TOPIC

3:
CLASSIFICATIONS OF ENGLISH SENTENCES:
SIMPLE SENTENCES – COMPOUND SENTENCES – COMPLEX
SENTENCES

Suggested main points:
- Discuss the classification of English sentences mentioned in the topic.
- Collect and select the language items from the article and discuss/analyse
them syntactically (diagram for each type of sentence).
Article 1

Women, girls and students protesting in Iran (10th October,
2022)
https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2210/221010-women-life-freedom.html

Protests by women, school girls and university students are gaining in momentum in Iran.
The uprisings began following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini on the 16th of
September at the hands of Iran's morality police. She became an instant martyr after she
took off her headscarf and showed her hair in public. Her death ignited a whole series of
demonstrations throughout Iran. Hundreds of thousands of women have replicated Ms
Amini's actions to openly send a message to Iran's leaders. They took off their headscarves
en masse in the streets, on buses and in schools. Many burnt their hair coverings and cut
their hair in public. They have marched in the streets chanting their rallying cry of "women,
life, freedom".

The latest uprising in Iran is the result of decades of pent-up fury at Iran's regime. Women
are tired of being forced to cover their hair. It became obligatory in April 1983 for them to
do so. Punishments for violating this law range from financial penalties to imprisonment.
The death of 16-year-old Nika Shakarami last week has further fuelled the intensity of the
protests. Hundreds more have died in the past month at the hands of the authorities. An
Iranian professor said hair coverings were the tip of the iceberg. She said: "There's a lot of
compulsion in Iranian culture, and so the demand is freedom. The current protests… are
engaging students… who are ready to live life freely. They're done with death and grief and
mourning."


Article 2

Eating late at night might be making us sick (13th October, 2022)
https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2210/221013-eating-late-at-night.html

Many of us know that eating late is bad. A new study says that eating late at night could
make us sick. Researchers say that eating a few hours before bed means there is a higher
risk of obesity. The researchers are from Brigham and Women's Hospital, which is a
teaching university linked to Harvard Medical School in the USA. The research team looked
into why eating late increased the risk of gaining weight. It found that eating late increases
hunger by as much as two times, so we eat more. When we eat earlier, we are less hungry, so
we eat less food. Later eaters also eat unhealthier food, especially fast food. Finally, late
eaters move around less before sleeping. This means they do not burn off calories.

The study was a small scale one. The researchers looked at the eating habits of five women
and 11 men between the ages of 25 and 59. All of the participants had a high body mass
index (BMI). They were all in the overweight or obesity BMI range. All of the people were in
good health. They ate breakfast regularly and exercised a little. For two weeks before each
test, the participants did not drink coffee or alcohol. They also did not smoke or take any
medicine or drugs. They all had to keep a sleep diary so researchers knew their sleeping and
waking times. Researcher Professor Kelly C. Allison said: "I think what the study is telling us
is that it probably really is beneficial to stop eating late into the night."



Article 3

Former Malaysia leader to run for office aged 97 (17th October,

2022)
https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2210/221017-mahathir-mohamad.html

They say age is just a number, and that you are as young as you feel. The former prime
minister of Malaysia, Mahathir Mohamad, is proving this to be true. Mr Mahathir is pushing
back the years and running for office at the ripe old age of 97. He has been the country's
leader twice before. The first time was for 22 years, between 1981 and 2003; the second
time was a near-two-year term from May 2018. He has announced he will run for
parliament in his country's upcoming general election. He was typically coy on whether or
not he has his eyes set on the top job once again. He told journalists: "We have not decided
who will be prime minister because the prime minister candidate is only relevant if we win."

Mahathir Mohamad has been an ever-present force in Malaysian politics. He first became a
member of parliament in 1964. He is widely regarded as being a visionary for changing his
country's economic fortunes. He spearheaded Malaysia's rapid economic transformation
throughout the 1980s. Mahathir's decision to contest the parliamentary seat of Langkawi
marks his 11th general election campaign. Many commentators in Malaysia are sceptical
about Mr Mahathir's chances because of his recent ill health. He has a history of heart
trouble and has had several heart attacks and bypass operations, including a quadruple
bypass surgery. He was discharged from hospital last month after contracting Covid-19.



