Gambar Sampul Bahasa Inggris · c_Chapter 3 Let’s Discuss Some Issues
Bahasa Inggris · c_Chapter 3 Let’s Discuss Some Issues
Achmad Doddy

24/08/2021 16:37:14

SMA 12 K-13

Lihat Katalog Lainnya
Halaman

Let’s Discuss Some Issues

Chapter

3

47

Source

:

http://www.senatordavidnorris.com

In This Chapter

Listening:

• Responding to expression for curiosity and showing

attitudes

Responding to expressions for discussing possibilities

Responding to discussion texts

Speaking:

Saying you are curious

Expressing possibilities and showing attitudes

Performing a monologue of a discussion text

Reading:

Reading discussion texts

Reading short functional texts: posters and graphs

Writing:

Writing a discussion text

Writing a short functional text: sign or poster

48

Developing English Competencies

for Grade XII of Language Programme

Listening

In this section, you will learn how to:

respond to expression for curiosity and attitudes;

respond to expressions for discussing possibilities;

respond to discussion texts.

Listen to the dialogue and answer the questions.

1. "I’d be very interested to know your opinion on

abortion."

2. "What I’d really like to

À

nd out are the facts about

cases of abortion in Indonesia."

3. "I think it's possible that our government will have a

policy on abortion."

Listen to the dialogue again. Complete it while you are

listening. Compare your answers with your friend’s.

Nadia :

1

what is your opinion on abortion.

Adi :

2

I oppose it. for many reasons.

Nadia : So, is that why you voted for a president

candidate who campaigned pro-life?

Adi : Yeah.

3

the government won’t pass a

law legalizing abortion.

Nadia : But I heard the House is discussing a bill to

legalize abortion for medical reasons.

Adi : Really?

4

the law won’t be misused by

some irresponsible people.

Listen and repeat these expressions. When and where

would you

À

nd these expressions?

1. What are Nadia and Adi talking about?

2. What does Nadia want to know?

3. What is Adi’s opinion about the issue?

4. What phrase does he use to express it?

5. What does Adi hope for the government?

Activity

1

Activity

2

Activity

3

49

Let’s Discuss Some Issues

Work in pairs. Listen to another dialogue. Complete

the text with the expressions you hear.

Deni : Hey,

Randi have you ever been mountain

climbing?

Randi : Yeah. I went a couple of times a few years ago.

Why do you ask?

1

?

Deni :

2

on maybe this weekend.

Randi : Really? Where? With whom?

Deni

: With Budiman and

Heri

3

going to

Mount Pangrango.

Randi : Humh.

Well, be careful! It’s been raining day.

You’ve never climbed before, have you?

Deni

: No. I don’t know the

À

rst thing about it. Budiman

and Heri are quite experienced, though, I guess.

4

get to the top safely. After all,

5

the weather will be better this weekend.

Randi : Well,

6

.

7

. Yet, if the weather

gets worse,

8

of changing the plan?

Maybe you can go camping.

Deni : Hmm.

9

.

You are going to listen to two short dialogues. Note

about the responses to the expressions you hear.

Then practise them with your friends.

Source:

www.moran-mountain.co

Activity

4

Activity

5

Englishclub.com

Listening, speaking,

reading and writing

are the main (macro)

skills you need to

communicate in any

language. Being very

good at only one of

these skills will not help

you to communicate.

Learn how to master the

four language skills at

www.englishclub.com.

50

Developing English Competencies

for Grade XII of Language Programme

Answer these questions based on your own knowledge.

Paragraph

Information

1. Genetic engineering has important uses, but many

people are worried by it.

2. Food distribution is the biggest problem.

3. The effects of transgenic plants on the environment

are being investigated.

4. The use of recombinant technology outside of secure

laboratory environments carries unacceptable risks

for the future.

5. Certain types of genetically engineered crops will

further reduce biodiversity in cropland.

6. There is hope that golden rice may alleviate vitamin

A de

À

ciency.

7. The increasing use of genetic modi

À

cation in major

crops has caused a power shift in agriculture towards

biotechnology companies.

