Lecture Notes 4 (Week 10 – Week 13)

Unit 8: Oral Responses to Written Texts

 Recognising the features of prepared responses

 Constructing appropriate prepared oral responses:

a) brainstorming
b) organising ideas

 Using signpost expressions to organise ideas

Unit 9: Short Written Responses to Written Texts

 Constructing appropriate short responses:

o Factual
o Cause & effect
o Compare & contrast
o Inferential
 UNIT 8: ORAL RESPONSES TO WRITTEN TEXTS

8.1 Recognising the features of prepared responses

When faced with prepared oral responses, you would first have to draw a
topic from a pool of possible topics, prepare an oral task, and finally perform
the task.

As you are given time to prepare and do research on the topic, a more
detailed and well-organised response is often expected compared to an oral
task without preparation. You can be asked to either reproduce, discuss, or
reflect on the topic.

A common type of prepared oral response would be presentations. The

duration given to prepare for the task differs depending on the level of
knowledge that needs to be exhibited. If, for example, reflection and
justification of thoughts with evidence from various sources are expected,
then a few days or weeks should be given to prepare.

8.2 Constructing appropriate prepared oral responses

When students obtain the topic or question, they will usually go through a
process of brainstorming and also organising ideas.

8.2.1 Brainstorming

There are several steps that need to be taken for effective brainstorming.

Step 1: Understanding the task

• An easy way to understand a task would be to start listing questions
that deal with the who, what, where, when, and why.
 • This way, you can truly understand the task and the topic. It also
assures that all aspects of the topic are addressed before any work
goes into executing it.
• For example, if you get the topic ‘The effects of urban agriculture’, you
would first have to ask yourself a few questions such as ‘What is urban
agriculture?’ and ‘Who would be affected by urban agriculture?’

Step 2: Generating ideas

 There are two common techniques used for generating ideas:
o Write immediately
Write anything that comes to mind immediately as soon as you
are informed of the topic or question. This way you avoid from
limiting yourself from ideas or thoughts that might be relevant
and significant to the task. This is especially important for those
who are easily influenced by other sources or people. When you
are brainstorming ideas away from distraction and public
opinion, you generate concepts that may not naturally surface in
a different setting.

o Imagine the situation

When you get the topic or question, put yourself in the situation
and think about how you would react if you were the parties
involved with the issue. For example, if the topic is about the
actions being taken to protect polar bears from the effects of
climate change, imagine yourself as the parties that would take
action and think of the possible solutions.

Step 3: Selecting relevant ideas

 Based on the ideas that you generated, decide and choose the ideas
hat are relevant to the task.
After brainstorming the topic:

Determine the goal of the oral response. Think about what you
want to achieve at the end of the oral response.

Learn about the audience so that you can tailor your

message accordingly. Consider group size, age range,
gender ratio, and common interests.

Decide the content to suit task requirements.

Identify and gather any information required to support main

points.
EXERCISE 1
Brainstorm the factors contributing to juvenile delinquency.

1. _________________
____________________

5. _________________ 2. _________________
____________________ ____________________
Factors
contributing
to juvenile
delinquency.

4. _________________ 3. _________________
____________________ ____________________
8.2.2 Organising Ideas

To plan your presentation, decide and choose the ideas from the brainstorm
that are relevant to the task. Then look for supporting information that could
further develop those ideas. The information must come from valid and
reliable sources. After you have finalised the main ideas and supporting
information, then create an outline of your presentation.

Your presentation should include an introduction, body, and conclusion.

The introduction engages the audience’s attention, introduces the

topic, and sets the tone for what is to come.

The body develops your point of view with supporting ideas, details,
and examples presented in a logical order.

The conclusion restates your point of view, sums up your main

points, and leaves your audience with something to think about.

8.2.2.1 Introduction

The way you begin determines how your audience will respond throughout
your presentation. First impressions are important, so make sure you make a
strong start. Explain who you are and what you are going to talk about.

 Introduce yourself to the audience so they know who you are.

 Provide brief background information of the topic.
 Introduce the topic. You explain how the audience will benefit
from the information, thereby providing the audience with a reason
to listen.
  Make your personal stance clear.
 Provide a preview of the content of the presentation.

Below are the examples of signpost expressions for the introduction.

FUNCTION SIGNPOST EXPRESSIONS

Introducing the topic  Today we are going to talk about…
of the lecture  The topic of today’s presentation is…
 This morning we are going to take a look
at…
 The purpose of today’s forum is…
 The subject/topic of the presentation is...

