Sa Protlelsiey Writing{fH Read the question Read the exam question below carefully. = Part 1 You must answer this question. Write your answer in 800-350 words in an appropriate style. ‘The extract below is part of a newspaper article on environmental matters which you read recently. The editor invited readers to comment on the article. You have decided to write a letter to the paper, responding to th points raised and giving your own views. We all worry about global warming. The problem, however, is that there is very little we can do about it without returning to the “dark ages’. The fact is, the very things that cause global warming are now essential 10 our lives. We need the energy from power stations to drive our industries, We can’t do without our cars, for example, or our refrigerators, or our mobile phones, or the millions of other goods we use and throw away each yoar, In the face of al this, is there really anything we can do to tackle the problem? I Write your letter. Do not write any postal addresses. t exam information In Part 1 of the Writing Paper, you will be given some input In Part 1 of the exam ‘material, usually in the form of one or two texts. You need to read |° | you will lose marks if |! the instructions (rubrio) and the text(s) carefully and use both as |_| you do not cover all the the basis for your writing. You may have to write a letter, an | points you are asked for. article, an essay or a proposal. All these text types will have a It is extremely important scursive function in Part 1. In other words, you will have to that you read the rubrics present and develop arguments, express and support opinions, |_| and the input material evaluate ideas, etc. very carefully, E3 Think about your reader Work with a partner: Look at the instructions (rubric) in the exam question again and answer the following questions. 1 What kind of publication does the extract come from? 2 Who has invited you to write a letter? 3. Who is going to read your letter, besides the person who has invited you to write? In the exam, the letters you may be required to rite will probably be formal or semi-formalEE Think about register @ Read the letter below which another reader wrote to the same newspaper on a different topic. Dear Sin on Madan, am writing to you about the article on out-of-town shopping centres, which you published last week. The article raised a number Of issues, which I would lite fo comment on here. In the article, the weiter claims that out-of-town centres ane to be ‘commended becouse they provide a range of shops under one roof, so the centres are ‘convenient and accessible’. I am afraid Ihave fo disagree. Not being a motorist myself I find these centres anything but convenient: Furthermore, I would like to remind you of the environmental conseqpences of building shopping outlets outside towns. Lange areas of the countryside are inevitably swallowed up for development, more roads are built and polation is increased due to the foct that motorists use their cans to drive to these centres. Surely it would be bet ter to keep shopping centres in the centre of our towns and cities. In that way, we could lint the impact on the countryside while at the same time making the centres accessible to dil not just the motorist Yours faithfully, Sondra West b Now study the list below. It includes some of the characteristics of formal language. Find examples of these in the leter in a # complex sentences sophisticated vocabulary used with precision passive forms participle claus . ° polite or diplomatic phrasing . . relative clauses € Should your letter be formal or informal?”©] identify the key points in the question @ Work with a partner. Look at the instructions (rubric) in the exam question again and answer the following question. Why have you decided to write a letter? To comment on what the writer say article? To give your own opinions? For some other reason? in the b Now look at the extract in the exam question again and answer the following questions. 1 How does the writer suggest we all feel about global warming? “exain’ tip”) 2 What does he/she think we ean do about the problem? 3. What examples does he/she give of dings that cause global isa ete mts | ae you need to address in the | 4. Why isit so dificult to tackle the problem. according to the foam question in that writer? way, you will be sure you 5 What question does the writer ask at the enc! of his/her article? | don't leave anything out. eres } Cars, factories and power stations all emit poisonous gases, including carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere; || these ada to air pollution, The increase in carbon i dioxice in the Earth's atmosphere causes the gradual warming of the Earth, which is called global warming. As a result of global warming, we are witnessing climate change. We can reduce pollution levels by using less energy and cutting gas emissions. We could cut down on manufacturing in factories if we demanded fewer consumer goods like refrigerators and washing machines. We can develop cleaner technologies by producing cleaner petrol, for example. Cars cause pollution and congestion. Other ways of travelling are less harmful to the environment.4 Srainstorm the to Work with 2 partner and answer the questions. Note down the best ideas. 1 Why do we need power stations? And factories? 2 In what ways do factories and power stations pollute our environment? Is there any way we can control this other than shutting chem down completely? 3. Do you think people need all the consumer goods they buy at present? Do you think they throw them away (oo quickly? 4 How do cars damage the environment? Is there any way we € damage other than banning them? reduce the 5 In your opinion, can we and should we tackle the problem of global warming? How?Ets ae ore @@ Make a plan Work with a partner and answer the questions. Look at the following notes which one student has made. Tick (¢/) the points you think she should include in the letter. Put a cross (X) against any points that are irrelevant or unimportant. Yo comment on the article It is essential to plan what you are going to write before you start. sway Z disagree with the writer about what we can de why we should and must tackle the problem habitat destruction how we Can reduce emissions from power stations why we should use fewer consumer goods other ways to reduce glebal warming 0.9. using Cleaner technologies «world poverty Otherwise, your writing will be confused and difficult for the reader to follow. © reason for writing \ | ' + conclusion/summary off my sews 'b Look at the plan below. The student has already completed the plan for the first and last paragraph of her letter. Decide which points she should put in each of the remaining paragraphs. . . RR Paragraph |: Reason for writing: to comment on the article A formal or semi-formal letter usually begins by stating briefly the reason for writing. Paragraph 2 Paragraph 3 Paragraph + Paragrapl 2: Conclusion/summary of my } t t §] Think about style When writing to-an editor or a person in a position of authority, you need to adopt a tone that is not too direct or aggressive. Look at the pairs of phrases below and tick (¥/) the ‘ones that are more tentative or diplomatic. 1a You say that ... 4 a I would like to suggest that you should b You appear to claim that b Why don't you ...? 2 a ['mafraid I disagree. 5 a Lexpect you to b You are wrong T would be grateful if you would 3 a You must not say that T think itis dangerous to say that.soe £3 Read a model fetter Read the model letter below and answer the following questions. Has the writer: 1 covered all the points in the exam question? 2 used an appropriate format and style? 3 stated her reason for writing? 4 -asoned arguments? 5 stated her opinion clearly? 6 7 8 produced wel linked sentences and paragraphs together appropriately? included any irrelevant points? rounded off her letter in a suitable way? 56 Sunderbury Road ‘West Heath Yorkshire YH3 4HD | 3 March 200- The Editor The Daily News Lime Street Yorkshire YM9 | Dear Sir/Madam, J am writing to you about the article on global warming which appeared in your I newspaper last Saturday. It raised some basic issues which I feel very strongly about and I think all your readers need to consider them carefully. At the start of the article, the writer appears to claim that the situation with regard to global warming is hopeless. | am afraid I disagree. What is more, I think that if we fail to take action now, the consequences for our planet will be disastrous. In my opinion, we have to work together to persuade industry to cut emissions of gases from factories and power stations. However, this does not mean that we have to return to the “dark ages’. It is possible to reduce the number of goods we manufacture without cutting production completely. On the other hand, I do feel the consumer society has gone too far. In our ‘throw away’ society, things cost more to repair than to replace. This is all wrong. We need to make things that last. If we did this, it would automatically lead to a reduction in manufacturing. There are other ways we can tackle global warming, too. Industries could be persuaded to develop cleaner technologies. This has already begun in the car industry, where they are developing vehicles that do not burn petrol. Of course, public transport should be encouraged too, as it is a better alternative to the private car and causes less pollution In conelusion, I want to say that it is dangerous to suggest that all our efforts to tackle global warming are useless. We can and must do something about it. And moreover, we can do this without destroying our economy or altering our lifestyles completely. Yours faithfully, Jessica Burton Jessica Burton