Professional Documents
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L EA R N T N O G BIE C T T V S
This unitcovers: tistening . Using Venn diagrams to takeandorganize notes . Analysing descriptions of similarity anddifference . Recognizing andusing comparative adjectives Speaking . Comparing pieces andcontrasting different of researcn . Preparing for.participating in,andevaluating a seminar discussion Reading . Analysing models andtheories in a text r Understanding comparison in text r ldentifying andevaluating authorial stance Vrlriting o Introduction to essay writing o WritinB aneffective conclusion r Planning andorganizing comparison essays Vocabulary . ldentifying comparing andcontrasting language r UsinB comparative andcontrasting structures
on _Discussf
I Work in pairs. Read the statistics and discuss questions l-3. a The richest 20To of theworld's population are responsible for over 7SVo of Ihe world's consumption, whereas the poorest 20Vo areresponsiblefor consuming only 1.5%of the world's resources(World Ban( 2008). b I2Toof the world's population live in North America and Western Europe,and account for 60%of personal spending, while the one-third living in South Asia and sub-Saharan (worldwatch, 2011). Africa account for only 3.2Vo c In 2008the bottled water industry was worth $60 billion and sold 241 billion litres of water (Assadoumian,2010). Thereare estimatedto be I billion people without access to clean water (worldwatch,2011). f \.Vhichstatisticsurprisesyou the most? 2 Do you live in a country where consumption is high?'What do most people spend their money on? 3 Has consurnption changed much in your country in the last 50 years?Think about what people buy. 2 Work in pairs. Discussquestions 1-3 with reference to consumption of resources like food, water, energy, and consumer goods. I \Arhat,if anything, worries you about your own consumption? \A/hatchanges could you make? 2 \A/hatare the possiblerisks of people continuing to consume so much? 3 Are high levels of consumption alwaysa bad thing?
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T h i sm o d u l e covers:
o Using Venndiagrams to take andorganize notes a A n a l y s i nd ge s c r i p t i o n os f s i m i l a r i ta y n dd i f f e r e n c e o Recognizin ag n du s i n g comparativ ae djectives
2 ES.Z Watch Extract 2 of the lecture comparing two competing products. Complete the notes, which are organized into aVenn diagram.
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3 Compare your notes with another student. Discuss the similarities and differences between the two products and decide why one was more successful than the other.
Work in pairs and discuss questions l -2. I Why are innovators and laggardsnot likely to buy the same products? 2 \&rhere would you place yourself / your friends / your family on the diagram in relation to differenttechnologies, e.g.phones,tablets,socialmedia?
C o m p a r i s o na n d c o n t r a s t ( 1 ) A d j e c t i v e s Some common comoarative structures are: adjective -er(+ thanl + phrase/ clause ln general, me-tooproducts needto be cheaperthan revolutionory ones. morc I less + adiective + fhan Innovotors are more odventurousthdn other consumers, not os + adjective + as + phrase/ clause The risks ore not os high os for the revolutionory ones. for me-tooproducts too + adjective + ta clause It wouldbe too dangerousto foil to differentiotethe product, adjective+ enough+ fo clause A productneeds to be different enoughfrom its competitors to be lnteresting to consumers.
(confident) about buying a new product buying an establishedproduct. (expensive) for many consumersto buy. (rich) to take riskswith money.
INDEPENDENT STUDY
As lectures c o v e ra l o t o f informatron , is important it y o u r n o t e sa r ec l e a ra n d well organized, ) F i n do u t t h e t i t i e o f y o u r l e c t u r e si n a d v a n c e s0 vou canbestplan y o u r n o t e - t a k i n g ,e . g . u s e V e n n d i a g r a m sf o r i o n t r a s t / c o m p a r i s o n ,o r t w o c o l u m n sf o r p r o b l e m / s o l u t i o nl e c t u r e s .
