Chapter I

In My Opinion

Share Your Experiences (Page 2)

1. Read the extract and match them with the correct headlines. Put a tick on the
headline you choose.
 Reduce the use of palm oil and save tropical forest
 Stop consuming palm oil
 Save tropical forest in Indonesia

Do this instructions.

Possible answer: I think all the headlines advise us to take care of forest in Indonesia.
They also remind us the danger of tropical forest in Indonesia because of consuming
palm oil. The more we consume palm oil, the more tropical forest we destroy to plan
palm trees. I agree with the message stated in the caption. By reducing the use of palm
oil, not only we save the tropical but also we live in a healthier life.
2. Read the extract again and discuss whether the statements are facts or opinions by
putting a tick (V) in the correct column.

Fact/opinion Statements

fact 1. Nine Greenpeace activists rappel and hang banners

opinion 2. Nine Greenpeace activists are brave men

fact 3. They did their activities in protest of Procter & Gamble outside of the
company's headquarters, in Cincinnati, US on Tuesday

opinion 4. The banners are very huge

fact 5. The banners are about 60 foot

opinion 6. The Greenpeace believe that the use of palm oil is linked to tropical
forest destruction in Indonesia.

Look Around (page 3)

1. Listen to a conversation between two students about anti-deforestation. While

listening, complete the dialogue below.
 (1) action
(2) think
(3) anti-deforestation
(4) Don’t you think
(5) brave
(6) palm oil
(7) do you really think
(8) to my mind
(9) reducing
(10) am I cool?

2. Say whatever these statements are true or false.

True/ False Statements

true 1. Sadewa thinks that anti-deforestation is an excellent activity (True)

true 2. Bima believes that the nine Greenpeace activists are brave
persons(True)

true 3. To Sadewa’s opinion the commitment of the nine Greenpeace

activists has inspired him to reduce palm oil in his daily food.
(True)

false 4. Bima doesn’t believe that people live in a healthier life by reducing
palm oil in their food.(false)

true 5. Bima and Sadewa have the same opinion about reducing the use of
palm oil. (true)

3. Listen to the dialogue again then work in pairs to identify the exprressionsof giving
opinion by completing the columns below. See the examples.

Asking for someone’s opinion Giving your opinion

a. Look here. Yes page 5, column 1. Read a. I think it is a very bad action
it carefully

b. What do you think about the extract? b. Well, in my opinion anti-deforestation

activity is a cool activity. It is an activity to
influence us to build a healthier future for
our forest.

c. Don’t you think so? c. I think so too. I believe that the nine
 Greenpeace activists are brave persons.

d. Do you really think it would be possible d. Well, to my mind the commitment of

to stop it? those nine Greenpeace activists has
inspired me to reduce palm oil in my daily
food. By reducing the use of palm oil, not
only we save the tropical but also we live in
a healthier life.

e. How about the use of palm oil? Are you Yes

ready to stop consuming palm oil?

f. Am I cool? f. You’re right.

4. Listen to a short monologue and fill in the blanks. Then, underline Debora’s opinion
about Bunaken.
(1) reporting
(2) reefs
(3) coral
(4) spectacular
(5) marine
(6) take care of
(7) harmful
(8) beautiful

6. Listen to the questions or statements and choose the correct responses.

(1) A. I think so too.
(2) C. I’m against your opinion
(3) C.You make a good point.
(4) E. I know what you mean

Let’s learn more (page 7)

7. Discuss the following questions with your friends and your teacher.
(1) Any possible answer
(2) Any possible answer
(3) On TV, you tube, etc
(4) Online voting gives more viewers to choose their idols. (accept any possible answer)
(5) Yes, I have
(6) When someone asks me to do so or when there is something wrong that needs to be
corrected. (accept any possible answer)
 (7) To give an advice or to help someone overcome a problem. (accept any possible
answer)
(8) Menurut kamu/anda, upaya apa yang harus dilakukan untuk membenahi sekelompok
siswa yang tidak peduli lingkungan? (accept any possible answer)
(9) I feel a relief after expressing my opinion. By doing so I think I am learning to be a
better and active citizen. (accept any possible answer)
(10) I sometimes feel surprised to hear a friend giving a clear and logical opinion. I think
I could learn the way my friend expresses his opinion.(accept any possible answer)
(11) In Javanese culture, giving an opinion is not a simple thing to do. By doing it in
English I think I can speak and express my opinion better. (accept any possible answer)

8. Follow the instructions below.

Possible answer (accept any possible answers)
a. Listen to discussions, debates, and even arguments. Talk about the issue or subject
with your friends.

b. Decide what your opinion is on a subject, be willing to state it, defend it, and stand
by it, but have an open mind unless you are thoroughly convinced and willing to
argue your point of view.

c. My steps to form an opinion

 Listen to discussions, debates, and even arguments.
 Talk about the issue or subject with your friends.
 Decide what your opinion is on a subject, be willing to state it,
 Defend it, and stand by it, but have an open mind unless you are thoroughly
convinced and willing to argue your point of view.