8. Genetic engineers may come up with some very

tempting ideas.

Sometimes scientists change plants in the laboratory.

These changes make them grow differently from normal

plants. We call these plants genetically modi

À

ed.

1. What do you know about genetic engineering?

2. Does it have any advantages?

3. Do you like the idea of eating foods that have been

genetically modi

À

ed?

4. Are you a proponent or an opponent of genetic

engineering?

Source

:

Cloning: Frontiers of Genetic

Engineering

, 2002

Activity

6

Activity

7

Work in pairs and listen to a text about genetic

engineering. Then put the number of the paragraph

next to the description on the left.

51

Let’s Discuss Some Issues

Listen again and take notes based on what you hear in

the following table.

Listen to the radio ad. Fill in the missing information

in the printed ad.

Issue

Argument For

Argument Against

Conclusion

Information

Just Say No to GMO

"I believe that GM technology isn't needed to feed the world, as

1

, organic farming methods can provide plenty without the

2

use of

chemicals. Using sustainable and organic farming methods will allow us to

3

the damage done by industrial farming, reducing the excessive use of

fertiliser,

4

and other man-made chemicals, and making GM crops

5

. The simple truth is, we don't need GM technology."

If you want a future

6

from GM food, help us make sure that

companies and governments around the world get the

7

.

This public

8

ad is presented by Friends of the Earth.

Adapted from

www.greenpeace.org.uk; Foodwatch

, 2001

Activity

8

Activity

9

52

Developing English Competencies

for Grade XII of Language Programme

Answer these questions.

Work in pairs. Read and practise the dialogue aloud.

Pay attention to the italicised expressions.

1. Do you have a mobile phone? Is it useful?

2. Do you think that sometimes your mobile phone is

annoying? When?

3. What would you say to express your curiosity about

the disadvantages of mobile phones?

4. What do you say if you think that mobile phones are

very useful?

5. You think that mobile phones will not exist someday

in the future. What do you say to express the

possibilities?

Speaking

In this section, you will learn how to:

• express curiosity;

express possibilities and showing attitudes;

perform a monologue of a discussion text.

Dani :

I'd like to know why the principal bans the use of

mobile phones in school

.

Lisa

: He said mobile phones will disturb our lessons.

Dani

: So do you approve of the ban?

Lisa : Not really.

I think it's a wise policy

. But sometimes

mobile phones are really useful in emergency

situations.

Dani : You m

ean you're not sure whether you approve

of the ban or not?

Lisa :

Well, I approve in some cases

. Some of our friends

have pornographic materials on their mobiles.

I feel it's annoying.

Dani :

Well, I don't agree with you

. Don't you think it's

their right to store whatever they want on their

mobiles?

Activity

1

Activity

2

53

Let’s Discuss Some Issues

Read another dialogue and identify the expressions

of curiosity, giving opinion and expressing possibility.

Then practise them with your partner.

Dian :

Hi, Adi. I wonder if you could answer a

question for me.

Adi

: That depends. What's it for?

Dian

: My class is doing a school survey on g

enetically

modi

À

ed organisms.

Adi

: Is it just the same as transgenic animals or

plants, huh? OK, what's the question?

Dian

: Do you approve of g

enetically modified

organisms?

Adi

: Well, that depends.

Dian

: What do you mean? You can say "yes", "no",

or "not sure".

Adi

: Yes, I'm sure. It depends on the use of the

transgenic plants. If a country suffers from a

famine, we can make good use of geneticaly

modi

À

ed food to help the country.

Dian

: OK, thanks. You say "yes".

Adi

: Yes, I approve in some cases.

Tania :

Well, I don't agree with him. I believe there may

be unknown dangers with genetically changed

crops.

Didu

: So your answer is "no"?

Tania : That's right. I'm against it. I wish to campaign

against GMO. Do you think there is any

possibility of a government policy concerning

this issue?

Didu

: Yes, I think that would be a possibility.

Didu

: OK. Thank you both. I appreciate your opinions.

Tania : No problem.

Adi

: Good luck with your survey.

