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NAME......................................................
SECTION B
Time allowed: 45 mins
Total marks: 27
• argue,
• persuade or
• advise.
1
Contents
PAGE
SECTION B: THE WRITING SECTION
The Writing mark scheme 3 -5
What the examiners are looking for 6
SKILLS: Different types of sentences 7
Simple, Compound and Complex sentences 8-9
Connectives 10
Tacking the exam paper – the question 11
Planning 14 - 13
The writing stage, paragraphs and connectives 12 - 16
Writing to argue 17 - 19
Writing to persuade 20 – 24
Writing to advise 25
Proof-reading 26
HIGHER Tier – past exam questions 27 - 28
FOUNDATION Tier – past exam questions 29 – 33
Writing checklist – assess your own writing 34
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GENERAL WRITING CRITERIA
Communication and organisation
MARK SKILLS CONTENT
U • Some meaning • One or more points made
G • Organises ideas in sentences • Some sense of purpose and audience
• May express personal opinions
• Little or no use of detail / evidence to
support or develop views
• Some awareness of form
F • May occasionally try to paragraph • Shows awareness of audience
• May use some connectives • Occasionally uses more formal language (if
appropriate)
E • Tries to organise ideas into paragraphs • Is aware of purpose and audience
• Links some arguments using connectives • Uses some rhetorical devices, e.g. rhetorical
questions, occasionally emotive language
• Tries to use language for impact
• Can use formal language (if appropriate) but
still occasionally uses slang etc.
• May use devices for effect, e.g. repetition
for effect
D • Points organised in paragraphs • Uses evidence taken from personal
experience or stimulus material (i.e. reading
material from section A)
C • Paragraphs are competently linked • Confident use of rhetorical devices, such as
• Confident use of connectives anecdote or rhetorical questions
• Evidence of a structured, organised
argument
B • Form, content and style are matched to • Begins to anticipate and evaluate potential
purpose an audience audience response
• Well structured, starting to use
paragraphs to enhance meaning
• Connectives coherently integrated
A • Coherently structured with fluently linked • Controls a range of means to gain emphasis
sentence structures and paragraphs and (e.g. one sentence paragraph) and
evidence of conscious crafting. demonstrate alternative viewpoints (e.g.
anecdote, reference)
• Extensive vocabulary range
A* • Controlled and sustained crating with May use some inventive structural and / or
highly effective and delightful vocabulary linguistic devices
choices
• Connectives used persuasively and
seamlessly
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SPECIFIC CRITERIA FOR WRITING TO ARGUE
MARK CONTENT
F • A number of arguments put forward
E • Linked arguments put forward
D • Includes arguments with a number of reasons
C • More detailed arguments put forward
• Awareness of alternative viewpoints of audience
• Varies tone
B • May use argument and counter-argument with competence
• More sophisticated level of argument and vocabulary range
A • Argues successfully and convincingly; well-informed, drawing on a range of sources
A* • May use satire, irony, etc. but always fittingly and in context
• Integrates a range of complex ideas from a range of sources
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MARK SCHEME: SKILLS
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Paper 1 Section B
Writing
Section B requires one piece of writing that argues, persuades or advises. There will be
four tasks, linked to the themes or topics of the reading materials in Section A. You will
have to choose ONE.
TOP TIP: Try to make sure you include some short, simple
sentences as well as the more complex types of sentences.
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SKILLS
Questions
These are useful for:
• drawing the reader in, E.g ‘So what are the main issues here?’
• making a point forcefully, and may be used as question and answer format: E.g. ‘Can this
really be seen as acceptable? No.’
Teenagers should be taught to drive in school because this will help them in later life.
They will be able to travel easily to jobs or college.
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SIMPLE, COMPOUND AND COMPLEX SENTENCES
You will also need to use simple, compound and complex sentences. Complex sentences are
particularly important (E/D grade upwards) so make sure you have a look at them!
