9.

LISTENING: IDENTIFYING FEELINGS AND

ATTITUDES
A.BEFORE YOU LISTEN

1.Work in groups and answer/discuss the following questions.

Do a short Google search if you don’t know her.

● Who is Greta Thunberg?

● Why is she famous?
● How has she influenced the world?
2.Study the following words to understand the video better.
extinction (n) collapse(v) fail (v) generation(n) accuse(v)
B.WATCH
1.Watch the video of her speech at the UN Climate Summit addressed to the
world leaders. Answer the following questions below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYxt0BeTrT8

1. Which problem does she NOT mention as a world problem?

a) There is a risk of mass extinction.
b) The ecosystems are collapsing.
c) People are dying.
d) Young people are not educated about climate.

2. What do world leaders care the most about?

a) economic growth
b) the happiness levels of the public
c) protecting the environment
d) developing new technologies

3. Her generation is under the risk of ____________.

a) not receiving appropriate healthcare
b) losing jobs and homes
c) breathing toxic air constantly
d) not getting enough education
2.Think about the video and her speech. Choose the best options to complete
the sentences below and explain your choice. Study the unknown words below.
1. Her speech was assertive / humorous / optimistic.
2. She feels angry / surprised / humorous.
3. Her attitude towards the politicians was critical / amused / optimistic
• When you are assertive, you expect people to take some action about an issue.
• When you are humorous/amused, you speak in a joking manner.
• When you are critical of something, you are rather negative about it.
• When you are optimistic, you are hopeful about the future.

3.Look at groups of sentences from different speakers. Match them with correct
attitudes below. Sometimes more than one option is possible.

SPEAKER 1: Even though the politicians and corporations do little to nothing for
the environment, the younger generation is becoming more and more conscious of
the environment. They are working to reduce their carbon emissions and reduce
waste. Maybe in 20 years’ time, when they become adults, the world might be a
better place.
OPTIMISTIC/HOPEFUL

SPEAKER 2: The politicians are really clever, aren’t they? They say that the young
people are ignoring the world and just care about the pop culture and social media.
Therefore, they become the responsible adults who know better than us.
SARCASTIC/CRITICAL/ANGRY/IRONIC

SPEAKER 3: Even if we stopped producing carbon dioxide completely today, right

this second, global warming would still continue to exist. There is nothing we can
do about it beyond this point. PESSIMISTIC/NEGATIVE

SPEAKER 4: The U.S.A claims to be the world leader in many issues in the world.
They say that they are developing new and alternative forms of energy. However,
they have just left the Paris Agreement which was designed to reduce global
warming. IRONIC/ CRITICAL/SARCASTIC

SPEAKER 5: People say that when sea levels rise some major cities will be under
water. They say this like it is a bad thing. I live in Arizona and I have always wanted
 to live closer to water. Now, I have the chance to do that without moving.
HUMOROUS/CRITICAL
SPEAKER 6: Climate change has been a controversial topic in the U.S. Although
some people claim that it is a scientific fact, others still have doubts about it and
don’t think it is a real problem. INFORMATIVE

SPEAKER 7: Did you know that one airplane travelling from London to New York
produces more carbon dioxide than 2000 cars in one month? That’s unbelievable!
SURPRISED

SPEAKER 8: The Paris Agreement requires the countries set their goals to reduce
carbon emissions and try to reach them. However, the agreement is only voluntary.
In other words, if a country doesn’t reach their goal, there is no consequence or
punishment. I think this makes the agreement very weak. CRITICAL

SPEAKER 9: 20 % of our carbon emissions come from industry-our factories and

businesses. Putting tons upon tons of carbon into the air every single minute. It’s
time to say enough! We need businesses to take responsibility and do something
about it. ASSERTIVE/CRITICAL

SPEAKER 10: What is wrong with the politicians today? Why are they ignoring the
problems that our planet is facing? Why is business more important than fresh and
clean air?
CRITICAL/DISAPPROVING

The speaker’s attitude is …………

1. Sarcastic/ironic 6. critical/disapproving
2. humorous/amused 7. angry
3. optimistic/hopeful 8. surprised
4. pessimistic/negative 9. assertive
5. informative
REMEMBER

As you listen, pay attention to the descriptive words and expressions that the speaker
uses to present ideas and details. This will help you understand the speaker’s attitude
toward the information.
 TEDU ELS 2020-2021 Fall Term Material Pack – Answer Key / A Level

5. Listen to the short extracts from different speakers. Identify the speaker’s
attitude towards the subject or the problem. Choose the best option.

SPEAKER 1:
a) optimistic
b) pessimistic
c) angry
d) sarcastic

SPEAKER 2:
a) humorous
b) assertive
c) optimistic
d) informative

SPEAKER 3:
a) informative
b) optimistic
c) surprised
d) angry

SPEAKER 4:
a) critical
b) informative
c) assertive
d) optimistic

SPEAKER 5:

a) surprised

Page 4 of 44
 b) optimistic
c) humorous
d) pessimistic

SPEAKER 6:

a) humorous
b) critical
c) pessimistic
d) surprised

Audioscript

SPEAKER 1:

For some people small and personal efforts to reduce carbon emissions are just a
drop in a bucket. I can understand that. However, imagine that if thousands of people
show that effort. Then, things might change for the better and we can take steps to
reduce carbon emissions.

SPEAKER 2:

We are here today because we want to stop global warming. Like me, you are trying
really hard to reduce your own carbon footprint. And these small changes have an
impact. But it’s not ENOUGH! It’s not enough for individuals to change. The
governments need to change. The business world needs to change. We need big
changes to save the planet and we need them now.

SPEAKER 3:

Planet Earth is dynamic and always changing. Just 10.000 years ago, about half of the
planet was covered in ice. Today this is around 10%, as the Earth has been warming
since that time. Part of the environmental change is due to natural, rather than human
causes.

SPEAKER 4

The government has just introduced a bill to cut down on carbon emissions. The bill
requires businesses to pay some money if they produce more than the allowed
amount of carbon. However, the money that they have to pay is so small. I mean this
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means that the businesses can just pay that small amount and continue to pollute the
air.

SPEAKER 5

I live in the middle of Manhattan and sometimes the Central Park is the only green
area that I can visit nature. That was until I went to my friend’s office building. He
took me to the roof of the building and I couldn’t believe my eyes! The roof was
covered with grass and flowers. There were trees in pots. It looked like a piece of
heaven right in the middle of a busy street.

SPEAKER 6

We are really close to a dangerous stage in climate change. If the world warms up at
least 2 degrees, there won’t be any ice in the world. There will be more storms and
hurricanes and there won’t be any cities like New York or Amsterdam because they
will be under water. That’s why I won’t have any children. I don’t want them to die
because of the mistakes that we did.

