UNIVERSIDAD PEDAGGICA EXPERIMENTAL LIBERTADOR INSTITUTO PEDAGGICO DE CARACAS Departamento de Idiomas Modernos Programa de Ingls LECTURA Y ESCRITURA II 2014

FILE 2: EXPOSITORY AND ARGUMENTATIVE TEXTS (REVIEW)

Introduction: Text Types and Genres
Text genres reflect differences in external format and situations of use, and are defined on the basis of systematic non-linguistic criteria. Text types may be defined on the basis of cognitive categories or linguistic criteria.

Text Typology: Summary

Types of texts Descriptive Communicative Genres Purpose What somebody, Travel guides, some something, some reports, parts in place is like. (postcards/diaries/novel s) What happens News, comics, history, story, novels, jokes. Structure General presentation Detail in (thematic, temporal...) order

spatial,

Narrative

Beginning Problem Resolution Ending Argumentative What is posed as Articles, speeches, Introduction defence, analysis essays, debates, Development or refutation of assessment Conclusion something (There are more models) Instructive or Procedural Recipes, instructions, traffic signs, any how to- text... Expository Why, how, what... Textbooks, articles, Didactic or Theyre easy to encyclopedias, explanatory understand if dictionaries theyre well written. How toSchema (step by step; order is of paramount importance) Presentation Development Summary/Conclusion

Expository Texts
The main purpose of expository text is to inform or describe. Authors who write expository texts research the topic to gain information. The information is organized in a logical and interesting manner using various expository text structures. Structure: Presentation Development -Summary/Conclusion. Dominant Language Features (Linguistic markers): 1. Using Simple Present Tense 2. Using action verbs 3. Using passive voice 4. Using noun phrase 5. Using adverbial phrase 6. Using technical terms 7. Using general and abstract noun 8. Using conjunction of time and cause-effect.

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Different Text Patterns of Expository Texts

Description or Enumeration Text Pattern Texts in this pattern list pieces of information (facts, ideas, steps, etc.). The order of the fact listing may reflect the order of importance or simply another logical order. The author may signal this pattern through the following words: one, two, first, second, third, to begin, next, finally, most important, when, also, too, then, to begin with, for instance, for example, and in fact. Time Order or Sequence Text Pattern This involves putting facts, events, or concepts in order of occurrence. The author traces the development of the topic or gives the steps in the sequence. The author may signal this pattern through the following words: on (date), not long after, now, as, before, after, when, first, second, then, finally, during, finally, and until. Question and Answer Text Pattern The author asks a question and then answers it. Comparison-Contrast Text Pattern The author points out likenesses (comparison) and/or differences (contrast) among facts, concepts, events, people, etc. The author may signal this pattern through the following words: however, but, as well as, on the other hand, not only...but also, either...or, while, although, similarly, yet, unless, meanwhile, nevertheless, otherwise, compared to, and despite. Cause-Effect Text Pattern The author shows how facts, events, or concepts (effects) happen or come into being because of other facts, events, or concepts (causes). The author may signal this pattern through the following words: because, cause, since, therefore, consequently, as a result, this led to, so, so that, nevertheless, accordingly, if....then, and thus. Problem and Solution Text Pattern The author shows the development of a problem and the solution(s) to the problem. The author may signal this pattern through the following words: because, cause, since, therefore, consequently, as a result, this led to, so, so that, nevertheless, accordingly, if....then, and thus.

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Sample Expository Text

The above expository text has been organized using the text pattern of Enumeration.

Argumentative Texts
Argumentative texts are about ideas. They show the process of supporting or weakening another statement. "Defending a position" means EXPLAINING the ideas & GIVING REASONS for them. Possible structures: Classical Introduction (the purpose of my...) Explanation of the case under consideration (there are two different approaches to this issue... historically the debate...) Outline of the argument (the difficult points are the following... + as it was said above...) Proofs supporting the argument (as a matter of fact... it cannot be forgotten... furthermore... what is more) Refutation (even though... it is obvious that... nobody would believe that...) Conclusion (on the whole... as a result... as a conclusion... finally... summing up...) Others Pros and cons discussion: pro-conpro-con or con-pro-con-pro. One-sided argument: no counterarguments. Eclectic approach: some of the views on the subject. Opposition's arguments first, author's arguments (Traditionally it has been believed; it seems to be a fact...) Other side questioned: no direct refutation, mainly posing questions.