The following information has been re-written into three different sentence types:
Subject Information
cruel sport
Fox-hunting
some people still support it
should be banned
Simple sentences.
These contain one subject and one verb and are used to communicate ideas clearly,
particularly at the beginning of paragraphs as topic sentences:
e.g. ‘Fox-hunting is a cruel sport.’
Compound sentences:
Main clauses joined by ‘and’, ‘but’ or ‘so’.
e.g. ‘Fox-hunting is a cruel sport but some people still support it!
Complex sentences
Contain a main clause – the main information in a sentence that makes sense on its own -
and a subordinate clause – extra information which can be taken out of the sentence and
doesn’t make sense on its own.
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TASK 2: Rewrite the following information into different types of
sentences.
Subject Information
expensive
School uniform
hated by students
should be optional
Simple sentence
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Compound sentence
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1. .................................................................................................................................................................
2. ................................................................................................................................................................
3. ................................................................................................................................................................
Compare the complex sentences that you and your partner have written. Can you
come up with three different types of complex sentences?
If you’re a young male driver, it could cost up to £2000 to insure yourself to drive. How
can this be fair? I am a sensible eighteen year old male driver: I have never had an
accident or broken the law whilst driving. Yet I have to pay a horrific amount for my car
insurance. Being a teenager, I am classed as a would-be boy racer, according to my
insurers. However, my 35 year-old uncle, who really is a boy racer and has a hefty 6
points on his licence, only has to pay £300 for his insurance!
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CONNECTIVES: LINKING YOUR IDEAS AND PARAGRAPHS
2. As well as being cruel to foxes, horses may ……………………………. be injured when chasing a fox.
3. It could be argued that fox-hunting helps to control fox numbers. ……………………………., fox-
4. Most people want to ban fox-hunting, ……………………………. recent MORI opinion polls.
5. People who support fox-hunting often have strong views on the subject. …………………………….,
those who are against hunting also have plenty to say about fox-hunts!
7. Foxes can be a nuisance. ……………………………. they often tip over bins, as they search for food.
9. Foxes kill chickens. ……………………………., foxes are very unpopular with farmers!
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Tackling the exam paper
form purpos
Write an article for a newspaper where you aim to argue that
Shakespeare should be taught in schools. Audience . . .
topic
For any piece of writing you must ALWAYS think about the following:
TOPIC: what have you been asked to write about?
PURPOSE: are you writing to argue, persuade or advise?
AUDIENCE: who are you writing for? Should your writing be formal or informal?
FORM: how should your writing be set out – as a letter, article etc?
Write a speech for parents, teachers and students where you argue the case
for or against work experience for students.
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THE PLANNING STAGE: BOD!
Who?
Remember: Brainstorm
Organise
Develop
BRAINSTORM
When you’re brainstorming try to include a number of key points, or main ideas
(about four or five). Look at your brainstorm again – are any of the points you
have made weak or irrelevant? You must include a variety of arguments for
D grade upwards.
ORGANISE
Once you have thought of some ideas you need to organise your writing. Decide
on a logical order for each of your points. For example, if you were answering
Task 5 you might decide to look at some of the arguments for work experience
followed by some of the arguments against it (counter-arguments). Remember
to include your own views though! For C grade upwards your writing must be
structured.
DEVELOP
An examiner wants to know why you think something is the case, so you need to
develop your ideas by providing examples, evidence or further explanation. You
can use a quotation or an example IN YOUR OWN WORDS from the source
material (in section A). Or you can provide evidence for your points from your
own personal experience. You will be expected to develop your ideas for D
grade upwards.
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TASK 6: Planning – now it’s your turn!
Remember to think about:
Write an article for a magazine in which The order of your key points.
Your first and last points are
you argue that students should be particularly important
taught to drive at school. The evidence you will use to
support your view
PLANNING SHEET
Development Development
Development Development
Introduction...............................................................................................................................................
