Semester 7 – WRITING – SESSIONS 7 & 8 Student’s name & class:………….

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INTERGREATED WRITING PRACTICE

Look at the following reading passage and take note. You have three minutes

For centuries, men have pondered whether or not he is alone in the universe. One of the most likely places to
find life is Mars. In fact, for decades, determining if life is or was ever there has been the goal of many scientific
probes and observations. Now, it appears that there are signs that life in some basic form many actually exist on
the planet.
dissipate: làm tiêu tan, gradually disappear

One reason for this belief is the presence of methane gas on Mars. Methane is a naturally occurring gas
produced by dead plant and animal matter and which is often found in coal mines and swampy regions on Earth.
Since methane exists only for a few hundred years before it dissipates, it needs to be replenished by some living
organism even if it is as small as bacteria. The presence of methane on Mars strongly suggests there is some
form of living organism there replenishing the gas.
thien thach
A recent found meteorite believed to have come from Mars show some signs of having fossilized bacteria. The
meteorite has magnetite crystals arranged in long chains. These minerals could only have been formed by
bacteria. Researchers have compared the meteorite to a similar Martian one found in Antarctica in the 1990s.
This meteorite too exhibits signs of bacteria.

For some time now, astronomers have been aware of evidence of the existence of hydrogen, a basic building
block of life, on Mars although most of it is frozen ice at the two Mars poles. Moreover, recent space probes
have found evidence of large quantities of water, which may be flee-flowing, below the surface. Free- flowing
water could support some form of life, no matter how basic. It seems apparent, therefore, that the likelihood of
life on Mars is rather high. sinh kế

Listen to a lecture on the topic you read about and take notes. You’re going to listen ONCE.

Now you have 20 minutes to plan, write, and revise your response.

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

Step 1: Note taking

Reading outline Lecture outline

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Signs that life exists in Mars: Scientists prove not 100% of certainty
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1. Wrong
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1. Presence of methane gas on Mars …………………………………………………
- Methane is produced by dead plants and animals and is
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found on Earth …………………………………………………
- methane can come from other sources, including
volcanic activities
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- Mars has so many volcanoes and volca act still continues
---> Some form of living organism replenishing the gas.
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2.
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2. Meteorite has fossilized bacteria: …………………………………………………
not sure about origin of meteorites

- The meteorite has magnetite crystals arranged in long chains…………………………………………………

………………………………………………… it is uncertain meteorite is from Mars/ can be from the Earth
/ specimens of meteorite from mars are made of...
, which could be formed by bacteria.

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Semester 7 – WRITING – SESSIONS 7 & 8 Student’s name & class:………….………

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Testing proved bacteria form is in initial state / 2 samples
--? not enough to conclude
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3. Existence of hydrogen …………………………………………………
--> still sth else
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- space probes found large quantities of free - flowing water below 3.
the surface. martian water is not favorable to support life
--> support some form of life
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- most of Mars water is frozen

--> life can't survive based on frozen water

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- underground free flowing water hasn't been verifies yet

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Step 2: Synthesising and Organising

Review your notes for some important points from both the reading and the lecture. Combine each pair of
sentences to create your own sentence using the given pattern as an example:

1. Reading : ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Listening: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Combine: While the reading passage says that ……………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………., the professor thinks that ………………………..

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2. Reading:……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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Listening:…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

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-à Combine: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

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3. Reading:……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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Listening:…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

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Semester 7 – WRITING – SESSIONS 7 & 8 Student’s name & class:………….………

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-à Combine: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

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4. Reading:……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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Listening:…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

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-à Combine: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

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Step 3: Writing

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The author of the reading states that there is a high chance of life forms on Mars. The lecturer disputes the argument by saying
that these evidence are not proven of 100% certainty, because of the following reasons.
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According to the passage, the presence of methane gas shows signs of living organisms on Mars. On Earth, methane gas is
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created by dead flora and fauna species. Therefore, there is a likelihood that living organism can exist on Mars. However, the
professor opines that methane gas can be produced by other sources such as volcanic activities. Mars includes numerous
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active volcanoes, so these volcanic activities has not ceased.
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Secondly, the author suggests that some meteorites from Mars are made of magnetite crystals, which could be formed by bacteria.
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In addition, these meteorites found on Mars are similar to Martian ones in Antarctica in 1990s. the lecturer, however, asserts that
There is no certainty of the origin of these meteorites as they can be from the Earth instead of Mars. Additionally, testing on
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bacteria forms is still in initial stage and with two samples, this can not be determined correctly.

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The article lastly asserts that the astronomers already have evidence for the appearance existence of hydrogen and bipolar
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solidified water on Mars, which confirms the existence of life forms on the planet. however, the professor refutes this point by
claiming that water found of Mars is not favorable to support life as it is mostly frozen. In addition, the existence of free-flowing
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undergroud water as mentioned in the reading has not been verified yet. This claim directly challenges the claim made by the
author that life exists on Mars.
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Semester 7 – WRITING – SESSIONS 7 & 8 Student’s name & class:………….………

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Step 4: Checking and editing

WRITING CHECKLIST
The list below covers the important features of a well-written response to an integrated task. You will
not have time to rewrite your response during the test. Therefore, keep this list in mind as you organize
the information and write your response.

WRITING TASK 1 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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