Explaining the  In today’s forum, we/re going to cover the

lecture structure two effects of...
(sections / subtopics)  We’re going to divide this presentation into
three parts.
 First we’ll look at….. Then we’ll go on to …
And finally I’ll…

Example of a good introduction:

Good afternoon, everyone. I’m Farhizad Salleh, a student at UPM (self-

introduction). Researchers say that there is enough plastic debris in the
environment to cover a country the size of Argentina. In another 65 years, this
amount is said to increase by 200 times (background information). Today
I’m going to talk to you about how the use of plastic straws can have a huge
negative impact on the environment (introduction to the topic). I believe that
restaurants should ban the use of plastic straws unless if requested by those
who need it (personal stance). I’m going to divide this presentation into two
main sections (preview of the content).
EXERCISE 2
Fill in the blanks with appropriate signposting expressions

1. Good morning everyone. (Greetings)

2. ______________________________________. (Introduce yourself)

3. ______________________________________ challenges of using

technology in the classroom. (Introducing the topic)

4. ________________________________________________ two parts.

_________________, we are going to look at the challenges of using
technology towards the teachers. ________________, I’ll be
presenting the challenges faced by the students when using
technology. (Explaining the lecture structure)

EXERCISE 3
Write an introduction for a presentation about lack of parental guidance being
the main contributing factor for juvenile delinquency.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
8.2.2.2 Body
The body is the core of the presentation, where you develop your ideas. This
section illustrates or proves your stance.

 Organise your thoughts around a few main points. The number of

main points should be limited depending on the length of the
presentation.
 Find supporting materials from other sources to validate your main
points. You may support them using statistics, details and examples.
Provide sufficient information to support your stance without repeating
yourself or going into too much detail.

Signpost expressions for the body:

FUNCTION SIGNPOST EXPRESSIONS

Introducing the first  Let’s start by talking about...
section / subtopic or  To begin,…
first of a list of points  Firstly,…
 I’ll start with,…

Referring to other  According to…

sources  Based on a study…
 Research shows…

Reformulating ideas  In other words…

 I mean…
 So to speak…
 That is to say…

Going off the Topic  By the way

 That reminds me
 Before I forget

Returning to the  Let’s move on to…

Topic  Now, let’s turn to…
 And I’d now like to talk about…
 The next issue/area I’d like to focus on …
 As I was saying
 Back to our topic
Finishing a section  We've looked at...
 I’ve talked about….
Example of a good body:

Let’s start by talking about (introducing the first section) the reason that
people started banning straws and not other forms of plastic.
Environmentalists chose to ban straws because they have been designed to
be used for only a short period of time (first main idea). It was found that
(referring to other sources) plastic straws are one of the most common
single use plastic, among others such as grocery bags and plastic bottles
(examples). Study shows (referring to other sources) that 70% Americans
(statistic) spend most of their time eating at restaurants, thus adding to the
number of people using plastic straws. It is also mentioned (referring to
other sources) that banning plastic straws is considered the gateway to
make people aware of global plastic pollution (detail). I’ve talked about
(finishing a section) why plastic straws were chosen to be banned, so let’s
now move on to the next point.
EXERCISE 4
Below are some expressions from a presentation on ethics in sport.
Rearrange the order of these sentences from 1 –7.

That is to say, when two football teams know that a draw, will mean
that they both qualify for competition, neither team tries to win the
match. They play for a draw. Both are playing without integrity.
Fairness in sport is defined as following the rules. For example, in
football, if someone commits a foul like touching the ball, the referee
should give a yellow card to the person. And if others make the same
mistake, they should be treated the same; they get a yellow card too.
Secondly, integrity should be apply in sport. Integrity simply means that
you play the sport with correct spirit, the spirit of honesty.
The third ethics in sport is respect.
We’ve looked at three principles of ethics in sports. Now, let’s move on
to another subtopics of the presentation which is gamesmanship.
Respect is a polite behavior towards someone or something that you
think is important. In sport, you should respect not just the opponent,
but also the referee, the supporters and the people who are watching
the game.
The first principle of ethics in sport is fairness.

