Paper 2 Writing reference BUT THE ADVERT SAID... Have you ever paid for a product or service on the basis of an enticing advertisement or brochure only to be disappointed! Misleading advertising can be irritating but it can also cost the consumer money. If you find an instance of misleading advertising, let us know. Here are some things to look out for: . false claims about the qualities of the product • false claims about special offers • false claims about prices Send us a copy of the advertisement or brochure concerned, noting any discrepancies you found and we will take up your case! FAIR DEAL CONSUMER PROTECTION LEAGUE 22 Albert Rd Hambleside Gisborough, GO S89 Model answer a) letter DO begin by identifying the situation you are writing about. Dear Mr McNamara, DO use the person's name if you know it. ^writing on behalf of the Gisborn College group that stayed atHappy Valley from 10th to 24 th July. I am sorry to tell you that we wergjiot at all satisfied with our stay and Ie£l4kfrr"We13fiserve some kind of compensation. The most serious of our complaints is that we were charged the full fee despite the fact that we had originally been quoted a price with a student discount. Furthermore, group members who had brought their own tents were not allowed to use them. ■ If this were not enough, the trailers were extremely cramped and had obviously not been cleaned for some time. Another' problem was the 'mini-market'. Aside from being extremely^ expensive, it was closed for most of the day which meant that we had to walk the two kilometres back from the beach at lunchtime so as to buy the things we needed. Finally, I would hardly call the pub and a cinema in Grimscia 'fantastic nightlife'. If we do not receive a satisfactory answer to this letter, I will be forced to take the matter up with the Consumer ■ Protection League. I look forward to hearing from you in due course. DO organise points from the input in a logical way. DO state the purpose of your letter. DO make links between paragraphs. DO make links between points within the paragraph. DON'T use the same language as the input. DO say what you want the result of your letter to be in the final paragraph. DO expand on the ideas in the input. If you have used the person's name at the beginning of your letter, DO end your letter like this. Yours sincerely," Max Braun 201 b) note DO begin informal notes with a friendly greeting. DO say why you are writing. Hi Sophie, DO invite a response from the person you are writing to. Here's the misleading brochure I mentioned on the phone and the letter I've drafted to the campsite manager. I think we'vegot a good case,dotj'tgou? An u wag, let me know whatgoa think. All the best Max DO close your note with a friendly informal ending. DO use informal linking expressions. USEFUL LANGUAGE LETTERS OF COMPLAINT STATING THE CIRCUMSTANCES / am writing • to draw your attention to • to complain about • to express my concern about • with regard to LISTING COMPLAINTS • My most serious complaint is ... • Not only (+ inversion e.g. Not only did your employee insult us) ... but also • Firstly,... Secondly,... Finally,... • If this were not enough ... DEMANDING ACTION BE TAKEN • Unless you ...I have no option but to ... • If I do not... ,1 will have no choice but to ... 202 Paper 2 Writing reference INFORMATION SHEET Mi Task Your local tourist office has asked you to write an information sheet (about 250 words) for visitors to your country. The purpose is to inform them about the main public holidays that occur throughout the year. Write your information sheet. USEFUL LANGUAGE TALKING ABOUT HISTORY Founded in 1825, the city of... The Sports Centre was established in 1934 1956 saw the founding of... TALKING ABOUT LOCATION Nestling in the Saint Laurent Valley is the village of... A short drive along the coast road takes you to El Escobar ... Directly opposite the Houses of Parliament, you will find ... TALKING ABOUT FACILITIES OFFERED OR PRODUCTS AVAILABLE The hotel offers superb ... Marine sports facilities at Porto Rico cannot be bettered. In addition to innovative products for financial management, our company also ... LISTING POINTS OR FEATURES New developments include: • a fully equipped laboratory • ... The following courses will be available in 2004: • hotel management • conference interpreting • ... TALKING ABOUT FUTURE PLANS We hope to expand this service further over the next few years. Among several future projects are plans to create an online service. .. . . DO think of a title for your sheet that Model answer ... , .... will provoke the readers curiosity. DON'T provide illustrations. The Land of the Long Weekend We're famous for our public holidays, many of which are on a Monday or Friday. Here are some of the main ones that fall in each of the four seasons. (Be warned: banks and most businesses are closed on the days marked with an *!) Summer _ use section headings. Christmas falls in the summer in the Southern Hemisphere so there are lots of public holidays at this time. We celebrate our national day in this season too.
