There was the thought that she had to contend with her impeding age. However the management of this was part of her life showing a resolve to be active up until the very last.   Evidence of this is the quick way she moves. The woman's hair is groomed with a care going to the discipline of another time. No neglect is given to this part of her appearance.

Her clothing she selects is tailored with neat pressed lines. Something about the way the woman dresses tells that she had lived a life of dignity.

While speaking her voice is strong, clear and had no mincing or slurring of words.  A younger woman seemed to speak as she mouthed words in a concise way.  If the material before her held strict discipline or soft emotion the learned academic study was most evident in her carefully covering the material.

Practice bank 2. Instructions as above.

There is strength about the woman sitting across from me. Her features are chiseled as if some carver of stone had carefully cut and shaped them. Physically she has a thin structure which could easily have been gaunt. Age approaching ninety was the reason. This gives us an understanding and explanation for her tight muscular structure made this way from steady work while living on a farm.  She worked as a school teacher with the responsibility also of caring for the duties of country life. It has given her a notable swift walk. Quick steps must have helped her cover territory and area in order to complete numerous tasks.

Although a hearing impediment makes it difficult for her to sometimes understand it still has no effect on the way she speaks. Her voice is soft and controlled. As with all capable people others sometimes resent this and tend to pick at her. However, she seems to be accepting of the ones around her and never becomes angry or short with this sort of treatment.

It is interesting to see how she dresses. Obviously her calling in life dictates her dress in a conservative way. On the other hand, on occasion she will break over to another selection of something colorful and rare with an expensive look. As with all women no matter how much is demanded of us we still all enjoy having a feminine appearance at least once in a while and she is no exception to this rule.

Practice bank 3. Read over the text and reproduce it verbally.

Even though age is present with the woman somehow this isn't what is seen when she slips quietly into a room. It is true she usually has her arms wrapped around her books and material as if she were still cradling one of her children.      Her voice is quiet and melodious with a modulation to tell of her work. The stillness of her movements makes us know she has been inculcated with heavy discipline of one or more persuasions.      Personally, it makes me want to feel an understanding and empathy with the essence of all women who are infinitely beautiful regardless of their looks. To imagine a youthful girl with skin like milk, hair of the most desirable color and a voice like honey gives us an understanding of how a God-fearing father must have been afraid for her. Men have knowledge of other men's choices and desires. People who are terrified themselves often become fearful and domineering in their manner.  To have so imprinted all these negative things on a child's mind is an ultimate sadness.      We, who are women, have had a cruel trick played on us in this century. We are made to stare at the successful feminine entertainer on television and the movies while we of the masses

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are to take up the sometimes basic work available in our own lives whether it is teaching, secretarial work, doctors, lawyers, and so many other careers where we must forego, at least at the work place, our feminine ways.  The more feminine, desirable and attractive we are the more we feel it is necessary to cover this over as a weakness.

Exercise № 16. Study these pictures and build a list of proper vocabulary to describe the pictures. Use only the following grammatical tenses: The Present Simple tense and the Present Continuous tense.

2.2. Describing people - character

Avoid beginning all sentences in the same way as it will make your composition boring. Use a variety of structures, trying to link the sentences together.Instead of writing: She is a pretty girl. She has an oval face., you can write: She is a pretty girl with an oval face.Look at the examples suggested below:He has wrinkles. They make him look older.He has wrinkles which make him look older.

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She is a beautiful woman. She wears designer clothes.She is a beautiful woman who wears designer clothes.She has long hair. She wears her hair in a pony-tail.She wears her long hair in a pony-tail.He has a big garden. He grows vegetables in the garden.He has a big garden where he grows vegetables.

Exercise № 17. Rewrite the sentences by linking them together as illustrated in the examples above.

1. Richard was well-built. He had fine wrinkles around his eyes. They showed when he laughed.

2. Jack is in his mid- twenties. He has an oval face and long curly hair. He ties it back in a pony-tail. He has a big kitchen. He likes to cook for his friends.

3. Helen is dark-skinned. She has beautiful almond-shaped eyes. She dyes her hair. It makes her look younger than she is.

4. Marcy’s mother is an attractive woman. She has long blond hair. She wears her hair in a bun.

In a number of cases, character description becomes absolutely important and defines personality much more vividly.

Intellectual ability

Ability: intelligent, bright, clever, smart, shrewd, able, gifted, talented, brainy (colloquial) Abilities: stupid, foolish, half-witted, simple, silly, brainless, daft, dumb, dim (the last four are

colloquial words) Clever, in a negative way, using brains to trick or deceive: cunning, crafty sly

Exercise № 18. Make a list of three people who’s known to you and describe them in 3 sentences in formal and informal ways.

Attitudes towards life

Looking on either the bright or the black side of things: optimistic, pessimistic Outward-looking or inward-looking (i.e. to the world around one or to one's own inner world): extroverted introverted Calm or not calm with regard to attitude to life: relaxed tense Practical, not dreamy in approach to life: sensible, down-to-earth Feeling things very intensely: sensitive

Attitudes towards other people

Enjoying others' company: sociable gregarious Disagreeing with others: quarrelsome, argumentative Taking pleasure in others' pain: cruel, sadistic Relaxed in attitude to self and others: easy-going, even-tempered Not polite to others: impolite, rude, ill-mannered, and discourteous Telling the truth to others: honest, trustworthy, reliable, sincere Unhappy if others have what one does not have oneself: jealous, envious One person's meat is another person's poison Some characteristics can be either positive or negative depending on your point of view.

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Determined - obstinate stubborn pig-headed Thrifty/economical - Miserly mean tight-fisted Self-assured - self-important arrogant full of oneself (colloquial) Assertive - aggressive bossy (colloquial) Original - peculiar weird eccentric odd Frank/direct/open - blunt abrupt brusque curt Broad-minded - unprincipled permissive Inquiring - inquisitive nosy (colloquial) Generous - extravagant Innocent - naive Ambitious - pushy (colloquial)

Exercise № 19. Match these words with their opposites.

Clever extroverted rude cruel generous unsociable

introverted tight-fisted courteous gregarious kind-hearted half-witted

Do you think that the speaker likes or dislikes the people s/he is talking about?

1 Di's very thrifty. 2 Dick's quite bossy. 3 Molly’s usually frank. 4 I find Dave self-important. 5 Liz’s quite broad-minded 6 Don’t you think Jim’s nosy? 7 Sam can be aggressive. 8 Jill is very original. Reword the sentences above to give the opposite impression. Example: Di's very stingy. Magazines often publish questionnaires which are supposed to analyse your character for you. Look at the words below and then match them to the question, which aims to decide whether a person is like that.

Example: If you arrange to meet at 7 p.m., do you arrive at 7 p.m.? Reliable

Pessimistic argumentative sensitive sociable, extravagant, assertive, inquisitive. 1 Do you prefer to be in the company of other people? 2 Look at the picture. Do you think 'my glass is half empty'? 4 Do you always look out of the window if you hear a car draw up? 5 Do you often buy your friends presents for no particular reason? 3 Do you find it easy to tell your boss if you feel he or she has treated you badly? 6 Do you frequently disagree with what other people say? 7 Do you lie awake at night if someone has said something unkind to you?

Exercise № 20.What questions could you ask to try to find out whether a person is the following:

1) thrifty 2) sensible 3) even-tempered 4) obstinate 5) blunt 6) intelligent 7) original

Can you complete each of these word forks? Self-........, ......-tempered; .....-minded

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Exercise № 21. Write a sentence to illustrate the meanings of each of your words. Choose five or six adjectives from the list below, which you think best describe either your own or a friend's character. How do you or your friend demonstrate these characteristics?

Example: sociable - I am sociable because I love being with other people.

Intelligent, bright, clever, smart, shrewd, able, gifted, talented, stupid, foolish, half-witted, simple, silly

Some idiomatic expressions to help to characterize people:

1. Bow and scrape = being excessively polite or servile. 2. Gatecrash = people who attend social events without being invited. 3. Speak out of turn = to intervene at the wrong moment or say something tactless or

inappropriate. 4. Take French leave = leave an event without notifying the person who invited you.5. In dire straits = in a very difficult situation.

Exercise № 22. Write an informal letter to your friend and use one or two idiomatic expressions, which will illustrate this characteristics of your opinion. Use your imagination and create an interesting letter of around 60 words.

Types of relationships

Here is a scale showing closeness and distance in relationships in different contexts. CLOSER MORE DISTANT

friendship: best friend good friend, friend, acquaintance work: close colleague colleague/workmate love/romance: lover steady boy/girlfriend ex-" marriage: wife/husband/partner ex- * ex- can be used with or without (informally) another word: She's my ex. (girlfriend, etc.)

Mate is a colloquial word for a good friend. It can also be used in compounds to describe a person you share something with, e.g. classmate, shipmate, workmate, flat-mate. Workmate is usual in non-professional contexts; colleague is more common among professional people.

Fiancé/ee can still be used for someone you are engaged to, but a lot of people feel it is dated nowadays. You will sometimes see husband-/wife-to-be in journalistic style. English has no universally accepted word for 'person I live with but am not married to', but is probably the commonest.

Liking and not liking someonecore verb positive negative like love adore dislike; hate worship idolise can't stand; loathe respect look up to admire look down on; despise

She doesn't just like Bob, she idolises him! I can't stand him. I really fancy Lisa, but her friend just turns me off. Fancy and turn off are informal. Repel is very strong and rather formal.

Phrases and idioms for relationships

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1. Jo and I get on well with each other. [have a good relationship] 2. Adrian and Liz don't see eye to eye. [often argue/ disagree] 3. I've fallen out with my parents again. [had arguments] 4. Tony and Jane have broken up / split up. [ended their relationship] 5. George is having an affair with his boss. [a sexual relationship, usually secret] 6. Children should respect their elders. [adults/parents, etc. 7. Let's try and make it up. [be friends again after a row] 8. She's my junior I I'm her senior I I'm senior to her, so she does what she's told. [refers to

position / length of service at work]

Some idiomatic expressions to help to characterize relationships:

1. Birds of a feather = if two people are birds of a feather, they are very similar in many ways. 2. Build bridges = help to cooperate and understand 3. Get on like a house on fire = have similar interests, support each other. 4. Play gooseberry = if you play gooseberry you join or accompany two people who have a

romantic relationship and want to be alone. 5. Keep at arm’s length = do not allow becoming too friendly

Exercise № 23. Translate the following sentences in black and white using studied vocabulary.