New Horizon

GM crops are very

expensive to develop;

consequently, the

industry has focused

on high volume crops,

such as soybeans, corn,

cotton, and canola.

Globally 50 percent of all

soybeans and 20 percent

of all cotton is GM. In

the United States, almost

all soybeans (90 percent)

and corn (75 percent),

and almost half of the

cotton is GM.

Taken from

Biotechnology

Demisti

À

ed, 2007; Megatech

Cloning,

1999

Lisa

: That's right. But it's a school and it has its own

rules.

Dani

: All right.

I hope the principal will reconsider the ban

.

Activity

3

54

Developing English Competencies

for Grade XII of Language Programme

Now, make some short dialogues using expressions of

curiosity, showing attitude and expressing possibility

and their responses.

Example:

A : I wish I knew how to operate the programme on this

new mobile phone.

B : Why don't you

À

nd it on the web? I think there's a

possibility you can download the programme.

What to Say

Saying You Are Curious

What I’d really like to

À

nd out is ....

I’d be very interested to know ....

I’ve been meaning to ask you.

I’d like to know ....

I wish I knew ....

I’d love to know ....

What’s on your mind?

I wonder ...?

Expressions for Discussing Possibilities

Would there any possibility of ...?

Do you think we are capable of ...?

Would it be possible for (somebody) to ...?

I think that would be possible ....

Is it possible to ...?

Yes, there is a possibility ....

Expressions for Giving Opinion

• I'd just like to say ....

From my point of view, ....

As far as I'm concerned ....

• Well, I must say ....

• I think ....

• I believe ....

• I feel ....

More Formal

Less Formal

More Formal

Less Formal

More Formal

Less Formal

Activity

4

55

Let’s Discuss Some Issues

Answer the following questions.

1. Do you think that the practice of capital punishment

is controversial?

2. Is it an effective punishment that deters crime?

3. Is it inhuman?

4. Do you agree if the government abolishes the death

penalty?

5. Is the death penalty harder than a life sentence?

Work in groups and have a discussion based on the

issue of capital punishment.

Work in groups of three. Create a dialogue on another

controversial issue. Act it out in front of the class.

Examples of the Issue:

• Abortion

• Birth Control

• Alternative Medicines

• Animal Experimentation

• Cloning

• Reality TV Shows

Use the phrases you have studied in Activity 4 for saying

you are curious.

First, the speaker introduces the topic:

• Today, I’m going to talk about the pros and cons of

the death penalty.

There may be more than one idea about each topic. The

phrases below introduce new ideas about each topic.

• One (idea) ...

• Another (idea) ...

• The third (idea) ...

• The

À

nal (idea) ...

• The most important (idea) ...

Your Project

You will work with

a partner. You and

your partner make a

dialogue that discuss

a controversial issue.

Sometimes you will

have to be agree

with the issue and

sometimes you will

have to be against

the issue. Use the

expressions you have

learned.

Activity

5

Activity

6

Activity

7

56

Developing English Competencies

for Grade XII of Language Programme

Read the text aloud.

Mobile Phones: Good or Bad?

Everywhere you go nowadays, you

see people using mobile phones. From

school children to retired people, you

see them talking in the supermarket, on

trains, in the street, everywhere!

So what are the advantages of

mobile phones?

First of all, they are very convenient

because you can phone from nearly

anywhere. Another advantage is that

they are really useful in emergency

situations.

For example, if you are alone in

your car and it breaks down, you can

get help quickly. In addition, you

can also use your mobile to text your

friends or connect to the Net.

However, there are disadvantages

such as the cost. Mobile phone calls cost

more than normal calls. Furthermore, it

can be annoying if you are on a train or

a bus and you have to listen to someone

else's boring conversation. Finally,

people can contact you anywhere, at

any time, unless you switch your phone

off!

In conclusion, there are both advan-

tages and disadvantages. Personally,

I feel mobile phones are a good thing

because they give us more freedom and

make communication easier.

Taken from

Language to Go,

2002

Reread the text in Activity 8. Then

À

ll in the following

table based on the text.

Source

:

Pilar Magazine,

2001

To p i c :

Article

Advantages :

1.