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2 Read the tutor's online posting. Predict which two factors from a-f are most likely to be identified by research as the 'main contributing factors to happinessi Aim:to compare anddiscuss threepieces of research (e.9. on happiness, andwhich {actors wealth / other?) contribute to happiness question: Whatseemto be the moincontributing Research factors to hoppiness? present participants Format: students the main findings of the research theyhave read; seminar notedownthe mainconclusions & askquestions, followed bv discussion Match references 1-3 to descriptions a-c. I Ballas,D. & Dorling, D. (2007).Measuring the impact of major life eventsupon happiness.Int ernatio nal Journal of Epidemiology, 36: pp.1244-52. 2 Choudhary, M. A., Levine, P.,McAdam, P.& Welz, P.2012.Thehappiness puzzle: analytical aspectsof the Easterlin paradox. Oxford EconomicsPapers,6a (I) pp.27-a2. 3 Rodriguez-Pose, A. & Maslauskaite,K. (2011).Can policy make us happier? Individual characteristics, socio-economicfactors and life satisfactionin Central and Eastern Europe. Cambridge lournal of RegionsEconomy and Society4 (4) a researchon happinessfrom a political perspective, with a specificgeographicalfocus b an assessmentof how different life events affect happiness c an analysisof a particular theory about happiness
GTOSSARY paradoxrefers The Easterlin to research by Richard published Easterlin in L974, which suggests thatalthough people arebecoming wealthier andconsuming more, theyare nothappier,
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())9.6 Listen to Extract 2, the second student presentation. Note down the key information using the same headings as in l, where possible. Compare your notes on Extracts I and 2 with another student. Help each other to complete any missing information. Then look at the transcript on page 217. Compare the information you noted down in I and 2 using the following phrases. Compared with ... ... is similar to ... In comparison with ... In contrast, ...
the main factors identified in the research the results and conclusions.
INDEPENDENT STUDY
It is important to prepare properly you before participate in a seminar - yourtutorwillvalue a on contribution based readinB rather thanan unsupported opinion. > Lookat texts from two opposingstancesto give you a balanced overview ol topics before seminar discussions.
UNIT 9 B S P E A K I N C1 2 3
T h i sm o d u l e covers:
o A n a l y s i nm g odels a n dt h e o r i e s ina text a Understandin cg ompariso intext o ldentifying a n de v a l u a t i na gu t h o r i asl t a n c e
Consumerist model
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GTOSSARY (n)[economics] commodity a product or a rawmaterial that canbebought andsold
Under the consumerist modelthe manufacture of news is profitdriven; newsis seenprimarily as a business enterprise, with newsas a commodity.
souRcEr Bainbridge, N.,& Tynan, L.(2011),p.42.Medioondjournalism Znded.oxford:oxford University Press J,,Coc,
Consumption andproduction
Bothmass-society andMarxist theoryassumed that the content of the media is shaped by thosewho own andcontrol them,An alternative approach argues that the content of the media is determined by market forces, Thusthe content of,say, newspapers is shaped not by theirowners but by the readers who buythem.Newspapers andbroadcasters areultimately concerned with circulation andaudience figures. The market rulesandthe media will deliver whatever the consumer wants.
souRcEl Fulcher, 4th ed.p,353-4, oxford:OxfordUniversrty Press. J.,& Scott, l. (ZOIL\.Sociology
GTOSSARY (n) the usual circulation number of copies of a newspaper or magazine that aresoldeachday, week.etc.
Work in pairs. Discusswhether you agreewith the ideas described in Texts I and 2. Give reasons.
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Consumerist model
Under theconsumerist model the manufacture of newsis profit primarily driven; news isseen as a business enterDrise, withnews asa commoditv.
GLOSSARY affluent(odl)having a lot of money anda good standard of living claim(u) to saythat sth is truealthough it hasnotbeen proved people andother may not believe it (n) an attempt endeavour to do sth,especrally sthnewor difficult (n/ television infotainment programmes, etc. that present newsandseri0us subjects in an entertaining way linformotion + entertainmentl proprietor (n) the owner of a business, a hotel, etc.
thelack of endeavour byjournalists andnews corporations at a timewhen theUSA wasswept upin a wave of anticommunist sentiment, hadlittleinfluence onstopping thecommercialization of news. sThe public arebecoming increasingly affluent andconsumerist, and theydemand to beentertained 10This aswellasinformed. journalist means therole andrelevance of theinvestigative isincreasingly being challenged.
souRcE, adapted f rom:Bainbridge, L. (2011).p.42,Mediaond journolism znd ed,oxford:Oxford J.,Coc,N.,& Tynan. University Press.
