Academic English Skills For Success

Academic
English
Skills for Success
Revised Second Edition
Miranda Legg
Kevin Pat
Steve Roberts
Rebecca Welland
Letty Chan
Louisa Chan
Wai Lan Tsang
Hong Kong University Press
The University of Hong Kong
Pokfulam Road
Hong Kong
www.hkupress.org
© 2017 Hong Kong University Press
ISBN 978-988-8455-80-5
All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any
information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed and bound by Paramount Printing Co., Ltd. in Hong Kong, China
Contents
Textbook map ix
Acknowledgements x
Introduction for students xi
UNIT 1 HEALTH 1
Introduction to features of academic writing and speaking

ACADEMIC WRITING
Task 1: Reflect on the health care system in your country 2
Task 2: Discuss the success of the health care system 3
Task 3: Present and rate your ideas 4
Task 4: Explore an argument in a written text 4
Task 5: Identify features of a successful academic essay or report 14
Task 6: Compare features of successful academic writing with your partner 14
Homework: Identify features of a successful academic essay/report 14
Task 7: Identify the need for academic sources 15
Task 8: Identify quality academic sources 17
Task 9: Search for good academic sources 22
Task 10: Understand different types of supporting evidence 22
Task 11: Identify types of supporting evidence for your stance 24
Homework: Prepare for a tutorial discussion 25
ACADEMIC SPEAKING
Task 1: Consider the purpose of university tutorial discussions 26
Task 2: Analyze discussion feedback 27
Task 3: Create your own speaking assessment criteria 28
Task 4: Participate in a tutorial discussion 28
Task 5: Analyze your strengths and weaknesses 29
UNIT 2 GLOBAL ISSUES 31
Note-taking and paraphrasing

ACADEMIC WRITING
Task 1: Achieve the Millennium Development Goals 32
Task 2: Prioritize economic or human development 33
Task 3: Analyze an assignment topic 34
Contents v
Task 4: Look at a student’s analysis 36
Task 5: Take notes within a plan 37
Task 6: Take notes effectively 40
Task 7: Develop a note-taking checklist 42
Task 8: Develop a note-taking style 43
Task 9: Develop a full draft 44
Task 10: Move from source texts to a paraphrase 49
Task 11: Decide how to paraphrase from sources 50
Task 12: Practise paraphrasing 50
Task 13: Identify appropriate paraphrasing 51
Task 14: Improve your paraphrase 53
ACADEMIC SPEAKING
Task 1: Revise note-taking 54
Task 2: Transform written language into spoken language 54
Task 3: An example of transforming written language into spoken language 55
Task 4: Identify the differences between spoken and written texts 56
Task 5: Prepare to transform written language into spoken language 56
Task 6: Practise transforming written language into spoken language 59
UNIT 3 ETHICS 61
Expressing stance
ACADEMIC WRITING
Task 1: Express a personal opinion about an ethical issue 62
Task 2: Analyze the language of a successful academic stance 63
Task 3: Identify and define a counter-argument and rebuttal 64
Task 4: Identify stance in an academic essay 65
Task 5: Identify the differences between three possible critical argument structures 69
Task 6: Identify critical argument structure in an academic text 70
Task 7: Practise expressing stance and using critical thinking skills 71
Task 8: Identify language used to signal the counter-argument and the rebuttal 72
Task 9: Practise writing counter-arguments and rebuttals 73
Task 10: Assess your partner’s counter-arguments and rebuttals 75
Task 11: List hedging words 76
Task 12: Improve a paragraph 76
Task 13: Express stance in your own paragraph 77
vi Contents
ACADEMIC SPEAKING
Task 1: Identify types of challenges 81
Task 2: Identify polite challenges 83
Task 3: Practise critical questioning 83
UNIT 4 CHINA AND ASIA 87
Synthesizing ideas in a paragraph or section

ACADEMIC WRITING
Task 1: Prepare for a role-play discussion 88
Task 2: Participate in a role-play discussion 88
Task 3: Read for stance 89
Task 4: Identify the writer’s logic and argumentation 92
Task 5: Identify the appropriate report section heading 93
Task 6: Write report section headings and identify topic sentences 94
Task 7: Analyze report section headings 96
Task 8: Identify cohesion within a section 97
Task 9: Categorize and identify cohesive devices and strategies 98
Task 10: Understand the reasons for synthesizing 99
Task 11: Synthesize overlapping and contradictory information 100
Task 12: Prepare to write a paragraph/section 102
Task 13: Write a cohesive and logical paragraph 104
Task 14: Identify academic features in a paragraph/section 105
ACADEMIC SPEAKING
Task 1: Link appropriately to what others have said 106
Task 2: Prepare notes for a short discussion 108
Task 3: Practise linking and changing topics 110
UNIT 5 VALUES 113
Structuring a complete academic text

ACADEMIC WRITING
Task 1: Compare opinions about reality TV 114
Task 2: Identify the stance 115
Task 3: Identify broad structure 122
Task 4: Summarize structural similarities and differences 125
Contents vii
Task 5: Identify the functions of introductions and conclusions 126
Task 6: Create links backwards and forwards between sections and paragraphs 128
Task 7: Write a group report 129
ACADEMIC SPEAKING
Task 1: Review discussion strategies 134
Task 2: Reflect on your discussion skills 136
Answers 139
Unit 1 140
Unit 2 154
Unit 3 161
Unit 4 172
Unit 5 180
viii Contents
Textbook map
Unit Topic Focus on Writing Focus on Speaking
1 HEALTH Introduction • recognize the basic features of • integrate different types

to features academic writing at university of academic sources
of academic level • recognize the purpose
writing and • search for and evaluate and features of a tutorial
speaking academic sources of information discussion
• identify different types of
supporting evidence
2 GLOBAL Note-taking • analyze assignment topics • identify the similarities/

ISSUES and • synthesize and link ideas differences between
paraphrasing through note-taking and written and spoken texts
paraphrasing • transform written
• reference multiple sources language into spoken
concurrently to strengthen language during a
evidence relating to your stance tutorial discussion
3 ETHICS Expressing • identify features of a successful • express agreement
stance academic stance and disagreement with
• write a stance which has an the stance of others in
academic tone, is reasonable speaking
and well-justified • use questions to make a
• integrate counter-arguments tutorial discussion more
and rebuttals into a stance to critical and thoughtful
make it more critical
4 CHINA Synthesizing • logically connect ideas within a • link your speaking
and ideas in a paragraph or a section turn to what has been
ASIA paragraph/ • write accurate and appropriate previously said
section section headings • change focus within an
• connect ideas through the academic discussion
use of cohesive devices and
strategies
5 VALUES Structuring • apply a range of structural • reflect on your
a complete features to help you organize an discussion skills
academic academic text • articulate strategies to
text • recognize the similarities and improve your discussion
differences in report and essay skills in the future
structures
• create connections across
paragraphs and sections
Textbook map ix
Introduction for students
Aims
This textbook aims to:
• help you make the transition from studying at a secondary school to studying at an
English-medium university,
• develop the general academic English skills you will need to complete your
undergraduate degree at university.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the textbook you should be able to:
• identify features of academic writing and speaking,
• search for and evaluate academic sources,
• take effective notes and paraphrase from sources,
• express a personal and critical stance,
• synthesize ideas within a paragraph/section, and
• structure a complete academic text.
How to make the most of this textbook