10. LISTENING: CLIMATE CHANGE DENIERS

A. BEFORE YOU LISTEN
1. Discuss the following questions in groups.
● Some people don’t believe that climate change is real. What might be the reason
for their refusal? Who do you think those people might be?
● How can the scientific community and the governments persuade people that it is
in fact real?
2. Study the following vocabulary and match them with the definitions given
below.
Immense(adj) Claim (v) Consist of (v) Go Bankrupt (v)
Fund(v) Innocent(adj) Tend to (v) Disprove (v)
Tackle (v) Contribute to (v)

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a) ___CONTRIBUTE TO________ help/add
b) ___TEND TO________ be likely to do something
c) ____IMMENSE_______ huge/great amount
d) ____CONSIST OF_______ include
e) ____TACKLE_______ deal with/overcome
f) ____GO BANKRUPT_______ have an unsuccessful business and lose all your
money
g) ____CLAIM_______ give an argument/opinion
h) ____FUND_______ provide money for someone or an organization
i) ___DISPROVE________ show that something is false
j) ___INNOCENT________ without any fault or guilt

3. Rewrite the following sentences using the words from Exercise 2.

1.Animals who have done nothing wrong suffer from the impact of climate change.
Innocent animals suffer from the impact of climate change.
2.We must work together to take care of this problem.
We must work together to tackle this problem.
3.Companies are afraid of losing all their money.
Companies are afraid of going bankrupt.
4.There are more than 150 countries in the UN.
The UN consists of more than 150 countries.
5.The government gives money to this climate change program.
The government funds this climate change program.
6.Fossil fuel companies make the climate change problem bigger.
Fossil fuel companies contribute to the climate change problem.
7.Politicians say that climate change is not a serious problem.
Politicians claim that climate change is not a serious problem.

B.LISTEN
1.In this section, you will hear a lecture on CLIMATE-CHANGE DENIERS. You
will hear the lecture only ONCE. As you listen, take notes on the following
points: Remember the note taking techniques you have practiced in Unit 1,
page 14.

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· who the climate-change deniers are and why they ignore climate change

· what should be done to win the fight against them

· the speaker’s attitude

2: Answer the following questions using your notes.

1. Why do people who work for the oil and coal industries deny climate
change? Add one of the reasons.
They make a lot of money in these industries.
They don’t want to go bankrupt.
They don’t want to lose their jobs / a lot of money

2. What is surprising about Willie Soon?

(He is a climate-change denier and) his work was funded by the energy industry.
He received millions of dollars from energy companies to deny climate change.
He became rich by claiming that energy industries are innocent.

3. When do politicians deny the truth of scientific data?

When science is not compatible with their policies.
When science doesn’t support their policies.

4. What two things should we do to win the battle against climate-change

deniers?
a) We should read / know about reliable scientific studies.

b) We should know about the claims of the climate-change deniers.

3. Answer the following question using your notes.

What is the speaker’s attitude towards climate-change deniers? Support your
answer using the points from the talk and explain the speaker’s point of view in
3-4 sentences.
The speaker has a negative attitude towards climate-change deniers.

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He says that that:

· These people are denying scientific data and they only think about their own
benefit.
· Climate-change deniers have contributed to low levels of public concern and to
government inaction worldwide.
· We have laws on the books to punish anyone whose lies contribute to people's
deaths.
· Climate-change deniers should face jail.
· They should face fines.
· They should face lawsuits from the classes of people whose lives and livelihoods
are most threatened by their tactics
C. AFTER YOU LISTEN
Watch the video in the link and take notes under the questions. Later, use these
notes to form your answers to the questions.
1. Why do we need to change the way we talk about climate change?
Because trying to make people guilty doesn’t work. When people feel guilty about
climate change or polar bears, they tend to do nothing as they feel upset and feel
powerless.They want to do something that would make them happy instead.

2.What is a global problem that people actually cared about and solved? How?
Ozone layer hole issue was a big problem in the 1970s and 1980s and it was a
problem that people could actually see and understand. Later on, everyone said
using these spray cans isn’t worth damaging the ozone layer so they reduced the
consumption dramatically.

3.What are some of the attempts to deal with energy waste issues?
Making people compete with each other about their energy saving habits.
Sending people detailed bills showing which appliance in their home uses the most
electricity.
Giving people advice on how to improve their energy use habits.

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 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkZ7BJQupVA

AUDIOSCRIPT

Good morning, everyone. In today’s lecture, we are going to talk about climate
change deniers. Climate change or global warming deniers are the people who claim
that there is no proof that global warming is caused by human activities. Multiple
studies that have been published in scientific journals show that 98%, yes 98% of
climate scientists believe that global warming is real and caused by human activities.
However, despite the huge amount of scientific evidence there are some people who
proclaim that global warming is nothing more than a lie. So, who are those people and
why do they insist on ignoring the immense amount of scientific data regarding climate
change? The loudest group of people who deny climate change consist of the
members of the oil and coal industries. As everyone knows, greenhouse gases which
are responsible for global warming are released when coal and oil are burned. So, it’s
only natural that the people who work and make a lot of money in these industries deny
that their multimillion-dollar-companies are responsible for global warming. They
obviously do not want to lose their jobs lose a lot of money or go bankrupt. Now, I want
to give you some very surprising information. Have you heard of Willie Soon? Well
Willie Soon is a researcher at the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and
he is a famous climate change denier. What is so surprising about Willie Soon is this;
his work has been funded almost entirely by the energy industry. Can you believe that
he has received more than 1.2 million dollars from the oil industry just to claim that
energy industries have nothing to do with global warming? Well, we can say that Willie
Soon became a very rich researcher just by claiming that energy industries are
innocent. The second group of people who deny the climate change is made up of a
number of politicians. Politicians and governments tend to listen to scientists when
science is compatible with their policies. In other words, when scientific research
supports their policies, they are ready to accept the scientific data. If scientific evidence
is not compatible with their policies and it shows that they are on the wrong track
instead of changing their policies, they tend to ignore the scientific data. So, what can

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we do to win the fight against the climate change deniers? The first thing that we have
to do is to read. That is, to know about reliable scientific studies. However, reading
about reliable scientific studies is not enough. We also need to know about the claims
of climate change deniers. Unless we have enough knowledge about their claims we
cannot refute or disprove their claims with our scientific knowledge. Well global
warming is happening, and human activities are contributing significantly to climate
change. Man-made climate change kills the environment and it kills a lot of people and
it is going to kill a lot more unless something is done to tackle the situation. Climate
change deniers have contributed to low levels of public concern and to government
inaction worldwide. We have laws on the books to punish anyone whose lies contribute
to people’s deaths. In my opinion those deniers should face jail. They should face fines.

11. GRAMMAR: CONDITIONALS REVISION

Zero, First and Second Conditional

1.Complete the dialogues with appropriate responses or questions.

Dialogue 1:

A:I don’t understand why she got mad at me!

B: Really? You know she hates being treated like a child. Therefore, if __you treat her
like a child, she gets angry___.

A: Every time? Ok, then. I will try to treat her more like an adult.

Dialogue 2:

A: Would you like some coffee?

B: I am afraid not because _if I drink coffee, my heart rate gets faster___.

A: Your heart rate? Why does it get faster?

B: I don’t know but coffee does that to me.

We use If Conditional Type 0 for things which give the same result whenever the
same situation happens. Real life situation for the present.

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Structure: If+Simple Present, Simple Present

Example: If I eat peanuts, my throat closes, and I can’t breathe.

2.Rewrite the following sentences using IF CONDITIONAL TYPE 0.

1. You draw graffiti on the walls. Police gives you a fine.

If you draw graffiti on the walls, police gives you a fine.

2. You don’t pick up after your dog. Police gives you a fine.

If you don’t pick up after your dog, police gives you a fine.
3. You drink on the street. Police gives you a fine.