EXERCISE 5
Write the first section for the body of a presentation explaining why lack of
parental guidance is the main contributing factor for juvenile delinquency.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
8.2.2.3 Conclusion

Develop a strong conclusion that is similar to your opening. In your

conclusion, you need to quickly remind everyone of the most important points
that you’ve made. The conclusion should consists of the following steps:

 Signal the audience that the presentation is about to end.

 Do a review of the presentation to reinforces and summarise your
points. This is the part of the presentation when you can choose
what was most important and what you would like audience
members to remember.
 Provide a memorable statement or closing remarks. This is where
you tell the listeners what you would like them to do after attending
your presentation. This section crystallizes the entire purpose of the
presentation.

The following are some signpost expressions that can be used to conclude.
FUNCTION SIGNPOST EXPRESSIONS
To signal the end of  To sum up, …
the talk / Summing  So it is clear from what we have discussed
up today that…
 I'd like now to recap...
 Let's summarise briefly what we've looked
at...
 In conclusion, …

Example of a good conclusion:

Let’s summarise what we’ve looked at so far (to signal the end). Firstly, we
looked at why environmentalists chose to ban straws rather than other forms
of plastic. Then we talked about the actions that restaurants can take to help,
and why they play a main role (review). So, the next time you’re at a
restaurant and you order a drink, think about how those straws can actually
endanger marine life (closing remark).
EXERCISE 6
Match the signposting expressions below with the purpose.

Let’s go back to what In this part of my Let me briefly

we were discussing presentation, I’d like to summarise the main
earlier… … issues.
This bring me to the end As I said earlier … Let’s now turn to the
of my second point. next issue …
I’d like to sum up the As I mentioned This leads to my next
main points … previously … point …
Let’s move on to the Let me give you a brief
next point … overview of …

1. Giving the overview of the

presentation

2. Moving to next point

3. Indicating end of section

4. Referring back to previous point

5. Summarising a point
EXERCISE 7
Write the conclusion for the presentation parental guidance being the main
contributing factor for juvenile delinquency based on your responses in
Exercise 3 and 5.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
As part of presentations, it is common to have a question-and-answer
session. The session is important for the audience since it enables them to
get an understanding and also make further inquiries on the topic. Therefore,
it is crucial for the presenter to be able to respond satisfactorily to any
questions posed by the audience.

Below are some signpost expressions that may be useful when addressing
questions.

FUNCTION SIGNPOST EXPRESSIONS

Clarifying a  I’m afraid I didn’t quite catch that.
question  I’m sorry, could you repeat your question,
please?
 If I understood you correctly, you would like
to know whether…
 If I could just rephrase your question, you’d
like to know…
 Does that answer your question?

Avoiding giving an  I’m afraid that’s not really what we were

answer discussing today.

Admitting you do  Sorry, that’s not my field

not know the  I’m afraid I’m not in a position to answer that
answer question at the moment.
 I’m afraid I don’t know the answer to your
question, but I will try to find it out for you.

Delaying the  I'm glad you asked that question.

answer  That's a good question/point/remark.
 Can I answer that question later?
 If you don’t mind, I’ll come back to this point
later in my presentation.
 Can we get back to this point a bit later?
Would you mind waiting until the question
and answer session at the end?
EXERCISE 8
In groups of 3 – 4, answer the question “Should animals be kept in zoos?”
Based on your answer, brainstorm some ideas on why animals should or
should not be kept in zoos. Choose three main ideas and complete the outline
given in point form. Look for sources to support your main ideas. Present your
ideas in front of the class.

1. _________________
____________________

5. _________________ 2. _________________
____________________ ____________________
Animals
SHOULD /
SHOULD NOT
be kept in
zoos

4. _________________ 3. _________________
____________________ ____________________
Presentation Outline:

Introduction

Main Point 1:

Supporting point(s):

Main Point 2:

Supporting point(s):
Body

Main Point 3:

Supporting point(s):

Conclusion
 UNIT 9: SHORT WRITTEN RESPONSES TO WRITTEN TEXTS

9.1 Understanding different types of task requirement

Understanding different parts of the questions will help further the

understanding of the task and assist students in answering the questions
successfully. Assignment questions can usually be broken down into three (3)
parts: task words, content words and limiting words.

For example:
Computers have had a significant impact on education in the 21st
century. Discuss the changes they have made.

Task Words : Discuss

Provide opinion of the topic with evidence

Content Words : education, computers

Focus on computers and education.