Apply skills practised in this textbook to your other courses.
The work you do in this textbook should be useful in many, if not all, of your university
courses. You should make a concerted effort to apply what you learn in this textbook to
the writing and speaking you do in other courses.
Participate actively.
By the end of this textbook you will have practised your academic writing, read a number
of academic texts, and participated in a series of academic speaking tutorials. Many of
these tasks will require you to interact with your classmates in order to benefit from a
variety of perspectives. You will get the most out of these tasks if you participate actively
in and out of class.
Do complementary work.
Your teacher may supplement the work in this textbook with other work on grammar,
vocabulary, citation and referencing skills and tasks on how to avoid plagiarism. This work
is very important and will help you to achieve the aims listed above.
Introduction for students xi

1
HEALTH
Introduction to features of
academic writing and speaking
Learning outcomes
By the end of this unit, you should be able to:

recognize the basic features of academic writing at university level,
search for and evaluate academic sources of information,
evaluate the quality of these sources,
identify different types of supporting evidence, and
recognize the purpose and features of a tutorial discussion.
Introduction to features of academic writing and speaking 1

ACADEMIC
WRITING
Task 1
Reflect on the health care system in your country
In 1946, the World Health Organization (WHO) defined health as “a state of complete
physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”.
Health care systems within countries therefore aim to organize people, institutions and
resources in order to promote the broad definition of health offered by the WHO.
Use the table below to circle the type of health care system used in your country and rate
your opinion of this system’s impact on society’s physical, mental and social well-being.
Circle the structure

of health care Your opinion of this system’s impact on . . .
in your country
direct payment . . . physical well-being

by the user (e.g. its influence poor excellent
on physical disease)
taxes from
the public . . . mental well-being
(e.g. its influence on poor excellent
mental illnesses)
national
health insurance . . . social well-being
(e.g. its ability to cater for
the health needs of all poor excellent
private groups of people within
health insurance a society)
a combination of
the above
Now share your thoughts with a partner and try to reach a consensus regarding the
strengths and weaknesses of the health care system in your country.
2 Unit 1: HEALTH
Task 2
Discuss the success of the health care system
Your teacher will put you in groups of four and assign each member a different health
issue as follows:
A: Obesity
B: Smoking
C: Stress
D: Air pollution
Imagine you are part of a government committee deciding how to reform the health care
system in your country. However, there are only enough funds to reform one health issue.
Your aim is to gain these funds to tackle the issue assigned to you by:
1. explaining the possible shortcomings of the current system in dealing with your
assigned issue, and
2. suggesting practical solutions to this problem.
Use the table below to prepare your argument.
Improving our health care system
Your assigned health issue
Reason(s) for my viewpoint
A practical solution

Task 3
Present and rate your ideas
Spend around ten minutes explaining your ideas to the rest of your group. When you
are finished, use the criteria below to decide whose solution will be chosen by your
committee.
Obesity Smoking Stress Air pollution
The ideas were easy to understand Y/N Y/N Y/N Y/N
Relevant reasons were given Y/N Y/N Y/N Y/N
The solution was practical Y/N Y/N Y/N Y/N
Task 4
Explore an argument in a written text
You are about to read either an essay (Group A) or a report (Group B) on a health-related
topic. As you read, use the relevant space in the box below to:
1. note down the main arguments the writer makes, and
2. record the paragraph/section numbers which helped you identify these arguments.
Group A: Essay Group B: Report
Argument Paragraph Argument Section

number number
4 Unit 1: HEALTH
number number
Now compare your answers with a student who read the same text as you. Then check
your ideas on pages 140 and 141.

Essay Topic:
Who should pay for healthcare?
The issue of who should pay for healthcare is highly controversial and
complex. Opinions on this issue are likely to be related to one’s political Stance
views, ethical views, and socioeconomic status. Funding for healthcare
tends to come from four major sources: direct payment by the user, taxes
from the public, national health insurance and private health insurance.
Upon closer investigation, these four sources can be further categorized Organization
into a government-provided healthcare system (taxation and national
health insurance) and a user-paid system (private health insurance and
direct payment by the user at the time of treatment). This essay will
first discuss these two models of healthcare and afterwards argue that a Stance
combination of the two models is worth exploration and can serve as a
blueprint for designing a more efficient healthcare system.
People from wealthy backgrounds tend to support a user-paid system Organization

based on the belief that this type of system provides more choice and
better quality than a government-run system. However, an examination
of the overall US healthcare model illustrates that this is often not true.
Davis et al. (2007) report that “despite having the most costly health Citation
system in the world, the United States consistently underperforms on
most dimensions of performance, relative to other countries” (p. 34).
The ability to pay for a higher cost healthcare system does not necessarily Organization
translate to better quality. Another major argument for a user-paid
system is that it is an individual’s responsibility to pay if the individual has
the funds to do so. Otherwise, government revenue would be required,
which is also needed for a number of other critical public programmes
such as education and new infrastructure. Therefore, in order to better
maintain other government-funded programmes, those who are able
should take individual responsibility for their healthcare. While this point
is valid, the question of how those with insufficient economic means Organization
will be able to get healthcare remains unanswered.
A controversial solution to this question lies within a government-provided Organization

healthcare system. One clear benefit to government funding is that those
who cannot afford healthcare are provided with it. If a large percentage
of any population cannot afford medical care, productivity among that
population would likely decrease in cases of illness. There is also research
to suggest that people who have constant access to healthcare generally live
healthier lives and cost the medical system less overall than those who go to
6 Unit 1: HEALTH
the doctor only in an emergency (Williams, 2005; Emerson, 2006). The
higher upfront costs that the government would accrue initially could be Citation
offset or eventually reduced by a decrease in the frequency of expensive
emergency visits. An illustrative example of this was highlighted by
Gawande (2011), who describes a preventative programme in the US that
resulted in net savings in healthcare costs that were “undoubtedly lower”
(para. 39). However, arguments against a government-paid system still Stance
persist. According to Smith (2001), it is often politically unpopular, as
governments need to increase taxation as the population ages. This would
decrease the likelihood of success for governments to convince people that
a largely government-run system would be cheaper and more efficient. Few
politicians would want to damage their own political careers by instituting
higher taxation. Thus, while shifting to a government-provided Organization
healthcare system would increase coverage for those who cannot afford
healthcare, new controversy and complexity would also be introduced.
In light of the benefits and deficiencies mentioned above, advocacy Stance

for a combined approach to funding healthcare is crucial. In fact,
successful examples of a merger between the two healthcare systems are
already existent. Hong Kong operates both a government- and user-paid
healthcare system, broadening coverage for the entire community while
maintaining more personalized services and choices for those who are able
to afford them (Ko, 2013). The same article also notes impressive and Citation
comparable measures of health in Hong Kong, with an infant mortality
rate below 2 deaths per 1000 live births and an 80-year life expectancy.
In a similar comparison, Singapore employs a combined healthcare system.
This combination has allowed Singapore to ensure health coverage for
the poor, prevent financial destitution from catastrophic illness, and still
preserve choices for those more financially able (Lim, 2004). Health
outcomes indicate efficacy: a 78.4 years in life expectancy, 2.2 per 1000
infant mortality rate, and an 80% satisfaction rate for corporatized
public hospitals (Lim, 2004). However, it should be noted that Hong
Kong and Singapore have unique social and economic situations, and a
population that, in contrast with other developed nations, is significantly
smaller and more manageable. Nonetheless, they can be used as starting
points for how a combined approach to healthcare can be administered
as supported by Haseltine (2013), a noted Harvard professor and
AIDS researcher, who believes that an investigation of the Singaporean
healthcare system should be a requisite when government officials debate
issues concerning healthcare systems. This combined approach also helps
to partially alleviate political concerns about taxes mentioned previously as
KPMG International (2012) reports that Hong Kong and Singapore are