2.

Disadvantages:

1.

2.

Conclusion :

Activity

8

Activity

9

57

Let’s Discuss Some Issues

Read the text in Activity 8 again. Then

À

ll in the

following table.

To p i c :

Advantages :

1.

2.

3.

Disadvantages:

1.

2.

3.

Conclusion :

Retell the text in Activity 8 by using your own words.

You can start your monologue with the following:

Well, today I'm going to talk about mobile phones.

Nowadays, everywhere you go, you see people using

mobile phones. But is it good or bad? Of course there are

advantages and disadvantages of mobile phones ....

Look at the following signs and answer the questions.

1. What do the notices mean?

2. Where do you usually

À

nd such notices?

Source

www.static

Á

ickr.com

Source

www.sxc.hu

Activity

10

Activity

11

Activity

12

58

Developing English Competencies

for Grade XII of Language Programme

Reading

In this section, you will learn how to:

read a discussion text;

read short functional texts: posters and graphs.

Look at the picture and answer the questions orally.

Before you read the text, learn these words. Match

them with their meanings.

1. What is happening in the picture?

2. What issue is raised by the people in the picture?

3. Do you agree with them?

Words

1. abortion

2. controversial

3. circumstance

4. unborn

5. opponent

6. conservative

7. defect

8. incest

9. distinguish

10. abuse

Meanings

a. not liking changes or new ideas

b. not yet born

c. someone who disagrees with a plan, idea, etc

d. causing a lot of disagreement

e. the conditions that affect a situation, action, event,

etc.

f. cruel or violent treatment

g. to be able to recognise and understand the difference

between two similar things or people

h. the ending of pregnancy before birth

i.

illegal sex between people who are closely related

j.

a fault or a lack of something

Source

:

Sociology in Our Times

, 2001

Activity

1

Activity

2

59

Let’s Discuss Some Issues

Complete these sentences with the words in the left

column of Activity 2.

1. Contraception is still a

issue in this part of

the world.

2. The

of abortion argues that laws legalising

it will increase irresponsible pregnancies.

3. The

of the helpless child made us bitter.

4. Some people argue that women should not have

to bear unwanted children resulting from rape

or

.

5. People who believe that a woman should have the

right to have an

may refer to themselves

as “pro-choice.”

6. Abortion is recommended when there is danger

that the child will be born with a serious mental or

physical

.

7. Many people approve of abortion under certain

.

8. Opponents of abortion believe that an abortion is the

unjusti

À

ed killing of an

child.

9. Pro-choice supporters

between human life

and quality of life.

10.

branches of major religions are chief

opponents of abortion.

Pronunciation

Practice

Pronounce these words after your teacher.

1. abortion

/əˈbɔrʃn/

2. opponent

/əˈpoʊnənt/

3. proponent

/prəˈpoʊnənt/

4. pregnancy

/ˈprɛgnənsi/

5. controversial

/̗kɑntrəˈvərʃɪ/

6. irresponsible

/̗ɪrɪˈspɑnsəbɪ/

7. recommend

/̗rɛkəˈmɛnd/

8. justi

À

ed

/ˈdʒʌstəfaɪd/

Englishclub.com

You will usually

encounter new words

when you read. If there

are too many new

words for you, then

the level is too high

and you should read

something simpler.

(

www.englishclub.com

)

Activity

3

60

Developing English Competencies

for Grade XII of Language Programme

Read the following text aloud.

For years, abortion has been an

extremely controversial subject. One

important aspect of the controversy is

whether a woman should be permitted

by law to have an abortion and, if so,

under what circumstances. Another

is whether, and to what extent laws

should protect the unborn. People who

wish to legally limit or forbid abortions

describe themselves as pro–life. Those

who believe that a woman should have

the right to have an abortion may refer

to themselves as pro–choice.

Arguments against abortion are

based on the belief that an abortion

is the unjusti

À

ed killing of an unborn

child. Most people who oppose abortion

believe that human life begins when

a sperm fertilises an egg. Another

argument against abortion is that laws

allowing it on demand will increase

irresponsible pregnancies and lead to

disrespect for human life. The Roman

Catholic Church is a chief opponent

of abortion. Conservative branches of

other religions also oppose abortion.

