Reading and Writing Portfolio 10

Reading a short website article;

comments on an article
Giving an opinion Writing connecting words (3);
giving your opinion
1 Read the short article. What is it asking? Review connecting words; used to;
agreeing and disagreeing
This week’s question
In Britain, over half of adults,
or about 26 million people,
bought something on the
internet during the last year. Alf 21st April, 6.32 am
Experts predict that next year Maybe I’m just too old but I hate it. I actually like going to
shops. I meet friends, we look at things together, have lunch
over 30 million of us will buy
and lots more. It’s just not as much fun to get things in the
something online. In not much more than ten years, the post.
internet has completely changed the way we shop. Or
has it? Do you regularly buy things online? Or do you Lily 21st April, 8.32 am
prefer to going into shops and meeting real people? There are so many reasons why I love shopping on the internet.
The main benefit is it’s a lot a cheaper! For example, a book
Leave your comments below.
in a shop might cost about £10, but on the internet I usually
pay about half that price.
2 Are these sentences for (positive about) or against
(negative about) shopping on the internet? Write Grace 21st April, 9.47 am
F (for) or A (against). I’m 73 and I only started using the internet last year. The worst
thing about shopping online is the stories you hear from people
1
F You don’t have to leave your house.
about stolen credit-card information. I was a bit worried at first
2 F It’s difficult to send things back when you’ve about that. However, I’ve bought lots of things and had no
bought them online. problems at all. My life is a lot easier, especially as I can’t drive
as well as I used to.
3 F Shops are always busy and full or people.

4 Things usually cost less online. Harry 21st April, 10.59 am

F My brother buys everything on the internet. For instance,
5
A It’s more interesting to go shopping in shops than
recently he bought a £15,000 car on eBay! If you ask me,
online.
he’s mad! I had a terrible experience last year. Someone got
6 It’s isn’t always safe to use credit cards online. my credit-card information last year from a website and bought
F thousands of pounds worth of stuff. I got all the money back
7 F It’s easier to find reviews about things on the
but it took ages.
internet.
8 You have to be at home when things arrive.
Daniel 21st April, 12.12 pm
A The best thing about shopping online is that I don’t have to
9 A It saves energy because people don’t need to
go out to the shops. In my opinion, that’s brilliant. They’re
drive to shops. always too crowded. Shopping online saves so much time! And
A trouble!
10 The internet is always open.

11 F You can’t see things clearly on the internet. Chloe 21st April, 12.48 pm
F The problem is when something stops working. You have to
12 You don’t always get what you ordered.
send it back to the website and that’s a problem. I’ve usually
3 Read the comments quickly. Are the people generally thrown away the box so I have to find a new one, go to a
for or against shopping on the internet? post office, queue up ... To me, that’s just too much work!
Therefore, I generally only buy things from websites that also
1 Alf AGAINST 4 Harry AGAINST
have a shop. Then you can usually take it back easily.
2 Lily FOR 5 Daniel FOR

3 Grace FOR 6 Chloe AGAINST

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 HELP WITH WRITING
Introducing reasons; Evie 21st April, 12.56 pm
connecting words (3) I buy almost everything online. 1 The main benefit /The worst thing is that I can do this in the
middle of the night if I want to. I only go to shops when I have to – for some milk or bread, for
4 Look at the underlined phrases in
the comments on page 82.
instance. 2If you ask me /Therefore, that’s perfect!
Are they introducing positive Olivia 21st April, 1.34 pm
reasons or negative reasons
The 3best /worst thing about shopping on the internet is that sometimes you’re not sure what
for shopping online?
you’re buying. You can only see a picture of things and 4for instance /therefore you’re always
Introducing positive reasons taking a chance on the quality.
1 The main benefit ...
Charlie 21st April, 2.17 pm
2 THE BEST THING I used to love it. The 5problem /best thing was that everything used to come when I was out.
Introducing negative reasons
I often had to wait at home all day for something to arrive. The internet is fantastic for many
things. 6However /So, if you’re not at home all day, shopping is best done in shops!
3 THE WORST THING
Jack 21st April, 4.17 pm
4 THE PROBLEM IS
I don’t understand people who think shopping online is a bad idea. 7To me /If you ask, it’s the
5 Look at the connecting words best thing about the internet. And it’s a lot more environmentally friendly too. Of course, they
in bold in the comments. Write have to deliver things 8so /but we used to drive to a shopping centre, so in the end, it’s easier.
them in the correct place in the
table. Will 21st April, 6.38 pm
Shopping online means I don’t have to listen to sales assistants! They think they know
contrast 1 but
everything. 9In my opinion /For example they usually know nothing! Online, I can read lots of
2SO reviews from real people and make my own decisions.
results 3 HOW EVER
Amelia 21st April, 8.17 pm
4 THERE FORE
I’ve given up shopping online. I often used to get the wrong things. 10For example /However,
giving 5 FOR EXAMPLE
examples when I ordered food, there were often things missing or I received a ‘similar’ product. Once
6 FOR INSTANCE they didn’t have any chickens, 11so/the best thing was they sent me a huge turkey!
giving 7 If you ask me
opinions
8 IN MY OPINION 7 a A website is asking for opinions on different topics. Choose two of these
9 TO ME topics. Write reasons for and against the topic.
1 Big shopping centres are better than streets of shops.
6 a Read some more comments 2 Everyone should have a credit card.
about shopping online. Match 3 Children should save some of their pocket money every week.
reasons 7–12 in 2 to the people.
4 Children should have lessons about spending and saving money at school.
Evie FOR
for against
Olivia AGAINST

Charlie AGAINST

Jack FOR

Will FOR
b Write a paragraph of comment for or against two of the topics.
Amelia AGAINST ● Use your notes from 7a.
b Read the comments again ● Use phrases from 5 to introduce your reasons.
and choose the correct ● Use words/phrases from the comments in 6 to connect sentences.
words/phrases. ● Read and check for mistakes.
● Give your comments to your teacher in your next class.

Tick the things you can do in English in the

Reading and Writing Progress Portfolio, p88.
Children should save some of their pocket money every week.

In my opinion, I think it would be very good for children now to save

money in their pockets, because when they want to buy something,
they won't have to ask their parents for it all.
they won't have to ask their parents for everything, that way they will
also learn how is the life of an old person, but they don't do it, they
wait for their parents to give them easy money...

Children should be taught about spending and saving in school.

If you ask me what I think about the issue of children receiving a

lesson, I would tell you that it is good, because children have to learn
to save and know how to value what you give them, so they also
know how to spend money responsibly, however in many schools and
parents themselves do not give lessons to their children on this
subject, so I think it should be a major issue for parents to talk more
with their children.
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