WRITING A discussion essay

H¡ 1 | CHECK THE BASICS 1 Tick the three things you need to include in a d iscussion essay. Then read the essay below to c h e c k your answer.

b o t h s i d e s of a n a r g u m e n t ¡7} o p i n i o n s \7\t s p e e c h • l i nke r s of c o n t r a s t \7\

2 | MOVE ON

'You should choose the subject thatyou like the most foryour degree.' D I S C U S S .

A Choosing a subject lo study at university is very dilíícult. Some

people choose a course that they think will help them lo get a

well-paid career, while others simply study a subject that they like.

B On the one hand, studying your favourite subject will make

your time at university more enjoyable. Moreover, you could feel

motivated to work harder, which might help you to get a higher

grade.

C On the other hand, your choice of degree could aífect your

chances of employment after university. Candidatos who

have studied a particular subject might be preferred by some

employers, especially in such professions as law or medicine.

D A l l in all, although I think it is important to study an interesting

subject, I do not believe it should be your only reason for choosing

a degree course. in my view, your future career should be

considered too.

2 W h i c h paragraph in the essay gives:

1 t h e writer's o w n v i e w ? .2.

2 a r g u m e n t s a g a i n s t t h e s t a t e m e n t ? „ Í L „ .

3 a r g u m e n t s f o r t h e s t a t e m e n t ? . § .

4 a s u m m a r y of t h e e s s a y q u e s t i o n ? ,á

Usefu! language 3 F ind at least one phrase in the essay for e a c h of the

following:

1 a d d i n g a n a r g u m e n t l\WSSiM:fl!;Ui¿.

2 e x p r e s s i n g c o n t r a s t ontheatherh^M

3 s u m m i n g u p

4 g i v i n g a n o p i n i ó n .¡.¡MIL........ . . . . . . ; . : : . : ¡ w . V í f ^ :

4 Look at the words a n d expressions in the list a n d answer

the questions.

although despite however in spite of

nevertheless on the other hand

1 Quest ion: w h i c h w o r d s o r e x p r e s s i o n s in t h e list a r e

f o l l o w e d by a n o u n or a g e r u n d ?

Answers: .á?s£!k-. a n d MSBtff.fff.

2 Quest ion: w h i c h l i n k e r s a r e f o l l o w e d by a c o m m a

w h e n t h e y a p p e a r a t t h e s t a r t of a s e n t e n c e or c l a u s e ?

Answers: J3SSXSSB: , a n d

.ff!?.iPh?.p.P.h^r.h^.(id...

: Choose the correct alternatives to complete the

sentences.

1 G i r l s n o w d o b e t t e r t h a n b o y s at l a n g u a g e s a n d b i o l o g y .

Nevertheless. / Despite, b o y s c o n t i n u é to d o b e t t e r at

m a t h s .

2 However, / In spite of b e i n g v e r y s t r e s s f u l , e x a m s a r e

st i l l a g o o d t e s t of s t u d e n t s ' p r o g r e s s .

3 O n t h e one / other h a n d , s c h o o l c a n t e e n s a r e g o o d

v a l u é . O n t h e one /cother ;hand, t h e y d o not u s u a l l y

s e r v e v e r y h e a l t h y f o o d .

4 C o u r s e w o r k m a y b e a f a i r e r t e s t of a b i l i t y t h a n e x a m s :

despite / although s o m e s t u d e n t s m a y c h e a t .

6 C o m p l e t e the second sentence so it has the same

meaning as the first.

1 A l t h o u g h s h e w a s b r i l l i a n t a t m a t h s , s h e w a s t e r r i b l e a t

p h y s i c s .

In s p i t e o f .^D&ÍQKl^.^^,W^^.t^MMuP.M.

!!^1ít!§i.§h.eJ!^^^.^.M^S/^S^.

2 D e s p i t e d o i n g lots of r e v i s i ó n , t h e y f a i l e d t h e i r e x a m s .

A l t h o u g h ..: : Ü.j.iiit

3 M e n p e r f o r m w e l l in e x a m s . H o w e v e r , t h e y d o l e s s w e l l

a t c o u r s e w o r k .

D e s p i t e t h e f a c t t h a t r iJ.9.....

¿•..::.1Í;..'L.'Á.:.:.!'.Í;;..'..L::.:^

3 0 Unit 3 Educat ion

ill Ll iLl .I

EXAM PRACTICE Listening

Í f ~ 3 ] WRITE

W r i t e a d i s c u s s i o n e s s a y w i t h t h e t i t l e ' B o a r d i n g

s c h o o l s h e l p s t u d e n t s a c h i e v e b e t t e r r e s u l t s in

e d u c a t i o n . ' W r i t e a b o u t 1 2 0 - 1 5 0 w o r d s . B e f o r e y o u

s t a r t . . .

7 THINK Read the Task box. Then think about the

following questions.

• How MÍ boardm^ sckovís dijj&rmtp-ow. ordimry ídwvü?

• Wkat are the aÁuatUtujes ajaitmdt^ a. bo&rdm^ schod?

think ojst Least two remern-

• Wktá are the dií¿ulv¡wttujts ffj-tdtmdinq m. ordüury schod?