Его мать была занятой 33-35 лет женщиной, которая предпочитала держать своих соседей и сослуживцев на дистанции. 2. Молодая семейная пара делала все возможное, чтобы наладить взаимоотношения и понимание с семьей дяди жены, но в конечном счете признали свое поражение. 3. Детям следует уважать старших и помогать им в повседневной жизни. 4. Его невеста терпеть не может телефонные звонки за полночь. 5. Джон и Екатерина прекратили свои отношения и теперь держатся на дистанции друг с другом.

Use words with the suffix -mate to resay or rewrite these sentences.

1 This is Jack. He and I share a flat. 2 My granddad still writes to his old friends he was at sea with. 3 We were in the same class together in 1978, weren’t we? 4 She’s not really a friend; she's just someone I work with.

Exercise № 24. Choose five or six adjectives from this chapter, which you think best describe either your own, or a friend’s character. How do you or your friend demonstrate these characteristics?

Example: Sociable - I am sociable because I love being with other people.

Practice bank № 1: Use the adjectives listed below to complete the character descriptions.

honest, reserved, outgoing, frank, tactless, persuasive, trustworthy, fussy

1 Tina is a very ….. person. She is capable of convincing you to do almost anything she wants.2 Sarah can be ………. on occasion. She often says things that offend people.3 Jim is very …..; he always says exactly what he is thinking.4 Stephanie is one of the most ….people I know; she would never consider doing anything illegal.5 My little sister is very .… about what she eats; there are very few foods she likes.6 Anna is a very ….. person who hardly ever lets her feelings show.

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7 Mark is extremely ….; when it comes to keeping secrets, he will never tell a soul.8 Annabel is a(n) …. person who loves meeting people and making new friends.

Manners and Mannerism

Instead of only using adjectives to describe a person’s character, you can also include examples of the way they speak/look/smile, etc. in order to give a clearer picture and to make the description more lively, e.g. His blue eyes light up whenever he sees his grandchild. Although the adjectives kind and affectionate could be used to describe the person, giving examples of mannerism makes the description more vivid.

Exercise № 25. Read the following descriptions and say which quality each one describes.

1 When little Tommy wants a new toy, he screams until his parents buy it for him. (Hysterical) 2 Jim tends to stand by himself at parties and hardly ever meets anyone’s eye.3 When Sarah listens to sad music her eyes fill with tears.4 Whenever he received bad news, John would remain quite still and expressionless.5 Little Annie makes a face and sticks out her tongue each time she wants to show she doesn’t

approve of someone.6 Whenever someone disagrees with Louise, she gets red in the face and shouts until she gets

her own way.7 Jerry is always ready with a smile and a good joke. I’ve never seen him cross or sad.

Exercise № 26. Read the following text and notice the way of describing manners of the star. Then similarly write your own description of a famous Russian person.

Whitney Houston is just a person no one can fail to admire. Over the past ten years she became both a popular singer and a famous actress, appearing in successful films such as The Bodyguard.

Looking at Whitney, it was not difficult to see why she was so popular. She had gorgeous black hair, kind brown eyes and a beautiful smile which lighted up her whole face. The elegant clothes she wore always complement her perfect figure.

Whitney had a reputation for being a very warm and generous person. At the same time, she was obviously very determined and could sometimes be rather strong-willed, but this came from her desire to do things well.

In her free time Whitney, a sociable person, could often be seen at glamorous Hollywood parties. However, she was a very family-minded person who would have never let her social life get in the way of her relationship with her daughter.

All in all, Whitney was an incredible woman. Few people manage to fit as much into their lives as she did. It must have been exhausting, but she always managed to look fresh and beautiful for the cameras.

Practice bank: Here are some descriptions of typical people for different Zodiac signs. Read them over and use Appendix № 2 and your knowledge to match the descriptions to the proper signs. Then you can write a short paragraph of your own describing yourself due to the Zodiac sign.

1. They are hard to understand. They are very easily influenced by others, and can be passive. They have strong family ties, but can be a little sad and discontented.

2. They are very just and believe in fairness. They always want to establish good relationships with everyone. They have excellent taste, and they can also be artistic. They can be dreamers, and money slips through their fingers.

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3. Although jolly and cheerful, they can be impolite as well. They often make their way to the top. They think a lot of themselves, and though generous hosts, they are not one hundred per cent trustworthy.

Unit 3. A Descriptive Composition

A descriptive composition about a person should consist of:

An introduction where you give some brief information about the person (his/ her name, time or place you met/saw him/her, how you heard about him/her):

A main body where you describe physical appearance, personality characteristics and hobbies/interests/everyday activities in separate paragraphs: and

A conclusion which includes your comments and/or feelings about the person.Such descriptions can be found in articles, letters, witness statements, novels, etc.

Points to consider

Each paragraph starts with a topic sentence which introduces the subject of the paragraph. A variety of linking words should be used to connect ideas.

To describe physical appearance, details should be given as follows: height/build, age, facial features, hair, clothes, moving from the most general aspects to the more specific details, e.g. John is a tall, slim man in his mid-forties. He has a thin face, blue eyes and a large nose. His short hair is greying at the temples. He is usually casually dressed.

To describe character and behaviour you can support your description with examples, e.g. Sally is very sociable. She loves going to parties and dances. If you want to mention any negative qualities, use mild language (tends to, seems to, is rather, can occasionally be, etc.), e.g. Instead of saying Sally is arrogant., it is better to say Sally tends to be rather arrogant.

Variety in the use of adjectives will make your description more interesting, e.g. good-natured, well-behaved, gorgeous, etc.

Present tenses can be used to describe someone connected to the present, e.g. someone you see every day. Past tenses can be used to describe someone related to the past, e.g. someone who is no longer alive, someone whom you won’t meet again... etc.

Writing descriptive essays

An essay is a group of paragraphs on a particular topic. A descriptive essay describes a person, place, or thing in a way that gives the reader a clear mental picture of the subject of the essay.

Organization

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• First, write an introduction. This is a paragraph that should make the reader interested in what you are describing. Within the introduction paragraph, include a thesis statement. The thesis statement should tell why the person, place, or thing is your focus.• Include one or more body paragraphs. Each contains the details of your description.• Finish with a conclusion. This is a paragraph that gives your final thoughts or opinion about what you are describing.

Descriptive language

A good descriptive essay gives a clear mental picture of the subject of the essay. The reader should ·be able to imagine that he or she is with the person described, at the place described, etc. Include strong imagery (language that helps create these mental pictures) in your body paragraphs.

Not descriptive

She walked into the room. He was dressed formally. The street was filled with people selling food.

Descriptive

She walked slowly and nervously into the dark room. (with adjectives and adverbs)He wore a dark suit, a tie, and shiny shoes. (with details and specific language)

The street was filled with loud men shouting out orders above the smoky smell of grilling meat. (with sensory language related to sounds, smells, etc.)

Exercise № 27. Read the sentences. Rewrite them to make them more descriptive. Add adjectives and adverbs, details and specific language, and sensory language. Be creative.

1. The man lived in a house far from the village. The strange man lived quietly in an old drafty house far from the busy village.

2. The room was filled with roses, daisies, and lilacs.3. The chicken and potatoes were good.4. We went on a hike through the forest.5. His aunt entered the room.6. I didn't get to watch the soccer game on TV.7. Barak Obama is the President of the United States. 8. Our classroom is a 15-square-yard room at the university.

Exercise № 28. This time describe these objects. Write only one paragraph. Check it with Self-Assessment checklist.

a) a mobile telephone (appearance) b) a hair dryer (appearance)c) an apple (appearance)d) your English (quality)

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e) your weekday studies

Revise and Edit your descriptive essay. 1. Does the essay start with an introduction that catches your interest and expresses a clear

opinion?2. Does the essay give you a clear mental picture of the product, business, or service described?3. Does the concluding paragraph help to convince you of that opinion?4. Do you have your own opinion about this product, business; or service?

Complete the Self-Assessment checklist as you prepare to write the final draft of your paragraph. Be prepared to hand in your work or discuss it in class.

SELF-ASSESSMENT

1. Does each body paragraph have a topic and controlling idea?2. Does the essay use descriptive language to create a clear mental picture of the subject?3. Are correct articles used with nouns or noun phrases?4. If there are collocations from the unit, are they used correctly?5. Does the essay include vocabulary from the unit?6. Did you check the essay for punctuation, spelling, and grammar?

Adjectives to describe people.

For each example choose the two adjective that can be used to complete the sentence.

Witty, Patronizing, Encouraging: Sam’s always making …….remarks at my expense. Bewildered, Prejudiced, Distracted: After the accident Bob was too ……..to make a statement to the police. Earnest, Haughty, Overbearing: She’s a difficult woman to work for-…….and unpredictable. Courteous, Supportive, Considerate: It was very …..of you to let that lorry pull out. Supportive, Loveable, Considerate: My boss was really ……when I first started the job – always ready to help out or give advice. Timid, reserved, earnest: We know he doesn’t say much, but he is not unfriendly. He is just a bit ….

Exercise № 29. Write a 3-paragraph essay of 150 words of the following topics:

1. Your country house; 2. Your neighbor vehicle; 3. Your English class; 4. Yesterday’s lunch

Describing People

Exercise № 30. Look at a picture of some of your acquaintances and build up a list of vocabulary which you will use for describing these people.

Height: quite tall, rather short, 5’10’’ tall,

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General appearance: lanky, Build: well-built, thin, muscular, athleticAge: early twenties, mid-thirties, late fifties, teenaged, underageFacial features: oval-faced, high cheekbones, blue-eyed, Roman noseHair: curly, short brown, wavy, thin, shoulder-length, grey, chestnut, blond Personality: good-humoured, imaginative, short-tempered, vain Clothes: casual, formal, uniformHobbies & activities: going to discos, enjoy watching birds, cooking

A descriptive composition about a person should consist of:a) an introduction where you give some brief information about the person (his/ her name, time

or place you met/saw him/her, how you heard about him/her):b) a main body where you describe physical appearance, personality characteristics and

hobbies/interests/everyday activities in separate paragraphs: andc) a conclusion which includes your comments and/or feelings about the person.

Such descriptions can be found in articles, letters, witness statements, novels, etc.

