eap6 : paragraphs. the english language today look at the text on page 13 of your materials booklet...
TRANSCRIPT
EAP6 : Paragraphs
The English Language Today
Look at the text on page 13 of your materials booklet and divide it into four paragraphs.
The English Language Today
Paragraph One
At the beginning of the sixteenth century a mere six million
people spoke English, most of them confined within the
borders of England. Today, English is spoken as a mother
tongue by about 300 million people. The United Kingdom is
now one of a dozen English-speaking countries dispersed over
several continents - and not the largest.
The English Language Today
Paragraph Two
English is also used as a second language for various purposes. In some regions of
the former British Empire, British settlers were too few to replace the indigenous
languages with their own, but as the ruling elite they imposed their language as the
medium for government, law and higher education. English has retained these
functions in many of the former British colonies and in former American colonies. As
a second language, English is the sole official language or one of the official
languages in 25 countries. Politically, it is a neutral language where several native
languages are rivals and none is generally accepted; economically, it is the
language of development, the medium through which Western technology can be
imported. It has been estimated that the number of second-language users is at
least 300 million and perhaps already exceeds the number of native speakers.
The English Language Today
Paragraph Three
In addition to its roles in nearly forty countries as a mother tongue or as an
official language, English is the primary foreign language in most other
countries. It is by far the most important language for international
communication: for commerce and tourism, for science and technology, for
economic and military aid, for air-traffic control and for communication at
sea. The extent to which English functions as an international language is
unique in world history.
The English Language Today
Paragraph Four
Another important measure of the vitality of a language is the range of
functions it performs. Here too we have no need for concern. English has
developed resources in vocabulary and syntax for virtually all language
functions in the contemporary world: from prayer to news broadcasts, from
philosophy to technical manuals. The potentiality of a language is
displayed above all in its works of language creativity, written or spoken.
Not every age can boast a Shakespeare or Milton, but our age has its
share of works that are likely to become part of our literary heritage.
The English Language Today
Paragraph Four
Another important measure of the vitality of a language is the range of
functions it performs. Here too we have no need for concern. English has
developed resources in vocabulary and syntax for virtually all language
functions in the contemporary world: from prayer to news broadcasts, from
philosophy to technical manuals. The potentiality of a language is
displayed above all in its works of language creativity, written or spoken.
Not every age can boast a Shakespeare or Milton, but our age has its
share of works that are likely to become part of our literary heritage.
Paragraph ordering exercise from materials booklet.
Your paragraphs
What is the line of argument in this paragraph?
It is worth that our government invests the money in Beijing Olympics. The spirit of Olympiccs is very important in the world, which encourages the people to go ahead. So we hold such a magnificent meet which is meaningful to our country and people.As for the country, it not only means that the government has the mighty ecomonic strength, but also some large corporations will also pay attention to this significnat event and invest a large mount of money in our country, which could accelertate the development of domestic economy. As for the people in our country, every chinese is very proud of that because we can enjoy the biggest sports event in our homeland.
Your paragraphs
There are two paragraphs here. Can you put the sentences in order and then divide them into two?
a)I think it is the love—they love the people. b)Many villagers lost their homes and relatives. c)Because they love their country. d)They could not get any payback but they did the dangerous job. e)Many voluntaries went there at first time. f)When I was a child, my parents looked after me and provided the best living and studying environment for me.g)Last year, a disastrous earthquake happened in the Si Chuan Province, China. h)Later, when they get old, I have to look after them. i)I think the everything would not measure by money, and it is just love.j)The voluntaries also played an important role during the Olympic Game in China. k)They did all kinds of work and did not get any payment. l)Some of them went to the most dangerous place to find living people and some of them looked after the injured refugees.
Your paragraphs
How could the line of argument be improved?
Referring to love and money, which one is more important. I completely stand by love. Love does not only mean that girl loves boy or boy loves girl and it is also accepted by mother loves her children and her old parents. If everyone does everything just in order to get money, I cannot image how the world will become to. Last year, a disastrous earthquake happened in the Si Chuan Province, China. Many villagers lost their homes and relatives. Many voluntaries went there at first time. Some of them went to the most dangerous place to find living people and some of them looked after the injured refugees. They could not get any payback but they did the dangerous job. I think it is the love—they love the people. The voluntaries also played an important role during the Olympic Game in China. They did all kinds of work and did not get any payment. Because they love their country. When I was a child, my parents looked after me and provided the best living and studying environment for me. Later, when they get old, I have to look after them. I think the everything would not measure by money, and it is just love.
Your paragraphs
What do you think about the use of linkers in this paragraph?
Money is very important in our life, we have to get enough money to
support our life. As well as this, money can satisfy many demands of
people and provide a better enviornment for you to live. However, our
life can not only be full of money. Love also plays a significant role. As
we can see, people always can feel happy and energetic when they
have it. Although there are still some poor people in every society.
Some of them have a better life than whose who live luxuriously. So
from my point of view, no matter how much money you have, if you
have love to face your life and solve problems, everything will be
happy for you.
Your paragraphs
Is there anything that you could add in terms of argumentation?
Money is very important in our life, we have to get enough money to
support our life. As well as this, money can satisfy many demands of
people and provide a better enviornment for you to live. However, our
life can not only be full of money. Love also plays a significant role. As
we can see, people always can feel happy and energetic when they
have it. Although there are still some poor people in every society.
Some of them have a better life than whose who live luxuriously. So
from my point of view, no matter how much money you have, if you
have love to face your life and solve problems, everything will be
happy for you.
Your paragraphs
This is another well-structured paragraph, but do you think we could add anything to the line of argument?