Limiting Words : changes, significant impact, 21st Century

Describe SIGNIFICANT IMPACT made by
computers on education starting from 2001.
EXERCISE 9
Identify the task words, content words and limiting words in the following
assignment questions.

1. List two characteristics that distinguish fungi from plants.

Task words : _____________________________________________
Content words : _____________________________________________
Limiting words : _____________________________________________

2. Discuss two concepts that are important to the understanding of group

dynamics and describe how the two are related and or connected.
Task words : _____________________________________________
Content words : _____________________________________________
Limiting words : _____________________________________________

3. With the development of technology, children are now living in a world

that is completely different to what it was 50 years ago. Describe the
problems that the development of technology might cause to society.
Task words : _____________________________________________
Content words : _____________________________________________
Limiting words : _____________________________________________

4. An increasing number of people are now using the internet to meet new
people and socialise. Some people think this has brought people closer
together while others think people are becoming more isolated. Compare
the effects of using the internet on users.
Task words : _____________________________________________
Content words : _____________________________________________
Limiting words : _____________________________________________
9.2 Constructing Appropriate Short Responses

A good short written response depends upon how well a question is

understood and how effective a response is. It is vital for you to know the
types of questions in order to be able to respond to them appropriately and
accurately.

9.2.1 Factual

a. Comprehension
Comprehension means understanding or mentally grasping the meaning of
something. The answer to a comprehension question is usually something
students can point to in the paragraph or passage.

Example of comprehension questions:

 It is clear from this passage that . . .

 According to this paragraph/article/book, . . .
 According to this passage, state what Lina plans to do after she has
finished her studies.

Strategies for answering comprehension questions:

 Look for the keywords or key phrases that provide clues to the kind
of answer that the question needs.
 Some of the keywords may have been paraphrased, however the
meaning should still be the same.
 b. Detail
Detail questions require more specific information than comprehension
questions. The answers usually deal with specific, small items in the
paragraph or passage such as a number, a date or a name.

Example of detail questions:

 Describe the factors that influence global warming.

 How old was Alice when she won the Pulitzer Prize?
 List the advantages of time management for university students.

Strategies for answering detail questions:

 Look for answers in the paragraph or passage that are limited to

only one or a few words, a date, some numbers and other very
specific items.
 Provide an itemised series of points; such answers should be
concise.

c. Main Idea
The main idea covers most of what a paragraph or passage is about; it may
answer who, what, where, when, why, or how. It includes a topic and
something specific about that topic.

Example of main idea questions:

 Article tells as a whole __________.

 Passage talks mainly about __________.
 This paragraph is mostly about __________.
Strategies for answering main idea questions:

 In the answers, look for topic sentences of the passage.

 Refer to the key words in the written texts:
a. If you find mostly reasons or explanations, the main idea will
deal with "why".
b. If most of the sentences talk about a place, the main idea will
deal with "where".
c. If most of the sentences are about time, the main idea will
deal with "when".
d. If most of the sentences give steps to do or make something,
the main idea will deal with "how".
e. If most of the sentences are about one person or several
people or even a group of people, the main idea will deal with
"who".
f. If most of the sentences describe something, or, if none of
the other answers seems right, then the main idea may deal
with "what” because it can be referring to different kind of
things.

9.2.2 Cause and Effect

Cause are reasons that things happen; effects are results or outcomes. It can
also be referred as reasons and results. There are some clue words (some of
them are subordinate conjunctions) that indicate causes and effects:
 Cause Effect
hence
thus
the reason(s) as a consequence
the result(s)
the cause(s) on that account
the effect(s)
is due to was caused by
the outcome
was caused by resulted in
consequently
led to results in
the final product
resulted from is due to
therefore
resulted from
Subordinate Conjunctions
since
because

Example of cause and effect questions:

 What does …….[cause] lead to? (Answer will be the effect)

 \What is the reason for …….[effect]? (Answer will be the cause)
 How can ……..[effect] be explained? (Answer will be the cause)
Strategies for answering cause and effect questions:

 Always ask why.

“Why do people continue to commit crimes after being
released from prison?”
 Justify the answer after answering the Why questions,
“How do you know?”
“What is your evidence?"
Cause
 Consider multiple causes of events. Make lists of
possible causes of events, and then try to determine
which are more likely, or important, than others.
 Develop the vocabulary and use qualifiers such as partly
responsible for and largely because of.

 Consider multiple consequences.