Practice bank № 2. Decide which adjectives describe positive or negative qualities. Choose any five of them and write sentences justifying each quality, then write a short paragraph describing the character of one of your relatives.

patient, boring, pessimistic, mean, ambitious, generous, mature, interesting, hostile, immature, friendly, impatient, tactful, good-natured, short-tempered, thick-skinned, easy-going, hard-working, deceitful, fair, shy, helpful, aggressive, reserved, outgoing, polite, cheerful

Positive qualities Negative qualities

Patient Boring

Model: My father is very patient; he takes time and care with everything he does.

Points to consider

Each paragraph starts with a topic sentence which introduces the subject of the paragraph. A variety of linking words should be used to connect ideas.

To describe physical appearance, details should be given as follows: height/build, age, facial features, hair, clothes, moving from the most general aspects to the more specific details, e.g. John is a tall, slim man in his mid-forties. He has a thin face, blue eyes and a large nose. His short hair is greying at the temples. He is usually casually dressed.

To describe character and behaviour you can support your description with examples, e.g. Sally is very sociable. She loves going to parties and dances. If you want to mention any negative qualities, use mild language (tends to, seems to, is rather, can occasionally be, etc.), e.g. Instead of saying Sally is arrogant., it is better to say Sally tends to be rather arrogant.

Variety in the use of adjectives will make your description more interesting, e.g. good-natured, well-behaved, gorgeous, etc.

Present tenses can be used to describe someone connected to the present, e.g. someone you see every day. Past tenses can be used to describe someone related to the past, e.g. someone who is no longer alive, someone whom you won’t meet again... etc.

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Exercise № 31. Read and study descriptions of people made by some famous Russian, British and American writers.

1. At the hour of the hot spring sunset two citizens appeared at the Patriarch's Ponds. One of them, approximately forty years old, dressed in a grey summer suit, was short, dark-haired, plump, bald, and carried his respectable fedora hat in his hand. His neatly shaven face was adorned with black horn-rimmed glasses of a supernatural size. The other, a broad-shouldered young man with tousled reddish hair, his checkered cap cocked back on his head, was wearing a cowboy shirt, wrinkled white trousers and black sneakers. The first was none other than Mikhail Alexandrovich Berlioz, the editor of a fat literary journal and the chairman of the board of one of the major Moscow literary associations, called Massolit for short, and his young companion was the poet Ivan Nikolayevich Ponyrev, who wrote under the pseudonym of Homeless. (Mikhail Bulgakov, ‘Master and Margarita’)

2. Tom Hagen was thirty-five years old, a tall crew-cut man, very slender, very ordinary-looking. He was a lawyer but did not do the actual detailed legal work for the Corleone family business though he had practiced law for three years after passing the bar exam. At the age of eleven he had been a playmate of eleven-year-old Sonny Corleone. Hagen‟s mother had gone blind and then died during his eleventh year. Hagen’s father, a heavy drinker, had become a hopeless drunkard. A hardworking carpenter, he had never done a dishonest thing in his life. But his drinking destroyed his family and finally killed him. Tom Hagen was left an orphan who wandered the streets and slept in hallways. (Mario Puzo, ‘The Godfather’)

3. A stranger was before him--a boy a shade larger than himself. A newcomer of any age or either sex was an impressive curiosity in the poor little shabby village of St. Petersburg. This boy was well dressed, too--well dressed on a weekday. This was simply astounding. His cap was a dainty thing, his close-buttoned blue cloth roundabout was new and natty, and so were his pantaloons. He had shoes on--and it was only Friday. He even wore a necktie, a bright bit of ribbon. He had a citified air about him that ate into Tom's vitals. (Mark Twain, ‘The Adventures of Tom Sawyer’)

4. Tracy Whitney was on her way to work. Her pace was brisk as she walked east on Chestnut Street towards the bank, and it was all she could do to keep from singing aloud. She wore a bright-yellow raincoat, boots, and a yellow rain hat that barely contained a mass of shining chestnut hair. She was in her mid-twenties, with a lively, intelligent face, a full, sensuous mouth, sparkling eyes that could change from a soft moss green to a dark jade in moments, and a trim, athletic figure. Her skin ran the gamut from a translucent white to a deep rose, depending on whether she was angry, tired, or excited. (Sydney Sheldon, ‘If Tomorrow Comes’)

5. Lucia, a beautiful young woman of twenty-five, had luxuriant dark hair, which flowed to her shoulders, and brown eyes which could flash excitingly but were now smouldering with a suppressed emotion not easy to define. ( Agatha Christie, “The Black Coffee”)

6. She was a very tall woman. Her hair was gold with a tinge of red in it. Her eyebrows and eyelashes were dark, whether by art or by nature I could not decide. If she was, as I thought, made up, it was done very artistically. There was something Sphinxlike about her face when it was in repose and she had the most curious eyes I have ever seen — they were almost golden in shade. Her clothes were perfect and she had all the ease of manner of a well-bred woman, and yet there was something about her that was incongruous and baffling. You felt that she was a mystery. The word Griselda had used occurred to me —

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sinister. Absurd, of course, and yet — was it so absurd? The thought sprang unbidden into my mind: "This woman would stick at nothing." ( Agatha Christie, “The Murder at the Vicarage”)

7. Clare Halliwell was thirty-two. She had an upright carriage, a healthy color, and nice brown eyes. She was not beautiful, but she looked fresh and pleasant and very English. Everybody liked her and said she was a good sort. Since her mother's death, two years ago, she had lived alone in the cottage with her dog, Rover. She kept poultry and was fond of animals and of a healthy outdoor life. (Agatha Christie, “The Harlequin Tea Set”)

Exercise № 32. Using samples of Exercise № 2, write a paragraph on the following topics:

1. Your first love boy/girl; 2. Your father/mother; 3. The Prime Minister of the Russian Federation; 4. The President of the United States; 5. The Dean of the Faculty; 6. Your favourite university employee;

Exercise № 33. Translate this extract. Build up a list of active vocabulary to translate it.

Степан Аркадьич был человек правдивый в отношении к себе самому. Он не мог обманывать себя и уверять себя, что он раскаивается в своем поступке. Он не мог теперь раскаиваться в том, что он, тридцатичетырехлетний, красивый, влюбчивый человек, не был влюблен в жену, мать пяти живых и двух умерших детей, бывшую только годом моложе его. Он раскаивался только в том, что не умел лучше скрыть от жены. Но он чувствовал всю тяжесть своего положения и жалел жену, детей и себя. Может быть, он сумел бы лучше скрыть свои грехи от жены, если б ожидал, что это известие так на нее подействует. Ясно он никогда не обдумывал этого вопроса, но смутно ему представлялось, что жена давно догадывается, что он не верен ей, и смотрит на это сквозь пальцы. Ему даже казалось, что она, истощенная, состарившаяся, уже некрасивая женщина и ничем не замечательная, простая, только добрая мать семейства, по чувству справедливости должна быть снисходительна. Оказалось совсем противное. (Л.Н.Толстой, «Анна Каренина»)

Unit 4. Paragraph Structure

Brainstorming

1. Think over these questions and give an accurate and detailed answer.

a) How many sentences should be included into a paragraph? b) What answer should any paragraph give? c) How do we mark a beginning of a paragraph?

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A paragraph is a group of related sentences that discuss one and only one main idea. A paragraph can be as short as one sentence or as long as ten sentences. The number of sentences is unimportant; however, the paragraph should be long enough to develop the main idea clearly.

A paragraph may stand by itself. In academic writing, you often write a paragraph to answer a test question such as the following: “Define management by objective, and give one example of it from the reading you have done for this class.” A paragraph may also be one part of a longer piece of writing such as an essay or a book.

We mark a paragraph by indenting the first word about a half-inch (five spaces on a typewriter or computer) from the left margin.

The following model contains all the elements of a good paragraph. Read it carefully two or three times. Then answer the Writing Technique questions that follow, which will help you analyze its structure.

GoldGold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics. First of all, gold has a

lustrous beauty that is resistant to corrosion. Therefore, it is suitable for jewelry, coins, and ornamental purposes. '’Gold never needs to be polished and will remain beautiful forever. For example, a Macedonian coin remains as untarnished today as the day it was made 25 centuries ago. Another important characteristic of gold is its usefulness to industry and science. For many years, it has been used in hundreds of industrial applications, such as photography and dentistry. The most recent use of gold is in astronauts’ suits. Astronauts wear gold-plated heat shields for protection when they go outside spaceships in space. ln conclusion, gold is treasured not only for its beauty but also for its utility.

Writing Technique Questions.

1. What is the topic of the paragraph?2. What two main points does the writer make about the topic?3. In which two sentences does the writer say that there are two main points?4. What examples does the writer use to support each point?

Paragraph organisation

A paragraph has three compulsory parts:

1. The Topic sentence. This is the main and central idea of the paragraph. It is usually the first sentence of the paragraph and it is the most general sentence of the paragraph.

2. The Supporting sentences. These are the sentences which explain the topic sentence. They are the most detailed ideas that follow the topic sentence.

3. The Concluding sentence. This may be found as the last sentence of the paragraph. It can finish the paragraph by repeating the main idea or just giving a final comment on the topic.

Practice bank № 3. Read the following paragraphs and say whether they contain explanations, examples or both. Then think of an appropriate topic sentence for each one. The first one has been done for you.

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1. First of all, I totally disagree with the plans to rebuild the mobile phone aerial . Not only is there the threat of radiation to local residents, but it will also destroy their views of open countryside and reduce the value of their properties. (Explanation) This will be disastrous for residents of places such as Harlesden and Pemble Waters. (example)

2. …………………… This appears to be the only sensible solution. After all, many children today know how to use a computer but may not be able to afford one at home. Providing them in schools will ensure that no one is deprived of this valuable learning aid.

3. …… There is no need for this at all. School is a place of learning, and talking to their friends or sending text messages is something that students should do in their own time. Furthermore, they cannot use the excuse that they need them for emergencies, since in a real emergency, they can use and rely on the school phone.

4. ………… In other words, there is no way that we can be sure that mobile phones are safe. Even if we all take precautions available nowadays, we do not know what to expect in the future. What will happen if, for example, they discover a link between mobile phones and cancer? If we wait then, the damage will have been done and it will be too late to act.

Practice bank № 4. This time try to do your best to compose a paragraph on the following:

a) a quarrelsome wife problem; b) the problem of a long term credit; c) importance of learning English language; d) importance of manners in society.