Identifu which sentences l-9 contain material on news audiences as consumers. Underline the words / phrases which relate to this. Example: 'Media owners now seereaders,listenersand uiewersas consumersof their commodities, in much the same way as the owners of retail chains seetheir customersas the consumersof the products they sell. Selecttwo of the sentencesyou identified, and write a citation for each one. Decide whether to use a quotation or paraphrase, and remember to include a reference. Example: Bainbridge, Goc,and Tynan (2011,p.42) explain how readers, listeners, and uiewersof media ore compared to consumersof products sold in retail chains.
peace, later. revealing echo ina world unsettled bythreats to global Fiftyyears EdMurrow's words investigative reporting are being increasingly replaced by infotainment. andwhere hard news and (sentence 6)
and news Whileoften quoted, Murrow's criticism of the lack of endeavour by journalists sentiment, had corporations at a timewhenthe USA wassweptup in a waveof anticommunist (sentence littleinfluence on stopping the commercialization of news. 8)
INDEPENDENT STUDY
Comoarisons in academic texts aretypically - for example, evaluated if two systems areshown to havedifferences. then onesystem is likelyto be shown to be more effective. ) Lookat a chapter of a textbook from your area of study. Lookfor comparisons of important ideas, systems,etc. and identify any evaluation madeby the authors.
increasingly affluentand consumerist, and they demand to be d The publicare becoming journalist Thismeans of the investigative entertained aswellasinformed. the roleandrelevance (sentences 9 and10) is increasingly being challenged. Decide whether the words / phrases you underlined are comparative, evaluative, or both. Look at the language carefrrlly in its context in the original text to see how it is used. 'significant Example: Thephrase change' in sentence1 is eualuatiue rather than comparatiue. Theauthors use the adjectiue'significant' to show their opinion on the change - they seeit as important.
o n g e rp h r a s e s andstructures C o m p a r i s o na n d c o n t r a s t ( Z ) U n d e r s t a n d i n lg phrases (comparison). Academic textsoftenuselonger or structures to showsimilarities phrases'balance'the in the following sentence, Such two things being compared. Forexample, media owners arecomoared to the owners of retail chains: of their commodities, in Medioownersnow seereoders, /lsteners and viewersos consumers much the same way as the ownersof retoil chainsseetheir customers os the consumers oJ the productsthey sell. just os,andlust /lke(less Otherstructures that areusedin this way include in the samewoy os, formal), longerphrases include: To showdifferences(contrast), or structures Agoin,this chongemight not be os rccent os we think. Thusthe contentoJ soy,newspopers is shopednot by their ownersbut by the readerswho buy them. ln the consumerist model,contentof the news is drivenby the morketrather than the producer.
UNJT 9 C R E A D I N G1 2 7
T h i sm o d u l e covers:
o Introductio tn o essay writing o WritinB aneffective conclusion o P l a n n i na g n do r g a n i z i nc e ssays go m p a r i s o n
INDPENDENT STUDY
Always read anyassessed questions carefully asa slight misinterpretation result in youlosing could marKs, ) Lookat past essay or examquestions in your subjectarea. Writean outlineof how you wouldanswerthe question and checkwith your teacher that you haveunderstood the purpose correctly.
differs andthe way in whichadvertising is viewed, b Theloyalty to a particular brand, generation generations, and with lessbrand loyalty in the younger significantly between more negative viewsof advertising.
Read the features ofa conclusion l-6. Selectthree features that could appear in the conclusion to the essavbelow. f ITLE: 'Olderpeople havemore disposoble incomethanyoungerpeople- they ore therefore moreottroctiveto componies os potentiolcustomers.' Compore and contrast the groups. advantages of targetingthese two consumer new information not coveredin the body ofthe essay a referenceto, or recommendations for, the future a referenceto the findings or results of research
a referenceto the title and introduction, including the thesisstatement a summary of the main points of the essay an evaluation of the information in the essay
Read this conclusion to the essayin 2, and the tutor's comments. Use the comments to complete the criteria for writing an effective conclusion.