Many people approve of abortion

under certain circumstance. Some

approve of abortion if a woman’s life or

health is endangered by her pregnancy.

Others recommend abortion when

there is danger that the child will be

born with a serious mental or physical

defect. They also approve of abortion

when pregnancy has resulted from rape

or incest.

Many people who think that a

woman should have the right to choose

to have an abortion distinguish between

human life and person hood. They

argue that person hood implies both

the capacity for self-conscious thought

and acceptance as a member of a social

community. These people believe a fetus

is not a person and is thus not entitled to

rights normally given to a person. Such

pro–choice supporters agree with the

view that birth represents the beginning

of personhood.

Another pro–choice argument is

that legalising abortions has eliminated

many illegal abortions performed by

unskilled practitioners under unsanitary

conditions. These abortions often cause

deaths and permanent reproductive

Abortion: A Controversial Issue

Source

:

Sociology in Our Times

, 2001

Activity

4

61

Let’s Discuss Some Issues

injuries. Abortion on demand also

prevents many unwanted births and

may thus be a factor in lowering infant

and child abuse, neglect, and death

rates. Also some argue that women

should not have to bear unwanted

children in a world with a growing

population and diminishing natural

resources.

As a result of this controversy,

abortion laws vary from country to

country. In Russia, where abortion has

been legal since 1920, it is allowed up to

about the fourth month of pregnancy,

purely on request, and is commonly

used as a method of birth control. In

some countries, such as the Philippines,

Indonesia, and Bangladesh, abortion

is only allowed when pregnancy

threatens the mother’s life. South Africa,

New Zealand, and Hong Kong allow

abortion when the fetus is severely

damaged. In the Republic of Ireland,

the operation may only be performed

when either the mother’s or baby’s life

is in danger.

Taken from

The World Book Encyclopedia

, 2007

Work in pairs. Copy the following table and then

À

ll it

out based on the text in Activity 4.

Controversial issue:

Reasons against:

Reasons for:

Conclusion:

Activity

5

62

Developing English Competencies

for Grade XII of Language Programme

Study the following table and chart. Then answer the

questions.

NORTH CAROLINA RESIDENT

INDUCED ABORTIONS 2006

Induced Abortion in Unmarried Women

Age

10–14

15–19

20–24

25–29

30–34

35–39

40–44

45 and up

To t a l

240

5443

9359

6560

3669

1995

571

27

New Horizon

Debate is about change.

We are constantly

engaged in a struggle

to make our lives, our

community, our country,

our world, our future,

a better one. We should

never be satis

À

ed with

the way things are now–

surely there is something

in our lives that could be

improved.

Taken from

www.wikipedia.org

10–14 15–19 20–24 25–29 30–34

35–39

40–44

Source:

http://www.ncrtl.org/statistics.htm

45 and up

Age

5000

10,000

Activity

6

63

Let’s Discuss Some Issues

Age

10–14

15–19

20–24

25–29

30–34

35–39

40–44

45 and up

To t a l

350

5213

9579

6480

3556

1879

681

37

To t a l

27775

Draw a chart of the data in the table.

NORTH CAROLINA RESIDENT

INDUCED ABORTIONS 2007

Induced Abortions in Unmarried Women

Activity

7

1. a. In what age range did women in North Carolina

have abortions the most?

b. In what age range did women in North Carolina

have abortions the least?

2. What is the total number of unmarried women having

induced abortions?

3. What is the percentage of women aged 10–14 having

induced abortions?

4. What do you think of the findings? Give your

opinion.

Even though, Although, and Though

Study the following sentences.

1.

Even though

birth control has gained in acceptance,

opposition to the practice continues.

2.

Although

birth control has gained in acceptance,

opposition to the practice continues.

3.

Though

birth control has gained in acceptance,

opposition to the practice continues.

Grammar

Review

64

Developing English Competencies

for Grade XII of Language Programme

In informal speech,

though

is more common.