Unit 5. Parts of a Paragraph

All paragraphs have a topic sentence and supporting sentences, and some paragraphs have a concluding sentence.

The topic sentence states the main idea of the paragraph. It doesn’t only name the topic of the paragraph, but it also limits the topic to one specific area that can be discussed completely in the space of a single paragraph. The part of the topic sentence that announces the specific area to be discussed is called the controlling idea. Notice how the topic sentence of the model states both the topic and the controlling idea:

TOPIC CONTROLLING IDEA(Gold), a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics.

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Supporting sentences develop the topic sentence. That is, they explain or prove that what is stated in the topic sentence is absolutely true. Following are some of the supporting sentences that explain the topic sentence about gold.

First of all, gold has a lustrous beauty that is resistant to corrosion.For example, a Macedonian coin remains as untarnished today as the day it was made 25

centuries ago.Another important characteristic of gold is its usefulness to industry and science. The most

recent use of gold is in astronauts’ suits.

The concluding sentence signals the end of the paragraph and leaves the reader with important points to remember:

In conclusion, gold is treasured not only for its beauty but also for its utility.Concluding sentences are customary for stand-alone paragraphs. However, paragraphs that

are parts of a longer piece of writing usually do not need concluding sentences.

Exercise № 34. Read over the following paragraph consisting of supporting sentences and make up a decision of a suitable topic sentence.

……………….. It rained heavily in April; it rained much in May. It rained a lot in the mornings; it rather rained in the afternoons. It poured, it drizzled, it showered, it misted — but always it rained. Nevertheless, the good news is we will not have a drought this summer.a. The rain makes me gloomy. b. This spring was the rainiest on record.c. Rain is nice, but I prefer sunshine. d. Scientists know very little about the global climate.

Exercise № 35. For the following questions, a topic sentence is given. Try choosing the sentence that best develops or supports it.

1. A fireplace should be lined with special firebricks to prevent heat transfer.a. Normal bricks are not dense enough to withstand excessive heat. b. Fire codes also require a smoke alarm in every room. c. Good up-drafts can make a pleasant fire, however. d. Modern houses don’t use as much lumber as older homes did.

2. Cosmetic plastic surgery is one of the fastest-growing segments of U.S. medicine.a. Cosmetic plastic surgery can have dangerous side effects, some of which can be fatal. b. Americans are eager to make their bodies as perfect as possible and to minimize the visible signs of aging. c. The price of cosmetic plastic surgery is also on the rise. d. This increase in cosmetic plastic surgery says something quite disturbing about our culture.

5.1. Description of process in essays

Process indicators in English.

The following words & phrases join sentences & paragraphs to show the steps in a process. Study how these process indicators work in paragraphs. (70 words)

• The first step in making scrambled eggs is to put a tablespoon of margarine into a pan. • Then heat the pan over a medium flame.• Next , break an egg into a bowl. • Afterward, scramble the egg with a fork.

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• After this step, add some salt and pepper to the eggs. • Finally, fry the egg, turning it frequently.

Write a process essay in which you tell someone how to do something or explain the process.

• How to take a good photograph;• How to live on a budget;• How to apply for a passport;• How to apply for a college grant;• How to shop economically;

This timeline shows some important events in Monique’s life. Write some sentences about her life using when or while.

Exercise № 36. Complete a timeline of your life and answer some questions about it using when or while.

Write a paragraph about a relationship that is important to you. Use only past simple or progressive.

Model: I met a lovely French lass called Monique while I was lecturing at Dudley College of Technology.

Exercise № 37. Write two paragraphs about yourself for your personal website. Tell about your interests and hobbies using past simple, past progressive and present perfect or present perfect progressive.

Welcome. I’m Stephanie Hart. I’ve been living in Tokyo since 2006. I build this website to record my experience here. I’ve posted a lot of photos. I hope you enjoy the website which I opened just a week ago. I was thinking it over for more than two months and finally made it up as my friends had advised me to do. They explained me that I had been slaving on design for at least two years. I believe that I did my best and eventually succeeded in getting it properly.

5.2. Cause and Effect sentences in Essays

Cause and Effect Sentences often show how bad or good you realize the topic that is being described. Cause sentences give you the reasons why something happened, they answer the question “Why did the event happen?” Effects are the direct results or consequences of an event, they respond to the question “What happened because of the event?”

Causes Effects

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1. I didn’t pay the road tax for the last year.

2. She ignored their invitation to the wedding party at Styles.

3. We’d been heavily occupied with searching for the right and experienced accountant.

4. He bought a new remote flat in Moscow province.

1. The insurance company refused to cover the cost of the road accident.

2. They stopped socializing with her husband and her.

3. The tax officer obliged us to pay a heavy fine for improper reports.

4. He was short of money and didn’t have a permanent well-paid job.

All these cause and effect sentences are clear and understandable. But in academic writing they should be united using transitional words and phrases. You can use:

Afterward, Eventually, Finally, in the end, Soon after, Subsequently, As a result, as the result of, Since, Consequently, As, because, Because of, So that, Therefore, Resulted, Caused, Thereby, Due to.

Let’s see how we can link two cause and effect sentences together using various transitional words.

Since he got hepatitis, all his college mates stopped seeing him. All his college mates stopped seeing him because of his hepatitis. As the result of his hepatitis, all his mates stopped seeing him. He got hepatitis, and consequently all his college mates stopped seeing him. Notice the difference between as a result and as a result of. As a result is followed by a full sentence (independent clause) and introduces an effect. As a result of is followed by a noun phrase and introduces a clause. He got hepatitis and as the result all his college mates stopped seeing him.

Notice that ‘Thereby’ is most frequently used in front of –ing phrases. He got hepatitis, thereby stopping all the college mates seeing him.

Exercise № 38. Connect the sentences

1. Native Americans began trading bison skins to the settlers. They wanted steel knives and guns. (As, Since)

2. They began killing bison in larger numbers. The near extinction of bison. (Resulted in, Caused)

3. Great Britain was the most powerful nation of the world in the 18 th century. The Industrial Revolution achievements. (Due to, As the result of)

4. Dmitry Medvedev sacked Yuri Luzhkov as the Mayor of Moscow. The loss of trust. (Due to, Because of)

5. 85 bison survived in Yellowstone National Park in 1892. It saved this species from total extinction. ( As the result, As the result of)

6. Natalie wants to be fluent and communicative if English. She studies English round the clock. ( As, So that)

Exercise № 39. Join the sentences together.

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1. She ignored so many phone calls from the college. She actually kissed goodbye to her higher education. 2. Janice got home late. She missed her favourite programme. 3. Alvin missed the bus. He woke up late. 4. He realized how stupid idea it was. He did not have sufficient amount of money to pay for that glorious dinner.

Exercise № 40. Finding Errors in Cause/Effect Paragraphs: Read the paragraph below. Put proper transitional word.

There are several possible reasons why my father is in excellent health, even though he is over eighty years of age. For one thing, he is in excellent condition …. he has stopped smoking cigarettes. He quit smoking cigarettes … whenever he climbed stairs he would invariably stop several times and cough loudly. His good health is also ….. his cutting down on the wrong kinds of foods. For example, whereas before he would eat fatty red meat and deep-fried dishes several times a week, nowadays he seldom does so. He has more energy ….. He is also in good physical shape ….. his devotion to exercise. He swims three times a week at the local gym, and on sunny days he prefers to walk home rather than take the bus. ….. my father is in better shape than some of his children are!

Sample Cause and Effect Sentences

Because Bill’s sister was sad, he tried to cheer her up.It was snowing outside so school was cancelled.The leaves blew all over the yard so Tom and Sue raked them.Tom noticed that if he was around dogs, he sneezed a lot.Amber could not see the board so she got glasses.Mother was not at home so Sue took a telephone message.Because Pat felt sick, she went to the doctor.The children were late for school because their alarm didn’t work.Mary scraped her knee so Dad gave her a Band-Aid.The noisy class could not go outside for recess.Since it was raining, Alice brought her umbrella to school.Because they earned extra money, the children bought an ice cream treat.The baby spilled milk on the floor so Mom got the mop.Mark and Arthur needed extra money so they started a pet business.Because Cat made up new rules, Mouse said he wasn’t a fair player.Matthew and Tilley had a fight, so Matthew looked for a new best friend.The hamster’s cage was messy so the children cleaned it.There was ice on the step and Sam slipped.Since the referendum of the Crimea approved independence from Ukraine, the Russian Federation agreed to join it to the state due to a number of historical and cultural reasons.

5.3. Comparison and Contrast sentences in essays

Writing topics and essays often ask you to consider the relationship between two things, for example, your hometown (that is, the town where you were born or grew up) and your university town. Such topics may allow you to organize your essay either around

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the similarities between these two subtopics (for example, between your hometown and your university town) or around the differences between them. If you write about the similarities, the essay will be a comparison essay. On the other hand, if you want to write about the differences, your essay will be a contrast essay.

This lesson will show you some ways in which you can structure sentences to write a comparison or contrast paragraph. We will first look at comparison paragraphs and then briefly look at contrast paragraphs.

Comparison Paragraphs Organized by Similar Points

Consider the following paragraph:

     My hometown and my college town have several things in common. First, both are small rural communities. For example, my hometown, Gridlock, has a population of only about 10,000 people. Similarly, my college town, Subnormal, consists of about 11,000 local residents. This population swells to 15,000 people when the college students are attending classes. A second way in which these two towns are similar is that they are both located in rural areas. Gridlock is surrounded by many acres of farmland which is devoted mainly to growing corn and soybeans. In the same way, Subnormal lies in the center of farmland which is used to raise hogs and cattle . . . .

The passage above is from a comparison paragraph. that is, a paragraph which discusses the similarities between two subtopics. Notice how the ideas in this paragraph are organized. As usual, the  topic sentence  is at the beginning of the paragraph. After that, the paragraph continues by discussing one point of similarity between the towns of Gridlock and Subnormal, namely, their small population. 

Specific details are given to support the statement that "both are small rural communities." Following this, the paragraph briefly discusses a second point of similarity between the two towns, that is, their geographic surroundings. Here, the paragraph also gives supporting details to illustrate their similarity, namely, that they are "both located in rural areas."