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THE WRITING STAGE
Introduction
In your introduction always try to use some of the key words from the question, so that
you can make sure that you are answering the question. For example, if you were
responding to TASK 5 you could start with: ‘Is work experience a worthwhile experience
or should it be stopped?’
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Task 7: FOUNDATION. Spot the differences!
It could be argued that work experience is not worthwhile as many students simply treat
work experience as a holiday from school. Students may be given tasks, such as making tea,
which teaches them nothing. I found my work experience, at a garage, to be very useful as I
learnt a lot about car mechanics.
Work experience is a valuable experience because it allows students to see what the world
of work is actually like and gives them real-life experience in the workplace, away from a ‘safe’
school environment where students are treated like children.
It could be argued that work experience is not worthwhile as many students simply treat
work experience as a holiday from school. Also, students may be given tasks, such as making tea,
which teaches them nothing. However, I found my work experience, at a garage, to be very
useful as I learnt a lot about car mechanics.
Another reason that work experience should be seen as a valuable experience is that it allows
students to see what the world of work is actually like. It gives them real-life experience in the
workplace, away from a ‘safe’ school environment where students are treated like children.
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Write an article where you argue the case for students having part-time jobs
The disadvantages of teenagers having part-time jobs could include tiredness, and a lack of
concentration on studies. Tiredness after work is problematic as physically demanding part-time
jobs could impact on students’ academic performance; having undertaken a gruelling two hour
paper round how many students would then settle to a further two hours study?
A part-time job enables students to mature, gain social awareness and gain independence, which
makes them a more rounded individual and juggling the demands of work and school encourages
self-discipline and a sense of responsibility in students, who, otherwise, may spend all of their
precious free-time on MSN!
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Conclusion
This is important and you should always aim to finish your essay and leave the examiner
with a lasting good impression of your skills. You can do this by using similar words to
those in the question. Read through the key points of your essay to provide you with a
summary of your response. This is also a good place to explain how you responded to the
question. For example:
“Although I can appreciate that people have their reservations about work
experience, I think that overall the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. If
properly organised and supervised, it is clear that work experience provides
invaluable opportunities for emotional, social and personal growth. All students
deserve this opportunity and therefore I am for work experience.”
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Writing to Argue
Will have paragraphs that are linked Will use counter-arguments well
May use connectives May use slang
Be clearly organised May use paragraphs
Use detailed arguments Will use a variety of sentence types
ANSWER 1
Dear Editor,
The vision of a people carrier spewing out a school of whale-like students is one that is
repeated all over the country. It is my opinion that the local council needs to do something about
this before someone really suffers, in addition to the poor students.
Firstly, it is the students who suffer in this scenario. Having been driven to the very doors
of the school, they never benefit from the pleasure of a morning’s exercise on public transport.
These trips can improve your sprinting when you try to catch them; your stamina as you have to
stand the whole way and your vital capacity as you hold your breath to prevent the inhalation of
cigarette smoke.
However, it’s no joke. If we are to do something about the problem of the morning run,
then we need to improve public transport. Is that really too much to ask in the 21st. century? If
other countries which we visit in Europe have far better services, then . . .
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ANSWER 2
Dear Sir,
I don’t think that parents should bring their children to school by car because it makes them lazy.
If children are always brought to school by car then they will also become very fat which is a real
problem for a lot of children today. My mum and dad never bring me to school in the mornings, but
a lot of my friends do get lifts and they are always late so it doesn’t do them much good especially
when I have to catch two buses and walk a fair way as well. My best friend is never on time and he
always gets a lift even though he only lives half a mile away from our school. This is bad for my
friend who is already fat, but it is also bad for me because all of the cars at the front of school
are a safety hazard. These …
ANSWER 3
Dear Sir,
I am writing a letter to this newspaper for the first time, because I am really worried
about the issue of parents bringing their children to school by car. I think that a law should be
brought in to stop parents doing this because it does nobody any good.