among the lowest, globally, in personal income tax rates and have remained
flat since 2004. Evidence from these countries is highly suggestive that a
government-paid system in conjunction with a public-user-paid system, if
implemented correctly and accordingly, can maintain the benefits and allay
deficiencies in each of the systems operating individually.
What is clear is that deciding which party is responsible for funding

healthcare costs is highly contentious. In response, this essay has discussed
the benefits and deficiencies of a government-paid healthcare system
and a public-user-paid system. Despite the possibility of higher taxes
and inadequate allocation to other government-funded programmes, a
government-paid healthcare system offers coverage to a wider number of
people. However, proponents of a public-user-paid system believe that
healthcare should be the responsibility of each individual. In view of these Stance
arguments, a way forward is to establish a feasible combined healthcare
system approach. Using Singapore and Hong Kong as case studies, other
nations should investigate how this approach can be successfully applied
to their local contexts in order to minimize weaknesses in each individual
healthcare system while maximizing their benefits.
References
Davis, C., Schoen, C., Schoenbaum, M., Doty, A., Holmgren, J., & Shea, K. (2007).
An international update on the comparative performance of American
health care. The Journal of International Health Education, 1(12), 125–204.
Emerson, A. (2006). Emergency care and its costs. The Journal of Emergency
Health, 2(24), 116–132.
Gawande, A. (2011, January 24). The Hot Spotters: Can we lower medical costs
by giving the neediest patients better care? The New Yorker. Retrieved
from http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/01/24/110124fa_
fact_gawande?currentPage=all
Haseltine, W. A. (2013). Affordable excellence: The Singapore healthcare story.
Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press.
Ko, W. M. (2013, April 9). HK healthcare is a dual-track system. news.gov.hk.
Retrieved from http://www.news.gov.hk/en/record/html/2013/04/
20130409_190409.lin.shtml
KPMG International. (2012). KPMG’s individual income tax and social security
rate survey 2012. Retrieved from http://www.kpmg.com/global/en/
issuesandinsights/articlespublications/documents/individual-income-
tax-rate-survey-2012.pdf
Lim, M. K. (2004). Shifting the burden of health care finance: A case study of
public–private partnership in Singapore. Health Policy, 69(1), 83–92.
Smith, J. (2001). Politics and the tax system. The Journal of Tax, Economics, and
Politics, 3(21), 280–300.
Williams, A. (2005). Benefits of preventative care. The Journal of Preventative Care
and Medicine, 2(26), 200–220.
8 Unit 1: HEALTH
Report Topic:
How serious is the problem of childhood obesity in developing
countries?
What are the causes? What are some possible interventions to lower
obesity rates?
1. Introduction
The obesity epidemic has been “spreading” from developed to developing
countries (DCs). As countries rise out of poverty, their populations
tend to develop a set of health conditions linked to their more affluent,
urbanized lifestyle. This phenomenon is not only being seen in adults, but
increasingly in children too. This report will outline the seriousness of Organization
the childhood obesity problem in Asian DCs. It will then discuss the
main causes of this problem and suggest a multifaceted approach to Stance
tackle this worrying public health problem.
2. Seriousness of Childhood Obesity

2.1 Growing Levels of Childhood Obesity
Since there is currently no worldwide consensus regarding the
definition of childhood obesity, it is very difficult to compare rates
across countries. Different studies use different measures; some do
not distinguish between being obese and overweight and some do.
However, a common definition of childhood obesity is a BMI Stance
greater than the 95th percentile, while the definition of being
overweight is greater than the 85th percentile for children (Must &
Strauss, 1999).
Despite differing measurements of obesity, some comparative research

has been done to uncover trends in obesity in DCs. For example,
one analysis of 160 nationally representative surveys from 94 DCs
shows that obesity rates are increasing (Onis & Blossner, 2000). This
phenomenon is mostly centred in urban areas of these countries
and the rates are much higher in older children (6–18) than in pre-
schoolers (Kelishadi, 2007).
A different study focusing on China estimated that 12.9% of Citation

children were overweight and of those, 6.5% were obese (Wang,
2001). However, urban areas usually have much higher rates than
this. In Dalian, for example, the overweight rates (including rates of
obesity) were found to be 22.9% for boys and 10.4% for girls (Zhou,
Yamauchi, & Natsuhara et al., 2006).

The rates for one urban area in India (Amritsar in the Punjab region)
were slightly lower than in urban China: 14% of boys and 18.3% of
girls aged 10–15 years were found to be overweight, and of those, 5%
of boys and 6.3% of girls were obese (Sidhu, Marwah, & Prabhjot,
2005). The rate in Pakistan was similar: the overall rate of overweight
and obesity in children was 5.7%. The rate in boys was 4.6% versus 6.4%
in girls and these rates increased with age, rising to 7% and 11% for boys
and girls aged 13–14 years ( Jafar et al., 2008).
These rates are not much different than those in the USA about 10
years ago. In 1998 the rates for 6 to 17-year-olds were 11% obese
and 14% overweight (Troiano & Flegal, 1998). Current rates are
significantly higher, with 31.7% of the same age group overweight and
16.9% obese (2–19 years) (Ogden, Carroll, Curtin, Lamb, & Flegal,
2010). This is an indicator of where many people in DCs might end
up as they become more wealthy.
2.2 Consequences of Childhood Obesity

Severely overweight children are at risk of developing skeletal (Dietz, Citation
Gross & Kirkpatrick, 1982), brain (Scott, Siatkowski, Eneyni,
Brodsky, & Lam, 1997), lung (Marcus et al., 1996) and hormonal
(Caprio, Bronso, Sherwin, Rife, & Tramborlane, 1996) conditions.
Non-medical consequences are also severe. These include long-
term effects on self-esteem, body image and also increased feelings
of sadness and loneliness (Strauss, 2000), largely as a result of peer
rejection (Schwartz & Puhl, 2003). In severe cases, this rejection has
been reported to lead to suicide (Lederer, 1997). The research into
these long-term effects is scarce because high levels of childhood
obesity are a relatively new phenomenon.
3. Major Causes of Childhood Obesity

Malnutrition used to be the focus of public health initiatives in DCs.
Now, while malnutrition is still a problem in these contexts, so too is
obesity. This is largely caused by rapid urbanization (Kelishadi, 2007)
and increased wealth. This link between economic progress and negative
health consequences, sometimes called “New World Syndrome” (Kelishadi,
2007), is extremely complicated. However, there are mainly two factors Organization
at play: individuals’ increasing energy consumption and decreasing
energy expenditure through a lack of exercise.
3.1 Increased energy consumption Stance