If you drink on the street, police gives you a fine.

3.Complete the dialogues with appropriate responses or questions.

Dialogue 3:

A: Dad! The new Playstation is awesome. Can I get it for my birthday?

B: Sure. __If you get an A from Math, I will buy it for your birthday__.

A: But!Dad! Math is so hard and I can never pass that course with that grade!

B: You want the Playstation or not?I will buy it for you but only for that condition.

Dialogue 4:

A: Hey, you coming to the office party today?

B: I am trying to call my babysitter. __If she comes in today, I may go to the party.__

A: Oh, I hope she comes in today. The party is going to be so great!

We use If Conditional Type 1 for things which may/might or will happen if a certain
situation takes place. Real life situation for the future.

Structure: If+Simple Present, will/may/might V1

Example: If they come early, we might go to the basketball game.

Careful: The future meaning is NOT in the If clause so we cannot use “will/may/might”
inside if clause Type 1.

Example: If I will see her, I will give her your message.

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4. Rewrite the following sentences using If Type 1.

1.My child may misbehave on the train. In that case, I will put on a movie for him on
my tablet.

If my child misbehaves on the train, I will put on a movie for him on my tablet.

2.We might move to another neighborhood. In that case, I will sell some of our furniture
in a garage sale.

If we move to another neighborhood, I will sell some of our old furniture in a garage
sale.

3.Jeremy might have a party this weekend. In that case, he will invite his neighbors.

If Jeremy has a party this weekend, he will invite his neighbors.

5.Complete the dialogues with appropriate responses or questions.

Dialogue 5

A: I hate living in a residential area. I wish I lived in the city center.

B: Why?

A: _If I lived in the city center, I would go to restaurants and bars every night__.

B: Well, going to restaurants and bars every day might seem great at first but it is too
noisy and dirty in an urban area.

Dialogue 6

A: Why doesn’t your client buy that house? I thought he liked it.

B: _If he had a family, he would buy it__.

A: I see what you mean. That house is too big for a single guy and more suitable for a
family.

We use If Conditional Type 2 for things which are NOT true in real life but we are just
talking about an unreal and imaginary situation and its result.

Structure: If+Simple Past, would/could V1

Example: If I were 190 cm tall, I would play basketball. (I am not so I don’t play
basketball.)

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 • Careful: Because it is an unreal situation, we use PAST TENSE instead of
Present tense.

• Instead of “was”, “were” is used more commonly in Type 2.

• The situation is the opposite in unreal conditions so positives become negative

and vice versa.

6. Rewrite the following sentences using If Type 2.

1.There is no public transportation in my neighborhood. Therefore, I have to drive every

day.

If there were public transportation in my neighborhood, I wouldn’t have to drive every

day.

2.Since the crime rate in my neighborhood is too high, I will move out.

If the crime rate in my neighborhood weren’t too high, I wouldn’t move out.

3.There aren’t any recycling bins near my building, so we throw our paper and plastic
as trash.

If there were some recycling bins near my building, we wouldn’t throw our paper and
plastic as trash.

For more information and exercises scan the following QR code or use the link.

https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/conditional-exercises.html

4. Fill in the gaps with a zero, first or second conditional.

1. Scientists are planning a way of writing extremely small letters, using xenon (Xe)
atoms. If you used this system, you would be able to (be able) to write ten copies
of the Bible on the area of a postage stamp.
2. Humans are among the few animals to have color vision. If you were (be) a horse,
for example, you would see (see) everything in black and white.
3. If you looked (look) inside your own eye at the images there, they would be (be)
upside down, and they would be (be) moving.

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4. If you smoke (smoke), chemical changes take place (take place) in your cells, which
do not receive enough oxygen and die.
5. The world's oceans contain huge amounts of salt. In fact, If you removed (remove)
all the salt from the oceans, you would be able to (be able) to use it to build a wall
about 300km wide and a kilometer tall all around the Earth!
6. The brain works in two parts, the left side and the right side. Scientists can put one
side of the brain to sleep, and see what happens. For example, if they turn off (turn
off) the right side of the patient's brain, the patient is able to (not be able) to sing,
because musical ability comes from the right side of the brain.
7. Beetles are one of the most numerous species on the planet. In fact, if other insects
and animals didn’t eat (not eat) beetles, in about a year and a half, the beetle
population would weigh (weigh) as much as the whole Earth!
8. Parts of the body send messages to other parts of the body when they have to do
things. For example, if you don’t have (not have) enough water in your body the
brain lets (let) you know that you need more, by making you feel thirsty.

Adapted from Macmillan English Grammar in Context

12. LISTENING: WILD ANIMALS ARE IN

DANGER (OPTIONAL)
A.BEFORE YOU LISTEN

1. Discuss the following questions in groups.

• What are some of the wild endangered animals due to human activity?

• What types of human activity cause some animals to be endangered?

• What are some of the ways we can fight with this problem?

2.Study the meaning of the following words that will help you during the
listening.

Dam(n) wetlands(n) swamp(n) poaching(n)

Fur(n) rhino(n) contribute(v)

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B.LISTEN

Answer the following questions as you listen to the lecture.

1.Which of the following is NOT given as a reason for habitat destruction?

a) opening up farm lands for agriculture
b) building dams over rivers to collect water for agriculture
c) emptying swamps and other wetlands
d) building roads and cities to provide economic development

2.What example does the speaker give for the pollution?

a) Children losing their health due to water pollution
b) A polar bear losing its home because of illegal hunting.
c) Birds covered in oil after an accident happens in the sea
d) A dead fox in front of people’s homes do to air pollution

3.What is TRUE about the illegal trade in wildlife?

a) Many governments are trying to do something about the problem.
b) People don’t know how much animals suffer from this trade.
c) A lot of people prefer the items in this trade because they are original.
d) It is allowed in many European countries to sell fur and bones.

4.What is TRUE about rhino horns?

a) They are more valuable than elephant tusks.
b) They are falsely believed to have medical benefits.
c) Their trade is illegal in the entire continent.
d) One hunter can only hunt down 13 rhinos a year.

5.Why do animals compete for a place to live?

a) Because they want to increase their populations.
b) Because their nature wants more space to live.
c) Because they need to find more and more food.
d) Because the available habitats are getting smaller.

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 6.What was the difference between Rabbits in Australia and The brown tree
snake in Guam?
a) The first one destroyed local habitats while the other contributed to it.
b) While the rabbit lived in Australia for a short time, the snake came to Guam in
ancient times.
c) Although the rabbit was brought there on purpose, the snake was introduced
by accident.
d) Even though the snake was a vegetarian at first, the rabbit threatened the bird
population.

7.What is the attitude of the speaker toward the extinction of species?

a) humorous
b) optimistic
c) ironic
d) assertive

C.AFTER YOU LISTEN

1.Look at the questions in part A once again and talk about them once more using
the information you have learned from the lecture.

2. Watch the following video and take notes of the impact of mankind on the rest of
the natural world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfGMYdalClU

3.Can you write a short essay to explain what the impact of human activities on
the planet and the natural world is?

