Lesson eight
•
•
•
•
Essay general comments
Numbers and dates
Connectives
Text discussion
General comments
Clear thesis statement
Indicate clearly at the beginning what the main conflict or
problem is that you will discuss in your essay. Preferably
indicate your view as a thesis statement.
Text structure
Before you start writing you need to have a good idea of
what your main points are going to be and what each
paragraph is going to express. Make sure there is a main
thread running through the text. Ensure that the
conclusion is supported by the previous text.
General comments
Adhere to word limit
Make sure you stick to the restriction on the
number of words. Part of the skill of writing is to
be able to adapt your writing the the format
required.
Collocation
when exposing your privacy
an attempt to increase our security would break
our privacy
violate/invade/compromise/theaten our privacy
Usage
Those who opposed were obviated...
obviate /ˈɒbvɪeɪt/
▶ verb
[with obj.] remove (a need or difficulty): the
presence of roller blinds obviated the need for
curtains.■ avoid or prevent (something
undesirable): a parachute can be used to obviate
disaster.
Usage
They rolled up and down perfectly and their
presence obviated the need for curtains.
the need for longhand notes is obviated
The planning of operations by those who are
going to carry them out, obviates delay and
misunderstandings
Security and control are two words that ring bad
in people's ears.
Those words ring hollow in my ears.
Those words have a negative ring
Usage
Individuals have little chance to understand or
let alone prevent this spying.
Individuals have little chance to understand or
prevent this spying.
Individuals have little chance to understand, let
alone prevent this spying.
Vocabulary
when it comes to controlling data and
information about people
when it comes to monitoring data and
information about people
Unclear reference
If only society were to embrace the security and
comfort these devices bring, instead of rebelling
against it.
As for the larger database revealed by Edward
Snowden, we really have no idea how well this
works because it is supposed to be a secret.
Dangling participles
It is well known that websites store your
information when using their services.
Looking around the yard, dandelions sprouted in
every corner.
It is well known that websites store your
information when you use their services.
Redundancy
The actual piece of news appears to be the fact
that the government has access to all this
information.
The actual news appears to be that the
government has access to all this information.
Numbers, figures, dates
104
A hundred and four/ One hundred and four
0.265
Zero point two six five (AmE), Nought point two six five (BrE)
1,199
One thousand one hundred and ninety-nine
¾
Three-quarters
123/
451
One hundred and twenty-three over four hundred and fifty-one
Numbers, figures, dates
1,000,000,000
A thousand million/A billion (BrE), A billion (AmE)
625
Sixty-two (raised) to the power of five, Sixty-two (raised) to the fifth
power, The fifth power/degree of sixty-two
137,567.022
One hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred and sixty-seven
point oh two two
They grew up in the 1930s.
They grew up in the nineteen thirties
Numbers, figures, dates
She was born on 23/4 1945.
She was born on the twenty-third of April, nineteen forty-five. (BrE)
She was born on April twenty third, nineteen forty-five. (AmE)
1lb = 0.45 kg approx
One pound equals/is/is equal to nought point four five kilograms approximately
The price has risen 0.7%
The price has risen nought point seven per cent
4.9.03 (GB)
The fourth of September two thousand and three
4/9/03 (US)
April ninth two thousand and three
Numbers, figures, dates
Tel: 081-483-2911
Telephone number oh eight one, four eight three, two nine one one
/BrE double one
33 + 5 = 38
Thirty-three plus five equals thirty-eight, Thirty-three and five is/are
thirty-eight
6 x 3 = 18
Six multiplied by three equals eighteen, six times three is eighteen
Cylinder capacity was 250cc
Cylinder capacity was two hundred and fifty cubic centimetres
Numbers, figures, dates
The temperature was 13.7°C.
The temperature was thirteen point three degrees Centigrade (Celsius).
≤ 45
Less than or equal to forty-five
The goods are packed in cases 1.5 x 0.8 x 0.65m.
The goods are packed in cases one point five by nought point eight by
nought point six five metres.
The capacity is thus approx. 0.8m³ per case.
The capacity is thus approximately nought point eight cubic metres per
case.
Numbers, figures, dates
Re your invoice no 765/14C
In the matter of /with reference to your invoice number seven six five
stroke (AmE slash) one four [si:]
You owe me $28.60
You owe me twenty-eight dollars and sixty cents; you owe me twentyeight dollars sixty.
A rent of £28/m² is the going rate in this area.
A rent of twenty-eight pounds per square meter is the going rate in this
area.
The bus measured 13 yds, 2´ and 5´´.
The bus measured thirteen yards two feet and five inches
Numbers, figures, dates
The sun stood 31°, 44’ and 56” above the horizon.
The sun stood thirty-one degrees, forty-four minutes and
fifty-six seconds above the horizon.