The diet of people living in urban areas in DCs is vastly different
from those living in rural areas and includes consumption of a
10 Unit 1: HEALTH
higher proportion of fat, sugar, animal products, and less fibre, often
found in restaurant foods (Popkin, 1998). This diet leads to a higher
consumption of energy than more “traditional” diets.
3.2 Reduced energy expenditure Stance

This increase in energy consumption is at odds with a decrease
in energy consumption. As a country moves from an agricultural
economy to an industrialized one, the energy expenditure of the
population tends to decrease (Popkin, 2001). There has been a lot of
research about the effect of this trend on adult energy expenditure.
Once industrial processes become more computerized, employment
moves to the service sector and a larger proportion of the population
spend the working day behind a desk, leading to lower levels of activity
and ultimately higher rates of obesity. Less is known about children. Organization
However, as noted in Section 2.2, insufficient research has been
conducted on childhood obesity, and thus the changes in DC youths’
energy expenditure and the consequent impact on childhood obesity
remain unclear.
Stance
4. Suggested Interventions
Unfortunately, there is little chance of DCs averting an obesity pandemic
in the future (Prentice, 2006). There is no reason to believe that they will
be any more successful than developed countries, which have been largely
unsuccessful in reducing rates of childhood obesity. Furthermore, DCs
tend to have limited resources for large-scale intervention programmes
through the public health sector and much of these populations associate
a more “Westernized” lifestyle with an increase in social status and are
therefore reluctant to give up, for example, eating in restaurants, watching
a lot of TV, playing computer games, and travelling predominantly by car.
However, this does not mean that action should not be taken. Although Stance
many of the underlying causes of obesity stem from much needed
growth, for example, access to higher-paid employment in the service
sector and increased economic wealth, interventions are needed, even if
they have a limited effect in the near future. Kruger et al. (2005) suggest
a model for South Africa that can serve as a useful starting point for DCs.
They argue that obesity prevention and treatment should be based on:
• education
• behaviour change
• political support
• adequately resourced programmes
• evidence-based planning
• proper monitoring and evaluation

They also argue that interventions should have the following components:
• reasonable weight goals
• healthful eating
• physical activity
• behavioural change
This model might sound vague, but this is necessary as the specifics of
what programme to run or what kind of political change is needed will Stance
depend heavily on the target country and even target region within that
country as each country and region has its own unique set of conditions
which require different adaptations of these interventions.
5. Conclusion
Obesity has become a pandemic and the incidence of childhood obesity Stance
is rising in DCs. Its causes are complicated but they predominantly
relate to the changing social and economic conditions which develop as
countries gain wealth, urbanize and industrialize. In order to tackle this
worrying trend, interventions which target local needs are needed. Even Stance
though medium-term success in lowering obesity rates is likely to be
limited, meeting modest targets such as a reduction in 1–2% of childhood
obesity can have a future impact on the health outcomes of millions of
inhabitants of DCs.
References
Caprio, S., Bronson, M., Sherwin, R. S., Rife, F., & Tamborlane, W. V. (1996).
Co-existence of severe insulin resistance and hyperinsulinaemia in pre-
adolescent obese children. Diabetologia, 39, 1489–1497.
Dietz, W. H., Gross, W. L., & Kirkpatrick, J. A. (1982). Blount disease (tibia
vara): Another skeletal disorder associated with childhood obesity. Journal
of Pediatrics, 101, 735–737.
Jafar, T. H., Qadri, H., Islam, M., Hatcher, J., Bhutta, Z. A., & Chaturvedi,
N. (2008). Rise in childhood obesity with persistently high rates of
undernutrition among urban school-aged Indo-Asian children. Arch Dis
Child, 93, 373–378.
Kelishadi, R. (2007). Childhood overweight, obesity, and the metabolic syndrome
in developing countries. Epidemiologic Reviews, 29, 62–76.
Kruger, H. S., Puoane, T., Senekal, M., & van der Merwe, M. T. (2005). Obesity
in South Africa: Challenges for government and health professionals. Public
Health Nutr., 8, 491–500.
Lederer, E. M. Teenager takes overdose after years of ‘fatty’ taunts. The Associated
Press, October 1, 1997.
Marcus, C. L., Curtis, S., Koerner, C. B., Joffe, A., Serwint, J. R., & Loughlin, G. M.
(1996). Evaluation of pulmonary function and polysomnography in obese
children and adolescents. Pediatr Pulmonol., 21, 176–183.
Must, A., & Strauss, R. S. (1999). Risks and consequences of childhood and
adolescent obesity. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic
Disorders: Journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity,
23(2), S2–11.
12 Unit 1: HEALTH
Ogden, C. L., Carroll, M. D., Curtin, L. R., Lamb M. M., & Flegal, K. M. (2010).
Prevalence of high body mass index in US children and adolescents.
Journal of American Medical Association, 303(3), 242–249.
Onis, M., & Blossner, M. (2000). Prevalence and trends of overweight among
preschool children in developing countries. American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition, 72, 1032–1039.
Popkin, B. M. (1998). The nutrition transition and its health implications in
lower-income countries. Public Health Nutr., 1, 5–21.
Popkin, B. M. (2001). The nutrition transition and obesity in the developing
world. J. Nutr., 131(3), 871S–873S.
Prentice, A. M. (2006). The emerging epidemic of obesity in developing countries.
Int. J. Epidemiol, 35(1), 93–99.
Schwartz, M. B., & Puhl, R. (2003). Childhood obesity: A societal problem to
solve Obesity Reviews, 4(1), 57–71.
Scott, I. U., Siatkowski, R. M., Eneyni M., Brodsky, M. C., & Lam B. L. (1997).
Idiopathic intracranial hypertension in children and adolescents. Am J
Opth., 124, 253–255.
Sidhu, S., Marwah, G., & Prabhjot. (2005). Prevalence of overweight and obesity
among the affluent adolescent schoolchildren of Amritsar, Punjab. Coll
Antropol., 29, 53–55.
Strauss, R. S. (2000). Childhood obesity and self-esteem. Pediatrics, 105(1), 15.
Troiano, R. P., & Flegal, K. M. (1998). Overweight children and adolescents:
Description, epidemiology, and demographics. Pediatrics, 101(3), 497–504.
Wang Y. (2001). Cross-national comparison of childhood obesity: The epidemic
and the relationship between obesity and socio-economic status.
International Journal of Epidemiology, 30, 1129–1136.
Zhou, H., Yamauchi, T., & Natsuhara K., et al. (2006). Overweight in urban
schoolchildren assessed by body mass index and body fat mass in Dalian,
China. Journal of Physiology and Anthropology, 25, 41–48.
Features of successful academic writing

Your written assignments at university should:
1. express a clear, detailed and critical opinion/stance,
2. cite ideas from multiple academic sources to support that stance, and
3. be clearly and logically organized.
You will learn how to achieve these aspects of academic writing throughout the
textbook.