Tkmk ofst UMÍ ¿IOS I

Whatty^e of¡ckoví wmdd you. firejer to atímd? Qw-e

whttt kyour opinión ofthe ítatemttá ¿n tketfák?

PLAN Write notes for each paragraph of your essay.

R e a d the essay in exercise 2 again carefully for ideas.

Paragraph 1 G i v e a n i n t r o d u c t i o n t o t h e t o p i c .

E x p l a i n t h e m e a n i n g o f t h e

s t a t e m e n t a n d s a y t h a t t h e r e a r e

a r g u m e n t s f o r a n d a g a i n s t t h i s ¡ d e a .

Paragraph 2 G i v e r e a s o n s for t h e s t a t e m e n t . G i v e

t w o r e a s o n s .

Paragraph 3 G i v e r e a s o n s against the s t a t e m e n t .

G i v e t w o r e a s o n s .

Paragraph 4 G i v e a c o n c l u s i ó n . S u m m a r i z e

t h e a r g u m e n t s a n d g i v e y o u r o w n

o p i n i ó n .

9 WRITE Write your essay. U s e the paragraph plan

above to help you. R e m e m b e r to use formal language

a n d to include at least one linker of contrast.

10 CHECK R e a d your essay carefully and c h e c k it for

mista kes.

• H a v e y o u f o l l o w e d t h e p a r a g r a p h p l a n ?

• H a v e y o u g i v e n a r g u m e n t s f o r a n d a g a i n s t ?

• H a v e y o u u s e d f o r m a l l a n g u a g e ?

• H a v e y o u i n c l u d e d at l e a s t o n e l i n k e r of c o n t r a s t ?

• H a v e y o u u s e d t h e c o r r e c t g r a m m a r , w o r d o r d e r ,

s p e l l i n g a n d p u n c t u a t i o n ?

(e) Listen a n d ( c í r c l e ) t h e best answers.

1 W h i c h o f t h e s e s t a t e m e n t s is t r u e a b o u t S t e p h e n ?

A H e h a s h a d a v e r y s i m i l a r l i fe t o N i c k .

B H e h a s w o r k e d i n lots of d i f f e r e n t p r i s o n s .

C H e t e a c h e s y o u n g p r i s o n e r s . )

2 W h i c h of t h e s e t h i n g s d o e s not h a p p e n b e f o r e

S t e p h e n g e t s t o c l a s s ?

A H e g o e s t h r o u g h s e v e r a l d o o r s .

B T h e g u a r d s c h e c k h i s c l o t h e s .

•• C T h e g u a r d s t a k e a w a y h i s b a g s .

3 W h o g o e s into t h e c l a s s r o o m ?

A S t e p h e n a n d o n e g u a r d w h o s i t s n e a r t h e d o o r .

B S t e p h e n a n d o f t e n o n e o r m o r e g u a r d s .

C S t e p h e n , b u t not u s u a l l y a n y of t h e g u a r d s .

4 D i d S t e p h e n e v e r n e e d h e l p f r o m t h e g u a r d ?

A a f e w t i m e s a t t h e start

B o n l y o n c e - )

C j u s t in h i s f i rst w e e k

5 W h a t h a p p e n e d in t h e c l a s s o n p o e t r y ?

A T h e l e s s o n w a s n o t very p o p u l a r . ;•

B S t e p h e n c o u l d n o t r e m e m b e r a p o e m by

W o r d s w o r t h .

C O n l y s o m e o f t h e c l a s s w e r e i n s p i r e d .

6 In a Y o u n g O f f e n d e r s P r i s o n , m o s t p r i s o n e r s . . .

A d o n o t h a v e a p o s i t i v e v i e w of e d u c a t i o n . ¡

B o n l y h a v e o n e o r t w o q u a l i f i c a t i o n s .

C r e g r e t not s p e n d i n g m o r e t i m e at s c h o o l .

7 W h a t d i d S t e p h e n l e a r n ?

A T h a t it is b e s t t o g i v e a l e c t u r e f r o m t h e f r o n t .

B T h a t m a n y s t u d e n t s a r e c r e a t i v e a n d p e r c e p t i v e .

•'C T h a t h e n e e d e d t o c h a n g e h i s s t y l e of t e a c h i n g . >

8 W h a t k i n d o f s t u d e n t w a s N i c k ?

A ü r r o g a n t a n d i m p o l i t e

B h o t - t e m p e r e d a n d a g g r e s s t v e

C e x t r e m e l y l a z y

9 W h a t d i d N i c k d o b e f o r e h e w e n t t o p r i s o n ?

A H e t o o k a l o t o f d r u g s .

B H e left s c h o o l b e f o r e g e t t i n g a n y G C S E s .

C H e w a s a c a r t h i e f a n d a d r u g d e a l e r . .

1 0 W h a t d o e s N i c k d o n o w ?

A H e h e l p s o t h e r y o u n g o f f e n d e r s .

' B H e t a l k s t o s c h o o l s t u d e n t s ? )

C H e is a t e a c h e r in M a n c h e s t e r .

110 marks

Unit 3 FrJucation 31 i