The latest model can do 54 mpg at a steady 50mph
The latest model can do fifty-four miles per gallon at a
steady fifty miles per hour
Their turnover now exceeds $2.5m p.a
Their turnover now exceeds two point five million per
annum.
Wigan beat Chelsea 3-0 in the Premier League.
Wigan beat Chelsea (BrE) three nil/three to
nil/three to nothing (AmE) three to nothing/three
nothing in the Premier League
Serena lost to her sister, Venus 6-0, 6-4 in the tennis
match
Serena lost to Venus six love six four in the tennis
match
Connectives
There was no longer any abdominal pain. However, the
patient experienced low back pain and cramps in the legs.
Both the doctor and the patient agreed on the treatment. The
patient, however, wanted to start the treatment earlier.
Before you decide to be a soldier, you have to read these
books.
*Before becoming deputy chairman of the Defence Council
under Gorbachev. Baklanov had been in the CPSU secretariat.
Connectives
He previously worked in the Ministry of Finance. He comes, therefore,
with a great deal of experience and expertise.
They even had food for a day or two. Nevertheless, he was not
relaxed.
The organization has both limited powers and limited funds.
Furthermore, it has not right of access to countries outside the treaty.
Other constancies may turn out to have similarly straightforward
explanations. Indeed, perceptual constancies are only a puzzle if it is
assumed that the visual system acts like a camera
Because she was my mother, I expected her to know the right choice.
Connectives
In general, short acting drugs are better for this
condition than those with a prolonged action.
He seemed unaware of some basic details about
you. For example, what you look like.
Pedometers are not too expensive and are available
from most sports shops. In conclusion, walking is a
cheap, safe, enjoyable and readily available form of
exercise.
Connectives
Studying how light (or other electromagnetic
radiation) interacts with matter is an important
and versatile tool of the chemist. _______ ,
much of our knowledge of chemical substances
comes form their specific absorption of
transmission of light.
Connectives - exercise
Studying how light (or other electromagnetic
radiation) interacts with matter is an important
and versatile tool of the chemist. Indeed, much
of our knowledge of chemical substances comes
form their specific absorption of transmission of
light.
Connectives - exercise
Suppose you look at two solutions of the same
substance, one a deeper color than the other.
Your common sense tells you that the darker
colored solution is the more concentrated one.
____________, as the color of the solution
deepens, you infer that its concentration also
increases. This is an underlying principle of
spectrophotometry: the intensity of color is a
measure of the amount of a material in solution.
Connectives - exercise
Suppose you look at two solutions of the same
substance, one a deeper color than the other.
Your common sense tells you that the darker
colored solution is the more concentrated one.
In other words, as the color of the solution
deepens, you infer that its concentration also
increases. This is an underlying principle of
spectrophotometry: the intensity of color is a
measure of the amount of a material in solution.
Connectives - exercise
A second principle of spectrophotometry is that
every substance absorbs or transmits certain
wavelengths of radiant energy but not other
wave lengths.__________, chlorophyll always
absorbs red and violet light while transmitting
the yellow, green and blue wavelengths.
Connectives - exercise
A second principle of spectrophotometry is that
every substance absorbs or transmits certain
wavelengths of radiant energy but not other
wave lengths. For example, chlorophyll always
absorbs red and violet light while transmitting
the yellow, green and blue wavelengths.
Connectives - exercise
The transmitted and reflected wavelengths appear
green – the color our eye “sees.” The light energy
absorbed or transmitted must match exactly the
energy required to cause an electronic transition in
the substance under consideration. Only certain
wavelength photons satisfy this energy condition.
____________, the absorption or transmission of
specific wavelengths is characteristic for a
substance, and a spectral analysis serves as a
“fingerprint” of the compound.
Connectives - exercise
The transmitted and reflected wavelengths appear
green – the color our eye “sees.” The light energy
absorbed or transmitted must match exactly the
energy required to cause an electronic transition in
the substance under consideration. Only certain
wavelength photons satisfy this energy condition.
Thus, the absorption or transmission of specific
wavelengths is characteristic for a substance, and a
spectral analysis serves as a “fingerprint” of the
compound.
Connectives – exercise 2
A.
Nuclear power plants do not produce chemical pollutants such as
sulfur dioxide or PCBs. However, they
_________________________
B.
Synthetic fuels are difficult to manufacture. In fact,
__________________________________
C.
White light appears to be devoid of any color. In actuality, though,
________________________
D. More and more automobile engines are being built today that use
fuel injection instead of carburetors. Nevertheless,
______________________________________________
Study questions
1.
What is the main message of the article? What are the supporting
points for this message?
2.
Who is the author of this article and what do you believe is her
reason for writing it. What is her intended audience?
3.
Why do you think that the author brings up obesity as an example
of a public health problem?
4.
What solutions do the author suggests for solving the problems of
public health? Why do you think the author offer this solution.