Theloyalty to a particular brand andthe way in whichadvertising is viewed Goodeva/uation - a clear generations, younger /oqica/dec/uction dilter significantly between with loyalty diminishing in and z--> andthe negative viewsof advertising increasing. As a result ,"easonirg basedonyour A good c/ear generations needto revise theirapproach to advertising to the youngerrestatementr/tlrs eiert ofthe companies evidenciin eridence in the essa11 essiu generation, product by delivering a with a less obvious sell an! making the main argument rzraumerl main consumer feel likean individual. Tocontinue to be successful ioo brands needto Usefu/ to mention tailor theirmessage andusethe technologv available to help themachieve this. future imp/ications This is the frst timegou have mentionet/ the use oft"rhro/ogy/ A good concluding paragraph: I summarizes the main points of the essay
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Paragraphl(teml)
A I nnini< nf rnmnrr <nn /
Conclusion
a This structure takes each point of comparison related to the main question in turn, and looks at the similarities and differencesbetween the items to be compared. b This structure takeseach item to be compared and groups together all the points of comparison (similarities and differences)related to it. Turn to page 201. Read the essay title and the two essayoutlines, A and B. Match each outline to one of the structures in l. Work in pairs and discuss which structure you think is more effective for answering the essaytitleon page 201. Give reasons.
UNIT 9D WRITING129
Inthe developed world, the attitudes andvalues that affectsocial behaviour arechanging. generally, Thishasan effecton consumption One example isthe change in gender roles. The traditional viewof male andfemale roles wasonce common, whereas theseroles arenowmore flexible. Men have taken on more feminine roles such aslooking afterchildren, while some women have takenon more masculine roles in the world of business. Society nowhasa less narrow view of the roles of menandwomen. ln the same way, the riseof globalization hascreated societies whichhave a much widerviewof the worldandtheirplace in it, Many companies operate across national borders, workforces havebecome more international, andglobal brands such asApple, Nike, andSamsung arefoundeverywhere. Attitudes to technology have alsochanged, Inthe past people older wereseenasmore resistant to change, andespecially to newtechnology. Incontrast, - theyaremore people older todayaremore attractive to marketers interested in technology, have younger more disposable income, andareloyal to certain brands, Similarly, consumers arealso interested in technology andhighly aware of brands. Allof thesechanges influence notonlywhat people consume, butalso howtheyconsume. Find examples of words / phrases referring to similarities or differences in the paragraph in l.
C o m p a r i s o na n d c o n t r a s t ( 3 ) R e f e r r i n g to similarity anddifference youcanusea variety In academic writing, of words or phrases to indicate similarities or differences between two items or ideas. Referring to similarity qnd are loyal to certainbronds. Monyolderpeopleare interested in technology, ln the same way, / Similorly, youngerconsumers ore alsohighlyoworeof bronds. Both olderand youngerconsumers ore interested in technology, ondoreloyalto certoin bronds. younger consumers Like older consumers, are interested in technology, and ore loyol to certainbrands. Referringto difference In the post,olderpeoplewere seenas resistont to change. ln controst,monyolderpeople todoyore attractiveto morketers. In the past,olderpeoplewereseenas resistant to change,whereas / while today older peopleore attractiveto morketers. generotions, In comparison with previous olderpeopletodayoremoreottroctive to marketers, Unlike previousgenerations, olderpeopletodoyore moreottractiveto marketers.
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UNIT 9D WRITINC
3 The number of people owning cars in the USA more than doubled in the second half of the 20th century. , car ownership in China and Brazil has increasedby 2O0Vo and I20Vo respectivelyin the last ten years. 4 the Americans world's largest consumersof resources. the Europeansare among the
5 The USA consumes2,500cubic metres of water per person per yea! people in Africa consume lessthan 250 cubic metres. 2 Look back at the essayoutlines A and B on page 201. Use the notes to write at least three similar sentences using phrases from Academic Language. Example: Younger consumersearn less) Iessdisposableincome Older consumers earn more ) more disposableincome Youngerconsumersearn lessand haue lessdisposableincome, whereas older consumersearn more and haue more disposableincome.
2 Write a topic sentence for each paragraph, stating the main idea (see Unit 2D for ideas). 3 Write the main body paragraphs of your essayusing the notes you made in Task Z. Make sure each paragraph: . has one clear topic, and that the comparisonsmade relate to that topic
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includes the languageof comparison and contrast as necessary has a concluding sentencewhich restatesthe main point of the paragraphand givesa brief evaluation (seeUnit 2D for ideas).
Sample answer page 191
4 Write the conclusion to vour essav.Make sure that it meets the criteria in Task 3.3.
U N I T9 D W R I T I N C 1 3 1
Contrasting
1 3 2 U N I T 9 EV O C A B U L A R Y
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