10. Check you comprehension by answering the following questions.

a. They are talking about Indonesian Idol
b. Their views about Indonesian Idol

Mutiara Yulio

She thinks it is the best reality show that He believes it becomes one of the most
has fascinated many fans around the popular shows in the history of
nation. Indonesian television

She thinks that some of the Indonesian

Idols cannot survive in the Indonesia
music industry.
 She supposes this reality show has not He believes some of the winners are not
fully succeeded in reaching its main goal. able to fill the most basic requirement
which is to sing properly

c. Underline some statements that support their opinions

Mutiara Yulio

I think it is the best reality show and it I believe it becomes one of the most
has fascinated many fans around the popular shows in the history of
nation. Indonesian television

You’ll see that some of them are not yet

able to survive in the Indonesian music
industry.

I suppose this reality show has not fully I know what you mean. Some of the
succeeded in reaching its main goal. winners are not able to fill the most basic
requirement which is to sing properly

d. I think…I suppose…I believe….

e. Menurut pendapat saya, menurutku, saya fikir, dll (accept any possible answers).

Act it out (page 10)

14. Read this text carefully.

Reading for getting specific information.
(1) Piles of trash on the sides of streets or even on the bank of rivers , stinky odors
coming from piles of trash, many people live around this mountain-like heap of trash,
many children play nearby, some women wash clothes, fruits, and vegetables in the river
which is contaminated by trash.
Reading for getting the main ideas of the text.
(2) Bad environment in the writer’s town
(3) People living around the mountain-like heap of trash
(4) The writer’s opinion to keep environment clean and tidy
(5) To suggest the government to keep environment clean and tidy.
Reading for detail information
(6) Because when he passes some places in his town, he often see piles of trash on the
sides of streets or even on the bank of rivers.
 (7) He thinks the view is annoying because it makes our surrounding look ugly and very
dirty. it is also very dangerous. Piles of trash bring the bacteria with them.
Reading to find meaning from contexts.
(8) unpleasant smell
(9) poisonous
Reading for referring
(10) the view
15. Read the text above again, then write the writer’s opinions about the trash problem.
a. The writer thinks the view is annoying because it makes their surrounding look ugly
and very dirty.
b. The writer thinks it is also very dangerous.
c. The writer believes that they don’t realize the danger because they don’t have
sufficient knowledge about healthy living.
d. The writer thinks that the government must make a regulation that prohibits people
from building houses near the trash disposal (dump site).
e. The writer thinks the efforts to keep our environment clean and tidy need hard work
from both the citizens and the government.

Link it to (page 11)

17. Analyse the expression of giving opinions by completing the columns below. See the
examples.

Text structure Expressing logical and relevant opinion

Signs to Sentence conjunction sentence

express
opinions

a. I think the view is I think the view is because it makes our

annoying because it makes annoying surrounding
our surrounding look ugly (present) look ugly and
and very dirty. very dirty.
(present)

b. In my opinion it is also In my it is also very

very dangerous opinion dangerous.
(present)

c. In my opinion, this fact In my this fact is

is very terrible. opinion very terrible.

d. I believe they don’t I believe they don’t because they don’t

 realize the danger because realize the have
they don’t have sufficient danger sufficient
knowledge about healthy knowledge
living. about healthy
living.

e. I suppose the I suppose the

government must make a government
regulation that prohibits must make a
people from building regulation
houses near the trash that prohibits
disposal people from
building
houses near
the trash
disposal

f. I think the efforts to I think the efforts to

keep our environment keep our
clean and tidy need hard environment
work from both the clean and
citizens and the tidy need
government. hard work
from both
the citizens
and the
government.

g. I think it is the best I think it is the best

reality show that has reality show
fascinated many fans that has
around the nation. fascinated
many fans
around the
nation.

Put in practice (page 13)

19. Read the extracts and express your opinions about the issues. Then share your ideas
in front of the class.
1st issue
 I think so too. I believe the
government will change many of the
laws to overcome crime in cities

I agree. I think it is not easy to overcome

the problem but police departments can
educate more young people to protect
themselves and others.

I don’t think so. I believe it is only in

some big cities because there are still
many places where people feel safe to
spend every night.

I can’t agree to that. I think police

department has done many things to
overcome crime in cities

2nd issue
I think pupils should be allowed to take
their mobile phone to school because
pupils can reach their parents in the event
of an emergency and vice versa

To my mind phones can be silenced

during class or study periods and active
only in appropriate places

I believe if it is appropriately used hand

phone has more advantages than
disadvantages

In my opinion mobile phone should be

banned at school because students often
forget to turn off their phones in class
and ringing noises alerts disturb learning
 20. How do you like it? give your opinion about the following text.
Possible answer (accept any possible answers)

Title Indonesia traditional ‘kebaya’

issue In many parts across Indonesia, the ‘kebaya’ is seen as a strong nationalistic
symbol and has been supported as an identity for Indonesian women by
prominent figures throughout the nation's history. Recently, this traditional
dress has become recognized internationally as it is used as the uniform for
stewardesses on Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines and Garuda
Indonesia.

People’s opinions ‘Kebaya’ in my opinion is the fittest dress for Malay women considering to
about Indonesian body structure, body characteristic and the color of the skin. A good
traditional ‘Kebaya’ always fits to the body of the wearer.
‘kebaya’

More information During 33 years period of New Older Government (President Suharto
to elaborate the regime, 1965-1998), all wife of government officer or women government
opinions officer always wore ‘Kebaya’ on every official ceremony and ‘Kebaya’
applied as national identity of Indonesia.  I think Indonesian women look
more beautiful and gorgeous when they wear ‘kebaya’. And nowadays there
are many teenagers wearing ‘kebaya’ on special occasions such as wedding
ceremony and birthday party.