As you can see, therefore, this comparison paragraph is structured (organized) according to the points of similarity between the two towns. This particular paragraph discusses only two points of similarity, but of course we can imagine a paragraph that gives three, four, or even more points of similarity. This paragraph, for example, might continue in this way:

. . . Thirdly, both of these towns are similar in that both contain college campuses. Gridlock, for example, is home to Neutron College, which is famous for its Agricultural

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Economics program as well as for its annual Corn-Watching Festival. Likewise, the town of Subnormal boasts the beautiful campus of Quark College, which is well known for its Agricultural Engineering department and also for its yearly Hog-Calling Contest.

Contrast Clauses

There are two types of adverb clauses that express contrast: direct opposition clauses and concession clauses.

Direct Opposition Clauses:

In this type, the information in the adverb clause and the information in the independent clause are in direct contrast.

Direct Opposition Subordinators

Whereas Elista is cool during summer, whereas Simferopol is generally hot.

While While most homes in Elista do not have air conditioning, it is a necessity in the Crimea.

Notes: While and whereas have the same meaning and they are interchangeable. Use commas between two clauses, no matter which order they are.

Elista is cool during the summer, whereas Simferopol is generally hot. Whereas Simferopol is generally hot during the summer, Elista is cool. Whereas Elista is cool during the summer, Simferopol is generally hot. Simferopol is generally hot during the summer, whereas Elista is cool.

Concession (Unexpected Result Clauses)

A concession clause means “This idea is true, but the idea in the independent clause is more important:. This clause is sometimes called “unexpected result” clause because the information in the independent clause is surprising or unexpected based on the information given in the concession clause.

Concession SubordinatorsAlthough Although I had studied all night, I fail the test.Even though My house is quite comfortable, even though it

is rather small. Though Though the citizens of Russia despised the old

Soviet regime, they disliked the new government of the 1990-s even more.

Notes: Although, even though, and through have almost the same meaning. Though is less formal. Even though is a little stronger than although. Use a comma between two clauses, no matter which order they are in.

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Practice: Use subordinators in given sentences. Modem Olympic equestrian events emphasize style. The ancient Greek events emphasized speed.

Modern Olympic equestrian events emphasize style, (whereas) the ancient Greek events emphasized speed.

1. Both the common cold and the flu are caused by viruses. Only the flu can be prevented

through immunization.

2. A cold develops gradually, and any fever that develops will be low-grade (101°F or less).

The flu often comes on abruptly, with a sudden high fever.

3. Ludwig van Beethoven became totally deaf in midlife. He wrote some of the Western

world’s greatest music.

4. South Korea is becoming an economic superpower. It is a small country with few natural

resources.

5. The Northwest rainfall averages hundreds of inches annually. The Southwest averages less

than 12 inches per year.

6. Scientists know why earthquakes happen. They are still not able to predict them.

7. Smokers claim the right to smoke in public places. Nonsmokers claim the right to breathe

clean air.

Comparison Paragraphs Organized by Subtopic

Another way of organizing a comparison is not according to supporting details that are similar, but according to subtopic. (A subtopic is a main example, or main supporting idea, that illustrates the topic sentence of a paragraph. That is, we can organize the paragraph by first discussing all the relevant points associated to one subtopic, then discussing those of the second subtopic. Look at the following example, based on the above paragraph:

         My hometown and my college town have several things in common. First, my hometown, Gridlock, is a small town. It has a population of only about 10,000 people. Located in a rural area, Gridlock is surrounded by many acres of farmland which are devoted mainly to growing corn and soybeans. Gridlock also contains a college campus, Neutron College, which is famous for its Agricultural Economics program as well as for its annual Corn-Watching Festival. As for my college town, Subnormal, it too is small, having a population of about 11,000 local residents, which swells to 15,000 people

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when students from the nearby college are attending classes. Like Gridlock, Subnormal lies in the center of farmland which is used to raise hogs and cattle. Finally, Subnormal is similar to Gridlock in that it also boasts a beautiful college campus, called Quark College. This college is well known for its Agricultural Engineering department and also for its yearly Hog-Calling Contest.

As you can see, after the topic sentence, this paragraph first discusses the relevant details

about Gridlock and then presents the details about Subnormal.

Similes and Metaphors

Similes and metaphors are of great importance in writing process. A Simile is a figure of

speech that compares two things that are basically alike. Mostly similes use words “Like’ and

“As’.

Metaphors are more common in written English and they make effect of sounding quite

poetic and romantic.

Exercise № 41. Write a poem for kids and underline as many similes as possible. Use them in sentences of your own.

Black as words on printed pages.Sad like tigers locked in cages. Long as thread unrolled from spools, Straight like legs on wooden stools.Quiet as a school at night.

Happy like a bird in flight.Tight as fuzzy skin on peaches.White like dunes of sand on beaches.Cold as scoops of frozen peas.Fun like writing similes.

Exercise № 42. Complete these similes in black and white. Use your creativity, but a Lingvo dictionary.

1) as Happy as … 2) as Dark as … 3) as Smart as …

Exercise № 43. Write definitions.

1) Write a simile about your friend. My friend is as …as …

2) Write a simile about your University lecturer. My university Lecturer is as …as …

3) Write a simile about any of wild animals. Moscow zoo homes a great deal of ….

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4) Write a simile about any of domestic animals or home pets. I have a fancy of …

5) Write a simile about your favourite food.

A metaphor compares two seemingly unlike things without using; like, as, than, or

resembles. A metaphor says that something is something else.

Original: My dress blew around in the wind.

Metaphor: My dress was a sail billowing in a wind, making me feel as if I were about to

keel over.

Personification gives human qualities to something that is not human, such as an animal,

an object, or an idea.

Original: The spring rain fell.

Personification: Spring wept its bitter tears of rain.

Exercise № 44. On a piece of paper, rewrite the following sentences using a metaphor, simile, or

personification.

Example: The mountain range rose out of the valley. The mountain range, like a man’s craggy

profile, rose out of the valley.

1. The trees made shadows.

2. The building looked sleek and new.

3. I felt sad.

4. There were some scary noises.

5. The carpet was soft.6. The dog was very smart.7. The boat moved through the water.8. She hit the tennis ball.9. I hurried down the sidewalk.10. The stream flowed quickly.

Comparison Conjunctions

In the above paragraphs you will see various conjunctions that contribute to paragraph

coherence. We can look at the above paragraphs again to see how the conjunctions are used:

         My hometown and my college town have several things in common. First, both are small

rural communities. For example, my hometown, Gridlock, has a population of only about 10,000

people. Similarly, my college town, Subnormal, consists of about 11,000 local residents. This

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population swells to 15,000 people when the college students are attending classes. A second

way in which these two towns are similar  is that they are both  located in rural areas. Gridlock

is surrounded by many acres of farmland, which is devoted mainly to growing corn and

soybeans. In the same way, Subnormal lies in the center of farmland which is used to raise hogs

and cattle. Thirdly,  these towns are similar in that  they contain college campuses. Gridlock, for

example, is home to Neutron College, which is famous for its Agricultural Economics program

as well as for its annual Corn-Watching Festival. Likewise,  the town of Subnormal boasts the

beautiful campus of Quark College, which is well known for its Agricultural Engineering

department and also for its yearly Hog-Calling Contest.

This paragraph, of course, is organized according to similarities.   Notice how the ORDER

of the similarities is the same throughout the paragraph. That is, at each similar point, the

paragraph first discusses Gridlock and then it discusses Subnormal. Keeping the same order

throughout the paragraph prevents the reader from getting confused.  

5.4 ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAYS

An argumentative essay is an essay in which you agree or disagree with an issue, using

reasons to support your opinion. Your goal is to convince your reader that your opinion is right.

Argumentation is a popular kind of essay question because it forces students to think on their

own: They have to take a stand on an issue, support their stand with solid reasons, and support

their reasons with solid evidence.

In a general writing test such as the IELTS or TOEFL examinations, you might encounter

questions such as these:

The U.S. Declaration of Independence states, “All men are created equal.” Agree or disagree

with this statement. Support your opinion with reasons and examples.

The most important element in a friendship is trust. Agree or disagree with this statement. Support

your opinion with reasons and examples.

In an academic class, your instructor might ask a question such as this:

CRIMINAL JUSTICE Some cities in the United States and the United Kingdom have passed laws

establishing curfews for young people. Young people (usually age 17 and

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younger) may not be out on the streets after 9 or 10 p.m. Do you agree or

disagree with such curfews?

What is unique about an argumentative essay is that you do not just give reasons to support

your point of view. You must also discuss the other reasons and then rebut them. (Rebut means

to point out problems with the other side’s reasons to prove that they are not good reasons.) We

do this because we want readers to know that we have considered all sides of the issue. When we

show that we are reasonable and open-minded, readers are more likely to listen to our point of

view.

Choose topic and write an argumentative essay.

Agree or disagree with the following statement:

It is worth the expense and risk to make a manned flight to Mars.

Writing an argumentative essay requires especially careful planning.

Step 1 Clarify in your mind what the two sides of the argument are. Decide which side you agree

with.

Step 2 Write a thesis statement. Your thesis statement can state either just your point of view or

both points of view.

Step 3 Research the topic to get ideas and supporting reasons for both sides of the argument.

Read the article and do the exercises for your topic before you begin this writing

assignment. You should use quotations, summaries, or paraphrases from the appropriate

parts of the readings to support your arguments.

Step 4 Write your first draft. Write an explanatory or an attention-getting introduction, as you

prefer.

Step 5 Use the Self-Editing Worksheet and revise your essay if necessary.

Step 6 Exchange papers with a classmate. Review each other’s essays and complete the Peer-

Editing.

Reading

This article from a popular weekly news magazine argues against sending a manned

spacecraft to explore Mars.

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Why we should not Go to Mars: Someday people may walk on the planet, but not until it

makes technological sense.

“Two centuries ago, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark left St. Louis to explore the new lands acquired in the Louisiana Purchase,” George W. Bush said, announcing his desire for a program to send men and women to Mars.2 “They made that journey in the spirit of discovery. . . . America has ventured forth into space for the same reasons.”

Yet there are vital differences between Lewis and Clark’s expedition and a Mars mission. First, Lewis and Clark were headed to a place amenable to life; hundreds of thousands of people were already living there. Second, Lewis and Clark were certain to discover places and things of immediate value to the new nation. Third, the Lewis and Clark venture cost next to nothing by today’s standards. In 1989, NASA estimated that a people-to-Mars program would cost $400 billion, which inflates to $600 billion today. The Hoover Dam cost $700 million in today’s money, meaning that sending people to Mars might cost as much as building about 800 new Hoover Dams. A Mars mission may be the single most expensive non-wartime undertaking in U.S. history.

