Semester 7 – WRITING – SESION 10 Student’s name & class:………….

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Look at the following reading passage and take notes. You have THREE minutes
Many ornithologist have noticed a disturbing trend in recent years. Namely, many species of birds
are disappearing. In fact, over the past two decades, over 100 species of birds have disappeared
while another 1,200 are endangered. The evidence points towards humans as the reason why birds
are slowly but surely being eradicated.

Humans are expanding the urban areas where they mostly live, so they encroaching on birds- and
other creatures’- natural habitats. Almost half the world’s population lives in urban centers of some
sort, and green areas are low on the priority list in most places. Coupled with this urban centers of
some sort, and green areas are low on the priority list in most places. Coupled with this urban sprawl
are the increased amounts of pollution being produced in the cities. These factors are combining to
take away the birds’ habitats and to contaminate the places where they live.

As Earth’s population grows, there is an ever- increasing demand for food, so many lands are being
cleared to make farmland to produce this food. Large tracts of forested areas are being cleared to
grow crops on, and there is little thought given to the fate of the birds who nest in these forests.
Approximately 50,000 to 170,000 square kilometres of forest are cut down yearly, which is putting
many species of birds at risks.

Farmers often rely upon chemical insecticides to eliminate any insect infestations. These chemicals
are also killing many birds as well as other animals. This is one reason the insecticide DDT has been
banned for almost forty years in the United States. It was simply killing too many birds, particularly
the bald eagle. Unfortunately, in the rest of the world, DDT and other powerful chemicals are still
being used on farms and are therefore killing large number of birds.

Listen to a lecture on the topic you read about and take notes. You are going to listen ONCE.
Now you have 20 minutes to plan, write, and revise your response. Typically, a good response will
require that you write 150-225 words.

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Semester 7 – WRITING – SESION 10 Student’s name & class:………….………

Question: Summarize the main points in the lecture, explaining how they cast doubt on the
ideas in the reading passage.

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Semester 7 – WRITING – SESION 10 Student’s name & class:………….………

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Checking and editing

WRITING CHECKLIST
1. Is there a topic sentence that introduces the main idea of the listening passage?
2. Have all the key points been presented?
3. Is the response well-organized?
4. Is the information presented accurately?
5. Is the information presented in the writer’s own words?
6. Is all the information found in the passage?
7. Is the response cohesive?
8. Are the sentences written concisely?
9. Is the response completed with a concluding statement?
10. Have grammar and spelling errors been corrected?

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