Task 5
Identify features of a successful academic essay or report
Look again at the essay or report that you just read. Each text has a number of places
which have been bolded and underlined. These are places where stance, organization and
citation occur successfully. Make a note of why they are successful to the right of the text.
Task 6
Compare features of successful academic writing with
your partner
Work in pairs with a student who read and analyzed the same text as you. Compare the
features you found.
Homework
Identify features of a successful academic essay/report
If you completed Task 5 using the essay, read and annotate the report for features of
successful academic writing.
If you completed Task 5 using the report, read and annotate the essay for features of
successful academic writing.
14 Unit 1: HEALTH
ACADEMIC
SPEAKING
Task 1
Consider the purpose of university tutorial discussions
Step 1: What do you think is the main purpose of university tutorial discussions? Spend a
few minutes discussing this question with two to three students.
Step 2: Now read what some professors and tutors said when they were asked about the
purpose of a tutorial discussion. Which purposes did they mention that you didn’t think of
in Step 1?
“Tutorial discussions
“I think that by sharing give students a reason to go
information with others, and research a topic. If they don’t do this,
students are challenged to they may let both themselves and the group
think about topics in new ways down . . . so that’s a strong motivator. I think
and to practise critical thinking without putting in the time reading, it’s hard
skills. This can help them gain for students to understand complex
a deeper understanding of topics.”
academic issues.”
“In tutorials, students have “I feel that tutorial discussions are

to work together to solve a great opportunity for students to
problems. I think this process think about their progress during
helps them build confidence the course. They can apply what
and interpersonal skills they they learnt in the lecture and the
will need later in life. I wish tutor has a chance to see how his
we’d had tutorial discussions or her students are progressing and
when I was at university!” give them the feedback they need.”
“You know,
in tutorial discussions you can’t
hide like you can in a lecture. You have to
be active . . . both when you prepare and in class.
By doing the research yourself and then discussing
it, I think you’re much more likely to remember
what you’ve learnt than if you just listen
passively . . . discussions make learning
more memorable.”
26 Unit 1: HEALTH
Discuss the following two questions with your classmates:
1. How might university discussions differ in purpose from discussions you have
participated in before at school?
2. What do you think will be the biggest challenges for you in adapting to university
discussions?
Task 2
Analyze discussion feedback
Read the following examples of discussion feedback from a tutor in a university English
class. Using three different colours, highlight what the students did well, what they still
need to improve and what the tutor’s advice is on how they could improve.
Feedback for Student 1: Feedback for Student 2:

“You prepared well for this tutorial and “You approached this tutorial seriously,
made some effective notes. This helped were well-informed and did a good job of
you give some relevant examples to citing your sources clearly. I sometimes
support your stance. Do you realize that found it hard though to identify your
you look down at your notes a lot though stance. Remember, you shouldn’t be trying
and that you speak very quickly, which to say everything you know, you need to
can make it difficult to follow you? Don’t be more selective. Practise recording your
forget to look at the other students as you ideas in note form and organize them by
speak and go a little slower. Perhaps you topic and not the text. This way it should
could ask questions occasionally to check be easier for others to follow your position
students are with you.” and to respond to you.”
Feedback for Student 3: Feedback for Student 4:

“Well done. You managed to speak more “I noticed you balanced agreement and
loudly and clearly this time; you also made disagreement well this time, but I’m not
better eye contact and appeared more sure that all your turns link properly to
confident. I think you could disagree what the previous speaker said, e.g. if a
(politely) more and generally, be more question is asked, answer it first and then
critical of what you hear. Before the next add your own stance, and if you change the
discussion you might find it helpful to topic, signal this too. You are using a good
imagine what other people might say to range of vocabulary, but you often forget to
help you consider alternative ideas and use modals and adverbs to state opinions
perspectives.” cautiously, e.g. ‘New students might/
perhaps need some time to adapt.’”

Task 3
Create your own speaking assessment criteria
Look at Task 1 and Task 2 again, what do you now think the distinguishing features of a
successful university discussion are? In groups of three to four, create four university
discussion assessment criteria. Record them in the table below, adding one or two
examples for each criterion. The first has been done for you as an example.
University Discussion Assessment Criteria
Criterion 1: Stance Criterion 2:
Example: It is clear and concise. This means Example:

that I should express only one idea at a time
and I should also change the written language
to simple, spoken language.
Example: There is critical thought. This Example:

means that I should show an awareness of
different views, i.e. the complexity of academic
argument.
Criterion 3: Criterion 4:
Example: Example:
Example: Example:
Task 4
Participate in a tutorial discussion
Now, hold a 30-minute tutorial discussion with your group members. The topic of your
discussion addresses the following questions:
1. Is there a good work-life balance in your country?
2. What are some realistic ways that work-life balance could be improved?
28 Unit 1: HEALTH
Task 5
Analyze your strengths and weaknesses
Take five minutes to fill in the form below. Rate your overall performance on each criterion
as follows:
1 = I did this most of the time 2 = I did this some of the time 3 = I rarely did this
My stance was:
clear – e.g. I changed the written language in the source to my own 1 2 3
spoken language.
concise – e.g. I expressed one idea at a time. 1 2 3
critical – e.g. I acknowledged that academic ideas are complex, not 1 2 3
black and white.
I interacted well by:

linking my ideas smoothly into the discussion – e.g. I linked my 1 2 3
point to a point that had been mentioned before.
using active listening skills – e.g. I used eye contact, nodding and 1 2 3
expressions of agreement.
not dominating – e.g. I allowed other students to break into the 1 2 3
discussion.
My language was:
fluent – e.g. I was able to speak without a lot of hesitations. 1 2 3
accurate – e.g. I was able to use a range of grammar and vocabulary 1 2 3
to express complex academic ideas.
clear – e.g. I used stress, intonation and pausing to express my 1 2 3
meaning.
I cited:
from sources to support my stance – e.g. I didn’t just rely on my 1 2 3
own personal opinion in the discussion.
by mentioning the reliability of my source – e.g. I mentioned 1 2 3
that the information I cited came from a reliable source (The Journal
of XX/The World Health Organization).
Ideas for future improvement

Answers
139
Unit 1
ACADEMIC WRITING
Task 4
Explore an argument in a written text
The table below outlines the key arguments in the essay and report.
Group A: Essay Group B: Report

number number
Opinions on the issue of 1 As countries rise out of 1

healthcare are likely to be poverty, their populations
related to one’s political tend to develop a set of health
views, ethical views, and conditions linked to their more
socioeconomic status. affluent, urbanized lifestyle.
A combination of the two 1 Levels of childhood obesity are 2.1

models is worth exploration growing.
and can serve as a blueprint
for designing a more efficient
healthcare system.
The ability to pay for a higher 2 It is very difficult to compare 2.1

cost healthcare system does rates of obesity across
not necessarily translate to countries.
better quality.
In order to better maintain 2 There are significant negative 2.2

other government-funded medical and non-medical
programmes, those who are consequences of obesity.
able should take individual However, the amount of
responsibility for their research on the long-term
healthcare. effects of obesity is scarce.
In a government-paid system, 3 Individuals’ increasing energy 3

the higher upfront costs consumption and decreasing
that the government would energy expenditure through
accrue initially could be offset a lack of exercise are the two
or eventually reduced by a main factors contributing to
decrease in the frequency of obesity.
expensive emergency visits.
140 Answers – Unit 1