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AUDIOSCRIPT

Today, I’m going to talk about the reasons why many of the world’s plants and animals
are live today are in danger of becoming extinct as a result of human activity; the tiger,
the mountain gorilla, the rhinoceros, the giant panda. These could all disappear and
many other animals, too. Similarly, many plants are disappearing from the earth. The
question is: why? Over the centuries, millions of animal and plant species have
disappeared. Most of these species disappeared or became extinct because of natural
causes, such as climate changes. Today, however, species are less in danger of
becoming extinct because of natural causes. Instead, they are endangered by human
activity. OK, let’s examine some ways human activity causes plants and animals to
become endangered. The single most important reason why some species are in
danger today is the destruction or the pollution of their habitat. Most animals and plants
are adapted to live in a very specific environment; the habitat where they live. They
cannot survive if they lose the specific habitat that they are adapted to. To give a simple
example, a fish lives only underwater. There are many ways that human activity
destroys habitats. For example, forests, grasslands, and deserts provide habitats for
many plants and animals. We clear these habitats to provide areas for people to live
and work in. Farmers clear land to grow crops on. We empty water from wet areas like
swamps. We build dams across rivers to provide people with water for farming or to
produce electricity. All of these human activities; clearing forests, grasslands and
deserts, emptying swamps, putting dams on rivers, result in the destruction of the
specific habitats that many plants and animals need in order to survive. Closely related
to the destruction of habitats is the pollution of the environment which endangers many
species’ habitats. Human activity causes air and water pollution from factories, trash,
and even farming. This pollution endangers the survival of many animals. Pollution
such as oil spills and acid rain harm habitats. You may have seen pictures in
newspapers or on TV of dead or dying animals and birds that are covered with oil. This
happens after a ship that is transporting oil has an accident that spills the oil into the
water. Acid rain that is caused by burning coal and oil also harms many species of fish
and many species of trees. Just to sum up, pollution related to human activity such as
oil spills and acid rain results in harm to the habitat of many plants and animals.

Another major reason so many species are endangered is the illegal trade in wildlife.
Although many governments have passed laws protecting endangered species,
animals such as the tiger, the elephant, and the rhinoceros are still hunted illegally.
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Some people hunt these animals for food. But more often, they hunt them only to get
specific parts of their bodies; for example, their tusks or their horns. Some endangered
species, such as tigers, are illegally hunted for their fur not for their meat. It’s estimated
that only about 3000 wild tigers are left in the world. Elephants, the biggest land
animals, are killed for their tusks. The tusks are used to make souvenirs and works of
art to sell to tourists and art collectors. Rhinoceroses, or rhinos, are killed for their
horns. Rhino horns are used by some people as a medicine, even though studies show
the horn doesn’t have any medical benefits. Still, in 2010, 333 rhinos were killed
illegally in South Africa alone; where 3 years before, only 13 rhinos were killed. Very
sad!

OK, the final reason why species are in danger that I’ll talk about today is competition
for habitat; that is a direct result of human activity. As you probably know, animal and
plant species have to compete with other animals and plant species in their habitat; for
food, water, and other resources. This competition is usually not related to human
activity. However, some of the competition for habitat is directly related to human
activity. Some native species base competition from introduced species. These
introduced species are plants or animals that are brought or introduced by humans into
a new habitat either on purpose or by accident. Let me repeat that, the new species
might be introduced on purpose or by accident. Take, for example, the rabbits in
Australia. The rabbit was not native to Australia. Europeans brought European rabbits
to Australia on purpose to raise for food. And also a wild rabbit species for hunting.
Because of these rabbits, which eat only plants, some native plants became extinct.
The habitat of many native animals in Australia was also damaged. The rabbit was
introduced on purpose, as I said. The brown tree snake, however, was introduced by
accident to the island of Guam in the late 1940s. The snakes rode along on military
supply planes that landed there. Since then, the brown tree snake has destroyed a
large part of the bird population of Guam. So, people introduce species on purpose or
by accident. And the introduced species harms the native species and habitats.

Alright now, before I finish up this lecture, I’d like to review the 3 major causes for the
increasing number of endangered species today. First, I talked about how human
activity is destroying the habitat of many animals. Then, I described how illegal wildlife
hunting and trading endanger certain species. Finally, I told you how competition from
non-native species introduced into an environment can destroy the native species.

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The relationship of all living plants and animals is complex. Each living thing depends
on many others. The destruction of one animal or plant species can threaten the
survival of other species. We shouldn’t forget that human beings are part of the natural
world, too. Therefore, we need to protect endangered plants and animals so that we
don’t become an endangered species in the future.

13. READING: YOUTH ACTIVISM

A. BEFORE YOU READ
1.Discuss the following questions on groups.
1. If you see a problem in your country or around the world and you want to help,
how do you do it?
2. Have you ever been in a protest? Why (not)?
3. Do you participate in online campaigns to raise awareness on an issue? Why
(not)?
4. How can young people be a force that can change their society? Please explain.
2.Match the words with their given definitions.

a) Inspire(v) 1.to get

b) Raise(v) 2.to motivate others
c) Donate(v) 3.to cause physical or emotional discomfort to someone
d) Harassment(n) 4.to collect/grow/increase
e) Gain(v) 5.to give money or time to a cause or an organization

B.READ

Read the text and answer the questions.

A. Be the change you want to see in the world.’ We hear this statement every
day, and we personalize it. We identify our passions such as gender equality, or issues
we find horrible, such as sexual harassment in educational settings. These are causes
that inspire you to make your voice heard by others. In other words, become an activist.

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 B. Rebecca Scurlock, the Director of Youth Powerhouse, believes that activism
is a deeply personal action. “At its core, activism means supporting the changes you
want to see in society,” she says. “These beliefs often result from one’s personal
experience with or connection to social problems. They are combined with important
values such as equity, justice and respect.”
C. You may feel that there are barriers in your way: maybe you don’t know what
activism means in your community or school. Maybe people tell you that you’re too
young to be an activist or that you can’t do anything to support your issue until you’re
older. Here’s how can you can prove them wrong.
1) ____________E_____________
D. If you want to raise awareness about an issue that you really care about, and
a club doesn't currently exist in your school, starting a club is a great way to bring
together like-minded activists at your school. Also, you can gain leadership and
teamwork experience when you work together with others on a significant issue.
2) ___________C______________
E. It is possible that a club or an organization already exists about an issue you
care about. You can find out more about these on your school’s website or at a student
orientation at the beginning of the year. After you collect enough information about
these clubs, you can contribute by spending time in the club activities.
3) ___________D______________
F. It’s incredibly important that you are an informed activist. If you are able to
answer other people’s questions about your cause, your case gets stronger. Kelly
Windsor is the speaker for #NeverAgain student movement against guns. She says,
“If you’re passionate about an issue, do research on it, determine how you’re trying to
be involved and move from there.” However, just educating yourself is not enough to
support your cause. You need to educate the people around you by organizing
seminars or talks or distributing posters and brochures. Through education you can
raise awareness around you and contribute to your cause.

4) ____________A_____________
G. Do your research before you donate, but don't be afraid to give a helping
hand to organizations such as UNICEF and World Wildlife Fund. Even if you can only
donate a few dollars, it is still a great step in helping people or animals across the
world. “Every movement always needs resources.” Kelly says. “Students can easily
take action by organizing a campaign to collect resources to give to an organization
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that they really believe in.” Many charities and organizations depend entirely on
donations to continue their work and improve the lives of people across the world. If
you’re unable to donate money, consider donating supplies—such as old clothes,
school supplies and more!