Many people think that they are doing a favour to children by giving them a lift, but they
are the ones who come off worst. If they always receive a lift, then they will become very unfit. I
also think that these children who receive lifts will tend to put on a lot of weight. This can only be
a bad thing for everyone.
Another bad thing about parents bringing their children to the school gates is that it
makes the front of the school a dangerous place. Only last week a student at this ….
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TASK 11: What grade would you give this writing?
1. Read the following essay. How many points does the writer make? ...................................
2. Underline the sentences which develop the main points. Which paragraph is developed
most successfully?............................................................................................................................
Write an article for a magazine in which you argue that students should be
taught to drive at school.
4. Now look again at the mark scheme on pages (General writing on page 3 and Writing to
Argue on page 4). What grade would you give this work?.....................................................
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How can I
DO YOU KNOW HOW THE improve my
grades?
MARKS ARE GIVEN OUT
IN THE WRITING SECTION?
WRITING TO PERSUADE
Unsure what these words mean? Use a dictionary to find the definitions of the following
words:
anecdote..............................................................................................
satire .................................................................................................
irony ..................................................................................................
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TASK 12: FOUNDATION. Persuasive techniques in a text
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Now identify the techniques the writer has used to make the writing
persuasive.
Imperative
(Command)
Personal Pronoun
(‘you’, ‘we’ etc.)
Emotive Language
(emotional language)
Evidence to support
views
Repetition of key
words
(repeating key ideas)
Exaggeration
Contrasts
(Use of opposites)
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TASK 13: HIGHER. Persuasive techniques in a text
Dirty Dogs
If I ruled the world, which is of course unlikely, I would ban dogs from cities. This is something I
have been thinking a lot about recently: not the world-rule bit but the dogs. Perhaps I'm
obsessional, but dog mess is everywhere these days. More and more of it. My son tramples
through it blithely on the pavements and in the park and then runs into the house, and I clear it
up, muttering dark threats against all dog owners.
I used to think lonely old people should be allowed to keep dogs but I've hardened my views. Apart
from guide dogs for the blind, they've all got to go. The old people will have to content themselves
with hamsters or goldfish, or perhaps a fluffy rabbit. (I'm not too keen on cats, since the
neighbour's one started defecating in my pot of tulip bulbs, killing them all stone dead.)
In my more enraged Mussolini-like moments, I think dogs should be banned from the countryside,
too, except for useful creatures such as sheep-dogs. I went for a bracing walk in Lynmouth two
weeks ago, and there they were, evil little heaps of excrement just waiting to be trodden in: next
to a waterfall along the seafront, in the woods. Imagine if we let our children pull down their
knickers and poo everywhere, completely at will. Imagine the outrage.
And another thing. Our local park has one small fenced patch - a children's playground - where
dogs are banned (though that doesn't stop them leaping over the fence and infesting the sandpit
with Toxocariasis, while their owners look on benignly). The rest of the park - the muddy expanses
of grass, the bleak flower beds, the tragic little rose garden - is dominated by dogs. Great big
slavering dogs, small yappy dogs, all chasing children, scaring babies, and shitting everywhere. You
can't have a picnic in the summer without inspecting the grass first, or play football without
falling over in some fetid heap. What is this about dogs and their owners that makes them so much
more important than anyone else?
I'm not mad enough to suggest compulsory dog euthanasia, but once the ban is enforced I'm
afraid all dogs will have to be sterilized. And despite the cries of outrage that would ensue, there
would be very large fines for dog-owners who allow their animals to foul the streets or parks,
without clearing it up immediately. The fines would be like parking tickets: issued by zealots, no
argument, just pay up. The money raised could be spent by local authorities on those snazzy
municipal street-cleaning machines - the ones like giant Hoovers, with washing bits attached.