But, while shifting to a 3 There is little chance of DCs 4
government-provided averting an obesity pandemic
healthcare system would in the future.
increase coverage for those
who cannot afford healthcare,
new controversy and
complexity would also be
introduced.
A combined approach to 4 DCs tend to have limited 4

funding healthcare is crucial. resources for large-scale
intervention programmes
through the public health
sector and much of these
populations associate a more
“Westernized” lifestyle with an
increase in social status and
are therefore reluctant to give
up habits which contribute to
obesity.
Although many of the 4

underlying causes of obesity
stem from much needed
growth, for example, access
to higher-paid employment
in the service sector and
increased economic wealth,
interventions are needed, even
if they have a limited effect in
the near future.
Task 5
Identify features of a successful academic essay or report
These are only suggested answers; other answers are also possible.
Essay Topic:
Who should pay for healthcare?
The issue of who should pay for healthcare is highly controversial and
complex. Opinions on this issue are likely to be related to one’s political Stance –
views, ethical views, and socioeconomic status. Funding for healthcare shows complexity
tends to come from four major sources: direct payment by the user, taxes of topic
from the public, national health insurance and private health insurance.
Answers – Unit 1 141

Upon closer investigation, these four sources can be further categorized Organization –
into a government-provided healthcare system (taxation and national two points of focus
health insurance) and a user-paid system (private health insurance and of essay
direct payment by the user at the time of treatment). This essay will
first discuss these two models of healthcare and afterwards argue that a Stance –
combination of the two models is worth exploration and can serve as a overall thesis of
blueprint for designing a more efficient healthcare system. essay
People from wealthy backgrounds tend to support a user-paid system Organization –

based on the belief that this type of system provides more choice and first focus of essay
better quality than a government-run system. However, an examination
of the overall US healthcare model illustrates that this is often not true.
Davis et al. (2007) report that “despite having the most costly health Citation –
system in the world, the United States consistently underperforms on direct quote to
support stance
most dimensions of performance, relative to other countries” (p. 34).
The ability to pay for a higher cost healthcare system does not necessarily Organization –
translate to better quality. Another major argument for a user-paid second argument
system is that it is an individual’s responsibility to pay if the individual has in paragraph
the funds to do so. Otherwise, government revenue would be required,
which is also needed for a number of other critical public programmes
such as education and new infrastructure. Therefore, in order to better
maintain other government-funded programmes, those who are able Organization –
should take individual responsibility for their healthcare. While this point use of pronouns to
is valid, the question of how those with insufficient economic means show connections
will be able to get healthcare remains unanswered. with the essay
A controversial solution to this question lies within a government-provided Organization –

healthcare system. One clear benefit to government funding is that those second focus of
who cannot afford healthcare are provided with it. If a large percentage essay
of any population cannot afford medical care, productivity among that
population would likely decrease in cases of illness. There is also research
to suggest that people who have constant access to healthcare generally live Citation –
healthier lives and cost the medical system less overall than those who go to evidence from
the doctor only in an emergency (Williams, 2005; Emerson, 2006). The multiple sources to
higher upfront costs that the government would accrue initially could be support stance
offset or eventually reduced by a decrease in the frequency of expensive
emergency visits. An illustrative example of this was highlighted by
Gawande (2011), who describes a preventative programme in the US that Stance – putting
resulted in net savings in healthcare costs that were “undoubtedly lower” both sides of the
(para. 39). However, arguments against a government-paid system still argument to give
persist. According to Smith (2001), it is often politically unpopular, as a balanced and
governments need to increase taxation as the population ages. This would complex argument

decrease the likelihood of success for governments to convince people that
a largely government-run system would be cheaper and more efficient. Few Organization –
politicians would want to damage their own political careers by instituting a summary
higher taxation. Thus, while shifting to a government-provided sentence at the end
healthcare system would increase coverage for those who cannot afford of the paragraph
healthcare, new controversy and complexity would also be introduced.
In light of the benefits and deficiencies mentioned above, advocacy Stance –

for a combined approach to funding healthcare is crucial. In fact, establishing an
successful examples of a merger between the two healthcare systems are argument based on
already existent. Hong Kong operates both a government- and user-paid points in previous
healthcare system, broadening coverage for the entire community while paragraphs
maintaining more personalized services and choices for those who are able
to afford them (Ko, 2013). The same article also notes impressive and Citation –
comparable measures of health in Hong Kong, with an infant mortality statistics are
rate below 2 deaths per 1000 live births and an 80-year life expectancy. given to
In a similar comparison, Singapore employs a combined healthcare system. strengthen
This combination has allowed Singapore to ensure health coverage for stance
the poor, prevent financial destitution from catastrophic illness, and still
preserve choices for those more financially able (Lim, 2004). Health
outcomes indicate efficacy: a 78.4 years in life expectancy, 2.2 per 1000
infant mortality rate, and an 80% satisfaction rate for corporatized
public hospitals (Lim, 2004). However, it should be noted that Hong
Kong and Singapore have unique social and economic situations, and a
population that, in contrast with other developed nations, is significantly
smaller and more manageable. Nonetheless, they can be used as starting
points for how a combined approach to healthcare can be administered
as supported by Haseltine (2013), a noted Harvard professor and
AIDS researcher, who believes that an investigation of the Singaporean
healthcare system should be a requisite when government officials debate
issues concerning healthcare systems. This combined approach also helps
to partially alleviate political concerns about taxes mentioned previously as
KPMG International (2012) reports that Hong Kong and Singapore are
among the lowest, globally, in personal income tax rates and have remained
flat since 2004. Evidence from these countries is highly suggestive that a
government-paid system in conjunction with a public-user-paid system, if
implemented correctly and accordingly, can maintain the benefits and allay
deficiencies in each of the systems operating individually.
What is clear is that deciding which party is responsible for funding

healthcare costs is highly contentious. In response, this essay has
discussed the benefits and deficiencies of a government-paid healthcare

system and a public-user-paid system. Despite the possibility of
higher taxes and inadequate allocation to other government-funded
programmes, a government-paid healthcare system offers coverage
to a wider number of people. However, proponents of a public-user-
paid system believe that healthcare should be the responsibility of each
individual. In view of these arguments, a way forward is to establish Stance –
a feasible combined healthcare system approach. Using Singapore summary
and Hong Kong as case studies, other nations should investigate how
this approach can be successfully applied to their local contexts in order
to minimize weaknesses in each individual healthcare system while
maximizing their benefits.
References
Davis, C., Schoen, C., Schoenbaum, M., Doty, A., Holmgren, J., & Shea, K. (2007).
An international update on the comparative performance of American
health care. The Journal of International Health Education, 1(12), 125–204.
Emerson, A. (2006). Emergency care and its costs. The Journal of Emergency
Health, 2(24), 116–132.
Gawande, A. (2011, January 24). The Hot Spotters: Can we lower medical costs
by giving the neediest patients better care? The New Yorker. Retrieved
from http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/01/24/110124fa_
fact_gawande?currentPage=all
Haseltine, W. A. (2013). Affordable excellence: The Singapore healthcare story.
Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press.
Ko, W. M. (2013, April 9). HK healthcare is a dual-track system. news.gov.hk.
Retrieved from http://www.news.gov.hk/en/record/html/2013/04/
20130409_190409.lin.shtml
KPMG International. (2012). KPMG’s individual income tax and social security
rate survey 2012. Retrieved from http://www.kpmg.com/global/en/
issuesandinsights/articlespublications/documents/individual-income-
tax-rate-survey-2012.pdf
Lim, M. K. (2004). Shifting the burden of health care finance: A case study of
public–private partnership in Singapore. Health Policy, 69(1), 83–92.
Smith, J. (2001). Politics and the tax system. The Journal of Tax, Economics, and
Politics, 3(21), 280–300.
Williams, A. (2005). Benefits of preventative care. The Journal of Preventative Care
and Medicine, 2(26), 200–220.