5) ___________B______________
H. “The power of social media and digital communication is one of the powerful
things that we have as activists,” Kelly says. “We can mobilize and connect with people
we don’t know face to face only through digital communication. We need to be able to
create movements and engage new people in that environment. Social media and
technology have played huge roles in transforming movements and globalizing them.
From change.org to iPetitions, use your tools and your Twitter accounts for good.
#BlackLivesMatter, #IStandWithAhmed and #RefugeesWelcome are only a few
examples of powerful social media campaigns.
I. Videos are also really powerful. In an increasingly busy world, videos can
inspire and inform people in just a few minutes about issues and
problems. Greenpeace’s campaign against Nestle for using palm oil from companies
destroying rainforests—and thus orangutans—was a success. Nestle promised to
leave rainforests and their inhabitants alone-at least for now. As you can see, there
are a lot of ways that you can use digital activism to make an impact. All you have to
do is choose one method to start with that you believe will be most impactful on your
audience and specific goals.

1: Skim the text very quickly and match the appropriate subheadings with the
paragraphs.

a) Donate money or supplies G

b) Engage in digital activism H

c) Join a club or an organization E

d) Educate yourself and others F

e) Start a club D

2. What is the main idea of the text?

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a) It is not difficult to cause a change in society through a number of ways.

b) Young people start to care more about becoming activists.

c) People can donate their money to charities to help people.

d) Schools are the ideal places to be activists to change society.

3-What is the best title for this text?

a) How to become an activist
b) Help charities to save the world
c) Social media activism
d) Problems in schools about activism

4-Which of the following is NOT an example of values that Rebecca Scurlock

suggests?
a) Women and men should get paid the same salary if they do the same job.
b) When a person harms another, he should have a suitable punishment.
c) Students should talk politely to their teachers and listen to their advice.
d) Some people are more educated so their opinions matter more.

5-What are some of the problems that young people might NOT have?
a) People tell them they are too young.
b) They don’t know how to be an activist.
c) They don’t care much about activism.
d) People think their efforts are not enough or important.

6-What does ‘like-minded’ mean in paragraph D?

a) very intelligent b) very important
c) with similar ideas d) with strong education

7-What is TRUE about activism according to paragraph F?

a) Educated people care more about their communities.
b) If you don’t know what you are supporting, you can’t win.
c) If other people ask you questions, tell them to do research.
d) When people need help they need a lot of information.

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8-What does Kelly Windsor suggest about donations?
a) Try to give money to charities regularly.
b) When you are not sure, you can always help famous charities.
c) Collect clothes from clothing companies to give to charities.
d) Work with UNICEF to help people after college.

9. What does ‘they’ in paragraph G refer to?

a) students b) resources c) animals d) people

C.AFTER YOU READ

1.Study the following words and match the correct collocations with each other.
Sometimes more than one answer is possible.

a) Gender EQUALITY 1. research

b) Sexual HARRASSMENT 2. equality
c) Raise AWARENESS 3. experience
d) Gain EXPERIENCE 4. an impact
e) Donate MONEY 5. people in a movement
f) Do RESEARCH 6. people
g) Engage PEOPLE IN A MOV 7. harassment
h) Inspire PEOPLE 8. awareness
i) Make AN IMPACT 9. money

2.Watch the following video about climate change and youth activism. And
discuss the questions below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoC_1rOAFX0

1. Why do young people feel the need to protest on the streets?

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2. Refusing to go to school was a way of protest for young activists. Do you think it is
an effective method?

3. Why don’t young people trust politicians much regarding climate change problem?

4. Why do you think young people should be taken seriously about their demands
related to climate change? And why do people keep ignoring them?

14. READING: IDENTIFYING THE MAIN TOPIC

AND THE MAIN IDEA
1. Study the information below and fill in the gaps
with your partner with the words from the box.

Main idea title topic

Every reading is about someone or something. That

person or thing is the 1. _____topic_____ of the reading.

The 2. ___title________ of a reading may tell you what the

topic is. The topic can usually be expressed in a word or a
phrase. Each paragraph in a reading has a topic, too.

The 3. ___main ___idea_____ of a reading or of a paragraph is the most important

information about the topic. Use a complete sentence to state the main idea of either
a paragraph or an entire text. To find the main idea and the topic of a paragraph, you
quickly go over the title and the text. This is called skimming.

2.Read the following paragraphs and answer the questions below.

All over Africa, soccer is popular with parents and teachers for another reason: It keeps
young people -especially boys- in school and out of trouble. “Most clubs in Tamale,
Ghana, don’t allow boys to play if they don’t go to school,” explains a teacher in a local
high school. “We’re trying our best to help young people and to make them responsible
in society. Soccer helps us do this. For us, soccer is a tool for hope.”

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1. What is the topic of this paragraph?
a) Football teams in Ghana
b) School and society
c) Parents and soccer
d) Benefits of soccer in Africa
2. What is the main idea of this paragraph?
a) More schools in Africa are opening soccer clubs.
b) Soccer helps people get better grades in school.
c) Soccer motivates young Africans to be a part of society.
d) Parents want their children to play soccer and succeed.
REMEMBER!

Main idea is the general idea of a text. In a paragraph there are many details to
support that main idea. Main idea includes/summarizes almost all the details in
the text.

It’s easy to see that we need to eat less sugar. The trouble is, in today’s world, it is
extremely difficult to avoid. From breakfast cereals to after-dinner desserts, our foods
are increasingly filled with it. Some food makers even use sugar to replace taste in
foods that says low-fat on the package.

3. What is the topic of the paragraph?

a) Cereals
b) Modern society
c) Low-fat foods
d) Sugar
4. What is the main idea of this paragraph?
a) It is very difficult to avoid sugar these days.
b) Breakfast cereals contain high amounts of sugar.
c) Low-fat foods are dangerous for our health.
d) some food makers lie people about their food.

3.Skim the text on page 7 in your book to answer the following question.

1. What is the topic of the text?

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 a) The theory of “Six degrees of separation”
b) The Milgram Experiment
c) Six degrees of Kevin Bacon
d) Experiments in Columbia University

2.What is the main idea of this text?

a) Many experiments show that people need to connect to each other more.
b) It is surprising to see that we are more connected to each other than we think.
c) An important theory shows that Kevin Bacon is a very connected actor.
d) We know around 17 people on average but we are closer to five people.

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 4.Skim Extract 1 and 2 on page 11 in your book to answer the following
questions.

1. What is the main idea of Extract 1?

a) Women often complain about their friends talking too much.
b) It is a misconception that women talk more than men.
c) Men speak more often with their family members than women.
d) When women go out they are more social than men.
2. What is the topic of Extract 2?
a) Private situations and communication
b) Men and their hierarchical order
c) Women and their style of conversation
d) The function of talk for women and men

3. What is the main idea of Extract 2?

a) Men and women use the language of conversation for different purposes.
b) Women are better in establishing close social relationships than men.
c) Men find talking about their feelings more difficult than women.
d) Storytelling and making jokes are effective conversation techniques.

EXTRA PRACTICE
1. Read the following paragraphs and choose the main idea.