Characteristics of Argumentative Texts: 1. Usually tries to appear objective and to persuade by the logic of the argument. Thus, emotive words avoided (low on subjective adjectives) 2. Use of connectors to reveal the structure of the argument: Secondly, thus, as evidence of this, however, etc. 3. Reference to authorities Scientists believe

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Dominant Language Features (Linguistic markers): 1. Using Simple Present Tense 2. Using thinking verbs 3. Using general and abstract nouns 4. Using conjunctions/transition 5. Using modality 6. Using adverbs of manner

Sample Argumentative Text

Foxhunting is a subject that provokes very strong feelings. Many people believe that it is cruel to hunt a fox with dogs and totally agree with its ban. Many farmer and even conservationists, however, have always argue that the fox is a pest which attacks livestock and has to be controlled.
Critically Analyzing Statements and Arguments: Identifying some common weaknesses.
The most common weaknesses with arguments fall into the following categories: 1. Some arguments go around in circles because the conclusion is saying the same as the reason (the premise). Example: It is a decent, ethical thing to help another human being escape suffering through death. Therefore, active euthanasia is morally acceptable. Decent and ethical mean morally acceptable, while active euthanasia means help another human being escape suffering through death. Thus, the conclusion and the premise are the same. 2. Some arguments confuse necessary and sufficient conditions. A necessary condition means that x is necessary for y, if y cannot occur without x. Whenever you have y, you have x. (If we do not have x, we will not have y). Example: x: election system y: democracy An election system is necessary for democracy. Therefore without an election system we cannot have democracy. So an election system is a necessary condition for democracy. Here we are making an assumption that if we have democracy, we must also have an election system. A sufficient condition means that x is sufficient for y, if x guarantees y. Whenever you have x, you have y. (If we have x, then y must follow).

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x: election system y: democracy Although an election system is a necessary condition for democracy, it is not a sufficient condition. The presence of an election system does not guarantee the presence of democracy. For example, very few people may have the right to vote, or the system may be fraudulent/corrupt, or the choice of candidates may be unjustly controlled. In an academic argument not all of the necessary or sufficient conditions may have been considered. This may result in a weakness in the argument and so the argument may be logically flawed. For this reason you should undertake a critical analysis of an issue or an argument and evaluate it by examining its parts and how they relate to each other. 3. In some arguments, the conclusion may not follow logically from the reason (premise). Example: Since the school leaving age has been raised to sixteen, fewer students are taking French. Therefore, raising the school leaving age has led to a drop in the number of students taking French. If two things (A and B) are found together, there may be a causal relationship between them, or the association may be coincidence. It is important to evaluate arguments in which relationships between pieces of evidence are used to draw conclusions. Is the evidence sufficient? Are there other possible explanations? Is the author making any assumptions? Is the link between the two conditions clear? 4. In some arguments the premise is simply not true. Example: Walking or riding a cycle to school is very dangerous for most children. Therefore, all children should only travel to school by bus or car. While it may be dangerous for some children in certain circumstances (e.g. young age, dangerous local roads), this statement is far too categorical and imprecise to be true (very, most). Even if the statement were true, the second sentence does not follow logically: most children in sentence one becomes all children in sentence two. 5. In some extended arguments, the argument may be based on certain implicit assumptions; it may be presented in a superficially, but misleadingly, objective way; and the weaknesses of the argument may lie in what is not stated as much as in what is stated. Only a critical reading of the text will make this clear.

The exercise for File 2: Expository and Argumentative Texts (Review) is based on an article from The Economist. Read critically the article (file is named Article 2 The Economist.pdf) and identify at least five weaknesses. Write your answers in your Portfolio for File 2: Expository and Argumentative Texts (Review).
File 2: Expository and Argumentative Texts by Prof. Audy Y. Castaeda C.

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