Report Topic:
How serious is the problem of childhood obesity in developing
countries?
What are the causes? What are some possible interventions to lower
obesity rates?
1. Introduction
The obesity epidemic has been “spreading” from developed to developing
countries (DCs). As countries rise out of poverty, their populations
tend to develop a set of health conditions linked to their more affluent,
urbanized lifestyle. This phenomenon is not only being seen in adults, but Organization –
increasingly in children too. This report will outline the seriousness of outline of report
the childhood obesity problem in Asian DCs. It will then discuss the
main causes of this problem and suggest a multifaceted approach to Stance –
tackle this worrying public health problem. overall thesis of
report
2. Seriousness of Childhood Obesity
2.1 Growing Levels of Childhood Obesity
Since there is currently no worldwide consensus regarding the
definition of childhood obesity, it is very difficult to compare rates
across countries. Different studies use different measures; some do
not distinguish between being obese and overweight and some do.
However, a common definition of childhood obesity is a BMI Stance –
greater than the 95th percentile, while the definition of being definition of key
overweight is greater than the 85th percentile for children (Must & terms to make
Strauss, 1999). stance clear
Despite differing measurements of obesity, some comparative research

has been done to uncover trends in obesity in DCs. For example,
one analysis of 160 nationally representative surveys from 94 DCs
shows that obesity rates are increasing (Onis & Blossner, 2000). This
phenomenon is mostly centred in urban areas of these countries
and the rates are much higher in older children (6–18) than in pre-
schoolers (Kelishadi, 2007).
For example, one study estimated that 12.9% of children Citation –

throughout China were overweight and of those, 6.5% were obese statistics to
(Wang, 2001). However, urban areas usually have much higher strengthen stance
rates than this. In Dalian, for example, the overweight rates
(including rates of obesity) were found to be 22.9% for boys and
10.4% for girls (Zhou, Yamauchi, & Natsuhara et al., 2006).
The rates for one urban area in India (Amritsar in the Punjab region)
were slightly lower than in urban China: 14% of boys and 18.3% of girls

aged 10–15 years were found to be overweight, and of those, 5% of boys
and 6.3% of girls were obese (Sidhu, Marwah, & Prabhjot, 2005). The
rate in Pakistan was similar: the overall rate of overweight and obesity
in children was 5.7%. The rate in boys was 4.6% versus 6.4% in girls and
these rates increased with age, rising to 7% and 11% for boys and girls
aged 13–14 years ( Jafar et al., 2008).
These rates are not much different than those in the USA about 10
years ago. In 1998 the rates for 6 to 17-year-olds were 11% obese
and 14% overweight (Troiano & Flegal, 1998). Current rates are
significantly higher, with 31.7% of the same age group overweight and
16.9% obese (2–19 years) (Ogden, Carroll, Curtin, Lamb, & Flegal,
2010). This is an indicator of where many people in DCs might end
up as they become more wealthy.
2.2 Consequences of Childhood Obesity

Severely overweight children are at risk of developing skeletal Citation –
(Dietz, Gross & Kirkpatrick, 1982), brain (Scott, Siatkowski, evidence from
Eneyni, Brodsky, & Lam, 1997), lung (Marcus et al., 1996) and multiple sources to
hormonal (Caprio, Bronson, Sherwin, Rife, & Tramborlane, 1996) support stance
conditions. Non-medical consequences are also severe. These include
long-term effects on self-esteem, body image and also increased
feelings of sadness and loneliness (Strauss, 2000), largely as a result of
peer rejection (Schwartz & Puhl, 2003). In severe cases, this rejection
has been reported to lead to suicide (Lederer, 1997). The research
into these long-term effects is scarce because high levels of childhood
obesity are a relatively new phenomenon.
3. Major Causes of Childhood Obesity

Malnutrition used to be the focus of public health initiatives in DCs.
Now, while malnutrition is still a problem in these contexts, so too is
obesity. This is largely caused by rapid urbanization (Kelishadi, 2007)
and increased wealth. This link between economic progress and negative Organization –
health consequences, sometimes called “New World Syndrome” (Kelishadi, introducing two
2007), is extremely complicated. However, there are mainly two factors main causes which
at play: individuals’ increasing energy consumption and decreasing form the basis of
energy expenditure through a lack of exercise. sections
3.1 Increased energy consumption Stance –

The diet of people living in urban areas in DCs is vastly different headings
from those living in rural areas and includes consumption of a which show writer’s
higher proportion of fat, sugar, animal products, and less fibre, often stance
found in restaurant foods (Popkin, 1998). This diet leads to a higher
consumption of energy than more “traditional” diets.

3.2 Reduced energy expenditure Stance –
This increase in energy consumption is at odds with a decrease headings
in energy consumption. As a country moves from an agricultural which show
economy to an industrialized one, the energy expenditure of the writer’s stance
population tends to decrease (Popkin, 2001). There has been a lot of
research about the effect of this trend on adult energy expenditure.
Once industrial processes become more computerized, employment
moves to the service sector and a larger proportion of the population
spend the working day behind a desk, leading to lower levels of activity Organization –
and ultimately higher rates of obesity. Less is known about children. references to
However, as noted in Section 2.2, insufficient research has been previous sections
conducted on childhood obesity, and thus the changes in DC youths’ to show links
energy expenditure and the consequent impact on childhood obesity between ideas
remain unclear.
Stance –
4. Suggested Interventions
clearly stated
Unfortunately, there is little chance of DCs averting an obesity pandemic
using evaluative
in the future (Prentice, 2006). There is no reason to believe that they will
language
be any more successful than developed countries, which have been largely
unsuccessful in reducing rates of childhood obesity. Furthermore, DCs
tend to have limited resources for large-scale intervention programmes
through the public health sector and much of these populations associate
a more “Westernized” lifestyle with an increase in social status and are
therefore reluctant to give up, for example, eating in restaurants, watching
a lot of TV, playing computer games, and travelling predominantly by car.
However, this does not mean that action should not be taken. Although Stance –
many of the underlying causes of obesity stem from much needed beginning of
growth, for example, access to higher-paid employment in the service writer’s stance to
sector and increased economic wealth, interventions are needed, even if the 3rd question in
they have a limited effect in the near future. Kruger et al. (2005) suggest the report topic
a model for South Africa that can serve as a useful starting point for DCs.
They argue that obesity prevention and treatment should be based on:
• education
• behaviour change
• political support
• adequately resourced programmes
• evidence-based planning
• proper monitoring and evaluation
They also argue that interventions should have the following components:
• reasonable weight goals
• healthful eating