In spoken English we often use

though

at the end of a

sentence.

The house isn't very nice. I like the garden

though.

(= but I like the garden)

Even though

is a stroger form of although. We use

even though

to emphaisise a contrast.

Even though

I was really tired, I couldn't sleep.

Combine the sentences in each number. Use

even

though, although

or

though

. Number one has been

done for you.

1. Most people agree with family limitation.

Many religious groups consider birth control

immoral.

Although

many religious groups consider birth control

immoral, most people agree with family limitation.

2. Some religious groups oppose all artificial birth

control.

They consider natural family planning acceptable.

3. Family spacing is desirable for the good of the family

and society.

Individuals and groups differ sharply on the

methods of birth control that they consider moral and

acceptable.

4. In many countries the government campaigns for

birth control.

Some people fear that birth control encourages sexual

relations outside marriage.

5. Birth control usually refers to arti

À

cial methods.

Nature itself has built-in control for limiting and

spacing births.

6. Many countries allow abortion. Abortion laws vary

from country to country.

7. Abortion is legal in the Republic of Ireland. The

operation may only be performed when either the

mother’s or baby’s life is in danger.

UN Shot

living alone

can be difficult; many

single people prefer to

live with their family.

a. However

b. Moreover

c. Otherwise

d. Therefore

e. Although

(UN 2003/2004)

Activity

8

65

Let’s Discuss Some Issues

Writing

In this section, you will learn how to:

write discussion texts;

write a short functional text: sign or poster.

Look at the picture and answer the questions.

Source

:

CD Image

Write ten sentences related to helpful and harmful

effects of technology.

1. What things are in the picture?

2. What can you do with them?

3. Are they helpful?

4. Does technology have helpful or harmful effects?

5. Can you give your opinion about the technology?

Activity

1

Activity

2

Harmful

1. Pollution is one of

the most harmful

effects of modern

technology.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Helpful

1. Technology has

helped people in

many different ways.

2.

3.

4.

5.

66

Developing English Competencies

for Grade XII of Language Programme

Mobile Phones: Good or Bad?

Everywhere you go nowadays, you

see people using mobile phones. From

school children to retired people, you see

them talking in the supermarket, on trains,

in the street, everywhere!

So what are the advantages of mobile

phones?

First of all

, they are very convenient

because you can phone from nearly

anywhere. Another advantage is that they

are really useful in emergency situations.

For example, if you are alone in your car

and it breaks down, you can get help

quickly. In addition, you can also use your

mobile to text your friends or connect to

the Net.

However

, there are also disadvantages

such as the cost. Mobile phone calls cost

more than normal calls. Furthermore, it

can be annoying if you are on a train or

a bus and you have to listen to someone

else’s boring conversation. Finally, people

can contact you anywhere, at any time,

unless you switch your phone off!

In conclusion

, there are both advantages

and disadvantages. Personally, I feel

mobile phones are a good thing because

they give us more freedom and make

communication easier.

Taken from

Language to Go

, 2002

Study the following direction for writing a discussion

text.

Write the subject

of the essay/

discussion.

First, write

a general

introduction to

the subject of

the discussion.

Use words like

However

to

introduce a

contrast and

In conclusion

to

introduce the

summary.

Use linking

words like

First

of all

to present

the advantages/

disadvantages.

In the last

paragraph,

give a short

summary,

along with your

opinion and

reasons.

In the second and

third paragraphs,

introduce and

present the

advantages and

disadvantages.

Try to give

examples.

Activity

3

67

Let’s Discuss Some Issues

The Structure:

• General Introduction to the Subject

• The Advantages

• The Disadvantages

• Summary

Helpful and Harmful Effects of Technology

1. Technology has helped people in many different

ways. First of all, it allows them to make more things

now than they did in the past. For example, 150 years

ago, people and animals did most of the work on

farms in the United States. Today, machines do most

of the work on U.S. farms.

2. Another way technology has helped people is by

giving them more time to relax. Because machines

can do so much work, people today do not have to

work as hard as people in the past. Technology has

also made work easier and safer.

3. Today, technology helps people meet goals that

would have been impossible a hundred years ago.