Then we could all walk along with our heads held high, enjoying the beauties of nature and our
fellow men, instead of being forced to watch our every step because of the stinking perils that lie
beneath our feet. And the world would be a much happier place. Simple really.
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Now identify the techniques the writer has used to make the writing
persuasive.
Rhetorical question
Anticipates
objections
Personal Pronouns
Emotive Language
Anecdotal evidence
Repetition
Descriptive language
(metaphors, similes
adjectives, etc.)
Humour / satire
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WRITING TO ADVISE
When writing to advise, you need to think about the problems the
audience might encounter, and the solutions you could offer. The See how many
following extract is taken from a letter written by a student to a connecting words
relative who is thinking about taking up teaching as a career. The and phrases you
can find in this
student identifies poor behaviour as being a possible problem, and
piece of writing!
offers some advice on how to deal with disruptive classes.
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FINALLY
So you’ve planned and organised your ideas, written in paragraphs, linked your writing and
now you think you’ve finished. Wrong! Spend five minutes checking your work carefully.
RATE YOURSELF
0 – 9: A bit more practice needed I think this writing
should be divided into
10 – 19: A good effort
20 – 29: Well done – you’ve spotted lots of mistakes. paragraphs.
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PREVIOUS EXAM QUESTIONS
HIGHER
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
SECTION B: WRITING TO ARGUE, PERSUADE OR ADVISE
Answer one question from this section.
You may use some of the information from Section A if you want to, but you do not have to do so.
If you use any of the information, do not simply copy it.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Remember:
• spend 5 minutes planning and sequencing your material
• about two sides of average sized handwriting should be enough
• spend 5 minutes checking:
• your paragraphing
• your punctuation
• your spelling.
1. Write an article for a magazine aimed at teenagers in which you argue that students should be taught to
drive at school. (27 marks)
OR
2. Write the text for a car advertisement aimed at young men, which persuades them to buy the car.
(27 marks)
OR
3. Write an advice sheet for people who are newcomers to your area. (27 marks)
OR
4. Write the text for a local radio programme on physical fitness. Try to persuade people to get fitter and
advise them how to do so. (27 marks)
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SPECIMEN PAPER 2004
EITHER
1. You are the Headteacher of a secondary school. You are considering whether Personal, Social and Health
Education (PSHE) should be taught at your school. Write a document to be given to all staff where you
argue the case both for and against this subject. (27 marks)
OR
2. Write a speech for a Governor's meeting where you, as a student, aim to try to persuade Governors to
change the rules about some controversial issue in your school or college. (27 marks)
OR
3. You are a journalist. Write an advice column aimed at teachers about the best ways to keep fit for the job.
(27 marks)
OR
• argue the case that too much media attention is given to celebrities
• persuade the reader that celebrities should be left alone. (27 marks)
Write an article for an educational magazine, in which you argue for or against compulsory work
experience. (27 marks)
OR
2. When teachers apply for a job at a school, they receive a pack containing information about the school.
Write a section of this pack in which you, as a student, try to persuade teachers to come to work at your
school. (27 marks)
OR
Use your experience a student to give advice to this new teacher on how to deal with a difficult class. (27
marks)
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PREVIOUS EXAM QUESTIONS
FOUNDATION
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
SECTION B: WRITING TO ARGUE, PERSUADE OR ADVISE
Answer one question from this section.
You may use some of the information from Section A if you want to, but you do not have to do so.
If you use any of the information, do not simply copy it.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Remember:
• spend 5 minutes planning and sequencing your material
• about two sides of average sized handwriting should be enough
• spend 5 minutes checking:
• your paragraphing
• your punctuation
• your spelling.
Write an article for a national newspaper where you argue for or against this point of view. You might
write about:
• what sort of music young people listen to
• what they like about it
• what other people might not like about it.
Remember to:
• write for the readers of a national newspaper
• argue for or against. (27 marks)
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OR
2. You want to take two weeks off school to take part in a televised talent contest. Write a letter
persuading your Headteacher to allow you to do this.