Christmas Day (25/12)*
Boxing Day (26/12)* - DO use lists of bullet points. ^ New Year's Day (1/1)*
Australia Day (26/1)* Autumn When the leaves begin to fall, Australians think of the Easter holidays and of another national holiday, ANZAC day. The latter is a day on which Australians and New Zealanders remember their compatriots who lost their lives in the First World War. Members of the armed forces as well as ex-servicemen and women take part in a parade.
Good Friday*
Easter Monday*
ANZAC Day, April 25th (Australia and New Zealand) qq thinlc of an interesting way of introducing each section. Winter Winters are mild in Australia so if you don't like very hot weather this is a good time for visiting! The most important public holiday is 9th June* which is Queen Elizabeth II's official birthday Spring In Victoria, one of the states, the most important public holiday of this season is Melbourne Cup Day. The Melbourne Cup is a horse race which takes place on the second Tuesday in November*. Many locals go to watch the race and people from all over Australia ... and beyond ... follow it closely on radio or television, especially if they have placed a bet! So whenever you choose to come to Australia, you'll DON'T forget to be able to join the Australians having fun on one of-^ a conc|usjon. their many public holidays. 203 INFORMAL LETTER Ml Task Recently you went on holiday abroad and stayed with a friend. Unfortunately, you misread the departure time on your return tickets and missed your flight. You were able to get another flight the same day but had no money to pay for the ticket yourself. Your friend bought your ticket for you and you promised you would pay her/him back as soon as you got home. Write a letter to your friend explaining how you have arranged repayment and inviting her him to stay with you when s/he visits your country. VI Model answer DO begin by telling your friend why you've decided to write. Dear Clam, Thought I'd better drop you a line straightaway to thank you for helping me out on Friday. I'm really sorry I had to bother you at such an unsociable hour and I'm sure you can imagine how embarrassed I was about hai'iug to ask you to pag for my ticket like that. DO divide your letter into paragraphs, each of which should cover a different element from the task input. I am now back home safely, as you can see. I went into the bank yesterday and arranged to transfer the price of the ticket from my bank account to yours, so you should find the money in your account any day now. I'm enclosing the receipt so you can see how much the ticket cost in dollars and check that the amount I've sent in pounds is correct I hope it is, as I asked the people in the bank to double check. DO expand upon the task input by using your own ideas. ■ Despite missing the plane like that, I had a really wonderM time in San Francisco. I particularly enjoyed meeting your niece and going out skating with her friends. I also loved the city, especially the bay and hope I'll get to go back some time. I know you said you might be coming over to Loudon in the summer. I really hope you do manage to get the time off work and that if you do, you will come and stay with my family. There's plenty of room here and you'd be very welcome, so just let us know when you're comma. DO close your letter by mentioning the next time you will see or speak to them. DON'T finish your letter with Yours sincerely/faithfully. DO use an appropriate INFORMAL phrase.There are various ways of closing letters to friends depending how well you know them. For very close friends or relatives you can use With (all my) love. Love or Lots of Love; with friends use All the best; with people you still don't know very well use (With) best wishes. All the best... and thanks again! John 204 Paper 2 Writing reference USEFUL LANGUAGE BEGINNING THE LETTER Thanks so much for your letter. It was really great to hear from you. Sorry not to have written/been in touch for so longlsuch a long time. I've been really busy lately. Thought I'd betterldrop you a linelwrite to let you know ... ENDING THE LETTER / think that's all my news for the moment. Do write soon and let me know what you've been doing. Once again, thanks very much for being so nice to Susie ... Can't wait to see you on the 24thlnext week in Cambridge ... Don't forget to say 'hi'to ... from me. Give my love to ... APOLOGISING I'm reallylterriblylawfully sorry about what happened the other night. Sorry I couldn't/didn't manage to see you last time I was in ... INVITING How about meeting up for a drink/coming over for a meal some time? Why don't we try to get together some time soon? I was wondering if you might like to get together with the rest of the old gang next time you're in town. RESPONDING TO AN