5.
What change in companies' relationship with their employees
does the author suggest? What are her reasons for suggesting it?
Reformulate
“It will be based on two dimensions, performance and
purpose, both rich in substance and responsible in
execution.”
Reformulated version:
The idea of the corporation will be formed by looking at
the way the corporation acts (performance) and the
reasons why the corporation acts in a particular way
(purpose). Both of these concepts will affect the actions
of the corporation in many ways and the actions must be
taken responsibly.
Reformulate
The fundamental dynamic [… ] is that companies
must embrace “purpose” in all they do
“Such people are both more demanding and
more in demand.”
“The new idea of the corporation means
companies will want to ‘do better by doing
better’”.
Text paragraphs 1-2
The big breakthrough of 2008 will be the emergence of a new
idea of the corporation. It will be based on two dimensions,
performance and purpose, both rich in substance and
responsible in execution.
Corporations in 2008 will take a longer-term view of
themselves. The tendency to manage for quarterly results will
yield to a new mindset where short-term performance
metrics are complemented by measures capturing the longterm health, vitality and thus sustainability of the enterprise.
Regulators may ask for these long-term metrics to be included
in the annual filing of corporations. This will be a monumental
move for corporations and many investors will welcome it.
Paragraph 3
The fundamental dynamic, which will become more
apparent in 2008, is that companies must embrace
“purpose” in all they do. Large companies will want
to be known not just for the financial results they
generate, but equally for the imprint they leave on
society as a whole. Their focus will and should
manifest itself along three lines. First, ensuring that
their products contribute positively and responsibly
to sustaining human civilisation. Second, operating
in a way that approaches a “net-neutral” impact to
the natural environment. And, third, cherishing
their people.
Paragraph 4
First, products. In the era of heavy industry companies
were criticised for damaging public health. They were
forced, usually by law, to take the safety of the public
more seriously. Happily, most of the conditions that
afflicted our grandparents have either been conquered or
substantially alleviated: life expectancy has grown sharply
and infant mortality has all but disappeared. Yet, in
developed economies, the morbidity associated with
obesity will remain a problem. PepsiCo, of course,
recognises its responsibility here: our task is to continue
to transform the portfolio, making the healthier choice
the easy choice. In 2008 this effort will intensify in all
food and drinks companies.
Paragraph 5
So far, most governments have taken a voluntary
approach to the problem, challenging companies to
respond. In 2008 that approach will begin to show
positive results. Moreover, the argument will broaden.
Obesity is a net condition: calories in minus calories out.
There needs to be a lot of thought about how to increase
physical exercise in an age when our lifestyle is more
sedentary—less exercise is taken, work is less physically
demanding, work in the home likewise. Our “Vive
Saludable Escuela” programme in Mexico teaches
children that a correct diet coupled with physical activity
promotes a healthy lifestyle.
Paragraph 6
Second, the most conspicuous issue of our time is
our collective impact on the environment.
Responsible companies have taken this seriously for
a long time. In 2008 these responsible companies
will make surprisingly good progress on their
environmental obligations (we have joined with
other concerned companies and NGOs in the
United States Climate Action Partnership to
encourage the federal government to enact climate
legislation). There will also be greater prominence
for both the North America and World Indexes of
the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.
Paragraphs 7-8
It is often said that the contribution of developed nations to climate
change will be dwarfed with the industrialisation of China and India. In
fact the better response is to improve our performance in those
countries too. In 2008 we will see corporate investment rise in
environmental technology, water conservation, waste-heat recovery,
electricity co-generation, renewables and so on. The goal of a netneutral impact on the environment will increasingly be the rallying cry
of the corporation.
The third aspect of the modern company is the way we manage
relationships with our workforce. In 2008 this is partly about
remuneration in the traditional sense. But only partly: it is also about
the kind of company you are, the image you project, and the way in
which you “cherish” your people.
Paragraphs 9-11
Taking care of the employee
A more literate generation has emerged, armed with good qualifications,
comfortable in societies with many cultures and able to pick and choose
between companies. Such people are both more demanding and more in
demand. The deciding factor is the kind of company that they want to work
for.
The time has come for a company to treat its employees as real assets. In the
broadcasting industry they refer to their people as “the talent”. The rest of
the corporate world will have to adopt the practice. Tools and methods to
spot new talent—and train, retain and retrain—will also take centre-stage.
The new idea of the corporation means companies will want to “do better by
doing better”. Voiced in harmony by employees, regulators, consumers,
customers, communities and many other stakeholders, it will leave no doubt
that performance without purpose is not a long-term sustainable formula.
Vocabulary
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
emergence
yield
long-term metrics
imprint
cherishing
sedentary
NGOs
rallying cry
remuneration
Difference in meaning
• Company
• Corporation
• Enterprise