I think hitting children is harm to the child physical and mental
health. For example, children who exposed to frequent physical
punishment are more likely then their peers to suffer depression,
unhappiness anxiety and fallings of hopelessness. The effect of
this action may be having a profound influence. It increase
children’s tendency to act out and attack their siblings, peers
even parents. The children who always hitting by their parents
are easy to make violence as one of the main methods to tackle
problems. Hitting children can effects a child’s life forever.
Your paragraphs
Finally, another example of clear argumentation, but it goes wrong somewhere. Where does it go wrong?
In my opinion it is right to tell lies. These lies must be white lies. White lies
means somebody want to protect someone then tell lies. Their purpose is
nice. When I was 15 years old I have a important examination but my
grandfather died at that time. Everybody in my family know I have a deep
emotion with my grandfather so nobody told me this bad news, they did not
want these influence my mood. Thus they said a white lie that my grandfather
was find. I got a good result in that exam and enter a famous high school.
After finish that exam I knew everything, but I did not blame anybody because
they all love me. However we can accept the white lies but we can not tell any
baleful lies that will harm them.
Your paragraphs
In this paragraph we don’t need any extra linkers, but it’s possible to link some of the ideas together in fewer sentences. How can we do this?
In my opinion it is right to tell lies. These lies must be white lies. White lies
means somebody want to protect someone then tell lies. Their purpose is
nice. When I was 15 years old I have a important examination but my
grandfather died at that time. Everybody in my family know I have a deep
emotion with my grandfather so nobody told me this bad news, they did not
want these influence my mood. Thus they said a white lie that my grandfather
was find. I got a good result in that exam and enter a famous high school.
After finish that exam I knew everything, but I did not blame anybody because
they all love me. However we can accept the white lies but we can not tell any
baleful lies that will harm them.
The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Organization built so many modern gyms
and stadiums for the Olympic Games. So, many citizens were worry about
the problem about whether the incomes are less than outcomes. The vice
executive officer of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Organization
Mr.Xiaoyu Jiang announced that the total incomes are 195.4 billion RMB,
and the total outcomes are 194.1 billion RMB, the pure incomes are 1.3
billion RMB (approximately 0.16 billion US dollars). It means that, the
government found that the Olympic Games earn 1.3 billion RMB for the
Beijing government after the 24th August of 2008 the Olympic Games end.
Besides, the experts believe said that part of the outcomes were used for
the citizen environmental construction, it also does a benefit to the citizens,
the cost on this part should not simply considered as part of the outcomes of
Olympic Games. The Succeed of this Olympic Games brought much more
attraction to Beijing and gave the world a fresh view of China. In conclusion,
considering the benefit that brought from this Olympic Games, the cost of
the gyms and stadiums are worth able.
Error Correction
In my opinion it is right to tell lies. These lies must be white lies. White
lies means somebody want to protect someone then tell lies. Their
purpose is nice. When I was 15 years old I have a important
examination but my grandfather died at that time. Everybody in my
family know I have a deep emotion with my grandfather so nobody
told me this bad news, they did not want these influence my mood.
Thus they said a white lie that my grandfather was find. I got a good
result in that exam and enter a famous high school. After finish that
exam I knew everything, but I did not blame anybody because they all
love me. However we can accept the white lies but we can not tell any
baleful lies that will harm them.
Error Correction
Money is very important in our life, we have to get enough money to
support our life. As well as this, money can satisfy many demands of
people and provide a better enviornment for you to live. However, our
life can not only be full of money. Love also plays a significant role. As
we can see, people always can feel happy and energetic when they
have it. Although there are still some poor people in every society.
Some of them have a better life than whose who live luxuriously. So
from my point of view, no matter how much money you have, if you
have love to face your life and solve problems, everything will be
happy for you.
Error Correction
Referring to love and money, which one is more important. I completely stand by love. Love does not only mean that girl loves boy or boy loves girl and it is also accepted by mother loves her children and her old parents. If everyone does everything just in order to get money, I cannot image how the world will become to. Last year, a disastrous earthquake happened in the Si Chuan Province, China. Many villagers lost their homes and relatives. Many voluntaries went there at first time. Some of them went to the most dangerous place to find living people and some of them looked after the injured refugees. They could not get any payback but they did the dangerous job. I think it is the love—they love the people. The voluntaries also played an important role during the Olympic Game in China. They did all kinds of work and did not get any payment. Because they love their country. When I was a child, my parents looked after me and provided the best living and studying environment for me. Later, when they get old, I have to look after them. I think the everything would not measure by money, and it is just love.
Error Correction
Money is very important in our life, we have to get enough money to
support our life. As well as this, money can satisfy many demands of
people and provide a better enviornment for you to live. However, our
life can not only be full of money. Love also plays a significant role. As
we can see, people always can feel happy and energetic when they
have it. Although there are still some poor people in every society.
Some of them have a better life than whose who live luxuriously. So
from my point of view, no matter how much money you have, if you
have love to face your life and solve problems, everything will be
happy for you.
Error Correction
I think hitting children is harm to the child physical and mental
health. For example, children who exposed to frequent physical
punishment are more likely then their peers to suffer depression,
unhappiness anxiety and fallings of hopelessness. The effect of
this action may be having a profound influence. It increase
children’s tendency to act out and attack their siblings, peers
even parents. The children who always hitting by their parents
are easy to make violence as one of the main methods to tackle
problems. Hitting children can effects a child’s life forever.
Error Correction
It is worth that our government invests the money in Beijing Olympics.
The spirit of Olympiccs is very important in the world, which
encourages the people to go ahead. So we hold such a magnificent
meet which is meaningful to our country and people.As for the
country, it not only means that the government has the mighty
ecomonic strength, but also some large corporations will also pay
attention to this significnat event and invest a large mount of money in
our country, which could accelertate the development of domestic
economy. As for the people in our country, every chinese is very
proud of that because we can enjoy the biggest sports event in our
homeland.