Good text / bad text?

Task

Read the text below and decide it you think it is well written. Then re-write the text with any necessary changes you think would improve it.

First type of diabetes disease is call insulin dependent diabetes. so there is not enough amount of insulin to regulate blood sugar level in human body. All the patients in this situations needs insulin treatments to compensate abnormal level of insulin hormone in the bodies. It is sure. Most can be under 30 year and some statistics say that most of cases type one diabetes is this like 70% and first boy was treated was 1922 called Leonard Thomson. Research people try to know what can be cause of type one of diabetes and some factors are genetic and environmental and immunological factors and many risks. It’s hard to know how to make this problem better.

 

Critical Thinking – A model

Below is a model implemented by the Foundation for Critical Thinking. I suggest you copy it in your notebooks and have it visible when you are participating in group discussions and seminars. It is a good framework for evaluating any printed matter you read too!

Listening and transcribing word for word

Task

Please follow these instructions clearly.

1. Listen to the recording below without writing down anything.
2. Listen again and pause the recording every 5 seconds to write down word for word what you hear.
3. Listen again and check your text against the audio.

We will check your written script against the audio script in class!

Paraphrasing 4

Task

Find a paragraph (no more than 50 words) from an article that you have read this week, and paraphrase it. Post the original and the paraphrased version so we can share and compare ideas. You will discuss your texts in class with your classmates, so please bring a copy of the original text and your text to class on Friday.

Paraphrasing 3

Task

Paraphrase the text below and post your paraphrased version here so we can share ideas and discuss in class.
Preserving Food
One of the chief problems with food is its relatively short storage life. Since earliest times man has tried to preserve his perishable foods by drying or adding salt, sugar or spices. It is one thing to preserve foods safely to allow broader distribution and reasonable shelf life. It is quite another to embalm food that is too far gone to be acceptable as fresh.

Paraphrasing 2

Task

Which sentences are closest in meaning to the five sentences below? Please share your answers here, we will also discuss the reason why in class.
1.    25% of adolescents who have one baby have a second baby within two years of the first baby’s birth.

• a.    25% of babies are born to mothers who are adolescents.
• b.    One out of four adolescent mothers has another baby before the first baby reaches his second
  birthday.
• c.    A quarter of adolescent mothers gives birth when their first born is two.
• d.    25% of adolescent mothers become pregnant again when their first babies are two years old.

2.    It has been reported that the richest one percent of Americans own 40% of the country’s wealth.

• a.    The richest 1% are 40 times as wealthy as the rest of Americans.
• b.    If the gap between rich and poor continues to grow at the current rate, the richest one percent will
  soon own 40% of the country’s wealth.
• c.    40% of the country’s wealth is in the hands of only 1% of Americans.
• d.    99% of Americans own 40% as much as the richest 1%.

3.    The judge was relieved when the jury was finally ready to announce its verdict.

• a.    When the jury announced its verdict, the judge was relieved.
• b.    The judge asked the jury to arrive at a verdict.
• c.    The judge welcomed the prospect of an imminent verdict.
• d.    The jury welcomed the judge’s relief.

4.    Research data suggest that girls who witnessed maternal abuse may tolerate abuse as adults more than girls who did not.

• a.    Women who witnessed the abuse of their mother as teens are more likely to become abusive adults.
• b.    Women who observed the abuse of their mothers when they were young are more likely to endure
  abuse themselves.
• c.    Women who were abused as children are more likely to abuse their own children.
• d.    Girls who testify about maternal abuse tolerate abuse as adults more readily.

5.    Martha thinks that the issue of adolescent problems is important to write about.

• a.    Martha thinks that adolescents like to write about their problems.
• b.    Martha feels that writing about adolescent problems is worthwhile.
• c.    Martha believes that the dream of most adolescents is to write something important.
• d.    Martha thinks that adolescents can write about their problems.

Paraphrasing 1

You will need to support your ideas when you are writing an assignment. We do this by quoting things we have read, and by paraphrasing. Paraphrasing means selecting the key information from a text and putting it in your own words. By using your own words, you avoid plagiarism (taking somebody else’s idea and claiming they are your own). You can be penalised for plagiarism, so it must be avoided.

Task

Read the short text about a universal language, then read the paraphrase. Compare the the texts and find words from the original text that have been replaced in the paraphrase and note them down.

e.g. peoples -> humans

Original passage
Language is the main source of communication between peoples. However, so many different languages have developed that language has often been a barrier rather than an aid to understanding among peoples. For many years, people have dreamed of setting up an international, universal language which all people could speak and understand. The arguments in favour of a universal language are simple and obvious. If all peoples spoke the same tongue, cultural and economic ties might be much closer and, goodwill might increase between countries. (Kispert, 2000)

(Oshima, A. & Hogue, A. (1999) Writing Academic English Longman)

Paraphrase
Humans communicate through language. Because there are so many languages in the world, language has not always been a help to communication. It can be an obstacle. For a long time, people have wanted an international language that speakers all over the world could understand. There are clear and straightforward arguments for a universal language. Such a language would build cultural and economic bonds, and would also create better feeling among countries. (Kispert, 2000)

Giving opinions

Below are some useful phrases for giving opinions during a seminar. Make a note of the phrases because you will be expected to use them when we discuss the statements about robots in class.

Agreeing

• Yes, definitely.
• That’s a good point.
• Yes, I think so, too.

Partial agreement

• That may be true, but don’t forget that ….
• There’s a lot in what you say but ….
• That’s one way of looking at it but ….

Neutral opinions

• I take the view that…
• The way I look at it is that …..
• As far as I’m concerned ……..

Tentative opinions

• Don’t you think that…?
• Isn’t it possible that…..?
• It seems/appears to me that ….

Disagreeing

• But there’s no evidence for that.
• Well I don’t quite see it like that.
• I’m afraid I’m not convinced.

Seminars

Reasons for having a seminar

Seminars are an integral part of university study and provide many learning opportunities.

Task

Look at the following list of reasons for having a seminar. Rate each reason on a scale of one to five. (Five is most important).

You will discuss your ratings with your classmates in class.  After your discussion summarise your opinions for the other groups in the class.

	Reason	Rating
1	It helps the students to understand the subject more deeply.
2	It improves the students’ ability to think.
3	It is a chance to get to know other students better.
4	It helps to solve particular problems.
5	It helps the group to make a particular decision.
6	It gives students a chance to hear other students’ ideas.
7	It gives you a chance to practice your English.
8	It gives you more confidence in speaking.
9	It is more interesting and relaxing than a lecture.
10	It can change your ideas.
11	You don’t have to take notes.

Critical Thinking 2

You will be expected to question what you read, hear and see in lectures, seminars, books, from your peers and tutors. Below are some statements.

• Robots are more efficient that humans
• In the future robots will be able to make their own decisions.
• Humans will eventually be replaced by robots and all factories will become 100% automated.
• Robots have more precision than humans.
• Robots are more efficient workers than man because they have no emotions and cannot become ill.
• Human intelligence can easily be mimicked by robots.

What is your opinion?

Do you agree / disagree?

Why / why not?

You will discuss your ideas in class and we will evaluate what critical thinking is, so make sure you take some time to think about the statements.