The thought of travel to Mars is exhilarating. Surely men and women will someday walk upon that planet, and surely they will make wondrous discoveries about geology and the history of the solar system, perhaps even about the very origin of life. Many times, I have stared up at Mars in the evening sky—in the mountains, away from cities, you can almost see the red tint—and wondered what is there or was there.

However, the fact that a destination is tantalizing does not mean the journey makes sense, even considering the human calling to explore. In addition, Mars as a destination for people makes absolutely no sense with current technology.

Present systems for getting from Earth’s surface to low-Earth orbit are so fantastically expensive that merely launching the 1,000 tons or so of spacecraft and equipment a Mars mission would require could be accomplished only by cutting health-care benefits, education spending, or other important programs— or by raising taxes. Absent some remarkable discovery, astronauts, geologists, and biologists once on Mars could do little more than analyze rocks and feel awestruck beholding the sky of another world. Yet rocks can be analyzed by automated probes without risk to human life, and at a tiny fraction of the cost of sending people.

Space exploration proponents deride as lack of vision the mention of technical barriers or the insistence that needs on Earth come first. Not so. The former is rationality, the latter the setting of priorities. If Mars proponents want to raise $600 billion privately and stage their own expedition, more power to them; many of the great expeditions of the past were privately mounted. If Mars proponents expect taxpayers to foot their bill, then they must make their case against the many other competing needs for money. In addition, against the needs for health care, education, poverty reduction, reinforcement of the military, and reduction of the federal deficit, the case for vast expenditures to go to Mars using current technology is very weak.

Practice Bank 1. Think over these tasks and present an argumentative essay on each of the topics.

1. What is more profitable for me: get a Bachelor degree diploma or gain precious knowledge in my profession?

2. What is better: get a hundred of friends or a friend in need is a friend indeed? 3. The United States or the Russian Federation: where life is more secured?

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Unit 6. Types of writing

When you write a composition, you need to understand the type of writing required.

Your piece of writing can be in the form of a letter, an article for a magazine, a newspaper

or a report.

Letters are written to a person (e.g. your pen friend, a newspaper editor, etc.) or a group of

people (e.g. the students' society, the local football club, etc.) for a specific reason (e.g. to give

advice, to make a complaint etc.). They include:

Informal letters to people you know well, written in a personal chatty style.

Formal letters to managers, officials etc., written in a polite formal style.

Semi-formal letters to people you do not know well or people you know want to sound

polite and respectful e.g. a teacher of yours, your pen friend's etc., written in a polite and

respectful style.

Articles are found in magazines and newspapers. The following can be found in the form

of an article:

Descriptions of people, places, buildings, objects, festivals, ceremonies etc.

Narratives about real or imaginary events, which happened in the past. They can be

written in the first person (first-person narratives) when the writer is the main character of the

story or in the third person (third-person narratives) when the writer is describing events which

happened to another person or group of people.

News reports about current or recent events (e.g. fires, accidents,) written in impersonal

style. News reports present facts objectively and unemotionally.

Reviews discussing a film, TV programme, book, restaurant, etc. and recommending it or

not to the reader.

Discursive essays about arguments concerning particular subjects. They include:

"For and against" essays which present the pros and cons on a specific topic

Opinion Essays, which present the writer's personal opinion on a specific topic

Providing Solutions to Problems which discuss a problem and its causes, making

suggestions and mentioning the expected results and consequences

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Unit 7. Letter writing

General Format

Let’s categorize the kinds of letters our students are most likely to encounter into two

simple groups: social letters and business letters. For both types, indeed for almost any letter

written in English, there is a general layout or format that is followed and several general com-

ponents that are required. The following model sets out (1) the writer’s address, (2) the salutation

to the addressee, (3) the body of message, (4) the closing word or phrase, and (5) the writer’s

signature.

MODEL LETTERWriter’s address Date: month/day/year

salutation (Dear) + addressee’s name, body of the letter closing (writer’s name)

Writer’s Address

Although you will usually find that the writer places his/her address in the upper right-hand

corner of the page, business correspondents may place their address in the letterhead at the

middle top of the page, or at the lower left-hand comer.

Envelope Address

On the envelope, the U.S. post office requires the addressee’s name on the first line, the

street address on the second line, the city/state/zip code on the third line, and the name of the

country on the last line. All of this should appear in the center of the envelope. The writer’s

name and address should appear in the upper left-hand comer of the envelope.

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Salutation

Salutations are placed on the left margin. As a general rule, when the writer knows the ad-

dressee well and is on a “first name” basis (that is, if they call each other by first name infor -

mally), the writer begins an informal social letter with Dear followed by the addressee’s first or

given name:

Example: Dear John, Dear Mary, etc.

For formal social letters and business letters, however, the salutation Dear is followed by

the addressee’s title and family name: Example: Dear Mr. Smithson, Dear Dr. Jones, etc.

In business letter salutations, the reader may also note other forms: for example, Dear Pub-

lisher, Dear Editor, Dear Reader, Dear Parents, Dear Colleague, etc. This avoids the use of

Dear Sir and Gentlemen, which are now outdated as they assume all readers are male, and

overlook the growing number of women in the business world today.

In business letters, the reader may also note the use of Ms., which is the exact linguistic

equivalent of Mr.; that is, Ms. indicates female gender but not whether the person is married.

Some women still prefer to use Miss (unmarried) or Mrs. (married), but most business

correspondence today uses Ms., unless it uses some form indicating the position or office for

whom the letter is intended.

Body of the Letter

The letter itself may also begin exactly on the left margin, directly under the salutation, or

it may be indented five spaces to the right, the traditional signal for a new paragraph in English.

If you prefer not to indent for each new paragraph, you should leave an extra space between

paragraphs.

MODEL ENVELOPE

writer’s full name STAMPwriter’s street addresswriter’s city/state/zip codewriter’s country

(title) addressee’s full nameaddressee’s street addressaddressee’s city/state/zip codeaddressee’s country

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Although we are mainly concerned with format here, it will be well to keep in mind that

the body of the letter contains the main message or “point.” Culturally speaking, a native English

language reader usually expects the writer of formal or business letters to (1) introduce

him/herself, (2) state the purpose of the letter, and (3) conclude the letter. Note that the con-

clusion often may be a simple “thank you” for the reader’s attention.

Closing Signature

The closing and signature at the end of the letter are usually spaced from the right margin

and aligned under the address and date that appear in the upper right-hand comer. (See the

illustrations.) If there is any possibility that the person receiving your letter may not be able to

read your signature (because of a difference of handwriting styles), you should carefully print or

type your name under your handwritten signature. Remember that when the reader answers your

letter and addresses the envelope, he/she must be able to spell your name clearly and correctly.

Your letter is the only guideline to spelling your name and address correctly.

Impact on the Reader

In summary, a good letter must be clearly thought out, and clearly organized on paper. Its

message should be understandable to the reader and its appearance on the page should be well-

balanced, like a picture in a frame. A letter, remember, carries the writer’s unspoken thoughts

and silently reflects the writer’s personality. Each letter is a personally creative act of real

communication.

SOCIAL LETTER SAMPLES

APOLOGY (Formal) 38 Riches Street Wolverhampton

West Midlands September 10th, 2015Dear Mr. Smith,I would like to apologize for not having answered your very kind letter sooner; but I have been away on a trip and just returned today.Th photographs and audio files which you sent are beautiful. My family and I appreciate them very much

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indeed. They are the best kind of remembrance, and we are grateful. Again, please accept my apology for the delay. And please give my best regards to your family. Sincerely yours, Your student Abigale Monk

CONDOLENCES (DEATH IN THE FAMILY) FORMAL

Flat 58, Block of flats

3”A” Snejnaya Street Moscow-city Russia October, 9th,2014Mr. and Mrs. Sanders,I am saddened to hear the news. Please accept my deepest condolences and sympathy in your time of sorrow.Your neighbour Richard Thunderstorm

Condolences (DEATH IN THE FAMILY) INFORMAL

Flat 58, Block of flats 3”A” Snejnaya Street Moscow-city Russia October, 9th,2014Dear Abigale,

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We’re sorry to hear about your grandfather. We all share your grief. He was a wonderful man and we shall all miss him very much. Please call us if we can help in any possible way. In sympathy, Steven Catt

CONDOLENCES ON ILLNESS (FORMAL)

213 Oak Lane Cambridge England September 15th, 2015 Dear Mrs Abrahamson, We are very much sorry to hear about your illness and hope that you recover soon. Take care of it, speedy recovery.

Yours John Appleton

CONDOLENCES ON ILLNESS (INFORMAL)

FILLING OUT FORMS AND PRACTICE IN VOICE PRESENTATIONSCONGRATULATIONS on the birth of a baby (informal)

Dear Maria and Tommy, What a wonderful news! I was much delighted to hear about the baby and that you all are doing well. I want to congratulate both of you on the arrival of Melissa and wish you many years of happy parenting!Lots of love, Yours forever, Catherine

CONGRATULATIONS (INFORMAL)

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26 Second Drive West Dudley West Midlands December 18 th, 2013 Dear Professor Livestock, Congratulations on the completion of your doctoral degree in Linguistics. May I wish you every success in your forthcoming scientific career. Sincerely yoursDoctor Higgins

CONGRATULATIONS on a new job (informal)

Apt.5 Broad Lane Chelsey London October 2nd, 2014 My dear Barry, Sincere congratulations on your new job! We are all really happy to hear this good news and wish you all the best of luck. Let us know how you are getting along in snowy Moscow and when you are through London again. Soon, we hope. As ever, Yours Edward INVITATION (informal) September 15,1988Dear Paul,We’re having a Fourth of July get-together at our summer house. Bring your beach clothes and a good appetite and

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plan to spend the weekend!P.S. We’ll pick you up at the airport, of course!Cordially, Mary Augusta Chemby THANKFUL LETTER (formal) 12, Narrow Branch Road Littlestorm New Jersey 17 September, 2015Dear Professor Jiant, My sister and me would like to thank you for the wonderful books which have just arrived. They will be extremely useful in our courses the next semester. We deeply appreciate your thoughtfulness. With very best regards, Sincerely yours, Emma and Victoria Swan

Business Letters

№ 1. ACKNOWLEDGMENT ( Receipt of a contract)12/15/15

CNN Corporation 123 Regent StreetBilston West Midlands

Dear Director, This is to acknowledge of the leasing contract that I requested. Thank you so much the birthday book which is just what I wanted. Thank you for your promptness and cooperation.