• physical activity
• behavioural change
Stance –
This model might sound vague, but this is necessary as the specifics of acknowledging
what programme to run or what kind of political change is needed will potential criticisms
depend heavily on the target country and even target region within that that a reader might
country as each country and region has its own unique set of conditions make
which require different adaptations of these interventions.
5. Conclusion
Obesity has become a pandemic and the incidence of childhood obesity Stance –
is rising in DCs. Its causes are complicated but they predominantly summary
relate to the changing social and economic conditions which develop as
countries gain wealth, urbanize and industrialize. In order to tackle this
worrying trend, interventions which target local needs are needed. Even Stance –
though medium-term success in lowering obesity rates is likely to be realistic
limited, meeting modest targets such as a reduction in 1–2% of childhood recommendations
obesity can have a future impact on the health outcomes of millions of are given
inhabitants of DCs.
References
Caprio, S., Bronson, M., Sherwin, R. S., Rife, F., & Tamborlane, W. V. (1996).
Co-existence of severe insulin resistance and hyperinsulinaemia in pre-
adolescent obese children. Diabetologia, 39, 1489–1497.
Dietz, W. H., Gross, W. L., & Kirkpatrick, J. A. (1982). Blount disease (tibia
vara): Another skeletal disorder associated with childhood obesity. Journal
of Pediatrics, 101, 735–737.
Jafar, T. H., Qadri, H., Islam, M., Hatcher, J., Bhutta, Z. A., & Chaturvedi,
N. (2008). Rise in childhood obesity with persistently high rates of
undernutrition among urban school-aged Indo-Asian children. Arch Dis
Child, 93, 373–378.
Kelishadi, R. (2007). Childhood overweight, obesity, and the metabolic syndrome
in developing countries. Epidemiologic Reviews, 29, 62–76.
Kruger, H. S., Puoane, T., Senekal, M., & van der Merwe, M. T. (2005). Obesity
in South Africa: Challenges for government and health professionals. Public
Health Nutr., 8, 491–500.
Lederer, E. M. Teenager takes overdose after years of ‘fatty’ taunts. The Associated
Press, October 1, 1997.
Marcus, C. L., Curtis, S., Koerner, C. B., Joffe, A., Serwint, J. R., & Loughlin, G. M.
(1996). Evaluation of pulmonary function and polysomnography in obese
children and adolescents. Pediatr Pulmonol., 21, 176–183.
Must, A., & Strauss, R. S. (1999). Risks and consequences of childhood and
adolescent obesity. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic
Disorders: Journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity,
23(2), S2–11.
Ogden, C. L., Carroll, M. D., Curtin, L. R., Lamb M. M., & Flegal, K. M. (2010).
Prevalence of high body mass index in US children and adolescents.
Journal of American Medical Association, 303(3), 242–249.
Onis, M., & Blossner, M. (2000). Prevalence and trends of overweight among

preschool children in developing countries. American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition, 72, 1032–1039.
Popkin, B. M. (1998). The nutrition transition and its health implications in
lower-income countries. Public Health Nutr., 1, 5–21.
Popkin, B. M. (2001). The nutrition transition and obesity in the developing
world. J. Nutr., 131(3), 871S–873S.
Prentice, A. M. (2006). The emerging epidemic of obesity in developing countries.
Int. J. Epidemiol, 35(1), 93–99.
Schwartz, M. B., & Puhl, R. (2003). Childhood obesity: A societal problem to
solve Obesity Reviews, 4(1), 57–71.
Scott, I. U., Siatkowski, R. M., Eneyni M., Brodsky, M. C., & Lam B. L. (1997).
Idiopathic intracranial hypertension in children and adolescents. Am J
Opth., 124, 253–255.
Sidhu, S., Marwah, G., & Prabhjot. (2005). Prevalence of overweight and obesity
among the affluent adolescent schoolchildren of Amritsar, Punjab. Coll
Antropol. 29, 53–55.
Strauss, R. S. (2000). Childhood obesity and self-esteem. Pediatrics, 105(1), 15.
Troiano, R. P., & Flegal, K. M. (1998). Overweight children and adolescents:
Description, epidemiology, and demographics. Pediatrics, 101(3), 497–504.
Wang Y. (2001). Cross-national comparison of childhood obesity: The epidemic
and the relationship between obesity and socio-economic status.
International Journal of Epidemiology, 30, 1129–1136.
Zhou, H., Yamauchi, T., & Natsuhara K., et al. (2006). Overweight in urban
schoolchildren assessed by body mass index and body fat mass in Dalian,
China. Journal of Physiology and Anthropology, 25, 41–48.
Task 8
Identify quality academic sources
These are only suggested answers; other answers are also possible.
Good
Text academic Why or why not?
source?
Text 1 – Book Yes Book is likely to be a good academic source as

the book is edited by a university publisher and
is recent. The content and language of the small
excerpt is also in fairly objective and academic
tone.
Text 2 – Website No Not a good academic source as the website is a
commercial website, thus the research given in
the website is likely to be biased. A commercial
website selling its own products would be
unlikely to publish information that damages
their products.

Academic English Skills For Success

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© 2017 Hong Kong University Press

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

Introduction for students xi

Introduction to features of academic writing and speaking

Task 2: Discuss the success of the health care system 3

Task 3: Present and rate your ideas 4

Task 4: Explore an argument in a written text 4

Task 5: Identify features of a successful academic essay or report 14

Task 6: Compare features of successful academic writing with your partner 14

Homework: Identify features of a successful academic essay/report 14

Task 7: Identify the need for academic sources 15

Task 8: Identify quality academic sources 17

Task 9: Search for good academic sources 22

Task 10: Understand different types of supporting evidence 22

Task 11: Identify types of supporting evidence for your stance 24

Homework: Prepare for a tutorial discussion 25

Task 2: Analyze discussion feedback 27

Task 3: Create your own speaking assessment criteria 28

Task 4: Participate in a tutorial discussion 28

Task 5: Analyze your strengths and weaknesses 29

UNIT 2 GLOBAL ISSUES 31

Note-taking and paraphrasing

Task 2: Prioritize economic or human development 33

Task 3: Analyze an assignment topic 34

Task 5: Take notes within a plan 37

Task 6: Take notes effectively 40

Task 7: Develop a note-taking checklist 42

Task 8: Develop a note-taking style 43

Task 9: Develop a full draft 44

Task 10: Move from source texts to a paraphrase 49

Task 11: Decide how to paraphrase from sources 50

Task 12: Practise paraphrasing 50

Task 13: Identify appropriate paraphrasing 51

Task 14: Improve your paraphrase 53

Homework: Prepare for a tutorial discussion 53

Task 2: Transform written language into spoken language 54

Task 3: An example of transforming written language into spoken language 55

Task 4: Identify the differences between spoken and written texts 56

Task 5: Prepare to transform written language into spoken language 56

Task 6: Practise transforming written language into spoken language 59

Task 7: Participate in a tutorial discussion 59

Task 8: Analyze your strengths and weaknesses 60

Task 2: Analyze the language of a successful academic stance 63

Task 3: Identify and define a counter-argument and rebuttal 64

Task 4: Identify stance in an academic essay 65

Task 6: Identify critical argument structure in an academic text 70

Task 7: Practise expressing stance and using critical thinking skills 71

Task 9: Practise writing counter-arguments and rebuttals 73

Task 10: Assess your partner’s counter-arguments and rebuttals 75

Task 11: List hedging words 76

Task 12: Improve a paragraph 76

Task 13: Express stance in your own paragraph 77

Homework: Prepare for a tutorial discussion 79

Task 2: Identify polite challenges 83

Task 3: Practise critical questioning 83

Task 4: Participate in a tutorial discussion 84

Task 5: Analyze your strengths and weaknesses 85

UNIT 4 CHINA AND ASIA 87