INVITATION Thanks very much for inviting us to your party. We're really looking forward to it I was really excited when I got your invitation. Unfortunately, I've now realised it's the same weekend as my cousin's wedding so I won't be able to make it I it doesn't look as if I'm going to make it. MAKING A REQUEST / was wondering if you happened to know anywhere in Dublin we could stay. If you've got a spare moment, do you think you could find out when the music festival is on this year? REFERRING TO A PREVIOUS LETTER (TASK) Do you remember that sports centre you mentioned in your last letter? You said in your letter that you were thinking of applying for a scholarship. Last time you wrote you asked how Tina was getting on. You know that course I told you I had applied for. Well,... 205 REVIEW Ml Task The editor of your college English language magazine has asked you to write a review of two films you have seen recently saying why one of the films is likely to be of particular relevance and interest to students at the college and why you believe the other is not worth watching. Write your review. Fl Model answer Video of the Week DO indicate the structure of your - review in the first paragraph. DO start your review with a humorous or catchy comment to attract your audience's attention. ' I rented 'Days of Wonder' and 'My Cure for the Summertime Blues' from my local video club last week. The first video I watched was well worth the money and time and has an important message for people like us; all I can say about the second is that you'd be better off spending your spare cash on a take­away pizza. You'll be surprised I'm sure that 'Days of Wonder' was the second and not the first video I watched. Despite a star-studded cast including Caroline Nayra Smith, a director (Ann Champion) with a string of film successes behind her and a screenplay based on the novel of the same name, 'Days of Wonder' just doesn't work. Changing the setting from 17th century Paris to contemporary Sydney, while leaving the script in the baroque style of the original novel, is particularly ineffective. What's more, it's impossible to believe that a man would contemplate killing someone merely for speaking to his girlfriend. Ten minutes into 'My Cure for the Summertime Blues', however, I was amazed to find myself laughing till I cried and nodding in agreement with almost every line of the script. I'd never seen any of the actors before but I found their portrayal of teenagers from a London comprehensive on holiday in Greece completely convincing. The film also has a clear message for young people: that caring about others and the planet mean a lot more than money or good looks. So, if you're looking for a way to spend an evening with friends watching something that you'll all enjoy and which really does have something important to say then leave 'Days of Wonder' on the shelf and spend your money on 'My Cure for the Summertime Blues'. In reviews of more than one event, DO use the language of comparison and contrast. DO use vocabulary specific to the event (film/TV/play/concert) you are reviewing. DO give information about the cast, director or screenplay. DON'T just describe the plot; offer your evaluation. DON'T tell your readers about the ending if it will ruin the film or book for them. DON'T forget to cover all the points mentioned in the task. DO end your review with a recommendation. 206 USEFUL LANGUAGE BOOK (FICTION) Types: thriller, mystery, whodunit, romance, science fiction, fantasy, historical Elements: character, plot, dialogue, setting, atmosphere, author, novelist, writer BOOK (NON-FICTION) Types: coffee table book, cookery book, travel book, encyclopedia, dictionary, textbook, manual Elements: chapter, section, index, glossary, illustration, author, editor FILM Types: (as for fiction) + adaptation, comedy, animation Elements: screenplay, script, set, role, costume, design, photography, special effects, animation, soundtrack People: cast, actor, director, producer, scriptwriter PLAY Types: (as for film) + farce, musical Elements: act, scene, set, role, costume, lyrics, music, design, stage People: (as for film) + playwright, composer CONCERT Types of group or musician: rock group/band/musician, (lead, bass, rhythm) guitarist, (lead/backing) singer, drummer, folk singer/guitarist, country and western singer, jazz band/quartet/trio/singer, orchestra, quintet/quartet/ ensemble/soloist/violinist/cellist Elements: song, lyrics, tune, piece, symphony, concerto, cantata, score, stage, theatre, hall, auditorium People: songwriter, composer, conductor EXHIBITION Types: painting, sculpture, photography, furniture, design, handicrafts Elements: gallery, catalogue, displays TV PROGRAMME Types: series, documentary, soap opera, drama, situation comedy, chat show, debate, current affairs programme People: compere, presenter, host, director, producer, scriptwriter, cast, actor PROVIDING BACKGROUND INFORMATION 'A horse of a different colour'is Michael Gordon's fourth novel I second film I first major role I second individual exhibition. 