Yours truly, Stephen BekketChief Accountant

№ 2. APPLICATION FORM (FORMAL)

9/15/15 Smooth English Correspondence Course, Inc.92 Eastwood RoadPasisCalifornia

Dear Dean, Please, find my application form for your course in Computer Language, with a personal cheque for one hundred fifty pounds (£150).

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Please advise if this amount is not correct. Thank you for your assistance.Sincerely yours,Mary Parshina

№3. INFORMATION REQUEST (FORMAL) 15 September, 2004Department of Roman LanguagesEdgebaston UniversityNorth Lane BirminghamWest Midlands

Dear Dean: Please send me a brochure on your faculty and an application form as I intend to enroll at university and study Panjabi language. Thank you in advance,

Arthur MacAllister

№ 4. APPLICATION (University) September

16, 2005 Registrar’s Office Manchester University4, Tottenham Road

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am a student of Linguistic Department in Geneva, Switzerland. I would like to apply for an entrance to your university. Would you please send me an application form and information on your university including campus facilities.

Thank you in advance, Ricky Martin

№ 5. ORDER REQUEST (FORMAL)

9/15/15 ALDIKO BOOKS LTD33 Horizon Drive,Chicago, Illinois Reference: Orders Department Dear Sir/Madam,

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Would you please check on our order of one copy of New Headway Upper-intermediate English Course, by Liz and John Soars, Oxford University Press, 2009, which I sent to you on September 1, 2015 with a cheque for £23 (twenty three pounds) enclosed for cost and shipping.If you have any inquiries or you did not receive the order, please inform. Yours truly, Liz Bramhs Executive Director

№ 6. INVITATION (Reception) 56 Riches Street, Wolverhampton West Midlands February 18, 2013 Dear Mr. & Mrs. Stormbridge, We are privileged to invite you to attend our remarkable anniversary venue “The Russian Federation in Glory”, which will be held on Saturday, 12th of October 2015 at 14.00a.m. Food and beverage provided. Amy Rose The Chairperson

№ 7. ORDERS (book purchase)

15/9/2015 XYZ BOOKSUPPLY COMPANY SUNRISE4 BOULEVARD ROVEN, MISSOURI

Purchasing Department: I would like to order the following books in cloth or hardback: Changing the Future by English by Ralph Right, Unites Press, 2000, one copy.Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov, Best Press, 1999, two copies.

Would you please send me the list of prices and shipping costs as soon as possible. Thank you in advance.

Andy Stone

№ 8. ORDERS (book purchase)

Request ( for catalogue)

Superior Books Limited45 Riches StreetLondonCatalogue Dept.:

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I would like to request a free catalogue on American literature books. Please send it to my address.Thank you for your attentionRian Heatherway

POSTCARD GREETINGS

—Tampa, Florida STAMP

Dear Mary,

I’m having a wonderful time in Tampa. Wish you were here.

Ms. Mary Smith 10 Main Street Newark NJ 22222

STAMP

London

Jack — Greetings from London!See you next week. Ivan

Mr. John Brown 400 12th St.Los Angeles CA 98000

_______________________________________________________________________

Hot Springs, Arkansas STAMP

Dear Jane,

You must come to Hot Springs— it’s wonderful! Thinking of you,

Mrs. J.R. Black 17 Willow Lane San Antonio, TX 78900

J

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All letters should include the following:a) an appropriate greeting (e.g. Dear Sir / Madam, DearAunt Claire, Dear Mrs Baker, etc);b) an introduction, in which you write your opening remarks (e.g. Hi! How are you?) and reason(s) for writing (e.g. I'm just writing to congratulate you on passing your exams,I'm writing to apologize for …, We were thrilled to hear that …, I am sorry to hear that … etc);c) a main body, in which you write about the specific topics of the letter in detail;d) a conclusion, in which you write your closing remarks (e.g. Please forgive me – it won’t happen again, I promise; I’m looking forward to seeing you ...l, Please write soon, Take care; e) an appropriate ending (e.g. Yours faithfully + your full name, Lots of love + your name).

Characteristics of a letter:

Informal letters:

Address & date: your address in the top, right-hand corner, followed by the date.Greeting: (e.g. Dear John, My dear Mum, etc.)informal language (e.g. I haven’t written you for ages, Don’t worry, By the way, It’s a piece of cake, I’ll pick you up at the airport, I can give it a try and so on) Ending (e.g. Yours / Love/ Best wishes/ My best regards

Formal Letters:

Address & date (i.e. your address as well as the recipient's address. Your address in the top, right-hand corner, followed by the date. The recipient's position, the name and address of the company, organisation, etc on the left hand side.Greeting (e.g. Dear Mr. Dennim - when you know the person's name – Dear Sir / Madam, - when you do not know the person's name)Formal language (e.g. I am writing with regard to your advertisement; I would appreciate a reply at your earliest convenience; The product which was delivered, proved to be faulty; etc)Ending (e.g. Yours sincere + your full name)Note: when you begin with Dear Mr / Mrs/ Ms Marcus, you should end with Yours sincerely + your full name. When you begin with Dear Sir / Madam, you should end with Yours faithfully + your full name.3 Mark the phrases as F (for Formal) or I (for Informal).

1. I would also appreciate some information about ...

2. Well, I must go now ...

3. Please accept my sincere apologies ...

4. You are cordially invited to attend ...

New York City

ЛSTAMP

Dear Anna and Phil,

Greetings from New York—The Big Apple!Mr. and Mrs. P.W. White

Love to all,Grand Apts. 501 Northtown, PA 33000

J

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5. I am writing in response to your advertisement ...

6. Thanks for the invitation to your dinner party ...

7. I am writing to express my strong dissatisfaction with ...

8. I look forward to meeting you in person ...

9. Just a quick note to tell you ...

10. I am writing to bring to your attention the ...

11. Please do not hesitate to contact me ...

12. I'm so sorry to hear you're having problems with ...

13. Write back soon ... 14. We regret to inform you that ... 15. I won't take no for an answer ...

Read this extract from an informal letter, describing a musical. Have you heard of it? Would you like to see it?

Last night I went to a famous musical called “Les Miserables”. I believe that the main stars sang and danced brilliantly and costumes were absolutely superb. The story was very fast moving and there were some really wonderful songs. It’s one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. It’s set in the 19th century France and it’s based on a story by the writer of Victor Hugo. It tells the story of Jean Valjean, who was sent to prison for 19 years just for stealing a loaf of bread. When he finally gets out of prison, Jean tries to make a new life for himself but he finds it very difficult as an ex-convict, so he breaks his parole. Eventually, Police Inspector Javert finds him and …..well, I won’t tell you the ending.

Now write a description of a play, musical or drama or concert you have seen recently. What was it like? Did you enjoy it? Why/why not?

Writing of Informal and Formal Letters

Letters are written to a person (e.g. your pen friend, a newspaper editor, etc) or a group of people (e.g. the students' society, the local football club, etc) for a specific reason (e.g. to give advice, to make a complaint etc). They include:

Informal letters to people you know well, written in a personal chatty style. Formal letters to managers, officials etc, written in a polite formal style. Semi-formal letters to people you do not know well or people you know but you want to

sound polite and respectful e.g. a teacher of yours, your pen friend's parents etc, written in a polite and respectful style.

Informal style is characterized by:

Everyday/colloquial expressions, vocabulary and idioms. E.g. I thought I’d drop you a line, Thanks a million,

Frequent use of short forms: I’m much puzzled; She’s gone for good; I gonna tell you. Etc.

Informal Phrase words: Lucy takes after her father. She seeks for money only, etc. Simple linking words, phrases such as: but, so, because, actually, basically Shorter sentences: Thanks a lot for your time. I’d love to come

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Personal tone (I/we): I’ve got great news. I’ve found a new job. Descriptive tone: Use of adjectives and adverbs to make a vivid description. It was a

bitterly cold winter morning.

Formal style is characterized by:

Formal expressions, advanced vocabulary, longer sentences, e.g. Taking everything into consideration, we’ve come to a decision to reject this project due to arising expenses.

Formal linking words and expressions: However, Nevertheless, In addition, Consequently, etc.

No use of short forms: I am thankful much; I would be grateful to obtain. Impersonal tone. Use of the passive voice, no description of feelings. Late that evening,

20-year-old Jim McCormack was pulled to safety after being trapped under debris for more than 10 hours.

Factual presentation of information: The Town Hall, constructed in late 1800s, was seriously damaged during the fire of 1917.

All letters should include the following: a) An appropriate greeting (e.g. Dear Sir/Madam, Dear Aunt Claire, Dear Mrs Baker, etc); b) An introduction, in which you write your opening remarks (e.g. Hi! How are you? The reasons for writing (I’m just writing to congratulate you on passing the exams. I’m writing to apologize for bringing so much worry in September. Etc c) A main body, in which you write about the specific topics of the letter in detail;d) A conclusion, in which you write your closing remarks (e.g. Please forgive me – it won’t happen again. I’m looking forward to seeing you before Christmas. Please, write soon. Hope to hearing from you soon. e) An appropriate ending (e.g. yours Edward Fadeev. Lots of love. Yours Edward)

Mark the phrases as F (for Formal) or I (for Informal).1 I would also appreciate some information about ......... 2 Well, I must go now... 3 Please accept my sincere apologies........... 4 You are cordially invited to attend........5 I am writing in response to your advertisement.............. 6 Thanks for the invitation to your dinner party..........7 I am writing to express my -strong dissatisfaction with.... 8 I look forward to meeting you in person...9 Just a quick note to tell you ........a..... 10 I am writing to bring to your attention the..11 Please do not hesitate to contact me.............. 12 I'm so sorry to hear you're having problems with.....13 Write back soon.............. 14 We regret to inform you that...

You have to take into consideration the correct choice of vocabulary, use appropriate and fixed expressions suitable for this particular case. Pay special attention that you must refer all information stated in the letter.

