英国原版雅思作文参考资料.pdf

A helpful book for IELTS Compiled by bavy&adrianOctober 2004 Contents Contents Introduction - Introduction - please readplease read Debatable and non-debatable statements Providing support for debatable statements (or premises) Using connectives and paragraphs in a larger argumentative text The main thesis, supporting arguments and conclusion. Adding information to relevant arguments Connectives for listing arguments. Concluding connectives In fact / Indeed More practice on using In fact and Indeed Paragraphs Showing you are aware of both sides of the issue - a model Showing you are aware of both sides of the issue - examining the model The main premise Paragraph topics Opposing arguments and supporting arguments Problematising the opposing arguments Shifting from opposing arguments to supporting arguments. More work on showing you are aware of both sides of the issue Language Summary: ways of showing that you are aware of the opposing opinion Working out the main premise from a paragraph Using connectives and problematising phrases in a paragraph Putting together a paragraph for an argumentative text Choosing your own premise and writing a paragraph Converting an informal text into a formal text Sorting arguments into topics and paragraphs A longer model argumentative essay Getting an overview of the model essay Identifying the main premise, paragraph structure and paragraph topics The internal organisation of the paragraphs - revision Including a paragraph that only presents supporting arguments Writing introductions to argumentative essays Writing conclusions to argumentative essays Writing your own argumentative essay - 13 steps to take from start to finish Appendix 1. Language summary: structure of paragraphs in the body of an argumentative essay Debatable and non-debatable statements Providing support for debatable statements (or premises) Using connectives and paragraphs in a larger argumentative text The main thesis, supporting arguments and conclusion. Adding information to relevant arguments Connectives for listing arguments. Concluding connectives In fact / Indeed More practice on using In fact and Indeed Paragraphs Showing you are aware of both sides of the issue - a model Showing you are aware of both sides of the issue - examining the model The main premise Paragraph topics Opposing arguments and supporting arguments Problematising the opposing arguments Shifting from opposing arguments to supporting arguments. More work on showing you are aware of both sides of the issue Language Summary: ways of showing that you are aware of the opposing opinion Working out the main premise from a paragraph Using connectives and problematising phrases in a paragraph Putting together a paragraph for an argumentative text Choosing your own premise and writing a paragraph Converting an informal text into a formal text Sorting arguments into topics and paragraphs A longer model argumentative essay Getting an overview of the model essay Identifying the main premise, paragraph structure and paragraph topics The internal organisation of the paragraphs - revision Including a paragraph that only presents supporting arguments Writing introductions to argumentative essays Writing conclusions to argumentative essays Writing your own argumentative essay - 13 steps to take from start to finish Appendix 1. Language summary: structure of paragraphs in the body of an argumentative essay Introduction Introduction Welcome to Writing Argumentative Essays, a unit of curriculum which aims to teach students how to write short argumentative essays of approximately 1000 words. The unit was prepared for students undertaking the International English Language Testing System(IELTS) course during my perod of study at Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics(JXUFE) in Nanchang, China. These students had a CET 6 Certificate (Upper Intermediate). However, the unit should be useable in any course involving the preparation of first or second language learners for further study at university or IELTS. The unit assumes that the students have their own argumentative essay topic for the course they are undertaking. The unit is built around one particular type of argumentative essay. It is important to understand that there are many other ways of structuring argumentative essays than the one proposed in this unit. However, the structure outlined here has proved to be very effective in giving students a clear, accessible and useable model for their own essays. If you are a student who is accessing this curriculum in order to prepare for an assessment task involving the writing of an argumentative essay, you should first check with your teacher / tutor / lecturer to ensure that the structure outlined here is suitable for that task. (You should probably print out the marine park model and show it to the teacher / tutor / lecturer concerned). If you have any comments or questions about this unit of work please feel free to contact me: or .Q Q : 8 7 2 2 2 5 4 3 This unit of work may be downloaded, printed and used for teaching and learning purposes by students or teachers on the sole condition that the copyright details are not to be removed from the bottom of each page. Thanks to adrian for hosting these materials from September 2004. Debatable and non-debatable statements Debatable and non-debatable statements An argumentative essay is built around a specific statement (or main premise) that is debatable within the field in which you are studying. In other words, at the centre of an argumentative essay is a statement with which your readers may disagree. Your essay will need to support that statement in a manner that convinces your readers of its truth. To begin this unit of work on argumentative essays we will learn the difference between debatable and non-debatable statements Debatable statements = Statements with which other people might or might not agree . These are sometimes called arguments, assertions, propositions or premises. eg. Solar energy is the best way of meeting Australias energy needs in the 21st century Non-debatable statements = Statements with which no-one would normally disagree or argue. These are sometimes called facts. eg. Coal and oil are the main sources of energy in Australia in the 20th century Task 1 Which of the following statements are debatable and which are non-debatable? If the statement is debatable, put a tick in the box next to the word debatable. If the statement is non-debatable, put a tick in the box next to the word non-debatable. You will need to print out the page. 1. Computers and automation increase unemployment debatable non-debatable 2. Smoking is harmful to peoples health debatable non-debatable 3. Plants produce oxygen that the world needs to sustain life debatable non-debatable 4. Australia has some of the most venomous snakes in the world debatable non-debatable 5. A good education is necessary for a successful and happy life debatable non-debatable Check your answer here Answer to Task 1: Debatable and non-debatable statements Answer to Task 1: Debatable and non-debatable statements 1. Computers and automation increase unemployment debatable non-debatable 2. Smoking is harmful to peoples health debatable non-debatable 3. Plants produce oxygen that the world needs to sustain life debatable non-debatable 4. Australia has some of the most venomous snakes in the world debatable non-debatable 5. A good education is necessary for a