'In the beginning was the word' came on at Odeon cinemas last week and I went along to see it INTRODUCING A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE PLOT Set in / 8th century London, the film tells the story of I recounts events in the lives of three sisters. In the breathtaking landscape of northern Canada, the book examines the themes of solitude and intimacy. On the eve of the First World War, the series introduces us to the Wilson household. COMMENTING CRITICALLY / found the plot rather conventionallpredictablelcontrivedl completely bizarrelabsurdlincomprehensible. The novelist has succeeded in creating an extremely intricate/complex plotlentirely believablellife-like characters. The characters are completely believable/unconvincing and the dialogue is wittylstilted and natural/artificial. The ballerina was absolutely brilliantlwas verging on the incompetent. A particular strength/weakness of the production was the set design by Marcelo Camilleri. The exhibition catalogue is economically pricedl ridiculously over-priced. PROVIDING A RECOMMENDATION / would strongly advise you not to misslwaste your money on 'Ain't got a clue'. I would definitely recommend seeinglvisitinglreadinglhaving a look at 'Melbourne: a sentimental journey'. For those who enjoy contemporary music, Tropical String Quartet are not to be missed. Go and see 'Momix. You'll be amazed. COMPARING AND CONTRASTING (STRENGTHS OR TWO EVENTS) WhilelWhereaslAlthoughlDespite the fact thatlln spite of the fact that characterisation was particularly strong, the plot gradually lost credibility. The cast is brilliant; especially when you take into account how truly dreadful the script is. 'I remember what you did last winter' is a masterpiece; 'Looking for Sam' is the opposite. Both films are likely to appeal to younger audiences, but 'Postmortem' will be especially appealing. Neither the novel nor the film fully convinced me, though the character of Margo really comes alive on the screen. 207 REPORT Wi Task You were contacted by an international research company looking at sporting activities in your area. You agreed to interview fifty people using the questionnaire below and to write a report describing the existing level of participation in sporting activities in your community including any factors which discourage people from taking part in sport and recommending ways of encouraging more people to take up a sport. QUESTIONNAIRE ON PARTICIPATION IN SPORTING ACTIVITIES • Do you take part in sporting activities? If so, which ones? • What prevents you from taking part or from taking part more? Write your report. Model answer Participation in Sport in Santa Maria Introduction The principal aims of this report are to: 1 provide an overview of participation in sporting activities by members of my local community (Santa Maria). 2 indicate factors preventing greater participation. 3 make recommendations as to how greater participation might be achieved. I interviewed fifty people between the ages of 13 and 82 living in Santa Maria using the questionnaire provided. Participation Thirty-seven of the people interviewed took part in at least one sporting activity and seventeen took part in two or more.The most popular of these was football (20), followed by various keep fit activities e.g. jogging, aerobics, walking (17) and then by tennis (7), swimming (6), basketball (5) and martial arts (5). DO begin by stating the purpose of your report. DO use an impersonal formal style. DO use lists of points. - DO develop the ideas in the input. DO use clear layout with headings. DON'T let your report look like a discursive composition. DO summarise information succinctly by using invented statistics. DO divide your report into sections according to the input. Factors preventing fuller participation There was a clear division between those who already took part in a sport and those who did not.The former group cited cost of equipment (17) and lack of facilities e.g. courts, football pitches (15) as the main factors preventing them from taking part more.Those who did not play a sport, on the other hand, cited poor health (6)*, lack of time (10) and lack of interest (5) as the main factors. DO express opinions and recommendations in the last section of your report. Recommendations In my opinion, encouraging those who currently take no part in sports should be a priority. I recommend, therefore: • an advertising campaign to promote keep-fit activities for the over-60s. • more flexible timetables at council-run sports centres. • introduction of new activities e.g. water aerobics. Those who already take part in some sporting activity will be encouraged to do more by the creation of more sporting facilities. • It should be noted that these individuals were all over sixty-five. DO use footnotes for extra information, definitions and clarification. 