Article 4

K-pop stars BTS to do military service (20th October, 2022)

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2210/221020-bts-military-service.html

Members of one of the world's most popular pop bands will soon be in the army. The South
Korean boy band BTS will soon be taking a break from music. The seven band members will
be joining the military to do two years of national service. South Korea is one of the few
countries in the world to require men to do military service. All able-bodied men aged
between 18 and 28 must serve about two years in the military. This is because technically,
South Korea is still at war with North Korea. The two nations never signed a peace treaty
after the Korean War ended in 1953. The agency that looks after BTS said the band
members want to do their duty. It said: "It's the perfect time and the members of BTS are
honoured to serve."

There was a lot of talk in Korea about BTS not doing military service. Many people feel that
the band are too important to be taking a break to join the army. Many Koreans view them
as national treasures. In 2020, Korea's government said the band could delay their military
service until the age of 30. The oldest member, Jin, is currently 29 years old. BTS have
brought a lot of worldwide attention to their country. They have also received a lot of praise
for speaking out about mental health issues. South Korea's defence minister said it could be
possible for the band to perform together while in the army. He said: "There could be a way
to give them a chance to practice and perform together."


Article 5

Congo gold mining threatening endangered species (24th
October, 2022)

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2210/221024-congo-gold-mining.html

Species around the world are being increasingly threatened by human activity. Lamentably,
hundreds of thousands of creatures have already become extinct as the result of humans' ever-
increasing demands on Earth's resources. Gold mining in a national park in the Democratic
Republic of Congo is putting at risk an animal called the okapi. The park is called the Okapi
Wildlife Reserve. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The okapi is also called the forest giraffe
as it is a relative of the giraffe. However, its neck is nowhere near as long as that of a giraffe's. It
is also known as the zebra giraffe due to its striped hind legs. The okapi is only found in the area
of Congo that is being mined.

Conservationists have called for an immediate halt to the "rapidly expanding" levels of mining.
They have urged the government to revoke the mining company's license, to "protect the unique
forest ecosystem and the local communities that depend on it". The conservationists warned that:
"Miners are literally eating the reserve out of its wildlife by hunting animals for food. There is
almost no wildlife left around the mine itself, and wildlife numbers are massively reduced around
mining towns. There have even been cases of armed hunters trafficking okapi skins and elephant
ivory in and around the mines." They added that: "If the Congo government acts now, this unique
World Heritage Site can still be saved."
Article 6

Why thinking makes us feel tired (18th August, 2022)

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2208/220818-thinking.html

Have you ever wondered why thinking too much makes you tired? A new study has found
out some answers to this question. Researchers from the Paris Brain Institute looked at why
mental effort makes us tired. They found that when people think a lot, the brain releases a
chemical called glutamate. Too much glutamate upsets the brain's functions. It means the
brain tells the body it is tired and that it must rest. People who spend more than six hours
working on a task that requires a lot of thought are more likely to feel tired. A period of rest
allows the brain to return to normal. This explains why a power nap is good for us. A power
nap can be as short as 20 minutes, but can make us feel totally refreshed.

The research team looked at the behaviour of 40 participants in their research. Twenty-four
of these had to perform challenging tasks. These included looking at a computer screen and
matching different letters that appeared. The other 16 participants did a similar, but easier
task. Both teams worked for six hours, and had two ten-minute breaks. The researchers
scanned the brains of the participants. They found that the group who had the more difficult
task had higher levels of glutamate in their brain. Study author Antonius Wiehler said: "It
would be great to find out more about how glutamate levels are restored." He asked: "Is
sleep helpful? How long do breaks need to be to have a positive effect?"