successful and happy life debatable non-debatable Task 2 Now write a debatable and a non-debatable statement about each of the following topics: 1. Alcohol 2. Television 3. Public transport 4. The Australian education system 5. The Prime Minister Click here to see some possible answers to this task. Possible answers to Task 2 Possible answers to Task 2 Non-debatable Debatable Alcohol Alcohol can be legally sold to adults over the age of 18 in Victoria Drinking alcohol is always bad for your heath Television Televison broadcasting began in Australia in 1956. Pay (or cable) television will become more popular than free-to-air televsion in the next 10 years. Public Transport Trains, trams and buses are all forms of public transport. Public transport is more economically efficient than private car transport. The Australian education system There are three main levels in the Australian education system: primary, secondary and tertiary The Australian education system provides the highest quality education in the Asia-Pacific region. The Prime Minister The Prime Minister is elected by a vote of all the members of the House of Representatives The Prime Minister should be directly elected by all the citizens of Australia. The words and phrases that are in italics all tell you that these are debatable statements. These words show that the writer is not stating facts but is giving opinions or making speculations. Providing support for debatable statements (or premises) Providing support for debatable statements (or premises) You now know that debatable statements are not statements of fact but are statements or premises with which other people may or may not agree. When you are writing an argumentative essay your aim is to make your readers agree with your debatable statements or premises. You need to convince your readers of the value or truth of your premises. But by themselves, they are not convincing - they need support. In this section you will learn how to provide supporting statements for your premises(We will use the term premise from now on for any debatable statement or assertion in your argumentative essay). You will also learn how to use connectives to link these statements to each other and to the premise. Example 1 Premise: Marijuana should be legalised Supporting statement 1: It is less harmful to peoples health than alcohol. Supporting statement 2: A very large percentage of the population uses it. Both supporting statements provide information that helps prove or support the premise. We can use connectives to link these statements together: Example 2 Premise: Marijuana should be legalised Supporting statement 1: Firstly, it is less harmful to peoples health than alcohol. Supporting statement 2: In addition, a very large percentage of the population uses it. Firstly tells the reader that this is the first supporting statement. (There are no ther formal connectives that can be used in this place. It is, however, accceptable to have no connective here) In addition tells the reader that this is an extra supporting statement. Other connectives that you could use here are Furthermore, Moreover and Secondly. Task 1 The following premises (P) have one supporting statement (SS1). Rewrite them adding a second supporting statement (SS2). Also use connectives for the first and second supporting statements Immigration (P) A strong immigration program is necessary in Australia (SS1) The population is too small for sustained economic growth (SS2) Smoking (P) Smoking should be banned in restaurants and pubs. (SS1) It will help people to give up this unhealthy habit. (SS2) Freeways (P) The government should build more freeways instead of public transport. (SS1) It keeps traffic off residential streets. (SS2) Public Transport (P) The government should build more public transport instead of freeways. (SS1) It provides cheap transport to people who cant afford cars. (SS2) After you have completed this task, check here for suggested or possible answers. Providing support for debatable statements: answer to task Providing support for debatable statements: answer to task Immigration A strong immigration program is necessary in Australia. Firstly, the population is too small for sustained economic growth. Moreover, immigrants bring in new skills that can help the country develop. Smoking Smoking should be banned in restaurants and pubs. Firstly, it will help people to give up this unhealthy habit. Secondly, non-smoking patrons of these establishments should be able to breathe fresh air. Freeways The government should build more freeways instead of public transport. Firstly, it keeps traffic off residential streets. In addition, it increases the speed of journeys across town, especially for trucks. Public Transport The government should build more public transport instead of freeways. Firstly, it provides cheap transport to people who cant afford cars. Furthermore, it is better for the environment because it produces less air pollution. Using connectives and paragraphs in a larger argumentative text Using connectives and paragraphs in a larger argumentative text In this section you will learn how to organise supporting statements or arguments in a paragraph. You will learn that it is important to use connectives to list your arguments and to signal the relations between them. Read the following text carefully Childcare The government should provide more financial assistance to parents who use childcare. Childcare centres may assist children in their early development. They give children an opportunity to mix with other children and to develop social skills at an early age. Parents and children need to spend some time apart. Children become less dependent on their parents and parents themselves are less stressed and more effective care-givers when there are periods of separation. Parents who cannot go to work because they dont have access to childcare facilities cannot contribute to the national economy. They are not able to utilise their productive skills and do not pay income tax. Government support for childcare services assists individual families and is important for the economic well-being of the whole nation. Task 1: The main thesis, supporting arguments and conclusion. This text consists of 1 main thesis, 3 supporting arguments and 1 conclusion. Print this page out and use a highlighter or pen to answer the following questions: a. What is the main thesis? Circle or highlight the main thesis. Then write main thesis in the margin next to it. b. What are the three supporting arguments? Circle or highlight each of the three supporting arguments. Then write argument 1, argument 2 and argument 3 next to each one. (Note: each of these consists of more than one sentence) c. What is the conclusion? Circle or highlight the conclusion and write conclusion in the margin next to it Check your answers here Answer to Task 1 Answer to Task 1 Task 2: Adding information to relevant arguments The following three sentences each add further information to the three supporting arguments. Your task is to add the sentences to the text. You will first need to work out which of the three supporting arguments they relate to. a. Recent studies indicate that the parent-child relationship can be improved by the use of high-quality childcare facilities. b. A whole range of learning occurs in childcare centres. c. Non-working parents can become a drain on the tax system through dependent spouse and other rebates. Check