Some students can create beautiful pieces of visual art. Others are gifted in sports. Some
play a musical instrument so well that listening to them makes people feel all kinds of
emotions. A few may have great mathematical ability. Some may have a special
understanding of the natural world. Others may love writing. Several may be natural
leaders offering positive role models and guidance to their classmates. And a few may
possess personal insights about who they are and what they stand for, while trying to

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achieve important life goals. Among the students mentioned, who may be the most
intelligent? The question is impossible to answer because each of the examples
represents students who have developed different intelligences. Each student can be
unique and smart in a different way and all offer valuable contributions to human culture
in individual ways.

1.The main idea of the paragraph is that _______________.

a) some students are more successful than others in their school life.
b) each student is intelligent in a different way from the others.
c) it is really easy to understand which students are more intelligent.
d) students are intelligent as long as they contribute to the world.
During World War I, a number of severe shortages alerted the world’s scientists to the
need for synthetic, or man-made materials. Thus, by 1934, a research team headed by
Wallace H. Carothers had developed the first synthetic fiber, called nylon. As it turned
out, the development of nylon had a surprisingly profound effect on world affairs. True, its
first use was in fashion, and in 1939, the Dupont Company began marketing sheer nylon
stockings for women. Nylons were a spectacular hit and sold off the shelves almost
immediately. But they disappeared with the coming of World War II, as nylon became
essential to the war effort. It was used in everything from parachutes and ropes, to
insulation and coat linings. Sadly, Carothers never witnessed the impact of his creation.
He committed suicide two years before the first pair of nylons ever went on sale.

2. The main idea of the paragraph is that _______________ .

a) nylon was originally used for the fashion industry.
b) there was a great need for synthetic materials during World War II.
c) nylon influenced world affairs although it was first used in fashion.
d) Carothers committed suicide because he was disappointed with his creation.

Every spring, we used to escape from the bitter cold of the Northeast to visit the tropical
island resort and enjoy the sun and crystal blue water. It was a perfect time to watch the
far-off sails of the fishing boats, run our fingers through the fine, powdery sand on our

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private beach, listen to soothing music, or simply read a favorite novel for hours. It was
paradise! We were determined to recapture this unforgettable experience every year. And
we did, until the spring of 2001, when the island resort came under attack by visiting
masses of wild spring-breakers. We didn’t have our beach to ourselves any more. We
now could easily hit the volleyball from our beach chairs, share in the “joys” of noisy rock
music, and fight for a glimpse of the water through the crowds of people having fun. It is
amazing how a paradise can change.

3. The main idea of the paragraph is that _______________ .

a) The island is like a paradise in spring only.
b) The island resort has changed for the worse.
c) The Northeast is very cold in the spring.
d) It has become easier to find people to have fun with.

Since we, Americans, are a blend of people from many countries, we have a very short
history which can properly be called “American.” Therefore, it is hard to find
characteristics which apply to all Americans. We combine many extremes from many
different cultures. Nevertheless, we can make some generalizations. Our main
characteristics include individuality, a combination of idealism and practicality,
materialism and a lack of parental influences, all of which are part of our lives.

4. The main idea of the paragraph is that _______________ .

a) despite their short history, Americans have some common characteristics.
b) American people give importance to both idealism and practicality.
c) unlike other nations, Americans don’t have any common characteristics.
d) Americans consider their parents an important part of their lives.

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15. VOCABULARY: U2 REVISION (OPTIONAL)
Complete the blanks below with the vocabulary in the box. There are THREE
extras. Don’t use the vocabulary more than once.

extinction emission renewable deforestation

rush hour urban predict ecosystems

droughts habitat famine issues

rate glaciers congestion recycling

shrinking fossil fuels occurs retreat

species farms

Human activities had always caused some sort of damage to the environment until
the Industrial Revolution and this damage has been getting more and more severe every
day. What are some of these activities that cause environmental (1) ISSUES and
endanger the lives of the future generations due to these problems?

For starters, carbon (2) EMISSION is the biggest problem. The amount of CO2
that we produce and let into the atmosphere has been increasing at an alarming rate. We
produce these gases mainly because we burn (3) FOSSIL FUELS such as gas and oil to
meet our energy needs. People mostly think that cars are the biggest cause of CO2
emissions. And they are right to a certain extent. Especially during (4) RUSH HOUR when
all the cars are on the road to go to work or home, they all burn gas while they are driving.
The problem is they continue to burn gas when they are stuck in traffic. As you know,
traffic (5) CONGESTION is a fact of life in big cities where there are many cars. Therefore,
the CO2 production in (6) URBAN areas are always higher than other places. On the
other hand, the power plants, which burn coal or natural gas, are actually the biggest
polluters. Scientists (7) PREDICT that the amount of CO2 in the air will increase more
than 15% in the next decade. In order to fight with this issue, we must change the ay we

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produce energy. Instead of burning natural gas, oil or coal, we must explore other
alternatives such as (8) RENEWABLE energy. This type of energy comes from resources
that we can use over and over like the sun or the wind. Solar and wind (9) FARMS are
great alternatives to power plants that burn coal. In these places, solar panels or wind
turbines can be built to provide energy for a town or a city.

Another human activity that causes severe damage to the environment is (10)
DEFORESTATION .We cut down trees to have more farmland or to build towns and
cities. However, when we destroy forests, we also destroy natural (11) ECOSYSTEMS
where lots of animals and plants live together in harmony. For example, to produce more
palm oil for the food and cosmetic industry, farmers in Indonesia and cutting down trees.
As a result, gorillas are losing their (12) HABITAT . When these animals lose their homes,
their numbers get smaller and smaller. A report commissioned by the Indonesian
government has warned that the rainforests in the country have been (13) SHRINKING.
In the 1980s, these forests used to be 40 % larger. Therefore, the (14) SPECIES living in
these areas were also affected by our stupid activities.

As a result of the loss of forests and high levels of CO2 in the air, the climate has
been changing negatively over the past few decades. There are more examples of
extreme weather all around the world. Especially in countries where the annual rainfall
was already low, there are longer (15) DROUGHTS Almost no rainfall (16) OCCURS
during these periods. Therefore, the population has trouble while they are farming and
there is a high risk of (17) FAMINE every year. People can’t grow enough food and they
are under the risk of dying because of hunger. Also, people are not the only ones in
danger because of lack of food and water. Some types of plants and animals have started
to disappear. The (18) EXTINCTION of these plants or animals will affect our natural
world in a negative way. Governments in these places are trying to reduce the death (19)
RATE of some animals in these areas but what’s done is done. We need to start thinking
about protecting the lives that are at risk.

16. ESSAY WRITING: REVISION 2

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REMINDERS TO THE TEACHERS ABOUT INTRODUCTIONS AND THESIS
STATEMENTS

Hook:
Hook is not taught explicitly. The materials may give the definition and some examples,
but the assessment will not consider hook as a criteria.

A hook CAN BE:

o a quotation
o statistical data
o a question
o a joke
o a story
o an opposing view.
Thesis Statement:
Thesis statement CANNOT BE:
o a fact
o a question,
o a fragment
o an announcement. (I will discuss or This essay will discuss)
- Therefore, the materials must explicitly give these above as examples and the
writing rubric should be used to penalize such thesis statements.
- A thesis statement can start with “in my opinion” or “I think” as long as there is a
topic and concluding idea i.e. a correct thesis statement following these phrases.