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1) You must explain the reason of you writing a letter; The 1st sentence may be:

a) It was so nice to hear from you …b) Thanks for your recent letter…c) I’m sorry I haven’t written for such a long time…d) I was really pleased to receive your letter where …

Final part of the lettera) Give my best regards to…b) Looking forward to seeing/hearing from you soon. c) Well, that’s all for now. Write me back.

Letter 1. Guess what? My parents say I can get a pet for my holiday. Isn’t that fantastic? I’m not sure what kind of pet I would like to get. Have you got a pet? What do you think I should get? Do you think that dogs are too much trouble to look after? Maybe, I should have a cat or a hamster? Let me know what you think of it. Stephen Letter 2.I’m thinking of starting music lessons. Do you play any musical instruments? Have you ever had musical lessons? I’m not really sure what musical instrument to choose. What do you suggest? I think I want to be able to play pop music. Michele Letter 3. I can’t wait to come and stay with you next month. We’re going to have such a lot of fun. What do think the weather will be like? What kind of clothes I should bring along with me? How much money do I need? Have you arranged any interesting thing for us to do? Let e know. Hope to hear from you soon. John

Exercise № 45. Write letters considering on informal or formal type.

a) Your brother will celebrate his 35th birthday and you need to congratulate him; ( Congratulation letter);

b) You bought a pair of headphones for a present to your Headteacher and found that the manual is missing (Complaint letter);

c) You visited Manchester of Great Britain where you stayed in a Scottish family for two-week time (Thank-you letter);

d) You received a letter from the Taxation Office claiming that you are due to pay additional tax for automobile parking. Write a letter and ask for explanation. (Request letter);

e ) Write a letter to your parents explaining your academic results and reasons for bad performance. (Descriptive letter);

Practice in Letter writing.

Fernanda saw an advertisement on TV for some electric scissors. She sews a lot of clothes for her children and so she decided they worth the $7.95. She copied the address they showed on TV and wrote them a letter, ordering one pair. She decided not to pay C. O. D. because that is too expensive so she included a check for $8.95 (the extra dollar was to pay for postage and handling). Here is a copy of the letter she wrote.

1784 E. Santana DriveMcAllen, TX

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August 3, 1999Fantastic Scissors Co.2817 N. Almagordo St.San Antonio, TX

Dear Sirs:I saw your advertisement on TV for Fantastic Scissors. Please send me one pair immediately. I am including a check for $8.95 to pay for the scissors plus postage and handling.Thank you very much.Sincerely,Fernanda Gonzalez

New Situation 1

Fernanda's neighbor Champengh Ly saw the scissors that Fernanda got and really liked them. She decided to buy two pairs of scissors, one for her and one for her sister. Rewrite the letter Champengh wrote using the following phrases and sentences, putting them in the correct order and form.2817 N. Almagordo St. / Please send them right away / September 16, 1999 / I am including a money order for $17.90 to pay for the scissors plus postage and handling. / Fantastic Scissors Co. / San Antonio, TX./ McAllen, TX / Yours truly, Champengh Ly / 1788 E. Santana Dr. / Gentlemen: / Thank you very much / Champengh Ly

New Situation 2

Champengh sent the letter and waited two months, but she never received the scissors. She decided to write a letter of complaint. Here are some of the things she said.I sent a letter and a money order on Sept. 16, 1982. I have not received the scissors or my money. Please send the scissors as soon as possible.Write a letter of complaint the way you think Champengh would have written it. Use the sentences given to you in the lesson and add any more you think she might have written. Do not forget capitalization, punctuation and abbreviations. Make sure you use the correct business letter form (as in the other letter).

New Situation 3

Have you ever wanted to order something from a company or have you ever needed to write a letter of complaint?1. Write a sample letter ordering something you would like to have.2. Write another letter complaining about poor service or poor quality of something you have bought in the past

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VISUAL MATERIALS FOR WRITTEN DESCRIPTION

Description of Places, buildings

Description of Objects

Description of Events

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Description of Famous Russian and American People ( Visual Aids)

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APPENDIX 1. PUNCTUATION

Punctuation makes your writing easier to read. Some people say: the less punctuation the better. And that’s certainly true to some extent. Nevertheless, proper punctuation should be used when you write an article. Let us concentrate on four main stops, which are a comma, a semicolon, a colon and a full stop.

Comma 1. Use comma to separate a series of

words of the same type: E.g. A professional reporter should write clearly, concisely, and accurately.

2. Use comma to separate a series of phrases of the same kind: E.g., His article was more refined, more intellectual, and more expressive, than Smith’s one.

3. Use comma to mark off words and phrases such as ‘however’, ‘in fact’, ‘for example’, ‘of course’: E.g. With punctuation, however, you play carefully.

4. Use comma, where two sentences are joined together by a conjunction, if you want to lengthen the pause: E.g., They wanted to leave Athens, but their friends detained them

Semicolon1. Use semicolon between sentences,

with or without a conjunction: E.g., The rumour was worrying that the

King was dead; the people believed it.

2. Use semicolon to separate longer items in a list, particularly if they need further punctuation by commas: E.g., Punctuation marks include a full stop, which is the strongest stop; a semicolon, which is weaker; and a comma, which is the weakest of all.

Colon1. Use a colon to introduce full-

sentence quotes: He said: ‘Punctuation is difficult.’

2. Use a colon to introduce lists: All of the students passed the exams: Bill, Jack, Andrew and Terry.

3. Use a colon between two sentences where the second sentence explains or justifies the first one: Try to keep your English language uncluttered: it reads more easily.

4. Use a colon between two sentences to mark an antithesis: People propose: The God disposes.

Full stop You should use a full stop in a text to mark the end of a sentence

Exercise № 45. Rewrite the whole of the text. Put punctuation marks where necessary.

The Government’s central economic objective is to achieve high and stable levels of growth and employment in meeting this objective the Government wants to encourage a fair society in which everyone

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can share in higher living standards and wider job opportunities and to see economic development taking place in a way that respects the environment Stable public finances are key requirements for long-term economic stability the Government’s fiscal policy is guided by two strict rules.

That over the economic cycle the

Government will borrow only to invest and that current spending will be met from taxation

That public debt as a proportion of national income will be held over the

economic cycle at a stable and prudent level

These rules require that current taxpayers pay for current spending since they enjoy its benefits future generations gain from public investment so it is reasonable to borrow to finance investment with future generations bearing the corresponding debt servicing and depreciation costs to implement its new rules in July 1997 the Government announced a five-year deficit reduction plan.

APPENDIX 2. SIGNS OF THE ZODIAC

Aries, the Ram March 21 – April 20 Positive: strong, enthusiastic, positive, optimistic, ambitious Negative: tactless, stubborn,

unreasonable, and irritable Taurus, the Bull April 21 – May 20

Positive: honest, reliable, cautious, and thorough Negative: unforgiving, stubborn,

materialistic, and overbearing Gemini, the Twins May 21 – June 20

Positive: bright, creative, charming, adaptable, intellectualNegative: shallow, unreliable, doesn’t

concentrate, easily boredCancer, the Crab June 21 – July 20

Positive: home-loving, sympathetic, kind, loyal, patient

Negative: timid, unambitious, lazy, retiring Leo, the Lion July 21 – August 21

Positive: leading, organizing, generous, hospitable, popular Negative: arrogant, rude, conceited, materialistic

Virgo, the Virgin August 22 – September 22

Positive: Hard working, responsible, moderate, trustworthy, open-minded,

Negative: critical, cold, too tidy, miserly Libra, the Scales September 23 – October 22

Positive: fair-minded, harmonious, considerate, and artistic Negative: insincere, escapist, vain,

jealous

Scorpio, the Scorpion October 23 – November 22

Positive: brave, strong-willed, highly principled, determined Negative: boastful, sly, ruthless,

vengeful Sagittarius, the Archer November 23 –

December 20 Positive: honest, broad-minded, practical, trusting Negative: restless, risk-taking, tactless,

undisciplined Capricorn, the Goat December 21 – January 19

Positive: patient, serious, business-like, hard-working, self-controlled Negative: bossy, narrow-minded,

critical, materialistic Aquarius, the Water Carrier January 20 –

February 18 Positive: individualistic, honest, humanitarianNegative: fanatical, eccentric,

temperamental, impractical

Pieces, the Fish February 19 – March 20 Positive: idealistic, sympathetic, loving, trusting

Negative: depressive, gloomy, lazy, easily led

Contrast and Addition Structures: 1. They are charming, but shallow.

2. They are not only stubborn, but also overbearing.

3. Although they are generous, they can also be greedy.

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4. They can be energetic. In addition, they can be persistent.

5. They are timid. Furthermore, they are completely unambitious.

Supposition: 1. Gemini people are supposed to be good

businesspersons. 2. Libra people are thought to be artistic. 3. Sagittarius people are said to be honest

and trusting.

Exercise № 46. Write a short paragraph saying how typical or untypical you are of your sign. Use provided structures.

Exercise № 47. Write your horoscope for tomorrow. Say what kind of a day it will be for your star sign. Try to make it funny.

APPENDIX 3. Filling Out Forms and Practice in Voice Presentation

Mr/Mrs/Miss _______________ ____________________________________________ Last First Middle

Number Street

City State Zip Code Telephone

Date of Birth Place of Birth Social security No.

Exercise № 48. Fill out the form for Ali.

Ali Helal was born in Cairo, Egypt on September 15, 1948. He is now studying English at The English Language Center. He lives on 3227 South Main Street in Odessa, Texas and he is an engineer. His social security number is 561-59-8836 and his telephone number is 595-2631.The area code is 915. The zip code for Odessa is 78439.

Exercise № 49. Fill out the form providing your personal information. Then present this information in voice, orally.

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APPENDIX 4. Personal Vignettes

ObjectiveTo be able to write a short vignette about a friend or oneself.

InstructionsMost people have to fill out applications many times throughout their lives. There are job applications, credit card applications, loan applications, school admission applications and applications for government services. An application filled out completely contains a lot of information about the applicant.

Activity 1Now fill out an application for yourself. (See Appendix for sample.) Can you write a short history of yourself from the information on the application? Imagine you could design an application for a husband, wife, or child. What kind of information would you require? Make a list of questions, such as name, birthdate, birthplace, etc.

Activity 3Have students interview a friend and with the information from the interview fill out as much of an application as possible or vice versa. (Have your friend fill out the application and then write his history).

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APPENDIX 5. FILLING OUT OF A FORM