But it also presents great challenges, or issues to

think about. One challenge is

À

nding ways to end

the harmful effects of technology. Another is how

to make sure the same problems won’t happen with

new technologies.

4. Another problem with technology is that it lets people

produce more powerful weapons. Such weapons

make the world a more dangerous place.

5. The technology that helped bring about our modern

society began about 200 years ago. At that time, more

and more factories were built. These factories began

using machines powered by steam. The machines

could make things faster and often cheaper than

people could make them by hand. This kind of

The following paragraphs are jumbled. Rearrange them

based on the structure.

Your Project

Conduct a survey of

your class' attitude on

helpful and harmful

effects of technology.

Ask whether they are

for or against the issue.

What is the reason?

Arrange the information

in a chart. Report the

result in front of the

class.

Activity

4

68

Developing English Competencies

for Grade XII of Language Programme

technology affected people’s lives more and more.

It has had both helpful and harmful effects on the

world.

6. Computers and other machines have replaced people

in the work place. It’s often hard for these people to

À

nd new jobs.

7. Pollution is one of the most harmful effects of modern

technology. Many countries face air, water, soil, and

noise pollution. Our technology also uses up many

natural resources, such as oil, wood, and coal. Many

of these resources cannot be replaced after they are

used.

1. Computer games are great! They’re better than TV.

On TV you can watch a space ship, but in a computer

game you can

Á

y a space ship!

2. Computers are bad for our health. In the past children

ran around and played sports. Now they just sit at

home.

3. A lot of children spend too much time with computers.

They start playing and then they can’t stop. They

don’t talk to anyone, they just sit and look at the

computer for hours and hours.

4. When children play with computers, they learn to

understand them. Computers are going to be very

important in the future. So children should play with

them and learn about them.

5. The Internet is very useful. There is more information

on the Internet than in the world’s biggest library.

6. A lot of computer games are very bad. There is a lot

of shooting and killing. These games are worse than

TV. You can see bad things on TV, but in computer

games you do bad things. It can’t be good for you.

Work in pairs. Classify the statements. Which are for

computers at home and which are against it. Do it in

your workbook.

Activity

5

69

Let’s Discuss Some Issues

7. I don’t think children learn much from computers.

They can’t learn about life from a computer. And

they can’t do their homework if they play computer

games all the time.

8. I’ve got friends all over the world. I’ve never seen

any of them but I know them all well because we send

mails to each other. My computer is the door to the

world!

Advantages

Disadvantages

Organise your piece of writing as the following.

Issue

- Statement

- Preview

Arguments for and against

statements of differing points

- Point

- Elaboration

Conclusion or

Recommendation

Introduction

Body

Conclusion

Write a discussion text based on the different statements

in Activity 5.

Make a sign or a poster about the advantages or

disadvantages of technology. State your argument and

put in some pictures if necessary. Discuss it with your

friend and consult your teacher.

Activity

6

Activity

7

70

Developing English Competencies

for Grade XII of Language Programme

1. Language Functions

a. Express curiosity and giving opinion

I'd like to know about your vision.

Why don't you take an English course?

b. Expressions for discussing possibilities

Would it be possible for us to cut the global warming?

2. Genre

Discussion

Social function

: to present (at least) two points of view about an issue

Generic structure :

Issue

: introduces the statement and previews issue

Arguments : states differing points of view (arguments for and against the

issue)

Conclusion : states the recommendation of the issue

Chapter Summary

After learning the lesson in this chapter, you are expected to be able to:

1. respond to expressions of curiosity and giving opinion;

2. respond to a discussion text;

3. use expressions for discussing possibilities;

4. perform a monologue of a discussion text;

5. read and write discussion texts;

6. identify advertisements, posters, and pamphlets.

Now, answer the questions:

1. What expressions do you use to express your curiosity and give your opinion ?

2. What do you say if you want to talk about possibility?

3.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of technology? Is it helpful or harmful?

Give your argument for or against the issue.

If you

À

nd some dif

À

culties, consult you teacher or discuss with your friend.

Learning Re

Á

ection