FOCUSING ON THE THESIS STATEMENT

The thesis statement is the most important sentence in your essay; it’s like the
superstar of the whole essay! It has a few characteristics and rules to write it.

WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER?

1.Are these sentences TRUE or FALSE?

• A thesis statement can be a question like ‘ so, how can we solve this problem?’
_____F_____

• A thesis statement MUST answer the essay question directly. _____T_____

• I can write other sentences AFTER the thesis statement. ___F_______

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 • A thesis statement MUST be connected to the introduction well. _____T_____

2.Based on your answers in part 1 match the correct thesis statements with the
correct essay question. If the thesis statement is badly-written, how can you
correct it?

a) What are some of the ways to deal with peer pressure?

b) Should healthcare be free to all the citizens of a country?

c) Why do people choose to migrate to large cities?

d) What are the advantages of living alone for university students?

1. Isn’t it a human right to have free healthcare for a lot of reasons?/B

a. This attempt is not good because it is in question format. A thesis can

never be a question because you must be presenting an OPINION.

b. The alternative can be: “Due to various reasons, free healthcare is a

human right.” You don’t have to give what those reasons are in the thesis.
In other words, you don’t have to give predictors. They are optional.

2. People move to metropolitan areas for many reasons. In my opinion people have
many reasons for moving to big cities./C

a. There are two thesis statements in this attempt. The essay question is
asking for the reasons and both of these sentences tell us that people
move to big cities for some reasons. Any sentence that answers the essay
question is the thesis statement.

b. This essay will explain/discuss ……… type of thesis statements are not
accepted and they will be punished in the exams later on. Since a thesis
statement should be your opinion, the sentence should be clearly an
opinion and not an announcement.

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 c. The alternative could be “People move to metropolitan areas for many
reasons.” only.You don’t need the other sentence.

3. There are countless advantages for university students to live on their own./D

a. This is a good example. It clearly states what the essay will be about.

4. Peer pressure is caused by a variety of factors that we cannot deal with./A

a. This is a WRONG thesis statement because even though the question is

asking for the ways to deal with peer pressure, the statement focuses on
the factors that lead to this problem and finishes by saying that we can’t
do anything about these factors. It is clearly confusing.

b. The alternative could be : “Peer pressure is a serious problem that we can

tackle by providing counseling and involving parents in the process.” In the
alternative thesis, it is clear what the two ideas to deal with peer pressure
are and what the writer thinks.

REMEMBER

There are two parts of a thesis statement; topic and controlling idea. The topic is the
subject of the essay and the controlling idea is what you are going to say about it.

Peer pressure is a serious issue that we can deal with through several ways.

Topic controlling idea

3.Now highlight the topic and underline the controlling idea in the exercises
below.
a) In order to deal with stress they have in their lives, university students can make
use of a number of techniques.
b) Different study skills and techniques can help students as they achieve their
objectives in all their classes.

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c) The key to coping with the rise in sea level is education on its effects and
accurate forecasting of its dangers.

4. Which sentences below can be thesis statements? Give reasons.

1. My mother wears contact lenses.

___This is a personal fact and not an opinion so it cannot be a thesis statement.
Also, it is too personal. _
2. There are more advantages to disadvantages to having a sharp sense of smell.
_____This is a good example.____
3. The sense of smell: an analysis.
_____This is not even a full sentence.____________
4. Why do people react differently to heat?
____This is a question and a question can never be a thesis
statement.___________

5.Choose the best thesis statements for the introduction paragraphs below.

1. Eating meat, especially beef, is an integral part of many diverse cultures. Studies
show, however, that the consumption of large quantities of meat is a major
contributing factor toward a great many deaths, including the unnecessarily high
number of deaths from heart-related problems. Therefore, more people
throughout the world are trying out vegetarianism.
________________________________.

A. For example, obesity can cause people’s metabolism to slow down and
their heart to work harder.
B. Although it has caught on slowly in many cultures, vegetarianism is a way
of life that can help improve not only the quality of people’s lives but also
their longevity.

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 C. I will talk about the advantages of being a vegetarian in this essay. (This
answer may seem like an option for students but we never use ‘I will talk
about/discuss type of expressions in thesis statements as this is not a
presentation and it is very informal. You may be punished in exams etc.)
D. Do you know the advantages of being a vegetarian?

2. Almost everyone knows how the story of Cinderella ends, but do people actually
think about how she spent her days before she met the prince? Her daily routine
was not glamorous. She did everything from sweeping floors to cooking the
meals. If someone asked Cinderella which chores she did not particularly like,
she probably would have answered, “Why, none, of course. Housework is my
duty!” In today’s increasingly busy society, however, most people admit that they
have definite dislikes for specific household chores.
______________________________________________________.

A. People who do household chores might get bored sometimes.

B. The top three of these unpopular tasks often include ironing clothes, washing
dishes, and cleaning the bathroom.
C. Perhaps the reason that ironing is not a favorite chore is that it requires
extreme attention to detail from beginning to an end.
D. I will talk about reasons why chores are unpopular. (This is not a
presentation)

WRITING A THESIS STATEMENT

Study the following introduction paragraphs and write a suitable thesis statement
for each of them. Remember the points that have been discussed so far. The
answers given below are suggested answers. Please try to collect as many
examples as possible from your students.

1. Essay Question: Why do people who live in large cities move back to rural areas?

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A survey conducted by Boğaziçi University in 2018 revealed that more than 2000 office
workers who used to live in urban areas moved to smaller cities or coastal towns. More
than 40 %of the survey participants also stated that they would like to quit their jobs and
move to such places. It seems Urla or Datça are more popular among white-collar
workers than Istanbul or Ankara.

Option 1: These people may prefer to move to smaller cities and rural areas as they are
tired of the city life and the cost of living is lower in rural areas.

Option 2: These people may prefer to move to smaller cities and rural areas owing to a
lot of reasons.

2.Essay Question: How does getting married affect one’s life?

A grand proposal with a diamond ring that is followed by a perfect wedding ceremony is
usually what people dream of when they think of their happy ending. They grow up,
finish school, and find a job and finding a spouse seems like the obligatory next step.
Young people are expected and encouraged to find a partner as soon as possible and
settle down. Usually, the wedding is given as the ending of a dream scenario, but it is
just the beginning.

Option 1: After they are married for a few years, people see the negative/positive impact
of it on their lives.

Option 2: After they are married for a few years, people see that they have more
responsibilities and less freedom./people feel more like an adult and they can start their
own family.

FOCUSING ON THE INTRODUCTION

WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER?

1.Put the sentences below in the correct order to form a meaningful introduction
paragraph for the following essay question.