“How did World War II change life in America?”
“What happens when we waste electricity?”
“What are some of the likely consequences of global
warming?”
Effect “What consequences does the behaviour of a character
in a story have on the lives of other characters?”
 Develop the vocabulary and use power words such
as consequence, consequently, influence, and as a
result.

 Use graphic organisers, such as cause-and-effect

chains, flow charts, and feedback loops, in order to help
determining the complex cause-and-effect relationships.
Cause-
 Qualify cause-and-effect statements with words such
Effect
as possibly, probably, or almost certainly because
qualifying words actually strengthen an argument.
9.2.3 Compare and Contrast

A comparison-contrast presents similarities (comparisons) between two or

more things, differences (contrasts) between two or more things, or both
similarities and differences. As a reader, students have to determine what is
being compared or contrasted, and the ways in which they are similar or
different. There are some clue words (some of them are subordinate
conjunctions) that indicate comparison and contrast:
Comparison Contrast
similarly
likewise
both
same; alike some; others
also in contrast nonetheless
resembles however conversely
parallels as opposed to
in the same manner nevertheless words that have
in the same way different; difference opposite meanings
conversely (such as men and
words that compare on the one hand; women, ancient and
(adjectives that on the other hand modern, rich and poor,
describe comparisons, and others)
such as safer, slower,
lighter, more valuable,
less toxic and others)
Subordinate Conjunctions
whereas
while
although
instead (of)
unlike; dissimilar
rather than
 Example of compare and contrast questions:

 Compare the benefits of urban and rural farming.

 What are the contrast between sales taxes and income taxes?
 Discuss in brief the similarities and differences of studying locally
and studying abroad.

Strategies for answering compare and contrast questions:

 Look for similarities/differences

 Conclude which subject matter is preferable if the question ask you
to compare
9.2.4 Inferential

In contrast to facts or information stated directly in the paragraph or passage,

inferences are decisions, conclusions or judgments the reader makes from
information in the paragraph or passage. The information is like a hint, and
the inferred ideas are not stated directly. The reader must reason or think
about her answer.

Example of inference questions:

 What can we expect from ….?

 Which is more likely to happen …. ?
 What could be the reason behind ….?
Strategies for answering inference questions:

 Look for comparisons: (a) two things may be compared in the

paragraph or passage; or (b) one thing in the passage may be
compared to something you already or should already know.
 Look for logical results or endings of a chain of reasons or events.
Then predict what will probably happen next.
 Look for pairs of concepts in special relationships such as cause
and effect, general and specific, or time and place. The best
answer will be one part of the pair. For example, “President Jordan
is the first deaf president of Gallaudet University”. You can
generalize, "Deaf people can get good jobs now." This example
shows a specific fact, and it chooses a generalisation that matches
the specific fact
 Look for evidence for inference in the reading passage.
EXERCISE 10
Study the following questions and answer them based on the text.

Text 1

There are many social problems that teenagers go through nowadays. Drug
use is an increasing problem among teenagers in today’s high schools. Most
drug use begins in the preteen and teenage years when the most crucial
stage in the maturation process takes place. During these years adolescents
are faced with difficult tasks of discovering their self identity, clarifying their
sexual roles, assenting independence, learning to cope with authority and
searching for goals that would give their lives meaning.

1. List the challenges teenagers face on a daily basis.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

2. Drug abuse among teenagers leads to depression and suicide. Discuss

briefly.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
Text 2

There are now over 700 million motor vehicles in the world, and the number is
rising by more than 40 million each year. The average distance driven by car
users is growing too, from 8km a day per person in Western Europe in 1965
to 25 km a day in 1995. This dependence on motor vehicles has given rise to
major problems, including environmental pollution, depletion of oil resources,
traffic congestion and safety. While emissions from new cars are far less
harmful than they used to be, city streets and motorways are becoming more
crowded than ever, often with older trucks, buses and taxis which emit
excessive levels of smoke and fumes. This concentration of vehicles makes
air quality in urban areas unpleasant and sometimes dangerous to breathe.
Some capital cities around the world are afflicted by congestion and traffic
fumes where vehicle pollution has become a major health hazard.

1. Describe the increase of motor vehicles around the world and the
increase of the average distance driven by car users in Western Europe.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

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______________________________________________________________

2. State the major problems caused by the dependency on motor vehicles.

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3. Based on the text, what are the ways to overcome congestion and traffic
fumes in big cities? Justify your view.

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