208 USEFUL LANGUAGE STATING THE PURPOSE The aim/purpose of this report islwas to describelevaluatelpresent ... In this report, I will describelevaluatelpresent... This report provides a descriptionlevaluationlpresentation ... DESCRIBING HOW YOU GOT YOUR INFORMATION / spoke to/interviewed several members of our sales staff... Members of the local police force answered a questionnaire ... I visited three hotels: the Maritima; the Plage Royale and the Shackelton ... I conducted a survey among college graduates ... Car owners were invited to attend a focus group ... REPORTING YOUR RESULTS Most people said/expressed the opinion that... According to DrAnn Wilkinson, the funding is inadequate ... A highlsmalllsignificant proportion of those surveyed/respondents said that ... 25% of the older residents ... A small group (6) felt that the situation had deteriorated. PRESENTING A LIST The points in favourlagainst introducing genetically modified foods can be summarised as follows: 1 ... 2 ... The following reasons were given for lack of participation in local festivals: 1 ... 2 ... Arguments in favour oflagainst the introduction of a local television channel were: 1 ... 2 ... There ore a number of ways in which facilities for the parents of small children could be improved: 1 ... 2 ... MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS In the light of the results of the survey/questionnaire the introduction of a small fee would seem to be the best choiceloptionlsolution. I would recommend, therefore, the purchase of five more computers and laser printers. My recommendations are the following: ARTICLE USEFUL LANGUAGE Ml Task You have been invited to write an article for an international magazine called 'Future Perfect'. The article should discuss expectations you and your friends had for the new millennium before it began and say to what extent these expectations have been fulfilled so far. Write the article. QUESTIONS YOU ASK YOURSELF We're all supposed to hate advertising, but do we? I don't think we do at all. What's Lodz got to offer the tourist? Everything from magnificent architecture to one of the loveliest parks in Poland. 'TALKING'TO THE READER / bet you don't want to spend the rest of your life living with your parents. I'm sure you'll agree diet is even more important than exercise. We all hate it when someone keeps us waiting. Why not give it a try? You've got nothing to lose. INFORMAL LANGUAGE Let's look at the problem from two different perspectives. So, the government should clear up this mess as soon as possible. Another problem with banning cars from the city centre is deliveries to shops. Model answer DO think of an interesting title. A New Millennium - A New World? DO use language suited to your audience and topic. On the night of the 31st of December 1999 the world as a whole celebrated in style and we, here in Xania, were no exception. I don't know a single person who didn't greet the new millennium with at least some expectations that it would be better than the preceding thousand years. Many of us hoped for an end to war, to hunger and to injustice. Another wish that we made that night was for a cleaner, less polluted planet. Almost all of us were fairly certain that the new millennium would bring with it more technological and scientific advances. Mobile phones with cameras and screens, faster, more powerful computers and further developments in genetics leading to the eradication of disease are just some of the things I can remember my friends mentioning as possibilities. We woke, however, on the 1st of January 2000 to find that the world had hardly changed at all. Wars were still being fought, there was still hunger and injustice and the air didn't smell any fresher. On the positive side, the notorious Y2K (Year 2000) bug hadn't caused any significant damage either. As time has gone on we've seen many of the technological and scientific advances we dreamed about come to be. Science continues to find cures for many of the diseases of the last century. As a result, there is a greater feeling of optimism than there was before. This, I believe, can help us find solutions to the world's problems and perhaps, as the century and millennium grow older, we can really change the world. DON'T forget to cover all aspects of the task. DON'T forget to express your opinion. DO finish your article in an interesting way. 210