Remember to:
• use a variety of persuasive arguments
• use a variety of persuasive techniques
• choose the right language to persuade a Headteacher. (27 marks)
OR
3. `You spend far too much time listening to that awful music!' Advise teenagers how to respond to this
frequently heard criticism from adults.
Remember to:
• write to advise
• write for teenagers. (27 marks)
OR
Remember to:
• write a formal letter
• argue a case
• persuade your readers. (27 marks)
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MONDAY 7 NOVEMBER 2005
EITHER
1. "People should spend less money on bottled water and fizzy drinks and give more to charity." Argue
for or against this view.
Remember to:
• use language suitable for an argument
• argue for or against this view. (27 marks)
OR
2. Write a letter to a celebrity of your choice persuading him or her to support a campaign to end world
poverty.
Remember to:
• write a letter
• write to persuade
• use language suitable for your celebrity. (27 marks)
OR
3. Write an article advising teenagers what to wear and how to behave in different social situations such
as a job interview, a party or a wedding.
Remember to:
• use language suitable for an article
• give clear advice. (27 marks)
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OR
4. Write an article for a teenage magazine arguing that schools should change to give Year 11 students
more freedom and advising about possible ways of bringing about these changes.
Remember to:
• use language suitable for an article
• use language to argue
• give clear advice. (27 marks)
1. Your school or college wants to ban Saturday jobs for students. Write a letter to your Headteacher or
Principal in which you argue either for or against Saturday jobs.
Remember to:
• write in letter form
• choose the right language for a letter to a Headteacher or Principal. (27 marks)
OR
2. Write the text for a leaflet, written by a group known as Rotten Pickings. Try to persuade 15 and 16-
year -old students to join a group pressing for better conditions for Saturday workers.
Remember to:
• use a variety of persuasive arguments
• use a variety of persuasive techniques. (27 marks)
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OR
3. Write an article for a careers magazine in which you give advice to students on what to look out for
when applying for a job, either part-time or full-time.
Remember to:
• write an article
• choose the right language to advise
• write for students to read. (27 marks)
OR
Remember to:
• choose the right language for a speech
• argue a case
• persuade your listeners. (27 marks)
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TASK 15: WRITING CHECKLIST
Used paragraphs
Linked your paragraphs
Used connectives
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Answer to TASK 14 on page 26
1 2
In the canteen today were chips, burgers, pizza, thick milkshakes, sausages and coke.
3 4 5 6
Oh and one salad. It seemed I was the only person bothered about this because
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everyone else was quite happy clogging up their arteries with chips and burgers.
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However they will be sorry in years time when they’re suffering from high
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cholesterol and chest pains from walking to the garden gate and back. As 15 they are
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so unfit they won’t look so good either with their bellies that look as if they’re
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months pregnant – bellies filled with more chips, burgers, pies, and the main ingredient
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: endless pints of Stella, Carling , in fact anything with a volume level of about 5.2%.
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It’s a shame: I hear my friends saying that ever-so familiar phrase, “It won’t
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ever happen to me” but it will. You see kids now-a-days have a packet of crisps instead
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of a yoghurt and that’s alright from time to time but not every day. It doesn’t
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take a genius to know that not only will they be stuffing their faces with unhealthy
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food, they will be slumped in front of the T.V. as well. You parents should get up off
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the sofa and suggest a nice picnic in the countryside. It doesn’t have to be boring,
you could take a bat and ball and play some rounders or play hide and seek in the woods,
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anything to get active and burn off some calories. After you’ve had a play, have a
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bite to eat, and I’m not talking fruit and veg - you could have a cake and a packet of
crisps but have a sandwich and yoghurt too! So stay healthy guys and remember if you
want to live longer and scoop all those dreamy men and women later in life, start taking
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care of that body now and you will receive the reward later in life!
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