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How have our modern-day eating habits impacted our health?

a) ___5___ Clearly, such a drastic change has had significant and adverse impact
on our health.
b) ___2___ We all know this old saying that encourages us to consume fresh fruits
to avoid getting sick.
c) ___1___ “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”
d) ___4___ Unfortunately, for the past few decades our diet has gone from organic
and fresh vegetables and fruits to processed and fast foods.
e) ___3___ Therefore, we can clearly say that for centuries humans have known
that a balanced diet is extremely important for our health.
2.Study the following descriptions of the parts of the essay and match them with
the sentences from Part 1.
A hook: We use hooks to attract the attention of our reader. They can be an interesting
fact, a provocative question, a statistic or a quotation or a saying/idiom. It is usually the
first part of an introduction. _______c________
Background information: This part is the bridge between the hook and the thesis
statement. These sentences provide background information about the topic and the
direction that the essay might go. ___b____, ____d___ and ___e___
Thesis statement: This part is the main idea of the essay and states the opinion of the
writer of the essay. It is the last sentence of the introduction and clearly states the
direction that the essay will take. _____a______
3. Go to the ‘WRITING A THESIS STATEMENT’ part and study the given
introduction paragraphs and identify the parts of those introduction paragraphs.

Sample 1:

(Hook/interesting statistic) A survey conducted by Boğaziçi University in 2018 revealed

that more than 2000 office workers who used to live in urban areas moved to smaller
cities or coastal towns. More than 40 %of the survey participants also stated that
they would like to quit their jobs and move to such places. It seems Urla or Datça
are more popular among white-collar workers than Istanbul or Ankara.
(background information/Connects the hook to the thesis.)

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Thesis statement:(they can either have predictors or not.)

Option 1: These people may prefer to move to smaller cities and rural areas as they are
tired of the city life and the cost of living is lower in rural areas.

Option 2: These people may prefer to move to smaller cities and rural areas owing to a
lot of reasons.

Sample 2:

(Hook/interesting fact) A grand proposal with a diamond ring that is followed by a

perfect wedding ceremony is usually what people dream of when they think of their
happy ending. They grow up, finish school, and find a job and finding a spouse
seems like the obligatory next step. Young people are expected and encouraged
to find a partner as soon as possible and settle down. Usually, the wedding is
given as the ending of a dream scenario, but it is just the beginning. (background
info)

Thesis statements with or without predictors.

Option 1: After they are married for a few years, people see the negative/positive impact
of it on their lives.

Option 2: After they are married for a few years, people see that they have more
responsibilities and less freedom./people feel more like an adult and they can start their
own family.

REMINDER!

Usually starting an essay is the most challenging part for students when they are writing.
Trying to write an impressive and correct introduction may take so much of your time. If
you are someone who struggles with such a problem, you can write your introduction

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paragraph after you write the body of your essay. This will you enough confidence and
time to think about how to start.

WRITING AN INTRODUCTION

Study the following essay questions. and write introduction paragraphs for them.
Make sure you have all the components, and they are well connected to each
other.

Essay question 1: Do you think humans are responsible for environmental issues that
we face today?

SUGGESTED ANSWER:

Did you know that more than half of the rainforests have been destroyed in the past 40
years? When these forests are destroyed, the air pollution levels increase as well.
Moreover, more and more species are in danger today. Their populations keep
decreasing because they are hunted and they cannot find food and shelter. It is very
obvious that humans are responsible for these environmental issues due to activities like
fossil fuel use and deforestation.

Essay question 2: What are some steps we can take as individuals to protect the
environment?

SUGGESTED ANSWER

More than 55 % of the world population live in metropolitan areas and away from nature.
As we live away from nature, we feel more disconnected to it and start to care about it
less and less. However, environment is not just a piece of forest that we go hiking or a
glacier with polar bears on it. It is everywhere around us and it has been suffering a lot in
the past few years. In order to help the environment, we can make a few easy changes
in our lives such as reducing our carbon footprint and waste.

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PEER/SELF CHECK

Read your paragraphs again and put a √ for the boxes if you think they are TRUE.
Then exchange with a classmate and check each other’s paragraph again.

à There is a good hook to start my introduction.

à The background information is clear and focused. There are no irrelevant
sentences.
à The thesis statement is clear and appropriate.
à Every sentence in the introduction is connected to each other.
à There are almost no grammatical or vocabulary errors in the introduction.

WRITING AN ESSAY
Write an essay of 250-270 words to respond to one of the questions from WRITING AN
INTRODUCTION part. Prepare an outline below before you start writing. Use the
introduction you wrote for that activity. You can analyze the following sample essays to
similar questions before you start writing.

Outline:

Please encourage your students to write an outline before they start.

Please go over these samples with similar type of questions before they start
writing. Guide them towards the organization and how the introduction and thesis
are written as well as how ideas are expanded.
SAMPLE ESSAY 1: Do you think climate change is real?

Does the sun rise from the East and set in the West or is it the opposite? The answer is
obvious because this is something we can clearly see with our own eyes. There is no
controversy over the issue, and it is not political. We accept it as a scientific fact and

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general knowledge. However, even though climate change is as clear as the Sun’s
movements, there is a growing controversy over the issue. Even though some people
believe that climate change is a hoax, the majority of the public and the scientists claim it
is a fact of life for several reasons.
First of all, the world has been experiencing extreme weather events for decades and
they are getting more serious. Having storms, typhoons or heatwaves are normal parts
of climate. However, the frequency and the strength of these events keep increasing. For
example, there used to be one or two typhoons every year in Southeast Asia in the 1900s.
However, now these regions have them almost every month and they keep getting more
destructive.
Secondly, the weather patterns in some parts of the world have changed dramatically. It
gets hot in summer and cold in winter in most places but there is usually no significant
impact on people’s lives. However, last year showed us that people are now dying in
Europe form heatwaves. For example, in August 2021, 25 people died in Germany due
to extreme heat. Germany usually has cooler summers and people dying from heat was
shocking for them.
In short, climate change is now a scientific fact that even regular people can see and
experience. Extreme weather events and changing weather patterns show us that it is no
longer a political issue. This is about our survival. If we don’t listen to scientists instead of
politicians, our future doesn’t look very good.

Sample Essay 2: What can we do to save energy at our homes and workplaces?

What was the total of your last electricity bill? With the recent increases in electricity
prices, people feel that now they must pay more attention to their habits and spending.
Reducing the power we use in our homes and workplaces benefits our bank accounts.
However, this is also important for the environment because generating power is one of
the major causes of climate change. To save money and help protect the environment,
we can make some changes at our homes and offices to save more electricity.

To begin with, the devices we use must be energy-efficient. In other words, they must use
the least amount of energy to work. You can see the energy efficiency of your appliances
and devices usually on these machines. Ones with A+ or higher are the best choices we

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can make. Even though they are more expensive to buy, you save a lot of energy and
money in the long run.

Another step could be turning off devices and appliances when we don’t use them. We
might think that when a device is turned off from the remote, it doesn’t use any energy.
However, standby mode can still consume power. For example, your TV or computer
keep working even when the screen is not working. To avoid this, make sure they are
unplugged when you are not using them.

In short, as individuals we can save energy and save money by taking a few simple steps.
Getting an energy efficient device and unplugging appliances when they are not used are
great first steps. You may think as an individual you won’t make a significant impact but
if everyone does it together, it will certainly work.

PEER/SELF CHECK

Think about the following questions and go over your essay to answer them.
• Did you do an outline before you started writing?
• Is your introduction clear, with a hook and background information?
• Is your thesis statement clear?
• Does the thesis statement have a controlling idea?
• Are your body paragraphs organized?
• Are there any irrelevant ideas in the body paragraphs?
• Is there a conclusion paragraph?
• Are there significant grammar and vocabulary errors?

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